Community Regional Medical Center’s diagnostic medical sonography program is now one of three in California with dual accreditation in cardiac and general sonography and one of the few hospital based programs offering all classes and clinical experience on site. The 18-month-old program recently received approval from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education.

Dave DiPalma, chaplain intern for Community Medical Centers isn’t afraid of silence.

“Sometimes the most meaningful things happen, when I say something, and then the patient says something, and I’m just kind of waiting to see what they want to talk about next.”

This is just one of the skills he’s learning thanks to his enrollment in Clinical Pastoral Education classes.

As the graduation march “Pomp and Circumstance” began to play at the Save Mart Center on April 21, a flood of emotions went through Tina Gulbronsen.

“It was surreal,” said Gulbronsen, Community Regional Medical Center’s director of nursing administration. “I saw the bachelor of nursing flag bearer walking down the aisle to lead us and it was amazing.”

Benjamin J. Steinberg D.O. found when explaining complicated surgical procedures of gynecological problems to his patients that words weren’t enough – especially for patients who might not be proficient in English or have a great understanding of the body’s structures. So Dr. Steinberg turned to a new tool – interactive computer animation -- for help communicating complex diagnosis and anatomy.

Your mind and body are intimately connected, and your overall health depends on both of them working well. This is most evident in depression: Research shows that people who suffer from clinical depression face a higher risk for contracting certain illnesses, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Everyday movement can prevent pain, illness and early death. A recently released medical study found that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die from a heart attack than those who stand or walk.

Q. Will I need to have Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) after my hysterectomy?

A. It depends on your age and ovarian status. After a hysterectomy, most women take hormones until their early fifties, but the number drops to about 10% after that. The decision for or against HRT is an individual one, and your surgeon will help you make that choice.