Making minutes count: Carilion trains to quickly respond to heart attacks
Carilion is training to respond quickly to heart attacks in honor of Heart Health Month. Carilion is nationally recognized for it's heart response, and how quickly it's doctors can perform advanced lifesaving care. Learn about the critical difference that timely response can make in the event of a heart emergency and how Carilion's medical team is dedicated to saving lives. Discover firsthand what happens behind the scenes when 911 is called for a heart attack and witness the efforts to make every minute count.
Carilion offers free dental clinic for kids on Saturday
Carilion Clinic Dental Care is offering a free dental clinic for kids on Saturday, February 24th, 2024. This community health event aims to promote healthy oral care for children ages 6-16. Licensed dental professionals will provide free dental consultations, exams, and treatments such as sealants and fluoride application
Officials cut the ribbon on $90 million biomedical research institute in Roanoke
The Roanoke Valley continues to be a leader in medical research and education as Virginia Tech and Carilion officially opened the $90-million, 139,000-square-foot Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion.
Carilion Clinic distributes 100,000th COVID-19 vaccine
ROANOKE, Va. โ Carilion Clinic is hitting another major milestone in the battle against COVID-19. On Wednesday, the health system helped administer its 100,000th dose of the vaccine and 98-year-old June Rutherfoord was the lucky recipient. Rutherfoord, a former nurse, said sheโs thankful for the scientists who made it possible to get the vaccine. โWell Iโm very thankful we have wonderful scientists who work out all these things to control the evil thatโs in the world, thank you all,โ Rutherfoord said. Vaccine distribution is expected to pick up at the Berglund Center and other sites across the region through the rest of the week.
Carilion Clinic files lawsuit claiming itโs owed more than $150 million in COVID-19 losses
Since getting its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine three weeks ago, nearly 6,000 of Carilionโs 13,000 employees have gotten the first dose. ROANOKE, Va. โ A lawsuit filed by Carilion Clinic claims the hospital has lost more than $150 million because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Carilion is suing its insurance provider, American Guarantee and Liability Insurance Company, because it claims those losses were not covered. Carilion Claims that, โAGLIC has refused to provide coverage or even properly investigate Carilion Clinicโs losses,โ according to the lawsuit. AdThe policy that Carilion took out with AGLIC has a $1.3 billion limit, which is why Carilion believes the entire policy limit is potentially available to cover its losses.
Two local museums named national finalists for community outreach
Two museums in our region are making a difference in the community, and they are getting national recognition for it. Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke and Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville are finalists for the Institute of Museum and Library Servicesโ (IMLS) National Medal of Museum and Library Service. They are two of 30 museums and libraries from across the country and the only ones from Virginia. Dr. Joe Keiper, executive director of Virginia Museum of Natural History is feeling that same energy. In 2020, the museum staffโs passion for the community could be seen at drive-thru museum experiences across Virginia.
Carilion Clinic shares tips on how to spot โspoof callsโ
Carilion Clinic is warning people about a rise in โspoof callsโ and wants to offer tips on how to spot phone scammers. Phone scam calls might be hard to spot given that scammers can use illegal spoofing techniques to display fake information in a caller ID. Here are seven tips Carilion has shared for dealing with spoof calls:Donโt give out personal informationIf someone calls from an unknown number, donโt answer itIf you find that the caller isnโt who you thought it was, end the callIf you are asked to hit a button to stop getting the calls after answering the phone, end the callDonโt answer any questions, especially if they are closed-ended onesBe wary if the call seems suspicious or youโre being pressured to providing informationSet a password for your voicemail accountCarilion said that people should avoid giving out their personal information and answering calls from unknown numbers. People can call their provider or the main Carilion number at 800-422-8482 to check if a call was legitimate. If you believe you were scammed you can file a complaint with the FCC.
Carilion Clinic eyes fall opening for Tanglewood Mall pediatrics center
ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. โ Carilion Clinic said it expects its massive project at Tanglewood Mall to be complete by August and to be open to patients by October. Dr. Donald Kees is the interim chair of pediatrics for Carilion and said things are shaping up. โItโs all framed in and theyโre putting the drywall on, the plumbing and the electric,โ Dr. Kees said. Itโs also a dream for an economic development director such as the one in Roanoke County. Roanoke County is set to host a virtual forum on Tanglewood Mall on Thursday at noon.
