CVMC to Host Local Author Book Signing Benefit Wednesday

HICKORY, NC – December 14, 2015 – Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) is hosting a book signing event with Michele McCreary, author of No, No, Miss Kitty Kat! , on Wednesday, December 16 from 1 – 2:30 pm in the hospital lobby in front of the gift shop. No, No, Miss Kitty Kat! is Michele’s first book and gives a charming look into the world of a cat who finds a new ...

Thyroid Health 101

Do you know what controls your metabolism? Most people have no idea that the butterfly-shaped gland in the middle of the lower neck controls the body’s metabolism, the amount of energy your body burns to maintain vital functions. “This gland produces hormones triodothyronine(T3) and thyroxine(T4), which tell the body how much energy to use,” says Brian Kauth, M.D. of Catawba ...

Catawba Valley Medical Center Earns "A" Grade for Patient Safety

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade HICKORY, NC – December 7, 2016 – New Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S., were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) was one of 844 hospitals to ...

Catawba Valley Medical Center Earns "A" Grade for Patient Safety

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade HICKORY, NC – December 7, 2016 – New Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S., were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) was one of 844 hospitals to ...

Don't Be Blindsided By Glaucoma

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. According to Dr. James W. Harris of Graystone Eye, Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. This common eye disease refers to a group of eye disorders that impairs vision by damaging the optic nerve, which is the “cable” that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma can occasionally cause ...

Small Changes. Big Difference.

So you’ve noticed your clothes are fitting a little tighter than last year. That short trip up the stairs leaves you a bit more winded than you remember. Or maybe you’ve just decided that the new year is going to jumpstart a new (healthier) you. Every year, we make the promise to ourselves that we are going to exercise more, eat right and lose weight. However, drastic changes in your ...

J.V. McKinney Raves About Wound Care Staff & Treatment Outcome

At the age of 88, Hickory resident J.V. McKinney has never been a traditional underwater “diver”. However, as of August 2016, he has logged an impressive 40 two-hour sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy “dives” at the CVMC Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbarics. While the treatments followed the recommendation of his oral surgeon, McKinney’s extraordinary ...

Healthy Tips for Sugarcoated Traditions

‘Tis the season of sugarcoated traditions — from Halloween’s Trick-or-Treat bags overflowing with candy to the lavish meals filled with pies, cookies and decadent snacks whipped up for Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings with family and friends, and of course you can’t forget Valentines Day’s sweet exchanges and the Easter Bunny’s baskets of goodies. Sweets ...

Fighting Workplace Germs

You know the feeling, everyone around you is sneezing, achy, maybe even feverish. It may be enough to make you want to stay home from work and avoid all contact with other people. But it turns out you may be able to protect yourself during cold and flu season with something that’s easy, basic and free like hand washing. “Frequent hand washing washes away germs you may have picked up ...

A Cold or The Flu?

You’re achy, sneezing and complaining about a sore throat. Is it a cold or the flu? Well, there’s no way to know for sure, but Adam Benfield, Certified Physician Assistant at Catawba Valley Family Medicine – South Hickory offers these guidelines to help you differentiate between a cold and the flu: Symptoms Cough/Chest Discomfort Extreme Exhaustion Fever General Aches & Pains ...

5 Things to Carry With You After a Heart Event

Once you recover from a cardiac event, such as a heart attack, you may be wondering if you’ll experience another. To help you feel more confident as you get back to your regular routine, cardiologist James Ritter, MD of Catawba Valley Cardiology offers some recommendations to build your own heart health “first-aid” kit. Dr. Ritter, suggests you carry five key items with you when ...

Exercise Can Help Manage Menopause

Menopause is sometimes called the “change of life” and there are a lot of changes going on in a woman’s body, both as menopause approaches and afterwards. Basically, menopause is caused by a decrease in estrogen and other hormones produced by a woman’s body. This causes a gradual reduction and eventual loss of a woman’s monthly periods. In addition, as estrogen levels ...

Governor McCrory honors Catawba Valley Medical Center's Tony Rose and David Boone - Named to The Order of the Long Leaf Pine

HICKORY, NC – October 24, 2016 – Catawba County residents J. Anthony “Tony” Rose and David J. Boone were named to The Order of the Long Leaf Pine at a ceremony held October 24 th at Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC). The ceremony was attended by the Catawba County Board of Commissioners, the CVMC Board of Trustees, Catawba County leadership, Public Health leadership, ...

