Genesis Logo

Genesis HealthCare System Implements New Patient Messaging System to Protect Patient Privacy

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

Genesis HealthCare System has implemented a new messaging and communication system to better protect sensitive patient information. This new approach is integrated with our electronic medical record system and MyChart. Direct text messages from all Genesis entities, including provider offices, will now be sent to patients from the 5-digit number 57378. This 5-digit number is owned by Genesis, assuring the message and links within it are safe to access and read.

Also, all patients with a MyChart account can now choose how they are contacted and may update their preferences at any time. Choices include text message, email or phone calls. Information about updating communication settings can be found here.

Genesis HealthCare System - OG Image

Direct text messages from all Genesis entities, including provider offices, will now be sent to patients from the 5-digit number 57378.

Exclude From Search
No

Don’t forget the sunscreen

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Get your shades, shorts and sandals ready. 

You may not be headed on a tropical vacation. But now that you’re in the mindset, it’s time to talk about wearing sunscreen year-round.  

Our skin is the largest organ in our body. Skin cancer is the leading type of cancer in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.  

The main forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Skin cancer is common with people with lighter skin tones, although people of all skin tones can get skin cancer. 

The sun causes up to 90% of the skin changes we see generally attributed to aging, according to Medline Plus. Even on the gloomiest days our bodies need sun protection. Although we can’t see ultraviolet (UV) levels, our skin is still at risk.  

Apply sunscreen every day, no matter the season. The EPA recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a SPF of 30 or higher 20 minutes before going outdoors. Loose-fitting clothes that are tightly woven will provide added protection. Hats and other winter gear can also help cover the skin. 

Take the quiz below to learn more about sun protection, no matter the time of year. 

 

 

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

 

 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

zoom in of man spraying sunscreen on his hand

Take the quiz below to learn more about sun protection, no matter the time of year. 

Exclude From Search
No

Voytko, Vanessa L.

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on
Doctor ID
4385
Vanessa L. Voytko, MD
First Name
Vanessa
Middle Name
L.
Last Name
Voytko
Professional Titles
MD
Gender
Office Phone
NPI
1255607784
Accepting New Patients
FALSE
Is Referral Required
FALSE
Hide Office Hours
Off
Online Scheduling
Off
Genesis Medical Group
Off

2907 Bell Street
Zanesville, OH 43701
United States

4385
Hide Phone
Off
Exclude From Search
No
Hide Office Hours Title
Off
Sort
3
Provider Type
Show ratings?
Hide

When good cells go bad

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

When good cells go bad. A lighthearted look at autoimmune diseases

Imagine hiring a security guard to protect your house, only to discover that he keeps thinking you are an intruder in your living room. That, in a nutshell, is how autoimmune diseases work. Your immune system, which is supposed to defend you from outside invaders like viruses and bacteria, suddenly mistakes your body as the enemy. Talk about a misunderstanding.

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences explains that autoimmune conditions happen when the immune system attacks healthy cells, tissues or organs. No one knows the exact reason why autoimmune diseases occur. However, common factors include genetics, infections and environmental triggers.

Some of the most common types of autoimmune diseases include:

  • Type 1 diabetes: Your immune system decides your pancreas is now the enemy and attacks the insulin-producing cells.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis: Joints become stiff and swollen because your immune system mistakes them for an invading army.
  • Lupus: A condition where your immune system seems to believe every organ signed up for the battle of the century.
  • Psoriasis: When skin cells grow too quickly, giving you patches that look like your body is experimenting with a new art style.

 

According to Stanford Medicine, autoimmune diseases affect more women than men, often during childbearing years.

Symptoms vary widely, which makes diagnosis tricky. Fatigue, joint pain, skin problems and recurring fevers are common. Because of this, getting a diagnosis can feel like competing in a medical game show called Guess That Autoimmune Disease.

While no cure exists, treatments can help manage symptoms and reduce immune system overreactions. So, if your body’s security guard keeps tackling you, doctors can give him some new guidelines. The National Library of Medicine recommends balancing activity with rest, managing stress and working closely with your care team to help lower your symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases may sound intimidating, but with growing research and better treatments, science is working hard to ensure your body works properly against the right intruders.

 

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

 

 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

woman surrounded by cartoon cells representing autoimmune disease

Autoimmune diseases may sound intimidating, but with growing research and better treatments, science is working hard to ensure your body works properly against the right intruders.

Exclude From Search
No

Why cross-training is the superpower your body needs

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Sticking to one workout is like eating only toast for every meal. Sure, you might love toast (who doesn’t?), but eventually, your muscles and your taste buds start questioning your life choices. 

That’s where cross-training swoops in, superhero-style, to save you from fitness monotony and questionable breakfast decisions. In cross-training, you mix things up. Run one day, lift another, throw in some yoga or cycling and, for good measure, maybe some interpretive dance in your living room. 

Not convinced? Scientific powers-that-be at the University of Miami Sports Medicine Institute tell us that cross-training reduces the risk of injury because variety forces different muscle groups to work and lets tired muscles recover. It can also prepare your body for a variety of activities, including a spontaneous game of tag with the kids, chasing your runaway grocery cart or an impromptu office chair race. So, if you’re tired of explaining your limp to your co-workers, you might want to toss swimming or biking into the mix. 

Looking for more reasons? Hearts Beat Back says that switching it up, battles workout boredom, making it easier to stick to your routine instead of ghosting your gym shoes for days on end. You’ll also get well-rounded fitness, better balance, strength and heart health. 

