A r i aAUGUST 2011

Aria Health’s Torresdale Campus recently opened the newly constructed section of its parking garage. This 400-space structure will increase the total parking capacity at the campus by 25%.

“Completion of the new section of the parking garage immediately improves the daily lives of everyone associated with this campus,” said Ronald Kumor, Chief Operating Officer of Aria Health. “We initiated the project in response to the needs our patients, their families and friends, and our staff. And now we are proud to announce that construction is complete and ahead of schedule.”

The $9 million project was expected to be completed at the end of August, but the City of Philadelphia presented Aria-Torresdale with a certificate of occupancy on July 8, paving the way for the July 11 opening.

According to Aria’s Director of Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lee Steiger, the project was completed ahead of schedule due to the hard work of the general contractor and sub-contractors. “A lot of people doubled-up effort by working nights and weekends. They have been very busy in the past few months,” said Steiger.

The opening also enabled staff to begin minor repairs and maintenance at the adjoining, older garage including striping lines, replacing lights and posting new signage.

Newly Constructed Parking Garage at Aria-Torresdale Opens Ahead of Schedule

Aria Health Mobile Launching in AugustAria Health will unveil a new, content-rich mobile website for use on smartphones in late August. This new website will provide users with streamlined browsing to information about emergency care, campus locations and directions, programs and services and key contact information. With the new mobile version, Aria Health hopes to improve the experience for website visitors including our patients, family, friends and care-givers.

In the fall, Aria will also launch a broad social media platform, which will help engage our community through the use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Foursquare.

Look for more information in the upcoming weeks surrounding the social media launch, and be sure to sign up for Aria’s electronic newsletter, ePulse, to ensure that you are part of the conversation!

To sign up, just go to the Aria Health homepage ARIAHEALTH.org, scroll down to the “Connect with Aria” section, click on the ePulse link and type in your information.

Article and photo ideas, contact: Maria Cerceo Slade mcerceo@ariahealth.org 215-612-4952 Michael Hagarty michaelhagarty@ariahealth.org 215-612-5647 Maria Battaglia mbattaglia@ariahealth.org 215-612-2617

WWW.ARIAHEALTH.ORG

INSIDE THIS ISSUEParking Garage Opens ............. 1Aria Mobile Launch .................. 1Community Outreach Spotlight ..2iPhones and iPads ......................332nd Annual 5K Run, Walk .........4Human Resources Spotlight .......5Employee Spotlight ....................6Program Spotlight ......................7Obesity .......................................8Diabetes Programs .....................8

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The newly constructed section of the parking garage at Aria Health’s Torresdale Campus will increase parking capacity at the campus by 25%.

Aria’s new mobile website for use on smartphones will launch in August.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPOTLIGHT

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Aria Health and its employees are dedicated to the neighbors and neighborhoods we serve. This section highlights a small portion of the recent outreach and volunteer efforts that have been spearheaded by Aria employees.

Aria Health provided blood pressure and body mass index screenings, and hosted general information and trauma-specific tables at the National Night Out event at the Bridesburg Recreation Center on August 3. The event, which was hosted by the Bridesburg Town Watch and attracted nearly 250 attendees, sought to bring together residents of Bridesburg in the name of crime prevention, drug prevention, and strengthening community and police partnerships.

Elsewhere in the Frankford Campus community, Community Education Manager for Aria’s Behavioral Health Center for Older Adults, Caroline Williams provided a presentation to 40 seniors at St. Ann’s Senior Center in Kensington on June 6 focused on depression and memory loss in the elderly.

Aria Hosts In-Service in Levittown and Organizes Physicals for Pennsbury High School AthletesJudy Zipkin, Program Director for Aria’s Behavioral Health Center for Older Adults and Caroline Williams, Community Education Manager for Aria’s Behavioral Health Center for Older Adults, provided an in-service presentation to the staff of home health care providers Home Instead at the Shanti Gardens in Levittown, Bucks County on June 20. The presentation focused on care-giving for the elderly and was attended by approximately 50 staff members.

Dr. Christopher Aland and Dr. Jason Torrente from the Aria Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center of Bucks County, family practice residents and wellness center staff also provided hundreds of Pennsbury High School athletes with pre-participation physicals on July 19 and June 6.

CULTURE OF SAFETY UPDATEEmployee Training Has Begun!These are exciting times for Aria’s Patient Safety Champions, as the very first Culture of Safety class was held on July 19. Champion Marvin Nichols from Respiratory Therapy was the instructor for the class and Janice Gibson from Staff Development and Endoscopy assisted.

