Hospital Welcomes Heather Deibler, RPA-C Posted on November 20, 2009 by Dakota Pike World traveler, rural health expert is seeing patients out of Littauer’s Speculator officeThe Nathan Littauer Primary Care Network is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather Deibler, RPA-C as the primary health care provider at its site in Speculator. Prior to joining Littauer Ms. Deibler was a Physician Assistant with the Hudson Headwaters Health Network. Ms. Deibler earned a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Arcadia University where she focused on rural family practice.Littauer recently asked Ms. Deibler about her expertise and passion for medicine. Here are her answers:Q: What drew you to Littauer Speculator?A: The Adirondacks are my home. My grandfather and great-grandfather were guides and built guide boats in Indian Lake, and my mother grew up in Sabael. My parents moved to North Carolina when I was a baby, but these mountains have been calling me back since childhood. My husband and I moved to Wells four years ago. There is no area where I would rather live and work. My family tells me stories about Dr. Carroll, the beloved family doctor who practiced in Indian Lake for years. One of my dreams has been to become a medical provider like Dr. Carroll, and now I feel like Speculator and Nathan Littauer have given me the opportunity to serve in a similar way. Speculator is a wonderful town with great people, many of whom I already know and love.Q: You have had rural practice experiences in Vermont, North Carolina, Guinea and Gambia, Africa. How have those experiences made an impact/influenced you in your career?A: All those locations were places where I did clinical rotations in P.A. school. My experience in Vermont probably prepared me the most for rural medicine in the North Country. The P.A. in Ludlow, VT, known as “Doctor Joe” to the community, showed me a terrific example to follow in his caring attitude, his trustworthiness and respectability, and his commitment to continuing his own education to stay updated on evidence-based medicine. The conditions and illnesses I encountered in Africa made me thankful for what we have and take for granted here in the U.S. I had amazing experiences, seeing diseases that are rare here, like meningitis, malaria, Guillain-Barré Syndrome. I even helped deliver babies! No matter where I trained to prepare for rural practice, I encountered similar challenges: access to medicine, affordability of medicine, prevention, and access to hospitals and state-of-the-art resources are always difficult tasks in rural medicine. I am excited that Speculator is already far ahead of most rural areas I have seen in the quality of their primary care facility, use of technology, and access to medication and quality care.Q: What do you expect to bring to your new patients?A: I hope to follow the example that Carla Darrow set of a deep commitment to caring for the whole patient, providing quality care and truly getting to know patients. Ms. Deibler is an avid hiker and enjoys volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, and singing.XXX
Hopsital provides update on H1N1 Nov 13, 2009 Posted on November 15, 2009 by Dakota PikeThe H1N1 flu is already on our community so we recommend the following:If you believe you have the flu, stay at home, drink plenty of fluids and take fever reducers until you or your family has recovered.If you are at higher risk for complications of the flu and/or your symptoms worsen, you should seek medical attention from your doctor or go to the emergency room.For those who seek the N1H1 vaccine, we have the following information: Manufacturing delays continue. The NYS Department of Health has warned us that only one dose of the vaccine for every 20 ordered are likely to be delivered. This scenario will likely continue for the next month.Since were are unable to vaccinate all who request it, the Littauer Primary Care Centers can only vaccinate our established patients in the following order as established by the CDC:Pregnant WomenChildren and young people ages 6months-24 years of age.People who live with or provide care to infants less than 6 months of age.People aged 25-64 who have medical conditions that put them at risk for flu related complications.If you are an established patient on the waiting list, you will be contacted by a primary care center. If you are not a patient in our primary care network, we recommend you contact your physician to determine availability.If you are seeking seasonal flu vaccines, those shipments also have been delayed.In order to protect our hospitalized patients, employees and the public who enter the hospital, Littauer has implemented a new visitation policy.For more information, please visit www. Flu.gov, or call NYS Department of Health at 1-800-808-1987
Visitation Rules Posted on November 15, 2009August 22, 2012 by Dakota PikeNathan Littauer Hospital has formalized a visitation policy for the hospital aimed at protecting the health of their patients and employees. Therefore the following new policies are now being enforced at the hospital:Visitors are asked to use the main entrance.Visitors under the age of 12 are prohibited.Those with fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea or any other symptoms of acute illness within the prior 24 hours must not come as a visitor.No more than two visitors are allowed per patient room.If a staff member asks you to wear a mask, it should be worn covering the mouth and nose whenever in the hospital.Hand washing or the use of waterless hand cleanser is expected whenever entering or leaving a patient’s room.For added protection, masks are available for all visitors, even those who are healthy.Dr. Todd Duthaler, Littauer’s Chief of Emergency Medicine notes, “Please realize that our primary responsibility is to provide quality medical care and we feel that these regulations are in the best interest of our patients.”
