Health Briefs:

A board certified family physician, Dr. Campbell provided medical care to residents of Blount, Sevier and Knox Counties in an independent practice for the past four years. He also has worked as an urgent care physician in Tallahassee, Fla., providing medical care in areas such as occupational medicine and health maintenance.

He completed his internship and residency in family medicine with the Tallahassee Memorial Family Practice Residency Program in Tallahassee, Fla. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, and his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Dr. Campbell currently volunteers as the football team physician at Seymour High School and volunteers with the Sevier County Sports Physical Clinic. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

East Tennessee Medical Group is Blount County’s most comprehensive physicians’ organization, with more that 45 physicians and allied health professionals and supported by state of the art technology and staff. For more information, call 865-984-ETMG or visit out website at www.etmg.net

Dr. Nancy Garza joins BMH active medical staff
Obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Nancy Garza has joined Blount Memorial’s active medical staff. She will see patients at the All Women’s Care office located 1033 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, in Maryville.

Garza received bachelor of science degrees in engineering science and mechanics engineering from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1985 and 1991, respectively. In 2002, she earned her medical degree from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. Earlier this fall, she completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency through ETSU.

Garza is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

A native of Monroe County, Garza was valedictorian of her class at Vonore High School.

Diabetes management courses at BMH in January
Blount Memorial Hospital offers morning and evening classes in diabetes management in January. Physician referral and an initial evaluation are required prior to attending a class session. The classes are recognized by the American Diabetes Association and covered by most insurance carriers.

A morning class series meets from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Blount Memorial Wellness Center at Springbrook.

An evening class meets Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 23, 24 and 25 from 6-9 p.m. at Blount Memorial Hospital.

Each participant may bring one guest to any of the classes. For more information, call the hospital’s Diabetes Management Center at 865-977-5767.

Surgeons host bariatric surgery lectures
In January, Blount Memorial Hospital’s ongoing Bariatric Lecture Series program features two presentations by Blount Memorial surgeons who will discuss the surgical and laparoscopic treatments of obesity.

Dr. Mark Colquitt and Dr. Jonathan Ray are the speakers at a presentation at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11 in the Blount Memorial Hospital auditorium and at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25 in the Blount Memorial Cancer Center conference rooms 1 and 2, second floor.

To register for the free community programs, call 1-866-300-8644.

Class in session for joint replacement patients
Blount Memorial Hospital’s "Joint School," an educational program for people scheduled to undergo total joint replacement surgery, is being offered at the hospital during January. Classes meet from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 17, 24 and 31.

Sessions let participants know what to expect during their total joint replacement experience, and information covers all phases from pre-op to full recovery.

Reservations are required and must be made by calling Maryville Orthopedic Clinic at 865-984-0900.

Wellness Center offers kids programs to community
The Blount Memorial Wellness Center at Springbrook’s "Especially for Kids" program is open to both members’ and non-members’ children.

The center’s program is filled with fitness-based classes for 6- to 12-year-olds. Members’ kids pay the WellKid rate per class, and for non-members’ kids, the cost of each class is $5.

"WellKid Swim" starts at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Jan. 16, 23 and 30. The class also meets on Thursdays, Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 7 p.m. Kids swim for one hour and accumulate mileage in the pool.

BMH presents "Quick Brown Fox"
Blount Memorial Senior Services’ monthly "Caregiver Connection" program will present Quick Brown Fox – An Alzheimer’s Story a film by Ann Hedreen and Rustin Thompson, at its Thursday, Jan. 18 gathering from 6-8 p.m. in the Blount Memorial Hospital auditorium.

Senior Services coordinator Edward Harper and Susan Keller, caregiver and Blount Memorial Hospital board member, are organizing the presentation.

Quick Brown Fox is a documentary of a family and its struggle to understand and fight Alzheimer’s disease. This film is a must-see for anyone over the age of 45. An introduction and post-screening discussion also will be included. For more information, call 865-977-5744.

Kids gymnastics classes offered at Wellness Center
A beginner six-week gymnastic class that teaches basic fundamentals will be offered on Thursdays, Jan. 18 – Feb. 22 at the Blount Memorial Wellness Center. A "Mommy & Me" class for children 18 months – 2 years old will meet from 6:45-7:30 p.m.; "Totnastics" for 3-4 year olds meets from 4:30-5:15 p.m.; and "Kidnastics" for children 5-7 years old meets from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The cost is $30 for members’ children and $60 for non-members’ children.

To register your child for the program, call 865-980-7100.

Cervical health lunch and learn
The Blount Memorial Cancer Center will offer a free Lunch and Learn program focused on "Cervical Health: What All Women Should Know" on Wednesday, Jan. 17 from noon to 1 p.m. in Blount Memorial Cancer Center conference rooms 1 and 2 on the center’s second floor.

The program will be presented by Blount Memorial obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Kimberly Ballard. It is made possible by a generous grant from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

For more information or to register, call 865-981-3983.

New treatment for radiation oncology patients
Qualifying radiation oncology patients have a new treatment technology available in the Blount Memorial Cancer Center, and it’s dynamic IMRT, a new option for intensity-modulated radiation therapy administered through the center’s linear accelerator.

With this technology, radiation therapists are able to shape the beam of radiation and vary the intensity of the beam, meaning the treatment conforms tightly around tumors, exposing less healthy tissue to radiation and reducing the chance for irritating skin reactions and decreasing the toxicity to organs close to the treatment area.

IMRT is offered at most major centers, but the use dynamic IMRT is limited because of the hardware and software requirements necessary to implement it. During a dynamic IMRT session, the radiation beam stays on the entire time, reducing the patient’s treatment time and increasing his or her comfort. Radiation oncology staff also say the dynamic offering allows the use of this technology for certain types of cancers that in the past were not ideal for IMRT.

Medical physicist Mark Wyatt says, "IMRT has had a profound influence on the field of radiation oncology. The technology has advanced at a remarkable rate since its inception, and Dynamic IMRT is one more step in that direction."

Radiation oncologist and Cancer Center medical director Dr. Albert Petty just returned from a national meeting that reported the results of a study comparing IMRT to conventional radiation for breast cancer. He says, "This study demonstrated that IMRT provided superior dose distributions and this translated into improved clinical outcomes. The patients treated with IMRT had much fewer side effects and skin irritation. It is very exciting to now offer this state-of-the-art treatment to patients at Blount Memorial."

Alzheimer’s support group meets in January
The Alzheimer’s Support Group meets on Friday, Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. in the Sunflower Room at MorningView Village, Blount Memorial Hospital’s senior community.

The free support group meets the second Friday of each month and is open to community members who have a family member or care for someone who has the disease. For more information, call 865-980-4894.