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Elementary Schoolers: Take Part in Free Virtual Vision Screening
Renown Childrenâs Hospital pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Mitchell Strominger hosts state-wide virtual event to provide routine vison screenings for children and Walk with a Doc. Renown Childrenâs Hospital pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Mitchell Strominger is set to host a virtual Walk with a Doc event on Sunday, June 14 at 10 a.m. for elementary school children and their parents. During this free event, Dr. Strominger will give a brief, kid-friendly talk about the importance of routine vision screenings and show parents how to conduct a vision screening with their kids at home. He will close out the morning session with a live Q&A. Following the event, families are encouraged to get outside and enjoy a walk in the great outdoors. The event is sponsored by Renown Childrenâs Hospital and free to participants, however you must register to receive the link to attend. âVision is important for learning, experiencing new things and interacting with others, which is why itâs critical for children to get vision screenings early and routinely,â said Dr. Strominger. âThe best time to screen a childâs vision is kindergarten through third grade as the cells in the brain responsible for vision are continuously developing up until age eight. If we detect vision problems early, we here at Renown Childrenâs Hospital have the expertise and technology to correct these vision problems and enable children to live healthy, productive lives.â Individuals who register for this event will be emailed a vision-screening sheet to help facilitate an at-home screening, as well as a form to send back to their childâs pediatrician or pediatric ophthalmologist upon completion to determine the best course of action. Dr. Strominger added, âMany parents and schools have put off vision screenings due to COVID- 19 school closings, hesitations of safely leaving their homes or potential financial costs. I am pleased to host this virtual event on behalf of Renown Childrenâs Hospital, to engage kids and parents in a conversation on the importance of vision and to remind the community that we are here to help and provide the care they need, both in-person and virtuallyâbe it over a smart phone, tablet or computer screen.â This virtual event will take place in the newly renovated Fiannaâs Healing Garden which re-opens later this month and has been funded 100% by donations through the Renown Health Foundation. Located in the heart of Renown Regional Medical Center, the healing garden serves as place to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the outdoors. Dr. Strominger is one of 26 pediatric subspecialists recruited to Renown Childrenâs Hospital since 2016, thanks to the Pennington Foundation's $7.5 million donation made to the non-profit Renown Health Foundation to expand childrenâs health services. June marks the four-year anniversary of the Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatricsâ (Nevada APP) participation in the national Walk with A Doc event. Dr. Strominger is the secretary and treasurer for the Nevada AAP. From pediatric specialties, 24/7 ER care and surgery, to imaging, pediatric ICU and child life specialists, Renown Childrenâs Hospital is dedicated to helping kids feel welcome, safe and well cared for. Through each visit, parents can expect the highest level of care for their childâs health and well-being from birth and beyond. To support Renown Childrenâs Hospital and help local children in need get access to vital health services like routine vision screenings, please visit the Renown Health Foundation. Â Â About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the regionâs largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, Renown Childrenâs Hospital, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital, the areaâs most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the regionâs largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.
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Tummy Trouble? Renown Childrenâs Hospital Adds Another New Specialty, Pediatric Gastroenterology
Two pediatric gastroenterologists bring life-saving care to kids and make Renown their new home The Renown Childrenâs Hospital team and our community is celebrating the addition of a new life-saving pediatric specialty to its practice serving children and families in northern Nevada. Parents and guardians will now be able to seek professional pediatric gastroenterologist care with the addition of Drs. Juan Gregory and Kathleen Holland to Renown Medical Group. âRecognizing the importance of diagnosing and caring for children who have conditions that affect the organs in the digestive system, including the stomach, liver and bowel, while also helping children who have issues feeding and eating, is critically important to us at Renown,â said Kristina Deeter, MD, MBA, FAAP, Chair of Pediatrics, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Physician-in-Chief, Renown Childrenâs Hospital. âBoth Drs. Gregory and Holland are superb clinicians, we are excited to have them join Renown Childrenâs Hospital to offer pediatric gastroenterology services, including a wide range of complex and vital procedures and screenings, endoscopies and colonoscopies.