Heart Lung

Union Memorial has revived the previous (1987) Physical Assessment program through the Locals at no charge to the membership. We have chosen to conduct this program on your time instead of involving the Department as in the past. We have combined the Heart / Lung Scan Program with the Physical Assessment program to be conducted in one appointment. The Assessment will be by appointment only on Tuesdays between 12 PM–2 PM at the Fitness/Rehab Center and will include some of the same types of screening and testing as the past program including blood work. We also have Heart/Lung Scans only, if you prefer, on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hour of 11 AM-12 PM.

These programs (Assessments and Heart/Lung scans) at Union Memorial are now offered to ALL interested members, active and retired of both Locals along with wives and widows. The results will be available only to you or a Doctor you designate. That is why we are promoting this program to you on your time, unlike in 1987, when we did it as a company unit on shift work time and the Department was involved. These results are confidential.

The stress test part is now done on a stationary bike and takes only about 10 minutes for a six mile ride. The improved technology since 1987 makes this program easier and quicker to attain the same results for the assessment phase. We are also making the heart/lung scans available at the same time as the assessment. The Physical Assessment is free of charge to our participants. There will still be a fee of approximately $150 for the scans. The entire program including the heart/lung scan will take about 1 hour of your time and will be done on the designated day (Tuesday) assigned to us. It will be worth it just to get all the rest of our members through the heart/lung scans. We have had much success and participation due to the confidentiality of the heart/lung scans and we intend to continue in that mode with this venture to ensure that trust level. Please take advantage of it. You are never too young or too old to monitor your health. Again, these are open to active and retired members of both Locals along with wives and widows.

Please take advantage of these appointments while they last. We need to keep the schedule full until all active and retired members and the wives and widows avail themselves of this unique opportunity. Union Memorial will only staff these programs if we use them.

Below are the contact information, directions, and instructions needed to schedule appointments for the Assessment and Heart / Lung scans. You will have to contact the Heart / Lung phone # to coordinate your appointments for the same Tuesday that you do the assessment.

Members and spouses who wish to participate in our Assessment and Heart/Lung Scan program are instructed to:

1. Call the Fitness Center at 410-554-2167 to schedule the physical assessment - these appointments are only on Tuesdays between 12 PM- 2 PM.

2. They are then instructed to contact the Heart Scan scheduling line at 1-877-744-3278 and told to identify themselves as part of the BCFD program and try to schedule their scan on the same Tuesday prior to the physical assessment.

If not using the Assessment Program, the Radiology Department offers four (4) Heart / Lung scan appointments (15 minutes each) on each Tuesday and Thursday between 11 AM - 12 PM.

FITNESS ASSESSMENT

PRETEST INSTRUCTIONS

Guidelines recommended for the most accurate test results:

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Sneakers preferred.
Avoid food, tobacco, and caffeine for at least 3-4 hours before testing.
Abstain from alcohol consumption within 48 hours of the assessment.
Avoid moderate or vigorous physical activity within 12 hours of the assessment.
Ingest no diuretic agents, including caffeine, prior to the assessment.
Get an adequate amount of sleep (6 to 8 hours) the night before the test.
Drink plenty of fluids over the 24-hour period preceding the test to ensure normal hydration prior to the testing.

Directions to Fitness Center

Park in garage A (1^st garage on your left) and take elevator to main lobby. Walk across bridge to security desk. Sign-in at desk. Go to 33^rd Street Building which is straight ahead down the hallway past the pharmacy and to your left. Walk down the ramp past the Conference Center. Elevators will be on your left. Take elevator to 2^nd Floor and turn left and proceed down the hallway to the Fitness Center. You will receive a voucher to cover the parking fee.

For questions regarding the Assessment test and scheduling of appointments contact:

The Fitness/Rehab Center at 410-554-2167

They will refer you to 1-877-744-3278 to set up the coordinated Heart / Lung scan. Please identify yourself as a BCFD participant to coordinate this appointment with your Assessment date and time.

For any family or friends, I would like to mention the Community Outreach Program conducted by Union Memorial Hospital offering heart and/or lung scans to the general public on Saturdays at the rate of $75 each or both for $150. The phone # is 1-877-744-3278. There was a mailing that I received from Upper Chesapeake Hospital that offered a heart scan only for a $799 fee. The Union Memorial program is much more reasonable and should not be ignored. These Saturday appointments are open to the general public.

Please note:

Franklin Square Hospital no longer offers the Community Outreach Program. The only place I am aware of to get Heart / Lung Scans is Union Memorial Hospital.