Pollen is in the air โ get ready for allergies
Dr. Aneysa Sane of Carilion Clinic said tree pollen is only at a moderate level in the Roanoke area but people who are more sensitive to pollen are already dealing with symptoms. At first, symptoms could get mixed up with coronavirus symptoms because both may cause congestion but Dr. Sane said itโs unusual for allergies to spark a loss of smell. Itโs one thing to have allergies in your nose and eyes but Dr. If you want to check the pollen levels where you live, click here for a national allergy map.
โThis is hopeโ: Drive-thru clinic at Berglund Center vaccinates 4,000 people against COVID-19
ROANOKE, Va. โ The Berglund Centerโs parking lot became an important asset in the COVID-19 vaccination effort this weekend. The Roanoke City Alleghany Health District and Carilion Clinic vaccinated 4,000 people in a drive-thru clinic on Saturday. District health director Dr. Cynthia Morrow said the slots for its drive-thru clinic filled up within five hours of the public announcement. Carilion Clinic COVID-19 Task Force director Chad Alvarez said patients were usually done with the process within 20 minutes of their arrival. This was the Roanoke City Alleghany Health Districtโs first ever drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Carilion to loosen visitation restrictions in several hospitals this week
ROANOKE, Va. โ A coming change will allow many adult patients to now have a visitor with them. Starting Tuesday at 9 a.m., the following hospitals will shift from Carilionโs highly-restricted red level down to just restricted visitation of its yellow level:Carilion Franklin Memorial HospitalCarilion Giles Community HospitalCarilion New River Valley Medical CenterCarilion Roanoke Community HospitalCarilion Roanoke Memorial HospitalCarilion Tazewell Community HospitalCarilion Rockbridge Community Hospital will continue operating at the red level remain until further notice. Yellow level allows most patients to have one adult visitor per day, something not allowed while hospitals were at red level. Carilion raised its visitation restrictions to red level back in December. AdClick here to learn more about the restrictions at each facility.
103-year-old woman receives Carilionโs 50,000th coronavirus vaccine dose
A 103-year-old from Salem is now protected from the coronavirus thanks to Carilion Clinic. On Feb 20., Carilion Clinic officials announced they administered its 50,000th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and Almeeds Bratton was the recipient. โThis is truly an exciting milestone,โ said Chad Alvarez, senior director of pharmacy and the leader of Carilionโs COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. โItโs a testament to our partnership with VDH and ongoing community collaboration throughout Carilionโs service area. For more information about Virginiaโs vaccine distribution, visit the Virginia Department of Healthโs website.
Carilion study to offer alternative options for heart failure patients
A Carilion structural cardiologist has conducted a clinical trial that will help patients with complex heart failure conditions. Dr. Jason Foerst is the first provider in the country to enroll a patient in a heart failure clinical trial, โThe CORCINCH-HFโ study, according to a statement sent by Carilion Tuesday morning. Officials say the research will help Carilion offer alternative options for patients with complex heart failure conditions. The study aims to explore the AccuCinchยฎ Ventricular Restoration System as a potential treatment option for heart failure patients who are experiencing shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling due to the bottom left portion of the heart not functioning properly, according to the release. AdCurrently, there are no other treatments available for this complex heart failure condition, and Carilionโs Cardiovascular Institute is one of the select sites to participate nationwide.
Carilion Clinic expert says vaccines can prevent more COVID-19 variants
ROANOKE, Va. โ As concerns grow over COVID-19 variants, a Carilion Clinic health expert says you should get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can because it can help stop the virus from mutating. Research suggests the UK variant could be about 30-40% more contagious than the original strain of the virus. Carilion Clinicโs Chair of Medicine, Dr. Paul Skolnik, said the current vaccines are effective, especially at preventing serious illness and hospitalization. โIf we can tamp down the pandemic now and the original strain. He added that with variant strains spreading across the country, we should work harder to wear masks, avoid crowds, and social distance.
Carilion Clinic names new Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
ROANOKE, Va โ Carilion Clinic is taking steps to address inequities in its health care system. Nathaniel Bishop will serve as the companyโs first-ever Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Bishop will be working to help bring more diversity among staff at all Carilion branches as well as address health inequities in the community among the homeless and refugee population. โWeโre going to be looking at issues of disparity and inequities in the community, as we have more focus and working with partners to identify those disparities and inequities and looking at ways that we can be very intentional about overcoming those,โ said Bishop. He said his role is more important now than ever as Carilion works to address inequities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Radford University Carilion students studying long term impacts of COVID-19
ROANOKE, Va โ Hundreds of graduates from Radford University Carilion are now on the frontlines in treating coronavirus patients. When Radford University first merged with Jefferson College, the goal was to create more opportunities for students looking to get into the medical field. When the plans for Radford University Carilion were announced about three years ago students had no idea that they would be preparing to be on the frontlines of a global pandemic. About 86% of Radford University Carilion students continue their medical careers in Virginia, according to Hemphill. Students are also looking at what happens after the pandemic, focusing on areas like expanding telemedicine or more research on respiratory issues.
