Huntsville, AL – Crestwood Medical Center is proud to announce the promotion of Drew Davenport as its new chief development officer. Mr. Davenport previously held the position of vice president of operations and has served at the hospital since 2015. In his new role, Drew will focus on expanding the region’s access to healthcare through strategic development opportunities and lead their employed physician group.

Davenport earned his Bachelor of Science in supply chain management from Auburn University. He also earned his Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in healthcare administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Drew and his wife, Anna, are both natives of Huntsville. He is active in a number of community service activities including serving on the Alabama Hospital Association Telehealth Task Force and on the board of directors for both Leadership Greater Huntsville and the National Children’s Advocacy Center.

Huntsville, AL (May 3, 2023) – Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections in the United States, resulting in seven million office visits to healthcare providers each year. Additionally, 50 percent of women and three percent of men worldwide will experience a UTI in their lifetime. While most UTIs are not serious, they can cause discomfort and if left untreated, could lead to kidney damage or sepsis.

UTIs are an infection in any part of the urinary system including kidneys, bladder and urethra, often caused by bacteria, like E. coli, entering through the urethra. Symptoms include painful urination, the frequent urge to urinate and pressure in the abdomen or groin.

“Anyone who has had a UTI knows how uncomfortable they can be,” says Blair Chance, MD, MPH, family medicine physician with Crestwood Medical Group. “While there are steps you can take to help prevent a UTI, the only treatment is antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.”

Dr. Chance suggests these habits to help reduce the risk of developing a UTI:

• Empty your bladder completely and frequently: Holding urine for long periods of time can increase the risk of bacteria accumulating in the bladder.
• Wipe correctly: To avoid bacteria entering the urethra, always wipe from front to back after using the restroom.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking a lot, especially water, helps flush out bad bacteria that can cause infection. Oppositely, avoid liquids that can irritate the bladder like alcohol and excessive caffeine.
• Avoid irritations: Scented feminine hygiene products and sprays can irritate the urethra, increasing the risk of developing an infection.
• Try cranberries: Cranberry juice is often associated with relief from UTIs and according to the National Health Institute, cranberries contain the compound proanthocyanidins that can help prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder.

If you are experiencing symptoms of a UTI, or want to book a wellness visit with a primary care physician, visit CrestwoodMedGroup.com.

Type-2 diabetes is on the rise among children and young adults

Huntsville, AL – Over 30 million Americans have Type-2 diabetes. If left untreated or unmanaged, the disease can damage all aspects of the cardiovascular system, cause blindness, heart disease, loss of limbs and other serious conditions.

While Type-2 diabetes is most often diagnosed in adults 45 and older with a family history of the disease or in those who are overweight or obese, the condition is now becoming more prevalent in children, teens and young adults. Fortunately, there are small lifestyle changes and habits that can help prevent this chronic condition in people of all ages while also improving overall health.

As the most common type of diabetes, Type-2 diabetes is when the body creates too much insulin or resists it, which causes blood sugar levels to rise.

“The reality is that there is no cure for Type-2 diabetes, so taking steps to prevent this disease is your best course of action,” says Linda Jean, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES, Clinical Nutrition Manager at Crestwood Medical Center. “Even small changes in lifestyle like taking a daily walk or drinking water instead of juice can help ward off a diagnosis and make a big impact on your health.”

Jean suggests four ways to prevent Type-2 diabetes.

• Manage weight and belly fat: Excess weight in the abdomen and obesity are main causes of Type-2 diabetes. Experts recommend maintaining a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 and a waistline of less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men.
• Exercise regularly: Daily exercise can help avoid heart disease, reduce stress and Type-2 diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, like walking or biking, and two strength workouts each week.
• Move more: Additional movement beyond exercise can also help keep off weight. Consider taking the stairs rather than an elevator or standing during work meetings to add more movement into daily life.
• Eat fresh food: Avoid overly processed foods like chips, candy and deli meats, and focus on foods rich in fiber and nutrients like fruits, vegetables and lean protein.

