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EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Columbus Regional Hospital is close to opening the new Emergency Department, which will be more than twice the size of the current space. The department currently handles almost double the patient capacity for which it was originally built. The new two-story space will allow us to better serve our community’s needs. Watch a time-lapsed video and stay up-todate on the latest construction news at www.crh.org/construction. The Emergency Department will remain open during construction. Watch for more information about public tours this spring/summer.

Connect With WellConnect

WellConnect is a health and wellness center open to the public, located in downtown Columbus, that offers a comfortable, modern environment where you can connect with wellness experts, healthcare professionals and others. Here we offer: Care —We understand your life is busy, and you don’t have time to be sick; so we make it easy to receive care quickly. Our Care Center offers walk-in care 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday for minor illnesses such as, strep throat, pink eye, bladder infections, cold and flu symptoms, pregnancy testing and more. Connection — Our Connection Specialists are here to answer health and wellness questions and to connect people with the most relevant resources available. Stop by, call or text us at 812-343-9840, to discover just how helpful we can be. Classes — We are here to partner with you on your health and wellness journey. We offer affordable exercise classes ($2 each with no registration required) and FREE education sessions led by our clinical or medical staff. See page 7 for a list of free upcoming educational sessions. To learn more, stop by, call or text us at 812-343-9840 or go to www.crh.org/wellconnect.

Expert Cancer Care, Close to Home

Columbus Regional Hospital is excited to announce the completion of our newly expanded Cancer Center. We offer:

• Today’s best technology and pharmacological advances, delivered with an understanding human touch by board certified radiation and medical oncologists, and certified oncology nurses and radiation therapists.
• Smart, compassionate people with years of experience who perform nearly 12,000 chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments each year.
• Convenient, expert care provided close to home so the people who love and support you can be by your side.
• A cancer rehabilitation team who is certified in the STAR Program® (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation) to help provide patients with well-coordinated rehabilitation care.
• An accredited center (by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer). Only one in four Cancer Centers nationwide receives this recognition.

We are committed to meeting your emotional, educational, and social needs every step of the way. It all adds up to great cancer care, right here in Columbus. Want to see our new center for yourself? Come to our public open house on March 24 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. and tour our newly expanded Cancer Center. To learn more, visit www.crh.org/cancer.

Four New Health Checks Your Child Needs

Doctor visits aren’t just for sick kids. Check-ups help your child’s doctor catch hidden health problems early. And the nation’s leading child health organization just updated its checklist for these visits. In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics revised its guidelines to advise four new screenings. Consult this guide before your child’s next appointment. 1. CHOLESTEROL In the past, only kids with a family history of heart problems got routine cholesterol tests. Under the new guidelines, all kids ages 9 to 11 will have a blood test measuring their levels. Without help, kids may not outgrow high cholesterol, and it could lead to hardening of the arteries. About 7 percent of children ages 10 to 15 already show early signs of atherosclerosis. Often, diet changes and exercise can steer them back on the right path.

2. DEPRESSION At any given moment, about 5 percent of children and teens are suffering from depression. Between ages 11 and 21, your child’s doctor will ask questions at each visit to assess your child’s risk. Early treatment with medication and counseling can help lift your child’s mood. 3. HIV About one in four new HIV infections occur in young people ages 13 to 24. Many don’t know they’re infected. They may pass the virus to others without even realizing it. The AAP now advises at least one HIV test between ages 16 and 18. Those at risk, including sexually active teens or injection drug users, should undergo more frequent screenings. 4. HEART DEFECTS Most babies are born with healthy hearts. But about 18 of every 10,000 newborns arrive with heart defects. Many have no symptoms within the first hours or days.

If doctors catch these problems early, surgery can usually repair them. Following the AAP’s guidance, newborns will now undergo screening for heart defects before leaving the hospital. The doctor or nurse will check to see how much oxygen is in your baby’s blood — a sign of how well the heart is working. One more change: The AAP no longer recommends testing healthy girls and women age 21 and younger for cervical cancer with a Pap test. Girls and women at a younger age are often able to clear the HPV infection that may lead to cervical cancer. In some high-risk situations, such as HIV infection, Pap tests are done earlier than age 21. Always check with your child’s pediatrician about which tests and checks are right for your child. Based on medical and family history, the doctor may set a different schedule to safeguard your kid’s good health.