Pediatric Services, Pulmonary

When to refer a child with severe asthma

Children and teens experiencing severe cases of asthma face unique challenges living in the Louisville area. Louisville is routinely among the most challenging cities to live with asthma and among the top cities with emergency room visits for asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. If a child you are treating has…

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Hematology, Pediatric Services

Coordinating sickle cell disease care for a lifetime

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at high risk for a broad range of acute and chronic conditions affecting many of the body’s systems and carrying a high association with morbidity. Given the broad range of potential manifestations of the disease, coordinating care among primary care providers, specialists, emergency departments, laboratories and hospitals can…

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Adult Services, Pediatric Services

Talking to your patients about vaccines? Try some forest fire prevention

For patients who think the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us and think there’s no need to get one of the vaccines, you may try talking to them about forest fires. If they think of the pandemic as a fire raging through the world’s population, we don’t want them to be the tinder…

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Neuroscience, Pediatric Services

New providers bring sophisticated neurological care closer to kids in Western Kentucky

New providers with Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, are seeing patients in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Paducah, Kentucky, bringing sophisticated care closer to kids. Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute operates a network of outpatient care centers in the Louisville area, in Western Kentucky and in Corbin in Southeastern Kentucky….

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Heart, Pediatric Services, Research

Neurocognitive deficits in adult congenital heart disease patients

Individuals with mild-to-moderate adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) had poorer neurocognitive performance, most significantly in tests of alphanumeric trail-making, in a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Deficits in alphanumeric trail-making may translate to issues with multitasking, prioritizing, maintaining information in working memory, planning and organizing. “That may be why…

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Cancer, Pediatric Services

Helping families of pediatric cancer patients with their emotions (Part 2 of 3)

Addressing the emotional effects of cancer and its treatment on children and young adults can improve outcomes and help manage adverse effects of treatment. Norton Children’s is presenting a three-part series drawing from a recent continuing medical education opportunity with specialists from Norton Children’s Cancer Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. The presenters…

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Adult Services, Neuroscience

Your patients: Pregnancy and epilepsy

Patients who have epilepsy and are thinking of getting pregnant may have questions about how epilepsy affects pregnancy or a fetus. Epilepsy affects each person differently, based on medication, hormones and other factors. Here are some things to know if your patient has epilepsy and wants to have a baby. Epilepsy is an umbrella term…

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Adult Services, Research, Spine

Addressing smoking and opioid use prior to spine surgery could reduce dependence after discharge

In-hospital consumption of opioids after elective spine surgery is driven chiefly by age, previous opioid use, smoking and the number of levels fused, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Spine Surgery. With as many as 38% of patients nationally still on opioids one year after elective spine surgery, the researchers sought…

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Adult Services, Cancer

New lung cancer screening guidelines draw attention to prevalence in Black men

In its March 2021 revised guidelines for lung cancer screening, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) noted Black men have a higher incidence of lung cancer than white men, and Black women have a lower incidence than white women. Reasons for the disparity were likely prevalence of smoking and other social risk factors, the…

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Adult Services, NMG

May 2021 Norton Medical Group new providers

William B. Evans III, M.D. Gastroenterology Kenneth E. Marshall, M.D. Family Medicine Elizabeth Ash, PA-C Medical Oncology Meaghan E. Baumgardner, APRN Pulmonology Kimberly N. Epperson, APRN Obstetrics and Gynecology Jamie Martens, APRN Urgent Care Sally J. Pike, APRN Urgent Care Rachel H. Ray, APRN Pulmonology

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Pediatric Services

Optimizing function for kids with spasticity in Western Kentucky

Children in Western Kentucky with spasticity related to cerebral palsy; brain or spinal cord injuries; or stroke or other ongoing functional mobility deficits can now have their rehabilitation needs addressed closer to home. On the fourth Friday every other month, Katy M. Breeden, APRN, is in Paducah, Kentucky, to manage patients’ bracing, therapies and medication…

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Pediatric Services

UofL pediatric autism specialty providers are now with Norton Children’s Autism Center

The affiliation between Norton Healthcare, UofL Physicians – Pediatrics and the University of Louisville School of Medicine makes it easier for children and their families to access comprehensive autism care connected to the Norton Children’s network. This network provides a collaboration between subspecialties, access to inpatient care and improved continuity of care through Epic electronic…

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