6 Tips For A Healthy Holiday Season

‘Tis the season for holiday gatherings, delicious treats and special traditions. Unfortunately it’s also one of the busiest times for urgent care and emergency rooms too. “Amidst the craziness of the holiday season, parents might fail to notice something that may lead to injury that could have been prevented,” said Nurse Practitioner, Carrie Herman of Catawba Valley Family ...

Dads, It's Time To Talk It Out

Dads, the thought of talking to your kids about underage drinking may be uncomfortable, but many experts agree that communication is necessary. In fact, the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control (NC ABC) Commission recently launched a campaign called Talk It Out NC to educate parents about the dangers of underage drinking, the power they have to influence their children and are empowering them ...

The Day Quitters Win! Great American Smokeout November 17th

Not only is quitting smoking possible, it is the single most important thing you can do to improve the length and quality of your life. If you still haven’t kicked the habit, you may have many different feelings about quitting smoking. You know all the reasons why you should quit, but you may not be sure you can quit or if the time is right. Most smokers feel that way when they first decide ...

New Treatment for Chronic Asthma Gives Jane Denny "A New Lease on Life"

Last year, Jane Denny, 66 of Conover became one of the first patients in the region to have an innovative new treatment for asthma called Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT). “This procedure gave me my life back,” says Jane. “I only wish I could have had it sooner.” Jane’s Life Prior to BT – “I’ve been in the hospital many times with chronic asthma,” ...

Vascular Conditions 101 for Women

The American Heart Association estimates the prevalence of cardiovascular disease is as high as 70 percent in U.S. men and women between the ages of 60 and 79. What’s disconcerting is that, often, these conditions go undetected until a serious problem arises. Because women are the undisputed family healthcare decision makers, we are engaging women this month to raise awareness of the ...

Just Say No to Student Indoor Tanning

Indoor tanning exposes users to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which damages the skin and can lead to skin cancer, including melanoma—the deadliest type of skin cancer. According to research by the Prevention Research Centers, tanning salons tend to exist in areas with a greater number of girls and women aged 15-29 years and are particularly concentrated near colleges. “Those who ...

4 Simple Tips for Workplace Safety

Whether you work outdoors or spend your workday inside an office there are hazards to every job, from repetitive injuries that cause long-term neck and back pain to more serious incidents that involve broken bones and illness. Staying healthy and safe at work is important. And although accidents aren’t planned, you can reduce your risk by following these workplace safety tips from CVMC ...

Fight the Flu this Fall

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu season in the U.S. usually ranges from November through March, and sometimes into early spring. Flu is caused by viruses, which infect the nose, throat and lungs. “It’s very contagious, said Family Nurse Practitioner, Boni Killian of Catawba Valley Family Medicine – North Hickory. “A person can spread ...

Avoid Confusion: Make Your Wishes Known Now

Although it is a subject many individuals choose to avoid, it is extremely important to discuss your wishes for the end of life with your family. Changes in medical technology have made it possible to keep a person alive well beyond the point where their lives may have meaning and quality to them. Patients who do not communicate their wishes regarding their medical choices can be kept alive by ...

Mary Powell's Inspiring Approach to Managing Heart Failure While Waiting for a Transplant

Mary Powell eyes the tomatoes at the Hickory Farmers Market and makes a beeline to the vendor, hoping to buy plenty to store through the winter for use in a wide variety of low-sodium, heart healthy recipes. In talking with this glowing 55 year old mother from Conover, it’s difficult to process the magnitude of her illness. Mary’s heart is failing and she is doing everything she can to ...

Make Halloween Less Spooky with these Safety Tips

There’s no denying that Halloween is one of the most anticipated nights of the year. From the over-flowing bags of candy to the cute, creative costumes, it proves to be a fun-filled time for both kids and parents alike. Unfortunately it produces some spooky statistics when it comes to child safety. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car ...

CVMC Commissions UV Light Disinfection Systems For Additional Protection From Hospital-Associated Infections

HICKORY, NC – August 25, 2016 – Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has become one of the first hospitals in North Carolina to adopt the Clorox Healthcare ™ Optimum-UV ™ System, adding an extra innovative precaution to its existing infection control processes. Funded through a generous grant from the Catawba Medical Foundation, the systems utilize ultraviolet-C (UV-C) ...