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Renown Health is excited to announce the launch of free pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood and grandparent classes. Beginning this month, Renown’s comprehensive selection of childbirth education and support for expecting and new parents is now available to all in the community as a free resource, and as part of Renown’s community benefit mission.  “As Reno’s only not-for-profit, integrated academic health care organization we are constantly investing in essential community benefits and services. Our goal is to enhance access to prenatal care and childbirth education to help improve health outcomes for mothers and children in Washoe County,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President & CEO for Renown Health. “By offering these free classes, we look to provide parents with the knowledge and support they need to confidently welcome their babies into the world, and to raise healthy children.”  "We are thrilled to offer childbirth classes to our community at no cost. We recognize the profound health benefits these classes provide, not only to expectant mothers, but to their families and the broader public,” says Jennifer Timmons, RN, Nursing Manager for Postpartum and the Newborn Nursery at Renown. “We want to promote healthier pregnancies and foster stronger, more resilient families. By removing financial barriers, we hope to reach and support every expecting parent in Washoe County.”  All Classes are now FREE including:  Pregnancy & Birth Class. An all-in-one day childbirth education course offered virtually or in-person, or a 7 Week in-person Thursday series childbirth preparation class, prepares mom and her partner for the many aspects of childbirth, postpartum, infant care and breastfeeding education. Certified instructors offer support and guidance to meet individual needs.  Comfort Measures for Birth Class. In this two-hour session, expecting parents learn labor coping skills including relaxation/meditation practice, breathing techniques, massage and acupressure.  Spinning Babies Parent Class. A four-hour class designed for expecting moms after the 20th week of pregnancy. This class highlights rotating the baby down and out of the pelvis. Preparing for Postpartum Virtual Class. This 2-hour class helps prepare mom and partner on what to expect after birth and the weeks that follow, the difference between postpartum blues and postpartum depression, mother’s warning signs and adjustments once you return home. Breastfeeding Basics and Beyond Class. In this class taught by an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, mothers get off to a better start with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Circle Gathering encourages breastfeeding moms to find support, exchange experiences, and discuss any concerns. Popular topics include milk supply, pumping, returning to work, sleeping, or lack of sleep, weight and more. Nurturing Your Newborn. This 2 in 1 class includes the Newborn Care Class and Breastfeeding Basics and Beyond. The morning portion of this class includes breastfeeding benefits and techniques. The afternoon segment covers newborn appearances and behavior, daily care, signs of illness, and when to call the doctor. Tummy time, comfort and soothing techniques, how to keep your baby safe, newborn screenings are discussed. Partners are encouraged to attend.  Baby Safe Class. This class helps prepare parents for emergencies that may occur in baby’s first year. Along with car seat safety and basic baby proofing, discussion will include basic first aid, prevention and treatment of common injuries. Grandparents and other caregivers are welcome to attend. Infant & Child CPR Class; This course is ideal for schools and students, new parents, grandparents, babysitters, and others interested in learning how to save a life.  Baby and Family Suites Tour; and Tours for Siblings (ages 2-8). Join a childbirth educator to learn more about our Baby and Family Suites, labor and delivery rooms housed in the new Labor Assessment Area, and the William N. Pennington Nursery.  Virtual Grandparents Workshop. Grandparenting has changed a great deal over the last generation. Grandparents will learn about newborn care, safe sleep environments, breastfeeding, car seats, product safety and how to help support new parents.  For more information and to register online for any class free of charge, visit www.renown.org/events.  Free Childbirth Classes Are One More Way That Renown Gives Back to Create a Healthier Community for All  Renown Health is the only locally owned, not-for-profit, charitable healthcare network in Reno. Being not-for-profit, or a 501 © 3 organization means that all Renown’s income stays locally- and is reinvested in people, programs and technology to improve the health of the community. In fact, Renown’s name - besides being the aspiration for care, means "Reno's Own.” With community is at the center of the organization’s mission, and through the affiliation with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Renown Health embraces a commitment to make a genuine difference in creating a healthier Nevada for all.  Maternal and Child Health: A Community Benefit Focus Area, 2025-2027 Renown Health’s Community Benefit Health Focus Areas are based on primary and secondary research collected as part of the 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The CHNA includes input from community stakeholders representing the broad interests of the diverse communities served by Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center, including those stakeholders with expertise in community and public health. Health needs were identified in the CHNA and subsequently prioritized by community stakeholders.  From the prioritized health needs, Health Focus Areas were chosen based on criteria that consider the Renown Health’s team capacity to impact community needs, the strength of community partnerships and the alignment with Renown’s organizational strategic planning efforts. Through this Implementation Strategy, Renown Health is committed to identifying and closing health equity gaps in communities that are historically marginalized and vulnerable. Health Focus Areas for 2025-2027 are Mental Health; Access to Health Care and Community Services and Maternal and Child Health.  “Renown’s Community Benefit mission is to reduce health disparities, promote community wellness and improve access to care for vulnerable populations,” says Kerry Kelly, MPH, Manager of Community Health for Renown. “This includes offering free and discounted care to those unable to afford healthcare, and partnerships to address health and well-being. Our CHNA process showed Maternal and Child Health as a priority for the community. Improvements in healthcare services, better access to prenatal care, and free education on maternal and child health may help to decrease the infant mortality rate and improve the health outcomes for mothers and children in Washoe County. By working together, and offering free childbirth classes, we can help have a positive impact on the health and well- being of our community.” Secure a brighter future for local mothers and children by donating to the Renown Health Foundation at 775-982-5545 or at renown.org/About/Renown-Health-Foundation.   About Renown Health  Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated health care network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,500 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center for adults and children, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. For more information, visit renown.org.

