Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health News

Sigma Medical Group announces new nurse practitioner at Monticello Medical Center

2012-02-06T11:12:00.001-05:00

Sandy Bushman, NP

Sandy Bushman, a nurse practitioner, has joined Sigma Medical Group and Monticello Medical Center.

Bushman received her nursing degree from Indiana University-Kokomo and Indiana Wesleyan, and also her master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau.

Bushman offers family care from birth to geriatrics for acute and chronic conditions. Bushman is currently accepting new patients. Her office is located at 826 N. 6th St. in Monticello. To schedule an appointment, please call Monticello Medical Center at (574) 583-3333.

Sigma Medical Group, a Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health partner, is a multi-specialty physician group with offices throughout mid-Central Indiana. For a complete list of doctors, visit SigmaMedicalGroup.org.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health announces organizational appointment

2012-02-01T13:14:00.001-05:00

Len Dedic

Len Dedic has been appointed executive director of the Franciscan Physician Network, Western Indiana Region.

Dedic has more than 20 years of physician practice management experience at Resurrection Health in Chicago, which is one of the largest integrated delivery networks in the Illinois. He recently served as vice president of medical network at Resurrection. Dedic has expertise in physician recruitment, medical practice development, brand positioning, revenue growth and driving operational excellence. He is also skilled in business development, market enhancement and site expansion.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and Kathryn Weil Center for Education announce Heart Month activities

2012-01-30T11:02:00.000-05:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and the Kathryn Weil Center for Education announce several Heart Month activities during February for residents of the Greater Lafayette community to participate in.

Dr. Barry Karas, Sigma Medical Group cardiologist,

‘How Do I Know If I Have A Heart Problem?’ – Tuesday, Feb. 2, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dr. Barry Karas, a cardiologist with Sigma Medical Group, will discuss how different heart related conditions present, warning signs and when it’s time for a “tune up” during the Feb. 2 “Lunch and Learn” program called “How Do I Know If I Have A Heart Problem?”
Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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. Seating is limited; reservations are required and must be received by Tuesday, Jan. 31. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
Go Red Day – Friday, Feb. 3: Celebrate National Go Red Day by wearing red in support of living a heart-healthy life. Also, Heartland Gifts, Heartland Gifts, Too and the St. Elizabeth Central gift shop will have 25% off all red items and other marked items for all visitors to the shops.
Zumba classes begin Tuesday, Feb. 7: The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host Zumba, beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Classes will be offered twice a week – on Tuesdays and Fridays in February. Cost is $4 per class or $30 for the month. The Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 10 classes are introductory and free to all participants those two days.
The class is taught by Elena Bowser, a certified Zumba instructor since May 2010. Classes are suitable for all levels of physical activity, including postpartum moms.
Classes will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will be on the following dates: Tuesday, Feb. 7; Friday, Feb. 10; Tuesday, Feb. 14; Friday, Feb. 17; Tuesday, Feb. 21; Friday, Feb. 24; and Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Cholesterol screenings – Thursday, Feb. 9: The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings for $35; $31.50 for Spirit of Women members. The screening includes checking total cholesterol, HDL, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, LDL and glucose levels. Registration is required and can be made by calling the center at (765) 449-5133.
‘Transition Your Kitchen into Heart-smart Dining’ – Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6:30 p.m.: Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Food and Nutrition Services will present “Transition Your Kitchen into Heart-smart Dining” in the Heartland Café at St. Elizabeth East. The café is accessible through the North Entrance at St. Elizabeth East, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette.
Turn up the heat in February, by joining Executive Chef Chris Watson and Registered Dietitian Anna Busenburg, R.D., for an evening of fun. Learn what foods score high when it comes to heart health and why you should be stocking them in your kitchen. Also learn culinary techniques to use when cooking these foods to make them flavorful while keeping their health benefits.
This event is free, but registration is required and can be made by calling the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
Day of Dance – Saturday, Feb. 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Tippecanoe Mall: Bring your friends and family to dance, learn simple ways to stay healthy, enjoy music, participate in health screenings and view a fashion show by Macy's. This event is free and registration is not required. Health fair and displays begin at 10 a.m.; dancing starts at noon.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education releases February community events

2012-01-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

‘How Do I Know If I Have A Heart Problem?’ is February ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

Dr. Barry Karas, a cardiologist with Sigma Medical Group, will discuss how different heart related conditions present, warning signs and when it’s time for a “tune up” during the Feb. 2 “Lunch and Learn” program called “How Do I Know If I Have A Heart Problem?”

“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. 2.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.
Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, Jan. 31. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

‘New Baby Day Camp’ for siblings set for Feb. 4

A new addition to the family affects everyone, especially the new baby’s older brother or sister. New Baby Day Camp, a program from the Spirit of Women, is a specific class for siblings. Open to children ages 3 to 9, this class assists in preparing the “expectant” sibling for the arrival of a new family member, the changes that might occur and how to discuss feelings regarding the new baby.

Seated around a “campfire,” children will listen to a story about what it means to be a big brother or big sister, discuss ways to help with their new sibling and have hands-on practice to prepare for the baby’s arrival. Children will have the opportunity to create a keepsake certificate announcing their new status as a big brother or big sister.

Information about visiting mom and the new baby at the hospital will be included. Children will receive a souvenir backpack with birth announcements and other items to prepare them to visit their new sibling in the hospital. At least one parent is expected to attend; however, both are welcome.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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 program is set for 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $15, additional siblings are $5 each.

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

For more information or to register, please call the center at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education to host SHARE support group

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host the SHARE support groups for parents who have experienced the loss of an infant. The group meets at the center at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. The next group meets Feb. 7.

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. For more information, please call the center at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education to host Zumba

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host Zumba, beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Classes will be offered twice a week – on Tuesdays and Fridays in February. Cost is $4 per class or $30 for the month. The Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 10 classes are introductory and free to all participants those two days.

Classes will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will be on the following dates:

Tuesday, Feb. 7
Friday, Feb. 10
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Friday, Feb. 17
Tuesday, Feb. 21
Friday, Feb. 24
Tuesday, Feb. 28
Monday, March 1.

The class is taught by Elena Bowser, a certified Zumba instructor since May 2010. Classes are suitable for all levels of physical activity, including postpartum moms. Classes will be offered in March and April as well.

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

Registration is not required, but it is preferred. For more information, please call the center at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, Feb. 9 at the center. The price is $35 and registration is required; a special price of $31.50 for Spirit of Women members is available. The screening checks 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

‘Transition Your Kitchen into Heart-smart Dining’ set for Feb. 15

Turn up the heat in February by joining Executive Chef Chris Watson and Registered Dietitian Anna Busenburg, R.D., for an evening of fun. Learn what foods score high when it comes to heart health and why you should be stocking them in your kitchen. Also learn culinary techniques to use when cooking these foods to make them flavorful while keeping their health benefits.

“Transition Your Kitchen into Heart-smart Dining” will be held in the Heartland Café at St. Elizabeth East. The café is accessible through the North Entrance at St. Elizabeth East, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette.

This event is free, but registration is required and can be made by calling the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Car seat clinic set for Feb. 18

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host a car seat clinic from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 18. To participate in the clinics, families must make an appointment by calling the center at (765) 449-5133.

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.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health offering tours of St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will offer tours of the St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center for expectant parents during February.

Participants in the tour will need to meet at the Heartland Perks coffee shop in the 3900 Building, located at 3900 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East.

Tour dates and times are as follows:

Wednesday, Feb. 15: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 16: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 20: 6 to 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Feb. 22: 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 23: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 28: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 29: 9:30 to 11 a.m.

To register for the tour, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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:

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online), including Preparation for Childbirth, breastfeeding courses, newborn care, infant first aid and infant CPR
Public and health care provider CPR
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator)
First aid classes
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

Sigma Medical Group adds nurse practitioner

2012-01-09T14:07:00.001-05:00

Cathy Bowlin, MSN, GNP-BC

Sigma Medical Group welcomes a new nurse practitioner, Cathy Bowlin, to their Mulberry practice. She will begin seeing patients on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. Cathy sees patients of all ages, but specializes in the care of older patients. She is board certified in Gerontology. She also sees patients with occupational health issues.

Bowlin graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. and is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses of Indiana.

Bowlin is currently accepting new patients. Her office is located at 510 West Jackson St., Mulberry. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 296-5591.

Sigma Medical Group, a Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health partner, is a multi-specialty physician group with offices throughout Greater Lafayette. For a complete list of doctors, visit SigmaMedicalGroup.org.

St. Elizabeth Hospice offering grief support meetings

2012-01-04T10:14:00.000-05:00

St. Elizabeth Hospice will offer two 10-week grief support groups. The group is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. The sessions will be facilitated by Nancy Eberhard, M.Div., hospice bereavement coordinator.

The evening group meets weekly on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Hospice office, located in the lower level of the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette. The group starts on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012.

A morning session will be held weekly on Fridays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in a private conference room at MCL Cafeteria, 521 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette. The group starts on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012.

Some aspects of participating in a grief support group include:

Giving information about the grieving process so people understand the changes that are happening;
Providing a safe place to share the grieving experience; and
Sharing ideas on how to handle daily concerns and changes that come with grief.

Materials include a workbook and Understanding Your Grief, Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Cost for the book is $10. Participants may return the book at the end of the final session for a full refund.

Registration is required and can be made by calling Nancy Eberhard at (765) 423-6732.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health welcomes new audiologist

2012-01-03T14:55:00.002-05:00

Judy Marquess-Lara, Au.D.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – in partnership with Whisper Hearing Centers – welcomes Judy Marquess-Lara, Au.D. to the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Audiology Department.

Dr. Marquess-Lara received her doctorate in audiology from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Ariz. and her master’s degree in audiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

Dr. Marquess-Lara brings with her 12 years of experience from a wide variety of clinical settings, including private practice and hospitals.

Services offered by Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Audiology Department include hearing testing for all ages, tinnitus evaluations, hearing aid fittings and hearing conservation. Dizziness and balance testing is offered by Dr. Marquess-Lara and the vestibular rehabilitation team in outpatient Physical Therapy.

Dr. Marquess-Lara is currently accepting new patients. Her office is located at 1501 Hartford St., Lafayette, on the St. Elizabeth Central campus. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 423-6855.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing celebrates December graduation

2011-12-27T10:37:00.000-05:00

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing celebrated its December commencement ceremony on Dec. 16 in the St. Francis Chapel at St. Elizabeth Central, 1501 Hartford St. in Lafayette.

The mid-year ceremony included the conferring of diplomas to the class of December 2011. The members of the class of December 2011 include: Mary Allen, Sister Chijiago Andrea Iheme (bachelor of science in nursing degree from Saint Joseph’s College), Natasha Nicole Juniper, Christina Marie Pearson, Nina Gabrielle Pescetto, Allison Diane Watson and Alison Johanna Worden.

Patty Lunsford, a medical librarian at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health, was the keynote speaker. Lunsford has served as a medical librarian at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health since 1989.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing – Saint Joseph’s College Cooperative Nursing Program offers a seamless integrated diploma and bachelor of science in nursing curriculum in nursing that prepares graduates to become eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

After passing the national licensing examination, St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduates may practice as registered nurses.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, please call (765) 423-6400 or visit www.steson.org.

Franciscan Alliance selected to participate in Medicare Accountable Care Organization

2011-12-19T16:04:00.000-05:00

Health system is first in Indiana and among few nationally to participate in program

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan Alliance today (Dec. 19) announced it has been selected to participate in the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model, a transformative new initiative sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center.

The Franciscan Alliance ACO is the first and only Pioneer ACO in Indiana and among the first in the country to partner with Medicare as an ACO. Initially, this partnership includes Franciscan St. Francis Health (which operates hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville) and other affiliated hospitals and physician groups.

“More than 22,000 Medicare patients in Indianapolis and central Indiana will be served initially by our ACO,” said Jennifer Westfall, Franciscan Alliance ACO executive director. “From an industry perspective, the ACO model encourages organizations such as hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare providers to collaborate closely, thus bringing down the overall costs of medical care.”

Franciscan Alliance will work with CMS to provide area Medicare beneficiaries with higher quality care, while reducing growth in Medicare expenditures, through improved care coordination.

The Pioneer ACO Model is designed to encourage the development of patient-centered, team-based care, with health-care providers delivering coordinated, high-quality care for their patients. Franciscan Alliance ACO was chosen specifically by Medicare for the Pioneer Program.

“These Pioneer ACOs represent our nation’s leaders in health systems innovation, providing highly coordinated care for patients at lower costs,” said Marilyn Tavenner, Acting Administrator of CMS. “Franciscan Alliance has demonstrated significant experience in providing high quality, coordinated care, and we are excited to partner with them.”

Under the Pioneer ACO Model, CMS will provide incentives for participating health care providers who form an organization to coordinate care for patients. Providers who band together through this model will be required to meet quality standards based upon, among other measures, patient outcomes and care coordination among the provider team.

CMS will use robust quality measures and other criteria to reward ACOs for providing beneficiaries with a positive patient experience and better health outcomes, while also rewarding Franciscan Alliance for reducing growth in Medicare expenditures for the same patient population.

Unlike a managed care plan, Medicare beneficiaries will not be locked into a restricted panel of providers. The Pioneer ACO Model is not a health plan or managed care plan. Under the Pioneer ACO Model, beneficiaries seeing doctors participating in an ACO will maintain the ability to see any doctor or healthcare provider, as well as the full benefits associated with traditional Medicare, but with the added benefit of a more coordinated care experience.

Today’s announcement was the culmination of a competitive selection process that began in May 2011 with the national release of a Request for Applications from CMS. Franciscan Alliance was selected based on its demonstrated capabilities to offer high quality, coordinated care.

With 14 hospitals in Indiana and Illinois, Franciscan Alliance provides care for more than 2.9 million outpatient visits and more than 100,000 inpatient discharges every year with the most effective medical treatments and innovative technology.

Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest, employs 18,200 co-workers and has more than 3,300 affiliated physicians – both primary care and specialists – serving nearly 4 million people in the system’s service areas.

To learn more about Franciscan Alliance and Franciscan St. Francis Health, go to www.franciscanalliance.org and www.stfrancishospitals.org.

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About the Pioneer ACO

The Pioneer ACO Model is one of a number of initiatives developed by the new Innovation Center. The Innovation Center was created by the Affordable Care Act to test new models of health care delivery and payment. For more information about the Pioneer ACO Model, visit the Pioneer ACO website at www.innovations.cms.gov/areas-of-focus/seamless-and-coordinated-care-models/pioneer-aco/. The Pioneer ACO Model is one of several initiatives underway at CMS designed to encourage the formation of ACOs. For more information, visit www.cms.gov/aco. For more information about the Innovation Center, visit innovations.cms.gov.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary awards annual scholarship

2011-12-12T09:10:00.005-05:00

Tamara "Tammy" King, scholarship recipient

During the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary’s annual membership meeting, outgoing Auxiliary President Donna Brown announced Tamara “Tammy” King as the recipient of the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary scholarship.

Established in 2008, funding for the scholarship came from the Washburn Health Careers Fund, which was created in honor of Mary B. Washburn, a long-time volunteer of the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary, as well as other sources and activities. Criteria for the scholarship include being a student at the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing within one calendar year of graduation, maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrating financial need.

King is currently pursuing a bachelor’s of science in nursing degree from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, with an expected graduation date of May 2012.

King is a member and secretary of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) and continues to work diligently at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing. She works for Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health as a patient care intern for the Resource Team. Her future plans include working as a nurse in the medical/surgical area or emergency room. She would like to also specialize in wound care.

King has lived in the Crawfordsville area for most of her life. She is married to her husband, Doug, and they have two children, Sara and Mackenzie.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing – Saint Joseph’s College Cooperative Nursing Program offers a seamless integrated diploma and bachelor of science in nursing curriculum in nursing that prepares graduates to become eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

After passing the national licensing examination, St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduates may practice as registered nurses.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, please call (765) 423-6400 or visit www.steson.org.

For more information on the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary or volunteering, please call Karie Shepherd, Volunteer Services, at (765) 502-4249 or apply online at www.ste.org/volunteer.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary elects officers for 2012

2011-12-12T09:08:00.002-05:00

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary held its annual membership meeting on Dec. 6. During the meeting the following officers were elected:

2012 Auxiliary officers, identified left to right: Joyce Dost, Karen Jordan, Delores "Dee" Levy, Ramesh Chhabra, Ellen Reppert, James Moore and Eldon Hood.

