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Diabetes Self-Management Helps People Feel Empowered, Encouraged, Enlightened

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YRMC’s Diabetes Education program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for Quality Self-Management Education.

If you have diabetes, you’re not alone. One in 10 Yavapai County residents lives with the condition.

“It’s pretty widespread,” said Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) Director of Preventive Medicine and Wellness Andrea Klein, RN, BSN, CDCES, CCRP. “Even with numbers like this, people who have diabetes can feel isolated.”

YRMC’s Diabetes Self-Management program helps people living with the condition overcome feelings of isolation. During five weekly sessions, participants learn strategies that empower them to effectively manage their diabetes. The program is for anyone with diabetes, from the newly diagnosed to people who have lived with the condition for years.

“Group members become each other’s cheerleaders and champions,” said YRMC Diabetes Educator Bonita Wilson, RN, CDCES. “The camaraderie creates a positive learning environment.”

YRMC’s Diabetes Self-Management five sessions focus on:

  • Managing Your Diabetes
  • Meals: Healthy Eating
  • Monitoring, Motion and Problem Solving
  • Reducing Risks and Healthy Coping
  • Taking Medications and Putting it All Together

YRMC’s Diabetes Education program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for Quality Self-Management Education. The program is offered throughout the year in Prescott and Prescott Valley. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

For more information, call 928-771-5794 in Prescott or 928-759-5920 in Prescott Valley or visit our DignityHealth.org/YRMC.

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in healthcare. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Serving Our Country: YRMC Emergency Director Promoted to Colonel

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As an organization, YRMC is an excellent example of what a strong military-civilian partnership looks like.

Rob Barth, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, director of Emergency Services at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center, is now also a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. That’s a rank only 2% of all Air Force officers achieve during their careers.

“This promotion is an honor and blessing, especially at this point in my military career,” said Barth. “I’m approaching 21 years of service and eligible for retirement. That makes the promotion even more significant to me.”

The promotion ceremony took place recently at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. During the ceremony, Shannon Barth – also a YRMC employee – removed the silver oak leaf cluster from her husband’s uniform and replaced it with the new silver eagle. This formalized the promotion from Lieutenant Colonel Barth to Colonel Barth.

During a separate ceremony later that day, Barth was named commander of the 624th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In that role, he will lead approximately 86 Air Force reservists and four active-duty airmen.

Barth’s new squadron has a dual mission. It conducts medical exams on airmen, ensuring they are medically ready for deployment to any location worldwide. Additionally, the squadron must be prepared to set up a hospital anywhere in the world within 72 hours.

Years of Stellar Service

At age 36, Barth made a life-changing decision: He would serve his country by joining the Air Force Reserves. “I called the Air Force recruiting office the day after Sept. 11,” he said. “I wanted to do my part.”

Commissioned as an officer in 2002, Barth was assigned to the 944th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. He has served there for most of the past 20 years. Barth began his service at the squadron as a critical care and emergency/trauma nurse and concluded as the squadron’s deputy commander.

Barth has received numerous awards throughout his Air Force career. The two most important to him are the “944th Fighter Wing, 2004 Company Grade Officer of the Year” and the “Humanitarian Service Medal.” The latter recognized Barth’s role in helping evacuate Haitian citizens who were severely injured during the country’s 2010 earthquake.

A Military-Civilian Partnership

According to YRMC Chief Nursing Executive Officer Tracey McCollum, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, both the community and YRMC have benefited from Barth’s service in the Air Force Reserves.

“Rob brings best practices from the military and applies them to his work at YRMC,” McCollum said. “The way we triage patients in the Emergency Department is a good example of that.”

She notes that Barth has also developed excellent leadership skills through his military service. This has created a strong, cohesive and high-functioning team in the Emergency Department.

The military also understands the benefits of the military-civilian partnership, according to Barth. “The depth of experience reservists bring to their service is valued by the Air Force,” he said.

Words of Appreciation

Barth also values YRMC’s support of his military service. “YRMC has always been extremely supportive of my military training time. As an organization, YRMC is an excellent example of what a strong military-civilian partnership looks like.”

