Memorial Hospital

Cardiac Surgery Excels at Memorial Hospital

After an analysis of national data from all of 2012, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) awarded Memorial Hospital its highest possible rating of 3-Stars. To put that in perspective, this score is earned by only about 15% of all eligible hospitals.

STS has established a comprehensive rating system that compares the quality of heart surgery among hospitals across the county by using a combination of 11 measures of quality.  Medical professionals widely regard the rating as the gold standard by which to evaluate heart surgery programs.

“The STS Database is the oldest and most established registry measuring quality in healthcare,” said Dr. Vasant Jayasankar of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgical Associates, and the medical director of the Memorial Heart Center.  “Patients needing heart surgery should ask their surgeon and the hospital if they participate in the STS database and what their results are.”

“The rating reflected in the STS data is the result of a team effort,” said Bobby McCullough, Memorial Hospital’s Chief Operating Officer. “Everyone involved in patient care – the cardiovascular team in the OR, the intensive care unit and other nursing units, the cardiac catheterization lab, the Memorial medical staff, the blood bank – all are part of the team that provides quality outcomes.”

What to Look for When Shopping for Cereal

With so many options in the cereal aisle… how do you know which one to choose? Look beyond the attractive packaging and the nutrition claims and delve into the nutrition label to find your perfect breakfast companion.

First, look at fiber. If the cereal has 3 grams or less of fiber per serving, make sure it has 8 grams of sugar or less per serving. If the cereal has 5 grams or more fiber per serving, the cereal should contain 16 g of sugar or less per serving.

Other things to watch out for:

Serving Size: Serving sizes can differ between cereal brands. When looking at the label and comparing cereals, look at the serving size and make sure you’re actually choosing the healthier cereal.

Cholesterol: Don’t think a cereal is extra healthy just because it says “cholesterol free.” Cholesterol comes from animal products… all cereal is cholesterol free.

Does it contain real fruit or yogurt: Most cereals that say they contain real fruit are actually fruit flavored pieces that are loaded with sugar and dyes. Cereals that say the contain yogurt or “a good source of calcium,” are usually loaded with sugar and saturated fat. The calcium is added to the product and not from the “yogurt.”

Multigrain: Many cereal brands put the claim on their products. Make sure to check out the ingredient list and check if the cereal is made from actual whole grains. Look for the key word “whole” in the ingredient list.

They key is to find a cereal that is low in sugar, high in whole grains and fiber, no saturated or trans-fat, and one that actually tastes good! Spend some quality time in the cereal aisle and use these tips to pick a healthier cereal! 

See our new Commercials!

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Picking your veggies!

By now most of us are aware that we need to eat more vegetables. Vegetables are full of minerals, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. Vegetables are also a low calorie option to many other foods.

Lots of people are confused between starchy and non-starchy vegetables. Starchy veggies are the ones that contain the most carbohydrates (80-90%).  Non-starchy veggies contain mostly water and fewer carbohydrates. Your body will use any extra carbohydrates that you eat and convert them to fat. When starchy vegetables are digested, they are used more like a bread, pasta or rice than the non-starchy vegetables.  Use this list below as a guide to picking your veggies.

Non-Starchy Veggies:

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Brussels sprouts
• Onions
• Peppers
• Leeks
• Bok Choy
• Avocado
• Egg plant
• Zucchini

Starchy Veggies:

• Potatoes
• Beans
• Chick peas
• Corn
• Lima beans
• Green peas
• Lentils
• Yams
• Plantains
• Butternut squash
• Acorn squash 
• Beets

Meet April's Positively Jax Award Winner!

Jim O'Loughlin, Memorial Hospital's President & CEO, presents Tay Scheibe with a Positively Jax award. The program is a partnership between Channel 4 and Memorial Hospital to recognize people and businesses that make a positive impact on our community.

At 22, Tay is a two time childhood cancer survivor. She has started her own local charity, With Love. Tay's charity raises money for cancer research and organizes toy drives for children that are terminally ill.   

Thanks Tay for helping to make our community a better place!

To learn more about Positively Jax and how you can nominate someone for an award, please visit Channel's 4 website.