Unfortunately, Type-2 diabetes could take years to develop and symptoms are often hard to detect. If you experience extreme fatigue, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet or blurred vision, it is important to get tested.

To learn more about preventing Type-2 diabetes, or to schedule a wellness exam, visit CrestwoodMedGroup.com.

Huntsville, AL – Today, Crestwood Medical Center held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new freestanding emergency department. Crestwood Medical Center ER – Harvest will be located at 1337 Burwell Road (corner of Highway 53) to provide emergency healthcare services to Harvest, Toney, Bobo, Ardmore, and surrounding communities in northwestern Madison County, northeastern Limestone County, and southern Tennessee.

Services will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve patients who experience medical emergencies.

The modern facility will be equipped to treat patients with illnesses and injuries that require a higher level of care than urgent care facilities offer.

The 11,100 square-foot full-service freestanding emergency department will feature:

• 10 private patient rooms, including a specialized trauma room
• Decontamination/Isolation room
• Helipad
• Lab and blood bank services
• Imaging Services:
  • CT Scanner
  • Ultrasound
  • X-Ray

If a higher level of care or hospital admission is required, we will work with EMS to transfer patients to the main Crestwood campus.

The facility will be staffed with emergency physicians and nurse practitioners, nurses, and other patient care providers specially trained in emergency care.

Construction begins April 2023 with an anticipated opening of early 2024.

Approximately 40 new jobs will be created to serve patients including registered nurses, laboratory & imaging technicians, respiratory therapists, and other support staff.

Crestwood has partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers and Doster Construction on this project.

Crestwood Medical Center recently appointed Garett May as its new chief operating officer effective April 10, 2023.

Mr. May comes to Crestwood from Merit Health Natchez (Mississippi) where he served as CEO since August 2021 and led the organization with steady growth for the ER, OR, outpatient services, and transfer center. Prior to that, he served as assistant CEO and COO at Merit Health River Oaks (Flowood, MS) and assistant administrator at Merit Health River Region (Vicksburg, MS). He also has a strong understanding of healthcare risk management having served as director of risk management at Merit Health Central (Jackson, MS).

Matthew Banks, chief executive officer at Crestwood, comments, “Garett brings strong leadership, business development, and physician recruitment skills to our team and I am confident that his knowledge will help enhance and grow our organization as we continue our commitment to quality care and more access to care for our patients and the community. His energy and passion are contagious and we are looking forward to what he will bring to our organization.”

May earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Mississippi College and his Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) from Mississippi School of Law. Garett and his wife, LeeAnn, are native Mississippians and have 2 daughters, Gracen (10) and Caroline (6).

Huntsville, AL – To help address hunger in our community, Crestwood Medical Center is donating more than 2,621 jars of peanut butter (and other nut butters) to the Food Bank of North Alabama.

All of the peanut butter was donated by Crestwood’s employees, medical staff members, and supporters during the recent Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive.

According to the Food Bank of North Alabama, parents of nearly 60,000 children in North Alabama say their children sometimes have to skip meals or do not eat for a whole day or go hungry because there is not enough money to buy food in their household. The Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive was launched to help support individuals who are facing food insecurity, which is a social determinant of health.

“Food insecurity has a significant impact on a person’s overall health and wellbeing,” said Matthew Banks, Crestwood’s Chief Executive Officer. “Through our Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive, we are working to help fight hunger in our community. Our generous employees really stepped up to be sure we could stock the shelves.”

Peanut butter is one of the most requested items for food banks because it is highly nutritious and has a long shelf life. Unfortunately, many food banks in America report it is also one of the least donated food items. Other foods needed by food banks include canned meat or fish (chicken or tuna), canned vegetables, soups, chili, stew, paper products (towels, toilet paper, diapers), dinner kits, breakfast cereal, macaroni and cheese, and canned fruit.