Patient Safety training will continue until all Aria employees and physicians have participated in the training. The senior leadership team and all managers will also receive additional education on what it takes to be a good safety leader.

Aria Supports “National Night Out” in Bridesburg and Gives Presentation to Seniors in Kensington

Aria Green TeamIn an effort to boost our recycling initiatives and better manage our waste streams, Aria Health will be developing a Green Team at each campus that will conduct monthly “Brown Bag Lunch” meetings. Interested candidates can contact Mary Clemens at 215-612-4622 or mclemens@ariahealth.org.

Aria Health Physicians Provide Men’s Health and Summer Safety Tips on CBS 3’s “Talk Philly”Dr. Milton Coll, Chair of Aria’s Urology Department and Dr. Harry Emmerich, Emergency Department Director and Campus Chief of Aria Health-Bucks County were recently featured on the CBS 3 program “Talk Philly.”

The interview with Dr. Coll occurred during Men’s Health Month in June and was focused on men’s health issues including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) exams.

Dr. Emmerich provided tips on every-thing from sunscreen, to trampoline and bicycle safety, all designed to keep you and your family safe this summer.

To view these segments, just click on the “Media Center” link at the top of ARIAHEALTH.org homepage.

Chair of Aria’s Department of Urology, Dr. Milton Coll was interviewed as part of Men’s Health Month.

Emergency Department Director and Aria Bucks County Campus Chief, Dr. Harry Emmerich provided summer safety tips.

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Do You Have a “Good Catch” Story that You Want to Share?We encourage all Aria Health team members to email their “good catch” stories to EveryPatient-EveryTime@ariahealth.org. It will be reviewed for future posting to the team blog. A “good catch” is defined as an event or circumstance that has the potential to cause a minor or serious incident, but that did not actually occur due to corrective action and/or timely intervention.

September is National Preparedness Month – Are You Ready?

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an annual campaign to encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses, and communities. NPM is lead by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is sponsored by the Ready Campaign in partnership with the Citizen Corps. Every September, NPM works with Coalition Members to increase emergency preparedness awareness and activities across the nation.

This September marks the eighth annual NPM. This year’s campaign will focus on remembering disasters from our past, particularly the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

Check the Aria team blog (www.ARIAHEALTHEXCHANGE.org) to learn more about what Aria Health’s Emergency Management Committee is planning on for the month of September.

iPhones and iPads cut hours required for rounds in half while eliminating data entry at Aria HealthAria Health has recently initiated the use of iPhones and iPads when performing facility rounds and tracers in the areas of infection prevention and regulatory rounds. In just a few months, the ActiveStrategy iRound system has helped transform these previously manual and time-consuming efforts into easy and efficient processes that provide accurate and reliable real-time data.

According to Aria Health’s Administrative Director of Quality, Mary C. Magee, RN, MSN, the comparisons between rounds and tracers completed with and without the use of iPhones and iPads are remarkable.

“Hand hygiene rounds used to require approximately 80 hours of staff time per quarter on data entry, verification, and analysis. Today, Aria staff is able to conduct more observations in roughly half the staff time,” said Magee. “Additionally, since the data is uploaded and automatically compiled as part of the observation process, there are now zero hours of data entry time required.”

Utilizing iPhones and iPads takes inefficiency out of Aria’s rounding process to drive better results for a number of applications including: Joint Commission readiness, Department Of Health (DOH) readiness, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) readiness, real-time patient satisfaction rounding, medical staff performance rounding, employee engagement rounding, Lean/Six Sigma data collection, Nursing Performance Improvement Task Force rounding, and National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) participation.

Aria recently co-hosted an instructional webinar with ActiveStrategy to share insight with the nearly 150 attendees into maximizing the use of ActiveStrategy iRound and highlight areas where Aria is using iRound to take inefficiency out of the rounding process to drive better results.

Aria Health Blogger with a Perfect “Aria IQ” Wins Phillies TicketsCongratulations to Aria Health employee Kathleen Kabrhel, Practice Manager for the Office of Miriam Rosado, M.D., Steven P. Baughn, M.D. and Elliott H. Willis, D.O., who

won a pair of tickets to the Philadelphia Phillies vs. Washington Nationals on Sunday, August 14 for scoring a perfect score on the “What’s Your Aria I.Q.?” quiz on the team blog!

