Eaton Rapids Medical Center

Protect Yourself This Summer! Sun Safety Resources Now Available!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer each year in the United States, at an estimated cost of $8.1 billion each year. Locally, in the next five years, about 2,500 new cases of skin cancer will happen in Barry and Eaton county residents.

The Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD), with grant funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Comprehensive Cancer Control Section, has been working to reduce the number of skin cancer cases by promoting sun safety. As part of this effort, BEDHD has officially launched their new skin cancer prevention website!

Included on this site are three webinars focused on sun safety for child care centers, recreational facilities, and outdoor workers in Barry and Eaton counties. The site also has a comprehensive list of resources available to help make child care centers, facilities, and businesses sun safe.

In addition, residents are reminded to follow these simple steps to stay sun safe this summer:

• Apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 when going outside, even if it is cloudy
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes
• Wear a hat and long sleeved-clothing to protect other parts of your body from the sun
• Try to avoid being out in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest

The link to the skin cancer prevention website is https://lcibor.wixsite.com/skincancerprevention. If you would like more information about sun safety or have any questions, please contact Lauren Cibor, Community Health Promotion Specialist at (517) 541-2624 in Eaton County and (269) 945-9516;2624 in Barry County.

-From the Barry-Eaton District Health Department

Article posted on June 26th 2017. - Article Permalink

June 27 is PTSD Awareness Day

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness (PTSD) Day is June 27, and the goal is to increase understanding and recognition of PTSD for veterans and others. For many people, the effects and feelings from a traumatic event will fade over time, but for some those negative feelings and associations will linger for months, and even years. Though there is still much uncertainty about why some people develop PTSD over time and others do not, there is a need for understanding and awareness about this disorder in our communities.

By using this day to raise awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and have conversations about effective treatments, we can all help those affected. It's important to bring PTSD to the forefront so the myths, misinformation, and stigma associated with this hardship can be eliminated. If we all contribute to raising awareness for PTSD Awareness day, it will be easier for those who are struggling to recognize their symptoms, and receive the service and guidance they deserve. For more information on Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness day, and other PTSD resources, visit www.ptsd.va.gov/public/where-to-get-help.asp.

Article posted on June 21st 2017. - Article Permalink

ERMC earns ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation

Eaton Rapids Medical Center (ERMC) has been designated a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

The ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities that have committed to practice safe, effective diagnostic care for individuals at the highest risk for lung cancer.

In order to receive this elite distinction, facilities must be accredited by the ACR in computed tomography in the chest module, as well as undergo a rigorous assessment of its lung cancer screening protocol and infrastructure. Also required are procedures in place for follow-up patient care, such as counseling and smoking cessation programs.

Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography scans, and appropriate follow-up care, significantly reduces lung cancer deaths. In December 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended screening of adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Lung cancer is the nation's leading cancer killer - taking the lives of more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.

The ACR, founded in 1924, devotes its resources to making imaging and radiation therapy safe, effective and accessible to those who need it. Its 36,000 members include radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, interventional radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians.

A physician referral is needed for this potentially life-saving test. Ask your doctor if you meet qualifications to be screened. For more information about the Lung Cancer Screening Center designation, visit: acr.org/Quality-Safety/Lung-Cancer-Screening-Center. For additional information on having lung cancer screening at ERMC, call 517.663.9426.

Article posted on June 9th 2017. - Article Permalink