(Honesdale, August 9, 2004)…Walking around a county fair without sunscreen can lead to more than a nasty sunburn, even on cloudy days. Exposure to the sun ages the skin more quickly, causing wrinkles. More importantly, too much sun can trigger skin cancer, the most common form of cancer. More than one million new cases are diagnosed every year. Dr. Michael Proctor, Wayne County’s only dermatologist, recommends using sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 or more.

(Honesdale, August 1, 2004)…The nurses at Wayne Memorial Hospital’s New Beginnings unit are wearing gold ribbons and passing them out to new moms. It’s their way of celebrating National Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2004. "Breastfeeing gives a baby a good start in life," says Mary Lou Eimers, RN and Certified Breastfeeding Counselor. Eimers and another WMH nurse, Patti Howell, RN with WMH Home Health, completed training to become certified breastfeeding counselors this spring.

(Beach Lake, July 28, 2004)… Wayne County has the highest lung cancer rate among the 10 counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania. That was just one of many sobering facts presented to a gathering of local SHIP (State Health Improvement Plan) partners at their annual luncheon July 28^th at Central House Resort in Beach Lake. Wayne Memorial Hospital, the lead agent for The Prevention Initiative (the name of the local SHIP partnership), co-sponsored the event with The Keystone ...

(Lords Valley, July 26, 2004)… "Doctor Ravi Konidala is a great addition to the Pike County Medical Center staff," says Wayne Memorial’s Executive Director David Hoff. "His background is in Family Practice, and he plans to see patients of all ages. But Dr. Konidala also has additional training in geriatrics—the science of aging—and that makes him unique and especially valuable for our community."

Ravi Konidala, M.D. arrived at the PCMC in July after com...

(Honesdale, July 15, 2004)…Honesdale resident Kara Korb, daughter of Maxine Korb, a longtime employee of Wayne Memorial Hospital and Dr. Richard Korb, Chiropractor, signed an agreement in July to receive tuition aid from Wayne Memorial Hospital. In exchange for financial assistance to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN), Korb has agreed to work for Wayne Memorial after her 2006 graduation. Eventually Korb hopes to complete post-graduate work required for a Certified Registered Nurse A...

(HONESDALE, PA, July 12,2004)… Wayne Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room staff is trained and equipped to help children who ingest a pill mistaken for candy, but no one in the E-R really wants to see that happen. "If you visit with relatives or friends with children this summer, either in your own home or in theirs, it’s essential that you keep your medications in childproof containers," says WMH Director of Patient Care Services Virginia Fries, RN. "Children a...

(Honesdale, July 7, 2004) …You can have diabetes and eat your cake, too—so to speak. According to the American Diabetes Association, for almost all diabetics, living well with the disease is more often a question of managing rather than eliminating certain foods from the diet. But how is that done? How many calories can a diabetic take in every day? How do you balance medications and eating? How do you cut down and still keep eating interesting? Since 1996, Registered Dietitian and Cer...

(Honesdale, June 17,2004)…She’s a familiar face to many in the community, but Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Ruth Silsby is new to Highland Physicians in Honesdale. Before joining Highland last month, Silsby worked with Maternal and Family Health Services in Milford and Women’s Health Care of NEPA in Narrowsburg, New York. Silsby specializes in women’s and adolescent healthcare, but her practice isn’t limited to any one group. "I’m excited about seeing a diversity of ...

 New Medical Staff Leadership for Wayne Memorial Hospital: At its Tri-annual Staff Meeting on June 16^th at Joey C’s Restaurant in Honesdale, the medical staff of WMH announced its new officers and presented a plaque to Dr. William Dewar, the outgoing President of the Staff. His successor, Dr. Matthew Kuber is Board-Certified in Cardiology and Internal Medicine and has had his current private practice in Honesdale since 1986. As President, Dr. Kuber will be the ...

(Honesdale, June 14, 2004)… Ned Grimes admits so much has happened in healthcare during his 40 years at Wayne Memorial Hospital it’s really hard to characterize his experience. "When I came to work here, says Grimes, "I was the first Nuclear Medicine Technologist. The Radiology Department had no CT units or Ultrasound or MRI." Over the years, the Archibald native moved to Honesdale and the Radiology Department grew at Wayne Memorial. "Now, we have everything!&qu...

HONESDALE PA, June 7, 2004¾ For more than two months, 22 sixth-grade English students at Wallenpaupack Middle School worked on writing and illustrating their own books. Then they did something extraordinary. They gave the books away. Wayne Memorial Hospital's Pediatric Unit gratefully accepted the books, enriched by the students’ hard work and generosity.

The books are an annual project at Wallenpaupack Middle School. Teachers Julie Pierson and...

(Honesdale, June 4, 2004)…How many ten year olds count calories? "All our snacks are 200 calories or less," says Caitlin Greiner proudly. The Hawley 5th-grader, her two sisters, brother, and mom are among 12 families who just completed an intensive eight-session course called Well Weighs for Living. Funded by a Blue Ribbon Foundation grant from Blue Cross NEPA, Well Weighs is designed to tackle overweight/obesity issues in families. The pilot program kicked off in March with familie...

HONESDALE, PA June 2, 2004--Area students Angel Lynn Gyetrai and Chelsa Smith are recipients of the 2004 Nursing Scholarships awarded by the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. The scholarships are "Memorial Grants" designed to help students pursue nursing careers while honoring the memory of those who set them up. "Memorial Grants given to the Hospital enable the Auxiliary to present these scholarships each year," says Priscilla Krum, Chairperson of the Auxiliary Scholarsh...

HONESDALE, PA May 18, 2004¾ When it comes to rehabilitative care after surgery or heart attack, experts recommend choosing a facility that provides current and proven methods of treatment. The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is the governing body that sets the standards for cardiac rehabilitation in the United States. Wayne Memorial Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program has bee...

(Honesdale, May 24, 2004)…Parents who deliver at Wayne Memorial Hospital are now receiving a new packet of information about a long overlooked problem: plagiocephaly or "flat head syndrome." The information is designed to encourage parents to give their infants more "tummy time" for proper shaping of the head, while reinforcing the need to place babies on their backs to sleep to avoid the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

"Children need time pla...