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Oxford Specialty Programs
There are many advantages to receiving care at home, and at Oxford HealthCare, we want to assure that you or your loved one receives the most advanced and best care available. Therefore, we were the first to work with local physicians to develop unique programs for patients with specific diseases or special needs. In each program, a Coordinator with extensive training and expertise in their area works closely with the physicians. Each coordinator has developed and trained a specialized group of nurses and other professionals to meet the care needs for the patients in their program. The coordinator is a consultant for their team and provides ongoing training and support. In addition to providing outstanding care, these professionals are tremendous resources for patients and their families. These programs help assure that each patient receives the care they need to maintain and/or return to their optimum level of wellness while reducing hospital stays and promoting growth and independence.
Oncology Specialty Program—Angela Boyer, RN, Oncology Coordinator/Liaison
The Oncology Specialty Program is dedicated to making a difference in your life or the life of your loved one. The Oncology team consists of nurses, therapists, medical social workers, home health aides and dieticians with expertise to provide compassionate services that will address the physical, emotional, financial and social needs of each patient. These services help patients stay in the comfort of their own home, decrease frequency of hospitalizations and improve quality of life. A specialized physician liaison works directly with your physician and is also available to go with you to your physician appointment upon request. At the appointment, she will talk to you about your concerns and questions and will help assure that they are addressed with the physician. She will also communicate any orders received to your case manager. The liaison supports the patient and family and handles many details for them during their time of crisis.
Some indicators for the oncology program are cancer or blood disorders such as breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and leukemia.
Rehabilitation Specialty Program—Angela Boyer, RN, Rehabilitation Coordinator/Liaison
The Rehabilitation Program offers experienced nurses, therapists and aides whose goal is to help you recover and reach your goals in the comfort of home. In addition to providing range of motion, gait training, and strengthening, much of the equipment used in a hospital or outpatient setting is used in the home, such as Anodyne therapy, ultrasound, and TENS Unit. The therapists also develop and instruct the patient and family on a home exercise program. These services help patients stay in the comfort of home, decrease frequency of hospitalizations and improve quality of life.
Some indicators for the rehabilitation program are stroke, brain/spine surgery, Myasthenia Gravis, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Neuropathy, chronic pain, and multitraumatic injuries.
Cardiopulmonary Specialty Program—Crystal Burgess, RN, BSN, Cardiopulmonary Coordinator/Liaison
The Cardiopulmonary Program offers experienced professionals that focus on disease management with a goal of keeping all patients in the comfort of their own home, decreasing frequency of hospitalizations and improving quality of life. Our program has been so successful that we have been recognized for our low number of patient emergency room visits and re-hospitalizations. Our Coordinator works closely with each physician to ensure that we know his goal for each patient. We have a CHF program and a restorative exercise program that specializes in the cardiac/pulmonary patient.
Some indicators for the cardiopulmonary program are open heart surgery, thoracotomy, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), coronary artery disease, COPD, and hypertension.
Orthopedic Specialty Program—Jan Untz, RN, Orthopedic Coordinator/Liaison
The Orthopedic team consists of the orthopedic liaison, physical and occupational therapists, nurses and home health aides whose goal is to help you recover and return to your previous level of mobility and functioning while receiving services in the comfort of your own home. In addition to providing range of motion, gait training, strengthening and medication instruction, much of the equipment used in a hospital or outpatient setting is used in the home such as Anodyne therapy, ultra sound, and TENS Unit. The therapists and nurses will assess equipment safety needs as well as develop a home exercise program. Instruction is given to the patient and family regarding the exercise program as well as medications, and labs are drawn at home to monitor the medications.
Some indicators for the orthopedic program are total knee replacement, total hip replacement, total shoulder replacement, fractures, weakness, and decline in function.
Geriatric Specialty Program—Veronica Wood, RN, Geriatric Coordinator/Liaison
The Geriatric Specialty Program offers a liaison that works closely with physicians that specialize in patients 65 years of age and older. The Oxford geriatric liaison’s role is to improve communication and streamline care between the patient, Oxford staff and the physician. The geriatric home care team includes staff with expertise to provide services for the special needs of geriatric patients, so patients and their families can feel secure staying in the comfort of home knowing that their health care needs will be met by qualified, knowledgeable and compassionate home care professionals. We focus on disease management and have been recognized for our low number of patient Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations.