Information for all quiz answers could be found on Aria’s external website ARIAHEALTH.org or on the Aria Team Blog. All perfect quiz scores (10/10) were entered into a raffle drawing on July 29.

Congratulations Kathleen!

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Aria Health’s 32nd Annual 5K Run, 5K Walk and 1/2 Mile Children’s Run is Almost Here! Date: Sunday, September 11 (Rain or Shine) Location: Flyers Skate Zone Parking Lot Comly and Decatur Roads Philadelphia, PA 19154 Times: 7:30 am: Registration/Packet Pick-Up 8:30 am: 1/2 Mile Children’s Run (13 years & younger) 9:00 am: 5K Run, 5K Walk

All proceeds benefit the Preventive Health and Wellness Department at Aria Health.

For more information or to request an entry form, please call 215-612-4576. You can also obtain registration forms and information on-line at ARIAHEALTH.org.

Frankford Second Saturdays Run Through the FallCan’t get enough of the first Friday events throughout Philly?

Then come join Aria Health, the Frankford Community Development Corporation and the Quicky Mart Express for the Second Saturday festivals! Upcoming event dates include:

Saturday, August 13 Saturday, September 10 Saturday, October 8Celebrate the arts in Frankford with

performances (held at 4346 Frankford Avenue), free food and art to admire or buy.Go to www.FRANKFORDCDC.com to learn more.

Pack the BackpackAria Health’s Nurse Champions are sponsoring their 5th annual School Supplies Drive. Donations will be collected August 1-12 in the Main Lobby of the Frankford and Torresdale campuses along with the lobby near the MRI at the Bucks County Campus.

Some suggested school supplies are:

• Backpacks (for all ages)• Trapper keepers and zipper binders• Loose leaf paper• Marble copybooks• 1, 3 or 5 subject notebooks• 3 ring binders• Pocket folders• Markers, crayons• Pens (black, red, blue)• White-out, erasers• Erasable pens• Pencils; pencil cases• Rulers; protractors; compasses• Glue sticks; art boxes• Calculators• Pocket dictionaries

(English, Spanish, French, German)

Full-Time Outpatient Imaging Center will Offer Greater Availability and Improved Patient ExperienceAria Health has plans to open a full-time outpatient imaging center at the 9501 Roosevelt Boulevard Pavilion Annex beginning in September. Transitioning from the mobile trailer currently used two days per week at Aria’s Torresdale Campus, the new center will offer greater availability and an improved patient experience.

The center, which will operate Monday-Friday, will offer PET/CT, CAT and Sodium Bone imaging services, a newly reconstructed waiting area and two “quiet rooms” designed to calm patients before their tests. Not only will this new space improve patient experience, but the improved imaging technology available at the center will also significantly decrease the time needed to scan patients, thereby making an often stressful situation much shorter.

Runners from the 2010 race began their day with a sprint.

HUMAN RESOURCES SPOTLIGHT

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MANAGERS’ NOTE – Please be Sure to Submit Your Performance Evaluation FormsEmployee performance evaluation forms have been sent via email to all Aria Health managers. Please be sure to fill out your evaluations as completed as possible and return them to Human Resources no later than September 30, 2011. Thanks!

Critical Crew Dragon Boat Team and Gift of Life Program Team Up to Build a “Family House”Since 2005, a team of ICU nurses at Aria Health-Torresdale dubbed the “Critical Crew” have competed in the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Race held annually on the Schuylkill River. As part of their participation, they have been able to raise thousands of dollars for charities including: Aria Health’s Mammography Department, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Multiple Myeloma Foundation, a co-worker battling breast cancer, and most recently, they donated $27,000 to the Gift of Life Donor program in their fundraising efforts to build a “Family House.”

Critical Crew team members had the opportunity to recently tour the “Family House” before its grand opening and were able to witness first-hand how their funds contributed to the building of this facility.

For the 2011 Philadelphia Dragon Boat Race scheduled for October 1, the Critical Crew team will shift their focus to a different while maintaining its close relationship with Gift of Life and with the “Family House”.

New Employee Pension Plan OfferedAria Health has introduced a new retirement program for employees hired on or after July 1, 2011 and will offer existing employees a choice between the current program and the new program in August. Therefore, employees who were hired and began working before July 1, 2011, will have a one-time opportunity to select which retirement benefit option best meets their financial needs and preferences.

What is the Difference Between the Programs?The new program is a “defined contribution” plan and will be called the Aria Health Enhanced 403(b) Plan. It is called a defined contribution plan because Aria will make a defined contribution directly into a personal 403(b) account of eligible employees. It is similar to the current 403(b) plan because you will be responsible for investing the assets, and may take a lump sum payment upon termination of employment.