As McCollum says, YRMC’s team is proud of Barth’s service to our country. “To be able to say that we have a colonel working in our four walls is actually pretty great.” QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

A Caring Heart: Dr. Soundos Moualla is YRMC’s Physician of the Year

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Moualla’s relentless commitment encompasses the compassion she generously shares with patients and their families.

Soundos Moualla, M.D., FACC, FSCAI – Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s 2022 Physician of the Year – describes the passion and drive she pours into her work as “relentless commitment.”

“My parents and grandmother guided me to always do my best and to treat every patient as family,” said Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Moualla of the James Family Heart Center at Dignity Health YRMC.

Moualla’s resolve to care for patients with heart disease began as a child. She recalls putting her ear on her father’s chest and listening to the whooshing sound of his heart murmur. Eventually, her father underwent open heart surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. And years later, after earning a medical degree from the National University of Ireland in Dublin, Moualla returned to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to pursue an internal medicine residency and an interventional cardiology fellowship. Moualla also completed her fellowship in cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic.

Joining the James Family Heart Center
Moualla joined YRMC’s James Family Heart Center in 2017 to oversee the Structural Heart Program, which had started the previous year. Among her first major initiatives was the expansion of  the Heart Center’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Program. Moualla also helped implement processes to identify patients with valvular heart disease early and expedite the delivery of state-of-the-art treatment by the heart team. All of this, she notes, was accomplished with the collaboration of the cardiothoracic surgical team, other cardiologists, primary care physicians and inpatient hospitalists.

Moualla also worked with physician colleagues and clinical team members to create a comprehensive Structural Heart Program. In a short time, the team introduced an array of advanced interventional heart and stroke-prevention procedures – transcatheter mitral valve replacement and repair, paravalvular leak closure, left atrial appendage closure and more.

“We now have a full-blown, comprehensive Structural Heart Program,” Moualla said. “That would not be possible without teamwork. Physicians, advanced practitioners, nursing and clinical staff, administrative staff and every member of the Structural Heart team contributed to building the program. This award is truly a recognition of their work and the James Family Heart Center team.”

Passionate About Patient Care
Moualla’s relentless commitment encompasses the compassion she generously shares with patients and their families.

“Structural heart disease is a disease of the elderly,” she said. “In a community with a significant number of retirees, structural heart services are fundamental. Serving these patients and providing good patient outcomes is the most rewarding aspect of my work.”

This is underscored by the many YRMC team members who nominated Moualla for Physician of the Year. According to one colleague, “Dr. Moualla treats her patients and their loved ones as though they are her own family. She spends extended time with her patients and gets to know each of them as people, not just as a diagnosis.”

Moualla also volunteers her time and expertise, providing medical care to homeless patients and refugees. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, cooking and traveling.

YRMC’s Physician of the Year is selected annually by YRMC employees and medical staff. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara 

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Accomplished Pulmonologist Joins YRMG

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A dedicated educator, Gelberg has received several awards of excellence for his work with future clinicians.

Jacob Gelberg, M.D., FRCPC, has joined Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG) Pulmonology and Infectious Disease.

An accomplished pulmonologist, Dr. Gelberg has extensive experience caring for people with conditions that affect the respiratory system – asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and more. He is certified in both respirology and internal medicine.

Gelberg’s medical education included a fellowship in interventional pulmonology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada and another in respirology at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Prior to that, he undertook multiple internal medicine residencies: one at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Ottawa and another at Queen’s University in Ontario. Gelberg earned his medical degree from Queen’s University.

A dedicated educator, Gelberg has received several awards of excellence for his work with future clinicians. He was also recognized by the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario for establishing a clinic focused on caring for people with malignant pleural effusion (MPE), a disease that causes a buildup of fluid and cancer cells between the chest wall and lungs.

