Healthy Lifestyles Online – March 15 Edition

LeConte’s Healthy Lifestyles is a health and wellness publication printed twice a month in local newspapers serving Sevier County and South Knoxville. And here online! We hope you find this information healthful.

Table of Contents

Hospital Athletic Trainers Help Keep Athletes Safe
Medical Center Now Accepting Applications for Junior Volunteers
Save the Date!
Phil Carney Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
An Evening of Games, Auctions and Prizes Galore!
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Hospital Athletic Trainers Help Keep Athletes Safe

During March athletic trainers across America are being recognized for their commitment to helping people prevent injuries and stay healthy and active. Athletic trainers are healthcare professionals who are highly educated and are often found working in high schools, colleges, professional sports, hospitals and medical offices. 

Since 2001 the Sports Medicine program at LeConte Medical Center has provided certified athletic trainers who are medically licensed healthcare providers to cover all sports at Sevier County’s high schools. LeConte Sports Medicine coordinates the athletic healthcare for students, providing comprehensive on-site services for Gatlinburg-Pittman High School, Pigeon Forge High School, Seymour High School, Sevier County High School, and Northview Academy. LeConte’s certified athletic trainers offer prevention, evaluation and immediate care of sports-related injuries. The certified athletic trainers can brace, tape, or strap to protect and enable movement; administer first aid, and give CPR, as well as providing emergency care.

In October 2014 LeConte Medical Center was pleased to expand athletic training services into neighboring Cocke County, providing certified athletic trainers at Cosby High School and Cocke County High School.

LeConte Sports Medicine coordinator Scott Byrd, ATC, LAT, said, “LeConte Sports Medicine continues to be a leader in our field because our staff is driven to create a safer sports environment for our student athletes. We have received numerous awards from the state, district and national levels of our professional organizations, making us one of the highest recognized providers of athletic training services.” 

Byrd, who also currently serves as the president of the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society, is passionate about promoting sports. Currently all of the schools served by LeConte Sports Medicine have been designated “Safe Sports Schools” by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. The award recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The goal of the award is to reinforce the importance of providing the best levels of care, injury prevention, and treatment. 

“The Safe Sports designation is an honor to receive on behalf of the communities we serve,” said Byrd. “It shows our level of commitment to provide quality healthcare to our student athletes, and shows LeConte Sports Medicine to be a leader in athletic training services nationwide.”

“LeConte Medical Center is pleased to partner with the Sevier County Board of Education to ensure a safe sports environment for our student athletes. Our certified athletic trainers work directly with physician offices to obtain appointments promptly for injured athletes and ensure compliance with physician orders, resulting in efficient, quality care for our student athletes,” explained Jackie Hounshell, LeConte Medical Center chief financial officer.  

Last year LeConte Medical Center expanded athletic training services to Rocky Top Sports World in Gatlinburg, employing both certified athletic trainers and paramedics to provide care for athletes competing at the venue.

Beginning this month, with the opening of the Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge, LeConte Sports Medicine will serve as the exclusive healthcare partner, providing on-site athletic training services. As with Rocky Top Sports World, the medical center will employee one full-time certified athletic trainer, along with part-time athletic trainers and paramedics to assist with covering all athletic events at the baseball complex.

“With the expansion of the sports tourism market in Sevier County, it’s been exciting to expand our services, and work with our partners Rocky Top Sports World and the Ripken Experience. Through these partnerships we will create an environment of safety for the athletes competing in our community,” stated Byrd. 

“Earlier this year our Sports Medicine team received the Corporate Award from the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society for the tremendous work they do in our community,” said Jenny Hanson, LeConte Medical Center president and chief administrative officer. “I am so proud of all of their efforts, and excited about the growth of this program.”

All of LeConte’s certified athletic trainers meet the educational and experiential requirements of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Inc., the largest organization representing athletic trainers. They must also pass a state competency exam. Certified athletic trainers are recognized by the American Medical Association as being part of an allied health profession. To learn more, visit lecontemedicalcenter.com/sportsmed, or call (865) 446-7000.

Medical Center Now Accepting Applications for Junior Volunteers

Every summer LeConte Medical Center accepts a group of outstanding students as junior volunteers to assist in the medical center and nursing home from June – August. These teens provide valuable assistance to many areas of the medical center, such as helping our nursing home residents with activities, helping check patients in for outpatient testing, answering department phones, greeting patients and guests throughout the hospital, assisting customers in the gift shop, and much more! 

The medical center is now accepting applications for junior volunteers (14-17 years of age) for summer 2016. Complete details about the application and application process can be viewed on our website. Applicants can also download the materials needed from this website. 

Those applying to volunteer must meet specific criteria, including: completing the required applications, making A/B grades, completing employee health requirements (drug screening, TB screening and flu shot), being able to attend one of the mandatory orientation sessions (offered June 2 & 7), committing to a minimum of six weeks of service during the summer, with a minimum of four hours a week, and turning in all requested materials by the deadline of Friday, April 8. For more information please visit lecontemedicalcenter.com/juniorvolunteers or call (865) 446-8406.

Save the Date!

Masquerade

$5 Jewelry Sale
MARCH 15 & 16
7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

All jewelry, accessories and gifts priced at $5! 

Volunteer Bake Sale

MARCH 23
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Just in time for Easter! Stop by to pick up some goodies for your holiday celebration or a quick snack.

McFarland Uniform Sale

APRIL 6 & 7
7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

McFarland offers a large selection of medical scrubs, accessories and shoes! 

All of the volunteer fundraising sales will be held in the hospital classrooms (located across from the dining area). Convenient parking is available in Lot A.