Joyce Dost, President: Dost volunteers at the gift shops at St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central. She has also served as a member-at-large on the Auxiliary Board.
Karen Jordan, Vice President: Jordan volunteers at the gift shops at St. Elizabeth East.
Ellen Reppert, Treasurer: Reppert volunteers at the gift shops at St. Elizabeth East and also volunteers at Guest Services.
Delores “Dee” Levy, Recording Secretary: Levy volunteers in the surgery waiting room and gift shops at St. Elizabeth East.
Ramesh Chhabra, Corresponding Secretary: Chhabra volunteers at the gift shops at St. Elizabeth East and also volunteers at Guest Services.
Eldon Hood, Red Coats co-chair: Hood has served as a Red Coat for 19 years delivering items for Pharmacy. He has served as Red Coats co-chair for several years.
James Moore, Red Coats co-chair: Moore has volunteered as a Red Coat in Pharmacy, Cardiopulmonary, flower cart and pediatric tours. He has served as Red Coats co-chair for several years.

For more information on the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Auxiliary or how to join, please call Karie Shepherd, Volunteer Services coordinator, at (765) 502-4248 or e-mail karie.shepherd@franciscanalliance.org. To apply online, please visit www.ste.org/volunteer.

Premier Healthcare for Women joins Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health

2011-11-25T10:03:00.001-05:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is pleased to announce the recent addition of Premier Healthcare for Women to its group of physician practices. Premier Healthcare for Women employs three OB/GYN physicians – Renee Knutson, M.D.; Jeffrey Penman, M.D.; Scott Sinnott, M.D.; a nurse practitioner, Julie Langston; and 11 additional staff. Premier provides medical services designed for women. Their practice specializes in obstetrics, gynecology, infertility and endocrinology as well as gynecologic surgical procedures. “We want to stress to our patients that the change will be seamless. We will continue to offer our patients the same range of services and insurance coverage,” said Renee Knutson, M.D.

“We are excited about this partnership. The Premier physicians and staff have a great reputation of offering exceptional medical care to the women in our community,” said Terry Wilson, president and CEO of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. “Their practice is a great addition to our two existing OB/GYN practices – Woman’s Clinic and Lafayette OB/GYN.” Combine, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN and Premier are the area’s largest and most experienced group of OB/GYN physicians. Combine they have 13 physicians, 5 nurse practitioners and more than 216 years of experience.

Premier Healthcare for Women is located at 3774 Bayley Drive, Suite B, Lafayette – adjacent to the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East campus. The location and phone number will remain the same.

About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 14 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN, Premier Healthcare for Women in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit FranciscanStE.org and FranciscanAlliance.org.

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Kathryn Weil Center for Education announces December programs

2011-11-21T09:54:00.000-05:00

‘No One Wants the Blues for Christmas’ is December ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic
Nicky Smith, an employee assistance counselor for the Employee Assistance Program, will discuss ways to improve your outlook, give you tips on finding the positive side of situations, and help you learn to decrease your stress and enjoy your holidays during the Dec. 1 “Lunch and Learn” program called “No One Wants the Blues for Christmas.”

“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, Dec. 1.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, Nov. 29. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Car seat clinics set for Dec. 2 and Dec. 10
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host a car seat clinic from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 and from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. To participate in the clinics, families must make an appointment. To make an appointment, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, Dec. 8 at the center. The price is $35 and registration is required; a special price of $31.50 for Spirit of Women members is available. 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health offering tours of St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will offer tours of the St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center for expectant parents during December.

Participants in the tour will need to meet at the Heartland Perks coffee shop in the 3900 Building, located at 3900 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East.

Tour dates and times are as follows:

Monday, Dec. 5: 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 8: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 13: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 14: 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 20: 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Special family tours designed to include siblings and grandparents are offered the second Saturday of each month. The December tour is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. To register for the tour, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

‘New Baby Day Camp’ for siblings set for Dec. 10
A new addition to the family affects everyone, especially the new baby’s older brother or sister. New Baby Day Camp, a program from the Spirit of Women, is a specific class for siblings. Open to children ages 3 to 9, this class assists in preparing the “expectant” sibling for the arrival of a new family member, the changes that might occur and how to discuss feelings regarding the new baby.

Seated around a “campfire,” children will listen to a story about what it means to be a big brother or big sister, discuss ways to help with their new sibling and have hands-on practice to prepare for the baby’s arrival. Children will have the opportunity to create a keepsake certificate announcing their new status as a big brother or big sister.

Information about visiting mom and the new baby at the hospital will be included. Children will receive a souvenir backpack with birth announcements and other items to prepare them to visit their new sibling in the hospital. At least one parent is expected to attend; however, both are welcome.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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 program is set for 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $15, with additional siblings $5 each.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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 December. Courses include:

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online), including Preparation for Childbirth, breastfeeding courses, newborn care, infant first aid and infant CPR
Public and health care provider CPR
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator)
First aid classes
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

About the Kathryn Weil Center and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 14 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit FranciscanStE.org and FranciscanAlliance.org.

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Gastroenterologist to join Sigma Medical Group

2011-11-18T09:52:00.000-05:00

Howard M. Hack, M.D.

Howard M. Hack, M.D. has joined Sigma Medical Group. He is a board certified gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in digestive disorders.

Dr. Hack received his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo and completed his residency at Barnes Hospital also in St. Louis. He is fellowship trained in gastroenterology. He completed his fellowship training at Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Dr. Hack has been in practice since 1994. He has an interest in colon cancer screenings and implementing cutting edge procedures. He has extensive experience with colonoscopy, endoscopy, as well as small bowel capsule endoscopy. He is also incorporating digital pathology which allows for faster and more accurate diagnosis.

Dr. Hack continues to teach other physicians and remains on the adjunct clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Hack is currently accepting new patients starting Nov. 21, 2011. His office is located at 3218 Daugherty Drive, Suite 140, Lafayette. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 775-2825.

Sigma Medical Group, a Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health partner, is a multi-specialty physician group with offices throughout Greater Lafayette. For a complete list of doctors, visit SigmaMedicalGroup.org.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni Association announces annual Outstanding Alumni Award winner

2011-11-16T17:05:00.001-05:00

(left to right) Deacon John Jezierski, head of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, Dr. Suzanne K. Marnocha, and her husband, Dr. Mark Marnocha.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni Association presented their annual Outstanding Alumni Award to Suzanne K. Marnocha, R.N., Ph.D. at this year’s annual gathering on Oct. 29, 2011.

Marnocha, a member of the Class of 1976, resides in Hortonville, Wisc. and is an associate professor currently serving as associate dean and director of the undergraduate program in the College of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

Marnocha also arranges international collaboration with nursing programs and assists with a nursing conference in India. Her published work includes innovative use of humanities at the bedside, issues for spouses of deployed veterans and the coping processes of wives of patients who have a CABG surgery (coronary artery bypass). She has also worked with students to explore issues regarding menopause and homeless individuals.

Previous recipients of the Outstanding Alumni Award include:

2003: Helen Wortman, Class of 1947.
2004: Thelma Neal, Class of 1955.
2006: Judith Gudeman, Class of 1954.
2007: Jean Eberhard, Class of 1952.
2008: Eleanor Kay Mirich, Class of 1958.
2009: Marsha Clarke, Class of 1996.
2010: Dorothy Ball, Class of 1952 and Marsella Smith, Class of 1960

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing was established in 1897 and is the only hospital-based school of nursing remaining in Indiana. For more information on the school, please visit www.steson.org.

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About the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is a department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing was established in 1897 and is a three-year diploma school of nursing. It is the only hospital-based school of nursing in Indiana. A bachelor’s degree in nursing option is available in conjunction with Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 14 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit FranciscanStE.org and FranciscanAlliance.org.

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Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health announces organizational appointments

2011-11-11T14:52:00.001-05:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health announces the following organizational appointments:

David Reisman, CNMT, ARRT(N)

David Reisman, CNMT, ARRT(N) has been appointed operations manager for Radiology.

As operations manager, he will be responsible for clinical operations in the department and serve as assistant to the radiation safety officer and maintain all licenses for radiology operations at Francsican St. Elizabeth Health’s Lafayette East, Lafayette Central, Monticello and Sigma Medical Group offices and campuses.

Reisman graduated from Ball State University with a degree in nuclear medicine technology in 1996. He joined Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health in 1996.

Connie Bohling, CRA, CIIP

Connie Bohling, CRA, CIIP has been appointed manager of Radiology Informatics.

She will oversee of ongoing daily operations of systems including the Radiology Information System (RIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), Voice Recognition (VR) and integrate these systems with the hospital information system in all Western Indiana Radiology locations.

With more than 30 years of experience, Bohling has previously served as radiology manager at St. John’s Health System/St. Vincent Health in Anderson, PACS/RIS manager also at St. Vincent Health in Anderson, director of Imaging Services at Howard Regional Health System in Kokomo and, most recently, imaging informatics analyst at Howard Regional Health System.

Bohling received her bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph College in Standish, Maine, and attended Ball Memorial School of Radiologic Technology. Additionally, she is a certified radiology administrator and an imaging informatics professional and also holds American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) advanced certifications in CT, mammography and quality management

Karen Bullard, R.N.

Karen Bullard, R.N. has been appointed director of Cardiovascular Services.

As director, she will be responsible for Inpatient Cardiac Care Unit, Cardiovascular Testing, Heart Catheterization Lab and Cardiac Rehab.

Bullard graduated from Purdue University North Central in 1989 with an associate’s degree in nursing. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s of science degree in nursing at Purdue Calumet. She is certified as a critical care registered nurse.

Bullard joined the staff at Home Hospital in 1990. She worked in the Intensive Care Unit as a staff nurse and patient care coordinator until 1999. She accepted responsibilities as the department director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Progressive Care Unit and the Monitor Station at St. Elizabeth in 2002.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health announces employee elections, certifications and appointments

2011-11-09T08:47:00.003-05:00

Carlos Vasquez

Vasquez elected president-elect of AHRA
Carlos Vasquez, division director of Radiology Services for Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health in Lafayette, has been chosen as president-elect of the Association for Medical Imaging Management. Vasquez was installed as president-elect during their 2011 convention on Aug. 17, 2011. He will serve a three-year term.

Vasquez has been a member of AHRA since September 1994. His contributions to the association and its membership have been numerous, including serving on the AHRA Board of Directors (2005-present) and Annual Meeting Design Teams (2003, 2004), volunteering as a host for the Partners in Learning program (2006-2009), acting as the AHRA liaison to HPN (2007-present), hosting regional meetings (2009), volunteering for the AHRA mentor program (2011) and conducting a peer-review for Human Resource Management in Radiology (2008).

Vasquez has been a speaker at annual meetings, spring and fall conferences and has written articles for Link and Radiology Management. In 2010, he received the Outstanding Article Award, and in 2002, was recognized by his peers with the Amersham Award for Excellence.

Jody Mathew, R.N., MSN

Mathew receives health care ethics certification
Jody Mathew, R.N., MSN, clinical director of Nurse Practice, recently completed the one-year Catholic certification program with distinction in health care ethics run by the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC).

The program was developed at the request of bishops and administrators of health care facilities to provide a credible and systematic formation so that dioceses, hospitals and ethics committees would have well-qualified advisors who are able to apply Catholic moral tradition to challenging contemporary issues in health care.

The part-time, year-long program combines a theoretical component with a practically oriented component based on case studies. The web-based learning program includes face to face meetings, learning modules, weekly assignments, teleconferences and online discussion groups.

Objectives include:

Articulating the Catholic Church’s understanding of the inherent dignity of the human person as the objective basis for the church’s moral tradition in health care.
Applying the Catholic Church’s moral teachings as expressed in the ERDs (Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services)
Identifying resources available to health care workers and others involved in the health care ministry which provide guidance for the resolution of bioethical issues.

Amy Bryan, R.N., M.S., ANP-BC

Bryan joins Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Palliative Care
Amy Bryan, R.N., M.S., ANP-BC, adult nurse practitioner, has recently joined the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Palliative Care Department.

Bryan has worked as a hospitalist nurse, medical/surgical, radiology and ICU nurse in the Greater Lafayette area since 2002.

Bryan completed her master’s of science in nursing at Purdue University and is currently board certified as an adult nurse practitioner. Her research project at Purdue centered around end-of-life care for individuals with end-stage renal disease. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International.

Karie Shepherd

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health announces new volunteer services coordinator
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health announces the appointment of Karie Shepherd as coordinator of Volunteer Services, effective Oct. 31, 2011. She will oversee volunteers at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s two hospitals in Lafayette, as well as outpatient buildings and offices.

Shepherd received her bachelor of science in organizational leadership and supervision with a concentration in human resources and health services from Purdue University. Previously, she has worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Bermuda and an IT consulting company in Chicago.

For more information on volunteering at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health, please call (765) 502-4249.

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About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 14 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit FranciscanStE.org and FranciscanAlliance.org.

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Karas joins Sigma Medical Group

2011-11-02T09:01:00.001-04:00

Barry J. Karas, Pharm.D, M.D.

Adel M. Yaacoub, M.D. of Sigma Cardiovascular Disease is pleased to announce Barry J. Karas, Pharm.D., M.D. has joined his practice. Dr. Karas received his medical degree from New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y. and completed his residency and fellowship training at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass.

He is board certified in cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Dr. Karas is currently accepting new patients. His office is located at 3900 St. Francis Way, Suite 200, Lafayette – on the St. Elizabeth East campus. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 775-2800.

The Sigma Medical Group, a Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health partner, is a multi-specialty physician group with offices throughout Greater Lafayette. For a complete list of doctors, visit SigmaMedicalGroup.org

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville Laboratory receives accreditation from the College of American Pathologists

2011-11-01T10:55:00.000-04:00

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville Laboratory has been awarded accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent onsite inspection.

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville Laboratory is one of nearly 7,000 CAP-accredited laboratories nationwide.

The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government’s own inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the proceeding two years. CAP inspectors also examine staff qualifications, the laboratory’s equipment, facilities, safety program and record, as well as the overall management of the laboratory. This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients.

About the College of American Pathologists

The College of American Pathologists (CAP) is a medical society that serves more than 17,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world. It is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of board-certified pathologists and is worldwide leader in laboratory quality assurance. The College advocates accountable, high-quality, and cost-effective patient care.

More than 7,000 laboratories are accredited by the CAP, and approximately 23,000 laboratories are enrolled in the College’s proficiency testing programs.

About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville is a 103-bed hospital with both inpatient and outpatient services. Celebrating more than 100 years of service to the community, we provide dedicated outpatient women’s services, a fully-staffed emergency department, extensive radiology, therapy services, orthopedics, cancer care and geriatric behavioral health. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville also owns Athens Medical Group.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville earns ACR accreditation in two areas

2011-11-01T10:51:00.000-04:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) and in nuclear medicine as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR practice guidelines and technical standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.

The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 34,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab programs receive recertification by AACVPR

2011-10-28T08:52:00.000-04:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab programs have received recertification by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health was recognized for its commitment to improving the quality of life by enhancing standards of care.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems (e.g. heart attacks, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, etc.) and pulmonary problems (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – COPD, respiratory symptoms, etc.) recover faster and improve their quality of life. Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab rehabilitation programs participated in the one month application process which requires extensive documentation of the program’s practices. The AACVPR Program Certification is the only peer-reviewed accreditation process designed to review individual programs for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by the AACVPR and other professional societies. Each program is reviewed by the AACVPR National Certification Committee and certification is awarded by the AACVPR Board of Directors.

Certified AACVPR programs are recognized as leaders in the field of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation because they offer the most advanced practices available. AACVPR Program Certification is valid for three years.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab rehabilitation programs are located at the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette Central campus, 1501 Hartford St. in Lafayette. For more information on the programs, please call (765) 423-6533.

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About AACVPR

Founded in 1985, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the mission of reducing morbidity, mortality and disability from cardiovascular and pulmonary disease through education, prevention, rehabilitation, research and disease management. Central to the core mission is improvement in quality of life for patients and their families.

About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 14 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit FranciscanStE.org and FranciscanAlliance.org.

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Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Diabetes Center, Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women team together for the second annual Diabetes Day event, ‘Can You Control the Ups and Downs of Blood Sugar?’

2011-10-20T09:21:00.000-04:00

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Diabetes Center, the Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the Spirit of Women will host its second annual Diabetes Day event from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 5 in the Heartland Café, just inside the North Entrance of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East campus, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette. This year’s event is themed “Can You Control the Ups and Downs of Blood Sugar?”

The schedule for the second annual Diabetes Day is as follows:

8:30 – 10 a.m.: various vendors with diabetes information will be available
9:30 a.m.: “Balancing Blood Sugar” presented by James Poulos, M.D., medical director of the Diabetes Center;
10 a.m.: “The Ins and Outs of Exercise: Diabetes and Your Heart” presented by Dave Charters, R.N., M.A., FAACVPR, director of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Cardiopulmonary Rehab;
10:30 a.m.: “Managing Your Medicine” presented by Allyson Howard, Pharm.D., a pharmacist with Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health;
11 a.m.: “Facts and Myths of Diabetes” presented by the Allison Stetler, R.D. CDE;
11:30 a.m. Cooking demonstration with the staff of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Food and Nutrition Services.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Breast Center hosting ‘Grab the Girls and Go’ from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21

2011-10-14T15:45:00.002-04:00

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Breast Center will offer extended hours on Friday, Oct. 21 as a way to encourage women to get a mammogram.