â Juan Carlos Gregory, MD, has 18 years of experience caring for children in northern Nevada. He is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at UNR Med with a special interest in celiac disease, abdominal pain, and gastroesophageal reflux in children. Gregory earned his undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX before completing his medical training, including a residency in pediatrics at the University of San Diego in Pediatrics and fellowships in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at both Childrenâs National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and at the National Institutes of Health, Digestive Disease Section in Bethesda, MD. He is board-certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology and speaks Spanish. Kathleen Holland, MD, MPH brings a global health perspective to her work caring for children. A graduate of the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) with her medical doctorate and her masterâs in public health with a social and behavioral health emphasis, she has donated her skills to providing international medical relief for children in Uganda and Nicaragua. Holland earned her undergraduate degree at University of Nevada Reno in Biology, Health Ecology and Healthcare Ethics before completing her medical training and residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN. Her research and scientific interests include vaccination rates and family barriers among children with inflammatory bowel disease, Crohnâs and colitis, pediatric autoimmune pancreatitis, and cystic fibrosis. How Pediatric Gastroenterologists Help Children and Families The Pediatric Gastroenterology Program at Renown Childrenâs cares for children experiencing common GI-related problems of childhood; nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, colic, milk protein allergy, poor growth and feeding difficulties, and sees patients from infancy to 18 years old. âAs specialists in the care of children with gastrointestinal and liver problems, we focus on the diagnosis and treatment of these issues,â said Larry Duncan, MD, Vice President of Pediatrics and Surgery & Administrator of Renown Childrenâs & Womenâs Services. âOur physicians play an active role in teaching and research. We have several areas of expertise including prevention, diagnosis and treating disease of the digestive tract including the esophagus, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, colon, small intestine and liver disease.â Special expertise includes: Pediatric feeding and growing disorders Aerodigestive disorders Food and hypersensitivity disorders Inflammatory bowel disease Celiac disease Liver diseases Children requiring parenteral and enteral nutrition Renown Childrenâs Hospital is the only dedicated childrenâs hospital in northern Nevada, offering programs and services for families from a 100,000 square mile area, from Sacramento, CA to Salt Lake City, Utah. Renown Childrenâs provides the areaâs only Childrenâs Emergency Room, Pediatric ICU (PICU), childrenâs imaging center and the largest neonatal ICU (NICU), a level III intensive care unit. Specialty Childrenâs Care at Renown Today, over 90% of families in northern Nevada seek care from the experts at Renown Childrenâs Hospital. âWe are so grateful to the William N. Pennington Foundation for its support in establishing the William N. Pennington Fund for Advance Pediatric Care in 2016, which allowed us to hire our first 15 pediatric specialists,â said Dr. Deeter. âToday we have over 40 pediatric physician specialists at Renown Childrenâs Hospital who provide care in adolescent medicine, pediatric endocrinology, pediatric hematology/oncology, pediatric pulmonology, pediatric neurology, pediatric nephrology, pediatric infectious diseases, pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric orthopedic surgery, pediatric cleft and craniofacial surgery, pediatric urology, pediatric dentistry, pediatric emergency medicine, and now, pediatric gastroenterology. Our clinicians provide 30,000 patient visits annually, offering an exceptional level of care. The Pennington gift is truly a gift that keeps giving to the families in our area.â Now Being Constructed: Expanded Inpatient Care at Renown Childrenâs Hospital New construction of an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with increased capacity to 49 bassinets, an expanded Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with increased capacity to 16 private patient and family rooms, and a new Renown Children's Hospital inpatient floor with increased capacity for 38 private patient and family rooms for a total capacity of 58 pediatric beds are currently being constructed on Tahoe Tower, Level 5 of Renown Regional Medical Center. It is expected that the new units will open to patients and families in April 2023. In the most recent US News & World Report Best Hospital rankings, Renown Regional Medical Center was named as the number one hospital in Nevada. No other hospitals in the state met their stringent standards for the 2021 rankings. Renown Health is High Performing, its highest rating possible, in eight procedures and conditions including Heart Failure, Colon Cancer Surgery and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement. A hospital's score is based on multiple data categories, including patient outcomes, safety, and volumes. Hospitals earning a High Performing rating were significantly better than the national average. Renown Medical Group is an in-network provider for Hometown Health and other health plans. Drs. Gregory and Holland are pleased to see new patients at their location at the Renown Childrenâs Subspecialty Clinic inside Renown Regional Medical Center at 75 Pringle Way, Suite 505, Reno, Nev. Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a medical specialist when further evaluation of a particular issue is necessary. About Renown Health Renown Health is Nevadaâs largest, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a childrenâs hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in a community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada ProjectÂź. About UNR Med The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevadaâs first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents, and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.
