From an interview with  Dr. John Sonfield Pee Dee Surgical Group While surgery heals and restores the body, many patients still have concerns about the pain and challenges of recovery they may face after surgery. By using robotic-assisted, laparoscopic, and minimally-invasive surgical techniques, surgeons can both rehabilitate the body and reduce pain, easing patients’ fears and apprehension. Dr. John Sonfield, a general surgeon with Pee Dee Surgical Group, explains the many benefits these modern-day technologies offer for health and healing. “Robotic-assisted surgery can provide extra be ..read more

From an interview with Dr. Meenakshi Pande McLeod Pediatric and Adult Endocrinology Type 2 Diabetes has become America’s quiet epidemic. About 37 million people in the U.S. have this progressive condition, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, amputations, and even erectile dysfunction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared diabetes an epidemic in 1994 – about 30 years ago – and yet today, it is still an unfortunate fixture of our country’s public health. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Dr. Meenakshi Pande explains: “Type 2 Diabetes or ..read more

From an interview with Dr. Christopher Zust McLeod Neurological Associates In South Carolina, Parkinson’s disease affects more than 12,400 people. And according to the Parkinson’s Foundation Parkinson’s Prevalence Project, by 2030, approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. will be living with this condition. McLeod Neurologist Dr. Christopher Zust explains the causes of Parkinson’s and lifestyle choices that may help reduce the risk for this disease. “Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurologic condition involving issues with starting, stopping motion and tremors, although there are man ..read more

From an interview with Dr. Matthew Jones, General Surgeon Pee Dee Surgical Group Gallstone disease is one of the most common digestive disorders in the United States and leads to significant morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization. McLeod General Surgeon Dr. Matthew Jones explains what causes gallstones and how they are treated. “So the gallbladder is a little tiny organ that sits right under your right rib cage. It stores bile, which is helpful for digesting fats that you eat.  Most commonly, we are gonna see gallstones, and those are caused because, generally, over time, usual ..read more

From an interview withBren Lowe, Chief Executive OfficerMcLeod Health Cheraw For over 20 years, The Leapfrog Group has collected, analyzed, and published data on safety and quality in order to push the healthcare industry forward. Each year, the organization issues the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital safety, quality, and efficiency based on national performance measures that are important to health care consumers. The survey results are publicly reported and provide hospitals with information to benchmark their progress in improving the care they deliver. The highest perform ..read more

From an interview withMyra Alton, Certified Nurse AnesthetistMcLeod Health There are many things patients can do to prepare themselves for the surgical experience and to help ensure a positive outcome. McLeod Certified Nurse Anesthetist Myra Alton explains. “When a patient is planning for surgery, it’s a good idea to just really focus on themselves in those few weeks prior to the operation. Being in good health, eating properly, good nutrition, keeping hydrated, staying active, and preparing themselves, emotionally and physically for what’s to come. Making early preparations for your post-op c ..read more

On December 03, 2022, McLeod Health transitioned to the EPIC electronic health record and to McLeod MyChart, a new patient information portal. McLeod MyChart is a secure and easy tool that allows the patient to manage their healthcare 24/7. Chief Medical Director for McLeod Physician Associates Dr. Richard Alexander tells us more: “At McLeod Health, we’re committed to offering our patients quality care and convenient access to our providers and services. To deliver on those commitments, McLeod Health has moved to the EPIC electronic medical record platform to revolutionize our patient experien ..read more

From an interview withAmy Klimek, DNPMcLeod Doctor of Nursing Practitioner Thyroid disease is the result of dysfunction of your thyroid gland. Our thyroid gland is located in our neck, right above our collar bone. And this is a part of your endocrine system. The thyroid is a very important aspect of our human body. It helps to regulate our temperature, controls our nervous system, how we breathe, our cardiovascular health. Any dysfunction of the thyroid can affect the hormones that are released that control these body functions. Two of the most common forms of thyroid disorder are hyperthyroid ..read more

From an interview with Dr. Matthew Jones, general surgeon Pee Dee Surgical Group Has your surgeon offered you a choice between robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery? If so, you may wonder what the difference is between the two. No matter what type of surgery you choose, you can rest assured that you are in the hands of the most experienced and skilled doctors at McLeod Health. Here’s more on robotic and laparoscopic surgeries – two procedures that have revolutionized healthcare and dramatically improved surgical patient outcomes. So minimally invasive is usually used to describe the incisio ..read more

Sooner or later, we all find ourselves in this spot: your child wakes up with a fever, your spouse slips walking down the stairs, or that cough just keeps coming back. You or someone you care for needs medical attention, but you are not sure of the best place to go. Is it an emergency, or is it late at night or on weekends? As we have learned during the pandemic, sometimes we need both traditional and non-traditional ways to access care. In some situations, the clearest path is calling 911 or going to the emergency room, but what about options that are quicker and more tailored to a specific n ..read more