Top photo: From left are Dr. Eve Ashby, regional director for Medical Education, Victoria Calvelage, Navid Mahabadi, Stephen Ingle, Ashley Doucet, Osman Lodhi and Dr. Faith Polkey, co-regional director for Medical Education. In the back row from left are Elizabeth Cornell, Ashley Coaston and Jordan Rosenberg. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
Beaufort welcomes 2019 med school class
Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services Inc. (BJHCHS) hosted a reception for its ninth entering class of AT Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona-South Carolina campus at Saltus River Grill recently.
BJHCHS has had a partnership with AT Still since 2008 to educate students in the Lowcountry. The students rotate with BJHCHS and BMH physicians, private physicians, and all the area hospitals in Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton counties.
“Most people don’t know that we have a medical school in Beaufort.” said pediatrician Dr. Faith Polkey, regional director for Medical Education along with Dr. Eve Ashby.
“The students spend year 1 in Mesa, Ariz., and then relocate to Beaufort for years 2-4 to complete their education. Our goal is to increase the number of physicians entering primary care and returning to
underserved communities.”
Reduce your risk of mosquito-borne disease
Beaufort County Mosquito Control offers the following recommendations to reduce the risk of Zika virus and West Nile virus in the Lowcountry:
• Eliminate or replenish water-holding containers on properties, such as waste tires, buckets, cans, flower pot saucers, bird baths, baby pools, grill covers, boat covers, pet dishes, cemetery urns/vases, roof gutters, tree holes, etc.
• Use screens on all windows and doors; repair even the smallest tear or hole.
• Wear protective clothing (long-sleeve shirts, long pants, socks) while working or playing outdoors.
• Use insect repellants containing the active ingredient DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon-eucalyptus or IR 3535.
• Avoid peak mosquito biting activities; the mosquito associated with Zika virus is a daytime biter and its peak feeding times are during morning and late afternoon whereas the West Nile virus mosquito is typically active during sunrise and sunset.
For additional information, visit bcgov.net or call Mosquito Control at 843-255-5800.
Hospital recognized for organ donation efforts
Coastal Carolina Hospital was among three South Carolina hospitals recognized recently for promoting organ, eye and tissue donation through the Excellence In Donation (EID) Public Outreach Program at the South Carolina Hospital Association/South Carolina Medical Association’s 36th Annual TAP Conference.
The EID Public Outreach Program launched in September of 2015 as an effort to save more lives by renewing and building on the relationship between hospitals in the state, the South Carolina Hospital Association, LifePoint and Donate Life South Carolina to support organ, eye and tissue donation.
Because of their commitment, Coastal Carolina Hospital joins Hampton Regional Medical Center and Spartanburg Medical Center as the only three hospitals in South Carolina that met the criteria for an Excellence In Donation Public Outreach Award.
Coastal Carolina Hospital conducted an awareness and registry campaign to educate staff, patients, visitors and community members about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors with the goal of increasing the number of registered donors.
“The program unites donation advocates at hospitals with representatives from LifePoint,” said LifePoint President and CEO Nancy A. Kay. “By working together we can be more effective in educating about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donors.”