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Renown Health just announced a new, digital tool designed to keep our community safe and healthy. Symptom Checker, which launched today, is a user-friendly, web-based platform that assesses patients’ symptoms and seamlessly directs them to the appropriate level of care within the Renown network. Symptom Checker can be accessed 24/7 by visiting Renown Symptom Checker. From there, a patient can identify the area of the body responsible for their discomfort, and specify their symptoms. Upon entering their symptoms, patients receive a detailed health summary and care guide, which helps them determine the most appropriate action to take. Patients are able to schedule a visit at a Renown location directly through the Symptom Checker portal. Patients experiencing a medical emergency should not use Symptom Checker and instead call 911. “Thanks to Symptom Checker, our patients will have around-the-clock support at their fingertips to help them make informed decisions about their healthcare needs,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President and CEO of Renown Health. “We understand that determining the right level of care for you or your loved ones may bring about some uncertainty, which is why we are proud to continuously offer new and innovative technologies that make it easier for our community members to live healthier lives.” “As we continue experiencing cases of COVID-19 in Washoe County, many individuals with COVID are unsure when they should seek medical care, as well as the appropriate location to receive care,” said Melodie Osborn, RN, Chief Quality and Nursing Officer, Health Services. “With Symptom Checker, people can easily input their symptoms, and include the symptom severity, to be directed to the best level of care for their individual health needs—making it an extremely valuable tool as we fight to keep our community safe and healthy amidst this pandemic.” Symptom Checker is free to use and does not require users to be Renown patients. In addition to nearly 200 children and adult symptom care guides, the platform also features 55 first-aid topics, 147 parenting advice topics, and 25 over-the-counter drug dosage tables for children and adults. The Symptom Checker content is written by medical doctors, Barton Schmitt and David Thompson, who are nursing triage experts; and symptom care guides stem from clinical protocols used by doctors and nurses worldwide. Evidence behind the Symptom Checker can be accessed here. For more information, or to use Symptom Checker, please visit Renown Symptom Checker.     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 region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s 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.

Read More About Renown Launches Virtual Symptom Checker

Renown Health is excited to announce a hopeful moment to start the new year with the first baby of 2021. Jessa Mae Estrada, 26, of Reno gave birth to baby Oli Amelia Estrada at 3:59 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2021. Baby Oli weighed 5 pounds, 14.4 ounces and was the first 2021 birth at any of the region’s hospitals.  “Baby Oli’s birth serves as a beautiful symbol of hope for all of us as we look forward to brighter days ahead full of joy, promise and new beginnings,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, Renown’s President and CEO. “As we take time to reflect on the many challenges and uncertainties brought on in 2020, I will never forget the steadfast determination and resilience demonstrated by our entire community. For it is our collective ability to overcome adversity that makes celebratory moments like these even more meaningful.”  Baby Oli is welcomed to the world by her father, Oliver Estrada, siblings Nate, 2, and Naz, 1, and grandparents Charito and Eduardo Estrada. “I am excited to welcome our first baby of 2021 and celebrate this joyful moment,” said Larry Duncan, Vice President of Pediatrics and Surgery and Administrator, Renown Children's Hospital. “I want to wish all of the new parents the best and make sure they know Renown is here to provide the quality care the families in our community deserve.” More than 4,000 babies are delivered each year at Renown Regional Medical Center. Renown Children’s Hospital has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and the region’s only Children’s ER and Pediatric ICU, and is the only hospital affiliated with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) in the region.  Please see the above photo for you to share showing the healthy and happy, mom and baby.  About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and 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 children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health a1nd includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Health, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information visit, renown.org.

Read More About Beacon of Hope Shines on Our Community: Renown Welcomes First Baby of 2021

