Month: May 2020

Tips for Quitting

Tips For Quitting

Guest Blogger: Holly Hobert, BSN, RN, CTTS

Quitting tobacco is the single best thing you can do to improve your health. Quitting smoking at any age can lead to positive health outcomes. YOU DESERVE TO QUIT!

Get Help! People are more successful when they get help quitting. Both Myers and Belington Clinics have a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist on staff, which includes myself and Kim Jeffries, RN, CTTS. We have specialized training, which provides us better understanding of how to help you Quit.

It’s Not Just A Matter Of Will Power! Nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Smoking increases the number of nicotine receptors in your brain. When you stop smoking, those receptors continue to expect nicotine. The adjustment process, is what causes cravings and withdrawal. We can recommend which medications may be right for you. Some medications are over the counter and some are by prescription. All of our providers advocate and support tobacco cessation.

Multiple Quit Attempts Get You Closer To The Finish Line! It doesn’t matter if you’ve tried many times and not been successful. Each Quit attempt gets you closer to quitting for good. The average person takes an average of 8 – 11 attempts to quit. It doesn’t matter if you’ve smoked for 1 year or 40 years, you can still benefit from quitting. 

Build Your Quit Plan

  1. Pick a Quit Date — Sooner is better than later. Choose the date carefully. This is a Big Step and huge decision. Circle the date on the calendar. 
  2. Let Those Close To You Know You’re Quitting — Quitting is easier with support from important people in your life.
  3. Get Rid of Smoking/Tobacco Reminders — For Quit day, get rid of all cigarettes, tobacco, e-cigarettes, matches, lighters, ashtrays. Don’t keep a back-up for “just in case”. Clean out your home and car to rid the smell, as this can trigger a craving. 
  4. Identify Your Reasons for Quitting — As you prepare to Quit, think about your reasons for quitting and remind yourself of them every day. They will inspire you to quit for good. Write them down and hang them up in a prominent place, such as the refrigerator or bathroom mirror.
  5. Identify Your Triggers — Make a list of everything that makes you feel like smoking or chewing and include ways to deal with these or avoid these triggers.

6. Develop Coping Strategies — When you quit tobacco, smoking or e-cigarettes, your body has to adjust to no longer having nicotine. This is called withdrawal, which is unpleasant, but you can get through it. Medications and behavior changes can help you manage symptoms of withdrawal. Make sure to have medications on hand prior to your quit date. Remember, cravings will lessen with every day that you stay quit. 

For more details on How to manage cravings, check out this site.

7. Hang in There — The first few weeks of quitting are the hardest. You will deal with uncomfortable feelings, temptations, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings. Plan on using multiple support options such as mobile apps, WV Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Remember we are here for you, want to support you and can walk you through the quit process. 

8. Reward Yourself — Reward yourself throughout the process. Each minute, hour and day you have been quit is progress toward your goal. Give yourself a reward at 24 hours, one week, and one month quit. Be proud of your accomplishments. Consider putting the money you would have used for tobacco in a jar and use this for the reward fund. 

Telehealth Appointments – What You Need to Know

Telehealth Appointments – What You Need to Know

Like many health clinics across the nation, Barbour Community Health Association has begun offering telehealth services to its patients. Through virtual doctor visits, patients are given the option to converse with their provider about medical concerns via video chat or phone. These services allow patients to still feel connected to providers while practicing social distancing and staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We sat down with Jennifer Burner, MHA, PA-C, Clinical Director, Director of Quality Improvement & Risk Management, to find out more about telemedicine and how useful the resource is during these unprecedented times.

 

Q: What is telehealth?

A: Telehealth has been around for years, but many providers have been slow to adopt these methods due to spotty access, but also because of limited insurance coverage for care. Telehealth allows providers to care for and protect patients and BCHA staff during COVID-19.

Q: What telehealth options are available through BCHA?

A: We offer two different services with BCHA for telehealth. We offer a virtual telephone visit — similar to a telephone encounter that you’ve had with your provider in the past. Your provider can speak with you briefly for five minutes to determine if you need to be seen in person or they can speak to you over a longer course of time to discuss chronic disease or other issues you may be having.

