Adora Matthews, M.D., Appointed Medical Director of Sutter Rehabilitation Institute

Adora Matthews, M.D., has been appointed as Medical Director for the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute (SRI). Dr. Matthews comes to SRI after a two-year stint as medical director for Carolina’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Florence, S.C., a 42-bed acute inpatient rehabilitation facility.  She previously served as medical director for 13 years and associate medical director for two years, at the 88-acute bed inpatient hospital, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Florence, S.C.

Dr. Matthews received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., and attended medical school at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C. She completed her residency in physical rehabilitation medicine at the University of California Los Angeles Multi-Campus Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Resident Training Program in Los Angeles, Calif. Dr. Matthews is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

As medical director for SRI, Dr. Matthews will provide and supervise the medical care provided; consult on patients in need of acute physical rehabilitation to provide input into therapy services; provide leadership in strategic planning, program development and research; and serve as a consultant for other hospital programs that interface with SRI.

Sutter Auburn Faith Implements LOUD Therapy for Parkinson Patients

Amanda Jolley, a speech-language pathologist, who has been treating adults for speech therapy for seven years, began working at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital two years ago. Her work at the hospital includes patients suffering from neurological disorder. She sees these individuals on an outpatient basis and treats those who have suffered strokes or traumatic brain injury, or have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis.

Last year Jolley completed training in the LOUD program which is a speech treatment primarily for individuals with Parkinson disease. This therapy works on improving enunciation, facial expressions and impaired swallowing. Treatment consists of four individual one-hour sessions, four times a week. Jolley has been using LOUD therapy for over a year.

“I love the LOUD therapy,” said Jolley. “I’ve seen all of my LOUD patients improve.”

Jolley says that published research data on the LOUD program support improvements for patients with Parkinson’s disease with better vocal loudness, intonation and voice quality. The data note that these improvements have been maintained for up to two years after the therapy sessions.

The therapy consists of 16 one-hour treatment sessions (four times a week for four weeks). Although the therapy is considered intense, it is critical in attaining the best possible results.

As a full-time speech-language pathologist, Jolley evaluates and diagnoses speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders. She works with a team that includes a physician, audiologist, psychologist, social worker, and rehabilitation counselor.

“I don’t just work on speech,” she said. “I treat memory, problem solving, I give strategies to slow the progress of dementia and I work with families on learning to communicate again with their loved ones.”

Jolley mostly works with older patients except in cases of traumatic brain injury, which is caused by external force, such as a violent jolt or blow to the head or body. Her traumatic brain injury patients range from teens to adults.

Jolley became interested in becoming a speech-language pathologist after taking American Sign Language (ASL) courses in high school and after taking an introductory class to speech-language pathology in college. She graduated from University of the Pacific with a bachelor of science in Speech-Language Pathology and obtained a masters of sciences in Speech-Language Pathology from University of Arizona.

Now certified in the LOUD program as well, Jolley enjoys helping all of her patients and seeing them improve. “It’s rewarding to see a patient get better over the course of therapy, whether it is their voice getting louder, being able to pay their bills, driving a car or communicating with friends and family,” Jolley said. “I love helping people get their lives back.”

Anyone interested in enrolling into the LOUD program must have a referral from their family medicine physician sent to the Rehabilitation Services Department at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital.

Sutter Auburn Faith Surgeon to Give Back in Nicaragua

Local orthopedic surgeon, Jeff Bergeson, D.O., will join medical staff in Jinotepe, Nicaragua, when he volunteers his time and medical expertise with Ministry of Mercy, a non-profit, faith based charity that sponsors short term health mission trips to Nicaragua to provide much needed health services to men, women and children in the local villages.

The July 20 medical mission will focus on providing orthopedic services for approximately 25 patients at Hospital Regional Santiago in Jinotepe.  Sutter Auburn Faith medical staff Mary Nicosia, RN, Venae Crabtree, RN, Jake Thomas, imaging technician, medical student Keifer Bergeson, nursing student Miranda Reed, high school student Brecken Chorley, and Ministry of Mercy President John Nicosia will join Dr. Bergeson on this mission.

Dr. Bergeson will perform knee and shoulder arthroscopies on patients living in poverty and will train the physicians on how these procedures are performed. By training the hospital’s staff on arthroscopic surgery, many more patients will be able to receive this care once Dr. Bergeson and the Sutter nurses return home.

To ready for the trip, which is scheduled for July 20 through July 28, the group is collecting supplies and equipment from Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital and DePuy Orthopaedics, a global leader in providing healthcare solutions in orthopaedics, spinal care, sports medicine and neurosciences.

