Smyth County Community Hospital officials began the week with a few tickets still available to SCCH’s Healthtrust’s have a Heart, help a Heart Valentine’s Gala Saturday, Feb. 12. On Thursday, Samantha Archer, physician relations and business development coordinator for the hospital, said the event is sold out.Holston Hills Country Club is hosting the event that will include a reception and commemorative photos, dinner, auctions, entertainment and dancing. The evening will feature the band Traveler’s Revision, harpist Erin Jones, sweetheart medley by Dr. Rudy Ceballos, a live and silent auction by Dr. David Kiser, all in an evening emcee’d before a full house by Dr. Sam Vernon.The sell-out bodes well for the success of the event designed to support the availability of the services of the HeartCoach screening bus to those unable to afford its comprehensive cardiac and vascular screenings.Mountain States Health Alliance unveiled its HeartCoach Mobile Screening Unit in November that has a mission of improving the heart health of area residents.“The new age of health care is preventive medicine, and that is what the HeartCoach is all about,” said Cindy Salyer, MSHA vice president for cardiovascular services. “Reaching out to people, screening them and learning about issues before they happen is our goal. Focusing on prevention is why the HeartCoach is here.”a 40-foot-long RV powered by a Cummins ISL 400 hp diesel engine, the HeartCoach will offer comprehensive cardiovascular screenings for $45. The same battery of screens conducted in the hospital, where they are done only on physicians’ orders, costs more than $1,500, White said. And insurance will not pay for those tests in absence of symptoms.But health officials say the screens are important tools for preventing cardiac and vascular diseases long before they develop to the point of producing symptoms.The screening measures total cholesterol – both the good HDL and bad LDL, triglycerides and glucose levels, blood pressure, height, weight, and waist circumference. Vascular studies will be performed, including a carotid artery scan to identify potential stroke risk, aorta scan to identify potential abdominal aorta aneurysm risk and ankle brachial index to evaluate circulation in the extremities. a health educator will then review information from the tests with each patient to ensure patients have a complete understanding of the results and what they need to do next, including developing healthier lifestyles. Two copies of the preliminary results will be provided patients on the day of screening, and a signed copy will be mailed after review by a vascular surgeon.Patient education is important for Dr. Eric Sacknoff, urologist and vice chairman of Health Trust’s board of directors. “this gives information to the patients,” he said. “this lets people find their index of chances of disease.” With that knowledge can come appropriate adjustments in lifestyle to prevent diseases.“It’s not just about cardio or vascular health. It’s about coordinating your life,” Sacknoff saidFor example, if more people knew a high-carbohydrate diet “burns out the pancreas,” they could make changes and reduce the incidence of diabetes that afflicts 24 percent of the population. this region has the highest diabetes rate in the country, but Sacknoff said it’s a much wider “American problem.”Additionally, few people realize the link between the hard water in the region and the incidence of kidney stones, according to Sacknoff.Aboard HeartCoach, the entire screening process typically takes around 45 minutes. The interior of the HeartCoach provides privacy for patients.The HeartCoach came at a total cost of $151,000, all of which was raised by Mountain States Foundation, the philanthropic arm of MSHA.But even the HeartCoach screening cost of $45 is more than some can afford, and helping those people is part of the idea behind the gala.“All proceeds raised from this event will be utilized for two purposes,” said White. “To establish an indigent fund for community members who desire to have this important screening completed but do not have the financial means to support the screening.  Through this important event, we will be able to assist community members in taking control of their health by having the screening completed.”The second goal, White said, is to “support the growth of our cardiac pulmonary rehab program in the replacement hospital. With the support of monies raised from this gala, we will be able to double the capacity of our current program, which can currently only offer eight spots for patients in our community. this program allows individuals who have experienced a major cardiac event to stay home for rehabilitation following their significant event which usually requires tertiary care out of the area.”The gala is “the first fundraiser since the Health Trust was formed just over a year ago,” said Dawn Archer, chairwoman of the trust’s board of directors.

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