We also offer a video conferencing or video chat appointment, and basically, it’s an online video meeting with your provider. It’s live and a real time visit where you can see your provider on your screen and your provider can see you. You can do it through a smartphone, a tablet and a home computer as long as you have a camera.

Q: What medical concerns can be seen by a provider via telehealth?

A: Anything that can be examined through video can be done through a telehealth appointment. One thing we can’t do is if you have a problem and we need a specific medical tool to diagnose you — for instance, if you have an earache, we can’t look at your ear through a video visit.

However, a lot of other conditions, like a rash, discussing chronic disease like diabetes or hypertension,  can discussed through a telehealth appointment.

Behavioral health patients can also use telehealth to speak to their therapists and counselors. It’s confidential and private, but there’s still that connection that you get face to face.

Q: Who can participate in the telehealth appointments?

A: Any patient can participate. If the patient is a minor, they’ll need to have a guardian with them and the guardian will have to give consent for the visit.

Q: How secure are telehealth visits?

A: We use a platform called UpDox and it’s a video chat that allows BCHA to offer secure communications with patients. It is very secure, and we also have a very strict consent policy where the patient is made aware of anybody who may be in the room. However, we do not let anybody in the room when we’re doing a video chat. We’ve put a lot of measures in place to make sure we’re protecting our patients’ privacy when we do these calls.

Q: What do I need to do to begin telehealth and get connected with my provider?

A: You can call your provider’s office and speak to registration and just let them know that you would like to set up a telehealth visit — whether that be a telehealth call or video chat.

 

To schedule a telehealth appointment, call Belington Medical Clinic at 304-823-2800 or Myers Clinic at 304-457-2800.

When you call to make an appointment, a BCHA representative will inform you of available telehealth appointments and if a healthcare provider can assist you via telehealth depending on your medical needs/concerns.

Don’t go it alone: Learn how to cope with stress and anxiety from COVID-19

Don’t go it alone: Learn how to cope with stress and anxiety from COVID-19

Guest Blogger: Jamie Wilson, LPC

If someone told us last year that we would be confined to our homes and fighting a pandemic in 2020 would we have believed them? I sure would not have. But here we are. West Virginians are strong and resilient, but if you feel stressed or anxious about what is going on in the world you are not alone. In March a survey done by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that over one-third of Americans report their mental health has been seriously impacted by coronavirus and 59% state it has had an effect on their daily lives. The good news is there are things we can do each day to combat that stress and anxiety.

Signs of Stress
Being able to recognize the signs of stress can be vital for those who surround you. Stress can manifest itself in both physical and emotional ways. Remember, those closest to us often see these things before we do. So, if a family member or friend voices concern, try and listen. Here are a few common signs and symptoms of stress to look out for in both yourself and others:

  • Sleep difficulties
  • Appetite changes
  • Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea
  • Headaches
  • Muscle Tension
  • Irritability
  • Depressed Mood
  • Lack of Interest in Previously Enjoyed Activities
  • Persistent Worry

Coping Skills
There are so many ways people can deal with stress, it’s important to have healthy ways to cope. If you or someone you know is experiencing increased stress, here are a variety of self-care activities they can participate in to help calm their bodies and minds:

  • Sticking to A Consistent Daily Schedule
  • Taking Breaks to Breathe and Relax through Meditation or Stretching
  • 20-30 minutes of Light Exercise
  • Fueling Your Body Through Proper Nutrition
  • Encouraging Healthy Brain Activity Through Reading, Arts & Crafts, and other Creative Ventures
  • Maintaining Social Connection Through Phone Calls, E-Mails, or Online Video Chats with Friends and Family
  • Avoid Numbing Agents such as Alcohol or Drugs

Additional Support
If you find yourself still feeling stressed after trying the above tips, or if you have a mental health condition and your symptoms are increasing, please reach out for help. You are not alone, and you do not have to go through it alone.