St. Elizabeth Regional Health and community leaders celebrate the blessing and dedication of Tippecanoe County’s new community hospital

LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The St. Elizabeth Regional Health family joined community leaders today to commemorate the blessing and dedication of the new St. Elizabeth East. The 410,000-square-foot, 150-bed hospital combines the very latest in medical technology with compassionate, patient-focused care.

“When we set out to build St. Elizabeth East, we wanted it to be a hospital known for its superior medical treatment and technology. But we also wanted it to be a place where patients and families felt comfortable and the community was welcome,” said Terry Wilson, president and CEO of St. Elizabeth Regional Health. “Today is a celebration for our entire community because it isn’t just the opening of a new hospital, it is the realization of a shared vision by Tippecanoe County residents, your local physicians and St. Elizabeth employees.”

The ceremony’s theme, “This hospital was built for you,” recognized the Lafayette-area community for the part it played in providing input into St. Elizabeth East’s design, color scheme and other amenities through the Community Visioning Task Force.

Blessing and dedication celebrates history, community partnerships
Sister Jane Marie Klein, OSF, chairperson of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services board of trustees, began the ceremony by reflecting on the more than 130 year history of St. Elizabeth and Home Hospital in the Lafayette community.

“The six Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration who founded St. Elizabeth arrived in Lafayette with only God’s calling to heal the sick and minister to the poor and disenfranchised. This community warmly embraced the Sisters and their mission, and that tradition of mutual respect, trust and support has continued to grow through the years,” said Sister Jane Marie.

“The building of St. Elizabeth East is a testament to the strong professional collaboration between St. Elizabeth and its many physician partners,” said Daniel Wickert, M.D., chairman of the board for the Western Indiana Region of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services and a practicing physician with Lafayette OB/GYN. “We appreciated the opportunity to share our opinions and provide input into the hospital’s functional design so that we can do a better job – and that’s what a hospital is all about – allowing physicians, nurses and hospital staff to do a good job, so patients can go home as soon as possible.”

Mayor Tony Roswarski, Lafayette; Mayor John Dennis, West Lafayette; and John Knochel, president of the Tippecanoe County Board of Commissioners, presented Terry Wilson and Dr. Wickert with a proclamation commemorating the event.

To recognize the community’s input into the design of St. Elizabeth East, event attendees were invited to participate in an art activity that allowed them to “make a lasting impression” on the new hospital. Participants made an imprint of their finger or thumb on individual clay tiles, which were collected at the event’s reception. The individual tiles will be dried, fired and glazed by Lafayette ceramics artist Scott Frankenberger. Eventually, the tiles will become part of a permanent art installation at St. Elizabeth East.

St. Elizabeth East offers leading-edge medical care in a patient-centered environment
When opened to patients on Feb. 25, 2010, St. Elizabeth East will feature comprehensive, customized medical treatment, including a Heart Center; a Women’s Center complete with labor and delivery services and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; outpatient services; orthopaedics; high-tech surgical suites and a full-service Emergency Care Center. Other features include:

• Separate entrances for patients of the Heart Center, Women’s Center, Outpatient Center, to make it more convenient for patients to access services specific to their needs.
• Inpatient and outpatient pediatrics located together near the Emergency Care Center and imaging, allowing pediatrics staff to treat children in a separate area that’s sensitive to their individual needs. St. Elizabeth East is one of the few hospitals in Indiana to offer this feature.
• 150 private patient rooms, with patients remaining in the same room throughout their stay, unless they are in the ICU. Any necessary medical equipment comes to the patient instead of the other way around. Each room also includes nurse server station and a digital monitoring and documentation system.
• Eight state-of-the-art operating suites.
• Twenty-six Emergency Care Center rooms, conveniently located near diagnostic and treatment units, clinical laboratories, imaging and surgery.
• “Racetrack” space design that allows the most efficient medical care, delivered in team-based units of physicians, nurses and medical staff.
• Numerous amenities, such as a chapel, room service dining, and in-room wireless computer access and a digital television entertainment system.
• Interior courtyard, soothing color scheme and custom artwork – all designed around the theme of Indiana’s rural landscapes.
  

