Breaking Ground on Inova Fair Oaks Cancer Center
September 20th, 2012
The new building will open in 2013 and the 10,000-square foot center will include an infusion center, physician offices, Inova’s “Life with Cancer” program, space for classes, support groups and other services for cancer patients and families.
Prostate Cancer: To screen or not to screen?
September 17th, 2012
Recommendations vary based on risk factors
Alexandria, VA – September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month which brings with it questions about prostate cancer screenings, specifically the use of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing.
There are studies that suggest that PSA testing leads to unnecessary treatments. Many urologists know that PSA tests are limited, but agree with The American Urology Association and The American Cancer Society revised screening guidelines recommending that doctors more heavily involve their patients in the decision about whether to be screened for prostate cancer.
“The types of tests used matter little compared to the mutual understanding between a man and his doctor about the risk factors for prostate cancer and available treatment options,” says Dr. Yousef Salem, Urologist at Inova Alexandria Hospital. “It’s important to understand a man’s baseline PSA levels and then track the changes in those levels over time. Therefore, PSA testing needs to be individualized”.
The combination of the PSA test (a blood test) with a digital rectal examination is the best way to detect prostate cancer and early detection is considered the best prevention. The increased incidence of earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer has led to men living longer with the disease. “Data from screening studies showed PSA screening reduces prostate cancer mortality by 21%,” notes Salem.
The American Urology Association recommends baseline PSA screenings for me at ages 40 and 45, followed by annual screenings at age 50 for men who are not considered high risk for prostate cancer. Men with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened every year beginning at age 40. Annual screenings for men ages 40 and above are also recommended for African American men, who are at higher risk.
For more information on prostate cancer, please visit inova.org/cancer. There will be a free prostate screening held on November 4 at Inova Alexandria Hospital. To sign up, call 1-855-My-Inova (694-6682).
To schedule an interview with Dr. Yousef Salem call Allison Kenty at 703-504-3840.
About Inova
Inova is a not-for-profit health care system located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, serving over two million people with over 1,700 licensed beds based in Northern Virginia. Inova consists of five hospitals including the area’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care unit. Inova encompasses many health services including the nationally and internationally recognized Inova Heart and Vascular Institute (IHVI), Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI) on genomics, Inova Neuroscience Institute and Inova Children’s Hospital. Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. More information and statistics about Inova is at www.inova.org.
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Inova Lays the Building Blocks for the Future of Women’s and Children’s Health
September 13th, 2012
Breaks Ground for Inova Women’s Hospital and Inova Children’s Hospital (more…)
Inova’s new mobile app gives hospital, healthcare information on the go
September 13th, 2012
Getting hospital and healthcare information just got easier for residents of the busy Northern Virginia suburbs just outside of Washington, DC. Inova Health System (the region’s largest healthcare provider) has launched a new and improved version of its already popular E.R. Wait Times mobile app for smartphones. The new app, called “Visit Inova”, brings patients and their families the most important information they need when planning a visit, or while onsite at an Inova hospital.
The popularity of the earlier app quickly demonstrated that members of the community valued apps as a way to access health information quickly and easily.
The new app is more robust and extends the quality and quantity of information for patients and visitors. It is also available to a wider audience than before — available in both iPhone and Android versions.
Some of the enhanced features of the new “Visit Inova” app include:
• E.R. wait times for 9 facilities
• Maps & driving directions to hospitals (linked to GPS)
• A directory of patient and visitor phone numbers
• Downloadable patient forms
• Information about visiting hours, parking, and food and beverage options
No app? No problem
For those who prefer to use their smartphone’s Web browser to view information online, the full inova.org website was recently optimized to be viewed on mobile phones. To make it happen, Inova’s digital team implemented cutting-edge “responsive design” that displays the site clearly on all devices.
Download and try the free “Visit Inova” app:
• Download from iTunes (iOS)
• Download from Google Play (Android)
Inova Magazine app also gets an upgrade
Healthcare consumers can also read the latest news from Inova on the latest edition of the Inova Magazine app, available for iPhone and Ipad. The app features videos and links to online resources, plus archived versions of past issues. Download the free Inova Magazine app from iTunes
Press inquiries: Contact Chris Boyer, Director, Digital Marketing Communications, T 703.645.2713 | M 303.579.4232
Rummage Sale Trailers Open For Donations
September 11th, 2012
Two More Dates to Contribute to 74th Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale
Leesburg, VA – The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital will open the trailers for two more Donation Days to support the annual rummage sale. Donations will be collected on Saturday, September 22 and Saturday, October 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Parkway, Leesburg, VA, and at Inova Loudoun Medical Campus – Leesburg, 224 Cornwall Street. Signs will be guide traffic to the designated trailers.
All donations received will be offered for sale at the 74th Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale on Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20, 2012 at Morven Park – Tutt Lane entrance, 41793 Tutt Lane (off Route 15) in Leesburg, VA.
“We always need furniture and this year we especially need linens and blankets, coats and winter clothing, even children’s clothing,” said Sue Clewis, co-chairman of the event. “This community has always risen to the challenge and with the struggling economy many families need to make the budget stretch farther. If everyone could help by bringing just one or two bags of winter clothing, we could really make a difference for the thousands who rely on the sale each year.”
Tax receipts are provided and all the money raised goes to support Ladies Board projects in the community. The Ladies Board raises several hundred thousand dollars each year toward special needs equipment at Inova Loudoun Hospital and recently pledged a $1 million for the Cornwall Cares project. The Ladies Board awards more than $100,000 in nursing scholarships annually.
The Ladies Board accepts furniture, clothing, books, household items, linens, lamps, sports equipment, etc., but some items cannot be accepted, such as mattresses or large appliances. For more information on what can be accepted or not, please call 703-771-2985 or visit www.LadiesBoard.org.
About the Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital
The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote good will between the community and the hospital, and to raise funds for nursing education, patient services and special projects. The Ladies Board operates the Twice Is Nice thrift shop, the hospital gift shop and the annual rummage sale.
About Inova Loudoun Hospital
Inova Loudoun Hospital, serving Loudoun County for 100 years, is part of Inova, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
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