Your Good Health Forum

Registry Still Helping Seniors
Avoid Those Unwanted Calls

By Denise M. Dever

DIVERSITY WALKS: Team Espo, representing all ages, genders:and breeds, gathers prior to the start of the 2007 annual 3-mile RHCI BoardWALK at the Cape Cod Canal. Former patient Jerry Esposito of Sandwich (back row, second right) captained a team to thank RHCI for the rehabilitation he received after double knee replacement surgery. This year's event raised $80,000 to purchase therapy and other equipment used in direct patient care at RHCI and its five outpatient centers. About 400 former patients, friends of Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands and RHCI staff participated in the hospital's annual event.

The Do Not Call Registry was established by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to keep people of all ages from being bothered by unwanted telephone telemarketing calls.

However, the FTC warns, that doesn't stop calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities and telephone surveyors. A company also may call you for 18 months after you make a purchase or three months after you submit an inquiry or application.

If you think you're still getting too many calls, the FTC recommends taking the following steps:

  • Check to see that your number actually is on the registry. You can verify this online at donotcall.gov (click on “Verify a Registration”) or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the phone number you wish to verify. Follow the prompts. (If your number is not on the registry you can add it using the same Web site or phone number, again calling from the number you want to register. If you register online, you will receive an e-mail from donotcall.gov as part of the confirmation process. You then must click on the link in this e-mail within 72 hours after you receive it.)
  • If your number has been on the registry for at least 31 days and a telemarketer calls, complain to the FTC using the connections listed above. You'll need to provide the date of the call and the phone number or name of the company that called you.

    It is important that whenever possible, you do your own screening to make certain any questionable calls are legitimate and not a telemarketer, scammer or unwanted solicitor sounding friendly. (Ms. Dever is President and Co-Owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Centerville, 508-778-8613 or www.homeinstead.com.)







    Cape VNA's Screening Programs
    Dodge Bullet, Continue To Serve

    Change can breed uncertainty and the status of many programs was left up in the air with the passage last year of the state's new Health Care Reform Law.

    One expected victim was expected to be the Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod's Men's Health Partnership and the Women's Health Network screening programs. Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Health, they were scheduled to be shut down as of this past June.

    However, new Health Commissioner John Auerbach provided a reprieve. Based on a decision to maintain familiar programs that also promised to provide improved community services in the future, both programs were extended through June 2008.

    The Men's Health Partnership and the Woman's Health Network have provided annual health screening services for Cape area residents for several years. Uninsured and underinsured people meeting state guidelines are eligible.

    The Men's program offers cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure testing and prostate screening for men over 50 years of age, or over 40 with a family history of prostate cancer, or of African American ancestry.

    The Woman's program offers breast and cervical screening (mammograms, clinical breast exams and PAP visits) for women 40-64 years old, and diagnostics for women 21-64.

    A phone call connects potential clients to information about the programs and the location of convenient screening sites. Services currently are available from New Bedford to Provincetown and the Men's Health Partnership also visits Martha's Vineyard four times a year.

    The staff, clients and providers of both programs have seen many changes over the years. Grant funding can be variable, so the people who serve and are served have learned to be flexible. The teams of these programs want the community to know that they're still operating and would welcome inquiries and the opportunity to provide needed services.

    The toll-free number to call for both programs is 1-800-631-3900. The Men's Health Partnership extension is 7629, for the Women's Health Network it's 7605.








    EMERGENCY SUMMIT MEETING: Everything went just about as planned as members of the Hyannis Fire Department with other first responders and "victim" volunteers from high school drama groups carried out an emergency disaster drill on the just completed but still unoccupied top floor of the new Mugar Tower at Cape Cod Hospital October 10. Photo by Van Northcross.

    Cancer Specialist Chingos
    Returns To The Cape

    Dr. James C. Chingos, former Medical Director of Cape Cod Healthcare's medical oncology program, has returned to Cape Cod after spending the last two years at the University of Florida's College of Medicine in Jacksonville.

    Dr. Chingos, who retains the title of Associate Professor for continued teaching purposes, began work as an Oncologist for Falmouth Hospital's medical oncology program in September.

    Dr. Chingos served as Medical Director for Cape Cod Healthcare's medical oncology program from 1996-2005. Prior to that, he was Director of Medical Oncology at Cape Cod Hospital from 1988-1996. He also served as Medical Director for the VNA of Cape Cod and Medical Director of VNA Hospice.

    During his time on Cape Cod, he recruited the entire radiation oncology physician staff at Cape Cod Hospital and oversaw the creation of medical oncology and radiation oncology services at Falmouth Hospital.