The current Aria Health Pension Plan is a “defined benefit” plan, whereby the benefit you receive upon retirement is defined and guaranteed for your lifetime, and Aria Health is responsible for investing the assets.

Why Are Employees Offered the Choice?First, because Aria wants to offer you a retirement benefit that can help you and your family plan for a secure and prosperous retirement, as well as one which is also suited to your own personal preferences. Second, Aria continually reviews its benefits, and we feel that the new retirement program may provide employees with a more understandable retirement benefit.

Another significant factor driving our need for change is the shifting business environment. Defined benefit plans like the current Aria Health Pension Plan are increasingly complex to manage and difficult to budget from year to year. By comparison, defined contribution plans like the new Aria Health Enhanced 403(b) plan have more predictable costs. For all these reasons, more employers, including a number of area hospitals, have switched to defined contribution retirement programs.

How Will These Changes Affect You?The personal factors that will be important in making a decision between the current program and the new program include your desire and ability to invest your retirement account before and after retirement, your family situation, your length of service at Aria, and the number of years you have until retirement. Please note that Aria’s current 403(b) matching contribution are not changing – under either the current or new retirement program option, you will have the opportunity to receive a matching contribution to your 403(b) account based on your pre-tax savings.

More information regarding the details of each retirement program and the affect on you will be rolled out over the coming months. You can learn more about the new retirement program by reviewing a series of Frequently Asked Questions, at ARIAHEALTH.org under the Retirement Choice link.

American Red Cross Blood DriveHelp save a life by being a blood donor. The American Red Cross blood drives are held at all three Aria Health campuses.

For dates and times, please visit www.pleasegiveblood.org, or call 215-612-4576.

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Aria Expands Surgical Capabilities as It Welcomes Eight New Physicians

Aria Health is pleased to announce the expansion of its surgical services with the addition of the following physicians:

Lee Buono, MD, Neurosurgery Kenneth A. Godwin, DO, Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery Kenneth Liebman, MD, Neurosurgery Joseph Sherill, MD, Neurosurgery Elizabeth P. Renza-Stingone, MD, FACS, General/Laparoscopic Surgery Marc Stingone, MD, Trauma/Critical Care Surgery Jeffrey T. Truitt, MD, Anesthesiology Erol Veznedaroglu, MD, Neurosurgery

After joining Aria in September following his service as a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Commander, neurosurgeon Dr. Sherrill will be available to see patients in offices at the Torresdale and Bucks County Campuses for consultations, along with inpatient and outpatient neurosurgical procedures. Dr. Buono, who joined Aria’s staff effective July 1, will see outpatients and schedule neurosurgical procedures in the interim.

Dr. Sherrill and Dr. Buono, along with Drs. Veznedaroglu and Liebman (who also joined Aria July 1) will participate in trauma and emergency neurosurgical on-call coverage and will remain available for inpatient consultations.

Dr. Renza-Stingone is fellowship trained in minimally invasive surgery and will be available in to see patients in offices at the Torresdale Campus for consultations, along with inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures. Fellowship trained in Critical Care and Trauma, Dr. Marc Stingone will be available in offices at the Torresdale campus.

Specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery, fellowship trained surgeon Dr. Kenneth Godwin will be available in offices at the Torresdale campus. Anesthesiologist and Pain Management Fellow Dr. Jeffrey Truitt will be available in offices at the Torresdale and Bucks County campuses.

Congratulations and welcome to all of the new physicians at Aria Health!

Don’t Forget! 3rd Annual Evidence Based Nursing Practice Conference Will Take Place in October!

The 3rd annual Evidence Based Nursing Practice Conference will take place on October 19, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Trevose. For more information, contact Sue McMullen (smcmullen@ariahealth.org), Gen Aulett (gaulett@ariahealth.org) or Nancy Larkins (nlarkins@ariahealth.org).

Contributed by: Sue Schaaf, Office Coordinator, Aria Health School of Nursing

After more than 40 years with the Aria Health School of Nursing, Mary Clark retired in April. Many School of Nursing Alumni remember her as the first face they saw as they entered, and the last face they saw as they left the school.