Gelberg has been involved in numerous research studies that focus on improving care for people with COPD, lung cancer and other medical conditions. He has also published articles in a variety of peer-reviewed journals and is sought after as an expert speaker by leading medical societies. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Schedule an Appointment

Dr. Gelberg is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, please contact:

YRMG Pulmonology and Infectious Disease

811 Ainsworth Drive, Suite 106

Prescott, Arizona 86301

928-771-5550

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Smart Monitors Available for Diabetes Management

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“Understanding the reason for a patient’s fluctuating glucose levels leads to targeted care plans,” Wilson said.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a game changer for people with Type I and Type II diabetes. That’s how Bonita Wilson, RN, CDCES, diabetes educator at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), describes the impact of CGM technology on the lives of people with diabetes.

“CGM is the latest and greatest way to monitor blood sugar levels,” she said. “And, it’s done without finger sticks.”

This is good news for the one in 10 Americans who live with diabetes, some of whom may need up to seven finger sticks a day to monitor their glucose (blood sugar) levels. Even better news is that CGM gives people greater control of their blood sugars and their long-term health.

“With CGM, patients can see the results of their dietary choices as they’re experiencing them,” explained Wilson. “If you eat a high-carb food, your CGM registers how that’s affecting your glucose levels as it’s happening. It’s immediate and it’s meaningful.”

CGM’s smart technology also provides trending data that a healthcare provider can download and review for patterns. This creates a complete picture of how blood sugar levels change over time. It also helps people with diabetes – and their providers – understand how food, activity, stress and illness affect their blood sugar levels.

“Understanding the reason for a patient’s fluctuating glucose levels leads to targeted care plans,” Wilson said. “This is important to diabetes management.”

How Do CGM Systems Work?

CGMs include the following three components that work together to gather and share information on blood sugar levels.

Glucose Sensor: This is painlessly inserted under the skin of the upper arm or abdomen either by the individual or, if the model requires, a healthcare provider. How frequently your sensor needs to be changed depends on the CGM model. It can vary from approximately six days to six months.

Transmitter: This small piece – which fits on the sensor – gathers information on the individual’s glucose levels and wirelessly sends the data to the receiver.

Receiver: A smartphone app or a small monitor captures the information from the transmitter and immediately displays current glucose levels. Some CGMs also send glucose information directly to an insulin pump.

The data gathered from a CGM is shared with whomever the patient designates – their healthcare provider, spouse or a neighbor.

“There’s lots of fear about high and low blood sugar levels,” said Wilson. “This CGM feature keeps people close to you informed of your glucose levels so they can check in if there’s a dip or spike. It’s a great safety feature.”

Diabetes, CGM Education Program Offered

YRMC’s Diabetes Education program is for anyone with diabetes, from the newly diagnosed to people who have lived with diabetes for decades. Recognized by the American Diabetes Association  for Quality Self-Management Education, YRMC’s menu of learning opportunities include:

Pre-Diabetes Session: An hour-long, free information session presented by Wilson that YRMC will host a total of six times in 2023 – three in Prescott and three in Prescott Valley.

Individual Consultations: During one-on-one meetings, Wilson advises people on all matters related to their diabetes, including CGM.

Diabetes Self-Management: Wilson leads this five-week series, which covers an important “M” topic each week – meals, motion, medications, monitoring and mindfulness.

“Participants learn from each other and they learn that they are not alone,” said Wilson of the Diabetes Self-Management series.

Wilson calls the series an underutilized Medicare benefit, as only 7% of people who are eligible for it actually take advantage of the opportunity. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Check out DignityHealth.org/YRMC for more information about the Diabetes Education program or call 928-771-5794 in Prescott or 928-759-5920 in Prescott Valley.

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

High Blood Pressure: What You Don’t Know Could Harm You

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If you are diagnosed with hypertension, it’s important to continue these healthy lifestyle strategies.

High blood pressure is known by several names, including “hypertension” and “the silent killer,” one of the most alarming descriptions given to a condition by the medical community.

“Just because the symptoms of high blood pressure are not apparent doesn’t mean it is not a serious condition,” said Interventional Cardiologist Olufunso Odunukan, M.D., MPH, FACC, FSCAI, of Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG). “In fact, its lack of symptoms is exactly what can make hypertension so dangerous.”

Who is Likely to Have Hypertension?

