Shannon Medical Center | Health Beat | Winter 2019

New technology improves treatment times for radiation therapy The Regional Cancer Treatment Center (RCTC) recently extended their “edge” on radiation treatment for the Concho Valley.The Center implemented the Edge radiosurgery treatment system to enhance overall treatment for their patients. “We are the first radiation oncol- ogy center in West Texas to have this type of system for treatment,” says James Studt, MD, radiation oncolo- gist at Shannon Clinic. Dr. Studt directs patient treatment plans at RCTC. “This machine provides integrated technology which automates the im- age guidance and treatment systems. While the actual treatment is the same as our previous system, this new machine works more efficiently and can cut the treatment time in half for our patients. Instead of a single radiation treatment taking 20 to 30 minutes, it can now be done in 10 to 15 minutes.This helps us give time back to our patients, which is important, especially when they are seeing us daily for treatment.” Reducing treatment time for pa- tients also allows RCTC to expand its capacity and ability to treat more patients when needed. RCTC is able to provide radiation therapy for almost any type of cancer, includ- ing breast, prostate, lung, head and neck, skin, and brain cancer. The Center first opened in 1988 and treats around 300 patients each year. It is a joint partnership of Shannon Medical Center and San Angelo Community Medical Center. “I’m proud of our ability to pro- vide the same quality of radiation treatment as the large cancer treat- ment centers in Texas,” Dr. Studt says. “What makes our Center unique is our ability to provide indi- vidualized care and our staff having the time to develop a relationship with each patient as they go through this phase in their cancer journey.” To learn more information about services available at the Regional Cancer Treatment Center, visit regionalcancercenter.com or call 325-653-2010 . Shannon Home Health named as a Top Agency of the 2018 HomeCare Elite Shannon Home Health has been named a Top Agency of the 2018 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For 13 years, HomeCare Elite has annually iden- tified the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agen- cies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. The ranking is developed by ABILITY® Network, a leading information technology company helping pro- viders and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of health care. It is sponsored by Decision- Health, publisher of Home Health Line and the Com- plete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual. “I would like to congratulate the team at Shannon Home Health and thank them for their commitment to providing consistently high-quality care,” says Chris- tine Lang, senior director for the ABILITY Network. “During a time of increasing demands on home health professionals’ time and attention, these caregivers and leaders have demonstrated that they have prioritized their patients and created a solid foundation for serving their communities and partnering with other health care providers.” “We are very proud to say Shannon Home Health has been a part of the HomeCare Elite list for all 13 years it has been published,” says Gracie Munoz, director of Shannon Home Health. “This national recognition is a symbol of the dedication and level of patient care that our home health staff provides. I am so proud to be a part of a group of women and men that continuously maintain exceptional results in their field.” HomeCare Elite agencies are determined by an analy- sis of performance measures in quality outcomes, best practices implementation, patient experience, quality improvement and consistency, and financial health. In order to be considered, an agency must be Medicare-cer- tified and have data for at least three outcomes in Home Health Compare. Out of 8,898 agencies considered, 2,223 are recognized on the 2018 HomeCare Elite winners list overall. The entire list of 2018 HomeCare Elite agencies can be downloaded by visiting the ABILITY Network web- site at abilitynetwork.com/hce . Shannon Home Health has provided care to area pa- tients for more than 30 years. Services provided include skilled nursing care, home health aide services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social worker services. Registered nurses are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for non-emergency care. For more information about Shannon Home Health ser- vices, please call 325-659-7480 . Shannon Clinic Sleep Center receives reaccreditation The Shannon Clinic Sleep Center has received program reaccreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Shannon first received the accreditation in 2008. The AASM accredits sleep medicine centers and laboratories across the country. “Shannon Clinic Sleep Center technicians have more than 37 years of experience and have administered more than 3,300 sleep studies,” says Archana Rao, MD, Shannon Clinic neurologist and medical director of the Center. “Receiving reaccreditation means our Center continues to meet or exceed all standards for profes- sional quality health care as designed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.” The AASM accreditation process involves detailed inspection of a center’s facility and staff, including an evaluation of testing procedures, patient contacts, and physician training.The Center’s goals must also be clearly stated and include plans for positively affecting the quality of medical care in the community it serves.The accreditation process is performed every five years. The four-bed Center offers several sleep studies for adults and pediatric patients, and studies may be performed during day and nighttime hours.The Center was the first accredited sleep center within a 90-mile radius of San Angelo. Each technician is accredited by the Board of Registered Polysomnographers. Dr. Rao is board-certified in sleep disorders medicine. Shannon Clinic Sleep Center is located at 3308 W. Loop 306. For more information about the Cen- ter or sleep disorders, call 325-481-2035 or visit shannonhealth.com . 6 HEALTH BEAT News