As the mother of 11 children, and widowed at a young age, Mrs. Clark began her first job at the School of Nursing as a Residential Assistant in September 1969. Here, she “guarded” the halls of the all girl school and dorm. A dedicated employee, Mrs. Clark would arrive at the school at 6:00 a.m., no matter the weather, to get the coffee brewing for those who arrived after her. She also rarely took vacation days or sick days.

Mrs. Clark would often tell stories of what each of the rooms in the school were used for in the past (since the school has been in existence since 1904)

and of the many special events and memories at the School of Nursing.

Mrs. Clark enjoys reading, going to flea markets, and good conversations. There was always someone lingering at her desk between classes, having a strong cup of coffee, having a feisty political discussion, or recalling “the good ol’ days when bread was a nickel.” There are many funny stories from Alumni, many of which we hope to see posted on the Aria team blog (www.ARIAHEALTHEXCHANGE.org) after this article prints.

Please join the Aria Health School of Nursing administration, faculty, and staff in wishing Mrs. Clark a long and happy retirement! Thank you, Mrs. Clark, for your many dedicated years of service to the school! The halls will seem quieter without you!

Beloved Mrs. Clark Retires After More Than 40 Years at Aria School of Nursing

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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

Aria Health-Bucks County Emergency DepartmentWere you aware that 98% of the patients at Aria Health-Bucks County’s Emergency Department are treated in 30 minutes or less? Were you also aware that the Department is an accredited Chest Pain Center, offering comprehensive, on-site cardiovascular care?

Shorter wait times are supported by leading-edge care including the latest in digital imaging services, private treatment rooms, and on-site cardiovascular care that enables Aria Health-Bucks County to treat all illnesses and injuries, both minor and serious.

To learn more, visit ARIAHEALTH.org or call the Emergency Department at Aria Health-Bucks County at 215-949-5260.

Aria’s Breast Cancer Support Center Receives Donation on Behalf of the “Kate’s Way” Walk

Aria Health-Frankford Executive Secretary Kass Milligan (center) presented a check to Aria’s Director of Oncology Operations, Debbie Sinclair (right), and a certificate of appreciation to Scot Fisher, D.O. (left), Medical Director of Aria’s Radiation Oncology Department on July 8.

The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (LAOH) Division 39 presented a $3,600 check to Aria Health’s Breast Cancer Support Center as part the proceeds from the 6th annual “Kate’s Way” Breast Cancer Awareness Walk held in May.

LAOH also presented certificates of appreciation to Aria’s Radiation Oncology and Purchasing Departments, along with the Greater Philadelphia Cancer & Hematology Group for spon-soring the walk.

For nearly five years, Kathleen (Kate) Palchick was a patient at the Aria Health Cancer Center as she courageously battled breast cancer before losing her fight in September

2006. During this time Kate, along with her family and friends at LAOH Division 39, founded the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, which has raised nearly $100,000 since it was first held in May 2006.

Kathleen ‘Kate’ Palchick

Ten Tips to Stay Safely HydratedContributed by the Carebridge Corporation

As temperatures climb, so do heat-related deaths and illnesses. Those especially affected by higher temperatures include anyone over age 65, infants, and those with chronic medical conditions. They should stay indoors in an air-conditioned environment as much as possible. However, when healthy adults and children want to take advantage of the weather to engage in outdoor activities, they should be sure to drink plenty of fluids.

To stay hydrated:Increase your fluid intake whenever temperatures get into the 90’s; don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. If you feel thirsty, you are

already somewhat dehydrated. Other signs include dry mouth, dizziness, weakness, and muscle cramps. If you are taking water pills or your healthcare provider has limited the amount of fluid you should drink, follow his or her recommendations.

Make water your first choice since it has no sugar, calories or preservatives, but know that juice and milk can also keep you hydrated. Avoid drinks with large amounts of sugar; they can actually cause you to lose more body fluid.

Utilize sports drinks if you are a serious exerciser who needs the electrolytes, sodium and potassium; otherwise, plain water is just as efficient at hydration. If you are on a low-salt diet, consult your healthcare provider before consuming sports drinks.

Add a splash of juice to your water if you want more flavor.Avoid alcohol and carbonated beverages. Alcohol has a diuretic effect, and

carbonation makes you feel full sooner, so you drink less.Boost your fluid intake if you are exercising strenuously outdoors. Plan to drink at

least four cups of water or sports drink per hour while exercising, and step up the amount you drink before and after your workout.

Keep your diet light. Heavy meals add heat to your body, but fruits and vegetables with a high water content help to keep you hydrated. Among those with a lot of water are obvious fruits such as watermelon and grapefruit, but also blueberries, pineapple, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, and lettuce.