The event, “Grab the Girls and Go” will be from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 and will provide extended hours for mammograms, as well as light refreshments, free information and a variety of other activities at the center.

In addition to screening mammograms (additional registration will be required on site), women may get information on bra fittings by The Bra Lady. Express manicures from Christina and Company’s Education Center and makeup consultations by Merle Norman of Crawfordsville will be available as well as many other activities and resources. Light refreshments will be served. This event will be held at the St. Elizabeth Breast Center at Unity Healthcare, 1345 Unity Place, Suite 220 in Lafayette.

This event has a limited amount of openings for mammograms that evening. If the schedule becomes full for mammograms, other appointments will be available and scheduled for the first Saturday of the month on Nov. 5 and Dec. 3 at the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Screening Mammography Center, located in the 3920 Building at 3920 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East. Everyone is welcome to participate in this event, even if you have your mammogram scheduled at another time. Cost for the mammograms is based on insurance or self-pay; the other activities are free.

Registration is required and will be done through the Kathryn Weil Center for Education and can be made by calling (765) 449-5133. A representative from Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Central Scheduling will contact the participant at a later time to confirm the appointment and also gather registration information for billing information on the mammogram.

Radiologists will be on site to answer general questions but will not be reading mammograms that evening.

St. Elizabeth Hospice offering grief support meetings

2011-09-12T11:48:00.000-04:00

The evening group meets weekly on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Hospice office, located in the lower level of the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette. The group starts on Monday, Sept. 26.

A morning session will be held weekly on Fridays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in a private conference room at MCL Cafeteria, 521 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette. The group starts on Friday, Sept. 30.

Some aspects of participating in a grief support group include:

Giving information about the grief process so that people understand the changes that are happening;
Providing a safe place to share the grief experience; and
Sharing ideas on how to handle daily concerns and changes that come with grief.

Materials include a workbook and Understanding Your Grief, Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Cost for the book is $12. Participants may return the book at the end of the final session for a full refund.

Registration is required and can be made by calling Nancy Eberhard at (765) 423-6732.

Duke Smyster Chili Blast Open to provide four AEDs to community organizations, presentation set for Sept. 2; Mayor Roswarski to attend defibrillator awards

2011-09-01T15:27:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Sept. 1, 2011

Contact: Karen Wlodarski, president

Chili Blast Charities, Inc.

(843) 696-2892 or karen-w@msn.com

Mayor Tony Roswarski will participate in the kickoff of the fifth annual Duke Smyser Chili Blast Open, a charity golf tournament and chili dinner which awards AEDs (cardiac defibrillators) to area non-profit organizations. The event will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2 at the Ravines Golf Club in West Lafayette.

Chili Blast Charities Inc. and the Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present AEDs to groups including the Washington Township Fire Department, Jessie’s Kids Foundation, the Indiana Veterans Home and Bauer Family Resources.

Since its inception, funds raised at the Chili Blast Open have been used toward placement of AEDs at 17 non-profit organizations in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties. For further information, visit www.chiliblast.org.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education releases September community education opportunities

2011-08-22T15:57:00.000-04:00

‘Seasonal Pneumonia’ is September ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

Imad E. Khadra, M.D., a pulmonologist with Sigma Medical Group, will discuss how to protect yourself and loved ones from seasonal pneumonia and other respiratory issues during the Sept. 1 “Lunch and Learn” program called “Seasonal Pneumonia.”

“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, Sept. 1.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, Aug. 30. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

5th annual Duke Smyser Chili Blast Open set for Sept. 2

The fifth annual Duke Smyser Chili Blast Open is set for Friday, Sept. 2, 2011 at the Ravines Golf Course, 8525 Division Rd., West Lafayette, with registration starting at 12:30 p.m. and play beginning at 1 p.m. A chili dinner catered by Harry’s Chocolate Shop will be served at 6 p.m. For more information or to register for the Open, please visit www.chiliblast.org or sign up at the Ravines pro shop.

Proceeds from the Chili Blast Open are donated to the Kathryn Weil Center for Education and used towards the purchase of AEDs to be placed with non-profit organizations in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties. The Kathryn Weil Center for Education oversees the Revive & Survive program, as well as works with other groups who fall outside the Revive & Survive guidelines but are still in need AEDs. The organization must be located in Tippecanoe or Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Warren or White counties and may be tax-based.

The Chili Blast Open is named for Duke Smyser, who was a Lafayette banker for almost 30 years before succumbing to heart disease in 2006.

Neonatal resuscitation certification course offered by Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will provide neonatal resuscitation certification and recertification programs in 2011. This course is designed to teach an evidence-based approach to newborn resuscitation.

A certification class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 7 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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health offering tours of St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will offer tours of the St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center for expectant parents during September.

Participants in the tour will need to meet at the Heartland Perks coffee shop located in the 3900 Building, located at 3900 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East.

Tour dates and times are as follows:

Wednesday, Sept. 7: 1 -2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept 8: 6 -7:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 12: 10 -11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 14: 5 -6:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 19: 6-7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 21: 4 -5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept 27: 12 -1:30 p.m.
Wednesday Sept 28: 5:30 -7 p.m.

Special family tours designed to include siblings and grandparents are offered the second Saturday of each month. The September tour is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. To register for the tour, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women ask ‘Are You Baffled By Cancer?’

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the Spirit of Women are hosting a program that will help community members become “unbaffled” by cancer issues in both men and women.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present “Are You Baffled By Cancer?” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education in Lafayette.

“Are You Baffled By Cancer” will include presentations on cancer, risks, treatments, types of cancer, dietary issues and positive attitudes. Speakers and topics include:

Nancy DiMartino, M.D., Lafayette Cancer Care, will discuss the physiology of cancer, cancer risks, how to reduce your risks and the most frequent types of cancer.
Shraddha Chaubey, M.S., R.D., C.D., registered dietitian/nutritionist and founder and president of NutriPledge, will show you foods that may help reduce your cancer risks.
Nancy Eberhard, M.Div., bereavement coordinator with St. Elizabeth Hospice, will discuss the healing effects of a positive attitude.
Heather Askren, NP-C, R.N., OCN, an adult nurse practitioner with Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Oncology and Palliative Care Services, will distribute free colo-rectal screening kits. Cancer and emphysema information will also be available.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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.

This special Spirit of Women program is free to members; members may bring their spouse or a guest free of charge. There is a $5.00 fee for non-members not attending with a Spirit of Women member.

This program is the first of several programs throughout September, October and November designed to educate community members on various cancer issues.

To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. For more information on the Spirit of Women, please visit www.ste.org/spirit.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, Sept. 8 at the center. The price is $35 and registration is required; a special price of $31.50 for Spirit of Women members is available. 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women to offer pre-conception class Sept. 14

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 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14. 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. The class will last approximately one hour.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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.

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education to host free peripheral arterial disease screening

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and area health care providers are teaming together to provide a free Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) screening from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education.

The center is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

PAD is a clogging of arteries in the leg that can be life-threatening if left untreated. An estimated 12 million Americans have PAD, increasing their risk of death by two to six times from heart attack and stroke. PAD can decrease blood flow to the legs and feet, resulting in muscle fatigue and pain when walking and can lead to amputation, disability and diminished quality of life.

PAD develops slowly over many years and the chance of having PAD increases as you get older; people over age 50 are at highest risk for PAD, but the risk is increased among people who:

smoke or previously smoked;
have diabetes;
have high blood pressure;
have abnormal blood cholesterol levels;
are of African American ethnicity; and
have had heart disease, a heart attack or a stroke.

The screening is in conjunction with National Peripheral Arterial Disease month and is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health and Spirit of Women Health Network.

The method to screen for PAD involves an ankle-brachial index (ABI). This is a common test used to screen for PAD. It compares the blood pressure in your ankle with the blood pressure in your arm using a regular blood pressure cuff and a special ultrasound device to evaluate blood pressure and flow.

Participants may also participate in a free personal cardiac assessment, which includes a cholesterol screening and a glucose screening, as well as a body composition assessment.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health are members of the Spirit of Women network, 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.

This screening is free and open to men and women, but registration is limited and required. To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Natural family planning program scheduled Sept. 14

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 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept.14.

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.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education offers tuberculosis renewal course

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a tuberculosis renewal course. The course is from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Sept. 15. Cost for this program is $50, which is non-refundable.

The renewal course includes presentation of basic and new TB information, a Centers for Disease Control video and return demonstration of skills for reading and administering the Mantoux test.

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

For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. To download a registration form, please visit www.ste.org/kwce and then click on the “For Health Care Professionals” tab.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Registrations now being accepted for September Trauma Nursing Core Course

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), a two-day course designed by the Emergency Nurse Association (ENA) to provide the emergency nurse with core-level trauma knowledge and psycho-motor skills associated with the delivery of nursing care to the trauma patient.

TNCC will be offered from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days of each session on Sept. 28-29. Cost for this course is $275 for ENA members and $295 for non-members.

All materials, including textbook, will be mailed to participant upon receipt or confirmation of payment. A four-year verification card will be issued following successful course completion.

Enrollment is limited; early registration is advised. If a participant cancels after the registration deadline, participants may apply the fee to a future course.

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.

For more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. To register, please complete the form at www.ste.org/kwce and then click on the “For Healthcare Professionals” link on the left of the Web page.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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 September. Courses include:

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online), including Preparation for Childbirth, breastfeeding courses, newborn care, infant first aid and infant CPR;
Public and health care provider CPR;
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator);
First aid classes; and
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education announces August community education opportunities

2011-07-22T10:01:00.000-04:00

‘When To Worry About Not Remembering’ is August ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

Tiffany Stalbaum, memory care facilitator from Rosewalk Village, will discuss normal memory loss, types of dementia, stages of Alzheimer’s and philosophy of validation vs. reality orientation in caring for those with dementia during the Aug. 4 “Lunch and Learn” program called “When To Worry About Not Remembering.”

“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, Aug. 4.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, Aug. 2. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education to host support groups for parents

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host two support groups for parents during the month of August.

SHARE Support Group: This group is for parents who have experienced the loss of an infant. The group meets at the center at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month, which is Aug. 2.
Perinatal Anxiety and Mood Disorders (PAMD): This support group is designed for moms and dads who suffer from depression and/or anxiety disorders during pregnancy, postpartum or with adoption. This group meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. August meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 9 and Tuesday, Aug. 23.

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Health care provider CPR basic courses being offered

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host nine sessions of health care provider CPR basic courses during August.

Course times and dates include the following:

Monday, Aug. 1: 6 to 9 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 5: 1 to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 9: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 22: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 30: 1 to 5 p.m.

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online), including Preparation for Childbirth, breastfeeding courses, newborn care, infant first aid and infant CPR;
Public and health care provider CPR;
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator);
First aid classes; and
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education announces July community education opportunities

2011-06-27T14:17:00.000-04:00

‘Taking the Bite Out of Outdoor Pests’ is July ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

John MacDonald of Purdue University’s Department of Entomology will discuss ways to make your summer more pleasant, limit exposure and increase your awareness of health risks from deer ticks and mosquitoes during the July 7 “Lunch and Learn” program called “Taking the Bite Out of Outdoor Pests.”
“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, July 7.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, July 5. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Health care provider CPR basic courses being offered

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host nine sessions of health care provider CPR basic courses during July and August.

Course times and dates include the following:

Tuesday, July 5: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, July 11: 6 to 10 p.m.
Monday, July 18: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, July 25: 6 to 10 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 1: 6 to 9 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 5: 1 to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 9: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 22: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 30: 1 to 5 p.m.

Class size is limited. Cost for the course if $50 if you want to keep the book; $45 if you want to use the book only during class. Fees are due at the time of registration.

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

For more information or to register, 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 2011. 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, July 6 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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Registrations now being accepted for July Trauma Nursing Core Course

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), a two-day course designed by the Emergency Nurse Association (ENA) to provide the emergency nurse with core-level trauma knowledge and psycho-motor skills associated with the delivery of nursing care to the trauma patient.

TNCC will be offered from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days of each session on July 13-14. Cost for this course is $275 for ENA members and $295 for non-members.

All materials, including textbook, will be mailed to participant upon receipt or confirmation of payment. A four-year verification card will be issued following successful course completion.

Enrollment is limited; early registration is advised. If a participant cancels after the registration deadline, participants may apply the fee to a future course.

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.

For more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. To register, please complete the form at http://www.ste.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=1349.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, July 14 at the center. The price is $35 and registration is required; a special price of $31.50 for Spirit of Women members is available. 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

‘New Baby Day Camp’ for siblings set for July 16

A new addition to the family affects everyone, especially the new baby’s older brother or sister. New Baby Day Camp, a program from the Spirit of Women, is a specific class for siblings. Open to children ages 3 to 9, this class assists in preparing the “expectant” sibling for the arrival of a new family member, changes that might occur, and how to discuss feelings regarding the new baby.

Seated around a “campfire,” children will listen to a story about what it means to be a big brother or big sister, discuss ways to help with their new sibling, and have hands-on practice in order to prepare for the baby’s arrival. Children will have the opportunity to create a keepsake certificate announcing their new status as a big brother or big sister.

Information about visiting mom and the new baby at the hospital will be included. Children will receive a souvenir backpack with birth announcements and other goodies to prepare them to visit their new sibling in the hospital. At least one parent is expected to attend; however both are welcome.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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 program is set for 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $15, with additional siblings $5 each.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Car seat clinics set for July 16 and July 22

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host a car seat clinic from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 16 and from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 22. To participate in the clinics, families must make an appointment. To make an appointment, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education hosting a ‘hands only CPR’ course on July 21
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a “hands only CPR” course from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 21.

“Hands only CPR” prepares you to provide CPR to adults and children who are unresponsive and not breathing normally, regardless of the cause. As part of learning these skills, you will also be learning the skills needed to provide hands only CPR, an easy and effective way to help adults who suddenly collapse. Conscious and unconscious choking and what to do will also be taught.

This class is free to the public, but registration is required. To register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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, July 27 to Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 6 to 7 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 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 in Lafayette.

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

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health offering tours of St. Elizabeth Women’s Center

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will offer tours of the St. Elizabeth Women’s Center for expectant parents during July.

Participants in the tour will need to meet at the Heartland Perks coffee shop located in the 3900 Building, located at 3900 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East.

Tour dates and times are as follows:

Monday, July 18: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 20: 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 21: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 25: Noon to 1:30 p.m. and 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 27: 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Special family tours designed to include siblings and grandparents are offered the second Saturday of each month. The July tour is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 9. To register for the tour, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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 July. Courses include:

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online);
Public and health care provider CPR;
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator);
First aid classes; and
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education announces July community education opportunities

2011-06-22T12:37:00.000-04:00

‘Taking the Bite Out of Outdoor Pests’ is July ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

John MacDonald of Purdue University’s Department of Entomology will discuss ways to make your summer more pleasant, limit exposure and increase your awareness of health risks from deer ticks and mosquitoes during the July 7 “Lunch and Learn” program called “Taking the Bite Out of Outdoor Pests.”

“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, July 7.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, July 5. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Health care provider CPR basic courses being offered

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host nine sessions of health care provider CPR basic courses during July and August.

Course times and dates include the following:

Tuesday, July 5: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, July 11: 6 to 10 p.m.
Monday, July 18: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, July 25: 6 to 10 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 1: 6 to 9 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 5: 1 to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 9: 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 22: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 30: 1 to 5 p.m.

Class size is limited. Cost for the course if $50 if you want to keep the book; $45 if you want to use the book only during class. Fees are due at the time of registration.

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

For more information or to register, 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 2011. 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, July 6 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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Registrations now being accepted for July Trauma Nursing Core Course

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), a two-day course designed by the Emergency Nurse Association (ENA) to provide the emergency nurse with core-level trauma knowledge and psycho-motor skills associated with the delivery of nursing care to the trauma patient.

TNCC will be offered from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days of each session on July 13-14. Cost for this course is $275 for ENA members and $295 for non-members.

All materials, including textbook, will be mailed to participant upon receipt or confirmation of payment. A four-year verification card will be issued following successful course completion.

Enrollment is limited; early registration is advised. If a participant cancels after the registration deadline, participants may apply the fee to a future course.

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.

For more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. To register, please complete the form at www.ste.org/kwce and then click on the “For Healthcare Professionals” link on the left of the Web page.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, July 14 at the center. The price is $35 and registration is required; a special price of $31.50 for Spirit of Women members is available. 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

‘New Baby Day Camp’ for siblings set for July 16

A new addition to the family affects everyone, especially the new baby’s older brother or sister. New Baby Day Camp, a program from the Spirit of Women, is a specific class for siblings. Open to children ages 3 to 9, this class assists in preparing the “expectant” sibling for the arrival of a new family member, changes that might occur, and how to discuss feelings regarding the new baby.

