The Board of Directors of Hammond-Henry Hospital announces the opening of a new Sleep Clinic, served by Dr. Akshay Mahadevia, MD, Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine specialist, on August 1. The Sleep Clinic will be offered in the Hammond-Henry Hospital Medical Group-Geneseo Clinic, just down the hall from the familiar office (Specialty Physicians Clinic on the first floor) where Dr. Mahadevia used to see patients. As of August 1, Dr. Mahadevia will only see patients in the Geneseo Clinic.

Dr. Mahadevia, who currently serves as the HHH Sleep Disorder Center Medical Director, will evaluate and treat patients with OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea), CSA (Central Sleep Apnea), PLMS (Periodic Limb Movement of Sleep), RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Hypersomnia, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Behavior Disorders, and Parasomnias, including night terrors and sleep walking. He will see patients at least six years of age through adults/elderly.

Dr. Mahadevia is accepting new patients at the HHH Geneseo Medical Group Sleep Clinic. Existing patients of Dr. Mahadevia will need to sign a release of records with Dr. Mahadevia to have their records transferred to HHH. Patients should verify coverage with their insurance providers. Those interested in obtaining a consultation are asked to call 309.944.1275 for an appointment during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Geneseo Clinic fax number is 309.946.9275. All calls for the HHH Sleep Clinic will be routed through the Geneseo Medical Group. Dr. Mahadevia is an independent, non-employed contractor.

The Hammond-Henry Hospital Sleep Disorder Center, located on the hospital's second floor, is a separate entity from the new Sleep Clinic. The Sleep Disorder Center addresses sleep apnea and other sleep conditions through diagnostic testing.

For those that don't get a regular good night's sleep, they may be at greater risk for several life-threatening conditions, such as:



• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Uncontrolled blood pressure
• Uncontrolled glucose levels
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Chronic aches and pains
• Reduced oxygen levels at night
• Daytime sleepiness
• Drowsiness while driving
• Headaches

Karri Herberg, BA, RPSGT, serves as the Neuro/Sleep Disorder Center Coordinator, with Marie Butcher, RRT, RPFT, and Cindy Clemens, RPSGT. "On our own, most people don't even know they have sleep apnea. They think they are sleeping fine but in their 40s-50s, they start noticing their blood pressure going up and that even though they exercise, they are still tired," said Herberg. "Most think quantity of sleep is most important, but it's the quality. Here at the Sleep Center, we get away from the numbers, weight, and BMI and focus on feeling good and not struggling to keep awake during the day."

Herberg also said sleep apnea is the only ailment in which your brain doesn't alert you when you stop breathing. "With sleep apnea, you can stop breathing and not even know until you wake up gasping for air. Your brain does not signal you like it does with other ailments. Sometimes the only people that know you're suffering are those sleeping near you," she added.

Those interested in the services provided by the Sleep Disorder Center will need to first get a referral from their Primary Care Provider. Once that referral is received, Herberg will call you personally to schedule an appointment. For more information about the sleep disorder center, including expectations during an in-house or at-home sleep study, testing for other conditions besides sleep apnea, or even knowing which symptoms to look for in the first place, please visit our website by clicking below.

Summer Summit

teaches teamwork

One of the recent challenges for the Summer Summit included the theme of "Carry the Load." Coach Angelo James explained, "When the team shares the workload, everyone can succeed. If a teammate is injured, sick, or missing, someone has to pick up that person's share."

To reinforce the concept, all participants ran relays of 40 yard sled drags, trap bar farmers carries, tire tug of war, and team tire flips. Summer football and volleyball Summit activity through HHH Rehab and the Geneseo Park District continues at both Geneseo and Annawan High Schools.

Jodie Criswell, Chief Financial Officer, at Hammond-Henry Hospital, Geneseo, has been named to Becker’s Healthcare “Top 29 Rural Hospital CFOs” for 2023.

“Rural hospitals work hard to ease the burden on underserved communities, and CFOs are a crucial part of the equation,” said Anna Falvey, Writer, Becker’s Healthcare. “CFOs maintain the financial health of their institutions, set strategic plans, secure funding, and keep costs affordable for patients.

“Rural and critical access hospital CFOs, like Jodie, work hard to ease the burden on underserved communities,” she continued. “From Hawaii to Illinois on through Alaska, these financial healthcare professionals work to keep their institutions thriving."

We are pleased to welcome UnityPoint Endocrinology

to the Hammond-Henry Hospital Specialty Physicians Clinic outreach team to provide endocrinology

services.

Dr. Cory L. Straub, who has been practicing eight years as an endocrinologist, is currently accepting patients with an endocrine diagnosis or a lab suggestive of an endocrine issue. This includes but is not limited to diabetes, parathyroid, pituitary (with the exception of hypogonadism), thyroid disease, and osteoporosis.