News Flash!

Click on the news items below for news and announcements.

NAMC launched a patient education hand hygiene program in June 2005. Through the program, patients are educated and invited to become "Partners In Your Care" by asking physicians and other caregivers if they have washed their hands prior to providing them with direct patient care.

we are proud to announce the grand opening of The Nursing Nook at North Austin Medical Center on June 30.  The Nursing Nook is a lactation support store.  We carry products for prenatal and postpartum support as well as renting hospital grade breast pumps.  We look forward to seeing you at the Grand Opening!

NAMC recently performed its first carotid stent, an important tool in the prevention of stroke.  Carotid stents are used in patients who have at least 70 percent blockage in the carotid artery and who are not good candidates for the surgical alternative. They are intended to prevent stroke by clearing blockages in the primary blood vessel leading to the brain.

AUSTIN, Texas – North Austin Medical Center (NAMC), a member of the St. David’s HealthCare Partnership, is the first facility in Austin to offer epilepsy surgery for patients with a history of partial seizures that are not well controlled with medications. This procedure was first performed at NAMC in May 2005 by neurologist Dr. Sami Aboumatar and neurosurgeon Dr. Thomas Loftus.

The intent of this committee is to work with all medical personnel and patients to aid in pain management.

Lactation consultants are now available seven days each week and the Nursing Nook has recently opened to provide the following supplies and services for breastfeeding mothers:

NAMC Rehab Services has partnered with the Northwest YMCA to offer aquatic rehabilitation

NAMC offers physical therapy for pelvic floor as part of our outpatient rehabilitation services.

This fall, the Hyperbaric, Wound Care and Lymphedema center at NAMC has opened, bringing state-of-the-art care for acute and chronic wounds, lymphedema and other conditions.  A multidisciplinary team with a goal of providing the highest quality of care serves the patients in the Center.

North Austin Medical Center is revving up for some exciting new technology that physicians will be seeing in the 2nd half of 2005. One of the buzz words you will be hearing in the upcoming months is “ePOM”, electronic Physician Order Management.

NAMC’s Diabetes Wellness Center was recently awarded Recognition by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for its Diabetes Education programs.

NAMC Food and Nutrition Department received the “Best Practice” Award for the Second quarter of 2004 in the category of Large Hospitals  (200 + bed) with a score of 3.49 in the Gallup ratings.. 

NAMC is the first site in Austin to perform a new laser treatment for enlarged prostate called The GreenLight PVPTM Laser Procedure – (Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate). Enlarged prostate affects over 14 million men each year in the United States

In 2004 the Joint Commission introduced new regulations to reduce medication errors. These new regulations went into effect in January 2004 with many more to follow. A part of these new regulations include the Medication Management standard .3.20.

NAMC is now offering a Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) unit for Austinites who have epilepsy or seizures. The unit, which monitors patients anywhere from 12 hours to several weeks, is the first monitoring unit in Central Texas intended for extended stay. 

NAMC is the site of the American Cancer Society's Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group...

NAMC was recognized by AHA's Get with the Guidelines for efforts that have recently been implemented to reduce morbidity and mortality rates from cardiovascular disease...

In May, UNOS reactivated the Renal Transplant Surgery Program.  Dr. Francis Wright of San Antonio has recently become the new surgical director of the program... 

Medication errors are one of the most common causes of avoidable harm to patients in health care organizations.  NAMC is taking many steps to reduce errors ...

Lisa Nie, RN, is our new Med-Surg Clinical Educator..Over the past three months, she has worked closely with the Med-Surg staff to increase ...

On January 13, St. David's HealthCare Partnership held a press conference at NAMC to announce the introduction of the eMAR system to offer additional security against health care errors when nurses and respiratory therapists provide medications to patients.  NAMC is the first hospital in the greater Austin area to introduce this technology and the program has been implemented in the ICU, Inpatient Rehab and all Med-Surg units and will be begin this Spring in Maternity Services.

In January, The Blood and Tissue Center presented 30 awards to local individuals and organizations for producing outstanding results at blood drives in 2003.  NAMC received ...

The CNO Annual Report for 2003 ranks NAMC in the top quartile for HCA and the Western Group in Nursing Services, ranking #30 in of 166 hospitals in HCA, #12 of 77 ...

St. David's HealthCare Partnership's IS staff has been working on several internet solutions to deliver PCI via the internet.  Recently Austin was recognized as the third most broadband internet city in the nation.  That tells us what we already know…

Every year the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) will recommend 6 to 7 patient safety goals.  Our organization has implemented policies and procedures that follow those recommendations ...

Since mid 2003, numerous changes have been made in the scheduling department to improve the ease and timeliness of the scheduling process for your staff and patients.  In June 2003, a new scheduling telephone system was installed ...