Seated around a “campfire,” children will listen to a story about what it means to be a big brother or big sister, discuss ways to help with their new sibling, and have hands-on practice in order to prepare for the baby’s arrival. Children will have the opportunity to create a keepsake certificate announcing their new status as a big brother or big sister.

Information about visiting mom and the new baby at the hospital will be included. Children will receive a souvenir backpack with birth announcements and other goodies to prepare them to visit their new sibling in the hospital. At least one parent is expected to attend; however both are welcome.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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 program is set for 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $15, with additional siblings $5 each.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Car seat clinics set for July 16 and July 22

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host a car seat clinic from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 16 and from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 22. To participate in the clinics, families must make an appointment. To make an appointment, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education hosting a ‘hands only CPR’ course on July 21

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a “hands only CPR” course from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 21.

“Hands only CPR” prepares you to provide CPR to adults and children who are unresponsive and not breathing normally, regardless of the cause. As part of learning these skills, you will also be learning the skills needed to provide hands only CPR, an easy and effective way to help adults who suddenly collapse. Conscious and unconscious choking and what to do will also be taught.

This class is free to the public, but registration is required. To register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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, July 27 to Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 6 to 7 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 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 in Lafayette.

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

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health offering tours of St. Elizabeth Women’s Center

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will offer tours of the St. Elizabeth Women’s Center for expectant parents during July.

Participants in the tour will need to meet at the Heartland Perks coffee shop located in the 3900 Building, located at 3900 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East.

Tour dates and times are as follows:

Monday, July 18: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 20: 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 21: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 25: Noon to 1:30 p.m. and 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 27: 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

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 July. Courses include:

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online);
Public and health care provider CPR;
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator);
First aid classes; and
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women encourage residents to learn about ‘The Hoopla About Pelvic Health’

2011-06-13T14:13:00.001-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the Spirit of Women are hosting a program that encourages area residents to learn about the importance of pelvic health.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present “The Hoopla About Pelvic Health” a program for men and women at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23 at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette. Participants are encouraged to go to the North Entrance of the hospital.

“The Hoopla About Pelvic Health” will include presentations on maintaining pelvic health, female and male incontinence, female gynecological health, male prostate health and treatment procedures. The daVinci Surgical System will also be available for demonstrations. Joel McCuaig, M.D., a gynecologist with McCuaig Gynecology, and Jeffrey Cooper, M.D., a urologist with Lafayette Urology, will provide a general overview and then conduct gender-specific talks on pelvic health issues. Representatives from Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy will also talk about common problems, various treatment techniques and options.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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.

This program is free, and registration is required. To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. For more information on the Spirit of Women, please visit www.ste.org/spirit.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health moves Pediatric Outpatient Therapy program, expands other services

2011-06-02T11:16:00.000-04:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health has completed a move of its Pediatric Outpatient Therapy program to its new location in the lower level of the Lafayette Heart Institute, 1116 N. 16th St. on the St. Elizabeth Central campus.

The move to the lower level of the Lafayette Heart Institute adjacent to Speech Therapy allows for an increase in the number of private treatment spaces. In addition, being located close to Speech Therapy allows for improved access and scheduling to other areas of the hospital for pediatric patients.

“We see about 150 to 175 patients of all ages each day,” said Deb Baker, interim division director of Rehabilitation Services for Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. “Because of that volume, we began renovating our current Outpatient Physical/Occupational Therapy building and also exploring our options to enhance patient experiences as well as allow for continued growth.

“The space for the Pediatric Outpatient Therapy program is wonderful as it allows pediatric patients to focus on their specific therapy in a quieter atmosphere with less distractions,” continued Baker.

With the pediatric program moving to a new location, it allows the adult program to expand its services. “All of these changes have allowed us to be increasingly more responsive to our patients, our physicians and the community’s needs,” said Baker.

For example, PT/OT provides wound treatments in the Outpatient Center at St. Elizabeth East, 1701 S. Creasy Lane. Women’s health program patients are also seen in the 3920 Building on the St. Elizabeth East campus, which also houses the offices of the Woman’s Clinic and Lafayette OB/GYN.

In addition, specialty services including lymphedema, low vision, balance/vestibular, interactive metronome, driving assessments, sensory integration and the wheelchair clinic now have more space to work with patients. Audiology has also been added as an outpatient service with a partnership between Whisper Hearing Centers and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. The Audiology main office is located at St. Elizabeth Central.
The following phone numbers are also now in effect:

Scheduling (patients of all age ranges): (765) 423-6885
Adult PT/OT main office: (765) 423-6885
Pediatric PT/OT and Speech main office: (765) 423-6336
Audiology: (765) 423-6855

An open house is scheduled for the new Pediatric Outpatient Therapy program from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8.

For more information on the services provided by Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s Physical/Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Audiology Services, please call (765) 423-6885.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health hosting rummage sale to benefit employee emergency fund

2011-06-01T15:00:00.002-04:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will host a rummage sale from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 4 in the Home Hospital main lobby. Parking will be available in the parking garage adjacent to the hospital.

The sale includes something for everyone: Toys, linens, kitchen items, CDs, books, tools, jewelry, artwork and household decorative items. Office furniture and other furnishings from Home Hospital will also be available for purchase. This includes desks, file cabinets and office chairs.

For more information, please call Cindy Benner, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Mission Integration Department, at (765) 502-4334.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education June community education opportunities

2011-05-24T08:42:00.001-04:00

‘Adding Spice for a Healthier Life’ is June ‘Lunch and Learn’ topic

Kathy Murray, a consumer and family sciences educator with Purdue Extension, and Jeff Phillips, an agricultural and natural resources educator with Purdue Extension, will discuss ways to decrease your salt intake while increasing flavor by cooking with herbs and how to raise herbs during the June 2 “Lunch and Learn” program called “Adding Spice for a Healthier Life.”

“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, June 2.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, May 31. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Educationis the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health offering tours of St. Elizabeth Women’s Center

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will offer tours of the St. Elizabeth Women’s Center for expectant parents during June.

Participants in the tour will need to meet at the Heartland Perks coffee shop located in the 3900 Building, located at 3900 St. Francis Way on the campus of St. Elizabeth East.

Tour dates and times are as follows:

Wednesday, June 1: 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, June 2: 4 to 5:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Monday, June 20: 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 21: 11 to 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 29: 4 to 5:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Special Family tours designed to include siblings and grandparents are offered the second Saturday of each month. The June tour is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 11. To register for the tour, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Educationis the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Neonatal resuscitation certification course offered by Kathryn Weil Center for Education

A certification class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $75 per person, and class size is limited.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Educationis the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education to host support groups for parents

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host two support groups for parents during the month of June.

SHARE Support Group: This group is for parents who have experienced the loss of an infant. The group meets at the center at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month, which is June 7.
Perinatal Anxiety and Mood Disorders (PAMD): This support group is designed for moms and dads who suffer from depression and/or anxiety disorders during pregnancy, postpartum or with adoption. This group meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. June meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, June 14 and Tuesday, June 28.

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

Natural family planning program scheduled June 8

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 Wednesday, June 8.

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.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Educationis the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, June 9 at the center. The price is $35 and registration is required; a special price of $31.50 for Spirit of Women members is available. 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

‘New Baby Day Camp’ for siblings set for June 11

The program is set for 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. Cost is $15, with additional siblings $5 each.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Educationis the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women encourage residents to learn about ‘The Hoopla About Pelvic Health’

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the Spirit of Women are hosting a program that encourages area residents to learn about the importance of pelvic health.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present “The Hoopla About Pelvic Health” a program for men and women at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23 at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette. Participants are encouraged to go to the North Entrance of the hospital.

“The Hoopla About Pelvic Health” will include presentations on maintaining pelvic health, female and male incontinence, female gynecological health, male prostate health and treatment procedures. The daVinci Surgical System will also be available for demonstrations. Joel McCuaig, M.D., a gynecologist with McCuaig Gynecology, and Jeffrey Cooper, M.D., a urologist with Lafayette Urology, will provide a general overview and then conduct gender-specific talks on pelvic health issues. Representatives from Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy will also talk about common problems, various treatment techniques and options.

This program is free, and registration is required. To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. For more information on the Spirit of Women, please visit www.ste.org/spirit.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Educationis the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Car seat clinics set for June 24

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host a car seat clinic from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 24. To participate in the clinics, families must make an appointment. To make an appointment, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

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.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education offers tuberculosis renewal course

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a tuberculosis renewal course. The course is from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, June 30. Cost for this program is $50, which is non-refundable.

The renewal course includes presentation of basic and new TB information, a Centers for Disease Control video and return demonstration of skills for reading and administering the Mantoux test.

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

For more information or to register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. To download a registration form, please visit www.ste.org/kwce and then click on the “For Health Care Professionals” tab.

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 June. Courses include:

Expectant parent education classes (in classrooms or online);
Public and health care provider CPR;
CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator);
First aid classes; and
Tours of the Women’s Center at St. Elizabeth East.

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

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

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is the community education department of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East now offering cord blood donation program

2011-05-19T15:41:00.000-04:00

Once discarded, cord blood now being donated for life-saving treatment and research
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East now offering cord blood donation program

St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center recently introduced a new program that allows expectant mothers to donate their baby’s cord blood for public use. Rich in stem cells, the donated cord blood will be used for research and the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease and more than 70 other illnesses.

Patients who would like to volunteer to be donors must sign a consent form prior to the birth of the baby and complete a 70-question medical and social history questionnaire. Within 15 minutes of the child’s birth, the nurse will give the umbilical cord and to a technician who will collect the cord blood and ship it to Cryobank where it will be processed.

There’s no risk to the mother or child to donate cord blood and the identities of donors are kept completely confidential.

“We are excited to partner with Donor Services to offer this life-saving program and amazed by the generosity of our patients,” said Joyce Van Hoosier, division director of Women’s Services at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. “Most patients decide to donate and are happy to know something that was previously discarded is now being used to save the life of others.”

The cord blood collection program is overseen by Donor Services of Indiana, a Fort Wayne-based company. Donor Services is under the auspices of the National Marrow Donor Program in conjunction with Florida-based Cryobanks International, which coordinates blood processing and distribution.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health has approved the collection protocols and cord blood stem cell research initiatives. That company’s methodologies for such research are within the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care.

For more information about the program, call Donor Services of Indiana at 1-877-749-9105. For more information about the St. Elizabeth Women’s Center, visit our website at FranciscanStE.org or call (765) 502-4600.

Camp WACK gearing up for another session and welcoming adult participants

2011-05-17T09:36:00.000-04:00

Registration is now being accepted for the fifth annual Camp WACK (Water Adventure Camp for Kids), which will be held on Tuesday, June 28 through Thursday, June 30 at Lake Harner in Lafayette. The program has expanded this year, adding a third day for participants 18 years and older.

Camp WACK provides children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to participate in adapted water skiing. Skis are specially equipped to allow skiers to sit and ski, while outriggers provide balance and stability to ensure a rewarding and positive ski experience. A variety of games and activities will also be available for the campers on shore throughout the day. Campers will be given a choice as to which day to attend. All attempts will be made to accommodate your request.

Camp WACK is limited to the first 75 participates. Eligible participants for June 28th and 29th are children ages 5 to 18 with disabilities. Participants ages 18 and older may attend the June 30th camp. Disabled participants must meet the following criteria:

Participants must be able to communicate utilizing words or hand signals.
Participants must be able to roll over from face down position in the water.
Participants do not have to be able to hold the ski rope independently.

Cost is $25 per participant. For an application packet, please visit www.campwack.org. Payment with registration is due by June 11.

Camp WACK is presented by Modified Athletics for Kids. Sponsors of Camp WACK include The Eagles, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health, Freckles Graphics and Tipmont REMC.

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, St. Elizabeth Hospice, St. Elizabeth Home Health Pharmacy and St. Clare Home Health Care receive CHAP accreditation

2011-05-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

Community Health Accreditation Program Inc. (CHAP) announced on April 25 that St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, St. Elizabeth Hospice, St. Elizabeth Home Health Pharmacy and St. Clare Home Health Care have been awarded CHAP accreditation under the Home Health and Hospice Standards of Excellence. The three departments have received CHAP accreditation since 2003. The accreditation is valid for three years.

CHAP accreditation demonstrates that the home health and hospice departments meet the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. Rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources and long term viability.

“We are honored to receive a renewal to our accreditation from CHAP,” said Bea Lamb, regional director of St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, St. Elizabeth Hospice, St. Elizabeth Home Health Pharmacy and St. Clare Home Health Care. “Our staff continually works with patients and their families, as well as physicians and other hospital departments and social service agencies to provide quality care and outcomes. This accreditation shows that we meet or exceed standards of care for home health and hospice services.”

“We are very pleased that Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s home health and hospice departments chose CHAP accreditation,” said Terry A. Duncombe, CHAP president and CEO. “Voluntarily selecting to achieve CHAP accreditation and meeting our high standards of excellence demonstrates Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health’s commitment to quality. CHAP is delighted to work with their entire team through the ongoing process of quality improvement.”

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, St. Clare Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice serve patients in Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Parke, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties. St. Elizabeth Home Health Pharmacy serves all of the above counties and also Boone, Hendricks and Vermillion counties.

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, St. Elizabeth Hospice and St. Elizabeth Home Health Phamacy are located in the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette on the campus of Franciscan St. Elizabeth – Lafayette Central. St. Clare Home Health Care is located at 1720 Lafayette Rd., Suite 100 in Crawfordsville on the campus of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville.

For more information on St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, please call (765) 449-5046 or 1-800-755-5650 or visit www.ste.org/homehealth; for St. Elizabeth Hospice, please call (765) 423-6224 or 1-800-755-5650 or visit www.ste.org/hospice; for St. Elizabeth Home Health Pharmacy, please call (765) 423-6540 or 1-866-825-2011. For more information on the services provided by St. Clare Home Health Care, please call (765) 362-5114 or 1-800-256-3963 or visit www.ste.org/homehealth.

###

About CHAP

CHAP is an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. Created in 1965, CHAP was the first to recognize the need and value for accreditation in community-based care. CHAP is the oldest national community based health care accrediting body with more than 5,000 agencies currently accredited nationwide. Through “deeming authority” granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice and home medical equipment services to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards. CHAP’s purpose is to define and advance the highest standards of community-based care. For more information on CHAP, please visit www.chapinc.org.

About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the >Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit www.ste.org and www.franciscanalliance.org.

St. Elizabeth Hospice offering grief support meetings

2011-05-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

St. Elizabeth Hospice will offer two 11-week grief support groups. The group is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. The sessions will be facilitated by Nancy Eberhard, M.Div., hospice bereavement coordinator.

The evening group meets weekly on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Hospice office, located in the lower level of the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette. The group starts on Monday, June 6.

A morning session will be held weekly on Fridays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in a private conference room at MCL Cafeteria, 521 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette. The group starts on Friday, June 10.

Some aspects of participating in a grief support group include:

Giving information about the grief process so that people understand the changes that are happening;
Providing a safe place to share the grief experience; and
Sharing ideas on how to handle daily concerns and changes that come with grief.

Materials include Understanding Your Grief, Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Cost for the book is $10. Participants may return the book at the end of the final session for a full refund.

Registration is required and can be made by calling Nancy Eberhard at (765) 423-6732.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Diabetes Center hosting Sanofi-Aventis A1C Champions Program speaker on May 17

2011-05-12T10:32:00.000-04:00

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Diabetes Center will host a community education program aimed at informing area residents about how to take control of diabetes.

“Taking Control of Diabetes” will be presented at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17 at the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Diabetes Center. The center is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

The program will be presented by Doris Smith, a patient with diabetes and a member of Sanofi-Aventis’ A1C Champions Program. The A1C Champions Program is designed to be a patient-led approach to diabetes education. Speakers know first hand the challenges and obstacles to maintaining control of their diabetes. They share diabetes self-management and lifestyle strategies based on extensive training and their personal experience with diabetes.

During the program, Smith will talk about achieving good glucose control; learning about effective self management; developing a balanced, healthy lifestyle; planning and prioritizing diabetes management; overcoming fears surrounding diabetes; and finding resources for diabetes support.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 20 million Americans have diabetes — six million of whom are unaware they have the disease. The American Diabetes Association recommends that, in general, people with diabetes should initially strive for an A1C (a test that assesses blood glucose levels over a two- to three-month period) that is less than 7%. Alarmingly, more than 50% of diabetes patients are not in control of the disease.

Even worse, a 2005 survey commissioned by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists found that 84% of type 2 diabetes patients surveyed believed they were doing a good job controlling their blood sugar even though 61% went on to say they did not know what an A1C test is.

If you or someone you know is struggling with diabetes or has an A1C that is 7% or above, the A1C Champions can provide motivation to take those first steps to a healthier life.