“Every one of our trips has been worthwhile,” said Mary Nicosia, who has been on several missions. In 2010, Ministry of Mercy visited the villages around the Carazo region of Nicaragua and conducted a statistical analysis of the area for breast and cervical cancer incidence. The medial team also taught self-breast exams and set up clinics for pap smears and other health issues for women, including counseling for abuse.

In 2011, a medical team that included Ted Bacharach, M.D., Nancy West, M.D., Diane Stevenson, RN, and Mary Nicosia, RN, volunteered with Ministry of Mercy to join medical staff in Cuidad Sandino, Nicaragua, and volunteered their time and services on a two-day health and wellness fair for women. There the Auburn based physicians and nurses provided HIV and cervical exams, taught self-breast exams and performed mammograms for a group of 72 women.

Dr. Bergeson feels these medical missions are extremely important, not only to reach patients who could not otherwise get this type of treatment, but also to train medical staff on new procedures that will improve lives and enhance health care in local villages.

For more information, please contact Mary Nicosia at 530-823-9015 or marantha200@hotmail.com.

Extreme Wakeboarder Ups His Game After Sports Injuries

Professional athletes train harder and play their game much more intense than the average weekend warrior. So it’s no surprise that sometimes they get injured. But for an athlete, when an injury arises, the athlete needs to take care of it quickly and efficiently to get back in the game. To do so professional athletes turn to sports medicine specialists who have the knowledge and expertise to help them recover and resume training and competing.

This is true for Sacramento extreme wakeboarder and coach, 32-year old Brodie Chaboya. Brodie is part of the national-level Hyperlite Wakeboards Legion Team. In addition he manages NorCal Hyperlite men’s team and is a coach and owner of Launch Wakeboarding. Brody has wakeboarded all over the world from Sacramento, Washington and Florida to Wake Park World in the Philippines, a wakeboard mecca for wakeboarders of all abilities. He is on the water every day training and practicing his spin and flips or teaching these moves to others.

When Brodie tore his ACL in 2004, he turned to orthopedic surgeon Alan Hirahara, M.D., with Sutter Orthopedic Institute. Dr. Hirahara performed surgery to repair Brodie’s ACL, a ligament crucial to knee stability. He also sent Brodie to a more intense regime of physical therapy, knowing as an athlete Brodie had the strength for this type of therapy, and also knowing Brodie needed to get back to his sports activities as quickly as possible. Brodie says he was back to wakeboarding within five months as opposed to the normal 10 month recuperation period.

Brodie turned to Sutter Orthopedic Institute’s foot and ankle specialist, Masoud (Max) Ghalambor, M.D., in 2010 after injuring his fibula, a narrow bone that extends from the knee to the ankle. Dr. Ghalambor put Brodie in a walking cast for healing. Within four months Brodie was back on the wakeboard, managing the NorCal Hyperlite team and coaching at his wakeboard school.

“You can’t let injuries deter you,” said Brodie.  “You’ve got to find a physician who knows how to deal with serious athletes so you can get back into training and competing. Especially if you love your sport like I do. Each time I was able to get back in the water and up my game.”

New Knee Gives Armchair Traveler Walking Ease

Invited to the Cinque Terre region in Italy for a wedding, Mary Helen Fein and her husband, Stuart Clancy, found themselves resting in a stairwell leading to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Mary Helen, who was experiencing the sharp pain of bone on bone in her right knee, had to take a break. She and Stuart rested frequently as they made their way up the eight flights of stairs to see the Chapel.

Mary Helen, who loves to travel, suffered constant knee pain throughout her trip. Many of the towns in Italy, such as Siena, prohibit cars. Mary Helen and Stuart parked outside each city and walked to the town and continued walking to see the sights.  Using a metal “chair” that folded into a cane, she’d walk a few minutes with the cane, unfold it and rest on the chair, then continue the process again and again.

“I wasn’t going to miss anything,” said Mary Helen.

Back in Auburn her family medicine physician Gerry Lee, M.D., with Sutter Medical Group, referred Mary Helen to orthopedic surgeon Jeff Bergeson, M.D.  Dr. Bergeson recommended a total knee replacement and scheduled the surgery. He outlined the surgical process using a model of a knee to explain the joint replacement procedure.

Mary Helen, a native of the New York area and used to large city hospitals and the technology they provide, read up on Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital in Consumer Reports. When she learned Sutter Auburn Faith carries an “A” rating – the very best rating—she felt confident in moving forward with the knee replacement surgery.

Dr. Bergeson sent Mary Helen to the Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital pre-operative joint replacement class where she learned about nutrition, pain management, the transition from hospital to home, and the importance of rehabilitation services in the recovery process.

Once the surgery was completed, a physical therapist met Mary Helen in her hospital room and helped her out of bed to try her new knee. “I felt so safe with her, “said Mary Helen. “When you first get on your feet nothing works the same and it’s a little scary.”