Try cross-training, and you’ll be a fitness superhero in no time. 

 

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

 

 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

young man working out on pilates machine

In cross-training, you mix things up. Run one day, lift another, throw in some yoga or cycling and, for good measure, maybe some interpretive dance in your living room. 

Exclude From Search
No

How often should you clean your shower?

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

If you think cleaning your shower once a year is acceptable, I have bad news. By that schedule, your shower is less of a bathroom feature and more of a science experiment. Showers are supposed to keep you clean, not become their own petri dish.

How often should you clean your shower? The short answer is at least once a week. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mold thrives anywhere moisture builds up, meaning your shower becomes a spa retreat for fungi if you skip scrubbing. To avoid health risks, they recommend drying wet surfaces quickly and cleaning mold promptly.

Regular cleaning is not just about looks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that mold exposure can irritate the lungs and trigger allergies. Add soap scum and hard water stains, and suddenly you are bathing in dirty water.

If the idea of weekly cleaning sounds daunting, consider this, a quick spray and scrub now will prevent a weekend project later.

So do yourself a favor. Put “clean the shower” on your weekly to-do list. You will be grateful in the future, and your bathroom will stop becoming a mold sanctuary.

In short, the next time you step out of the shower squeaky clean, remember your shower deserves the same treatment. Otherwise, you are just sharing space with soap scum and its cousin, mildew. Now go clean your shower and make sure it stays clean.

 

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

 

 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

woman cleaning a glass shower with yellow gloves, spray bottle and towel

Do yourself a favor and put “clean the shower” on your weekly to-do list.

Exclude From Search
No

Is stretching that important?

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Yes, stretching is important. Unless you want aches, pains and cramps. And stretching is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete or working in an office.  

Stretching is vital to maintain flexibility in joints and keep your muscles strong. If you don’t stretch, Harvard Health explains that you run the risk of joint pain, muscle damage and strains. Ugh.

Where should you start your stretching journey? Well, yoga is one place. Yoga helps stretch muscles while relaxing your mind. You know what’s even better? You can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Johns Hopkins Medicine explains how slow movements from yoga and deep breathing help increase blood flow and decrease arthritis symptoms. Therefore, blood can reach muscles and joints, causing them to become stronger.

Additionally, stretching is good for heart health. UCLA Health explains that while stretching gets blood flowing into the muscles and joints, it also goes into the arteries. This helps prevent high blood pressure, which can help prevent heart disease and strokes.

It’s okay if you don’t want to do yoga every day to get a stretch in. If so, here is a simple stretch you can do while watching TV:

Standing hamstring stretch

Have your feet shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Put one foot slightly in front of the other. Slowly bend down with your hands, trying to touch your toes. Go as far as you can and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Once you’re done with one leg, switch and put the other leg in front.

Now, give it a try and see how you feel afterward.

 

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

 

 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

man and woman stretching outside

Stretching is vital to maintain flexibility in joints and keep your muscles strong.

Exclude From Search
No

Nightly rest check. Back or side?

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Sleep is a big deal.  

You spend about a third of your life asleep. While you’re off in dreamland, your body is quietly fixing, tuning and recharging itself. Your sleep position can either help with the repairs or throw a tiny wrench into the works. 

Knowing the perks and pitfalls of different positions helps you find the one that keeps you comfortable, supported and actually ready to face the morning. 

The way you sleep can change how you feel when you wake up. Two of the most common positions are back sleeping and side sleeping. Each one does different things for your body. 

Back sleeping 

Experts at Harvard Health say sleeping on your back helps your spine stay in a healthy position, which can cut down on morning aches.  

With your spine in a straight line, your muscles get a chance to relax. The catch? Back sleeping can make snoring louder. That may be fine for you, but it's a different story for anyone within earshot. It can also encourage acid reflux, which is never a fun midnight surprise. 

Side sleeping 

Side sleeping is common because, frankly, it just feels cozy. The Sleep Foundation notes that it also helps keep your airway open, which can turn the volume down on snoring. 

It’s also great for reducing heartburn since your stomach sits lower than your throat. Breathing tends to feel easier, too, which can lower the risk of sleep apnea.  

A few simple tricks can make either position more comfortable: 

• Choose a pillow that keeps your head level with your shoulders. 

• Keep your spine as straight as you comfortably can. 

• Add a pillow between your knees if you’re a side sleeper. 

• Try a small pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back. 

So, which sleep position wins? The truth is that your body decides. The best choice is the position that helps you wake up rested and ready for the day.  

If you feel stiff or groggy, try switching things up and see what feels better. Listen to your body, follow its hints and find the position that makes you happiest to greet the morning. It helps you think clearly, stay healthy and maybe be just a little less grumpy at breakfast. 

 

Ready to get healthy?

Sign up for our digital newsletters to receive health tips, recipes, success stories for inspiration and information about new doctors to help you on your journey to better health.

 

 

Genesis HealthCare System’s Health and Wellness content conveniently provides accurate and helpful information. Your health history and current health may impact suggestions provided through our Health and Wellness content. Although we hope this information is helpful, it is not a substitute for your doctor's medical advice. Before making any significant changes, please consult your doctor.

Woman sleeping on her side with man next to her sleeping on his back with arm sprawled out on top of her neck

The best choice is the position that helps you wake up rested and ready for the day.  

Exclude From Search
No
Subscribe to