More Information About Swine Flu Posted on November 15, 2009 by Dakota PikeMore flu resources:Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is committed to providing you with the information you need for 2009/2010 flu season. We now have a new section on our website specifically to share information that will help keep you and your family healthy this flu season.Please contact Littauer’s Flu Resource Line:518-773-5399What Everyone Should Know About H1N1(Source: New York State Department of Health)What are the symptoms of the H1N1 virus? The flu usually starts suddenly and may include these symptoms: fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, may occur in children but are rare in adults.Are some people at higher risk for complications than others from getting the flu? Yes. People at high risk for serious flu complications include older people, young children, and people of any age with certain health conditions.What are the complications associated with the H1N1 virus? Some of the complications caused by flu include pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections.What is the difference between a cold and the flu? The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Special tests can be carried out, when needed, to tell if a person has the flu; these tests usually must be done within the first few days of illness.What are the symptoms of the flu versus the symptoms of a cold? In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds tend to develop gradually, while the flu tends to start very suddenly. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.What should I do if I’m experiencing flu like symptoms? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) it is important for anyone with flu like symptoms to do the following:RestDrink fluidsTake fever reducers (i.e., Tylenol, Motrin)Contact your primary care provider as soon as possible if you are pregnant or have chronic medical conditions that could put you at risk for complications from influenza or if your symptoms worsen.Additional ResourcesFact SheetsWho should receive the seasonal flu shot?What do I need to know about the H1N1 vaccine?In addition to being vaccinated, what can I do to prevent the spread of flu?Resources and Links CDC NYS Department of Health Flu.gov
Update about H1N1 Posted on November 15, 2009 by Dakota PikeLast updated Tuesday, November 3, 2009At Littauer, we understand your concerns about the limited supply of the H1N1 vaccine. The production of H1N1 vaccines has encountered manufacturing delays on a national basis. However, we are closely monitoring notices of availability of the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. Recently, our primary care centers have been notified that:The NYS Department of Health told hospitals last week that we will likely receive only 1 dose of the vaccine for every 20 doses we requested.The shortage means that Littauer’s Primary Care sites will likely receive a limited supply in three to four weeks for its established patients.At this point, we do not anticipate receiving our full order of the H1N1 flu vaccine in the coming weeks.Obviously, we cannot vaccinate everyone who would like the H1N1 vaccine. We are strictly following the recommendations outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Therefore, we are obligated to vaccinate our established patients in the following order:Pregnant women;Children and young people ages 6 months through 24 years (infants under 6 months cannot be vaccinated);People who live with or provide care for infants under six months of age;People ages 25-64 years old who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications (including cancer, blood disorders, chronic lung disease, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disorders, liver disorders, neurological disorders, neuromuscular disorders, and weakened immune systems); andHealth care workers and emergency medical services personnel who have direct patient contact.However, when we do receive supply of we will take the following steps:Established patients of Nathan Littauer’s Primary Care Network who fall within the priority groups recommended by the CDC will receive the vaccine first.Our Primary Care Network will be contacting those patients who are on waiting lists and are considered high-risk patients to arrange for the vaccination.Many of our primary care offices have extensive waiting lists of high priority patients and many vaccines are already spoken for.If you are not an established Littauer primary care patient please contact your physician or county health department.
