Travis Ginn

White Crane Tai Chi will now be offered at the Pardee Rehab & Wellness Center, located at 212-B Thompson Street near Epic Theaters. Classes will take place each Friday from noon until 1 p.m. The cost per class is $10 with your first class being free, or $45 for a series of five classes, $80 for a series of ten classes.

The ancient art of Tai Chi uses gentle flowing movements to reduce the stress of today’s busy lifestyles and improve health. The class is designed to provide a comfortable, relaxing, stress-free environment to aid in a person’s growth physically, mentally and spiritually. The classes will be instructed by fourth degree black belt, Travis Ginn, who has more than 25 years of experience and is certified in instructing Tai Chi.

The class is open for anyone to participate regardless of limitations and can be performed seated if necessary. Tai Chi is a self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. It teaches proper posture and breathing techniques beneficial to your health. Participants perform a series of postures and movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pause, keeping your body in constant motion.

For more information about White Crane Tai Chi with Travis Ginn, visit www.HoSinSoolDojang.com or for additional class information contact the Rehab and Wellness Center.

Pardee’s new patient monitors were featured in a story on WLOS, ABC News 13, last night. The story featured an interview with Pardee associate, Gayle Sams and an emergency department patient. The new monitors are the result of a visit from Congressman Heath Shuler (D – NC, 11th District) last April. Congressman Shuler came to Pardee to announce $295,000 in federal appropriations for upgrades and equipment to the intensive care unit (ICU). As part of his visit, Shuler toured the hospital and presented the award to hospital representatives. This award was used to purchase the new monitors, which are now in the ICU and emergency department. The Pardee Hospital Foundation applied for the funding through Shuler’s office, who requested the money as part of the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. The bill was passed and signed into law in March 2009. This funding and the new monitors are helping Pardee to achieve the strategic goal of meeting and exceeding the health care needs the community and striving to provide health care value to our patients through the delivery of superior clinical programs.

Recently, in the Citizen-Times News Editorial Report Card, Pardee received an “A.”

“A to Margaret Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville, cited for excellence in providing charity care in a new report by the North Carolina Justice Center. In comparison with other Tar Heel hospitals, Pardee offers charity care policy that exceeds the area’s cost of living, helping out low-income and uninsured families strapped with medical expenses.”

The Editorial Report is an opinion piece that rates local, regional, and national topics. We are excited that this effort was noticed, because we strive to be transparent to our community. We even have a community benefit news ticker on our home page.

The care, technology, services and outreach Pardee Hospital provides for our community depends on our continued financial strength. A healthy operating margin allows us to grow in ways that improve health in Henderson County, keep health care accessible and plan for the future. Keeping our financials healthy means maintaining the faith and trust of all our stakeholders- our patients, our supporters and our entire community. This is achievable through true transparency and open communications. We keep our stakeholders informed throughout the year with our annual report, Healthy Horizons community newsletter, news releases to local media outlets, and our Web site and blog. As your community hospital, it is our duty to keep you informed of where and how your health care resources are invested. Our growth strengthens when you keep investing in us so we can invest in you.