While many factors – weight, family history, diet and more – can contribute to high blood pressure, age is the most common reason for high blood pressure. According to recent figures from the American Heart Association, 75% of women and 67% of men between the ages of 65 and 74 have high blood pressure. After age 75, approximately 84% of women and men suffer from the condition.

The formal definition of “blood pressure” can sound a bit like a math equation: Blood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body.

When Dr. Odunukan explains high blood pressure to patients, he compares it to a water hose under pressure. He also explains that as people age, their blood vessels become less elastic and the heart has to work harder to push blood through the vessels to the body’s organs.

“The organs – the brain, heart and kidneys – where the blood flow stops, take a pounding when your blood pressure increases,” explained Odunukan. “The result can be significant damage to those organs, and outcomes like stroke, heart failure and kidney failure.”

People with sustained, untreated high blood pressure may experience:

  • Severe headaches
  • Nose bleeds
  • Fatigue or confusion
  • Vision problems
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Difficulty breathing or chest pain
  • Blood in the urine

“When people have these symptoms, it’s an indication that their blood pressure is extremely high,” Odunukan said. “They need to seek immediate treatment to avoid a catastrophic medical event, like a stroke.”

What Do My Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?

Blood pressure consists of two numbers:

  1. Systolic – The top number indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when your heart beats.
  2. Diastolic – The bottom number measures the pressure against your artery walls while your heart is resting between beats.

Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. You’re considered to have high blood pressure when the systolic number is at or above 140 or the diastolic number is above 90.

Treating High Blood Pressure
“People in the pre-hypertensive phase don’t necessarily need medications,” Odunukan explained. “That is the time that lifestyle modifications – weight loss, dietary changes and increased physical activity – will have the greatest impact.”

Dr. Odunukan partners with his patients, encouraging them to adopt healthy habits proven to lower blood pressure, including:

  • Exercising at least 30 minutes a day.
  • Getting to a healthy weight if you’re overweight (even losing 10 pounds can significantly lower your risk for stroke).
  • Avoiding high-cholesterol foods.
  • Lowering your sodium intake.
  • Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains.
  • Keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum.
  • Giving up smoking.

If you are diagnosed with hypertension, it’s important to continue these healthy lifestyle strategies. Your physician may also prescribe medication to help lower your blood pressure. Today’s blood pressure medications are very targeted, so your physician may recommend a combination of prescriptions to manage your condition.

Between appointments with your cardiologist or other healthcare provider, Odunukan recommends checking your blood pressure at your local pharmacy. If your numbers are good, keep taking your medications and continue your healthy lifestyle measures.

“It may take some time for you and your physician to find what works best for you,” Odunukan said. “Once you find it, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to remain on the medications.” QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Get in touch:
Dr. Odunukan specializes in non-surgical – or minimally invasive – treatments for valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease. You may reach him at:

YRMG Cardiology

Outpatient Services Building West

1001 Willow Creek Road

Suite 2200 , Prescott, Arizona 86301

928-445-6025

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. O’Gara has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Should Lung Cancer Screening be Part of Your Preventive Health Plan?

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“It’s exciting how the body heals itself after giving up smoking,” Harvey said.

If you have a history of smoking, adding annual lung cancer screening to your preventive health plan could save your life.

Lung cancer screening uses low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to produce detailed images of the chest and lungs and detect lung cancer early, when it’s most curable.

“Early-stage lung cancer has about an 80% chance of cure, or survival, over five years,” said Jennifer Harvey, RN, Nurse Navigator, Lung Cancer Screening and Care at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC). “That is huge.”

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a good time to explore the benefits of this lifesaving program. Here are just a few:

There’s even more data demonstrating that lung cancer screening works.

Thanks to its success, lung cancer screening now begins at a younger age and includes people who have smoked less. The latest Medicare screening guidelines include people who are:

  • Ages 50-77
  • Heavy smokers (one pack a day for 20 years or the equivalent)
  • Current smokers or smokers who have quit in the last 15 years
  • Free of any lung cancer symptoms

“Lowering both the qualifying age for screening to 50 years old (from 55), and the pack-per-day elgibility allows for more individualized risk assessment,” Harvey said. “For example, someone who has a strong family history of lung cancer, or other risk factors, is now eligible for screening at a younger age.”

