Respiratory Therapy

This growing, dynamic department is intimately involved in all aspects of patient care. The Respiratory Care Department has three sections: neonatal and adult, pediatric and Emergency Department, affording staff an opportunity to develop clinical expertise in an area of particular interest. This expertise increases the involvement of therapists in the daily decision-making process of patient care. The department provides a full spectrum of modalities with leading-edge technology used on a daily basis in the treatment of pulmonary diseases and critically ill patients.

Respiratory Therapists also perform diagnostic procedures, including Pulmonary Function Tests and Pulmonary Stress Tests. In the Bronchoscopy Suite, therapists participate in bronchoscopies utilizing stand procedures, as well as tracheal stent placement and argon plasma laser therapy.

At Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, therapists participate in pediatric and neonatal transports and use protocols in the treatment of mechanically-ventilated patients. Respiratory Therapists are an integral part of the code team. The department has a Clinical Ladder Program, which provides an opportunity for advancement.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is available for neurologic, orthopedic, oncologic and surgical patients in acute, rehabilitation and outpatient programs. Specialized services include hand therapy, industrial rehabilitation, neonatal intensive care and Long Term Acute Care. Registered occupational therapists and certified occupational therapy assistants work on interdisciplinary stroke, spinal cord and brain injury teams with physical therapists, speech language pathologists, therapeutic recreational therapists and psychologists. The department encourages professional growth through mentoring and continuing education.

Physical Therapy

The Physical Therapy Department, made up of more than 90 highly motivated staff members, including licensed physical therapists, licensed physical therapy assistants and trained therapy aides, is divided into four teams: the Acute Team, the Rehabilitation Team, the Outpatient Team and the Long-Term Acute Care Team. Qualified staff can choose to work in one or several of these areas.

Members of the Acute Team treat a varied caseload of patients that may include burn and wound care, cardiac rehabilitation, general medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics and neurological diagnoses. Physical therapists work at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and Highsmith-Rainey Memorial Hospital. The Rehabilitation Team treats those requiring inpatient rehabilitation at SRRC, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, orthopedics and aquatics. The Outpatient Team treats a wide variety of patients, including pediatrics, orthopedics, sports-related injuries and spinal dysfunctions. They also perform Functional Capacity Evaluations. Outpatient physician therapists may work at SRRC, our Industrial Orthopedic and Sports Therapy Center, HealthPlex wellness facility and the Medical Arts Center, across from Highsmith-Rainey Memorial Hospital.

The Physical Therapy Department is very supportive of continuing education, providing liberal resources for travel, as well as health system sponsored courses. Likewise, the department fosters preceptor and mentorship programs. The clinical ladder program helps staff advance in their field as they gain specialized knowledge in a clinical area.

Pharmacy

Pharmacists at Cape Fear Valley Health System provide pharmacy care to a variety of patient populations – general surgery, open heart surgery, oncology, psychiatry, intensive care, neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology and neurosurgery to name a few. In addition, they may work in an acute care setting at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, a long-term acute care setting at Highsmith-Rainey Memorial Hospital or a retail setting at Valley Pharmacy and Health Pavilion North Pharmacy.

The Pharmacy Department offers an opportunity to learn, develop and practice the skills necessary to fulfill a distinguished professional career as a healthcare provider. Seize the rewarding opportunities to exercise your pharmaceutical care skills in a progressive, decentralized and clinically challenging environment.

Cumberland County Medication Access Program (CCMAP)

The Cumberland County Medication Access Program (CCMAP) is a program established to help people of all ages with chronic medical conditions that need regular prescription medications but lack the income for purchasing them. The pharmacists and pharmacy technicians provide medications through donated samples, drug purchases and drug manufacturers’ patient assistance programs. The pharmacist evaluates the patient’s drug therapy, provides extensive patient counseling and  consults physicians when needed.

Laboratory

Well-trained laboratory personnel are an essential part of the medical team, providing information to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine operates under the direction of the Administrative Director and Medical Director of Laboratories. The laboratory is divided into the following sections: Transfusion Services, Hematology/Urinalysis, Chemistry, Microbiology/Serology, Histology/Cytology, Anatomic Pathology and Specimen Procurement. Each section is also directed by a pathologist and supervisor who is available to answer questions or or address any problems.

Neurodiagnostics

The Neurodiagnostics Department at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center utilizes state-of-the-art digital equipment networked throughout the Neurodiagnostics Suite. In 2003, the department moved to its new location and is now reaping the rewards of having been able to participate in the design process. Technologists perform EEGs, EPs, EMGs, Epilepsy Monitoring, Ambulatory Monitoring, as well as Interoperative Monitoring. This is a dynamic department performing much more than just routine EEG’s.

Radiation Oncology

The Cancer Center of Cape Fear Valley Health System is accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) Commission on Cancer (CoC) as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Cancer Center serves eight counties with the latest state-of-the-art technology used in the treatment of cancer. Our Radiation Oncology Department is the fifth largest program in the state. We treat an average of 85 to 95 patients a day at the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center facility. In addition, we provide staffing, dosimetry, and physics services to another facility 30 miles to the south. This facility treats about 30 to 35 patients daily. In April, we will add open Health Pavilion North, an outpatient facility in northern Cumberland County. This new facility will offer Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology, including IMRT, IGRT, and Cone-Beam technology.

Treatment and planning equipment at the main campus include:

•   Three Siemens Primus IMRT Linear Accelerators

•   One ACQSIM CT/Simulator with two physician workstations

•   One Siemens Simview NT 3000 conventional simulator

•   Four Philips Pinnacle IMRT treatment planning stations, two CMS xio planning workstations, Brachyvision, and MMS treatment planning systems

•   GammaMedplus HDR afterloader system

•   IMPAC Oncology Management System is utilized in the entire Cancer Center

•   Siemens Biograph PET/CT centrally located in the Cancer Center

Treatment equipment at Health Pavilion North will include a Varian ix Clinac with IMRT, IGRT and Cone-Beam technology.

