HOSPITALS CELEBRATE SERVICE

In the old days, people went to hospitals when they became seriously ill or were involved in an accident.

It's much the same today, except hospitals have assumed a larger role in most communities. They aren't just about curing the sick, they're about preventing the sickness.

Hospitals reach into communities to teach folks about diet, fitness, stopping smoking -- it all falls under a new word, "wellness."

Today marks the end of National Hospital Week, a time for hospitals to let the community know about the hundreds of programs and organizations that exist to help people. It was also a time for hospitals to look at themselves, noting the vital work done by employees.

St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital, Cape Girardeau's two hospitals, have joined to promote several events in the past and did so again during National Hospital Week.

On Wednesday and Thursday, they sent employees to a seminar titled "Developing Healthy Relationships Through Effective Communications." Participants learned how to work with people on the job, in the home and in the community.

Both hospitals also honored employees for the time they have spent on the job, whether directly caring for patients or doing other tasks. Jay Wolz, public relations director at St. Francis, estimates that about 2,200 doctors, nurses, volunteers and others work at the medical center, but only a third have direct contact with patients.

At Southeast, there was a 24-hour open house for employees where the hospital provided refreshments and time for people to visit with each other.

Both hospitals conducted recognition banquets.

"We have a wonderful health care team in Cape Girardeau between two hospitals, 180 physicians and all the other health professionals," Jim Wente, Southeast's administrator, said. "They take a lot of pride in providing quality care."

Providing that care, he added, means more than taking care of people when they are ill. It means keeping them out of the hospital by teaching them how to drop bad habits and improve their lifestyles.

St. Francis' Wolz agreed. His medical facility recently began a "Feel Good" campaign, which focuses on ways people can stay healthy.

"We want people to think of a hospital as a place to learn about good health," Wolz said. "It's more cost-effective to keep people healthy than to cure them."

MAY MEDICAL OBSERVANCES

In addition to National Hospital Week, May is full of specially designated months, weeks and days related to medicine. They include:

MONTHS

National Arthritis Month

National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

Better Hearing and Speech Month

Better Sleep Month

National Clean Air Month

Correct Posture Month

National Digestive Diseases Awareness Month

National High Blood Pressure Month

Huntington's Disease Awareness Month

National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

National Mental Health Month

National Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month

Older Americans Month

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

National Sight-Saving Month

National Stroke Awareness Month

National Trauma Awareness Month

WEEKS

National Nurses Week (6-12)

National Running and Fitness Week (7-13)

National Hospital Week (7-13)

National Stuttering Awareness Week (8-14)

National Emergency Medical Service Week (14-20)

National Medical Transcriptionist Week (14-20)

National Nursing Home Week (14-20)

National Osteoporosis Prevention Week (14-20)

National Surgical Technologist Week (21-27)

DAYS

Florence Nightingale's Birthday (12)

National Employee Health and Fitness Day (17)

National Senior Health and Fitness Day (31)

World No Tobacco Day (31)