SALA DE PRENSA DE RENOWN

Renown Health, Lander County and National Fitness Campaign (NFC) today announced a partnership to bring an outdoor Fitness Court® to Battle Mountain Recreation Center. The Fitness Court, located at 560 Altenburg Ave, will open on Tuesday, August 15 at 10AM with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  This Fitness Court was developed by Renown Health, Lander County and NFC to expand free access to high quality workouts and create equitable access to exercise for communities around the state. Lander County is one of five outdoor Fitness Courts in a series of Fitness Courts presented by Renown Health that have been funded in healthy communities that are prioritizing health equity and world class outdoor fitness. The Fitness Court is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets people use their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations.  Created with people aged 14 and over and with all abilities in mind, the workouts are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. Users may also download the free Fitness Court App which acts as a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness experience. “Proximity to exercise opportunities, such as parks and recreation facilities, has been linked to an increase in physical activity among residents,” said Brian Erling, MD, President & CEO of Renown Health. “Regular physical activity has a wide array of health benefits including weight control, muscle and bone strengthening, improved mental health and mood, and improved life expectancy. We are proud to bring additional access to exercise opportunities - at no charge, to everyone in our community.” “For over 50 years, Battle Mountain General Hospital has provided access to quality healthcare. We have up-to-date technology and medical services so you can receive your healthcare close to home, in your own community,” said Jason Bleak, FACHE, President and CEO. “We are pleased to partner with Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, which provides the highest level of Trauma Care, is home to the region’s only children’s hospital, robotic surgery institute, comprehensive heart, cancer, orthopedic and neurology services---and provides us access to some of the brightest medical specialists in the country.” “It never ceases to amaze me when Nevada businesses and the County partner up to do amazing things for their communities,” said Kaydra Stewart, Executive Director of the Battle Mountain Chamber of Commerce. “This Fitness Court is such a wonderful addition to the Battle Mountain Recreation Center, and I know that so many members of the community are going to benefit from it.” “The Lander County Recreation Department is committed to serving all residents of Lander County, by providing recreation and leisure activities, events, and other services that promote health, relaxation, and learning in a safe environment. We believe that recreation and leisure are important to the overall quality of life and the social well-being of our individual citizens and our community as a whole,” said Lander County Recreation Department. “National Fitness Campaign is proud to welcome Lander County to the campaign as a leader in health and wellness for their residents. We look forward to their continued partnership and investment as a healthy community in Nevada,” said Mitch Menaged, founder of National Fitness Campaign.  Residents are invited to attend the launch event on August 15th at 10AM to try the Fitness Court. For more information visit BM Rec Center facebook page or contact Danielle at Recreation Center 775-635-9209. For more information on Renown Health’s support of NFC, please visit https://nationalfitnesscampaign.com/nevada. Acerca de Renown Health Renown Health es la red de atención médica integrada de administración local y sin fines de lucro más grande de la región, que presta servicios a Nevada, Lake Tahoe y el noreste de California. Con una fuerza laboral diversa de más de 7,000 empleados, Renown ha fomentado una cultura de excelencia, determinación e innovación de larga data. La organización se compone de un centro de urgencias, dos hospitales de cuidados agudos, un hospital infantil, un hospital de rehabilitación, un grupo médico y una red de atención de urgencias y Hometown Health, la compañía de seguros sin fines de lucro más grande de la región y de propiedad local, Hometown Health. About National Fitness Campaign Founded in San Francisco in 1979, National Fitness Campaign (NFC) is a wellness consulting firm that provides programs and services to cities, schools and sponsors with the mission to build healthy communities. NFC delivers an integrated wellness initiative, centered on the world’s best outdoor gym: The Fitness Court®. The Campaign is planning its 500th Healthy Community, uniting the country’s largest public-private partnership in support of wellness with the goal of building a Fitness Court within a 10-minute bike ride of every American. Follow us on social media @NatFitCampaign and #Fitnesscourt.

Leer más About Lander County, Renown Health and National Fitness Campaign Make Fitness Free for Community