Other programs at the Cancer Center include a new HDR program, Mammosite, as well as a prostate seed implant program. Stereotactic Radiosurgery is currently being evaluated as a potential new program at the main campus.

Our clinical team consists of four Radiation Oncologists, three Medical Physicists, three Dosimetrists, two Simulation Therapists and twelve Radiation Therapists. Therapists routinely rotate through simulation and dosimetry to strengthen their skills.

Psychology

The Psychology Department provides services to inpatients and outpatients to help them adjust to their disability and medical issues. Outpatient focus is on Pain Psychology, Neuropsychology and Psychological Testing. Inpatient services include physical rehabilitation, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and competency evaluations.

Speech & Audiology

The Speech & Audiology staff serve inpatients and outpatients of all ages. Services are provided on the inpatient rehabilitation unit, on the acute care units and on an outpatient basis (including hearing aid dispensing) for pediatrics and adults. Evaluation and intervention is available for speech, language, hearing and swallowing disorders  There is a strong emphasis on teamwork and staff participation on interdisciplinary teams.

Therapeutic Recreation

The Therapeutic Recreation Department provides services to inpatients at Southeastern Regional Rehabilitation Center and The Children’s Center, as well as inpatient and outpatient aquatics therapy. In addition, a department staff member serves as a professional liaison to the Fayetteville Stroke Support Group.

Radiology

The Radiology Department of Cape Fear Valley Health System performs more than 100,000 tests a year. We offer a vast array of imaging modalities including diagnostics, mammography, special procedures, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, CT , PET/CT and MRI services. The department offers many learning experiences, as the technologists are encouraged to learn the modalities in the other sections.

Mammography

We provide a full range of breast imaging and treatment services, including Screening and Diagnostic Mammography, Needle Localizations and Stereotactic Breast Biopsy procedures. Screening mammograms are performed in an outpatient facility across from the medical center campus. Diagnotic mammograms are performed in the Breast Center, which is located in cape Fear Valley Medical Center. The equipment that is used for imaging includes three General Electric dedicated mammography units and a Lorad Stereotactic Unit. Each technologist is Mammography Certified and both facilities are accredited by the FDA and American College of Radiology (ACR).

Computerized Tomography (CT)

The CT section of our Radiology Department provides routine, trauma, invasive biopsy aspiration and stealth-guidance procedures. We have four state-of-the-art GE high-speed CT scanners. The CT Section operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are 11 ARRT registered and CT-certified Technologists on staff. We make every attempt to schedule work hours to eliminate, as much as possible, rotation and stand-by-call. All CT images are archived and interpreted online from our Image Management PACS system, which eliminates conventional darkroom film processing.

Nuclear Medicine

Thirteen registered and/or certified Nuclear Medicine Technologists perform a variety of routine procedures, including bone, lung, renal, thyroid, gallbladder and extensive nuclear cardiac procedures. Our five gamma cameras and one central workstation are manufactured by Toshiba and are equipped with the latest technology and software. We have one triple-head camera, two dual-head cameras and three single-head cameras. The Nuclear Medicine section has a central workstation for image reconstruction and processing. We also offer PET/CT scanning. This area is located in a newly renovated area and staffed by Nuclear Medicine technologists. It is an integral part of our cancer program.

Special Procedures

This section of our Radiology Department includes two interventional rooms equipped with a Siemens Angiostar and a Toshiba Angio unit. A staff of five Registered Cardiovascular Technologists performs a variety of studies, including Angiography, Vertreboplasty, GDC coil insertion, balloon angioplasty, stent placement and myelography. The hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional hours are covered by the stand-by call team. All images are captured, archived and interpreted online through our PACS Image Management System.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Our eight MRI-certified Technologists offer MRI services Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. with scheduled weekend hours as needed. The shifts are stabilized to eliminate the need for rotation. We have two GE 1.5 Telsa scanners. Patient appointments are scheduled throughout the day and evening hours at 45 minute intervals. Our MRI area is equipped with MRI compatible anesthesia and monitoring equipment, which is available for patients of all ages who are in need of anesthesia or conscious sedation. All images are captured, archived and interpreted online through our PACS Image Management System. The 1.5 Tesla MRI unit at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center has just been upgraded to the EXCITE platform with the latest software available. A 3 Tesla MRI unit is located in an outpatient diagnostic center across the street from the medical center campus.        

Ultrasound

Staffed by 11 Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (RDMS), this section contains five Acuson ultrasound units and two Parks vascular units. A wide variety of procedures are performed, including abdomen, pelvic, OB/GYN, neonatal, biopsy, Stealth guidance and vascular exams. The area is staffed from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday. All images are electronically captured, archived and interpreted online through our PACS Image Management System.

The Sleep Center

The Sleep Center is a comprehensive sleep disorders program accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. This department consists of an outpatient clinic and two diagnostic laboratories. The main laboratory is located on the medical center campus inside Southeastern Regional Rehabilitation Center. A satellite laboratory is located at the Medical Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville. In April 2006, the satellite laboratory will relocate to Health Pavilion North, an outpatient center in northern Cumberland County. Samuel Fleishman, M.D., a board certified specialist in Sleep Medicine, serves as the medical director for the center. Together with Don McLeod, PA-C, Dr. Fleishman and the staff of the Sleep Disorders Clinic evaluate, treat and manage a variety of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and circadian rhythm disorders.