O’Malleys Provide Martin Memorial Foundation Mum Ball with $500,000 Gift

Thomas and Mary Alice O’Malley are redefining what it means to be good hosts.

The O’Malleys, Sailfish Point residents who are hosting the 2010 Martin Memorial Foundation Chrysanthemum Ball at their home, will provide a gift of $500,000 to help match funds raised at the 16th annual event. The Chrysanthemum Ball is expected to bring in more than $800,000 and that money, combined with the O’Malleys’ gift, will be used toward the purchase of a technologically advanced interventional radiology suite.

In order to fully fund the $1.7 million interventional radiology suite, the Martin Memorial Foundation is seeking others to join the O’Malleys and make gifts that will help reach that financial target.

“Having access to health care is critical to the continued well being of a community,” said Mary Alice O’Malley, a registered nurse. “For 16 years the Chrysanthemum Ball has
helped Martin Memorial fulfill its mission of providing high-quality care. We are excited to help build on that legacy.”

Mary Alice O’Malley has served on the boards of several medical and educational organizations and is presently a trustee of the Children’s National Research Center in Washington, D.C. Thomas O’Malley is chairman of Petroplus Holdings A.G., Europe’s largest independent oil refiner and wholesaler, and also serves as chairman of PBF Investments LLC, a U.S. oil refining entity.

Prior to that, Thomas O’Malley was chairman of Premcor, a domestic oil refiner and Fortune 250 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Before joining Premcor, he was chairman and CEO of Tosco Corporation, which was the largest independent oil refiner and marketer of oil products in the United States. He is also a past vice chairman of Salomon Brothers Inc.

Thomas O’Malley has served on the boards of the National Petroleum Council; the Listed Company Advisory Board of the New York Stock Exchange; Lowe’s Companies; PetSmart Inc.; and Phillips Petroleum. He is chairman of the board of trustees of Manhattan College, his alma mater. The O’Malleys have four grown children and four grandchildren.

“The generosity shown by the O’Malleys is an extraordinary example of how philanthropy makes it possible for Martin Memorial to provide exceptional care for the Treasure Coast,” said Arthur M. “Rusty” Brink Jr., vice president and chief philanthropic officer for Martin Memorial. “Their gift will play a significant role in helping improve the quality of health for our community.”

The new digital interventional suite brings to Martin Memorial a new level of diagnostic power. Sharper technology allows more detailed images while minimizing the amount of radiation to each patient. Interventional radiology suites are used for procedures such as:

• Angioplasty (repairing blood vessels using a balloon-tipped catheter and vascular stents)
• Thrombectomy and thrombolysis (blood clot removal and dissolving)
• Embolization (stopping blood flow to selected tumors)
• Radiofrequency ablation (removing tumors with high-energy radio waves)

Since its inception, the Chrysanthemum Ball has raised nearly $9.5 million. In that time the event has earned a reputation for providing high-quality entertainment, fine cuisine and an energetic atmosphere. Its committee of more than 30 volunteers have consistently created an event that is engaging to those who attend, but also integrally important to Martin Memorial’s mission of providing health care access to the community.

Past Chrysanthemum Balls raised funds for sophisticated technologies such as a PET/CT scanner, two cardiac catheterization labs, a 64-slice CT scanner, a digital mammography unit and equipment enhancements for nurses at the bedside. An endowment was also created that will fund patient care projects in the future as well.

For more information about the Chrysanthemum Ball or the Martin Memorial Foundation, please visit GIVEmmhs.org.

Martin Memorial Earns Joint Commission Certification for Joint Replacement

The Martin Memorial Center for Joint Replacement has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ for health care quality. In September, the Joint Commission awarded Martin Memorial disease-specific care certification for joint replacement of the knee and hip.

Martin Memorial is one of just nine hospitals in Florida to receive this certification and the only one on the Treasure Coast.

“We are fortunate to have a dynamic team of physicians, nurses, clinical and support staff that provides high quality care to our patients,” said Mark E. Robitaille, president and chief executive officer of Martin Memorial Health Systems. “Our goal is to ensure patients receive the best possible care and the Joint Commission certification demonstrates our commitment to achieving that goal.”

To earn this distinction, a disease management program undergoes an extensive on-site evaluation by a team of Joint Commission reviewers every two years. The program is evaluated against Joint Commission standards through an assessment of a program’s processes, the program’s ability to evaluate and improve care within its own organization, and interviews with patients and staff.

“This certification means Martin Memorial does the right things and does them well for knee and hip replacement patients,” said Jean E. Range, executive director of disease-specific care certification for the Joint Commission.

The Joint Commission launched its disease-specific care certification program in 2002. It is the first program of its kind in the country to certify disease management programs.

