The William W. Backus Hospital
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Innovators Improving Patient Care
Backus and Hartford HealthCare to explore affiliation
Backus Corporation and Hartford HealthCare Corporation have jointly announced that they are exploring a formal affiliation of the two healthcare systems.READ MORE »
Bylone named Chief Nursing Officer
“The job of the chief nurse is to ensure excellence in nursing practice. And how you do it isn’t just about policies and procedures, or the right equipment and training. This leadership role is about inspiration, identifying great people in the organization and partnering with them in their continual professional development. In the end, this will position our organization to ensure our patients achieve optimal outcomes.”READ MORE »
Backus to host healthy eating seminar
The William W. Backus Hospital is presenting a healthy eating seminar, “Delicious and Nutritious” on Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the hospital’s main lobby conference rooms.READ MORE »
Backus Hospital offers cancer support group
Backus Hospital is offering a monthly support group on the second Tuesday of each month for cancer patients, survivors and their families. February's session will discuss sexuality on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 5-6 p.m. in the hospital’s main lobby conference room #1 on 326 Washington Street. Light refreshments will be served.READ MORE »
Backus bolsters commitment to patient safety and quality
Setu Vora, MD, Medical Director Critical Care Services, has been named Physician Director of Performance Improvement.Bonnie Thompson, APRN, is known for her ability to motivate others, and her persistent pursuit of excellence.
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Newest member joins Colchester team
“As a registered dietitian (RD) and certified diabetes educator (CDE) I worked with multi-disciplinary teams in caring for patients. I was inspired by the nurses and nurse practitioners to take on a role that allowed for more involvement in patient care,”READ MORE »
Healthy Connections - February 2012Stay on top with the latest health trends and local health news by reading Healthy Connections, a monthly magazine produced by Backus Hospital.
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Enjoy LIFE begins monthly series June 9Sarah Hospod, a registered dietitian at The William W. Backus Hospital, will speak about eating healthier and how it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming in “How to Eat Healthy Without Really Trying” on Wednesday, June 9, from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Plainfield Recreation Center.
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This blog is intended for the dissemination of useful healthcare information. It was designed to coincide with the Healthy Rounds radio broadcast which appears on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 every Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon. VISIT BLOG »
These articles are based on Dr. Alessi's column entitled Healthy Sports which appears weekly in the Norwich Bulletin and other Gatehouse Media publications.VISIT BLOG »
Welcome to the Backus Nutrition blog, a community dedicated to healthy nutritional living.
Do you have a question for a Backus dietitian? Please pose your question here.
Use this forum to share healthy recipes and ideas; and learn health tips for better living.
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Doctors and clinicians at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Conn., offer useful advice about medical issues that matter to you and your family. VISIT BLOG »
FEATURE VIDEO: The latest Backus Enjoy LIFE (Lifelong Investment in Fitness and Exercise) program in Plainfield Jan. 23 focused on how to talk to your doctor, how to choose a healthcare provider and the importance of medical homes. Ramindra Walia, MD, Medical Director at United Community & Family Services and a member of the Backus Medical Staff, offered tips to get the most out of your relationship with healthcare providers.
Dr. David Katz offers hope to curb obesity
"Obesity is our greatest health concern in this country and most out of control," said David Katz, MD, a nationally known nutrition expert who spoke Wednesday to a group of community leaders, social service agencies and healthcare professionals in Norwich. Dr. Katz brought an eye-opening awareness to the heath issues that plague our nation, and also offered a variety of solutions that could help reduce heart attacks by 80%, diabetes by 90% and cancer by 60%. VIEW VIDEO »
Big Chance Heals Patients
Chance, the latest and, at 160 pounds, the largest dog in the Pet Therapy program at Backus, started his first day as a volunteer by receiving his official badge and then visiting various floors of the hospital where he put a big smile on the faces of patients and staff. Pet therapy dogs can help in the healing process of patients, and on his first day Chance made a big impression. VIEW VIDEO »
2011: The Year in Pictures
Backus made lots of headlines in 2011, which made picking top stories of the year particularly difficult. In this video slideshow, you'll see images from the top five we chose, as well as many more photos taken during the past year. See a listing of the top five stories in the News section of our website. VIEW VIDEO »
Happy Holidays from Backus
You could see it in the faces of children from the Backus Childcare Center as they wrapped gifts for their "adopted" family. And patients and staff smiled as they listened to a group of carolers and musicians led by Dr. Thomas Lesnik. There have been many signs of the holiday spirit throughout Backus. We wish you a happy, and healthy, holiday. VIEW VIDEO »
Silk Soy Nog Cheesecake
Ah, cheesecake for the holidays. Great taste, great holiday tradition, and lots of calories. Guess again! This new version of an eggnog cheesecake is made with silk soy nog with about one quarter of the fat and calories. Combine that with a reduced fat crust and the result is a dessert that is still full of taste but lighter on the calories. A healthy alternative for the dessert table. This is the last of a series of three holiday cooking videos by Backus Registered Dietitian Shannon Haynes. VIEW VIDEO »
Sweet Scalloped Potatoes
Holiday meals are a wonderful tradition, but the calories add up fast. Backus Registered Dietitian Shannon Haynes shows how to make delicious and low-fat scalloped potatoes using a combination of red and Yukon Gold potatoes along with sweet potatoes which add a lot of vitamins to this dish. By using low-fat milk and low-fat cheddar cheese in the recipe, Shannon shows how to cut back on the calories. This is the second in a series of three holiday cooking videos. VIEW VIDEO »
Backus Birthing Center Open House
More than 100 parents-to-be took part in an open house January 23 at Backus. The event included tours of the Backus Birthing Center and presentations by an obstetrician, pediatrician, anesthesiologist, social workers and other professionals.
