Specialized Medicine

Surgery Center

Surgeries in most of the major specialties, including general and vascular, gastrointestinal, orthopedic, urological and ophthalmic, are done on an outpatient and inpatient basis. Endoscopy, lithotripsy and cardiac catheterization and recovery.

Orthopedics

Full service orthopedic services include joint replacement, foot and ankle surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, head and neck pain management and rehabilitation and sports medicine, with therapeutic and rehabilitative services provided by the Department of Physical Medicine.

Eye Center

Physicians and surgeons with BVA-Advanced Eye Care provide the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, disorders and injuries at The Eye Center at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. This includes leading edge treatment and surgical techniques for refractive disorders, conditions of the aging eye including cataract, glaucoma, corneal disease and conditions related to diabetes and high blood pressure, and eyelid reconstruction and facial aesthetics.

Radiology

Full-spectrum radiology services include x-ray, CT,ultrasound, MRI, nuclear medicine, echocardiograms, mammography and cardiac catheterization, read by a permanent, fulltime radiologist.

State of the Art CT Scanner

Great Plains Regional Medical Center has just installed a new, state of the art, 64 slice CT Scanner.

A CT Scanner (sometimes known as a CAT Scan) uses X-Rays to take pictures of your body from different angles. A computer puts the images together and creates a series of cross sections or through the part of the body being scanned. This way a very detailed picture of the body can be obtained.

“This is a great step forward for our hospital”, says Duane Mills, Director of Radiology. “With the new scanner, we’ll be able to more accurately see what’s happening inside someone’s body. Early detection is often the key to successful treatment of a variety of conditions.”

The CT Scan gives radiologists and physicians more accurate images of the abdomen and chest. For this reason, a CT Scan is the preferred method for diagnosing many different cancers, including lung, liver and pancreatic cancer. The image allows a physician to confirm the presence of a tumor and measure its size, precise location and the extent of the tumor’s involvement with other nearby tissue.

The instrument is also vital for diagnosing and treating spinal problems and injuries to the hands, feet and other skeletal structures because it can clearly show even very small bones as well as surrounding tissues such as muscle and blood vessels.

Because of its versatility and ability to take picture of all parts of the body, a CT Scan can also be used in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases that can lead to stroke, kidney failure or even death.

Great Plains Regional Medical Center received its first CT Scanner back in February of 1986.

WestOk Cancer Center

WestOk specializes in using IMRT to treat prostate cancer, breast cancer and head and neck cancers.

A highly conformal radiation therapy, IMRT is achieved through the use of a multi-leaf collimator (MLC). The MLC allows the intensity of the beam to be varied over each field, from full intensity to any fraction that approaches zero. The collimator’s leaves are like fingers and divide the field into narrow strips. With IMRT, WestOk can modulate the intensity of the beam so that when critical structures are within the field they will be given a lesser dose than in areas where only tumor exists. In areas where both tumor and critical structures fall within the field, the intensity will be adjusted accordingly. When a variety of ports are used, the dose distributions become highly conformal. The tumor, regardless of its shape, is optimally covered and the dose can be very minimal to critical structures that are in close proximity to the tumor. This process is called optimization and is a computer generated best-fit plan.

The staff at WestOk Cancer Center work hard to keep your side effects to a minimum. Radiation treatments are painless, you feel absolutely nothing during a treatment. Although you are alone in the treatment room while the machine is turned on, you will be monitored with audio and video by the radiation therapist at all times. Click here for more information on WestOk Cancer Center

Department of Rehab Services

GPRMC has a full complement of qualified, trained therapists in physical, occupational and speech therapy for treatment of injuries or rehabilitation after prolonged illnesses or surgery. The Rehab Services team works hand-in-hand with orthopedic physicians and other medical professionals to help patients increase strength, range of motion, flexibility, coordination and endurance, as well as reduce pain.

From a muscle strain to advanced post-operative care, you can count on the professional therapists in GPRMC’s Rehab Services Department to deliver the highest quality treatment using the latest techniques and state-of-the-art equipment. We focus on getting our clients back to their activities as quickly as possible without compromising safety. Great Plains Regional has a full complement of qualified, trained therapists. Our physical therapy staff is comprised of four registered physical therapists, two registered physical therapy assistants, one registered physical therapy assistant/licensed athletic trainer, and one registered physical therapy assistant/certified wound care associate. Our occupational therapy staff consists of one licensed occupational therapist and one certified occupational therapy assistant. We round out our comprehensive services with a licensed and clinically certified speech pathologist. These healthcare professionals provide:

Strength & flexibility training
Aquatics therapy
Postural and lifting mechanics
Cardiovascular conditioning
Ortho/sports/rehab programs
Skilled wound care
Neurological rehabilitation
Swallowing training
Pain management for arthritis, back, neck and injury sites
Work hardening
Isokinetic testing

To keep your life in balance, talk to your doctor, or call the Department of Rehab Services at 580/821-5351.