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Renown providers remain committed to safely caring for community members, both in person and virtually. Renown Health is proud to offer same-day virtual visits to help community members maintain their health and address medical concerns amid the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Virtual Visits are easily-accessible video conferencing visits with a health provider. They are used for primary care, specialty care and urgent care to enable patients to consult a care provider from the ease and comfort of their homes. “If there’s a bright spot in the midst of this pandemic, it’s that COVID-19 is pushing us to rapidly adopt new ways of thinking about and delivering healthcare–through new technologies,” said Dr. Tony Slonim, president and CEO of Renown. “Our team has worked diligently to make virtual visits available to our community as an added convenience for those who would prefer to stay in their homes. As we work to keep all of our patients safe and healthy, we want our community to know we’re here to serve any ongoing healthcare needs they have by expanding our care options.” Virtual Visits for Urgent Care For urgent care needs, individuals can log in to MyChart and request to “Talk to a Doctor” to receive care from a Renown provider. After filling in some information and confirming their healthcare concerns, Renown’s healthcare team will notify them by text or email when a provider is ready to talk to them virtually. Providers will help patients determine whether their health needs can be met from their home or if they need to seek in-person care. Virtual urgent care visits can address the following symptoms: Common cold and cough symptoms Muscular, tendon or joint pains not caused by injury Allergy or sinus symptoms Pink eye Urinary discomfort Diarrhea without vomiting Rashes or skin sores Backache Nail problems Screening examination for sexually transmitted illness (without symptoms) Medication refills (not controlled substances) Renown’s urgent care virtual visits are available 8:30 a.m. through 10:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Virtual Visits for Primary Care and Specialty Care Many primary and specialty care appointments for adults and children are now available virtually through Renown Medical Group. Individuals with an existing Renown Medical Group provider are encouraged to call 775-982-5000 if they would prefer to see a provider from  home. Home Medical Visits Last week, Renown announced its partnership with DispatchHealth, which is now making house calls to individuals who prefer to be seen from their home by a licensed medical professional. This high-quality medical care option is available to all Reno/Sparks residents, both insured and uninsured. If a patient is uninsured, there is a flat fee of $275, which includes all medications administered and lab tests on site. “Whether a patient prefers to be treated at home or in one of our traditional office settings, we are prepared to provide the right level of care, at the right place, at the right time,” said Dr. Slonim. “From routine exams and checkups to illnesses and other conditions that may arise, it’s critical to continue seeing to your unique healthcare needs.” All virtual visits require a free MyChart account. Those who do not have a MyChart account can sign up online. Most insurance companies apply the same co-pay fees as charged for in- person visits. For more information on virtual visits, please visit https://www.renown.org/explore/virtual-visits/.     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 region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s 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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New study, led by physician researchers from Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine seeks to understand how the immune system responds to COVID-19 with goal of developing a new treatment. Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 may now be able to help patients currently fighting the infection by donating their plasma. Those who have recovered from the infection may have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood. These antibodies provided one way for their immune systems to fight the virus when they were sick, so their blood may be used to help others fight off the disease through convalescent plasma. Convalescent plasma is a component of blood from recovered patients that may contain precious COVID-19 antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that might help fight the infection. In this study, we will be collecting plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and investigating its efficacy in helping treat other patients with COVID-19. Convalescent plasma is being investigated for treatment of COVID-19 because there is no approved treatment for the disease and there is information that suggests it might help some patients recover from COVID-19. Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) are leading a study locally to better understand how the body’s immune system responds to the virus, how it presents in northern Nevada and ultimately, aid in developing a new treatment for COVID-19. “Renown and UNR Med are at the forefront of conducting essential research to increase the health and safety of our community,” said Sara Healy, MD, MPH, principal investigator of the study and a pediatric infectious disease physician at Renown Children’s Hospital and UNR Med. “So little is known about effectively treating COVID-19 and we are venturing into new territory. This important study is instrumental in helping us understand the immune systems of people who were affected by COVID-19, and with their help, getting us one step closer to finding a treatment for the disease that has significantly impacted our nation and our community.” “COVID-19 survivors are in a unique and exciting position to be a part of something much bigger than the virus,” said Mark Riddle, MD, DrPH, FISTM, associate investigator of the study and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at UNR Med. “As a participant of this study, not only are you helping us to better understand the disease and the chronic health affects it has long term, but it’s a way to help those suffering from the disease to fight it and hopefully recover. We encourage participation in this important study and invaluable contributions to advancing medicine and our knowledge of COVID-19.” This community-wide study led by physician researchers from Renown Health and UNR Med is a collaborative effort with Vitalant, county and state health districts, Saint Mary’s Medical Center, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Carson Tahoe Health and the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, along with the many care providers in our area.   People aged 18-60 in general good health who have fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are encouraged to consider donating convalescent plasma as part of this study. There are 332 people, just in Washoe County (as of 5/1/20) who have recovered from COVID-19 and have immune systems that may now be producing antibodies to protect them from becoming infected again with coronavirus. Donated plasma is needed right now, for this clinical trial to determine definitively if this treatment works. Participating in this research study will also make it easier to donate plasma to the Mayo Clinic convalescent plasma program that Renown is a part of in hopes to find a treatment for COVID-19. There is no cost to participate in this study and participation is voluntary. An individual’s decision to participate will not affect their current or future relations with their health care provider(s), health district, or the community. Those who decide to participate are free to withdraw at any time. Confirmed COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the virus and are interested in participating in the study are invited to contact the project coordinators at the Renown Research Office at (775) 982-3646, or via e-mail at covidplasmascreening@renown.org, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.   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 region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s 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. About the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Established in 1969, UNR Med is improving 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.

Read More About Seeking Donors Who Have Recovered from COVID-19 to Donate Plasma