INTEGRIS and Mayo Clinic announced today that INTEGRIS has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a national network of health care providers committed to better serving patients and their families through collaboration.
INTEGRIS is the first health care organization in Oklahoma to join the network. The formal agreement gives INTEGRIS access to the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and promotes physician collaboration to benefit patients. Through shared resources, more patients can get answers to complex medical questions — and peace of mind —while staying close to home.
“While INTEGRIS works with some of the most accomplished and preeminent physicians in the region, we are constantly striving for ways to provide our patients with the best care possible,” says Bruce Lawrence, president and CEO, INTEGRIS. “This collaboration between INTEGRIS and Mayo Clinic brings together two trusted names – each with unique strengths – to the betterment of all Oklahomans.”
As a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, INTEGRIS will work with Mayo to share medical knowledge in ways that will enhance patient care. Network products and services include:
· eConsults that enable INTEGRIS physicians to connect electronically with Mayo specialists when they want additional input on a patient’s care
· AskMayoExpert database that offers INTEGRIS providers point-of-care, Mayo-vetted information on disease management, care guidelines and treatment recommendations, and reference materials for medical conditions
· Health care consulting that enables INTEGRIS to learn more about Mayo’s clinical, operational and business models, including the models’ design and implementation
· eTumor Board conferences that enable INTEGRIS physicians to present and discuss management of complex cancer cases with a multidisciplinary panel of Mayo specialists and other network members.
INTEGRIS providers also have access to Mayo’s extensive library of patient education materials, and can view archived Mayo Clinic grand rounds presentations that feature Mayo physicians and scientists.
“We are pleased to welcome INTEGRIS to the Mayo Clinic Care Network,” says David Hayes, M.D., medical director, Mayo Clinic Care Network. “This relationship brings together two like-minded organizations committed to patient-centered care. As we’ve worked toward today’s announcement, it’s been clear that we share many important values and at least one essential goal: to improve the delivery of health care in a way that benefits patients.”
Formed in 1995, INTEGRIS is a nationally recognized health care system with a wide presence in Oklahoma. Approximately 6 out of every 10 Oklahomans live within 30 miles of a facility or physician included in the INTEGRIS organization. INTEGRIS has eight hospitals, more than 2,500 physicians and more than 9,000 employees.
INTEGRIS and other members of the Mayo Clinic Care Network remain independent, but share Mayo’s commitment to improve the quality and delivery of health care. Launched in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network has more than 35 member organizations in the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico and Singapore.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

