News

Known as ‘Coach’ to everyone in the Farmington, Missouri, community, Gary Koch, 79, has made a lasting impact both on and off the basketball court. A Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, he spent more than 40 years coaching college women’s and high school boys’ varsity basketball. Now retired, he is thankful for the wonderful care he received after a serious heart scare last summer.

Staying active helps maintain joint flexibility and balance, promotes better posture and strengthens bones.

Healthy bones are a critical component of the human body. Proper nutrition, calcium and vitamin D supplements are all excellent ways to improve bone health. Charles Grimshaw, MD, a BJC Medical Group orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician at Christian Hospital, says that monitoring for osteoporosis, osteopenia (a condition that occurs when there’s a decrease in bone mineral density) and metabolic deficiencies, like deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, are proactive approaches for supporting bone health.

Injuries or illnesses can happen quickly, and knowing where to get medical care is important. Waking up with a sore throat, tripping when walking the dog, or having trouble breathing are different situations, and understanding the differences is essential to receiving appropriate care. It’s always stressful to figure out where to go for your care, especially if the injury is too severe for your regular primary care physician, or your illness happens during the weekend or evening.

If you have a visitor from out of town who gets sick or hurt, you might wonder how to get them medical care away from home. For guests of Missouri and Illinois residents, BJC has several health care options.

In a world where there’s not enough time in the day to be sick, we find ourselves wanting flexibility and more options for care when illness or injury strikes.