Docs for Morgan gives back virtually in honor of Morgan Harrington
An important tradition continues tonight, Thursday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. to honor Morgan Harrington. Since 2013, itโs been Carilion Clinic doctors vs. Virginia Tech Carilion medical students. They go head to head on a basketball court and itโs more than just for bragging rights, but to honor Morgan Harrington. Nine healers to be exact and $400,000 over the years, according to Dr. Harrington. There will also be live trivia questions and prizes about the medical school and the history of Docs for Morgan.
Initial coronavirus obstacles are now shaping Carilionโs future, says CEO Nancy Agee
You know, we were making decisions without really information,โ recalled President and CEO of Carilion Clinic Nancy Agee. โOne of the biggest concerns we had was keeping our staff safe, keeping our community safe and obviously keeping our patients safe,โ said Agee. Agee is inspired by her hardworking colleagues and now seeing COVID vaccine shots going into arms in Southwest Virginia. Itโs going to take a while but we are going to get past it,โโ Agee said. โCOVID not only gave us a glimpse of our future, it gave us the roadmap,โ Agee said.
Registration is full for this weekendโs Roanoke Valley 65+ coronavirus vaccine event
(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)UPDATE (12:05 p.m.)On Wednesday afternoon, Carilion announced that all the slots for its COVID vaccine event happening this weekend are full. While this weekendโs event is full, Carilion is looking to have another similar event in the future. ORIGINAL STORYIf youโre 65 or older and live in the Roanoke Valley, you can now register for the COVID-19 vaccine. Four-thousand doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be available for anyone living in Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Craig County, Covington, Salem, Alleghany County and Botetourt County. โThis is an exciting opportunity for our residents ages 65 and over to help protect them from the COVID-19 virus,โ said Roanoke City Mayor Sherman Lea.
VDH aims to vaccinate 2,000 school employees against COVID-19 with one-day clinic
ROANOKE, Va. โ The Roanoke City Alleghany Health District is gearing up to vaccinate many of the districtโs teachers against COVID-19 in one day. Health director Cynthia Morrow announced VDH has partnered with Carilion Clinic and the school systems in the district for a massive vaccination event on Jan. 22. The clinic is open to school employees only, and Morrow hopes to vaccinate at least 2,000 of them during the event. โSchools play a critical role in the mental, physical, and social well-being of our children, as well as a critical role in our economy,โ Morrow said. She said she is not opposed to holding another large-scale COVID-19 immunization event if they have the doses to do so.
Carilion Clinicโs recommendations for making 2021 New Yearโs resolution
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ The New Year is a time for making changes, but many people donโt always follow through with their resolutions. Betty Robertson, a registered nurse and Carilion Clinic Community Health Educator, recommends writing your goals down once you set them. โWe need to be more vigilant with washing our hands going forward, covering our mouth and noses to help prevent infection. Not only for ourselves, but for our community,โ Robertson said. Most resolutions are related to diet and exercise, mental health, finance, work and relationships.
Carilion to enforce new visitor restrictions starting Tuesday
Carilion and the Virginia Department of Health partner for new study to understand local COVID-19 infectionsROANOKE, Va. โ Starting Tuesday at Carilion Clinic hospitals, general adult patients will no longer be able to have visitors, although there are some exceptions. Thatโs among the changes as Carlion rolls out a new green, yellow and red system across its hospitals. Both women giving birth as well as patients who have surgery requiring sedation can have a visitor, while end of life patients can have up to four visitors. The change to red across all hospitals does not change the restrictions among visitors to pediatric patients. One other change, Carilion asks that personal items and food not be dropped off for patients or employees.
WATCH: Carilion Clinic details its coronavirus vaccine rollout plan
ROANOKE, Va. โ On Wednesday morning, Carilion Clinic began giving the coronavirus vaccine to front-line workers at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. At 1 p.m., Carilion held a briefing on its COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan. The following employees spoke during the briefing: