The Countdown Is on for the 2016 Heart Walk!
March 23, 2016 Leave a comment
Members of the UMass Memorial Health Care team at last year’s Central MA Heart Walk.
Spring is here and planning is underway for the Central MA Heart Walk Saturday, May 7, Quinsigamond State Park, North Lake Avenue, Worcester. This year the event is chaired by our very own Medical Center President Patrick Muldoon! When you join the Heart Walk, you join more than a million people in 300-plus cities across America in taking a stand against heart disease and helping save lives! To get your team page registered so you can get started, visit the UMass Memorial Health Care company page.
Nearly one out of three “afib” or atrial fibrillation (AF) patients can have a stroke due to blood clots that form in the part of the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). The clot can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. A breakthrough option, called the Watchman LAA closure device, is now available for AF patients who are considered suitable for warfarin, a type of anticoagulation therapy, but who seek a non-drug alternative. The device is implanted in the LAA to keep clots from entering the blood stream, and can free patients from the challenges of long-term warfarin therapy. Watch animation, below, to learn more.
The next Innovation Celebration is on the Hahnemann Campus, Wednesday, March 30, noon to 1 pm, in the lobby (not the cafeteria, this time!) All are invited to join in the learning and fun. Spend a small portion of your day with your colleagues discovering current initiatives and innovations taking place across the Medical Center. Highlighted programs include Idea Systems, lynda.com learning, our wellness program, mindfulness initiatives and the latest on the campus “refresh” project. Stop by to enjoy complimentary refreshments and enter a drawing to win a week of free valet parking! We hope to see you there. 
The 
The best practice is to call your primary care provider (PCP) first. Your PCP knows you and your medical history, and can provide the best advice on care. However, if you are unable to contact your doctor, and have a condition that requires immediate treatment, you should go to one of the UMass Memorial Health Care-affiliated urgent care centers, which are open seven days a week. Urgent care is ideal for treating conditions such as cold/flu, sprains/strains, cuts, bites, allergic reactions and more. Visit any one of our convenient, community-based urgent care centers located in Worcester, Leominster, Fitchburg and Northborough. 
Our employees are embracing healthy eating at the grocery store with 
Pick up locally grown produce at least once a week, from the store or from a farm on 
This week marks National Poison Prevention Week. With the majority of accidental poisonings happening in the home, it’s important to know where your greatest risks lie and how to protect your family from potentially harmful products. The Department of Health and Human Services advises, “Teach your family to never touch or put anything in their mouths unless they know what it is.” Visit the 