Top physician organizations recommend lung cancer screening.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) – one of the largest physician organizations in the United States – is the latest to endorse lung cancer screening. The organization’s leaders point to mounting evidence that lung cancer screening works. The AAFP also supports the expanded criteria, which makes lung cancer screening available to more minority populations who may have fewer “pack years” but are at higher risk for lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Screening and Care at Dignity Health, YRMC is a dedicated healthcare partner.

That partnership begins by ensuring you qualify for lung cancer screening. Additionally, our nurse navigator is available to answer questions about LDCT and lung health.

Harvey reaches out to every Lung Cancer Screening and Care participant to remind them of their annual lung cancer screening. That year-to-year continuity is an important aspect of Lung Cancer Screening and Care.

“Lung cancer screening is not a one and done,” said Harvey. “If you don’t have any signs of lung cancer after your first screening, you will be screened annually. I suggest that people think of their LDCT as they would a mammogram or colonoscopy. It’s a screening that you need even – and especially – if you have no symptoms.”

If a patient’s lung cancer screening findings are suspicious, a follow-up scan may be scheduled. The Lung Cancer Screening and Care team may also recommend a biopsy, in which case the patient would be referred to a procedural pulmonologist or a radiologist. If surgery is needed, the Lung Cancer Screening and Care team also includes a cardiothoracic surgeon.

LDCT not only detects lung cancer early, but it can discover other potentially life-threatening illnesses before you’re experiencing symptoms.

LDCT scans include a large part of the body. This means in addition to lung cancer, LDCT can also detect chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD) and heart disease, for example.

If you’re a longtime smoker who wants to quit, you’ll receive support from Lung Cancer Screening and Care.

The health benefits of giving up smoking are substantial:

One year after quitting smoking, a person’s risk for coronary heart disease decreases 50 percent.

After 10 years, a person’s chances of developing lung cancer and dying from it are cut in half compared to someone who continues smoking.

“It’s exciting how the body heals itself after giving up smoking,” Harvey said. “After someone quits, it’s recommended that they continue annual lung screening for at least 15 years. After that, their chance of developing lung cancer drops significantly.”

How do you get help quitting? The Arizona ASHLine sponsors a customized program called Quit Coaching. You’ll find information at AZDHS.org/ashline or by calling 1-800-556-6222.

Want to learn more about Lung Cancer Screening and Care? Speak to your healthcare provider or contact us at 928-771-5454. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. O’Gara has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Five Questions to Ask Before Your Next Mammogram

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Does your facility have advanced breast imaging technology?

One of the most important healthcare decisions a woman will make is where to undergo breast screening.

“Most women assume that all imaging facilities offer the same services and are pretty much interchangeable,” said Breast Care Center Imaging Operations Manager Kathi Hoffer at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC). “In reality, there are significant differences between imaging centers.”

This October – National Breast Cancer Awareness Month – the Breast Care Center and Dignity Health Imaging Center in Prescott are teaming up to give the women of our community the information they need to select an imaging center. We’ll also clear up some of the confusion about how frequently women should undergo screening mammography.

Does your facility have advanced breast imaging technology?

The Breast Care Center and Dignity Health Imaging Center have exceptional technology dedicated to detecting breast cancer. This includes state-of-the-art digital mammography, a dedicated breast MRI system, three-dimensional breast imaging, the Hologic Supersonic Mach 30 breast ultrasound and more.

“Technology is constantly improving, so it’s also important for imaging centers to continually invest in proven technology,” said Hoffer.

If I need a follow-up imaging procedure after a screening mammogram, is that available at your facility?

The imaging center where you undergo your screening mammograms should be your breast health home.

“I encourage women to think long-term about their breast health,” Hoffer said. “This means finding a center that can manage all of the breast imaging needs you may encounter at different times.”

The Breast Care Center features a continuum of breast health services. The center provides breast screening, diagnostic procedures and, if needed, treatment planning and the guidance of a clinical navigator.

Do your radiologic technologists – the professionals who conduct mammograms – specialize in breast imaging?