Approximately 400 patients each year visit the Martin Memorial Center for Joint Replacement. About 53 percent of patients have knee replacement surgery and 47 percent have hip replacement surgery. Surgeons at the center follow practice parameters developed and approved by Martin Memorial’s Orthopaedic Task Force. The task force develops these practices based on the latest research and best outcomes.

Martin Memorial Foundation LifeSavers Seek Pepsi Refresh Grant to Help Kids

The Martin Memorial Foundation LifeSavers are looking to refresh their efforts to help new mothers and babies on the Treasure Coast in a bold and exciting new way – through the Pepsi Refresh Project.

The Pepsi Refresh Project is an effort to foster innovative programs that will benefit communities, and will award more than $20 million this year to fund ideas and projects. The Martin Memorial Foundation received notification on Oct. 1 that the LifeSavers’ efforts to enhance health care for kids and families was accepted as one of the Pepsi Refresh projects for the month.

The LifeSavers are vying for one of two possible $250,000 grants. Winners are selected by a popular vote. To vote for the LifeSavers project, visit www.refresheverything.com/goombaybash or text 103329 to Pepsi at 73774. Voting ends Nov. 1.

The Pepsi Refresh Project launched in January 2010. Each month, 1,000 submissions are reviewed and approved projects are then posted online and voted on for the entire month following submission. Pepsi Refresh is looking for “projects that are beneficial, achievable, constructive, and ‘shovel-ready’ (meaning it can be finished within 12 months of funding).”

The LifeSavers are a committee of nearly 70 philanthropists from Martin and St. Lucie counties who work hard to create awareness for the needs of new mothers and infants, as well as pediatric patients at Martin Memorial. A number of the committee members have had children born at Martin Memorial – and some were actually born at the hospital themselves.

“I think the LifeSavers fit perfectly with what the Pepsi Refresh Project is trying to accomplish,” said Lindsay Nickerson, co-chair of the LifeSavers committee. “We are a group of individuals who, by using innovation, passion and teamwork, are helping to ensure babies born at Martin Memorial receive the best possible health care available. And in many cases, that care is quite literally a life saver.”

Since its inception in 2002, the LifeSavers have raised $600,000 for the Martin Memorial Foundation. Those funds are used to purchase new technology and equipment, as well as to provide needed renovations to Martin Memorial’s maternal-child department and pediatric rehabilitation facilities.

At the 2010 Goombay Bash, the annual summer event that highlights the group’s efforts, the LifeSavers brought in a record $130,000 with the help of 650 revelers and numerous sponsors.

“The LifeSavers have been so successful not only because they support a great cause, but because of the passion and commitment they bring to everything they do,” said Melinda Stevens, co-chair of the committee. “The Pepsi Refresh Project is an exciting opportunity to continue that legacy of assisting Treasure Coast residents. We hope the community will help us reach our goal and in doing so, help new mothers and babies have access to the highest quality care available.”

Back and Spine Center at Martin Memorial Inaugural Lecture, Screening Event a Success

The Back and Spine Center at Martin Memorial recently held its inaugural lecture and screening event. Designed to provide information on back and spine problems, the event drew nearly 60 people.

The lecture was presented on Sept. 25 by Drs. John Afshar, John Robinson and John Viola, neurosurgeons at the Back and Spine Center, who provided information on a wide array of back and spine issues. After the lecture, 46 people were screened by three Martin Memorial physical therapists and three neurosurgical physician assistants from the Back and Spine Center.

The Back and Spine Center at Martin Memorial, which was officially launched Sept. 7, is the premier comprehensive neurosurgery center on the Treasure Coast. Located at 509 Riverside Drive on the Martin Memorial Medical Center campus in Stuart, the Back and Spine Center features three board-certified neurosurgeons, as well as a team of clinical support staff that includes physician assistants and a physical therapist.

Together, they are able to diagnose and treat patients suffering from back and spine pain – as well as complex conditions of the brain – with a wide variety of minimally invasive procedures and non-surgical treatment options.

The Back and Spine Center also features a rapid referral system that can help patients get an appointment to see a neurosurgeon quickly, or with a physician assistant the same day. Diagnostic procedures such as X-rays, and CT and MRI scans are coordinated through the center for a quick turnaround.

The neurosurgeons at the Back and Spine Center offer the latest minimally invasive surgical treatments that are designed for shorter hospital stays, faster healing and fewer complications. Assisted by sophisticated computers, the neurosurgeons can reconstruct spinal columns, insert artificial discs, repair fractures and relieve pinched nerves. They also utilize the latest technologies for surgical treatment of tumors and other conditions affecting the brain.