Community open house Saturday, Feb. 13
On Saturday, Feb. 13, the entire Tippecanoe County community is invited to an open house at St. Elizabeth East from noon to 3 p.m. by entering any of the hospital’s four entrances. Visitors can tour the new hospital, located at 1701 S. Creasy Lane, before it officially opens to patients. The event is free. To learn more, visit www.ste.org.

-30-

Editor’s note: St. Elizabeth East photos are available upon request by contacting Matthew Oates at (765) 423-6565 or matt.oates@ssfhs.org.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education offering community safety and parent education classes

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is offering community safety and parent education classes in February. Courses include:

• Parent education classes (in classrooms or online);
• Public CPR;
• CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator); and
• First aid classes.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 on the campus of Home Hospital.

For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133 or visit www.ste.org/kwce.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education schedules basic tuberculosis course

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a basic tuberculosis course from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18. Cost for this program is $60, which is non-refundable.

This course teaches participants how to identify populations to be tested and how to administer, read and record the Mantoux Skin Test.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 on the campus of Home Hospital.

For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, Feb. 11 at the center. The price is $30 and registration is required. The screening includes checking total cholesterol, HDL, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, LDL and glucose levels. Fasting is recommended as it provides more accurate results, but not required. You are encouraged to drink water prior to your test; black coffee and black tea are also acceptable. A staff member will discuss your individual results.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located on the fourth floor of the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette on the campus of Home Hospital. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

‘Introducing the St. Elizabeth Heart Center’ is February ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

Karen Bullard, R.N., division director of Inpatient Cardiac Services; Sam Haskett, division director of Cardiac Testing/Heart Cath Lab ; Dave Charters, R.N., director of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab; and Adel Yaacoub, M.D., a cardiologist with Sigma Medical Group, will present “Introducing the St. Elizabeth Heart Center” at the February “Lunch and Learn.”

The group will discuss features of the new St. Elizabeth Heart Center and the cardiovascular services that will be offered at the Heart Center at St. Elizabeth East.

“Lunch and Learn” is a monthly program offered by the Kathryn Weil Center for Education – this session will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4.

Lunch is available for $6 at 11:30 a.m. with the free educational program starting at noon. The program will be held at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education located inside the Medical Arts Building at 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette on the campus of Home Hospital.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, Feb. 2. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Neonatal resuscitation recertification course offered by Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will provide neonatal resuscitation certification and recertification programs in 2010. This course is designed to teach an evidence-based approach to newborn resuscitation.

A recertification class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $75 per person, and class size is limited.

To register or for more information, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. Books may be picked up at least one week prior to taking the class from the Kathryn Weil Center for Education, which is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 on the campus of Home Hospital.

Spirit of Women online magazine now available at www.ste.org

St. Elizabeth Regional Health announces that the Winter 2010 edition of the Spirit of Women magazine is now available online at www.ste.org.

This edition features articles on health discoveries, healthy eating, cold and flu prevention, being happy, heart health and a profile of Cheryl Burke from “Dancing With The Stars.”

Free access to the 32-page publication is available from the front page of www.ste.org and also at www.ste.org/spirit.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and St. Elizabeth Regional Health are members of the Spirit of Women, a national coalition of hospitals and health care providers that pledge to provide the highest standards of excellence in women’s health, education and community outreach.

For more information on the Spirit of Women or to become a member, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Home Hospital Home Health Care changes name to St. Elizabeth Home Health Care

On Jan. 1, 2010, Home Hospital Home Health Care was renamed St. Elizabeth Home Health Care.

The name change better reflects the relationship of the home health care agency to St. Elizabeth Regional Health.

“Our current services will remain the same,” said Bea Lamb, R.N., MBA, regional director of home health and hospice at St. Elizabeth Regional Health. “Patients, physicians, families, vendors and the community will continue to see the same visiting staff and work with the same office staff.”

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care is partnered with St. Clare Home Health Care, which is based in Crawfordsville. St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Clare’s service areas include Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Parke, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties.

Services provided by St. Elizabeth Home Health Care include skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, social services and certified home health aides.

The home health agencies have continually been honored by HomeCare Elite, for their continued improvement and high achievement in clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction and other categories.

The phone number for St. Elizabeth Home Health Care will continue to be (765) 449-5046 and the fax number will continue to be (765) 449-5192.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education offering community safety and parent education classes

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is offering community safety and parent education classes in January. Courses include:

• Parent education classes (in classrooms or online);
• Public CPR;
• CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator); and
• First aid classes.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 on the campus of Home Hospital.

