Catalina Island Medical Center patients who would like to achieve a healthier weight now have a new ally in Tracy Matthews, nurse care manager for the Stepping Into Health program.
Stepping Into Health, which is funded by a grant from the UniHealth Foundation, is the Medical Center’s new program to address the startling rates of obesity on the island.
Catalina Island Medical Center patients who would like to achieve a healthier weight now have a new ally in Tracy Matthews, nurse care manager for the Stepping Into Health program.
Stepping Into Health, which is funded by a grant from the UniHealth Foundation, is the Medical Center’s new program to address the startling rates of obesity on the island.
“Catalina Island’s obesity rate is higher than the national average,” said Dawn Sampson, the Medical Center’s director of grants and social services. “The rate of obesity in children is even higher on the island.”
Stepping Into Health features a several components to help individuals lower their weight and live a healthier lifestyle, including clinical care management, patient education and community outreach.
“My goal for the patients at CIMC who are interested in improving their overall health is to work with residents both on an individual and group basis to foster behavior modification as a benefit to the community at large,” Matthews said.
“Addressing the national epidemic of obesity on a community level to improve the lives of Catalina Island’s residents has both immediate and long-term implications for everyone,” Matthews said.
Patients who meet certain medical criteria are now being accepted into the nurse care management portion of the program, which provides clinical education, health monitoring and counseling to help patients begin a healthier lifestyle.
“This program is ideal for patients who are overweight or obese and who are ready to take steps toward a longer, healthier life,” Matthews said.
Matthews earned a bachelor’s of science and a nursing doctorate degree in Colorado, where some of her family reside.
She recently moved to the island from Orange County, where she has worked for both large and small healthcare organizations including Hoag Hospital, St. Mary Medical Center and Aspen Healthcare and Rehab.
“I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to work in multiple care settings and have been in involved in numerous national research projects to better the lives of people with complex medical conditions,” she said.
“I am very passionate about healthcare, helping others to achieve success in vitality and wellness and the sense of reward after seeing lives improved,” she said. Matthews also looks forward to being an integral part of the fitness and outdoor activity community on the island, which is very much in line with the program’s objectives.
“My 7-year-old daughter Janie Ryan and our dog Max have relocated to the island with a sense of delight and adventure,” she said.
“We enjoy being outdoors and doing activities such as hiking, biking, walking, kayaking and swimming. We are thrilled to become better acquainted with the wonderful residents here on Catalina Island,” Matthews said.
