Community
and commitment go hand in hand
at Georgetown Hospital System, which is why our
community health education department consistently
looks for ways to help the uninsured and underinsured.
“Each year, we assess what we can do to improve the
health of the population we serve,” Carla Wham, BSN,
RN, director of community health education, says.
So, the hospital system, in conjunction with GCCN,
partnered with community organizations to develop a
community health needs assessment for Georgetown
Memorial Hospital and Waccamaw Community
Hospital.
After reviewing the assessments, the community
health education team determined that creating
care pathways and educational opportunities for
uninsured or underinsured patients with diabetes,
congestive heart failure, COPD, asthma and
hypertension would make the greatest impact on
patient health, Wham says.
In fact, Wham was instrumental in bringing
attention to one such opportunity, a Stanford University
workshop called “Better Choices, Better Health.” The
workshop, which consists of six weekly classes, teaches
patients how to manage chronic disease and includes
information on topics such as nutrition, exercise,
talking to your physician about your disease and
understanding your treatment options.
“Sometimes it is as simple as showing a patient
how to use an inhaler,” Wham says.
However, certain issues are more complex,
especially if a patient has multiple conditions.
The department’s health education nurses
also meet with patients at their primary care
doctor appointments to provide education
and assistance in managing their chronic
disease. For example, some patients need help
understanding medical instructions, while
others may need a scale to weigh themselves.
The health education nurse works with the
physician’s office to make sure the patient’s needs
are met.
Although these programs are in the early stages
of development, they are an extension of the services
offered within the hospital walls, Wham says.
For a full complement of the classes, workshops
and screenings offered by the Georgetown Hospital
System community health education department,
visit
At Georgetown Hospital System,
we customize our programs and
services to the needs of the
people in our community
Care
for those
in need
BACK ROW, FROM LEFT:
Melanie Matney, executive director of AccessHealth SC; Carla
Wham, director of community health education; Sue Stark, coadministrator of Georgetown
Health Group; WilliamWalker, director of Georgetown Alcohol & Drug Commission; Sandra
Gilliard, CEO of St. James Santee Family Health Center; Anne Faul, director of Smith Free
Medical Clinic; Monica Grey, associate VP of transitional care services, Georgetown Hospital
System; Bruce Pattillo, Waccamaw Community Hospital emergency department clinical
director; Doris Williamson, director of Waccamaw Mental Health
FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT:
Cheryl O’Grady, associate director of patient advocates,
Welvista; Pam Davis, CEO of Little River Medical Center; Mary Gruenwald, director of GHS
case management; Wendi Kobylarz, director of Georgetown Memorial Hospital emergency
department; Linda Bonesteel, director of Georgetown Community Care Network; Lynne
Weiss, community educator, community health education
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