West Tennessee Healthcare learns about new technology for pulmonary embolisms

JACKSON, Tenn. — The West Tennessee Healthcare board met to discuss new technology for patients in West Tennessee.

“It’s amazing that we have the kind of technology here in West Tennessee that you don’t necessarily find even in larger cities,” chief compliance and communications officer Amy Garner said.

In Tuesday evening’s virtual meeting, West Tennessee Healthcare board members watched a special report from Dr. Matthew Graham with Jackson Radiology Associates on a new device that treats pulmonary embolisms, or blood clots on the lungs.

“They can remove those clots from the lungs using this device called a FlowTriever,” Garner said.

Dr. Graham included a demonstration of how the device works, and CT scans of the lungs.

“Anytime that we can provide technology that improves quality of care and saves lives, that’s important stuff, so we’re very proud of the work they’re doing,” Garner said.

The board also discussed COVID-19 in West Tennessee, specifically statistics surrounding hospitalizations.

“We had 110 COVID-19 patients at one point in July or August, and now we’re down to about 65 patients here in Jackson,” Garner said.

“I hope we continue to see the numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations go down,” Garner said, “we are at our lowest number of COVID-19 patients in the facility that we’ve had in well over a month.”

Board members also discussed the organization’s remote patient monitoring program, along with Telemedicine work during the pandemic.