Phil Carney Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award 

Phil Carney, former Diagnostic Imaging Manager at LeConte was honored posthumously with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Amy Carney (pictured below), Phil’s wife and an ultrasound tech at LeConte, accepted the award from Spezia.

The annual Covenant Health Buscetta Award presentation in February honored outstanding leaders throughout the health system and also recognized a beloved member of the LeConte Medical Center family.

Mark Conley, manager of Parkwest Therapy Center, was named winner of the 2016 Buscetta Award, given annually to an outstanding manager within Covenant Health who personifies leadership excellence. The award was presented by Covenant Health President and CEO Tony Spezia. Conley has been an employee for 17 years and manager of the Parkwest Therapy Center for three years. 

Nominations for the fifth annual award presentation were submitted by Covenant Health’s senior leaders. Buscetta finalists were evaluated in areas such as quality, service, growth, finance/cost management and developing people, along with achievements related to system-wide alignment and innovation. In announcing the award finalists from throughout Covenant Health, Spezia said they represented “the very best of Covenant Health’s leadership.”

The award is named for Sam Buscetta, retired executive vice president for human resources, who was instrumental in launching Covenant Health’s Journey to Excellence initiative. 

During the awards ceremony Spezia also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Phil Carney, former director of diagnostic services at LeConte Medical Center, who was nominated posthumously by LeConte leadership for his service to the hospital. His wife Amy, an ultrasound tech at LeConte Medical Center, accepted the award. Phil was recognized for loyalty and dedication to Covenant’s mission, vision and values; for tireless advocacy for excellence, and for serving both patients and colleagues with compassion, humility and integrity.

LeConte President and CAO Jenny Hanson commented, “Phil was a loving husband, father, and grandfather as well as a friend to many.  He is remembered as a great man who led by example, was visionary, achieved excellence and was kind and compassionate to all who knew him. He was loved and is dearly missed.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award states: “This award is being presented in memory of Phil Carney, a longtime member of the Covenant Health family who dedicated his life to serving our patients. We honor him for his many years of loyalty and dedication to our organization’s mission, vision and values. Phil will always be remembered for his significant contributions to Covenant Health, his tireless advocacy for excellence, and as one who faithfully served both patients and colleagues with compassion, humility and integrity.”

In congratulating all of the Buscetta finalists, Spezia noted that strong leadership is critical to Covenant Health’s success, and said managers and directors are important to operations and communications throughout the system.

An Evening of Games, Auctions and Prizes Galore!

Mix 104.5’s morning stars Jay Adams and Steve Hartford have plenty of “Junk in the Trunk!” See who can shake, rattle and roll those ping pong balls out of their trunks the fastest at Denim & Diamonds on March 18.
Are you ready to win?  The Thomas Foundation’s popular casual spring fund raiser returns again this year as “Denim and Diamonds.”  The evening features the traditional Vegas-style play money gaming plus a raucous selection of 60-second party games in the style of the popular “Minute to Win It” game show.

On Friday evening, March 18, the doors will open at 6 p.m. at Music Road Hotel in Pigeon Forge.  No matter their gaming luck or skill, for just $50 guests are guaranteed an enjoyable evening filled with dinner, drinks, auctions and dancing.  Top game players will receive prizes, and the coveted poker champion crown will be awarded to the top player at the Texas Hold ‘Em table.

Guests will receive “play money” tokens which can be used to take part in a variety of Las Vegas style games including craps, roulette, poker and blackjack. Experienced dealers for the games will be provided by the Chattanooga Jaycees, dressed in casino attire.

The crazy antics of the “Minute to Win It” style 60-second party games will be hosted by Jay Adams and Steve Hartford of Mix 105.5.  Guests can choose to try their hand at these crazy challenges using typical household items and unusual rules. Who knew racing the clock and your friends in games using cotton balls, plastic cups, rubber bands or breath mints could be so much fun?

The big winner of these 60-second challenges will take home a fabulous prize – a trip for two to Las Vegas! This three-day, two-night trip includes accommodations at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, round-trip economy class airfare, all room-related taxes and free concierge reservation service. Attractions inside the hotel include a replica of the Eiffel Tower at the rooftop Soleil Pool, dueling pianos and live entertainment in Napoleon’s Lounge, and Le Cabaret lounge.

Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on great items presented in silent and live auctions, including home and gardening items, local entertainment and restaurant certificates, travel, jewelry, artwork and more.

“We are very excited about all the games and fun this year, especially with the addition of Steve and Jay to rally the crowd,” says Amy Woods, development coordinator for the Dr. Thomas Foundation.  “Plus, we will have a moonshine bar provided by Thunder Road Wine and Spirits.”

Diamond sponsors for the event include Citizens National Bank, Covenant Health and Riverside Tower.  Proceeds from Denim & Diamonds will purchase an additional crash cart for use on the patient care floors at LeConte Medical Center in case of a life-threatening situation.  With the growing number of patients being treated at the hospital, an additional cart allows the caregivers to be better prepared for a quick response to such situations.

Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased through the Dr. Thomas Foundation.  Dress is casual. For more information about Denim & Diamonds please contact Amy Woods at (865) 446-9628.

2016 Denim & Diamonds Committee

• Jay Adams
• Jeannie Allen
• Rebecca Latta
• Jenny Chance
• Sherry Spicer Dudley
• Colleen Fitch
• Amy France 
• Steve Hartford
• Selena Hodges
• Michelle Jestice
• Suzanne Lambert
• Kristin Lewis
• Mary Miller
• Diana Moles
• Linda Ogle
• Donna Roland
• Jama Spicer Sutton
• Stacey Whaley
• Ellen Wilhoit