It’s Thursday morning at 10 a.m. and the parking lot to Pastor James Gann’s Faith Pointe Baptist Church in Norman is completely full.
On this day there isn’t a service scheduled but people are pouring in from miles away to find help, hope and healing.
“You know that’s what the church is for,” Gann said after bellowing out the name of the next military veteran who will find help that day.
Gann isn’t preaching God’s word but he is making sure the flock is being tended to. That’s why he routinely opens up the the doors to his church to allow staff from the Dale K. Graham Veteran’s Corner to minister to America’s vets.
Graham’s 501(c)(3) organization helps vets navigate the seeming labyrinth that often separates them for the benefits they so rightfully deserve.
People from across the country have made the trek to one of the weekly workshops.
Graham started the ministry in the early 1990s. He began opening up the workshop at his country home.
By 2008, he was in the Goldsby community center. He separated from his original organization and now works out of Norman.
“I just want to help people,” Graham said. “My board of directors and I couldn’t agree. We parted ways and moved on.”
“This move to Norman has been the best move I’ve ever made. What we’re doing is we’re changing lives one at a time.”
Graham estimates his organization helps nearly 150 veterans a week in addition to 10 surviving spouses.
Benefits that veterans once thought impossible or didn’t even know about are often within reach.
Veterans who can get a 70-percent service-connected disability rating can enter a state VA center free of charge.
“One of the biggest drawbacks of getting old is they’re going to take everything you’ve got when it’s finished,” Graham said. “I like to see the kids or grandkids get something.”
An army of between 30 and 40 volunteers – all clad in red polo shirts – are present to help veterans at any given workshop.
The organization supports itself through donations and grants.
Currently, Graham says there is a desperate need for a donation of transportation to help veterans get to the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center and doctor’s visits.
A handicap van would also be a lifesaver as would a permanent location to open up daily for veterans.
The stories continue to flow in. On this morning a woman from Kansas City called and told Graham her brother was living with her after being homeless. After the Gulf War he was unable to function and struggles daily with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
She asked if there was anyone in her area that could do what Graham’s organization does.
Sadly, he couldn’t think of any.
“Most people don’t care,” Graham said. “The main thing is people don’t know how to do it.”
Graham is accredited as a claims agent for veterans.
He says he accepts no pay.
Volunteer Rhonda Reynolds recently retired as chief deputy of the Western District Federal. Her late husband was a Navy pilot.
“It’s money they’ve earned,” Reynolds said. “The difference is we’re not talking thousands of dollars we’re talking hundreds of dollars but to people living on $750 a month” it’s a huge difference.
Graham’s group has a network of doctors and healthcare providers that understand the needs of our veterans.
Shirley Clark Crowdin’s Navy husband passed away from Agent Orange exposure. She specializes in working with the spouses of veterans who have passed.
She said World War II surviving spouses, kids or grandkids whose loved one died of cancer are eligible for up to $75,000 in radiation benefits.
“They should have got it 50 years ago,” Crowdin said. “I’m doing claims for surviving spouses (whose husbands served) in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Nobody told them.
“One of the toughest things is we have so many suicides, but we’re able to service connect them once they pass away.”
Vietnam Veterans are of particular concern.
“Vietnam Veterans – there shouldn’t be one alive that doesn’t get 100 percent (disability),” said Crowdin, who notes the average age at death of a Vietnam Veteran is 63 years old, due to chemical exposure.
“We have World War II surviving spouses that live on about $300 per month and we can get then another $400,” Crowdin said, fighting back tears. “During the holidays we worked with three that had committed suicide.”
Graham nods his head.
“Every time you deal with one of them you feel the pain,” Graham said.
If you or a loved one need help with benefits you can contact Graham at 405-609-9895 or email him at dalekgrahamveteranscorner@gmail.com. Tuesday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon are open for veterans. Walkins begin at 6:30 a.m. until noon on Thursdays.
“So far, we’ve never sent anybody home,” Graham said.

The flu virus can spread like wildfire. It kills roughly 36,000 Americans annually and makes many more miserable.
Even with the potential danger posed by the virus, why do as many as 60 percent of Americans forgo the annual flu shot?
A big factor is the long-held belief that the flu shot itself can give you the flu. But according to scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, this simply is false.
“The flu vaccine that we use now does not have live flu virus in it,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “The vaccine cannot infect you.”
The vaccine is made from proteins in a lab, not from the virus itself. However, your body’s immune system sees these proteins as foreign and makes antibodies that bind to them to prevent the influenza virus from infecting cells and spreading. This process prepares the body for a rapid immune response to the actual flu virus, often preventing the illness.
But a flu shot can cause mild side effects, and this is where some of the misunderstandings start.
OMRF immunologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D., said the most common side effects are soreness, redness or swelling around the site of the injection, and some people may occasionally experience a low-grade fever. But, according to Chakravarty, this is no cause for alarm, “It’s just your body doing its job and developing protective immunity.”
These symptoms, though, won’t be anything like the full-blown flu, said Prescott, a physician and medical researcher. “The flu will give you a high fever and muscle aches all over your body. Those symptoms are usually severe, and the disease can be life-threatening.”
Very rarely, a person might get the flu after receiving the flu vaccine, but Chakravarty says not to blame it on the shot.
“In these instances, a person was already exposed to the virus,” she said. “Most likely, they were in an incubation period without symptoms, but the vaccine didn’t cause the illness. This is just coincidental and unrelated to receiving the shot. Essentially, it would just be bad luck.”
If you haven’t gotten vaccinated this year, Chakravarty urges you to do so.
“It’s never too late to get the flu shot,” she said. “We’ve found that the flu can linger within a community longer than we expected, so it’s always a good idea to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