Enjoy popsicles, especially the natural ones made with real fruit juices. Even better, make popsicles yourself with low-sugar fruit juices.

Avoid using ice. Ultra cold beverages will satisfy your thirst quickly and make you less likely to keep drinking. They can also cause stomach cramps. Beverages at room temperature or slightly below will help you get the fluids you need.

Boost your fluid intake if you visit a place that is far above sea level. Higher altitudes increase your respiration level. Because you exhale more frequently, your body loses more fluid than usual.

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Obesity – What is It, What Are the Risks and How Can We Fight It?

Obesity has been described by the World Health Organization as one of today’s most common – yet most neglected – public health problems. Anthony J. Abbruzzi, D.O., a primary care physician partially based out of Aria’s Health Center Clinic at 5000 Frankford Avenue, understands this issue more than most, as he sees many patients at the Clinic struggling with this very problem.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, 29% of adults living in Philadelphia are obese, which is higher than both state and national averages. Unfortunately, the percentage of obese children living in the city is no different, as 28% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 are obese, which is 11% greater than the national average.

“Each year, our obese patients seem to get younger and younger,” said Abbruzzi. “And while we aren’t able to change years of behavior in 15

minute sessions, there are ways to combat this problem.”To address issues related to obesity, let’s first review what obesity actually means

and the associated risk factors that make it such a problem.

What Does it Mean to be Obese?For adults, obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a

number called the “body mass index” (BMI). An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. See the following table developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for an example.

Height Weight Range BMI Considered

5’ 9” 124 lbs or less Below 18.5 Underweight

5’ 9” 125 lbs to 168 lbs 18.5 to 24.9 Healthy weight

5’ 9” 169 lbs to 202 lbs 25.0 to 29.9 Overweight

5’ 9” 203 lbs or more 30 or higher Obese For children, obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex.

What are Some Risk Factors Associated with Obesity?For both children and adults, obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including: heart disease and stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and asthma just to name a few. Individuals that are obese may also have a lower quality of life, as they may not be able to do things they would normally.

How Can We Combat Obesity in the Community?While the effects of obesity can be devastating, the good news is that we know to prevent it – through proper diet and exercise.

“I try to instill in my patients the importance of good decision making when it comes to food,” explained Dr. Abbruzzi, “I also utilize Aria’s Nutrition Department to educate patients on the importance of avoiding foods with high contents of fat, sugar and calories.”

According to Dr. Abbruzzi, exercise also remains a core component of combating obesity – at least 30 minutes per day, 3 days a week. “Sustained physical activity – be it walking, running or biking in combination with a proper diet is crucial in this fight,” he said.

Dr. Abbruzzi’s article is featured on State Representative Tony Payton’s website. To view the article, go to http://www.reppayton.com/.

Anthony J. Abbruzzi, D.O.

Diabetes Management and Support Programs are Available at Aria Health Diabetes Self-Management Education ProgramThe Aria Health Diabetes Self-Management Program has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association for Quality Self-Management Education. Our 10-hour program will teach you the importance of proper nutrition, exercise and controlling your blood sugar to minimize complications.

A physician referral and pre-registration is required. Participants will receive a free 3-month membership for the Diabetes Exercise Program upon completion.

This program is available at all three Aria Health Wellness Centers.

Individual Diabetes CounselingIndividual appointments regarding blood sugar monitoring, insulin injection instruc-tion, medication and gestational diabetes can be addressed with a Registered Nurse certified in diabetes education. Concerns such as meal planning, weight control, and dietary information can be arranged with a Registered Dietitian.

Follow-Up ClassesAfter completion of the Diabetes Program, participants are encouraged to attend a follow-up session. This program reviews your progress, diabetes manage-ment skills, and the nutritional aspects of diabetes and heart health. These classes are offered several times each year.

Diabetes Exercise ProgramThis is a supervised program that helps persons with diabetes manage their blood sugars. Pre- and post-exercise blood sugar levels are taken along with heart rate and blood pressures.

FREE Diabetes Support GroupsAdult Day Support Group Place: Aria Health-Frankford, Room #3801, 3rd floor Dates: Call for schedule

Adult Evening Support GroupDates: Call for schedulePlace: Aria Health-Torresdale, Conference Room #1Dates: Call for schedulePlace: Aria Health-Bucks County, Conference Room C, ground floor

For more information or to register for any of these classes or programs, please call 215-831-2122.