Posts

Carson Tahoe Health Passport Program makes your journey to care easier. Carson Tahoe Health’s Passport Program was implemented nearly a year ago to allow patients in need of a higher level of care to bypass duplication of wait times and to streamline the registration process. “If you arrive at one of our Clinics at Walmart or one of our Urgent Care facilities, and it’s determined that you need a higher level of care, our staff will call the Emergency Department (ED) to let that Care Team know that you’re headed their direction,” said Kitty McKay, Carson Tahoe Health Mission Integration Director. “You will be given a ‘passport’ to help identify you and simplify your experience upon arrival.” This unique program …

Continue reading “Ever Gone To Urgent Care And Found Out You Were Sicker Than You Thought? No Problem.”

The times of traditional healthcare are over. Younger generations, an increasing use of technology, and a fast-paced lifestyle are just several pieces to the new (and complicated) healthcare puzzle. In a recent survey through the Kaiser Family Foundation, 26 percent of adults said they didn’t have a family care provider. Of those, nearly half (45 percent) were 18 to 29-year-olds. It’s no secret that millennials (dare I say it – everyone has a varying perception) do not access care in the same way their predecessors do. The old way was simple – a family shared one primary care physician (PCP) – this was your family doctor. Now – people establishing care: Want care fast; Have a plethora of research at …

Continue reading “Don’t Overlook Primary Care (Even When You’re Healthy)”

The use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, has recently swept across our nation in what the FDA is calling an epidemic, with several deaths and hundreds of possible cases of severe lung injury being attributed to this new fad. And, despite the warnings, these devices have become extremely popular, especially among teens. In the last five years, the use of e-cigarettes has grown dramatically, sparking a national concern. Physicians, parents, and the Trump Administration are just a few of the many groups now sounding the alarm on vaping. What are E-cigarettes? E-cigarettes are devices that operate by heating a liquid solution to a high-enough temperature so that it produces an aerosol, which is then inhaled. Typically, the solution contains nicotine (though …

Continue reading “The Real, Scary Facts of Vaping”

Nursing scholarships, teddy bears for children in the ER, physical therapy treadmills, community wheelchairs, parking lot shuttles, a non-profit gift shop, and more: beyond bringing hope, health, and caring (not to mention great year-round shopping opportunities!) to our community, these mainstays of Carson Tahoe Health all have one thing in common. They are powered by a dedicated, big-hearted group of local women, the Carson Tahoe Health Auxiliary. Since Peg Arnold started the Carson Tahoe Health Auxiliary in the early 1950s, the organization has given over $2 million dollars to support Carson Tahoe Health in its mission to enhance the health and wellbeing of our communities. In addition to raising funds, the Auxiliary in the early days sewed hospital gowns and …

Continue reading “Carson Tahoe Health Auxiliary: A Legacy of Friendship, Volunteerism, and Community Support”

By Meg Jack, MD Carson Tahoe Emergency Department Medical Director The alarm clock begins to buzz and startles my eyes open.  My day begins just like any other working person’s day.  I get myself ready thinking of the myriad of things I need to check off of my to-do list. I try not to spill coffee during my commute, but the inevitable slip-up dribble happens and I pray that it lands on the seatbelt instead of my scrubs.   I use my commute to shift from making lunches, securing ponytails, and double-checking that homework assignments are packed in backpacks to emotionally preparing for the uncertain day ahead. As an Emergency Medicine doctor, we must bring the best version of ourselves …

Continue reading “Another day in the Emergency Department”