Hospitals and health systems across Washington State are celebrating National Heart Month, raising awareness about heart health. Here are a few of the ways WSHA members are celebrating:
Olympic Medical Center celebrated the month with a National Wear Red Day to support women’s heart health.
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center held the Go Red Tea for women’s heart health, thanks to a collaboration with community partner Delaware Plaza. It was a sea of red, with more than 100 scarlet-clad ladies escorted to their tables and served by Go Red Guys, and PeaceHealth cardiologist James Suero, MD, served as the keynote speaker. During heart month, PeaceHealth St. John is also collaborating with Spencer’s HeartStrong Foundation to host a Teen Heart Screening and raise funds for AED devices in local schools. Spencer’s HeartStrong Foundation also collaborated with PeaceHealth Medical Group in Longview with the help of caregivers and 40 community volunteers, screening 128 teens. Two teens were identified for follow up due to their screening results. The teens and their families also learned hands-only CPR and how to use an AED.
Whitman Hospital is celebrating the month with the help of Registered Dietitian Anna Hein, who is holding a public nutrition class scheduled for Feb. 24. Click here to learn more about the class.
Pullman Regional Hospital is recognizing the month by filming a series of weekly Heart Healthy Tips, which the marketing and communications team sends out the hospital’s entire staff every Monday throughout February. The videos feature some of the hospital’s staff experts in the areas of nutrition, exercise and prevention. You can watch the first video here, and the second video here. Staff also participated in National Wear Red Day.
Walla Walla General Hospital is celebrating the month in numerous ways. For the third year, it held the HeartWork Children’s Coloring contest, sending out 4,100 coloring sheets to all the local elementary schools and making the sheets available in the waiting areas on the medical campus, encouraging children ages 4-11 to begin thinking heart-healthy. They received 614 entries (almost doubling last year’s count). The hospital is also partnering with five local restaurants to encourage the community to think about their hearts when choosing meals, with dishes marked as being heart-healthy. Staff also took part in National Wear Red Day, and they are holding a nutrition course. Plus, the hospital is highlighting a variety of blog posts throughout the month that focus on heart wellness and prevention.
Swedish Health System’s cardiac surgery team wore read to show their support of National Wear Red Day.
CHI Franciscan Health is celebrating the month with staff, patients and the general public. The system has shared photos of staffers wearing red, promoted its heart health book and placed heart month banners at its hospitals. Babies have been given red hats to promote newborn screenings for congenital heart defects, and patients have been given heart-healthy resources, including on tray liners for inpatients. Further, CHI Franciscan Health held health talks and partnered with the American Heart Association to promote heart disease awareness. Staff also participated in National Wear Red Day.
Jefferson Healthcare celebrated National Wear Red Day and also held its first annual WellHearts luncheon, where keynote speaker Dr. Rosemary Peterson spoke about the importance of women’s heart health and the incorporation of lifestyle changes — such as exercise, good nutrition and stress reduction — for better health. Jefferson Healthcare also shared photos on social media of staff wearing red, and this month they’re launching a program to get people moving to improve cardiac health. Through the program, Cardiac Services Director Judy Tordini, RN, is helping participants get in shape for the Port Townsend Rhody Run in May, which is a 7.2-mile run/walk.
Skagit Regional Health holds a Women’s Health Luncheon each February with a focus on heart health. This year featured speaker Jennifer Hawthorne, who authored four best-selling books, including “Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul” and “Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul.” Skagit Regional Health’s Cardiac Rehabilitation team was also on hand to share information and highlight the importance of exercise.
Skyline Hospital organized a community-wide Women’s Heart Health Awareness Campaign targeted at worksites throughout the hospital’s service area during the first week of the month. The campaign included three separate email blasts that covered the basics of women’s heart health, including signs of heart attacks in women, risk factors and prevention. More than 10 worksites participated, as did hospital staff. Skyline Hospital also participated in National Wear Red Day, with participating groups sending in photos, which were shared on social media. The hospital also produced a powerful video telling one woman’s story about how she lost her mother to heart disease, which you can watch here. There will be a talk on heart health for the community, which will offer heart healthy appetizers and recipe suggestions. Heart health information is available in the hospital’s lobby and waiting rooms as well.
Columbia County Health System is celebrating National Heart Month with the Heart & Sole 5K Fun Run and Walk Feb. 27 and with its third annual Paint the Town Red campaign — in which store owners decorate their businesses for bragging rights — and an annual heart of the community trophy award. The health system is also selling “Rock the Beat” red t-shirts for “Wear Red Friday,” and it has already sold 200 to the community to raise awareness for heart health. Columbia County Health System is also advertising on billboards and hosting a blood drive on March 4.
EvergreenHealth is the Cause Sponsor and co-chair for the American Heart Association’s annual Puget Sound Heart & Stroke Walk. National Heart Month kicked off a year of heart-healthy awareness at EvergreenHealth, and this year, the American Heart Association — as part of itsLittle Hats, Big Hearts™ campaign, which provides babies born in February with tiny red hats hand knitted by volunteers — visited EvergreenHealth’s Family Maternity Center Feb. 1 to drop off hats. TV station Q-13 Fox in Seattle captured the hat delivery to the first babies of the month in this heartwarming story. Employees system-wide helped raise awareness and inspired others to join the fight against heart disease and stroke by wearing red Feb. 5 as part of National Wear Red Day. One creative team even combined it with its Chinese New Year celebration.
PeaceHealth is shining a light on heart health in its communities using its “keep your heart happy” campaign. This multi-channel campaign is running in different combinations of print, digital, outdoor and broadcast media throughout the three-state system. The campaign is using social media to engage both its communities and caregivers in a fun way using photos and selfies. People are encouraged to share photos on Facebook with those in their lives who make them #hearthappy. This way, they are connecting with people where they already hang out in a way they enjoy – all in the name of heart health. And that makes them all #hearthappy!
St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute went red — staff and patients alike — for National Wear Red Day!