This event is free, but registration is required. To register, please call the Diabetes Center at (765) 449-5180.

Lemonade Day participants donate proceeds to Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health

2011-05-04T16:48:00.000-04:00

Jayden Diaz (left) and Braydan Estes (right)
present the check to Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health
president and CEO Terry Wilson (center).

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is proud to announce it received a $37 donation on May 5 from participants in the recent Lemonade Day in Lafayette.

According to the Lemonade Day website, http://lafayette.lemonadeday.org, Lemonade Day is a city-wide event where kids get to make and keep the money that they earn from creating lemonade stands. Kids of all ages learn to set goals, develop a business plan, establish a budget, seek investors, provide customer service, and give back to their community.

The participants that donated their proceeds to Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health were Jayden Diaz, 8, and a third grader at Vinton Elementary, and Braydan Estes, 6, and a kindergartener at Cole Elementary. Their stand was located at the corner of Greenbush Street and U.S. 52. In addition to small and large lemonade, the young entrepreneurs offered free candy to help draw customers to their stand.

For Diaz, the choice of donating his proceeds was a personal one.

“I chose St. Elizabeth because my cousin Abraham came here recently and the doctors and nurses took really good care of him,” said Diaz.

Diaz and Estes presented Terry Wilson, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health president and CEO, with a check and a framed picture of their lemonade stand.

“The Sisters of St. Francis have been caring for the sick in our community for more than 135 years. Donations like this help us continue their mission of providing comprehensive and compassionate care to all in need,” said Wilson. “This was a great opportunity for these young men to learn not only basic business and marketing skills, but the value of giving back to the community as well.”

Wilson promised the two boys that he would speak with the hospital physicians on how to best use the funds donated.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health to offer free National Women’s Health Week events

2011-04-29T14:10:00.001-04:00

In honor of National Women’s Health Week, da Vinci Surgery, Everyday Health, The Office on Women’s Health and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health have teamed up to bring “Women’sWorks: Tools for a Healthier You” to Greater Lafayette. These wellness events, led by area physicians, aim to educate women 35 and older about early detection and treatment options for common health issues.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health has partnered with physicians from Woman’s Clinic and Lafayette OB/GYN to offer the following free events:

Thursday, May 5
6 p.m.
Faith Community Center
5572 Mercy Way
Lafayette, IN 47905
Featured speaker: Daniel J. Wickert, M.D. with Lafayette OB/GYN

Thursday, May 12
6 p.m.
Sigma Family Medicine
Offices of Drs. Brian and Amanda Morris
915 Sagamore Parkway West
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Featured speaker: Erin Ramirez, D.O. with Lafayette OB/GYN

Thursday, May 26
6 p.m.
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health
Lafayette East Campus
North Entrance
1701 South Creasy Lane
Lafayette, IN 47905

The May 26 event will feature a demonstration of the daVinci robot and a multi-physician panel with physicians from the Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN and McCuaig Gynecology to answer questions. Refreshments will be served at the May 26 event and there will be drawings for two $25 Target gift cards, a free Heart Scan ($99 value) and a free screening Mammogram ($250 value).

All three events are free but registration is required. To register, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. For more information visit, www.ste.org

Area health care organizations present ‘Make Your Health Care Decisions – Have Family Conversations Before Crisis’

2011-04-28T11:58:00.003-04:00

University Place and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will present “Make Your Health Care Decisions – Have Family Conversations Before Crisis” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2011.at University Place, 1700 Lindberg Rd. in West Lafayette.

Carmen Balfour and Linda Miller of St. Elizabeth Hospice and Roger Bennett, an attorney from Bennett Boehning and Clary, will participate in a panel discussion and answer questions related to end-of-life care. Participants will learn about practical resources to design their own end-of-life-care and about how to have a family dialogue to express concerns and personal decisions.

This event is free and registration is not required. Coffee, soda, water and tea will be provided.

For more information, please call University Place’s Pastoral Care Office at (765) 464-5688.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health to host Healthy Families Fun Day and NICU reunion

2011-04-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

The Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Pediatric Center will host a Healthy Families Fun Fair on May 7, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in partnership with State Farm’s Annual Child Safety Day on the St Elizabeth East campus located at 1701 S. Creasy Lane, Lafayette.

The goal of the fair is to inspire families in a fun way to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. The event is free and will feature fun, kid-friendly activities at every booth. Activities include:

Free car seat checks provided by State Farm – During the event, parents can drive up to have their child’s car or booster seat checked by a certified car seat installer.
A bike helmet fitting provided by Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine. To help prevent bike related brain and spinal cord injuries, the neurosurgeons at Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine is giving away bike helmets to the first 150 children who are fitted (sizes vary from toddler to teen).
Healthy eating – Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Food and Nutrition Services will show families how to grow their own vegetables at home and offer quick recipe ideas to help kids get fruits and vegetables into their diet every day.
A Zumba dance demonstration – There will be four, 20-minute interactive demos held throughout the day. Zumba is a great fun dance to get kids up and moving!
Other groups with booths/activities at the event include: Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Pediatric Therapy, Kathryn Weil Center for Education, Pediatric Associates, Riggs Community Health Center, Sigma Medical Group and Unity Healthcare. Police, Fire and EMTs also will be on hand with safety information.
Various games and activities for families and children 12 and under.

In addition to the Healthy Families Fun Fair, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health will host a reunion for NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) graduates. Families with children who were treated in the Home Hospital or St. Elizabeth East NICU are invited to come and share their experiences with other families and to visit with the NICU physicians and nurses who cared for their child. A group photo will be taken at 1 p.m. “Throughout the last 30 years Home Hospital and St. Elizabeth have been there to care for area babies during their time of need,” said Dr. Rosario Chua, Neonatal Intensive Care physician. “It’s a very powerful experience for everyone involved. The NICU reunion is a chance to celebrate the children and connect with other families who share a similar experience.”

The Healthy Families Fun Fair is held in front of the 3920 Building on the Franciscan St. Elizabeth - Lafayette East campus. Parking is available in the hospital parking lot. For more information, call (765) 502-4688.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health to relocate Anticoagulation Clinic

2011-04-01T08:45:00.002-04:00

On April 16, Franciscan St Elizabeth Health will relocate its Anticoagulation Clinic currently located in the Lafayette Heart Institute. The new location is on the ground floor of Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health - Lafayette Central. Short-term parking is available for patient drop off on the lower ramp of the hospital. Long-term parking is available in the parking garage.

The Anticoagulation Clinic will begin seeing patients in the new location on April 18, 2011. The phone and fax number will remain the same. For more information, call (765) 423-6880.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health introduces Halo SleepSack wearable blankets in Franciscan St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center to help newborns sleep safer

2011-03-18T09:16:00.000-04:00

As a health care leader, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health swaddles all newborns and preemies in wearable blankets to model a safe sleep environment for new parents in Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East is the first hospital in the area to swaddle newborn babies in HALO SleepSack wearable blankets. The charge behind HALO’s Safer Way to Sleep initiative is to keep all babies safe and warm while they sleep and to model safe sleep practices for parents. In recent years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has revised its guidelines to suggest the use of wearable blankets instead of loose blankets as a way to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in babies less than 12 months old.

On Feb. 15, 2011, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health started implementing HALO’s Safer Way to Sleep initiative, which benefits approximately 2,000 babies born annually at Franciscan St. Elizabeth - East. The hospital’s focus on wearable blankets not only comforts and stabilizes sleeping babies in the nursery, but also eliminates loose blankets in bassinets.

“We’re always looking for new ways to continue improving the quality of care for our patients, and our new partnership with HALO Innovations ensures all babies in our birthing center are sleeping safely right from the start,” said Joyce VanHoosier, division director, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health LDRP/GYN Services.

“Our Women’s Center staff is already educating new parents on how to properly position and set up appropriate sleep environments for newborns, so the use of HALO SleepSack wearable blankets in our hospital is another way to demonstrate safe sleep practices to parents.”

In addition to the SleepSacks that will be used for educational purposes in the hospital, the St. Elizabeth East Women’s Center also gives every baby born in the facility a Halo SleepSack to take home through a donation from the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary. “Each year our Auxiliary uses proceeds from the hospital gift shops and various fund raisers to fund special projects on our hospital campuses,” said Lisa Decker, vice president of Marketing and Business Development. “We are so thankful – it is the Auxiliary’s generous donation that allowed us to provide a SleepSack to every baby born in our facility.”

Auxiliary President Donna Brown said, “We are thrilled to be a part of this project and to know we are helping babies and families in our community. This donation gives every baby born at St. Elizabeth East the opportunity to take his or her own HALO SleepSack home, along with a packet of information for new parents about reducing the risk of SIDS.”

HALO SleepSack wearable blankets are available for purchase in Heartland Gifts Too!, the gift shop at St. Elizabeth East for $15 to $18 each. The gift shop is operated by the Auxiliary.

“HALO Innovations is pleased to partner with Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health to provide a product that keeps sleeping babies safe, gives parents peace of mind and makes safe swaddling of newborns easier,” said Bill Schmid, founder of HALO Innovations. “Our mission is to significantly decrease the number of babies lost to SIDS each year, and we believe our HALO SleepSack wearable blankets along with education on safe sleep practices are helping fight this battle.”

For more information about the Franciscan St. Elizabeth Women’s Center’s wearable blanket program, visit www.ste.org or call (765) 502-4600.

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About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Sigma Medical Group in Lafayette, West Lafayette and Monticello, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is accredited by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, the Community Health Accreditation Program, the College of American Pathologists, and is an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Its Orthopaedic Services program was the recipient of the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, which also received 5 Star ratings for its overall orthopedic services, joint replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, spine surgery, and back and neck (spinal fusion) surgery. For more information, please visit www.ste.org and www.franciscanalliance.org.

About HALO Innovations
Based in Minneapolis, MN, HALO Innovations has a singular mission: to help babies sleep safely. Founded in 1994 by William Schmid, who began researching sleeping environments after he lost an infant daughter to SIDS three years earlier, HALO is dedicated to developing products that set new standards for the safety and improved health of sleeping infants and bringing peace of mind to one’s home. Halo products are used in over 600 hospitals nationwide in well baby care, NICU’s, in take home programs and are sold in hospital gift shops to help new parents practice safe sleep for baby at home. For more information, visit www.halosleep.com.

Franciscan Alliance launches accountable care organization

2011-02-22T16:06:00.000-05:00

Health system takes vital step in responding to national health care reform

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Franciscan Alliance has formed an accountable care organization (ACO), a model designed to improve patient care, reduce medical costs and enhance the delivery of health care.

For months, the state’s largest Catholic-based health care system diligently has been working to establish an ACO, a vital component of health care reform as it progresses nationally.

“It has been our vision to provide better and more affordable care to our patients and elevate efficiency among our hospitals, physicians and insurers,” said Kevin Leahy, Franciscan Alliance president and chief executive officer. “The ACO we are creating benefits patients by giving them more of a role in directing their own care, offering them more incentives for disease prevention and pursuing healthier lifestyles, and significantly reducing duplicative medical tests.”

Franciscan Alliance – with 13 hospitals in Indiana and Illinois – provides care for more than 2.9 million outpatient visits and more than 100,000 inpatient discharges every year with the most effective medical treatments, state-of-the-art medical equipment and an abundance of compassionate care.

The system employs 18,200 co-workers including 556 physicians – both primary care and specialists – and expects to grow its physician team to more than 630 physicians next year, serving the system’s service-area population of 3.7 million people.

From an industry perspective, the ACO model encourages organizations such as hospitals, physician practices and insurance providers to collaborate closely, thus bringing down the overall costs of medical care.

Franciscan Alliance (formerly the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc.) took the first step in creating an ACO in late 2010. Franciscan St. Francis Health Network in Indianapolis forged an agreement with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, providing patients enrolled in Hoosier Healthwise and the Healthy Indiana Plan with access to a more integrated health system.

The program, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2011, expands access to an estimated 28,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in south-central Indiana.

To learn more about the Franciscan Alliance, go to: www.franciscanalliance.org.

Lafayette area kicks up their heels for fourth annual ‘Day of Dance’

2011-02-21T08:16:00.002-05:00

Kathryn Weil Center for Education, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and Spirit of Women encourage community to join national dance effort for healthier living

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and the Spirit of Women will host the 2011 Spirit of Women Day of Dance for Health from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Tippecanoe Mall’s Macy’s Court and Kohl’s Court to inspire area residents to dance for better health. The event will combine the fun of dancing to different forms of music, such as square dancing, belly dancing, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, salsa, swing and hip-hop, with health screenings and consumer education on heart disease and other women’s health issues.

This is the fourth year Lafayette has hosted a Day of Dance. Lafayette joins more than 70 other cities to simultaneously host Day of Dance. More than 75,000 people are expected to be involved throughout the nation this year.

“Day of Dance for Health not only increases awareness of heart and vascular disease and its risk factors, but inspires immediate action for better health. This program opens people up to the powerful concept that doing something fun like dancing is taking the right steps to a healthier future,” said Jackie Bahler, director of the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. “On Feb. 26, we will all come together to take charge of our own health – we will dance and help educate women about healthy choices they can easily incorporate into their lifestyles, as well as personal warning signs women and their families should be watching for.”

The schedule for Saturday, Feb. 26 is the following:

Noon: Health screenings begin
12:30 p.m.: Welcome and introduction
12:45 p.m.: Phoenix Fire Productions
1 p.m.: Dance Moves and Gymnastics: Star City Dance Team
1:15 p.m.: Bare Bones Belly Dancing
1:45 p.m.: Purdue Dance Team
2 p.m.: Sugar Creek Squares, Lafayette Fun Squares and Purdue Krazy 8's
3 p.m.: Wendell Ferguson – dance demo
3:30 p.m.: Fashion show with fashions provided by Macy’s
4 p.m.: Triple "S" Sassy Snake Stompers
4:15 p.m.: ZUMBA demonstration
4:30 p.m.: Purdue Goldusters and Feature Twirlers
4:45 p.m.: Golden Steps Performance Teams
5 p.m.: Dream Dance Studio and LAGC Dance

The fashion show will feature clothing from Macy’s at Tippecanoe Mall.

Kyle Charters from Gold and Black Illustrated will serve as emcee of the event. Wendell Ferguson of United Sounds Mobile Disc Jockeys will provide the sound and video for the event.

In addition, several health screenings such as cholesterol screenings, blood pressure checks, body composition and information tables will be available in Tippecanoe Mall’s Kohl’s Court. The first 40 participants will receive a free cholesterol screening. Also, participants may enter a drawing for a $100 gift card.

Dancing can burn as many calories as swimming, walking or riding a bike; as many as 200 to 400 calories per hour. If done on a regular basis as a form of exercise, many health benefits result including weight maintenance or weight loss, blood pressure and cholesterol management, increased energy, decreased sadness and depression, increased coordination and muscle strength and an overall sense of well-being. In addition, dancing can help develop new social connections as well as enhance and strengthen relationships.

Nearly 500,000 women die each year of cardiovascular disease, making it the leading cause of death for American women. One in two women will die of heart disease, yet they continue not to acknowledge their individual risk for cardiovascular disease.

The 2011 National Day of Dance for Health is presented by the Spirit of Women Health Network, Good Housekeeping magazine and The Heart Truth Campaign.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Franciscan St. Elizabeth 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, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133 or visit www.ste.org/kwce.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing students collecting items for Haiti mission trip

2011-02-16T10:41:00.000-05:00

Students and staff from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing are collecting non-prescription and over-the-counter medications and medical supplies for the second of two medical mission trips to Haiti.

Five nursing staff and six students will be in Gros Morne and Pendue, Haiti from March 4, 2011 to March 12, 2011. The trip is a course option to study transcultural nursing. The trip assists students in ways to recognize, understand and appreciate cultural similarities and differences between individuals seeking medical care in the United States and in Haiti.

The medications that are taken for granted in the U.S. are the medications most desperately needed in Haiti. The group needs the following non-prescription items:

Children’s vitamins with iron (chewable),
Prenatal vitamins,
Adult vitamins, preferably with iron,
Tylenol (acetaminophen) and/or ibuprofen any strength or generic,
Liquid Tylenol suspension such as Children’s Tylenol or generic,
Adult and children’s cold and cough medicine,
Tums, Rolaids or any calcium antacids,
Acid reducer such as Zantac,
Triple antibiotic creams,
1% hydrocortisone creams,
Eye drops/lubricants such as Visine or generic,
Aloe and vitamin E hand/body lotion and
Small bars of antibacterial soap.

The goal of the supply drive is to have enough medication to give each person at least 90 days (3 months’ worth). For example, to meet the goal for children’s vitamins, the group would need 300 bottles of 90 tablets. Cash donations are also accepted; checks should be made payable to St. Elizabeth School of Nursing – Student Haiti Mission and sent to the school at 1508 Tippecanoe St., Lafayette, IN 47904.