Home Health Services

Great Plains Home Health provides patients with the opportunity to be cared for in the comfort and security of their homes when recovering from surgery or illness. Home health care encompasses IV therapy servives, physical, speech pathology and ongoing occupational therapy, and a number of other specialty services.
For more information about home health care, call 225-5656.

Emergency Department

GPRMC’s Emergency Department is staffed 24/7 by permanent, full-time emergency physicians and a staff of seasoned emergency/trauma nurses. Great Plains Regional is designated as a paramedic-receiving facility. Each patient who arrives by ambulance is immediately met and triaged by an ER physician.

Urology

Great Plains Regional Medical Center has an outstanding prostate cancer program, one that is comparable in quality to programs at major medical centers.

As with many cancers, the cause of prostate cancer is unknown. It is more common, though, in men with a family history of the disease and among African-American men. The sex hormone testosterone also contributes to the growth of the cancer.

Because prostate cancer is a slow growing disease, many affected men will die from other causes. Evidence also indicates that many patients detect their prostate cancer at a curable state because of annual screening.

Neurology

The services of a board-certified neurologist, who treats diseases and conditions of the nervous system such as back and neck pain, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and migraine headaches, are available twice weekly.

Center for Sleep Disorders

This special center has both board-certified sleep physicians and registered sleep technologists who can diagnose and treat sleep-related problems and disorders that may indicate such serious health problems as heart problems, high blood pressure, depression and diabetes.

If you can answer “yes” to many of the following questions, you may have a sleep disorder:

SLEEP APNEA

I’ve been told that I snore.
I’ve been told that I stop breathing when I sleep
I feel sleepy during the day, even though I sleep through the night
I have high blood pressure
I’ve been told that I am a restless sleeper
I seat excessively during the night
I frequently awaken with headaches
I am overweight and/or am gaining weight
I seem to be losing my sex driveINSOMNIA
I have real difficulty falling asleep
Thoughts race through my mind
I wake up during the night and can’t go back to sleep
I wake up earlier in the morning than I would like to and can’t go back to sleep
I’ll like awake for half an hour or more before I fall asleep

NARCOLEPSY

I had trouble concentrating when I was in school
When I’m angry, or surprised, or laugh, I feel like I am going limp
I have fallen asleep while driving
I feel like I go around in a daze
I experience vivid dreamlike scenes upon falling asleep or awakening
I have fallen asleep while laughing or crying
I have trouble at work because of sleepiness
I have vivid nightmares soon after falling asleep
Sometimes, no matter how hard I try to stay awake, I fall asleep anyway.
I feel like I have to cram a full day into every hour to get anything done
Sometimes I feel unable to move when I’m waking up or falling asleep

PERIODIC LIMB MOVEMENTS DISORDER & RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

I experience muscle tension in my legs even when I am otherwise relaxes
I have noticed, or others have commented, that parts of my body jerk
I have been told that I kick at night
I experience aching or “crawling” sensations in my legs
I experience leg pain at night
Sometimes I can’t keep my legs still at night; I just have to move them
Even though I sleep through the night, I feel sleepy during the day

GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX

I wake up with heartburn
I have a chronic cough
I have to use antacids almost every week for stomach trouble
I am hoarse in the morning
I wake up at night coughing and wheezing
I have frequent sore throats
During the night I suddenly wake up gasping for breath.

If you are your partner are concerned about possible sleep disorder symptoms, or for more information, contact your physician or The Center for Sleep Disorders at GPRMC at 580/225-2511, Ext. 350.

Senior Health Care Center

Many people face numerous losses in later life. These losses might include: loss of independence, abilities, loved ones and their home. As a result, some elderly people suffer from symptoms of grief or depression that might be ignored or misinterpreted as normal patterns of aging. There are warning signs that a loved one may need treatment or help in understanding the changes in their lives. Some of these signs are:

Confusion
Depression
Tearfulness
Agitation
Sleep Disturbances
Memory Loss
Paranoia
Hallucinations
Suicidal Thoughts
Change in Appetite
Feelings of Hopelessness or Helplessness

The Senior Health Care Center at Great Plains Regional Medical Center understands how difficult it can be for a family member or caregiver to watch a loved one struggle through physical and emotional difficulties. At Senior Health Care Center, the focus is on helping patients achieve optimal level of functioning. Each patient receives a thorough evaluation of their physical and emotional needs. A team of physicians, nurses, social workers and therapists work with the patient and family to design a treatment plan specific to each patient. The patient participates in a program of activities and therapies designed to help patients cope with family change and loss.
To learn more about the Senior Health Care Center at Great Plains Regional Medical Center, call (580) 303-5855.