Story by V. Michelle Bernard
Depression, like most mental illnesses, lies on a spectrum,” says Kirk Chung, M.D., medical director of Kettering Adventist HealthCare’s Behavioral Medicine Center in Dayton, Ohio. “Everyone feels down from time to time. Depression, as an illness, is defined by the intensity of its symptoms and duration.”
He adds, major depression is diagnosed by a person suffering with at least five of the following symptoms for a two-week period or longer:
Story by Elizabeth Long
Dr. Heather Pulaski, a Kettering Physician Network gynecologic oncologist, recently performed the 5000th da Vinci® Surgical System procedure at Kettering Medical Center.
The da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical system is a minimally invasive surgical option as it allows surgeon to operate through a few small incisions. Minimally invasive surgery involves less cutting, which means less pain and less recovery time. Other patient benefits include:
Story by Tamaria L. Kulemeka
The opioid and heroin epidemic is crippling communities across the nation, leaving health officials and providers, coroners, law enforcement and churches scrambling to respond to and combat this widespread crisis.
Bonnie Franckowiak, professor and coordinator of the Master of Science Nursing Program at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md., says, “The use of opioids in this country is staggering. It’s huge, and it’s growing all the time; we don’t seem to have a handle on it at all,” she says. “In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is enough to give every American adult their own pill box.”
Story by Elizabeth Long
Terry Burns has been named president of Kettering Medical Center and Executive Vice president of Kettering Adventist HealthCare effective November 1, 2017. He replaces Jarrod McNaughton, who has stepped down for personal reasons.
Burns has held executive roles in the Network since 2001, most recently as the chief financial officer of Kettering Medical Center and executive vice president of Kettering Adventist HealthCare, since November, 2015.
Story by Elizabeth Long
Breast imaging technology has become more refined, allowing many breast abnormalities and cancers to be detected before they can be felt with a physical exam. While early detection allows for treatment to begin sooner and for patients to have better outcomes, it also presents a greater challenge in precisely locating and removing smaller or deeper masses.
A new approach
Previously, wire localization has been the only method to pinpoint certain breast lesions.