The Food Bank of North Alabama can be supported through donations and volunteer work. For more information, visit www.foodbanknorthal.org.

Huntsville, AL (March 22, 2023) – The skilled and compassionate hands of physicians, nurses, and other team members at Crestwood Medical Center support the health and well-being of patients who turn to us for expert care. We are here whenever needed. Beyond providing clinical care, Crestwood is a cornerstone of our community and a major contributor to the economic health of the North Alabama area as a major employer and tax-payer and through our resources to expand and enhance the medical services available close to home. The overall impact is significant and totaled more than $263 million in 2022.

Care was provided at more than 260,600 patient encounters including more than 37,300 emergency department visits, more than 9,200 inpatient admissions, and almost 29,000 surgeries. Over 187,000 patients received care across the Crestwood Medical Group physician clinics and imaging, therapy, sleep, lab, and wound care centers. Joy was delivered to local families with the birth of 1,340 babies.

“We help people get well and live healthier by providing quality care for patients,” said Matthew Banks, chief executive officer for Crestwood Medical Center. “Our community is truly fortunate to have this dedicated team of clinicians and caregivers here in Huntsville/Madison County who is making a real difference each and every day.”

Crestwood applies its resources to medical services, facilities, and technologies that are important to patients. These include a new partnership with vascular surgeons for an ambulatory surgery center and the focus on improving access to primary and urgent care across Madison County. This access has been enhanced by adding fourteen (14) new primary care providers to our community. We have also expanded four (4) of our primary care clinics to larger locations in Madison and southeast Huntsville to accommodate more patients in these highly populated areas. We also opened an additional primary care and two urgent care centers (two more urgent care centers are opening in 2023). Additionally, we received a certificate of need from the state to build North Alabama’s first freestanding emergency department. This 10-bed facility will be located in Harvest and will serve patients needing emergency care in early 2024. Capital improvements totaling more than $6.7 million were made to upgrade equipment and systems throughout the hospital including new nuclear medicine imaging and arthroscopy video and cystoscopy surgical equipment.

Crestwood Medical Center also gives back to the broader North Alabama region by providing over $129 million in charity and uncompensated care for the community’s most vulnerable. And the payment of $14.4 million in property and sales taxes helps support civic resources and services.

Support for local charitable and community organizations such as American Heart Association, Kids to Love, and National Children’s Advocacy Center includes financial donations and outreach. Our employees worked to help raise funds for many organizations including ALS Chapter of North Alabama, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and March of Dimes and provided Christmas gifts to 50 foster children in our community through the Kids to Love Foundation’s annual “Christmas for Kids” campaign.

The hospital’s payroll of almost $91 million ripples across the local economy as employees buy goods and services. Last year, the hospital added enhanced benefits to help team members achieve their personal and professional goals including assistance with student loan repayments, reimbursement of licensure and certification expenses, as well as tuition reimbursement.

“The vital care we provide is only one part of the broad impact we have. We are a cornerstone of this community and we are committed to doing all we can to provide excellent healthcare services and to making the North Alabama region a healthier, better community for all,” adds Banks.

In June of this year, Crestwood will welcome 20 new primary care physicians to its two new residency programs – family medicine and internal medicine. These physicians will work and train at Crestwood along with its faculty physicians and will build a pipeline of qualified clinicians with the goal of keeping them in the community to continue their care of patients upon completion of their residences.

To help the community live healthier, Crestwood Medical Center offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox. Sign up at https://www.crestwoodmedcenter.com/enewsletter-sign-up.

Huntsville, AL – Crestwood Medical Center recently appointed Lance Eiland, MSN, R.N., CCRN-K, NEA-BC, as its new chief nursing officer. Eiland has been serving as interim CNO since November 2022.