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Saving More Lives; Renown Expands Breast Cancer Care, Adding Two Best-In-Class Breast Surgeons
Renown Medical Group is thrilled to welcome two distinguished breast surgical oncologists, Colleen O'Kelly-Priddy, MD and Michelle K. Chu, MD to the team. These highly skilled breast surgeons will solely focus on providing breast care and therefore play a pivotal role in Renown Healthâs William N. Pennington Cancer Instituteâs commitment to provide subspecialized care to the people living in our community and beyond. Dr. Colleen O'Kelly-Priddy is a fellowship-trained, board-certified breast surgical oncologist with an impressive background in breast cancer surgery. Dr. Priddy was born at Washoe Medical Center (which later became Renown Regional Medical Center) and grew up in Susanville, CA before attending Stanford University for her undergraduate studies. She is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. "I am thrilled to return to Reno to help increase access to world-class surgical breast cancer care,â said Dr. Priddy. âMy focus is to provide exceptional care, particularly for young people with breast cancer. I am excited to continue my mission here in northern Nevada." Dr. Michelle K. Chu, a board-certified general surgeon, brings her extensive experience in advanced breast cancer treatment to the Renown team. Dr. Chu received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her medical degree from Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Chu specializes in oncoplastic breast conserving surgery and nipple sparing mastectomies. "I believe in tailoring treatment options to each patient's unique needs,â Dr. Chu said. âWhether it's preserving the natural shape of the breast or supporting the 'Going Flat' movement, our team strives to provide the best possible outcome for every patient." The newest addition to the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute, Renown Breast Surgery Care provides comprehensive breast surgery care at 1500 E. 2nd Street in Reno, adjacent to the Renown Regional Medical Center campus. "Breast cancer accounts for approximately 20% of newly diagnosed cancer cases in Washoe County, with roughly 520 new cases annually, establishing it as the most prevalent cancer type within our community,â says Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President & CEO, Renown Health. âWe are proud, as the communityâs largest not-for-profit healthcare system, to invest in cancer prevention and early diagnoses, including mammography screening and genetic research. For those diagnosed with breast cancer, Renown now offers two superb breast surgeons specializing in breast preservation surgery, and a breast surgery center providing comprehensive, compassionate care. Our goal is to save womenâs lives, save families and ensure better care and better outcomes. This is a major step forward for womenâs healthcare and our community.â As part of this expansion, Renown is assuming operations of Reno Surgical Advocates, a respected private practice in Reno. "Access to expert breast cancer care close to home is crucial, and our dedicated team at Renown Breast Surgery Care will work tirelessly to provide the highest level of care to patients while working closely with our other cancer specialists," said Max Coppes, MD, PhD, MBA, Director, William N. Pennington Institute for Cancer. âWith the exceptional expertise of Dr. Colleen O'Kelly-Priddy and Dr. Michelle K. Chu, coupled with our state-of-the-art facility; Renown Health is a true partner in the fight against breast cancer in northern Nevada.â "People are increasingly relocating to northern Nevada, and in fact, Washoe County experienced a 2.1% population growth from April 2020 to July 2022. Consequently, although northern Nevada does not exhibit an above-average cancer rate, we are observing a rise in cases at our facilities," said Dr. Lee Schwartzberg, MD, FACP, Section Chief of Medical Oncology at the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute. "Renown Health is positioned to meet this growing demand, and we take pride in consistently adding nationally renowned healthcare providers to our team to save the lives of women in northern Nevada. Â Â About Renown Health Renown Health is the regionâs largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a childrenâs hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the regionâs largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health.
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Car Seat Safety
Keeping Your Children Safe The Point of Impact Car Seat Inspection and Installation program offers checkpoints throughout the region. Renown Health is proud to partner with REMSA Health to assure the safety of our community. Â Â Nevada State Requirements Nevada state law requires those children less than 6 years of age and weighing 60 pounds or less to be secured in an appropriate child restraint system while being transported in a motor vehicle.
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Adolescent Medicine
Supporting and Empowering Adolescents Adolescence marks a pivotal time of transformation, both in body and mind. The Adolescent Medicine team recognizes the unique challenges faced by this age group and provides tailored care that addresses their physical and mental health needs. We believe in empowering adolescents to take charge of their health and well-being. Through personalized approaches, we engage adolescents in their healthcare journey, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health. With a focus on comprehensive care, our team is committed to supporting adolescents and young adults through every step of their transition to adulthood.
