NewScope [April-June 1980]

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MEWScope
GREENSBORO, N.C.
WESLEY LONG COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
APRIL-JUNE, 1980
Ambulatory Surgery in the '80's:
Topic for May 8 Conference
Ambulatory Surgery, often referred to
as 'outpatient surgery' or 'same-day
surgery,' was the topic of a conference on
May 8 at Wesley Long Hospital.
Administrative, business, and medical
representatives from across North
Carolina gathered to learn more about
establishing and expanding use of ambulatory surgery. The meeting was held in
cooperation with Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of North Carolina which recently
began a two-year campaign promoting
this medical care concept.
Ambulatory surgery involves a person
coming to the hospital in the morning,
having surgery, and being discharged
later the same day to recover at home.
Dr. James E. Davis of Durham, responsible for establishing one of the first
units in the state and nation in 1971 at
Watts Hospital, was the keynote speaker
for the event. Says Dr. Davis, "Twenty
to 40 percent of the surgery done in the
United States could be done through ambulatory surgery... It is safe, it does not
lower the quality of care and does not
expose the patient to added jeopardy.''
Also addressing the group of eighty
persons was Dr. Peter Young,
Greensboro surgeon. Young stressed the
advantages of this type of surgery, including a shorter hospital stay and recuperation period and being able to return to
work sooner.
Local participants included James C.
Phelps, Director of Wesley Long, who
presided over the various segments of the
day long conference. Richard Osmer,
Vice President of the Osmer staff of Burlington Industries, spoke to the group on
the advantages of ambulatory surgery for
large businesses. David Lopp, former director of High Point Memorial Hospital
and Harold Koach, president of Forsyth
Memorial Hospital, spoke for hospital
administrators on the increased need for
ambulatory surgery. Dennis Barry, Director of Moses Cone Memorial Hospital,
although scheduled to participate, was
unable to attend.
Ambulatory surgery is one answer to
rising health care costs and is a viable cost
containment measure. In addition to
long-term savings, other positive results
include reduced bed congestion in busy
hospitals and more effective use of physician time.
Realizing a community need for more
convenient, less time consuming and less
costly medical care, Wesley Long opened
a six bed Outpatient Surgical Recovery
Unit in 1978.
National Hospital Week at Forum VI
Celebrating National Hospital Week,
Wesley Long featured a health and hospital exhibit at Forum VI on May 15-17.
Focusing on the national theme, "We're
America's Health Team," the display
was a community service encouraging the
public to join the "health team" by practicing good health habits, being informed
about health services, and making effective use of these services.
Registered nurses were on hand to administer blood pressure screening to the
community. An estimated 350 people
from varying age groups took advantage
of this service. Nurses also demonstrated
the A-B-C's of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for those interested.
A photographic and showcase exhibit
on Wesley Long's Cardiac Special Procedures Laboratory was also on display at
the mall. The Cardiac Special Procedures
Lab is a small operating room where
pacemakers are implanted or revitalized
by a cardiac specialist assisted by trained
nurses. Wesley Long's lab is one of only
a few in North Carolina. Shown to the left
is a portion of the Forum VI display
depicting the various stages of a
pacemaker implant. ^"
Dr. Peter Young
The hospital's Cardio Pulmonary, EEG
department provided a technician at the
Forum to conduct pulmonary function
(lung capacity) tests for any interested
persons. Pictured to the left is Cheryl
Hill, Cardio Pulmonary technician,
measuring a young man's lung capacity.
Approximately three hundred persons
were tested during the three day mall
exhibit.