Page 64 - Healthcare News Nov/Dec 2022

Baystate Wing, QVCDC Aim to Reduce Transportation Barriers to Care
PALMER — Transportation challenges affect both rural and urban communities. According to the American Hospital Assoc., each year, 3.6 million people in the U.S. do not obtain medical care due to transporta- tion issues.
Baystate Wing Hospital and the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. have collaborated to reduce transporta- tion barriers to care with the funding of a Quaboag Connector van. The Convenient Care Van, as it’s called, provides curb-to- curb service for patients with non-emergen- cy medical appointments at Baystate Wing Hospital Convenient Care and primary- care sites.
Since 2017, Baystate Wing Hospital and medical staff have invested $210,000 in the Quaboag Connector in response to the re- gional needs for safe and reliable transpor- tation services in the Quaboag Hills region. This service provides community members transportation to employment, education, healthcare, workforce training, shopping, and benefit services within and outside the region. This newest addition to the connec-
Carolyn Hurston, bus driver for the Convenient Care Van, says she wants to be part of the solution to the problem of transportation barriers.
“As a former city bus driver, I know from personal experience that it can be very difficult for people to take care of their medical needs when they don’t have access to transportation that is reliable and con- venient,” said Carolyn Hurston, bus driver for the Baystate Health Convenient Care Van. “Because there has been such a great need for transportation in our region for a long time, I felt compelled to be part of the solution to help people get to their medical appointments on time without long wait times to return home. I’m proud to be part of the community that helps people in need, and it also helps that I really enjoy driving, too.”
Quaboag Connector Convenient Care Van currently serves the communities of Ware and Warren; additionally, services will be available to patients living in the communities of Belchertown, Hardwick, Palmer, Monson, West Brookfield, Brook- field, and East Brookfield. To request a ride, call the Quaboag Connector Ride Connect at (413) 544-3401. For more information, visit www.rideconnector.org.
tor fleet reflects Baystate Wing Hospital’s investment of $65,000 for the purchase of the Convenient Care Van, and an addition- al $155,000 annually to cover operational costs of the new van service, all with a focus
on access to healthcare in the region. Transportation issues are not unique to
this area, but this collaborative work on the local level is leading to creative and success- ful local solutions.
Baystate Health Offers New Surgical Treatment for Breast Cancer
SPRINGFIELD — In a continued effort to provide specialized breast surgical care to the Pioneer Valley, the Baystate Health breast surgery team now offers a proce- dure called target axillary dissection.
The standard surgical treatment for women with breast cancer that has spread to their axillary lymph nodes has been the axillary node dissection. This involves the removal of 10 to 20 lymph nodes from the armpit area to see if the cancer has spread beyond the breast itself.
The problem with an axillary node dissection is the long-term risks. The procedure often causes long-term swelling of the arm, which is called lymphedema,
as well as numbness and loss of range of motion. The risk of lymphedema for such an axillary node dissection can be 15% to 20% percent or greater.
Axillary node dissection is not always required for patients. Breast cancer in pa- tients with larger tumors or positive nodes is treated using medical therapy, whether chemotherapy or anti-hormone/endo- crine therapy, which can be given before surgery. Recent research shows that, in women who present with a positive lymph node, medical therapy can be given in hopes of destroying all the cancer in that lymph node, converting it from ‘positive’ to ‘negative.’ This process of conversion is
known as down-staging. Thus, at the time of surgery, the previously biopsied positive node is removed with multiple other sur- rounding sentinel nodes.
The sentinel nodes are the first lymph nodes in the path of fluid drainage from the breast. The lymph nodes are examined by the pathologist during the surgery, and if no cancer remains in those nodes at the time and no additional cancer is found in the sentinel nodes, surgical treatment of the lymph nodes is complete, and axillary node dissection can be avoided.
“The ability to safely avoid an axillary node dissection in many patients allows for lower risk of lymphedema and subse-
quently a higher quality of life long-term but still adequately treats the cancer,” said Dr. Holly Mason, section chief, Breast Surgery at Baystate Health and associ-
ate professor of Surgery at UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate.
“We have come a long way from the days when all patients with breast cancer had all axillary lymph nodes removed
with very high rates of debilitating lymphedema,” she added. “The theme of de-escalation of care continues as we try to individualize treatment for each patient, optimizing survival from breast cancer while minimizing the impact of our treat- ments.”
UMassFive Employees Raise More Than $20,000 for Local Nonprofits
HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced that its employees have raised more than $20,000 for two local nonprofits during the fall of 2022. Specifically, $15,700 was raised in support of the UMass Cancer Center via participation in the UMass Cancer Walk and Run, and $4,800 was raised for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts via participation in Will Bike 4 Food.
A longstanding and top supporter of the UMass Cancer Walk and Run event for
more than 20 years, UMassFive employees joined together as Team UMassFive to raise funds for the cause, both person-
ally and in branch locations. In 2022, fundraising efforts included raffle baskets, bake sales, candy sales, and art and jewelry sales. Donations were also sought from credit-union corporate partners, whose support helps bolster efforts each year. Including the funds raised so far this
year, Team UMassFive has raised more than $173,000 in donations to the UMass
Cancer Center over the lifetime of their participation.
For years now, UMassFive employ-
ees have also jumped on their bicycles
in support of Will Bike 4 Food, a major fundraising event for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In 2022, six team members worked together to raise $4,800 from supporters, which equates to 18,800 meals for neighbors in need. At the Will Bike 4 Food event, the team rode 300 total miles for this cause.
“We are so proud of our employees
for supporting local causes that they
care about,” said Cait Murray, Commu- nity Outreach manager at UMassFive. “Together, our team can make a more significant impact than if we all participate in events on our own. These organizations make such a big difference in our com- munities, and we are thrilled to support those efforts.”
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