Some indicators for the geriatric program are being under the care of a geriatrician, persons with dementia, sudden onset of mental status changes, medication changes or problems, and changes in eating habits or unexplained weight loss.
Wound Care Specialty Program—Diane McNamara, RN, Wound Care Coordinator/Liaison
The Wound Care Program offers a physician liaison, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, medical social workers and home health aides with specialized training and many years of experience in a wide variety of advanced wound care. Oxford has the distinct privilege of having a Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (WOCN) on staff. She is one of only approximately four thousand in the United States and has the special expertise to manage colostomies, urostomies, and illeostomies. Our qualified, compassionate professionals work closely with physicians, patients and caregivers so that patients can feel secure staying in their own homes. The program is coordinated by a wound care specialist who works with the physician to develop an individualized plan of care to meet the needs of each wound care patient in the comfort of home. Specialized nurses trained to provide wound vac therapy also have the ability to photograph wounds and keep physicians informed on your progress. These services can decrease hospitalizations and improve patients’ quality of life.
Some indicators for the wound care program are decubitus ulcers, infected wounds, peripheral vascular disease ulcers, chronic non-healing wounds, surgical/post-op wounds, amputations, diabetic ulcers, ostomy care, and burns.
Diabetic Specialty Program—Diane McNamara, RN, Diabetic Coordinator/Liaison
The Diabetic Program offers a team approach that is used to address the challenges brought about because of the long-term effects of diabetes. The team includes the physician, physician liaison, nurse, dietician, medical social worker, home health aide, and physical and occupational therapists. The compassionate staff has expertise and experience in providing for the physical, emotional, financial and educational needs of the diabetic patient. Some of the services include lab draws, foot and nail care, diet instruction, medication instruction, anodyne therapy, disease process instruction, skin assessment and telemonitoring including a glucometer for glucose testing. The glucose reports can be given directly to the physician allowing for monitoring and adjustment of medications which can decrease unplanned doctor visits and hospitalizations.
Some indicators for the diabetic program are Type I Diabetes, Type II Diabetes, medication changes, wound care, and diet planning and education.
Infusion Specialty Program—Teresa Brummett, RN, BSN, CLNC Infusion Coordinator/Physician Liaison
The Infusion Program at Oxford HealthCare is an excellent example of how we strive to provide only the best for our community. Quality is built into this program at every level. Infusion Team nurses are selected because they demonstrate a high level of performance. They also complete advanced training and testing in all aspects of infusion nursing. They learn specialized techniques for teaching patients and their families to administer IV therapy at home. Side effects, complications, compliance and response to therapy are assessed often while therapy is ongoing. The result is high outcome achievement for patients who require infusion therapy at home.
Some indicators for infusion therapy at home are infection, dehydration, cancer, pain management, congestive heart failure, hemophilia, nutritional support, and immune system disorders.
Neurology Specialty Program—Rachel Choate, RN, Neurology Coordinator/Liaison
The Neurology Specialty Program offers staff with special expertise to provide services to patients with neurological needs such as post operative spine or brain surgery, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson ’s Disease, Stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease, and many others. Patients and their families can feel secure staying in the comfort of their own homes knowing that their health care needs will be met by qualified and compassionate professionals. These services can decrease hospitalizations and improve the patients’ quality of life. The Neurology specialty team includes the coordinator, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, medical social workers and home health aides. Patients will receive a thorough neuro nursing assessment with each nursing visits, Anodyne Therapy if indicated, Vital Stim Therapy if indicated, lab draws to monitor medication levels in the serum and IV medication administration if needed. Education will be provided, incisions will be monitored to ensure healing, and the liaison will stay in close contact with your physician.
Some indicators for the neurology program are stroke, brain/spine surgery, Myasthenia Gravis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Epilepsy, Neuropathy, and chronic pain.