Baptist Union County starts support group for ostomy patients and caregivers

NEW ALBANY, Miss. –Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County has started a support group for ostomy patients and their caregivers on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the hospital, located at 200 Highway 30 West in New Albany.

Participants will learn how to adapt to colostomy/ostomy bags after surgery, meet others receiving ostomy care and gain access to educational resources from Baptist Union County. During ostomy surgery, an opening is created to allow waste to leave the body through a prosthetic “pouch” or ostomy bag outside the body.

“Adjusting to an ostomy procedure can be emotionally and physically challenging for patients,” said James Grantham, CEO and administrator of Baptist Union County. “So we started the ostomy support group at Baptist Union County to offer ongoing support to ostomy patients and their families after surgery. It’s important patients know they’re not alone and our team is here to support them after their hospital visit.”

To register or for more information, call Deanna Thornton at 662-538-2438.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County is the recipient of many awards and accolades and was most recently recognized by Premier Inc. as one of only three hospitals in the country to achieve top performance in all seven of the areas measured in Premier’s Quest Collaborative. Healthgrades awarded the hospital its Outstanding Patient Experience Award and the Joint Commission named the hospital a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures in 2012 and 2013. Baptist Union County offers a variety of health care services, including adult and pediatric inpatient services, labor and delivery, outpatient and laser surgery and a newly renovated 24-hour emergency room. The hospital also offers telemedicine, imaging and laboratory services, including an American College of Radiology-accredited MRI machine.