December 1, 2011 is World AIDS Day
Have you been tested? Testing is available at all Rural Health Group medical locations.
In 1988, the World Health Organization created WORLD AIDS DAY to increase awareness of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic; to improve education; to support the millions that live with HIV/AIDS; and, to remember those who died. Since then, every year more than 190 countries around the world observe this day.
World AIDS Day provides an opportunity to remind people to get tested and protect themselves from HIV by learning the facts about HIV transmission and how to reduce it. It also highlights the reality that HIV is an ever present problem but there are many things that can still be done to help.
National Overview:
• Nearly 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the U.S., and one in five of those (20%) are unaware of their infections.
• Approx. 50,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV each year.
• More than 16,000 people with AIDS still die each year in the U.S.
North Carolina Stats from the 2010 epidemiological profile:
• An estimated 35,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in NC as of 12/31/09.
• 19% of newly diagnosed HIV disease cases in 2009 were among adolescents/young adults, ages 13 to 24 years old.
• In 2009, 27.7 percent of newly diagnosed HIV disease cases also represented new AIDS cases, which means people were already very sick when they were tested and came into care.
The slogan for the World AIDS Day celebration is “Getting to Zero”. This represents the goal of “getting to zero” deaths and “getting to zero” new infections. Rural Health Group is committed to assisting in this effort by raising awareness, providing HIV testing/screening and educating the community about HIV/AIDS.
November 2011
See our Facebook page for photos of the open house that was held at RHG at Whitakers on November 12 to welcome Dr. Kristina Price.
October 2011
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
RHG and Belk of Roanoke Rapids will observe “Breast Cancer Awareness Day” on Wednesday, October 12th from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. The event will take place at Belk, 337 Premier Blvd, Premier Landing, Roanoke Rapids, NC and will feature free bra fittings with Belk certified bra fitters, breast health exhibits, free door prizes, free refreshments, and great sales!
RHG and Halifax Community College (HCC) will observe “Breast Cancer Awareness Day” on Thursday, October 27th from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at HCC, 200 College Drive, Weldon, NC.
RHG is participating in the free Clinical Breast Exam Screening that will be held on Thursday, October 27th from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Maria Parham Hospital in Henderson, NC.
RHG, Halifax Regional Hospital, and Roanoke Valley Breast Cancer Coalition (RVBCC) will host a free clinical breast exam screening on Saturday, October 29th from 9:00 AM - Noon in Roanoke Rapids.
For more information on any of these events, please contact Denise Belle at 252-536-5910 or Robin Barnes at 252-589-1036.
September 2011
To have a better chance to beat some cancers, you have to spot them early. For a number of cancers, this is possible, through screening tests. And colorectal cancer is among these.
At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lisa Richardson says screening can find and remove problem cells before they can develop into colorectal cancer, and find cancers early, when they are easiest to treat.
``There are two types of tests. One test is done to look for blood in the stool, and the other test involves a lighted scope, which actually looks at the colon.’’
Richardson says that, if the cancer is caught early, the odds of being cured are 90 percent.
Ask your RHG provider about your colorectal cancer screening. All adults ages 50-74 should be screened at regular intervals for colorectal cancer.
August 2011
Rural Health Group is excited to announce that Friday and Saturday appointments are now available at Rural Health Group Dental at Roanoke Rapids.
Call 252-536-5880.
July 2011
Rural Health Group would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest providers:
Toni Hays, PA-C, Physician Assistant, RHG at Rich Square
Natalie Hutton, MD, Pediatrician, RHG at Roanoke Rapids
Anita Rogers, PA-C, Physician Assisant, RHG at Norlina
Ashley Shope, MSW, P-LCSW, Mental Health/Substance Abuse Provider, East Side
Eric Wagoner, DDS, Dentist, RHG Dental at Jackson and Dental at Roanoke Rapids
Gilberto Navarro, MD has transferred from our Rich Square location to our Roanoke Rapids family practice office.
Brooke Curry, PA-C is providing care at both our Scotland Neck and Whitakers locations through August.
June 27, 2011 is National HIV Testing Day.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one out of five people living with HIV in the U.S. are unaware of their HIV status.
In North Carolina only 42.3% of the population has ever been tested for HIV. In 2009 North Carolina was one of the top ten states for AIDS diagnosis. Roughly 1.8 % of North Carolinians have HIV/AIDS.
When people learn their HIV status, they gain knowledge to take control of their health and their lives.
Testing is available year round at all RHG medical offices-know your status!
May 2011
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects about 1 in 4 Americans. It can lead to stroke, heart failure, or kidney damage. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute urges: "If Your Blood Pressure Is Not Lower Than 140/90, Ask Your Doctor Why." Lifestyle changes to control high blood pressure include losing weight (if overweight), being physically active, choosing foods lower in salt and sodium, and limiting alcohol intake. Medication may also be necessary to bring high blood pressure under control.
Please go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/index.html for more information about Hypertension/High Blood Pressure, and talk to your medical provider about it at your next visit.