by Vickie Jenkins

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12. This is a scripture that has been the driving force behind the success of Golden Age Home Health, Inc. and its staff,” comments Lydia N. Sowah, RN and Administrator of the facility.
In 1996, Golden Age Home Health, Inc. was established, owned and operated by a registered nurse, Lydia N. Sowah, RN and Administrator.
Lydia has been a nurse for over 36 years. She spent 15 of those years working in critical care as a critical care nurse at Southwest Medical Center. She and her husband, Nathan Sowah, co-own Golden Age Home Health. The company’s mission is to provide quality, safe, timely and cost effective health care in the privacy of the patient’s residence.
Lydia and her team strive to create a lasting bond with every patient while ensuring their safety in the comfort of their own home. Golden Age Home Health offers skilled nursing services, home health aide services, speech therapy, occupational therapy, social services, physical therapy, and Advantage Case Management.
Lydia’s vision for her home health agency has always been to provide excellent care to each patient and their families, and to improve outcomes and prevent frequent readmissions to the hospitals. Because of this vision, Golden Age consistently focuses on continued staff education and coordination of care.
The golden Rule of treating others the way you wish to be treated is the foundation on which Lydia has built her business. Golden Age Home Health is proud of their professional staff. As the Administrator, Lydia is goal driven, hard-working and a perfectionist and she has a way of instilling those qualities into each of her employees. Recently, Lydia was honored with the 2015 Home Health and Hospice Home Health Executive Award in the state of Oklahoma for her hard work in the industry.
Lydia’s success and career can be attributed to her upbringing as a young girl born and raised in Accra, Ghana. Lydia attended elementary and high school in Ghana. Her family moved to Stevenage, in Hertfordshire England in 1962. In 1974, Lydia joined her family in England, where she completed her final year at Heathcote Secondary School. “I always had a dream of being a fashion designer and knew this was what my future would hold,” said Lydia. “Little did I know that my father had different plans for me and his words of wisdom would change my life forever.”
“I had just graduated high school in 1975 when on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, my father wanted to meet with me and my 2 sisters.” Lydia explained. “Standing in front of him, he said that he wanted one of us to be a nurse, though he had no preference at the time on which one of us would become one. It was up to my sisters and me to decide and get back with him. My immediate thought was that I don’t want to be a nurse; I want to be a fashion designer. My sisters didn’t want to be a nurse either. I was confused and all I could think to myself was, what’s going on here?”
“A week later, the 3 of us met with my father again. Not knowing what was going to happen, my father handed me an envelope. Inside, was a filled out application for me to get into a nursing program. All I had to do was sign it and return it to him. I wasn’t sure why he handpicked me, but I assumed it was because of me being the eldest of the 6 children. I simply did as my father said.”
“Six weeks later, I received a phone call from the School of Nursing at Lister Hospital for an interview. My interview lasted less than 10 minutes. The Dean of Nursing, who conducted the interview, asked me why the signature on the completed application was in a different handwriting. I told her it was because my father completed the application and asked me to sign it. I left the room, knowing that I would never be accepted. Six weeks later, I received a letter that read, ‘We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the school of nursing at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, England.’ Apparently, God knew what He wanted me to do. It was my destiny. This is how I got into nursing.”
“I started the nursing program and received my LPN Certificate within the required 18 months. My first clinical experience was on the Orthopedic Unit, where I had the opportunity to develop a one-on-one relationship with patients, most the elderly population. I felt so much compassion, taking care of the sick and critically ill patients and it was at that time when I really fell in love with nursing as a career.“ While working full-time and managing a family, Lydia received her RN License in 1984.
Today, Lydia’s business is a huge success and has been for the last 20 years. She took her father’s advice and became an LPN and loves every minute of her job. Although it was not meant for her to be a fashion designer, caring for others and servicing others in their time of need became the calling of her life. She is thankful for her loving parents and knows that because of them, she is where she is today. Her biggest blessings thus far have been her faith in God, her family and her amazing staff.
Apart from various community services, Lydia is actively involved in volunteering at Crossings free clinic on behalf of St. Luke’s United Methodist church where she serves on the medical team. She enjoys spending time with her family and has been blessed with two children and two granddaughters. Her hobbies include traveling, dancing and watching sports. Along with her husband, they are supporting 3 orphan boys, living in Ghana after the death of their parents. The Sowahs have big hearts and lots of love that they share with others.
When asking Lydia what qualities make a good nurse, she replied, “A nurse has to have a good heart and a genuine interest in caring for patients. The love and compassion has to come from within. They have to have a desire to take care of sick people, have strong work ethics and be knowledgeable about any situation that they may encounter.”
I admire Lydia for her dedication and determination through the years. Lastly, Sowah wants to share the fact that she owes everything that she has accomplished in her life to her Heavenly Father above.