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Palliative and Supportive Care
Compassionate Care Palliative and Supportive Care provides specialized medical care for serious illnesses and diseases, including advanced kidney failure or heart disease. Palliative Care helps to: Prevent and relieve suffering to help build the best possible quality of life. Add value to standard therapies by assisting with advanced illness planning and symptom management. Palliative & Supportive Care may be needed if: You've had multiple hospital admissions for severe illness. Severe pain, nausea, fatigue or other symptoms impacting quality of life and you are reconsidering treatment plans. Treatments are no longer working. You're feeling hapless or discouraged about the future due to your serious illness. Talk to your doctor to find out if palliative care is the right choice for you or your family member. Â Your Care Team Your palliative care support team comprises doctors, nurses, chaplains, social workers and other specialists who work together with you to provide extra support. Your care team can help: Facilitate close communication between you and your physician team, as well as nurses and specialists. Offer medical assessments and symptom management to help reduce pain, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath and anxiety. Improve the ability to tolerate medical treatments and fain the strength to live a productive daily life. Explain treatment options and the decision making process regarding care. Navigate the healthcare process. Lend emotional and spiritual support.
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Hospice Care
Compassionate Care in the Comfort of Your Home Welcome to Renown Hospice, where compassion meets comfort in lifeâs most tender moments. Renown Hospice is a not-for-profit hospice, founded solely on a mission to care for and support those in our community. With a dedicated team of professionals and comprehensive services provided in the comfort of your home, our hospice program is one of the highest-rated quality care and experience agencies in northern Nevada.  At Renown Hospice, we provide specialized care that focuses on providing comfort and support to individuals who are facing a life-limiting illness or nearing the end of their life. Our primary goal is to enhance quality of life by addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Our hospice care emphasizes dignity and respect, empowering our patients to make choices about their care and treatment preferences. As you embark on the journey of navigating end-of-life care for yourself or a loved one, we extend our heartfelt support and guidance. Please note our team is available 24/7 to answer any questions and schedule an evaluation with one of our Renown Hospice nurses.
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Panda Cares Center of Hope at Renown Children's Hospital
When you have an ill child in the hospital, it is a stressful event. And Panda Express is helping local families support children who need special care. Their generous donation provides much-needed equipment, programs, and resources via the new Panda Cares Center of Hope, Renown Childrenâs Specialty Center. Their partnership directly benefits patients and their families! The âPanda Cares Center of Hope, Renownâs Childrenâs Specialty Centerâ In fact, this new center provides care to not only children, but also comprehensive support to the entire family. Similarly, it creates an environment that reduces stress, promotes healing, and provides a superior patient and family experience. This facility upholds Panda Expressâ mission, vision, and values and its four pillars: to directly help fund the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs of children. This center, the first-ever in northern Nevada, will provide care for children who have chronic conditions. In particular, it offers ongoing treatment, health management, and specialty medical services, including: Nephrology Endocrinology Neurology Pulmonary Infectious Diseases Medical Genetics Adolescent Medicine How You Can Help! When you order from Panda Express, you can opt to round up your change, which will help support programs and services, such as the Center of Hope for Renown Childrenâs Hospital. Order Online A Partnership for Health & Education of Underserved Youth This partnership allows Renown Childrenâs Hospital to continue to strengthen regional services and increase Pandaâs visibility within our growing community. Last year, 21,930 sick children received care from Renown Childrenâs Hospital. To date, Panda Express has raised $449,200 in financial support to assist us in providing health and education to every child, regardless of illness, injury, insurance, or ability to pay. Panda Express funds have already supported: Giraffe omni beds for the NICU Ultrasound machine for the Childrenâs ER Panda warmers and a hand held Accuvein machine Child Life Program to support sick patients and families Meeting room in the Childrenâs Specialty Center In kind donations, volunteer time and support of local events such as the University of Nevada Reno, Wolf Pack Dance Marathon
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Helpful Caregivers Make a Wedding Dream Come True