Two pediatric gastroenterologists bring life-saving care to kids and make Renown their new home The Renown Children’s Hospital team and our community is celebrating the addition of a new life-saving pediatric specialty to its practice serving children and families in northern Nevada. Parents and guardians will now be able to seek professional pediatric gastroenterologist care with the addition of Drs. Juan Gregory and Kathleen Holland to Renown Medical Group. “Recognizing the importance of diagnosing and caring for children who have conditions that affect the organs in the digestive system, including the stomach, liver and bowel, while also helping children who have issues feeding and eating, is critically important to us at Renown,” said Kristina Deeter, MD, MBA, FAAP, Chair of Pediatrics, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital. “Both Drs. Gregory and Holland are superb clinicians, we are excited to have them join Renown Children’s Hospital to offer pediatric gastroenterology services, including a wide range of complex and vital procedures and screenings, endoscopies and colonoscopies.” Juan Carlos Gregory, MD, has 18 years of experience caring for children in northern Nevada. He is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at UNR Med with a special interest in celiac disease, abdominal pain, and gastroesophageal reflux in children. Gregory earned his undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX before completing his medical training, including a residency in pediatrics at the University of San Diego in Pediatrics and fellowships in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at both Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and at the National Institutes of Health, Digestive Disease Section in Bethesda, MD. He is board-certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology and speaks Spanish. Kathleen Holland, MD, MPH brings a global health perspective to her work caring for children. A graduate of the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) with her medical doctorate and her master’s in public health with a social and behavioral health emphasis, she has donated her skills to providing international medical relief for children in Uganda and Nicaragua. Holland earned her undergraduate degree at University of Nevada Reno in Biology, Health Ecology and Healthcare Ethics before completing her medical training and residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN. Her research and scientific interests include vaccination rates and family barriers among children with inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s and colitis, pediatric autoimmune pancreatitis, and cystic fibrosis. How Pediatric Gastroenterologists Help Children and Families The Pediatric Gastroenterology Program at Renown Children’s cares for children experiencing common GI-related problems of childhood; nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, colic, milk protein allergy, poor growth and feeding difficulties, and sees patients from infancy to 18 years old. “As specialists in the care of children with gastrointestinal and liver problems, we focus on the diagnosis and treatment of these issues,” said Larry Duncan, MD, Vice President of Pediatrics and Surgery & Administrator of Renown Children’s & Women’s Services. “Our physicians play an active role in teaching and research. We have several areas of expertise including prevention, diagnosis and treating disease of the digestive tract including the esophagus, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, colon, small intestine and liver disease.” Special expertise includes: Pediatric feeding and growing disorders Aerodigestive disorders Food and hypersensitivity disorders Inflammatory bowel disease Celiac disease Liver diseases Children requiring parenteral and enteral nutrition Renown Children’s Hospital is the only dedicated children’s hospital in northern Nevada, offering programs and services for families from a 100,000 square mile area, from Sacramento, CA to Salt Lake City, Utah. Renown Children’s provides the area’s only Children’s Emergency Room, Pediatric ICU (PICU), children’s imaging center and the largest neonatal ICU (NICU), a level III intensive care unit. Specialty Children’s Care at Renown Today, over 90% of families in northern Nevada seek care from the experts at Renown Children’s Hospital. “We are so grateful to the William N. Pennington Foundation for its support in establishing the William N. Pennington Fund for Advance Pediatric Care in 2016, which allowed us to hire our first 15 pediatric specialists,” said Dr. Deeter. “Today we have over 40 pediatric physician specialists at Renown Children’s Hospital who provide care in adolescent medicine, pediatric endocrinology, pediatric hematology/oncology, pediatric pulmonology, pediatric neurology, pediatric nephrology, pediatric infectious diseases, pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric orthopedic surgery, pediatric cleft and craniofacial surgery, pediatric urology, pediatric dentistry, pediatric emergency medicine, and now, pediatric gastroenterology. Our clinicians provide 30,000 patient visits annually, offering an exceptional level of care. The Pennington gift is truly a gift that keeps giving to the families in our area.” Now Being Constructed: Expanded Inpatient Care at Renown Children’s Hospital New construction of an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with increased capacity to 49 bassinets, an expanded Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with increased capacity to 16 private patient and family rooms, and a new Renown Children's Hospital inpatient floor with increased capacity for 38 private patient and family rooms for a total capacity of 58 pediatric beds are currently being constructed on Tahoe Tower, Level 5 of Renown Regional Medical Center. It is expected that the new units will open to patients and families in April 2023. In the most recent US News & World Report Best Hospital rankings, Renown Regional Medical Center was named as the number one hospital in Nevada. Ningún otro hospital del estado cumplió con sus estrictos estándares para el ranking de 2021. Renown Health is High Performing, its highest rating possible, in eight procedures and conditions including Heart Failure, Colon Cancer Surgery and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement. A hospital's score is based on multiple data categories, including patient outcomes, safety, and volumes. Los hospitales calificados como sobresalientes eran significativamente mejores que el promedio nacional. Renown Medical Group is an in-network provider for Hometown Health and other health plans. Drs. Gregory and Holland are pleased to see new patients at their location at the Renown Children’s Subspecialty Clinic inside Renown Regional Medical Center at 75 Pringle Way, Suite 505, Reno, Nev. Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a medical specialist when further evaluation of a particular issue is necessary. About Renown Health Renown Health is Nevada’s largest, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in a community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®.  About UNR Med The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents, and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.

