Hospital receives award from the American Heart Association
Houston Methodist West Hospital has earned the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
The award recognizes the hospital’s work to provide stroke patients with the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, researchbased guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
The recommendations focus on appropriate use of guideline-based care for stroke patients, including aggressive use of medications, preventive action for deep vein thrombosis and smoking cessation counseling.
For information on stroke prevention and treatment offered at Houston Methodist West Hospital, call 832-522-5522. Cross Creek Ranch wins 2016 Arbor Award
Trees for Houston has named Cross Creek Ranch a recipient of its 2016 Arbor Award.
The Fulshear development was the only community to receive an Arbor Award this year; other winners include attorney Amy Dinn, Buffalo Bayou Park, Mandell Park, Phillips 66 and Klean it Up, Green It Up. Houston Parks and Recreation Department Director Joe Turner won the Jim Rylander Award.
“Our 2016 winners represent a strong dedication to planting, protecting and promoting trees,” said Barry Ward, executive director of Trees for Houston. “Their efforts in the past year have gone a long way to making Houston a greener city.”
Visit www.crosscreektexas.com for information.
3-D imaging speeds cancer screenings
An upgraded breast tomosynthesis system at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Breast Care with Memorial Hermann-Katy aims to ease the mammogram process for patients.
Breast tomosynthesis is an imaging technology that combines data from a series of low-dose radiation, 2-D images to create a single 3-D image of the breast. Advantages over conventional digital mammography include improved diagnostic and screening accuracy, fewer recalls and greater radiologist confidence. In addition, the new technology can produce higher quality images in a shorter period of time.
Call 877-40-MAMMO or visit www.memorialhermann.org/locations/breast-care-center---katy/ to schedule a 3-D mammogram. Harris County teams up with Microsoft
Microsoft has invited Harris County Public Health to participate in Project Premonition, a research project aimed at reducing mosquito-borne diseases using cuttingedge technology.
Project Premonition has been piloted outside the United States, but this is the first time a U.S.-based mosquito control program will test the computerized mosquito traps.
The traps are able to detect and transmit a range of data, such as the time each mosquito was trapped, as well as the temperature, barometric pressure and humidity at the moment of capture. The system will allow Harris County Public Health entomologists to track specific mosquitoes that could carry harmful diseases.
“This will allow us to proactively fight diseasecarrying mosquitoes in a targeted manner, increasing our capability to protect our residents from mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika,” said Dr. Umair A. Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health.
Ten traps were to be placed in the Houston and Harris County area in June. In addition, the Project Premonition team will be working on ways in which drone technology can be used to detect mosquito hotspots as well as deploy and collect the traps.
For information, visit www.hcphtx.org. Fort Bend working to manage mosquitoes
Following recent flooding, Fort Bend County’s Road and Bridge Department has been monitoring the mosquito population with the expectation of an increase due to standing water.
As a preventative measure, the department is spraying within a threemile area of the Brazos River twice a week.
“I’m very pleased that our local efforts to control mosquitoes are showing great results,” Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert said. “We’ll keep monitoring our traps and are prepared to aerial spray the area if we see a spike in population.”
Residents of unincorporated areas of Fort Bend County can call 281-3424513 with questions. Those living within a local jurisdiction should call their city for more information. Meals on Wheels wins grant for pet project
Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels has received a $2,500 grant from Meals on Wheels America to support its Feeding Our Furry Friends program.
The grant will help qualifying homebound seniors in Fort Bend and Waller counties feed their pets.
“If we provide food for seniors’ pets, the seniors are less likely to jeopardize their own nutrition by sharing their meals with their pets,” said Manuela Arroyos, chief executive officer of the Fort Bend organization. “This grant will help Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels reach our goal of distributing more than 7,500 pounds of pet food in 2016.”
To help the Feeding our Furry Friends program, contact Sara Adams, sara@fortbendseniors.org or 281-633-7023.