For a booklet about high blood pressure and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), click here.
For some heart healthy recipes, go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/index.htm
Para algunas recetas saludables para el corazón en Español e Inglés (for some heart healthy recipes in Spanish and English): http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov//health/public/heart/other/sp_recip.pdf
April 2011
April 4 - 10 is National Public Health Week sponsored by the American Public Health Association. The theme this year is Safety is NO Accident: Live Injury-Free. "Together, we can help Americans live injury-free in all areas of life: at work, at home, at play, in your community and anywhere people are on the move." See http://www.nphw.org/nphw11/first1.htm for more information.
March 2011
Friday March 4th is Dress in Blue Day for Colon Cancer Awareness. Dress in blue, tell people why, and encourage friends, family, and co-workers to get their colon checked. Click here for a flyer, or go to www.dressinblueday.com for more information. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ColorectalAwareness/ for more information about National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Why do we need to raise awareness of colon cancer? Because:
•Colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.
•Approx. 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer each year.
•Colon cancer often has no symptoms at all until it's at an advanced stage.
•Colon cancer is 80% preventable when detected early.
•You can reduce your risk through regular screenings.
•Beginning at age 50 (or earlier if you have a family history), everyone should get their colon checked.
If you are uninsured, please contact Rural Health Group to see if you
qualify (based on household size and income) for our Sliding Fee program. RHG has a program for uninsured, sliding fee patients which guarantees that they are screened appropriately for colorectal cancer. This program is available year-round.
March 2011
March is National Nutrition Month! National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Click here for games, resources, and more.
February 2011
February is National Children's Dental Health Month, sponsored by the ADA to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. See http://www.ada.org/2934.aspx for more information. Rural Health Group has three dental clinics - Henderson, Jackson, and Roanoke Rapids - call today for an appointment!
February 2011
RHG is hosting a FREE Chronic Kidney Disease Screening from 1 PM - 4 PM on Wednesday February 23, 2011. The screening is in partnership with the UNC Kidney Center and the Northampton County Health Department, and will be held at the Rural Health Group at Rich Square. For more information, call Hallie Peace at 252-534-5841 extension 631 or click here to view the flyer for this event.
February 2011
Friday February 4th, is “National Wear Red Day” to show support for women’s heart disease awareness. See http://www.goredforwomen.org/wearredday/ for more information.
January 2011
RHG is hosting a FREE Chronic Kidney Disease Screening from 10 AM - 1 PM on Thursday January 27, 2011. The screening is in partnership with the UNC Kidney Center and the Northampton County Health Department, and will be held at the Rural Health Group HOPE (Health Outreach and Patient Education) office in the Sallie R Jordan Memorial Health Clinic building in Seaboard, NC.
For more information, call Hallie Peace at 252-534-5841 extension 631 or click here to view the flyer for this event.
December 1, 2010
Today is World AIDS day. While much progess has been made fighting this disease, we still have a long way to go to reduce HIV incidence. HIV incidence in the US rose quickly and steeply in the early years of the epidemic, reaching its peak in the mid-1980s at an estimated 160,000 infections per year. Since that time, HIV incidence has declined significantly, but an estimated 56,300 new HIV infections still occur annually in the US. Over the last few years the HIV incidence has remained the same.
HIV testing is critical to the fight against HIV. An estimated 1.1 million people are living with HIV in the US. Of those, as many as 1 in 5 people are unaware of their HIV infection. HIV testing is important because finding new HIV infections means people can get lifesaving treatment early and can take steps to protect their loved ones from being infected.
HIV testing should be a routine part of healthcare. CDC recommends:
-
Everyone ages 13-64 get tested at least once.
-
People at high risk for HIV get tested more often. Those at the highest risk (including Injection-Drug Users and their sex partners, persons who exchange sex for money or drugs, sex partners of HIV-infected persons and Men who have Sex with Men) get tested at least annually.
-
Women get tested during each pregnancy.
November 2010 is...
- American Diabetes Month
http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/programs/american-diabetes-month/?utm_source=WWW&utm_medium=DropDownIMC&utm_content=AmerDiabMonth&utm_campaign=ADM
- COPD Awareness Month
http://www.lungusa.org/about-us/our-impact/top-stories/november-is-copd-awareness_1.html
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/involved/lcam_month.html
- National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
http://www.alz.org/news_and_events_nadam.asp
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
http://www.knowitfightitendit.org/
- National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
http://www.nostomachforcancer.org/
- Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month
http://www.phassociation.org/AwarenessMonth2010
Please check out any of the links above for more information about any of these topics. Please note: Rural Health Group is not responsible for the content of any of these sites.
October 18, 2010
Rural Health Group is pleased to welcome Kay Suh as Family Nurse Practitioner at our Twin County location in Hollister, NC.