A wedding is a big day for the wedding couple, but itâs also special for loved ones. A patient at Renown, Ken, got to take part in his daughterâs special day as her wedding plans changed to accommodate his medical condition. Grab some tissues and read how Renownâs team of compassionate caregivers and chaplains planned a wedding in Fiannaâs Healing Garden. Ken was hospitalized at Renown Regional Medical Center where he was battling a lung problem â which was unrelated to COVID-19 â and his condition worsened rapidly on Wednesday, Aug. 12. His family made the decision to transition him to palliative care, which helps patients near the end of their lives remain comfortable, while supporting their dignity and quality of life. Kenâs medical condition altered wedding plans for his daughter, Chandra, and her fiancĂ©, Tyler, who were planning to tie the knot later in 2020. Chandra wanted her father there, but knew he could not leave the hospital. Thatâs why Chandraâs sister, Heather, approached Kenâs care team with a request to have a small wedding ceremony at the hospital. Planning the Wedding A member of Kenâs care team, Amy Heston, registered nurse (RN), began planning how the wedding could be held outdoors in Fianna's Healing Garden in the E. L. Wiegand Pavilion, which was donated by the E. L. Wiegand Foundation.  In 24 hours, Amy planned a wedding ceremony with the help of her colleague, Breyanna Aufiero, RN; the Renown Spiritual Care team; and nursing leaders on the coronary intensive care unit (ICU). Together, they decorated the aisle in the garden with flowers and battery-operated candles. They also made a sign for Kenâs hospital bed, which read, âFather of the Bride,â and crafted a bow tie for him to wear for the special occasion. With visitor restrictions in place at the hospital due to coronavirus (COVID-19), having the wedding outside in the Healing Garden allowed for more members of Kenâs family to attend including his wife, Charlotte, and his dog, Bella.  Every step in planning the wedding required thoughtful and thorough care coordination so Ken could participate. His breathing was supported by oxygen and special arrangements were made to transport the oxygen tanks he needed to take part in his daughterâs wedding. Amy worked with respiratory technician, Kasey Benfield, and critical care technician, Ruben Duckworth, to ensure Kenâs oxygen needs were met using portable machines. Celebrating Love and Life Together Kenâs team of caregivers bathed him and shaved his face so he could look and feel his best for the ceremony. They put on his bow tie, covered his bed in decorations and his favorite blue, flannel blanket, and wheeled his bed outside for the ceremony. Renown associate chaplains Terri Domitrovich and Susan Palwick coordinated music and performed the ceremony for Chandra and Tyler on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. The bride and groom shared their first dance in the garden and Kenâs care team provided water and treats to give the family a full wedding experience.  Shortly after the ceremony, Ken passed away. This wedding provided Ken and his family meaningful memories for their big life-changing moments as they celebrated and said goodbye. âSeeing Ken surrounded by family he never would have gotten to see again while in the hospital, watching him get to share a father-daughter dance with Chandra on her wedding day, and having him tell me that this day meant more to them than we would ever know were some of the most moving moments Iâve witnessed as a nurse,â Amy said. âI am so thankful for the team we have here. I know that this beautiful day wouldnât have happened without the help of every single person who gave their time, money, creativity and passion to make it a day to remember.â
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Getting Your Child's Appointments Back on Track
If youâve been putting off care for your child, know that Renown Health is prepared with updated processes and procedures to ensure safety for you and your little ones.  Doctor Max Coppes, MD, PhD, MBA, Physician-in-Chief of Renown Childrenâs Hospital, is concerned there could be an outbreak of serious illnesses if parents continue to delay getting their children immunized. Dr. Coppes and team understand your anxieties when it comes to visiting your pediatrician, and would like you to know; not only are well visits important to assess your childâs overall health, crucial vaccinations are administered to guard your little ones against disease. Immunizations Immunizations protect children from communicable diseases. Other benefits include: Children that are unable to have vaccines due to age or illness are protected through herd immunity Vaccinations are at given at specific intervals, and missing an appointment may put your child behind schedule Elderly populations are protected where immunity may be decreased Dr. Coppes states, âWhat we have noticed nationwide, and also in Washoe County, is that the number of kids immunized has gone down by about two-thirds. If that goes on, weâre just waiting for chickenpox, measles, any of those childhood diseases that were eradicated to come up again.â 4 Easy Ways to Schedule an Appointment: Call Us: 775-982-KIDS (5437) Request Appointment Online MyChart Virtual Visits In-Person Wellness Visits/Checkups Maintaining your childâs health is important! Contact your pediatrician to schedule an in-office visit. When you call to make an appointment, youâll talk to a specialist at our Customer Care Center who will screen you to make sure you and your child have not been exposed to someone with COVID-19, and ensure symptoms of a respiratory illness are not present. Virtual Visits When appropriate, many pediatric appointments are available through virtual visits. Please call 775-982-KIDS (5437) to request a visit with your childâs established provider. All virtual visits require a MyChart account. Donât have a MyChart account? You can easily sign up online. If you need assistance with your MyChart account, please call 775-982-6686. Virtual visits are able to connect to an ASL interpreter (sign language interpreter), and 37 languages including Spanish.
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