May 30 Community Engagement Series Event Caps National Stroke Awareness Month
Carthage Area Hospital will host a Community Engagement Series forum on Wednesday, May 30, with a provider discussion focused on stroke prevention, awareness, care and rehabilitation.
“Stroke Awareness: Know the Signs” is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St. The event is free and open to the public and includes complimentary light food and beverages. May is National Stroke Awareness Month.
“The American Stroke Association reports stroke as the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States,” said Emmylu Royer, Carthage Area Hospital population health coordinator. “About 80 percent of strokes are preventable. Our clinical team will share life-saving tips and information that can make all the difference when needed.”
Through the Community Engagement Series, Royer said, hospital officials hope to connect residents with providers in a casual setting where people can comfortably ask questions and engage more completely with clinicians. The stroke event is the second of nine slated this year.
Stacy Spaziani, American Heart Association / American Stroke Association North Country regional director will provide attendees with stroke prevention tools and educational resources.
The hospital is pleased to introduce three highly qualified speakers from its team who will discuss a range of stroke-related topics, including: signs of stroke, prevention, awareness, rehabilitation and medications.
Dr. W. Allen Fink, CAH chief medical officer and emergency department director, will present “Stroke: Everything you should and need to know;” Valerie Gamble, PT, DPT, Philadelphia Therapy Services physical therapist, will discuss “Physical activity, its impact on prevention, and post-stroke physical rehabilitation;” and Christopher Bradley, PharmD, RPh, MBA, will present “Stroke prevention: A Pharmacists’ perspective.”
Space is limited. Call 315-519-5907, to reserve your seat today or register online at www.carthagehospital.com/stroke. The deadline to RSVP is Friday, May 25. WWNY TV 7 and WNYF Fox 28 is a proud media sponsor of the 2018 CAH Community Engagement Series.
About the Speakers
Dr. W. Allen Fink, FACEP, MHA — Chief Medical Officer / Emergency Department Director
Topic: Stroke: Everything you should and need to know
Bio: Dr. W. Allen Fink is a Board-Certified emergency medicine physician who serves as Carthage Area Hospital’s Chief medical Officer and Emergency Department Director. He joined Carthage Area Hospital in January 2017. Dr. Fink is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pennsylvania. He is a U.S. Army veteran and completed his internship at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. He completed residency at Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Wash., and the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Wash, where he served as Chief Resident. He also holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
Christopher Bradley, PharmD, RPh, MBA — Clinical Pharmacist
Topic: Stroke Prevention: A Pharmacist’s Perspective
Bio: Dr. Christopher Bradley is a Clinical Pharmacist at Carthage Area Hospital. A Watertown native, he joined the hospital team in 2015. He graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2010 and earned a MBA from Endicott College, Beverly, Mass., in 2012. While a pharmacy student, he trained extensively at Albany Medical Center in various units. Before he joined the hospital team, Dr. Bradley worked in retail pharmacy. He specializes in antibiotic therapy, medication reconciliation, provider/patient education and new treatment guidelines. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and their two corgis.
Valerie Gamble, PT, DPT — Physical Therapist
Topic: Physical activity, its impact on prevention, and post-stroke physical rehabilitation
Bio: Valerie Gamble, PT, DPT graduated from Clarkson University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Doctor of Physical Therapy. Dr. Gamble joined Carthage Area Hospital’s therapy services team in February 2015 after practicing in orthopedics for almost two years at Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists. She supports evidence-based practice with emphasis in outpatient orthopedics including post-surgical and return to sport rehabilitation. She also has experience treating the pediatric population, including meeting age-appropriate milestones as well as general orthopedic conditions. Outside of practice, Dr. Gamble enjoys fishing, hiking, exercising, and spending time with her husband and black labs.
About the Community Engagement Series
Carthage Area Hospital’s 2018 Community Engagement Series is a population health initiative aimed at educating residents in the hospital’s 83,000-person service area of Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties. For nine months, from February through December, the hospital features a different health topic to empower residents to make more informed decisions about their health and wellness and care.
Dates, topics for remaining events are: Thursday, June 28, “Battle of the Sexes Health Trivia,” Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St.; Saturday, July 14, “Annual Health & Wellness Fair,” Carthage Park, 2 Park Drive; Thursday, Aug. 23, “Healthy Babies, Healthy Moms Baby Shower,” Carthage Area Hospital Main Courtyard, 1001 West St.; Wednesday, Oct. 24, “Think Pink Luncheon” Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, “Diabetes Prevention & Awareness Luncheon,” Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St.; Wednesday, Dec. 5, “Handling Holiday Stress,” Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St.
All Community Engagement Series events are free and open to the public and include light lunch or refreshments and beverages. Advance registration is preferred and opens on the hospital’s website, carthagehospital.com, at least four weeks prior to each event. Contact Emmylu Royer, Carthage Area Hospital population health coordinator, eroyer@cahny.org or 315-519-5907, for more information.
About Carthage Area Hospital
Carthage Area Hospital was established as a not-for-profit rural community hospital in 1965. It operates today as a fully accredited 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, serving approximately 83,000 residents in Jefferson, northern Lewis and southern St. Lawrence counties. The hospital formed a clinical affiliation with Crouse Health, Syracuse, in 2017.
The hospital also operates a network of community-based clinics, including its Philadelphia Medical Center, Family Health Center, Pediatric Clinic and Women’s Way to Wellness and provides a range of specialty care, including general surgery, orthopedics, podiatry, urology, neurosurgical care, physical therapy and behavioral health.