Eiland received his degree in Nursing in 2010 from Bevill State Community College and received his master’s degree in organizational leadership and nursing management from the University of Arkansas Grantham in 2019. Prior to joining Crestwood, Eiland served as assistant chief nursing officer at Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, overseeing the inpatient medical/surgical floors, intensive care units, the emergency department, respiratory department, vascular access team, and the dialysis program.

Matthew Banks, chief executive officer at Crestwood, comments, “Lance has a track record of keeping patient care and safety as top priorities. He cares about his nursing team and works hard to make sure they have the resources and support available to succeed in providing quality patient care along with service excellence. Lance has already shown tremendous leadership during his time as Interim CNO and we look forward to seeing future accomplishments as our organization continues to grow, working to attract and maintain experienced and compassionate nurses to care for our patients.”

Huntsville, AL (January 13, 2023) – Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 650,000 people each year. Here are some other facts everyone should know about heart disease:

• In the U.S., one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease.
• Every year, about 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack.
• Nearly half of American adults (47%) suffer from high blood pressure, or hypertension, which increases the risk of a heart attack and stroke. However, only about 1 in 4 people with high blood pressure have their condition under control.

Another important fact is that most people can take steps right now to reduce the risks related to heart disease.

In most cases, heart disease is preventable. William Schneider, M.D., a cardiologist on the Crestwood Medical Center medical staff tells us, “By adopting a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, and treating high blood pressure, we can all reduce our risk for heart disease.”

Since 1964, February has been recognized as American Heart Month – a time of year dedicated to increasing awareness about heart health and highlighting steps we can take to create a heart healthy lifestyle.

This year, Crestwood Medical Center is taking the entire month of February to help people in the community learn ways to reduce their risks with the 28-Day Healthy Heart Challenge. Participants will receive a daily email with short, informative articles, quick tips, and a daily challenge to promote heart health.

“At Crestwood, we are committed to helping people live healthier and, for most of us, there’s no better place to start than taking better care of our hearts,” says Matthew Banks, CEO. “People who join us for this challenge will find the content takes only a couple of minutes to read each day. It is fun, sometimes surprising, always informative, and it can be life-saving. I hope everyone will sign up for the challenge and join us on a 28 day journey to a healthier heart.”

The 28-Day Healthy Heart Challenge includes 28 challenges that can help participants eat healthier, get up from a sedentary lifestyle, relieve stress and lower blood pressure. To sign-up for the 28-Day Healthy Heart Challenge, visit https://www.crestwoodmedcenter.com/heart-challenge.

Huntsville, AL (January 9, 2023) – Strength training, especially in middle age and beyond, is essential for maintaining a high quality of life and longevity. Just 30 minutes to an hour of strength training a week can increase life expectancy by 10 to 17 percent and reduce the risk of premature death from cancer and heart disease.

As we age, our muscle mass, strength and function naturally decreases three to eight percent each decade after the age of 30. By age 60, hand strength and dexterity can decrease, making simple, everyday tasks difficult. This process, known as sarcopenia, is a leading cause of disability in older adults. Luckily, regular strength training with free weights, weight machines or body weight can help counterbalance the negative effects of sarcopenia.

“Strength becomes increasingly more important as we age, impacting almost every aspect of our lives from sitting and standing to our ability to grasp objects,” says Jason Fultz, D.O., a primary care physician with Crestwood Medical Group Family Medicine – Slaughter Road. “To maintain your quality of life, independence and functionality longer, incorporate regular strength training into your exercise routine.”

Both cardiovascular activity and strength training are necessary to achieve optimal results from exercise. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week and strength training exercises for each muscle group twice a week. Start simple with body weight movements like squats or lunges and work up to lifting heavier weights.

“Your overall health would benefit greatly from a regular routine of strength training,” adds Dr. Fultz. “Be sure to discuss this with your physician before starting a new exercise routine.”

To find a primary care physician or to learn more about the importance of strength training, visit www.CrestwoodMedCenter.com or call (888) 261-3422.