Renaissance Hospital of Dallas, located at 2929 S. Hampton Road, Dallas,

Texas, opened its doors on June 20, 2005, and the Renaissance Healthcare Systems hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on July 7, 2005, at which Congressman Pete Sessions was the featured speaker. Formerly known as Dallas Southwest Medical Center, Renaissance Hospital of Dallas is a licensed, acute care hospital conveniently located in

Southwest Dallas. The hospital will provide over 500 jobs offering a full range of medical services. Renaissance Healthcare System is investing 20 million dollars in the renovation and the new state-

of-the-art medical equipment. One of the objectives of the hospital is to provide a cozy hotel feeling as can be seen in one of the many waiting rooms. Renaissance Hospital currently offers 110 private rooms with digital television, four-star meals prepared by 4 Star Chef, fully equipped GI suites, six surgical suites, a 10-bed emergency department with trauma care, state-of-the-

art suites and nursing care. Our inpatient and outpatient medical services include cardio-pulmonary, a full laboratory, full radiology and nuclear imaging and rehab services. Renaissance also offers six

surgical specialties which are: Bariatric, Orthopedic, ENT, Podiatry, Spine and General Surgeries. Renaissance Hospital is Medicare and Medicaid certified and participates in a variety of insurance plans, including many Medicaid and Medicare HMOs. Also accepted will be workmen’s compensation and private pay. The mission of Renaissance Hospital, its staff and employees, is to provide quality, accessible healthcare within our own community, as well as to provide a full range of needed services in a caring and courteous atmosphere, treating all patients with dignity and respect. Probably the most talked about program offered by Renaissance Hospital is the Obesity Surgery Specialists. OSS is Renaissance Hospital’s bariatric program. It was established in Houston, and the Dallas hospital is modeled after the same concept of providing a comprehensive program. The hospital’s surgeons offer both the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and the Adjustable Lap-Band. The goal of the hospital is to provide a program that meets all of the needs of the bariatric patient starting with the educational process, moving through the insurance process, having surgery in a bariatric friendly facility and then receiving the

RENAISSANCEHOSPITALA Fresh,New ConceptIn Healthcare

specialized type of support that is so important to the success of each bariatric patient. A t Obesity Surgery S p e c i a l i s t s , s c r e e n i n g patients is the starting point for appropriateness for surgery. Potential patients then attend an educational and informational seminar facilitated by the hospital’s surgeons, Michael Green, M.D. and Dirk Rodriguez, M.D., in addition to a presentation by the Registered Dietitian and a surgical patient. Once accepted by the physicians, the OSS insurance team goes to work getting the patient approved. Bariatric Surgery is the only medically necessary surgery that requires pre-determination by insurance companies. Some patients will have to undergo up to twelve months of supervised dieting before qualifying with their carrier. Some will only need one month. Each insurance carrier has different criteria for granting treatment, although all to follow the general guidelines of the National Institute of Health for deeming a patient an appropriate candidate for surgery. Several insurance companies, or in many cases, the employer, will not even cover the treatment of morbid obesity. Once approved by the insurance company, the patient then receives the appropriate pre-operative medical work up and extensive, pre-operative education about life after surgery. Bariatric surgery is only one step in the journey toward

obtaining a healthy weight. Patients will still need to monitor food intake, exercise, participate in on-going medical appointments and adjust emotionally to their new lifestyle. At Obesity Surgery Specialists, all components with an extensive aftercare program that includes a support group and regular meetings with the surgeon and dietitian are provided. Come by and check out Carli or Angie, both

Renaissance employees, who have had the surgery and add a unique quality to the aftercare program.

For more information about Obesity Surgery Specialists, please call 214-623-4444 or visit their website at www.obesehelp.net.

For more information about the hospital, please call:

Mary Ann KulpacaDirector of Business Development

2929 S. Hampton RoadDallas, Texas 75224

214/623-4400

OR

For more information aboutObesity Surgery Specialists or to attend an educational

seminar, please call:

214/623-4444 OR

877/263-4445

A FEW FACTS ABOUT MORBID OBESITY…..