Not all back and spine issues require surgery. Non-surgical options include on-site physical therapy along with referrals for pain management, holistic services, and diet and nutritional counseling. Each patient leaves with a comprehensive and customized treatment plan.

For more information, call the Back and Spine Center at (772) 288-5862 or visit BackandSpineFL.com.

Tale of the Tape: Kinesio Taping Has Benefits for Athletes and Rehabilitation Patients

Here at Martin Memorial Health Systems we take great pride in our patient care, and we are always trying new techniques to aid in our patients’ recovery.

That’s why many of our therapists recently studied the kinesio taping method. The goal is that together with other rehabilitations modalities we will enhance our patient care, and it will now be offered at all of our Martin Memorial rehabilitation sites.

Kinesio tape and the kineso taping method were founded in Japan by Dr. Kenzo Kase in 1973. It was first seen internationally at the 1988 Olympics. Since those Olympics, the tape has gained recognition around the world. It wasn’t until 1995 this taping method was introduced in the United States, and has since been accepted from the world’s best known athletes.

Many athletes in the 2008 Summer Olympics, along with the Paralympics, used kinesio tape. Athletes including Lance Armstrong, Kerri Walsh, and players from the New York Jets and Seattle Mariners have been using the tape with great results. Though the tape has recently boomed with athletes, 85 percent of all applications are performed on non-athletes. Many physical therapists across the country are using this tape in their practices for patients to utilize at home and between visits.

Kinesio tape is a stretchy fabric tape with a medical grade acrylic heat activated adhesive backing. It is latex-free and can stretch up to 100 percent in length. The tape can be worn for three to five days without reapplying. It is waterproof and may be worn in the pool or shower. This tape is designed to lift the skin to allow increased circulation, to help enhance muscle performance and protect against injury. Kinsio tape is unique to all other forms of athletic tape; it allows more movement in the body and skin.

What can the tape be used for? Virtually anything. Depending on how the tape is applied to the body, it can be used to decrease swelling after surgery, to protect a joint or muscle from overstretch or injury. The tape can encourage better spinal alignment and posture. The possibilities are endless.

There are five major effects of kinesio tape. First, our skin is our largest sensory organ in our bodies. The tape allows increased space in deeper tissues to allow for increased circulation and reducing pressure on our pain receptors. The tape can affect nearly every part of the body through contact with the skin. This allows for increased lymphatic flow along with improved blood exchange. Kinesio tape allows the fascia in our bodies to re-organize correctly. The tape greatly improves alignment of joints and helps facilitate function of ligaments and tendons. Finally, muscles can be encouraged to contract or can relax over-used muscles to prevent further stress.

With many medical benefits, the tape can be used for a wide variety of scenarios or medical needs – for athletes, weekend warriors or anyone who might benefit from its use.

--Victoria Strome, PTA
Martin Memorial Rehabilitation Services

Osteoporosis is a Challenging Condition, but Manageable With Professional Guidance

As people age their bodies go through many changes, one of which is a change in their posture.

These postural changes are due to tightening muscle groups, decreased muscle tone and decreased bone strength. The National Institutes of Health defines osteoporosis as a systemic skeletal disorder with compromised bone strength that predisposes an individual to increased fracture risk. The most common fractures due to osteoporosis are of the wrist, hip and vertebral bodies, with the hip being the most disabling and life-threatening.

A bone density scan is completed to determine if you have osteoporosis. This scan will result in a measurement known as a T-score. If the T score is 0 to -1, the bone strength is normal; -1 to -2.4 equals osteopenia; -2.5 and below equals osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis can be managed with medication, diet and exercise:

• There are many medications on the market which can be taken daily, weekly, monthly and even once a year. Talk to your physician to determine if this is an option for you.

• A diet filled with various calcium-rich foods plays an important part in managing osteoporosis.

• Getting at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day helps your body produce Vitamin D, which aides in the absorption of calcium.

• An exercise program including a walking regimen and weight training program can help build bone density and increase postural muscle strength.

With a prescription from a physician, you can participate in a physical therapy osteoporosis program providing education about posture, body mechanics, fall prevention and specific exercise techniques.

The physical therapists at Martin Memorial are trained in the Meeks Method of exercise for patients with osteoporosis. This is a systematic, progressive exercise program specifically designed to unload and elongate the spine.

The benefit of the Meeks Method is that once you’ve received proper training from physical therapists, you can incorporate these techniques into your daily life and exercise regimen. Upon completion of skilled physical therapy, Martin Memorial offers memberships at our health and fitness centers with trainers to assist you with your management of osteoporosis.

For further information regarding our rehabilitation services osteoporosis program at Martin Memorial, please contact us at (772)223-2811.

--Cathy Sopotnick, MSPT
Rehabilitation Services