All donations must be received by Friday, Feb 25. A student or staff member can arrange for donation pick-up, or donations may be dropped off at the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing main office or the Aquinas Nursing Office on the St. Joseph’s College campus in Rensselaer.

For more information or to arrange a donation pick up, please contact John Jezierski at (765) 423-6408; Bo Kuzee-Baumis at (765) 423-6427; Tamara Shields at (765) 423-6267; or Kimbra Weesner (765) 423-6932.

Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center begins treating patients using advanced technology for image-guided radiosurgery

2011-02-14T21:50:00.001-05:00

For more information: Lisa Decker, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health, (765) 502-4688;
Michelle Kreinbrook, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Unity Healthcare, (765) 446-5228

Advanced technology from Varian Medical Systems can treat cancer and neurological conditions quickly and with unprecedented precision

Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center has commenced treating patients with advanced technology for image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for cancer and neurological conditions. Doctors at the center have treated 181 patients using the powerful Trilogy linear accelerator and imaging system from Varian Medical Systems, which make it possible to deliver a wide range of ultra-precise treatments with great speed. Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center is among the first in Indiana to deploy this new technology.

“This state-of-the-art system makes it possible for us to treat patients with the most advanced radiotherapy techniques, using the most clinically efficient processes in the world,” said Kazumi Chino, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Faith, Hope and Love Cancer Center. “It provides us with more versatility and precision than we’ve ever had, for customizing treatments according to the specifics of each patient’s case.”

At the core of the Trilogy system is Varian’s high-powered medical linear accelerator, a machine that rotates around the patient to deliver radiation treatments from nearly any angle. A high-precision system also incorporates a multi-leaf collimator for shaping the radiation beam to match the three-dimensional shape of the tumor, and an On-Board Imaging system for fast tumor localization and automated patient positioning.

The Trilogy system also includes technology that helps doctors deal with tumor motion during treatment. A multiple imaging technique is used to compensate for tumor motion, while a set of optical guidance cameras enables the therapist to monitor patient motion in real time, and to make any necessary adjustment.”

“The extraordinary power and flexibility of the Trilogy system assures us that we can design a treatment plan that gives our patients the best and most appropriate treatment possible, and not just something that a more limited device can provide,” said Carlos Vasquez, division director of Radiology at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health. “By combining the most powerful radiotherapy treatment machine with high-quality imaging, tracking, and monitoring devices, Trilogy allows us to deliver the most accurate treatments possible in the shortest amount of time. That translates to better outcomes along with greater patient comfort, since patients spend less time on the treatment table. Part of having better outcomes and greater patient comfort is also knowing that we have a quality process and quality personnel in place to deliver this highly complex treatment safely and accurately.”

There will be 33,020 new cancer cases in the State of Indiana in 2010, according to the American Cancer Society. The American Brain Tumor Association estimates that in 2010 approximately 62,930 new cases of primary brain tumors and more than 150,000 cancer patients with brain metastases each year in the United States. Patients who seek treatment at Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center now have access to the most advanced treatment technologies in the world for these types of conditions.

# # #

About Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center

Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center is a Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health partner. Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center started its mission to provide loving and compassionate care to the cancer patient utilizing the highest quality standards, equipment and techniques for radiation on the Unity Healthcare campus at 1425 Unity Place in Lafayette.

Unity Healthcare has four radiation oncology physicians, who treat patients at Faith Hope and Love Cancer Center, including Irene Gordon, M.D.; Bedatri Sinha, M.D.; Mary Margaret Rhees, M.D. and Kazumi Chino, M.D. For more information, please call (765) 447-7460 or visit www.unityhc.com.

About Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health is a member of Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health includes Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Lafayette Central, as well as Franciscan St. Elizabeth – Crawfordsville, as well as Sigma Medical Group, Woman’s Clinic, Lafayette OB/GYN in Lafayette and Athens Medical Group in Crawfordsville. For more information, please visit www.ste.org and www.franciscanalliance.org.

Franciscan Alliance, Hammond Clinic Physicians form partnership

2011-02-10T11:02:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Sister M. Aline Shultz, OSF
Vice President-Development, Marketing and Public Relations
Franciscan Alliance
219.864.2202 (office)
sister.aline@franciscanalliance.org

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Franciscan Alliance is expanding its health care network of physician services through a new partnership with physicians at the Hammond Clinic, according to Kevin Leahy, president and chief executive officer of Franciscan Alliance.

The 60-plus physicians at the Hammond Clinic joined the Franciscan Alliance network of physicians in Northwest Indiana after signing an agreement Wednesday. The two groups have entered into a due diligence for the next few weeks, Leahy said.

"Franciscan Alliance and Franciscan St. Margaret Health have worked closely with the Hammond Clinic for decades, most recently partnering with them at Franciscan Physicians Hospital," said Leahy. “The physicians and staff at the Hammond Clinic share Franciscan Alliance’s passion for high-quality, compassionate, patient-centered care. Together we will strive to continuously improve patient care, lower costs and combine the latest technology available.”

The Hammond Clinic has served the community for nearly 60 years and continues to provide professional health care services with a highly skilled physician and nursing staff. It has locations in Munster and in St. John.

Cynthia Sanders, M.D., medical director/managing member of the Hammond Clinic, said, "The physician-owners of the Hammond Clinic are delighted to announce this partnership with Franciscan Alliance. This partnership takes advantage of the vast health care delivery expertise found in both organizations and builds on a working relationship between the two organizations that spans decades. We are bringing together two organizations whose goals are the delivery of high-quality, comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective health care to the residents of Northwest Indiana.”

There are approximately 250 employed physicians among the four Franciscan Alliance hospitals in Northwest Indiana. Overall, when combining both employed and official members of the medical staffs at the Franciscan Alliance hospitals and the Hammond Clinic, the number exceeds 1,250 physicians serving Northern Indiana.

Sister Jane Marie Klein, OSF, chairperson of Franciscan Alliance stated, "The mission of Franciscan Alliance is to continue Christ’s ministry in our Franciscan tradition. As we do our best to carry on what Christ showed us through his many examples of healing, we are now joined in a closer relationship with the Hammond Clinic; an organization with hundreds of employees who, like Christ and our Sisters and co-workers at Franciscan Alliance, have chosen to dedicate their lives to improving the lives of others. It is a pleasure to share this journey with all members of the Hammond Clinic family."

Gene Diamond, regional CEO of the Franciscan Alliance hospitals in northern Indiana added, "Franciscan Physicians Hospital, along with Saint Margaret Health, will benefit from the synergies generated by our enhanced relationship with the Hammond Clinic. We already have a strong partnership at FPH. This is a logical next step, given the integration necessary to improve quality, control rising costs and meet the challenges of health care reform."

###

About Franciscan Alliance

Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan Alliance includes: Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point, Ind.; Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Michigan City, Ind.; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Ind.; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East, Ind.; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette Central, Ind.; Franciscan St. Francis Health – Beech Grove, Ind.; Franciscan St. Francis Health – Indianapolis, Ind.; Franciscan St. Francis Health – Mooresville, Ind.; Franciscan St. James Health – Chicago Heights, Ill.; Franciscan St. James Health – Olympia Fields, Ill.; Franciscan St. Margaret Health – Hammond, Ind.; Franciscan St. Margaret Health – Dyer, Ind.; and Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC – Munster, Ind.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing releases Spring 2011 semester statistics

2011-02-09T08:15:00.000-05:00

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is starting the spring semester on a strong note.

The school announced that the spring enrollment is 245 students in all course levels. The count was taken on Jan. 14, 2011. The school had 245 students in the fall 2011 semester.

Of the 245 students, 20 are new students to the school. The school sorts students by clusters and the breakdown of students is as follows:

Cluster 1: 40
Cluster 2: 76
Cluster 3: 42
Cluster 4: 59
Cluster 5: 28

“As we go into the spring semester, it is exciting to see so many students continue their studies with St. Elizabeth School of Nursing,” said Deacon John Jezierski, R.N., MSN, director of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing. “As we continue to see an aging population and health care reform, there will always be a need for nurses here and at a national level.”

Students are involved in clinicals during their first cluster. They also learn about nursing through traditional classroom time, clinicals in various health care facilities including hospitals and long-term care facilities, transcultural settings involving travel to locations outside Indiana and community-based health care programs with community non-profit social service agencies.

“Our students and faculty are continually exploring new ways to learn how to care for our community in a variety of settings,” said Jezierski. “The students that graduate from St. Elizabeth will need to use technology and personal skills to work with patients and physicians and other health care professionals to deliver quality care.”

The School of Nursing has 28 faculty members and nine staff members.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is a three-year diploma school of nursing. It is the only hospital-based school of nursing in Indiana. A bachelor’s degree in nursing option is available in conjunction with Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, please call (765) 423-6400 or visit www.steson.org.

Area hospice and palliative care organizations present ‘Health Care Decisions: Conversations Before the Crisis'

2011-02-01T11:18:00.000-05:00

The Lafayette Community Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition will present “Health Care Decisions: Conversations Before the Crisis” at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011.at St. Lawrence Church Social Hall, 1916 Meharry St. in Lafayette.

Representatives from St. Elizabeth Palliative Care, Clarian Arnett Hospice, Guardian Angel Hospice, Serenity Hospice and St. Elizabeth Hospice will participate in a panel discussion and answer questions related to end-of-life care.

Refreshments will be provided.

This program is presented by St. Elizabeth Palliative Care, Indiana University Health Hospice at Arnett, Guardian Angel Hospice, Serenity Hospice and St. Elizabeth Hospice, all members of the Lafayette Community Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition.

This event is free and registration is not required. For more information, please call St. Elizabeth Palliative Care at (765) 423-6278.

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and Kathryn Weil Center for Education announce Heart Month activities

2011-01-31T16:08:00.002-05:00

Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and the Kathryn Weil Center for Education announce several Heart Month activities during February for residents of the Greater Lafayette community to participate in.

‘Don’t Have a Stroke: Stroke Awareness and Handling Anger’ – Thursday, Feb. 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Carol Bailey, R.N., MSN, division director of Intensive Care Services, and Nicky Smith, M.S., LMHC, will present "Don't Have a Stroke: Stroke Awareness and Handling Anger" at the February “Lunch and Learn.” Bailey and Smith will discuss risk factors, signs of stroke, importance of prompt treatment and ways to handle anger in positive ways.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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. Reservations are required and must be received by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 2. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
Go Red Day – Friday, Feb. 4: Celebrate National Go Red Day by wearing red in support of living a heart-healthy life. Also, Heartland Gifts, Heartland Gifts, Too and the St. Elizabeth Central gift shop will have 25% off all red items.
Cholesterol screenings – Thursday, Feb. 10: The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings for $30. The screening includes checking total cholesterol, HDL, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, LDL and glucose levels. Registration is required and can be made by calling the center at (765) 449-5133.
Blood pressures at the mall – Saturday, Feb. 19, 2 to 6 p.m.: The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing will provide free blood pressure checks at the Tippecanoe Mall. This event is a preview of the fourth annual Day of Dance that will be held at the mall on Saturday, Feb. 26.
Recipe Exchange: Heart Healthy Eating and Cooking – Tuesday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m.: St. Elizabeth’s Food and Nutrition Services will present “Recipe Exchange: Heart Healthy Eating and Cooking” in the Heartland Café at St. Elizabeth East. The café is accessible through the North Entrance at St. Elizabeth East, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette.

During this program, Chef Bob Newell, CEC, executive chef for Food and Nutrition Services, and Ashley Kim, R.D., a registered dietitian for Food and Nutrition Services, will provide a cooking demonstration and samples of heart healthy snacks and provide heart-healthy meal ideas. Participants are also invited to bring in their favorite recipes so dietitians can review them and make suggestions on how to make their dishes healthier.

This event is free, but registration is required and can be made by calling the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.
Day of Dance – Saturday, Feb. 26, noon to 6 p.m. at Tippecanoe Mall: Bring your friends and family to dance, learn simple ways to stay healthy, enjoy music, participate in health screenings and view a fashion show by Macy's. This event is free and registration is not required.

Franciscan Alliance unveils new logos for system and hospitals

2011-01-25T06:00:00.032-05:00

Download a high resolution PDF of the logos .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Corp. contact:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations
(317) 782-7986 (office)
(317) 946-9930 (cell)
(317) 906-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

Local contact:
Tricia Schuessler
Public Relations
St. Elizabeth Health
(765) 502-4688 (office)
(765) 404-6160 (cell)
Tricia.Schuessler@ssfhs.org

Ongoing rebranding symbolizes unified mission of system's 13 hospitals
MISHAWAKA, Ind. – As part of Franciscan Alliance's ongoing rebranding initiative, the Board of Trustees and senior leadership of Franciscan Alliance (formerly Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc.) are unveiling the logo marks for the system and its 13 hospitals throughout Indiana and northeastern Illinois.

For consistency and clarity of Franciscan Alliance's unified mission to provide the highest-quality, value-based, compassionate medical care, the word "Franciscan" was placed before each hospital name, and the word "Health" added at the end.

Two exceptions: The name of St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville is being changed to Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville to more accurately reflect the hospital's existing management and patient care alignment with its two regionally aligned hospitals (Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East and Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette Central) in the Western Indiana Region of Franciscan Alliance. And, the name of Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC – Munster is not being changed.

The system's new hospital names are:

Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point
Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Michigan City
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette Central
Franciscan St. Francis Health – Beech Grove
Franciscan St. Francis Health – Indianapolis
Franciscan St. Francis Health – Mooresville
Franciscan St. James Health – Chicago Heights
Franciscan St. James Health – Olympia Fields
Franciscan St. Margaret Health – Hammond
Franciscan St. Margaret Health – Dyer
Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC – Munster

Sister Jane Marie Klein, O.S.F., chairperson for the Board of Trustees of Franciscan Alliance, said, "With the rapid changes occurring in the health care industry, we are adapting to the 'new norm' while remaining deeply rooted in our ministry and values."

Kevin Leahy, Franciscan Alliance president and chief executive officer, said, "The development of a strong, consistent identity and brand replicated across the entire system is an important part of telling our story with one voice. And it is a unifying symbol of what my fellow 18,000 plus Franciscan Alliance physicians, nurses, employees and volunteers do every day to create positive experiences for our patients and their families."

To be as cost efficient as possible, the new logos will be assimilated into the various applications across the system and at each hospital in a planned and organized manner. Leahy said, "We are prioritizing our efforts, and the integration of our new logo will occur over the next 12 months or longer."

Franciscan Alliance provides care for more than 2.9 million outpatient visits and more than 100,000 inpatient discharges every year with the most effective medical treatments, state-of-the-art medical equipment and an abundance of compassionate care.

The system employs 18,200 co-workers including 556 physicians – both primary care and specialists – and expects to grow its physician team to more than 630 physicians this year, serving the system's service-area population of 3.7 million people.

To learn more about the Franciscan Alliance, visit www.franciscanalliance.org.

###

About Franciscan Alliance
Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Franciscan Alliance includes: Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point, Ind.; Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Michigan City, Ind.; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Crawfordsville, Ind.; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette East, Ind.; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health – Lafayette Central, Ind.; Franciscan St. Francis Health – Beech Grove, Ind.; Franciscan St. Francis Health – Indianapolis, Ind.; Franciscan St. Francis Health – Mooresville, Ind.; Franciscan St. James Health – Chicago Heights, Ill.; Franciscan St. James Health – Olympia Fields, Ill.; Franciscan St. Margaret Health – Hammond, Ind.; Franciscan St. Margaret Health – Dyer, Ind.; and Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC – Munster, Ind.

St. Elizabeth Hospice offering grief support meetings

2011-01-13T16:30:00.002-05:00

St. Elizabeth Hospice will offer two 10-week grief support groups. The group is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. The sessions will be facilitated by Nancy Eberhard, M.Div., hospice bereavement coordinator.

The evening group meets weekly on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Hospice office, located in the lower level of the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette. The group starts on Monday, Jan. 24.

A morning session will be held weekly on Fridays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in a private conference room at MCL Cafeteria, 521 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette. The group starts on Friday, Jan. 28.

Some aspects of participating in a grief support group include:

Giving information about the grief process so that people understand the changes that are happening;
Providing a safe place to share the grief experience; and
Sharing ideas on how to handle daily concerns and changes that come with grief.

St. Elizabeth adds Audiologist and additional services

2011-01-12T09:50:00.000-05:00

Dr. Joshua Elzinga, audiologist

St. Elizabeth Regional Health is pleased to announce they have partnered with Whisper Hearing Centers to offer Audiology Services at St. Elizabeth. This exciting partnership includes the practice of Dr. Joshua Elzinga, audiologist. Dr. Elzinga received his doctorate degree in audiology from Indiana University. He is licensed in the state of Indiana and certified with the American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech and Hearing Association.

