Memphis, Tenn., June 29, 2005– Baptist Rehabilitation-Germantown, located at 2100 Exeter Road, is set to open on July 1 the Baptist HealthScore Screening Center, a new weapon in the arsenal to detect and prevent heart disease and stroke.

The center will offer a host of screenings to assist in the early detection and prevention of stroke, heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and osteoporosis. Among the tests offered is HeartScore™, a CT scan of the heart to detect the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries. Also available is the bone density test DEXA, a special low-dose X-ray with a computer analyzation of the quality and quantity of bone material. In addition, there are ultrasounds for stroke/carotid artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral arterial disease.

“We want to give community members the resources and education they need to be proactive about their health,” said Susan Stralka, CEO and administrator of Baptist Germantown. “The screenings provide physicians and patients vital information that could end up saving lives or prompting patients to make lifestyle changes that could greatly enhance their health and well-being.”

Heart disease claims nearly 1 million lives a year in the nation and is the No. 1 killer of American men and women. The third leading cause of death in the United States, a stroke happens every 53 seconds and is the leading cause of disability in adults. Peripheral arterial disease and osteoporosis can significantly lower quality of life and may lead to more serious conditions.

The tests are recommended for, but not limited to, those 50 and older, as well as those with risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, hypertension or a family history of heart disease or stroke. All of the tests are painless and noninvasive. Patients don’t need a physician referral for these tests, but must provide the name of a physician who can receive test results. Most insurance plans do not cover these preventive screenings, so all patients must pay for testing in advance.

Baptist Germantown is a 68-bed acute care facility that offers a comprehensive array of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services designed to allow a patient’s complete course of care to take place under one roof. Baptist Germantown concentrates on a variety of rehabilitation and diagnostic services, both inpatient and outpatient, to treat many types of injuries and conditions, such as stroke, arthritis, spine and back disorders and injuries, fractures, amputations, and spinal cord and head injuries. The hospital offers an open MRI machine, as well as a Wound Prevention and Management Center.

For more information about the screening center, please call (901) 757-3457 or visit www.baptistonline.org.

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