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P��� 16 ���.D�����M��������.��� La Paz Hospital receives USDA grant for Echocardiology Megan Burke, Medical Sonographer at La Paz Regional Hospital, is excited. She performs cardiac echocardiograms and other ultrasound procedures, and she just learned that she is getting two new Toshiba Aplio Ultrasound ma- chines, along with TEE capability at the hospital. La Paz Regional Hospital received a $78,523 grant from the United State Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Grant to expand ultra- sound and echocardiology services in La Paz County. The grant, along with $145,827 in matching hospital funds, will be used to purchase two addi- tional ultrasound machines. One will be an advanced echocardiology ma- chine with TEE capability for use at the main campus in Parker. The sec- ond machine, the same machine but without the TEE procedure add-ons, will be placed in the hospital’s clinic in Quartzsite. Funding for this project came through Rural Development’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program, which provides funds to spur the economy and create jobs in rural ar- eas. Funds can also be used for equip- ment and facilities that help maintain a trained workforce, as well as for tech- nical assistance to the business com- munity. Funds were provided through the American Recovery and Reinvest- ment Act (ARRA). For Megan, with over 20 years ex- perience as a sonographer, the new Toshiba offers enhanced visual graph- ics and resolution and is one of the few machines able to switch smoothly from ultrasound to echocardiogra- phy. “I will be able to do everything on this machine, instead of using one machine for echo and one for regular ultrasound.” She added, “And the im- age quality is phenomenal – I’ll easily be able to visualize whatever the doc- tors needs.” An echocardiogram (often called “echo”) is a graphic outline of the heart’s movement . During an echo- cardiogram test, ultrasound - high-fre- quency sound waves that come from a hand-held wand placed on the chest - is used to provide pictures of the heart’s valves and chambers and help evaluate the pumping action of the heart. The cardiologist uses the echo- cardiogram to: • Assess the heart’s function • Determine the presence of disease of the heart muscle, valves and pericar- dium, heart tumors, and congenital heart disease • Evaluate the effectiveness of medical or surgical treatments • Follow the progress of valve disease Tr ans e sopha g e a l echo adds another dimension to cardiac diagnostic capabil- ity. During the trans- esophageal echocar- diogram (TEE) test, the ultrasound trans- ducer is positioned on an endoscope (a long, thin, flexible instru- ment about 1/2 inches in diameter). The en- doscope is placed into the mouth and passed into the esophagus (the “food pipe” lead- ing from the mouth into the stomach) to provide a close look at the heart’s valves and chambers without interference from the ribs or lungs. ������ 4, 2010 Bernie Hatmaker, Imaging Director (right), presents Megan Burke, medical sonographer (left), with the USDA notification of the $78, 523 grant for echocardiology ultrasound. La Paz Re- gional Hospital will purchase two new machines with the grant. TEE is often combined with Dop- pler ultrasound and color Doppler to evaluate blood flow across the heart’s valves. TEE is used when the results from standard echo studies were not sufficient or when the doctor wants a closer look at the heart. At the 2008 strategic planning session, the hospital board labeled cardiac care as a number one need in La Paz Coun- ty, which was confirmed when the census bureau proclaimed La Paz to be the “oldest” county in terms of av- erage age, in the United States. In the past two years the hospital recruited Dr. Frank Kresock, interventional car- diologist and expanded its cardiology technology with the addition of the cardiac cath lab, cardiac intensive care services, nuclear medicine and related equipment. La Paz is working cooperatively with Yuma Regional Medical Center to provide a seamless cardiac program. While cardiac intensive care and di- agnostic and therapeutic procedures, along with cardiac catheterization, can be performed locally, patients who need open heart surgery are trans- ferred to Yuma, where one of three cardiac surgeons is available. Yuma provided much of the nursing staff education and training as the hospital initiated cardiac services. Get ready for the Winter Visitors! Find extra $$$ with the Desert Messenger Classifieds Plan a Yard Sale! Clean out your closets! Recycle your stuff! The Desert Messenger E-Edition = MORE READERS! MORE READERS = MORE BUYERS! Check out www.DesertMessenger.com for all the details! 541-218-2560 2010-2011 Rate Card and Deadline Schedule NOW ONLINE!

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