For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133 or visit www.ste.org/kwce.

Smoking cessation program scheduled

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present a smoking cessation program utilizing the Cooper Clayton Method for smoking cessation.

The program consists of 13 one-hour sessions. Sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 27 to Wednesday, April 21from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The course fee is $60 and includes a take-home handbook. The Cooper Clayton Method is a safe and effective way to help people stay smoke-free for the rest of their lives. The Cooper Clayton Method is a comprehensive behavioral smoking cessation program, based on science utilizing proven methods, which include education, skills training and social support. It was started more than 20 years ago by two faculty members at the University of Kentucky. Thomas Cooper, DDS, a dentist and former heavy smoker developed the program with Richard Clayton, Ph.D., an expert on drug addiction.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located on the fourth floor of the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 on the campus of Home Hospital.

For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Natural family planning introductory session

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present “Natural Family Planning: An Overview of Natural Family Planning Methods, the Science, Effectiveness and Practical Aspects” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21.

Natural family planning refers to methods that allow a couple to achieve or prevent pregnancy through the identification and charting of daily signs that tell a couple when conception is possible and when conception is not possible in any given cycle. The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located on the fourth floor of the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 on the campus of Home Hospital.

This overview session is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women to offer pre-conception class Jan. 21

Good pre-pregnancy health is fundamental in the health of your baby, helping to provide both mom and baby with the best possible outcome.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a pre-conception class at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21. This class is open to anyone who is considering pregnancy in the future and will provide information about pre-pregnancy health check ups, genetic screening, nutrition, folic acid, ovulation predictors, healthy lifestyle choices, exercise and hazards to avoid. Class will last approximately one hour.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and St. Elizabeth Regional Health are members of Spirit of Women, a national coalition of hospitals and health care providers that pledge to provide the highest standards of excellence in women’s health, education and community outreach.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette on the campus of Home Hospital.

This program is free, but registration is required. To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the center. The price is $30 and registration is required. The screening includes checking total cholesterol, HDL, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, LDL and glucose levels. Fasting is recommended as it provides more accurate results, but not required. You are encouraged to drink water prior to your test; black coffee and black tea are also acceptable. A staff member will discuss your individual results.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located on the fourth floor of the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette on the campus of Home Hospital. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

‘Motion for Moms’ starts Jan. 12

St. Elizabeth Regional Health will kick of 2010 with a January session of “Motion for Moms,” which will start at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

Motion for Moms is a light exercise and fitness program for expecting moms, as well as for moms who have recently delivered and is sponsored by St. Elizabeth Regional Health’s Physical Therapy Department.

Motion for Moms will include traditional strengthening, stretching, endurance activities including yoga and Pilates, as well as resistive exercises to prepare the new mom for her childbirth experience and for caring for her newborn. An educational component will be a part of each section. Topics that will be covered will include nutrition, pain management during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, relaxation techniques, posture, foot care and safety information.

Motion for Moms will also introduce a “Boot Camp” option, which is a more intense and high-impact workout session for postpartum moms. The Boot Camp will meet from 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, starting on Wednesday, Jan. 13 and going through Wednesday, Feb. 17. The cost for Boot Camp is $20 for six sessions.

This session of Motion for Moms is set for 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 12 and going through Thursday, Feb. 18. Cost is $40 for the 12 sessions. Medical clearance from your doctor is required prior to participation, unless more than 12 weeks postpartum. A release form can be obtained by calling the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Classes will be held at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education, which is located in the Medical Arts Building, located at 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette on the Home Hospital campus.

For more information or to register, please call the center at (765) 449-5133.

Home Hospital welcomes first baby of the year

The Greater Lafayette area welcomed its newest resident early on Friday, Jan. 1, 2010.

Lucas Robert Jackson was born at Home Hospital at 5:13 a.m., making him the first baby born at Home Hospital and in Tippecanoe County for 2010. The son of Kadi and Rob Jackson of Lafayette, Lucas Robert weighed 8 lbs., 1.2 oz. and measured in at 20 inches long.

For being the first baby of 2010 at Home Hospital, the family received a gift basket of baby-related items from the St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary and St. Elizabeth Regional Health Gift Shops.