“I would be a lamb because a lamb seems so gentle.” Emma Stone

“I would be a wolf so I could catch my little lamb,” as he pointed to his wife, Emma. Curtis Stone

“I would be a dog because I would love to be loved and babied.” Doris Green

“I would be a cat because cats are nice.” Bennie Green

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn  t4z@aol.com

Art can be entertaining and a reunion with favorite talented artist. The November Collectors Reserve event at Oklahoma’s Gilcrease Museum is such a gathering. The Museum is known for its western heritage art, but the Collectors Reserve brings together many contemporary artists expressing many cultures.
Following your favorite artist over the years and over the county, can be daunting, as it has been for many with the prolific bronze artist, Joshua Tobey, http://www.joshuatobeystudios.com/. For many years his wildlife bronze creatures could be found in Sedona, Austin, Santa Fe and Loveland, among many galleries. The multiple award winning artist was present for the recent Collectors Reserve at the Gilcrease, and once again took home the highest award over 100 other artists with the Best In Show. He exhibited his large owl, Wise Guy, and bears performing a balancing act, Tricks of the Trade, and the Best In Show cougar in repose, Lions View.
Other artists exhibited were: Joan Marron-LaRue, Doug Hyde, Oreland C. Joe Sr., Linda Turma Robertson, Jim Wilcox, Sandy Scott, and Gerald Balciar among others. Cocktails and light refreshments were served as the guest perused the art that they would like to have the opportunity to purchase with a drawing for its set price. The museum provided group prices for a downtown Tulsa hotel and offered shuttles up to the Gilcrease, making the entire evening more enjoyable.
You may want to plan to attend the 2016 Collectors Reserve, or sample the Gilcrease before then with:
Rick Bartow: Things You Know But Cannot Explain opens January 24 and runs through April 24, 2016 at Gilcrease Museum. Featuring more than 100 pieces, including a broad selection of sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints, mixed media work and the giant pastels for which he is mostly known, the exhibition draws from public and private collections (including the artist’s studio) that affirm this extraordinary artist’s regional, national and international impact.
Also see the works of early nineteen hundred artist William R. Leigh, where in 1906, an opportunity to expand the scope of his work came about when the Santa Fe Railroad offered him free passage to the West in exchange for a painting of the Grand Canyon.
If you don’t have a favorite artist, you can start your search at the Gilcrease. For more information go to: https://gilcrease.org/

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
http://realtraveladventures.com/author/zinn/
http://www.examiner.com/travel-in-oklahoma-city/terry-zinn
www.new.okveterannews.com – www.martinitravels.com