At the Breast Care Center and Dignity Health Imaging Center, screening mammograms are performed by breast imaging technologists. These are radiologic technologists specially trained in breast imaging.

“This really makes a difference in your mammogram,” explained Hoffer. “Our breast imaging technologists are experienced at positioning for optimal views, recognizing possible pathology and taking extra views when needed.”

Are your radiologists board certified?

Radiologists are the physicians who interpret your mammogram and other imaging studies. At both the Breast Care Center and Dignity Health Imaging Center, radiologists are certified by leading radiology accreditation organizations. They also have been trained at some of the nation’s top radiology programs.

“We have an amazing team of radiologists,” Hoffer said. “They are extremely skilled at interpreting breast screenings as well as performing breast-related diagnostic studies and procedures.”

Are your breast imaging modalities accredited?

The American College of Radiology (ACR) is the leading accreditation organization for imaging studies in the United States. ACR accreditation means an imaging center provides the highest level of image quality and safety requirements for equipment, medical personnel and quality assurance.

Both the Breast Care Center and Dignity Health Imaging Center have earned ACR accreditation in mammography, breast MRI and stereotactic biopsy. The Breast Care Center was also recently designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the ACR.

A Mammogram Screening Schedule

Since 1990, screening mammography has helped reduce breast cancer mortality by nearly 40 percent in the United States. That’s an extremely positive track record. It’s why the Breast Care Center and Dignity Health Imaging Center support these screening recommendations:

A baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40.

Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing as long as you are healthy.

“Our community is full of very vibrant women in their 70s, 80s and even their 90s,” Hoffer said. “That’s a major reason we do not recommend ending annual mammograms at a certain age.”

Schedule Your Mammogram

Has it been more than a year since your last mammogram? Contact the Breast Care Center in Prescott Valley or Dignity Health Imaging Center in Prescott at 928-771-7577 to schedule your screening. It’s the best way to celebrate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Vein Center Welcomes Dr. Saina Attaran

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“I love everything about this community: the people, spirit and scenery,” she said.

Veins, vessels and valves are all part of the body’s vascular system, which is why cardiothoracic surgeon Saina Attaran, M.D., is at home in her new role at the Vein Center at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC).

“The venous system is critical to our overall health,” said Dr. Attaran, vein specialist at the Vein Center at YRMC. “We depend on our network of veins to deliver deoxygenated blood back to our hearts. It’s familiar territory for me.”

The Quad Cities community is also familiar to Dr. Attaran. She moved to the area in 2019 to join the surgical team at YRMC’s James Family Heart Center.

“I love everything about this community: the people, spirit and scenery,” she said. “Helping the people of my community stay healthy is a privilege.”

Patient-Centered Care

With Attaran’s exceptional skills and experience, the fully-staffed Vein Center will continue to provide top diagnostic and advanced therapies for people with lower-extremity vein issues. The strong partnership with Advanced Wound Care at Dignity Health, YRMC, will also continue.

“Our Advanced Wound Care and Vein Center teams often collaborate to care for patients,” said Advanced Wound and Vein Center Director Cheryl Sofonia. “It’s a benefit to patients that our clinics are together in one location. It’s an even bigger benefit that our Advanced Wound and Vein Center teams draw on the expertise of the multidisciplinary medical team to ensure patients receive the best care possible.”

Attaran echoes this and also emphasizes the patient’s significant role in the Vein Center’s care model. “Teamwork is a very important to the Vein Center. And our patients are at the center of our team. We work with every patient to improve their mobility with individualized care plans that may include lifestyle changes, compression stockings and possibly a venous procedure.”

A Global Medical Education

Attaran’s medical education has taken her to top medical centers in the United States and worldwide. She pursued a valve reconstruction fellowship in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Prior to that, she studied valve/aortic surgery during a fellowship at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong and cardiothoracic surgery during a junior clinical fellowship at the London Chest Hospital.

Attaran’s cardiothoracic residency took place in the United Kingdom at hospitals throughout London and Liverpool. She earned her medical degree from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

How to Reach the Vein Center

The Vein Center is located on the campus of YRMC East at: Del E. Webb Outpatient Center 3262 North Windsong Drive, Prescott Valley, Arizona 86314. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call 928-759-5890

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. O’Gara has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

Learn from Your Laptop with YRMC’s Healthy Conversations

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“Healthy Conversations includes top medical experts from our community,” said Boush.