. Obesity kills 400,000 people a year, costing over $117 BILLION

. 15% or 9 million children are overweight, triple the number of

children since 1980

. Research shows a significant underlying cause of obesity is

genetic.

. Bariatric surgery is a medical treatment for a disease. It is not

cosmetic surgery.

A gemologist is one who studies gemstone identification and grad-ing. A good gemologist is not

necessarily a good appraiser, but a good appraiser must be a good gemologist.

How can this be? Well, a good gemolo-gist will be someone who is constantly involved in the study of gemstones. All too many gemologists get their Graduate Gemologist Diploma from the Gemologi-cal Institute of America, and never see the inside of a gem student classroom again.

Considering how many changes occur in the gem and jewelry industry each year, it is not possible to maintain one’s gem-ological expertise if the last time one was in a gemological classroom was on the last day of GIA training. While a lot of people may advertise themselves as gem-ologists simply because they are “Gradu-ate Gemologists”, you should look behind the diploma and ask what additional train-ing they have. Such as training from the American Gem Society, Gemological As-sociation of Great Britain, Paris Texas Junior College, or additional studies with the GIA.

A good gemologist will be someone who can show you a proven, ongoing history of gemological study to make sure they

keep up on all of the latest developments in the jewelry and gemstone industry.

However, not all good gemologists make good appraisers. In fact, the worst appraiser you can find is someone who is right out of gemology school. Why? Simply be-cause gemology schools teach the scientific facts of gemstoneidentification and grading, but not the appraisal and market valuation of jewelry and gemstones.

Therefore, a good gemologist could tell you that the photograph shown above is a synthetic alexandrite; however, they would most likely not be able to tell you the difference in price between this syn-thetic and a natural alexandrite. So while a good appraiser must be a good gemolo-gist to be able to properly identify and grade jewelry and gemstones; a good gemologist right out of school will not have the experience and knowledge of market values to be able to provide you with a proper insurance replacement ap-praisal.

So don’t just look for a Graduate Gemol-ogist or a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, you may know more about diamond prices than

they do if they are fresh out of school. Look for someone with an ongoing gem-ological education along with several years of experience in the appraisal and valuation of the jew-elry or gemstone item you have purchased. A qualified gemolo-

gist will be a graduate of one of the fol-lowing gemological institutes or organi-zations: Paris Junior College, Gemological Institute of America: Graduate Gemolo-gist, Gemmological Association of Great Britain: FGA, American Gem Society: Certified Gemologist and Certified Gem-oloogist Apraiser - the highest you can get

The boring career suit is gone. It has been replaced with jackets in beau-tifully textured fabrics, the 1940’s

menswear stripe with belted jacket and glen plaids. Skirts continue to be impor-tant and are made even more special by adding pleats, asymmetrical hems, tiers and ruffles.

Basic black is back for day to evening dressing. The little black dress can be ac-cessorized and used for many different occasions. Several pair of basic black pants is a must for every wardrobe. Mix them with a sweater or blouse in the new fashion colors of plum and green and “Voila” you are already in a fall 2005 trendsetter.

Animal prints are once again rearing their heads on the fashion scene. You will find them as the main focus of skirt sets, capes and jeans. The look continues as an ac-cent with fur trim (faux and real) for jack-ets, sweaters, and coats. Update your old coat with a fur scarf or shawl and match-ing gloves in a multitude of colors.

Retro looks are once again popular for fall

of 2005. Wide leg pants, cuffs and pleats look fresh and new again and can be slim-ming for many figure types. Tunics can be dressy or casual and look great in soft silky fabrics with beading at the neck and sleeves. Wear them with a slim jean or slack to achieve a tall and slender look.

Prairie chic is an updated combination of the peasant look and our old favorite, western wear. Denim skirts with fabric and fraying are new and feminine. Jeans are embellished and are as acceptable at a restaurant as they are home. Pair them up with a peasant blouse or a rib knit that has chiffon ruffle trim and you are in the groove.

The most important thing you can do is dress with style; one that is flattering to your body type and expresses your per-sonality. A good fit is imperative; puck-ered fabric and a strained seam will give you away every time! When clothing pulls or buckles, it doesn’t just look slop-py; it adds pounds. Few of us want that! Style means wearing only those trends that suit you.