Dosher Memorial Hospital kicks off new year with health programs

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — If adopting healthier eating and lifestyle habits are part of your new year’s resolutions, Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport is offering lots of upcoming programs that could help you meet or exceed your goals this year.

During the Women’s Health Tea on Tuesday, Jan. 22, three clinicians will discuss women’s health matters.

“Its part of a wide-open discussion about things that are important to women but anyone can ask questions about anything they’d like to know,” said Jim Goss, Director of Marketing & Community Relations at Dosher Memorial Hospital.

The event will be held in the hospital’s conference room on the second floor starting at 4 p.m. The program is free but you should reserve a seat in advance by calling 910-454-4731.

The Heart to Heart Women’s Heart Health event will be held Thursday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m. Hosted by the Dosher Memorial Hospital Foundation, this program includes heart health education, inspiring words from a heart patient/survivor and tips for health eating. It will be held at St. James Community Center in Southport. Admission is $25 and proceeds will benefit cardiac rehabilitation services at the hospital. For details, call 910-454-3850.

Attendees are also encouraged to donate healthy food items like fresh fruit or low-sodium canned foods, etc.

“One of the arms of our organization is the Brunswick Wellness Coalition and they have this healthy food drive ‘Give Healthy Campaign’ so this is in direct support of that,” Goss said.

If you love preparing a delicious meal, you’ll love the Guest Chef Program. The first one will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. Austin Alfonzo from Kai Joe’s on Oak Island and Café Koa in Southport conducts another in the hospital’s series of healthy cooking demonstrations at the second floor conference room at the hospital. If you plan to attend, you should reserve a seat in advance by calling 910-454-4731. Additional guest chef programs are set for March 12, April 9 and May 14.

Another thing Dosher Memorial Hospital has recently kicked off is its telemedicine program for inpatients overnight.

“If you are an inpatient at Dosher, during the day you are examined by a physician in-person along with a registered nurse, but overnight we have a telemedicine program so it would be a physician who is seeing you through a computer monitor, listening to you this way,” Goss said. “The doctor examines you through a secure, computer connection overnight and about the only thing the doctor can’t do is put the stethoscope on your chest or back.”

The telemedicine program began three weeks ago and, so far, feedback from patients who have used it has been positive, Goss said.