Summa Western Reserve Hospital Launches New Lung Health Program

Summa Western Reserve Hospital recently launched its new Lung Health Program. One of the only lung health and smoking cessation programs of its kind in the area, the program offers collaborative care for smokers (both current and those who have quit) or those exposed to secondhand smoke. A unique feature of the program is the inclusion of a rapid, non-invasive, pain-free low-dose CT scan that produces a 3-dimensional image of the lungs. This screening measure has been proven extremely accurate for early detection of cancers and abnormalities in the chest. Individual or group consultation sessions for smoking cessation are also provided. Smoking addiction, ailments, smoking history, medications and past quit attempts are considered as well during the treatment process in order to create an individualized smoking cessation plan. Patients receive an overall health evaluation and progress report that are reviewed when planning any future treatment in concert with their primary care physician, and an on-site nurse practitioner serves as a liaison between patient and physician to facilitate continued collaborative care during every stage of the program.

Summa Western Reserve Hospital unveiled the program with its first annual Lungs for Life event at the hospital on Saturday, January 28th. Pre-scheduled guests who felt they may be at risk of a smoking-related illness enrolled in the Lung Health Program, and received a free low-dose CT screening and private lung health evaluation to identify existing and/or potential health concerns. Same-day results were provided to participants courtesy of on-site physicians and a nurse practitioner. Smoking cessation resource packets and a gift were also given to registered guests.

“We encourage those who smoke, have smoked or who have had exposure to secondhand smoke to take advantage of this  quick, results-driven imaging test to evaluate their lung health and potentially identify other abnormalities in the chest which may be a factor in their overall health,” says Dr. Jeffrey Unger, Medical Director, Department of Radiology at Summa Western Reserve Hospital. “Low-dose CT scans are one of the most effective ways to detect an early lung cancer.  Statistically, cancers found through such screening procedures have shown a significantly increased likelihood of cure when caught and removed in the early stage.”

To learn more about the Summa Western Reserve Hospital Lung Health Program, call (330) 929-LUNG (5864) or go to: http://www.westernreservehospital.org/LungHealth