Mary Helen walked a few steps with a walker the first day of surgery and walked further the next two days she was at the hospital.  At home a home health nurse and a physical therapist worked with her, too. Mary Helen soon graduated from a walker to a cane and finally walked without any aide. She continued physical therapy at a local outpatient physical therapy office.

Today her knee is 100 percent healed.  “I’ve got the knee of a 12-year old, it’s strong and amazing,” Mary Helen said. “The new knee has given me my quality of life back.” Happily, this means more travel for Mary Helen and Stuart.

Steve Regains Mobility at Sutter Rehabilitation Institute

While Steve worked with his road maintenance crew one day, the unthinkable happened. A tree fell, knocking him to the ground and nearly crushing him. Life-flighted to the hospital, Steve suffered from a concussion, intestinal damage, cracked vertebrae in his neck and a leg that was broken in three places above the ankle.

Because Steve would be wheelchair bound for some time while his injuries healed, he needed to undergo rehabilitation to regain his strength and learn how to maneuver in a wheelchair.

Steve’s fiancée, Kandis, had referrals to several rehab facilities. She chose Sutter Rehabilitation Institute (SRI), even though it meant a long drive back and forth from their hometown of Elk Grove to visit Steve during his rehabilitation process. She especially wanted Steve to have a private room, which SRI offered, in order to get more rest.

Therapists at SRI worked with Steve during his three-week stay to strengthen his muscles, and taught him several techniques for managing a wheelchair. These tricks helped him get around in a wheelchair, both inside and outside the facility. He found this especially helpful for going over doorway thresholds that tended to be barriers to his mobility.

Steve’s time at SRI was bittersweet. He was glad to be alive and on the mend, but because of his accident he and Kandis had to cancel vacation plans that included a trip to the Kentucky Derby. On race day, he was still at SRI. Making the best of it, he and Kandis dressed up in their “derby clothes” and watched the Kentucky Derby on the television in his room.

“Everyone was great at SRI,” said Steve, now out of the wheelchair and walking again. Kandis agrees. She says she was happy with SRI because the staff was very caring and very positive during Steve’s recovery. “It was worth the drive.”

Although they missed the Kentucky Derby this year, Steve’s accident is not stopping them from making new vacation plans to Florida and then Germany. The Derby is still on their vacation list. But with Steve on the road to recovery they have a great big future to fill.

Shoulder Pain? A Rotator Cuff Injury Could Be the Blame

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, in 2008 nearly two million people in the United States went to their doctors for rotator cuff difficulties. This includes rotator cuff tears, which make it difficult or even impossible to raise your arm over your shoulder.

“There are two types of rotator cuff tears—a partial tear and a full-thickness tear,” says orthopedic surgeon Patrick McGahan, M.D., with Sutter Orthopedic Institute. “The partial tear damages the soft tissue of the rotator cuff tendons, but doesn’t completely sever the tendon. A full-thickness tear, also called a complete tear, splits the rotator cuff tendon soft tissue completely into two.”

There are also two main causes of rotator cuff tears—injury to the rotator cuff and degeneration of the rotator cuff. An injury can stem from falling down on an outstretched arm or lifting a heavy object with a jerking motion. A degenerative tear is the result of the tendon slowly wearing down over the years. These types of rotator cuff tears usually affect the dominant arm.

According to Dr. McGahan there are several factors that contribute to degenerative rotator cuff tears. These include repetitive stress to the shoulder when the same motion is done over and over again. Also, as we age, our blood supply to the rotator cuff is lessened which impairs the body’s natural ability to repair tendon damage and can lead to a tendon tear. In addition, as we get older bone spurs often develop and the spurs rub on the rotator cuff tendon.

Some of the symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include pain when resting or at night, particularly when lying on the affected shoulder, pain when lifting or lowering your arm, weakness when lifting or rotating your arm or feeling a crackling sensation when you move your shoulder in certain positions.

If you have a rotator cuff tear and you continue to use your arm and shoulder you may cause further damage; rotator cuff tears can become larger over time. Therefore it’s good to see your doctor early to prevent your symptoms from getting worse.

Your goal for treating your rotator cuff injury is to reduce your pain and to restore your shoulder’s mobility. While there are several treatment options to consider, everyone is different and has different needs so you will choose the option that will best address your pain and shoulder function.

There are several nonsurgical and surgical treatment options for a rotator cuff tear.