Services offered include hearing testing for all ages, tinnitus evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, hearing conservation and cochlear implants. Dizziness and balance testing is offered by Dr. Elzinga with collaboration from Dr. Griffith, St. Elizabeth's Medical Director of Rehabilitation Services. Additionally, Dr. Elzinga will work with the current vestibular rehabilitation team in outpatient Physical Therapy to further enhance the balance program at St. Elizabeth Regional Health.

Dr. Elzinga is currently accepting new patients. His office is located at 1501 Hartford St., Lafayette – on the St. Elizabeth Central hospital campus. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 423-6855.

Higher Learning Commission Approves Paramedic Science Program

2011-01-10T14:12:00.000-05:00

Rensselaer, Ind. – After collaborating to establish a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Saint Joseph’s College and St. Elizabeth Regional Health (SERH) are partnering to offer an Associate of Science degree in Paramedic Science. SJC President Dr. F. Dennis Riegelnegg received a letter of approval from the Higher Learning Commission on November 11. Completion of the program will require 64 credit hours: 32 in Paramedic Science and 32 in Core. Students will begin taking classes for the program January 10, 2011.

The program will involve such courses as Anatomy & Pathophysiology for Paramedics, Trauma, Airway Management, Pharmacology for Paramedics, Cardiology for Paramedics, and Medical Emergencies, as well as clinical courses and a clinical mentorship. Because SERH recognizes the importance and benefits of the Core Curriculum, students are also required to take Cores 1-4 as part of their degree.

“The medical officials at SERH insisted on the inclusion of Core in this program in order to develop the human and Christian Humanist values of these professionals,” said then SJC Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Philosophy Dr. John Nichols.

Dr. Nichols stated there were several reasons why SJC accepted St. Elizabeth’s invitation, first and foremost because it fits the mission of the College.

“Paramedics are modern day Good Samaritans, so partnering with them agrees with our commitment to Gospel values,” said Nichols. “Furthermore, it is a logical extension of our collaboration with St. Elizabeth on the Nursing program, and it provides SJC with another outreach to Lafayette and the surrounding counties.”

Although all classes will be held at SERH, incoming Paramedic Science students will go through the admissions process at SJC, pay tuition and fees to SJC, and register for courses through SJC. Core classes will be taught by SJC faculty. After completing the requirements for the program, SJC will grant the students their associate of science degree.

“Expanding our relationship with St. Elizabeth Regional Health through the creation of a Paramedic Science program is a wonderful opportunity for SJC,” said SJC President Dr. F. Dennis Riegelnegg. “Our shared bachelor of science program in Nursing has been extremely successful. The Paramedic Science program is consistent with our mission of service to others and fits in well with our tradition of serving through the health sciences.”

“St. Elizabeth Regional Health has sponsored an EMS education program in our region since 1975. Realizing changes that have been mandated by national accrediting bodies, we began a process to see how we could continue to provide this program,” said Terry Wilson, president and CEO of St. Elizabeth Regional Health. “Partnering with Saint Joseph’s College was a natural choice because of our long-term relationship we have had with our School of Nursing. This enhanced program will continue to provide highly educated and dedicated paramedics and first responders to our communities.”

For questions regarding the Paramedic Science program, contact SJC Admissions Counselor Casey Hitchcock at (219) 866-6168 or SERH Operations Manager for Ambulance and EMS Education Allen Borck ‘80 at (765) 423-6645.

Saint Joseph's College, named a "character-building college" by the Templeton Foundation and a "best Midwestern college" by the Princeton Review, is a four-year, Catholic, liberal arts college offering 25 majors, 4 group majors, 32 minors, and 9 pre-professional programs, complemented by the nationally acclaimed Core Program. Founded and sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, SJC is located in Rensselaer, Indiana, approximately 90 minutes from both Chicago and Indianapolis, on a park-like campus of 180 acres and has an enrollment of more than 1,000 students.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health, the corporate entity that includes St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central, is a member of the Franciscan Alliance hospital system. The Franciscan Alliance began its mission in the United States with the founding of St. Elizabeth in Lafayette in 1875, and through the course of more than 130 years, it has grown into a leading Midwest health care system with 13 growing hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois.

St. Elizabeth East welcomes its first baby of the year

2011-01-01T11:03:00.001-05:00

For immediate release: Jan. 1, 2011

For more information: Matthew Oates, St. Elizabeth Regional Health PR Department; 586-7496 (cell)

The Greater Lafayette area welcomed its newest resident early on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011.

Holly Renee Nelson was born at St. Elizabeth East at 3:46 a.m., making her the first baby born at St. Elizabeth East for 2011 and on a New Year’s Day. The daughter of Andrea Smith and Jason Nelson of Lafayette, Holly Renee weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz. and measured in at 20 inches long.

For being the first baby of 2011 at St. Elizabeth East, the family received a gift basket of baby-related items from the St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary and St. Elizabeth Regional Health Gift Shops.

St. Elizabeth Hospice volunteer training class begins in January

2010-12-17T11:14:00.000-05:00

St. Elizabeth Hospice has scheduled their winter hospice volunteer training classes for new volunteers to work with hospice patients and their families in your area.

The first training class will begin on Saturday, Jan. 15. and will be held at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education, which is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

Volunteers provide non-medical services to hospice patients and their families that may include a break for caregivers, patient companionship, listening and emotional support, basic bedside comfort measures or assisting with shopping, yard or household chores. Volunteers can be a meaningful support for families during this difficult time. Volunteer are needed for the following counties: Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery Tippecanoe, Warren and White.

Those who have lost loved ones within the last year are strongly encouraged to wait for at least one year before volunteering for direct care with our hospice families; however we encourage you to consider providing office support.

Please contact Diana Salazar, St. Elizabeth Hospice volunteer coordinator, at (765) 423-6924 by Jan. 5, 2011 to schedule an interview for the January training class, or to inquire about hospice volunteer opportunities.

Two Sigma Family Medicine physicians become American Academy of Family Physician fellows

2010-12-15T14:29:00.000-05:00

Amanda L. Morris, M.D. and Brian F. Morris, M.D., with Sigma Family Medicine, have achieved the Degree of Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the national medical association representing nearly 94,7600 family physicians, residents and medical students. The degree was conferred on more than 175 family physicians during a convocation on Saturday, Oct. 2, in conjunction with the AAFP’s annual meeting in Denver, Colo.

Established in 1971, the AAFP Degree of Fellow recognizes family physicians who have distinguished themselves through service to family medicine and ongoing professional development. This year’s fellowship class brings the total number of AAFP Fellows to more than 29,000 nationwide. AAFP Fellowship entitles the physician to use the honorary designation, "Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians" or "FAAFP.”

Criteria for receiving the AAFP Degree of Fellow consist of a minimum of six years of membership in the organization, extensive continuing medical education, participation in public service programs outside medical practice, conducting original research and serving as a teacher in family medicine.

The AAFP was the first national medical specialty organization to require its members to complete a minimum of 150 hours of accredited continuing medical education every three years. It is the only medical specialty society devoted solely to primary care.

To learn more about the American Academy of Family Physicians and about the specialty of family medicine, please visit www.aafp.org.

Amanda L. Morris, M.D. and Brian F. Morris, M.D. are both physicians with Sigma Family Medicine. Their practice is located at 915 Sagamore Parkway, West Lafayette. Sigma Medical Group is a multi-specialty physician group comprised of 35 doctors in 11 medical specialties. For a complete list of physicians go to www.sigmamedicalgroup.org.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary awards annual scholarship

2010-12-14T17:08:00.000-05:00

Kelly Benson

During their St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary’s annual membership meeting, Auxiliary President Donna Brown announced Kelly Benson as the recipient of the St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary scholarship.

Established in 2008, funding for the scholarship came from the Washburn Health Careers Fund, which was created in honor of Mary B. Washburn, a long-time volunteer of the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary, as well as other sources and activities. Criteria for the scholarship include being a student at the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing within one calendar year of graduation, minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need.

The recipient for the 2011 school year is Kelly Benson. Benson graduated from Purdue University in May 2009 and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s of science in nursing degree from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, with an expected graduation date of July 2011.

Benson is a member of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) and continues to work diligently at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing with honors. She organized a St. Elizabeth nursing students’ team for the Strides Against Breast Cancer as well as a donation drive for Lafayette Urban Ministry. She will be traveling to Haiti in March as part of the school’s mission trip to provide care and learn about transcultural nursing.

Benson has lived in the Lafayette area for 8 years and has a husband and two boys.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing – Saint Joseph’s College Consortium Nursing Program offers a seamless integrated diploma and bachelor of science in nursing curriculum in nursing that prepares graduates to become eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

After passing the national licensing examination, St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduates may practice as registered nurses.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, please call (765) 423-6400 or visit www.steson.org.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary or joining, please call Kim Willis, Volunteer Services, at (765) 502-4249.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary elects officers for 2011

2010-12-13T09:35:00.002-05:00

A photo of the 2011 Auxiliary officers is attached. Front row (left to right) Karen Almon, Donna Brown and Ginny Hull. Back row (left to right): James Moore, Patt Leroux and Eldon Hood.

The St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary held its annual membership meeting on Dec. 7. During the meeting the following officers were elected:

Donna Brown, President: Brown has volunteered for many years at various locations of St. Elizabeth. She was president during 2010 and has served the Auxiliary as membership chair and publicity chair
Patt Leroux, Vice President: Leroux has volunteered at the information desk, delivered patient mail, worked in the Volunteer Services office and with the Auxiliary Emergency Room project and Auxiliary board. She was vice president during 2010.
Ginny Hull, Treasurer: Hull has volunteered with the flower cart and also served as treasurer for the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary and the Greater Lafayette Health Services Auxiliary. Hull was treasurer during 2010.
Karen Almon, Recording Secretary: Almon has volunteered in the gift shop for the past 13 years and has served the Auxiliary as recording secretary and membership chair.
Carolyn Bridge, Corresponding Secretary: Bridge has volunteered in the gift shop and Registration. Bridge was corresponding secretary in 2010.
Eldon Hood, Red Coats co-chair: Hood has served as a Red Coat for 18 years delivering items for Pharmacy. He has served as Red Coats co-chair for several years.
James Moore, Red Coats co-chair: Moore has volunteered as a Red Coat in Pharmacy, Cardiopulmonary Rehab, flower cart and pediatric tours. He has served as Red Coats co-chair for several years

For more information on the St. Elizabeth Regional Health Auxiliary or how to join, please call Kim Willis, Volunteer Services coordinator, at (765) 502-4249.

Monticello Medical Center to become part of St. Elizabeth Regional Health family

2010-12-10T12:39:00.000-05:00

Monticello Medical Center and St. Elizabeth Regional Health have formalized a letter of intent for St. Elizabeth Regional Health to purchase the Monticello Medical Center medical practice and employ all of the medical providers and staff.

Monticello Medical Center (MMC) includes the practices of Charles R. Tribbett, M.D.; S. Kyle Rogers, M.D.; Julie E. Becker, M.D.; Rebecca M. Brice, D.O.; Kathleen Halverson, APRN, B.C.; Cindy Cosgray, APRN, B.C.; and Sharon Musall, ANP, B.C.

Monticello Medical Center will become a part of the Sigma Medical Group, which is comprised of 35 doctors in 11 medical specialties.

Monticello Medical Center is located at 826 N. 6th St. in Monticello. It is a multi-specialty center with board certified specialists in family medicine and geriatric medicine. Monticello Medical Center also operates a daily walk-in clinic where no appointment is necessary.

“The providers of MMC, St. Elizabeth, Sigma Medical Group and Unity Healthcare have a long-standing relationship of communication and cooperation in providing quality health care to the families we serve,” said Charles R. Tribbett, M.D., a physician with Monticello Medical Center. “We believe this alliance will improve education, communication, employee benefits, vendor and insurance relationships ultimately leading to a more stable and ever improving quality health care delivery system.”

Tribbett said the changes will be transparent to patients of the center. “MMC will eventually change from our stand alone electronic medical record system to that utilized by St. Elizabeth and the Franciscan Alliance. This will allow the specialists we already work with to more easily view a patient’s medical history and allow for better and more efficient communication between care providers,” said Tribbett.

“We are excited to partner with Monticello Medical Center and to continue providing quality care to the residents of Monticello and White County,” said Terry Wilson, St. Elizabeth Regional Health’s president and CEO. “We have had a long-standing relationship with area residents and we look forward to working with area physicians and the medical community and strengthening those ties.”

Monticello Medical Center is a licensed rural health clinic and participates in the Indiana Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. They accept Medicare and Medicaid and numerous other types of commercial insurance. They also care for the largest percentage of White County residents.

About Monticello Medical Center’s professional staff

Charles R. Tribbett, M.D. is a native of White County. He received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his family practice residency at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove. He has been practicing medicine in White County since he finished his residency in 1990. He is board certified in family practice and geriatrics. His practice includes maternity care and delivery.

S. Kyle Rogers, M.D. grew up in Zionsville and is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed his family practice residency at St. Joseph’s Family Practice Residency Program in South Bend. He is board certified in family practice. Dr. Rogers’ practice includes maternity care and delivery.
Julie E. Becker, M.D. is a native of Indiana and received her medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis. She is board certified in family practice. Dr. Becker’s practice also includes maternity care and delivery.

Rebecca M. Brice, D.O. is a native of Hammond and graduated from the University of Chicago’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center and a fellowship in obstetrics in Lawrence, Mass. She is board certified in family practice and her practice includes maternity care and delivery. She has spent the past 2 years with World Medical Mission International in Ecuador and is fluent in Spanish.

Kathleen Halverson, APRN, B.C. was born in Minnesota. She received her nursing diploma from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and received a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College, and a master’s in nursing from Indiana University. She is board certified as a family nurse practitioner. Kathleen’s practice includes adult and pediatric care.

Cindy Cosgray, APRN, B.C. completed her initial nurse training and master’s in nursing at IUPUI. Cindy is board certified as a family nurse practitioner. Cindy’s practice includes adult and pediatric care.
Sharon Musall, ANP, B.C. is a native of Indiana and returned to Monticello after practicing on the East Coast for three years. She received a bachelor and master’s of nursing from Indiana University. Sharon’s practice includes adult and geriatric medicine.

About St. Elizabeth Regional Health and Franciscan Alliance

St. Elizabeth Regional Health operates St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central hospitals in Lafayette. St. Elizabeth Regional Health also partners with the following physician groups: Sigma Medical Group, Woman’s Clinic and Lafayette OB/GYN.

Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized centers of health care excellence. Franciscan Alliance includes: St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point, Ind.; St. Anthony Memorial Health Center in Michigan City, Ind.; St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville, Ind.; St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central in Lafayette, Ind.; St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Beech Grove, Indianapolis and Mooresville, Ind.; St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields, Ill.; St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Hammond and Dyer, Ind.; and Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC in Munster, Ind.

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Clare Home Health Care ranked among top 25% of home health providers in country for 2010

2010-12-08T09:19:00.000-05:00

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Clare Home Health Care have been named to 2010 HomeCare Elite’s top 25% agency listing, a compilation of the most successful Medicare-certified home health care providers in the United States. This annual review identifies the top 25% agencies in addition to top 100 and 500 agencies, ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, quality improvement and financial performance from Home Health Compare and CMS Cost Reports.

HomeCare Elite reviews the data for the quality of care measure indexes agency performance in each of the 12 publicly reported Home Health Compare measures released in April 2010. The quality improvement index is based on changes in the 12 outcomes between data released in September 2009 and April 2010. The financial performance measure represents agency indexed profit margin from the 2009 CMS Cost Reports (or 2008 adjusted when 2009 data was not available).

Agency performance in each of the three domains was compared against the performance of other organizations in their state and in the country. The three domains were combined into one overall score, using a weighting methodology that gives the greatest importance to quality of care. The top 25% of agencies in each region, both facility-based and free-standing, were identified and added to the national list.

“The staff of St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Clare Home Health Care – one of the most established home health agencies in our region – has worked extremely hard to continue improving clinical outcomes for our patients,” said Bea Lamb, R.N., MBA, regional director of St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Clare Home Health Care. “We are truly honored by all of our patients and their families and referring physicians to be invited into a patient’s home and provide quality care. After discharge from a hospital, patients are always anxious to get back home and it is important to not only heal at home surrounded by family but also to have the proper assistance and care at home. I thank each and every staff member for their hard work on behalf of our patients.”

The HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry. The HomeCare Elite is provided by OCS HomeCare, the leading provider of health care informatics and DecisionHealth, publisher of home care’s most respected independent newsletter Home Health Line.

