• Less than two years after opening its innovative Joint Replacement Center, Beaufort Memorial Hospital has received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for hip and knee replacement.

The coveted disease-specific certification was awarded to BMH following a one-day onsite review June 5 by a Joint Commission surveyor specializing in orthopedics.

The surveyor, who performs evaluations of orthopedic programs all over the country, found no deficiencies at BMH and issued no requirements for improvement.

Beaufort Memorial is only the 12th health care facility in the state to receive disease-specific care certification in knee and hip replacement from the Joint Commission, the premier health care accrediting body in the nation. The certification is awarded for a two-year period.

BMH opened its Joint Replacement Center Aug. 5, 2013. For more information, visit www.beaufortmemorial.org or call 843-522-7435.

  • Hilton Head Hospital and Coastal Carolina Hospital will offer free heart health screenings in August to educate individuals on the status of their health. The screenings, which will provide information on participants’ cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure levels, will be held on the following dates and locations:

Aug. 6, 8-10 a.m., Hilton Head Hospital, 25 Hospital Blvd., Hilton Head Island

Aug. 13, 8-10 a.m., Coastal Carolina Hospital, 1000 Medical Center Dr., Hardeeville

Aug. 20, 8-10 a.m., Bluffton Medical Center, 75 Baylor Dr., Suite 205-A, Bluffton

Limited appointments are available. Registration is required. Overnight fasting is recommended. To schedule an appointment at either location, call 1-877-582-2737. Press “1” for Coastal Carolina Hospital and “2” for Hilton Head Hospital and the Bluffton Medical Campus.

  • Two of Florida’s independent, not-for-profit blood centers, OneBlood, Inc., and The Blood Alliance, Inc., have merged, effective July 31.

The newly formed organization will distribute more than one million blood products annually, serve more than 210 hospitals throughout most of Florida, parts of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina and employ more than 2,400 people.

OneBlood CEO Don Doddridge, who began his blood banking career in Jacksonville, will lead the newly merged organization and an 11-member board of directors will provide oversight, governance and guidance.

Integration of the two organizations has begun. In addition, The Blood Alliance will undergo a rebranding phase in the coming months and transition to the OneBlood brand.

For more information, visit www. oneblood.org or www.igiveblood.com.

  • “Red Hot Mamas, Outsmarting Menopause,” a series of education seminars, will kick off at 5 p.m. Aug. 19, at the Bluffton Medical Campus, 75 Baylor Dr. in Bluffton.

The series is presented by Hilton Head Hospital and Coastal Carolina Hospital.

Through the educational monthly talks, women can learn about the physical and psychological changes that occur at menopause, which usually affects women age 40 and beyond.

The kick-off event will feature an introduction to the Red Hot Mamas menopause education program, guest speakers, hors d’oeuvres and drinks and door prizes. Dr. Ardra Davis-Tolbert, a board certified OB-GYN physician, will present the first talk, “Making Time for Menopause. Unraveling the Mystery.”

Doctors on the staff at Hilton Head and Coastal Carolina hospitals will present additional seminars, to be held at various times and locations in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.

For more information or to sign up, call 877-582-2737.