None surgical treatments include:

• Rest. This means resting your shoulder muscles and limiting overhead activities. It can also include wearing a sling to keep your shoulder muscles still.
• Activity modification. This refers to ceasing activities that cause your shoulder to hurt.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Taking ibuprofen and naproxen reduces pain and swelling.
• Strengthening exercises and physical therapy. Exercises and/or physical therapy will restore your shoulder’s movement and will strengthen the muscles supporting your shoulder.
• Steroid injection. An injection of a local anesthetic and a cortisone preparation may be helpful in relieving shoulder pain when rest, medications, exercise or physical therapy are not enough to alleviate the pain.

Surgical treatment options include:

• Open repair. This refers to a traditional open surgical incision, which might be required if the rotator cuff repair is large or complex.
• All-Arthroscopic Repair. Arthroscopic repair, which is less invasive, involves a small camera called an arthroscope, which is inserted into your shoulder joint to display images on a computer screen. The surgeon uses these images to perform the surgery through very small incisions.

Meet with your doctor to discuss and decide on the best treatment option for you.

For more information about rotator cuff treatment and repair, please visit http://www.checksutterfirst.org/ortho/shoulder.html

Sutter Roseville Implements New Pet Therapy Program

Tilly, a big shaggy black Newfoundland dog, ambles into Sutter Roseville Medical Center by the side of her owner and handler, Sherri Smith. The two are visiting patients in the medical center to bring some comfort and happiness to an otherwise routine medical stay.

The program is a new service within Sutter Roseville Medical Center’s Auxiliary Volunteer Services. Tilly and Sherri became members of the hospital Auxiliary in order to participate in the pet therapy program.

Five year old Tilly, who is friendly and calm, fits the criteria for a therapy dog as she does very well in strange settings.  Even so, she had to undergo training to be a therapy dog and afterward had to pass a test for certification.

Tilly began visiting patients three years ago at Ohio State University Medical Center where she was the first dog to visit patients in the medical center’s burn unit. There she volunteered for two years until her owners, Sherri and her husband, spine surgeon, Dr. Tyler Smith, relocated to Roseville, CA.

Today, Tilly strolls through the patient units at Sutter Roseville and waits patiently when Sherri stops at the door of a patient’s room to see if the patient would like a visit with Tilly.  Together the two walk into the room to the patient. Tilly places her massive head on the patient’s bed and receives friendly pats and on her soft fluffy fur. She listens quietly as Sherri and the patient talk.

Currently there are three therapy dogs and four handlers in the Pet Therapy program and the Auxiliary is looking for more volunteers and therapy dogs. Volunteer handlers must join the hospital Auxiliary and animals accepted into this program must be trained and must pass a test. For more information about volunteering for the Pet Therapy program please call Susan Rutledge at 916-781-1587 or email rutleds@sutterhealth.org

The Sutter Roseville Medical Center Foundation, the charitable arm of the hospital, is funding this new Pet Therapy program to bring trained therapy dogs into the hospital to encourage and raise the spirits of patients and their families.  The Foundation provides supplemental funding to help support health and wellness programs and services and most recently, construction at Sutter Roseville Medical Center.

Donations to the program may be made through the SRMC Foundation, One Medical Plaza, Roseville, CA, 95661 or though calling (916) 781-1234.

National Healthcare Decisions Day Planning

It is often difficult to imagine your end of life care—or end of life care for a loved one—in the event you or your loved one becomes incapable of making health care decisions. National Healthcare Decisions Day would like to change that. This April 16 is the 7th annual National Healthcare Decisions Day. On this day we encourage you to make your future healthcare choices known and protected.

Why should you bother with end-of-life planning?

There are several reasons.

First, advance care planning allows you to think about important issues when you don’t have to make immediate decisions or are under intense emotional stress. Another important factor is that it’s good to know your loved ones understand your personal wishes should you suddenly become unable to speak for yourself. And, if you happen to become the decision maker for a loved one who is incapacitated you don’t have to guess what that loved one wants. You’ll be prepared to act based on what you know. This advance care planning will also help avoid serious family conflict if you and your loved ones have different views on end of life care.

How do you get started with advance care planning?

You can begin advance care planning by considering the following questions:

• What represents a good quality of life to you?
• What concerns you the most about death or dying?
• How would you want to spend the last month of your life?
• Some people want to have everything possible done to delay death. Others do not want dying to be prolonged. Where do you fit in with these two requests?
• If you are in a position where you cannot speak for yourself, who do you want to make these decisions for you?

What are the next steps?

Advance care planning is a process. You may want to schedule an appointment with a medical caregiver such as your primary care physician, nurse practitioner or specialist. In addition, you may want to complete a document called an Advance Health Care Directive which allows you to state in writing your individual wishes for end of life care.

Please take the time today to think about your wishes or the wishes of your loved one. Start a conversation using the questions above and take the next step and prepare an Advance Health Care Directive. Advance care planning will not only help you shape the last stage of life, it will also give you peace of mind to know your decisions are in place and will be honored.