VIEW GALLERY »
"We Are Family" Survivors in Fashion 2011
The 2011 Survivors in Fashion Show at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Thursday, Oct. 20, was a great success. The models, all breast cancer survivors, took the stage as a fundraiser for the Backus Hospital Breast Cancer Survivors Fund. View a gallery of photos from the event. VIEW GALLERY »
Cancer Survivors Day 2011 Photo Gallery
Cancer survivors, their families, friends and caregivers gathered for a special day to celebrate life and the future during Cancer Survivors Day 2011 at Backus Saturday, Oct. 1. Speakers included M. Jodi Rell, former Governor of Connecticut, and Rose Gerber, Director of Patient Advocacy for Community Oncology Alliance Patient Advocacy Network. Both women spoke about their own experience dealing with cancer. VIEW GALLERY »
Backus Team at the Heart Walk 2011
By all accounts the Heart Walk Sunday, Oct. 2, at Rocky Neck State Park in Niantic was a big success. Even the rain stopped just in time and the sun shone. The Backus team, which some thought may have been the largest ever, was proud to be a part of this great event which each year raises thousands of dollars in support of the American Heart Association. Thanks go to all of the walkers who participated this year as part of this event. VIEW GALLERY »
Multicultural Health Fair 2011
The Backus conference rooms were packed Thursday afternoon, Sept. 29, during the third annual Multicultural Health Fair . Among the 20 countries were represented at the health fair including Honduras, Cambodia, Puerto Rico, Poland, Cape Verde, Haiti and France. The fair offered visitors a chance to learn about health issues, birth customs and end-of-life issues of the various cultures represented. VIEW GALLERY »
Marathon Cardiac Arrest
Millions of Americans participate in long-distance running events. The marathon distance (26.2 miles) and the half-marathon (13.1 miles) have become increasingly popular. It is because of the extreme physical demands of these competitions that the occasional report of sudden death during an event is not surprising.
The human heart consists of four chambers that contract and expand in sequence to pump blood throughout the vascular system. In order to do this, the heart has a carefully synchronized electrical network that must fire signals in a rhythmic manner.
The muscular heart chambers have thick walls that allow for the maximum volume of blood to be ejected with each beat. Aerobic training reduces the amount of effort necessary for the heart to function.
A recent study looked at the incidence and outcomes of cardiac arrest associated with marathon and half-marathon events from January 2000 to May 2010. The number of participants steadily grew from 1 million in 2000 to 2 million in 2010.
Of the 11 million people studied over the ten-year span, only 59 suffered cardiac arrest during a race. Cardiac arrest was most common in males who participated in full marathons as opposed to half-marathons. Men were also most likely to die from the arrest and are clearly more susceptible to exertional cardiac arrest.
Surprisingly, the most common cause of arrest was not due to blockage of coronary arteries but an oversized left ventricle. The increased size (hypertrophy) eventually blocks the outflow of blood from the heart.
Cardiac hypertrophy is most common in younger athletes and associated with poor outcome.
The rate of cardiac arrest should in no way discourage participation in long-distance athletic events. Instead, it should alert athletes to the need for proper pre-participation physical examinations.
Anthony G. Alessi, MD, is Stroke Center Medical Director at The William W. Backus Hospital and in private practice at NeuroDiagnostics, LLC, in Norwich. E-mail him at aalessi@wwbh.org, or listen to his podcasts, comment on his blog or buy his book at www.backushospital.org.
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