Leer más About Tummy Trouble? Renown Children’s Hospital Adds Another New Specialty, Pediatric Gastroenterology

Physician researchers seek to understand how the immune system responds to COVID-19 and create a healthier Nevada. During the early stages of the pandemic, convalescent plasma was considered the only viable treatment option available for patients with COVID-19. Convalescent plasma is the component of the blood from recovered patients that may contain COVID-19 antibodies that help fight the infection. The National Institutes of Health has since developed treatment guidelines for COVID-19 based on clinical trial data and many studies are still underway worldwide assessing various additional treatment options. Convalescent plasma was in high demand but difficult to locate for COVID-19 patients in the northern Nevada area. A 24-year-old nursing assistant, Austin Meegan, was hospitalized and spent weeks staving off kidney and lung failure before learning he was eligible for an experimental blood transfusion that showed promise in treating COVID-19. Los médicos estimaron que Meegan solo tenía un 3 % de posibilidades de encontrar un donante compatible con su raro tipo de sangre. A COVID-19 survivor, Thomas Gibson, a Texas resident with the same blood type, traveled to Reno to donate his viral antibodies and a convalescent plasma donation credited with helping to save Meegan’s life. Physician clinical researchers and scientists at Renown and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) knew they needed to create better options for patients and physicians. Clinical researchers developed a study to help other patients like Austin, and pleaded for donations from recovered COVID-19 patients to donate their convalescent plasma. The researcher teams looked to understand how the body’s immune system responds to the virus over time, to aid them in developing new treatments for COVID-19. “The world’s capacity to get through the COVID crisis will depend on four things — science, technology, innovation and partnerships, says Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President and CEO of Renown Health.  “Taking lab bench discoveries to the bedside of patients in an efficacious and timely manner is not easy, but with UNR Med and our partners, we are making great strides in advancing clinical research which has the power to save lives and to create a healthier Nevada.” “It’s tremendously promising to partner on clinical research that will not only help us better understand the disease, but help inform treatment for those combatting COVID-19 that has had such a devastating impact on Nevadans, our nation and the world,” says UNR Med Dean Thomas L. Schwenk, MD. Renown, UNR Med and other area health care partners collaborated with Vitalant to collect plasma from recovered donors for a study on the treatment's efficacy. Los donantes elegibles tenían al menos 18 años, pesaban más de 110 libras y estaban sanos. Donors had fully recovered from a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Project coordinators at the Renown Research Office were overwhelmed by the community’s support and plasma blood donations. Las asociaciones adicionales con el Distrito de Salud del Condado de Washoe, el estado de Nevada y la Oficina del Gobernador, Saint Mary’s Medical Center, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Carson Tahoe Health y VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, junto con muchos proveedores de atención médica del área, ayudaron al equipo a alcanzar sus objetivos de inscribir a 120 participantes elegibles en el estudio. “Our success in this study rests heavily on the support of our great community, as well as the innovation and collaboration demonstrated by Renown and UNR Med,” said Sara Healy, MD, MPH, principal investigator of the study and a pediatric infectious disease physician at Renown Children’s Hospital and UNR Med. “We are proud to be at the forefront of conducting essential research during such a pivotal time in history, and look forward to our continued partnership as we continue this important work.” “The control of COVID-19 in our communities relies on testing. The study that is being launched to develop a sensitive, specific and easier way to collect specimens (blood) is advancing the field and brings promise towards getting to our common goal of having the right diagnostic test for the right clinical situation at the right time,” says Mark Riddle, MD, DrPH, FISTM, associate investigator of the study and associate dean for clinical research and professor at UNR Med's Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Research. The research team is now asking area residents to participate in a study to analyze the efficacy of two COVID-19 tests. Participants will undergo two blood tests: one being a finger stick to provide results for a rapid test, and the other is a traditional venipuncture draw confirming the presence or absence of COVID-19 antibodies. This study is a collaboration with InBios International, Inc., a leading biotechnology company based in Seattle. Researchers are seeking: Individuals who have confirmed positive for COVID-19 and who have recently recovered from the virus. Los participantes del estudio deben estar en un período de entre 7 y 28 días posteriores al inicio de sus síntomas. Individuals who have recently tested negative for COVID-19 and have never tested positive. Los interesados en participar en el estudio pueden ponerse en contacto con los coordinadores del proyecto en la Oficina de Investigación de Renown al (775) 982-3646, o por correo electrónico a covidplasmascreening@renown.org, de lunes a viernes, de 7:30 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. Se anima a las personas de entre 18 y 75 años con buena salud en general a que consideren la posibilidad de participar en este estudio en curso. There is no cost to participate in this study and participation is voluntary. An individual’s decision to participate will not affect their current or future relations with their health care provider(s), health district, or the community. Those who decide to participate are free to withdraw at any time. “Time is of the essence with COVID. If we can get test results to people and their clinicians in a more timely way, we can make a faster diagnosis of a patient's condition, says Christopher M. Kozlowski, MD, MHA, Renown's institutional research officer and Medical Director/VP of Renown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health. “As we refine the accuracy of our testing; we are applying sensitivity and specificity testing for true negative and true positive results. This provides people with more timely and accurate results and better quality care.”     Acerca de Renown Health Renown Health es una red de atención médica integrada de administración local y sin fines de lucro que brinda servicios al norte de Nevada, Lake Tahoe y el noreste de California. Renown es uno de los mayores empleadores privados de la región y cuenta con una fuerza laboral de más de 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown tiene una larga trayectoria y un compromiso de larga data con la mejora de la atención y la salud de nuestra comunidad.     About the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Fundada en 1969, la UNR Med está mejorando la salud y el bienestar de todos los residentes de Nevada y sus comunidades mediante excelencia en la educación estudiantil, capacitación de posgrado y atención clínica, investigación con impacto local, nacional y global y una cultura de diversidad e inclusión. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.