October 2010
Rural Health Group invites you to "Every Woman Counts," the organization's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Event. The event will be held on Oct. 14 at The Centre at Halifax Community College in Weldon, NC. The public is invited. The doors open at 11:00 a.m. with a Women’s Health Fair featuring exhibits by local and state partners as well as funders. At 12:00 noon there will be a “Bells for Remembrance” ceremony, presentation of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation, Lay Health Advisor graduation and a balloon release. Following the program, there will be door prizes as well as a Survivor’s Luncheon featuring speaker, Valerie Worthy, a survivor and member of the Sister’s Network. Admission is free. For more information, please contact the Rural Health Group Breast Care Program at 252-589-1036. Don't forget to wear pink!
Click here to view the flyer for this event.
August 2010
Rural Health Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jane McCaleb as Director of Clinical Care. Dr. McCaleb has been providing medical care to the people of northeastern North Carolina for over 30 years, and we are delighted to have her guidance and oversight for our clinical quality and safety programs.
July 28, 2010
Rural Health Group is pleased to welcome Constant Masere, MD as a full-time physician at our Henderson location beginning August 2nd.
We are also pleased to have Karen Stimson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, providing behavioral health services at Henderson, Norlina, Lake Gaston, and Twin County.
July 6, 2010
Rural Health Group is pleased to welcome Brooke Curry, PA-C as a full-time Physician Assistant at Rural Health Group at Scotland Neck!
Rural Health Group is pleased to welcome TraVonda Davis, PA-C as a full-time Physician Assistant at Rural Health Group at Henderson!
June 2010
Rural Health Group congratulates Dr. James Perry on his retirement from medical practice. Best wishes!
June 2010
June is Men's Health Month! On average, men die almost 6 years younger than women in the US. Click here for a men's health fact sheet, and click here to visit the Men's Health Network website. Developing a relationship with a primary health care provider is a good idea!
May 2010
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Learn how to "Stop Stroke, Act F.A.S.T., and Spread Hope." Visit the National Stroke Association website at http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SAM for important information, including stroke risk management, symptoms of stroke, and recovery from stroke.
April 4, 2010
UpToDate is an online medical information resource where patients can go to learn about a medical condition, better understand management and treatment options, and find information to have a better dialogue with their health care providers. UpToDate provides in-depth, authoritative medical information, including recommendations based on the latest published evidence. Patients can view hundreds of free patient-level topics or subscribe to gain access to thousands of physician-level topics. UpToDate is the trusted resource of physicians around the world and is used by the majority of academic medical centers in the US. Visit them at www.uptodate.com/patients
March 2010
Rural Health Group Dental at Henderson is now open! Accepting new patients of all ages, including those with Medicaid and the uninsured. Call 252-438-3549, Option 3 to make an appointment.
February 8, 2010
February is National Children's Dental Health Month and many people are unaware of the important role early dental care plays in children's overall health. The ADA recommends that parents take action early to insure the health of their children's teeth because attitudes and habits established at an early age are critical in maintaining good oral health throughout life.
See www.ada.org... for more information about...
Dental Visits
Early Childhood Caries (Baby Bottle Tooth Decay)
Mouth Protectors
Dental Emergencies
and more!
February 3, 2010
RHG Health Outreach and Patient Education (HOPE) reminds you that this Friday, Feb. 5th, is "Wear Red Day" to promote awareness of heart disease in women. Go to goredforwomen.org for more information.
January 20, 2010
RHG Health Outreach and Patient Education invites all area barbers to the Barber's Lunch & Learn to be held at our outreach center in Seaboard, NC from 11 am to 1 pm next Monday, January 25, 2010. Call 252-589-1036 to register.
December 16, 2009
Rural Health Group is pleased to announce that
Amy T. Farrar, D.D.S. and Cameron Blair, D.D.S.
will be joining Rural Health Group Dental at Henderson in 2010.
December 15, 2009
Rural Health Group wishes everyone Happy, HEALTHY Holidays. Holiday health tips are available from a variety of sources; here is a link to some from the Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/Features/HealthyHolidays/
November 30, 2009
Rural Health Group is happy to announce that all of our family practice offices have now trained on the electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management system, eClinicalWorks. Our two dental offices have also implemented a new EMR/practice management system, Dentrix. We are excited about the communication and quality improvements these systems are able to facilitate.
November 12, 2009
November is Diabetes Awareness Month Click here for information on events in the Roanoke Valley.
October 23, 2009
Click here to view photos from "Think BOLD, Think PINK!", the organization's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Event held on Oct. 20 at The Centre at Halifax Community College in Weldon, NC.
September 2, 2009
Rural Health Group is proud to welcome a new provider to our group: Glenda Shoulders, family nurse practitioner. Ms. Shoulders will be joining Dr. Jane McCaleb at our Scotland Neck office.
July 30, 2009
Rural Health Group is pleased to welcome Dr. James Perry and Juqetta Sheffield, FNP to our Henderson office. Both medical providers formerly practiced at HealthCo in Soul City. The Henderson office will begin seeing patients August 3, 2009.
July 28, 2009
Rural Health Group is pleased to welcome Darlene Kocich, FNP to our Littleton office. Kocich, formerly of Wildwood Clinic, will begin providing care in early October. She joins Drs. Burton and Gross at our Littleton office.