The concept of health and wellness has come a long way. You may remember the workout tapes that once captivated Americans. Or the weight-loss strategies involving cabbage soup, cookies and grapefruit people pursued over the years, sometimes at a cost to their health.

“Today, people view health and wellness through a broader and more sophisticated lens,” said Ken Boush, director of marketing and communications at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC). “They’re concerned about all aspects of their health and are discriminating about the source of their health information.”

Healthy Conversations, YRMC’s online speakers’ bureau, is designed for today’s savvy healthcare consumer. Launched in 2020, Healthy Conversations features:

  •  A diverse menu of health and wellness topics
  •  Knowledgeable, local healthcare providers
  •  Brief, informative videos
  •  Easy-to-access, on-demand videos
  •  A regular flow of new health and wellness topics

 

“Healthy Conversations includes top medical experts from our community,” said Boush. “There’s a leading orthopedic surgeon who talks about the latest hip replacement surgery, an experienced dietitian who teaches you how to count carbs and many more healthcare providers sharing accurate information.”

Check out the following Healthy Conversations topics, presented by YRMC healthcare providers and Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG) physicians:

Adult Health & Screening Topics

DEXA: Are Your Bones Healthy?
Sierra-Amber Mabry, RT, BS, Prescott Medical Imaging

Farewell to Hip Arthritis … Hello to Hip Health
Dr. Jason Weisstein, Orthopedic Surgeon, YRMG

Five Signs it’s Time for a Total Knee Replacement
Francisco Jaume, DO, Orthopedic Surgeon, YRMG

Is the Cognitive Assessment and Support Clinic Right for You?
Sam Downing, M.D., Director of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, YRMG

Lung Cancer Screening
Jennifer Harvey, RN, Nurse Navigator, Lung Cancer Screening and Care, YRMC

Palliative Medicine: A Big Picture Perspective
Larry Parsons, M.D., Palliative Medicine, YRMC

Say So Long to Swelling: What You Need to Know About Leg Edema
Anil Kumar, M.D., ABVLM, RPVI, RPhS, FACC, FSVM, Vascular Medicine and Vein Specialist

 

What You Should Know About Neurosurgery & Physiatry
Bradley Benson, DO, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, YRMG

Why Worrying About Your Varicose Veins is Not Vain
Dr. Anil Kumar, Vascular Medicine and Vein Specialist

Nutrition & Fitness Topics

Tips for Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet
Danyelle Schott, Certified Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer, Preventive Medicine and Wellness, YRMC

Carb Counting for Diabetics
Wendy Nelson, Diabetes Educator-Dietitian, Preventive Medicine and Wellness, YRMC

Get Toned at Home
Danyelle Schott, Certified Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer, YRMC

Mindfulness Topics

Building More Resilience to Navigate Life’s Challenges
Cheryl Van Demark PT, C-IAYT, Physical Therapist and Certified Yoga Therapist, Physical Rehabilitation Services, YRMC

Welcome Self-Compassion into Your Life
Cheryl Van Demark, Physical Therapist and Certified Yoga Therapist, YRMC

Aging, Safety & Senior Health Topics

A Matter of Balance
Al Peraza, PT, DPT, Physical Therapist, Physical Rehabilitation Services, YRMC

Must-Know Self-Defense Tips (with Demonstrations) for Seniors
Jill Potter, RN, ACSM-CEP, AACVPR, CRP and sixth-degree black belt, Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation, YRMC

Swallowing Issues and Aging: What You Should Consider
Courtney Brimm, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist, Physical Rehabilitation Services, YRMC

Volunteerism

Volunteering and the Helper’s High

Nancy Thomes, Director of Volunteer Services, YRMC

Keep up with Healthy Conversations presentations by subscribing to YRMC HealthConnect (YRMCHealthConnect.org). Healthy Conversations is supported by a grant from the William L. and Ruth T. Pendleton Memorial Fund. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.