Leer más About Researchers at Renown Seek Convalescent Plasma Study Participants

Renown Children’s Hospital pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Mitchell Strominger hosts state-wide virtual event to provide routine vison screenings for children and Walk with a Doc. El Dr. Mitchell Strominger, oftalmólogo pediátrico del Renown Children’s Hospital, organizará el evento virtual “Walk with a Doc” (Recorrido con un médico) el domingo, 14 de junio a las 10 a.m. para niños de escuela primaria y sus padres. During this free event, Dr. Strominger will give a brief, kid-friendly talk about the importance of routine vision screenings and show parents how to conduct a vision screening with their kids at home. He will close out the morning session with a live Q&A. Following the event, families are encouraged to get outside and enjoy a walk in the great outdoors. The event is sponsored by Renown Children’s Hospital and free to participants, however you must register to receive the link to attend. “Vision is important for learning, experiencing new things and interacting with others, which is why it’s critical for children to get vision screenings early and routinely,” said Dr. Strominger. “The best time to screen a child’s vision is kindergarten through third grade as the cells in the brain responsible for vision are continuously developing up until age eight. If we detect vision problems early, we here at Renown Children’s Hospital have the expertise and technology to correct these vision problems and enable children to live healthy, productive lives.” Individuals who register for this event will be emailed a vision-screening sheet to help facilitate an at-home screening, as well as a form to send back to their child’s pediatrician or pediatric ophthalmologist upon completion to determine the best course of action. El Dr. Strominger agregó: “Muchos padres y colegios han pospuesto los exámenes de la visión debido al cierre de los colegios por la COVID-19, a las dudas respecto de la seguridad al salir de casa o a los posibles costos financieros. I am pleased to host this virtual event on behalf of Renown Children’s Hospital, to engage kids and parents in a conversation on the importance of vision and to remind the community that we are here to help and provide the care they need, both in-person and virtually—be it over a smart phone, tablet or computer screen.” Este evento virtual se llevará a cabo en el recién renovado Fianna’s Healing Garden, que reabrirá sus puertas a finales de este mes y el 100 % de su renovación se financió con donaciones a través de la fundación de Renown Health. Located in the heart of Renown Regional Medical Center, the healing garden serves as place to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the outdoors. El Dr. Strominger es uno de los 26 subespecialistas pediátricos reclutados en Renown Children’s Hospital desde 2016, gracias a la donación de $7.5 millones que Pennington Foundation realizó a la fundación de Renown Health sin fines de lucro para expandir los servicios de salud de los niños. June marks the four-year anniversary of the Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (Nevada APP) participation in the national Walk with A Doc event. Dr. Strominger is the secretary and treasurer for the Nevada AAP. El Renown Children’s Hospital se dedica a ayudar a los niños a sentirse bienvenidos, seguros y bien atendidos. Este centro abarca desde especialidades pediátricas, atención en la sala de emergencias y cirugía las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana, hasta el diagnóstico por imágenes, la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) pediátrica y los especialistas en vida infantil. Through each visit, parents can expect the highest level of care for their child’s health and well-being from birth and beyond. To support Renown Children’s Hospital and help local children in need get access to vital health services like routine vision screenings, please visit the Renown Health Foundation.     About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown es uno de los mayores empleadores privados de la región y cuenta con una fuerza laboral de más de 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, Renown Children’s Hospital, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. Visite renown.org para obtener más información.

Leer más About Elementary Schoolers: Take Part in Free Virtual Vision Screening