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care is partnered with St. Clare Home Health Care with an office on the St. Clare Medical Center campus in Crawfordsville. Together they serve patients in Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties and can be reached by calling (765) 449-5046 or (765) 362-5114.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health traumatic brain injury/stroke support group to meet Saturday, Dec. 11

2010-12-07T12:44:00.002-05:00

The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Stroke support group will meet at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11 at the Friendship House, 1010 Cumberland Ave. in West Lafayette. For more information, call Jessica Baumetz, St. Elizabeth Outpatient Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy, at (765) 423-6885. The next meeting is Feb. 12 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education, located in the Medical Arts Building at 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400

‘Motion for Moms’ starts Dec. 14; ‘Motion for Moms Boot Camp’ set for Dec. 15

2010-11-29T11:27:00.000-05:00

The December session of “Motion for Moms” will start at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 14.

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.

This session of Motion for Moms is set for 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 14 and going through Thursday, Jan. 20. 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 or by visiting www.ste.org/kwce and then clicking on the “Expectant Parent Education” tab and then clicking on the “Motion for Moms” link.

Motion for Moms includes 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 offer 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, Dec. 15 and going through Wednesday, Jan. 19. The cost for Boot Camp is $20 for six sessions.

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.

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

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women encourage women to live with a “Confidence Factor”

2010-11-29T10:08:00.000-05:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the Spirit of Women are hosting a program that encourages area women to cultivate confidence in one’s style and health for a lifetime.

The center will present “Confidence Factor” at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the monthly “Lunch and Learn” program on Thursday, Dec. 2.

Dr. Erin Ramirez, an OB/GYN with Lafayette OB/GYN, will present “The Mind, Body, Spirit Approach to Women’s Health.” Dr. Ramirez will discuss women's health including nutrition, exercise and pelvic health, and the difference between an osteopathic and medical doctor.

Program participants will be treated to free manicures from 1 to 2 p.m. courtesy of Christina and Company Education Center and the Spirit of Women.

Lunch is available for $6 for Spirit of Women members and $7 for non-members 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.

Seating is limited and reservations are required; reservations must be received by Tuesday, Nov. 30. To register or for more information, call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

National Study Ranks St. Elizabeth Among Nation’s Top 10% For Overall Orthopedic Services

2010-11-29T08:19:00.001-05:00

HealthGrades’ Study of Patient Outcomes in 5,000 Hospitals Ranks St. Elizabeth Central Among the Best
LAFAYETTE, IN – St. Elizabeth Central’s Orthopaedic Services program recently received the Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award from HealthGrades, the leading independent health care ratings organization. The designation indicates that St. Elizabeth’s orthopaedic services outcomes are better than predicted and among the top 10% in the nation.
Millions of patients rely on HealthGrades’ hospital ratings to find the highest quality hospitals in their communities. This is because HealthGrades ratings and awards are based solely on clinical performance.
St. Elizabeth Central’s orthopaedic services, which are now provided at St. Elizabeth’s East campus, also received 5 Star ratings for its Overall Orthopedic services, Joint Replacement Surgery, Total Knee Replacement Surgery, Spine Surgery, and Back and Neck (Spinal Fusion) Surgery. The HealthGrades study, an analysis of patient outcomes in the nation’s 5,000 hospitals, found that 5-star-rated hospitals had, on average, an 80% lower rate of complications than hospitals receiving a 1-star rating.
“St. Elizabeth Central is thrilled to receive the HealthGrades Excellence Award for Orthopedic Surgery. Each of the 5-Star ratings is just one more example of our staff and physician partners’ dedication to provide the best possible medical care to our patients,” said Terry Wilson, president and CEO of St. Elizabeth Regional Health.
A wide variation in quality exists among American hospitals, according to the Thirteenth Annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study. Patients were less likely to experience a major complication in 5-star rated hospitals when compared with 1-star rated hospitals across a range of procedures studied such as knee replacement and hip replacement surgeries. Top-performing hospitals also dramatically outperformed the national average, with patients experiencing, on average, 63% fewer in hospital complications among the procedures studied.
Julie Norris, director of PACU/Inpatient Surgical for St. Elizabeth Regional Health, said, “Our physician partners and staff have worked together to put many processes in place to improve our quality of care. We are excited that our quality and safety initiatives are having a positive impact on our patients.”
The study also found that:

On average, one in nine patients developed a hospital-acquired condition, across the nine procedures evaluated for in hospital complications, from 2007 to 2009.
Complications showed a large variation between the “best” and the “worst” hospitals for the nine procedures studied. Five-star rated hospitals had significantly lower complication rates across all three years studied.

“This really was a team effort between the physicians and staff at St. Elizabeth. We want people to know that they don’t have to travel elsewhere to receive nationally recognized orthopaedic care – we have it right here in Lafayette,” said Dr. Daniel Daluga, Lafayette Orthopaedic Clinic.

HealthGrades Ratings
The HealthGrades study, the largest annual report of its kind, analyzed patient outcomes in nearly 40 million Medicare hospitalization records from 5,000 hospitals over the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.
HealthGrades’ hospital ratings and awards reflect the track record of patient outcomes at hospitals in the form of mortality and complication rates. HealthGrades rates hospitals independently based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated.

For 26 procedures and treatments, HealthGrades issues star ratings that reflect the mortality and complication rates for each category of care. Hospitals receiving a 5-star rating have mortality or complication rates that are below the national average, to a statistically significant degree. A 3-star rating means the hospital performs as expected. One-star ratings indicate the hospital’s mortality or complication rates in that procedure or treatment are statistically higher than average. Because the risk profiles of patient populations at hospitals are not alike, HealthGrades risk-adjusts the data to allow for equal comparisons.
More information on the HealthGrades study, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com.

About St. Elizabeth
St. Elizabeth Regional Health, the corporate entity that includes St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central, is a member of the Franciscan Alliance hospital system. The Franciscan Alliance began its mission in the United States with the founding of St. Elizabeth in Lafayette in 1875, and through the course of more than 130 years, it has grown into a leading Midwest health care system with 13 growing hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois.

Sisters of St. Francis Health Services changes its corporate name to Franciscan Alliance

2010-11-18T16:16:00.013-05:00

New name to bring broader recognition to organization’s 13-hospital system and multiple centers of health care excellence serving patients in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – After many months of intensive research with consumers in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, and after thorough deliberations at all levels of the organization, Members of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc. approved the Board of Trustees’ new name recommendation to Franciscan Alliance.

Sister M. Jane Marie Klein, O.S.F., chairperson for the Board of Trustees, said, “Franciscan Alliance is the perfect pairing of two words to create a meaningful, memorable name that affirms our promise to continue Christ’s ministry in our Franciscan tradition. Our 13 hospitals are very well known at the community level for their exceptional high-quality medical treatment and compassionate care. With this new name, we expect to broaden awareness of the system’s comprehensive, high-quality health care services and highly regarded compassionate care.”

Kevin Leahy, president and CEO for the newly renamed Franciscan Alliance, said, “With the many dramatic changes taking place across the nation’s health care landscape, a simple, but meaningful, unified name better affirms our standing as a large, multi-state Catholic health care system with nationally recognized centers of excellence and numerous joint ventures and physician relationships. Ultimately, the name change will help us tell our story of mission-centered, quality health care to our growing patient populations in communities in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.”

The process to broaden awareness of the system’s significant health care services began a few years ago with the introduction of the Tau (a sacred symbol to Saint Francis of Assisi and a constant reminder of the Cross of Christ) added to each of the system’s hospital logos. The Tau was complemented by the words, “Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc.” Leahy said, “Our final step, and one that we will implement in a cost-conscious manner over many months, is to replace the words, ‘Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc.’ with the word, ‘Franciscan’ at all of our hospitals and health care facilities. The work is expected to begin in early 2011.”

Throughout its 135-year existence, Franciscan Alliance has stayed true to its founding mission of caring for everyone who comes through its doors. The system provides care for more than 2.9 million outpatient visits and more than 100,000 inpatient discharges every year with the most effective medical treatments, state-of-the-art medical equipment and an abundance of compassionate care. The system employs 18,200 co-workers including 556 physicians – both primary care and specialists – and expects to grow its physician team to more than 630 physicians next year, serving the system’s service-area population of 3.7 million people.

Leahy said, “We are proud of all the fine, high-quality services that our hospitals offer patients and their families both independently and as a 13-hospital system. Now, we must let more people know of our great work and leverage our reach geographically.”

Franciscan Alliance hospital names and logos, including adding the word “Franciscan” and the Tau, will be:

Franciscan/St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Anthony Memorial Health Center in Michigan City, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Elizabeth East in Lafayette, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Elizabeth Central in Lafayette, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Beech Grove, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Indianapolis, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Mooresville, Ind.

Franciscan/St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Chicago Heights, Ill.

Franciscan/St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Olympia Fields, Ill.

Franciscan/St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Hammond, Ind.

Franciscan/St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Dyer, Ind.

Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC in Munster, Ind.

About Franciscan Alliance
Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health care Excellence. Franciscan Alliance includes: St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point, Ind.; St. Anthony Memorial Health Center in Michigan City, Ind.; St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville, Ind.; St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central in Lafayette, Ind.; St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Beech Grove, Indianapolis and Mooresville, Ind.; St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields, Ill.; St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Hammond and Dyer, Ind.; and Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC in Munster, Ind.

About the Tau
The sign of the Tau held a special place in the heart of Saint Francis of Assisi. Since the shape of the Tau indicated a Cross, Francis chose it as the symbol of his penitential life and as a resume’ of all his preaching. For Saint Francis, the Tau became a very sacred symbol, a constant reminder of the Cross of Christ and of his need to be continually transformed through a penitential life into the image of the suffering and crucified Christ.

The Tau became his personal signature. As he sought to live out its deepest meaning in his life, Saint Francis was slowly but surely drawn to its full realization on Mount LaVerna where he was divinely sealed with the signs of Christ’s passion – the Stigmata. Consequently, the sign of the Tau is a very special sign to all who seek to follow Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis.

The logo embodies Saint Francis’ ideal. The upper hand is bent in giving. It is the generous giving that exemplified continuing Christ’s ministry. The lower hand is ready to receive the compassionate and loving care and concern our employees are all called to give to our patients and to each other.

St. Elizabeth Auxiliary to host third annual Mistletoe Mart at St. Elizabeth East

2010-10-29T11:51:00.002-04:00

The St. Elizabeth Auxiliary will host its annual Mistletoe Mart sale at St. Elizabeth East this year. The three-day sale will feature specialty gift items, crafts, holiday decorations and ornaments, jewelry, stocking stuffers, toys, gourmet food items and silk floral arrangements.

The sale will be held on Thursday, Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mistletoe Mart will be held at St. Elizabeth East – just inside the Visitor Entrance, located at 1701 S. Creasy Lane, Lafayette. Parking is available in the Visitor parking lot.

Mistletoe Mart is a fund-raiser for the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary. Proceeds from the sale go to fund nursing scholarships and the Emergency Care Fund. The Emergency Care Fund provides new sweat shirts, t-shirts and pants to patients whose clothing may need to be removed during an emergency. This same fund also donates car seats to families in need.

For more information, call the St. Elizabeth Gift Shops at (765) 502-GIFT (4438) or visit www.ste.org.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni Association announces annual Outstanding Alumni Award winners

2010-10-26T15:41:00.002-04:00

Deacon John Jezierski, director of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, with Marsella Smith (center) and Dorothy Ball.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni Association presented their annual Outstanding Alumni Award to two recipients at this year’s annual gathering.

Dorothy Ball, Class of 1952, of South Bend, and Marsella Smith, Class of 1960, of Lafayette received the award during the alumni association’s annual luncheon on Oct. 23. at the Best Western Lafayette Executive Plaza and Conference Center in Lafayette.

Ball has worked mainly in surgery and geriatric nursing and also volunteered with the American Red Cross with their first aid classes and blood drives. In 2000 she and several other nurses formed Michiana Healthcare Training, which offers a certified CNA training program.

Smith, who earned two master’s degrees from Purdue University and Vanderbilt University, taught at Purdue, Princeton University and the University of Michigan. Smith is a certified gerontological nursing and nurse practitioner, who authored a book on geriatric nursing and developed creative continuing education programs.

Previous recipients include:

2003: Helen Wortman, Class of 1947.
2004: Thelma Neal, Class of 1955.
2006: Judith Gudeman, Class of 1954.
2007: Jean Eberhard, Class of 1952.
2008: Eleanor Kay Mirich, Class of 1958.
2009: Marsha Clarke, Class of 1996.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing was established in 1897 and is the only hospital-based school of nursing remaining in Indiana. For more information on the school, please visit www.steson.org.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing experiences larger enrollment

2010-10-15T13:11:00.000-04:00

Deacon John Jezierski, R.N., MSN, director of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing

For the academic year 2010-2011, the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is starting the fall semester on a strong note.

The school announced that the fall enrollment is 245 students in all course levels. Last year, the fall enrollment was 240 students. The count was taken on Oct. 1, 2010.

Of the 245 students, 82 are new students to the school. The school sorts students by clusters and the breakdown of students is as follows:

Cluster 1: 79
Cluster 2: 51
Cluster 3: 49
Cluster 4: 47
Cluster 5: 19

“The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is excited to have so many students wanting to go into nursing,” said Deacon John Jezierski, R.N., MSN, director of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing. “Our students and faculty are continually exploring new ways to learn how to care for our community and deliver quality health care in a variety of settings.”

Students are involved in clinicals during their first cluster. They also learn about nursing through traditional classroom time, clinicals in various health care facilities including hospitals and long-term care facilities, transcultural settings involving travel to locations outside Indiana and community-based health care programs with community non-profit social service agencies.

“Being a nurse in today’s society involves understanding technology, exploring a patient’s background more in depth and working together with physicians and other health care professionals at a fast pace,” said Jezierksi. “Nurses are detail-oriented and we work with the students to continually strengthen their skills, especially as we have an aging population and further changes to the nation’s health care system.”

Statistic-wise, 97 percent of the student body is from Indiana; the average SAT score is 980 (math and verbal only, the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing does not factor in the essay portion); and the average high school grade point average is 3.07.

The School of Nursing has 28 faculty members – including two new faculty members – and nine staff members.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is a three-year diploma school of nursing. It is the only hospital-based school of nursing in Indiana. A bachelor’s degree in nursing option is available in conjunction with Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, please call (765) 423-6400 or visit www.steson.org.

Sigma Cardiology office relocates to St. Elizabeth East campus

2010-10-07T10:54:00.001-04:00

The Sigma Cardiology office of Drs. Debbie R. Wright and Adel S. Yaacoub has recently relocated to a new medical office building on the St. Elizabeth East campus. The office is located at 3900 St. Francis Way, Suite 200, Lafayette. The new number for the office is (765) 775-2800.

Sigma Medical Group, a St. Elizabeth Regional Health partner, is comprised of 28 doctors in 14 medical specialties. For a complete list of doctors, visit www.sigmamedicalgroup.org.

Federspiel joins Sigma Medical Group

2010-10-07T10:50:00.000-04:00

Sigma Medical Group is pleased to announce the addition of Dermatologist Richard A. Federspiel, M.D. to their group. Dr. Federspiel received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI.

He is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology. Dr. Federspiel is currently accepting new patients. His office is located at 915 Sagamore Parkway West, West Lafayette. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 463-9979.

The Sigma Medical Group, a St. Elizabeth Regional Health partner, is comprised of 28 doctors in 14 medical specialties. For a complete list of doctors, visit www.sigmamedicalgroup.org

Lafayette Obstetrics and Gynecology welcomes new doctor

2010-10-07T10:42:00.003-04:00

Daniel J. Wickert, M.D. and Jon M. Hoversland, M.D. of Lafayette Obstetrics and Gynecology are pleased to announce Erin K. (Gilles) Ramirez, D.O. has joined their practice. She will begin seeing patients on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010.

Dr. Ramirez is originally from Lafayette and a graduate of Lafayette Jefferson High School. She received her osteopathic degree from Kansas City University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Michigan.

Dr. Ramirez focuses on the total body approach to patient health, including obstetrics and gynecology, in-office and hospital surgical procedures and preventive care. Dr. Ramirez is accepting new patients. Her office is located at 3920 St. Francis Way, Suite 110, Lafayette – on the St. Elizabeth East hospital campus. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 428-5800 or visit www.lafayetteobdocs.com.

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice welcome six new fleet cars

2010-09-28T08:19:00.001-04:00

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice employees stand next to one of the new 2010 Nissan Sentra fleet cars purchased by the organization. Photo courtesy St. Elizabeth Regional Health

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice received six new fleet cars on Aug. 4.

The cars – 2010 Nissan Sentras are silver or white with blue lettering – will be used by staff in the Lafayette and Crawfordsville offices as they visit home health and hospice families.

“Our staff members are excited to have these cars to assist them with their duties of visiting patients,” said Bea Lamb, regional director of St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, St. Clare Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice.

While the cars look small, they have a large trunk area that can expand when the nurse flips down the 60/40 split fold-flat rear seats. This is helpful when nurses have to deliver supplies or other equipment to families.

“Because of my work as a community liaison, I spend most of my day on the road and my office travels with me. I carry brochures, pens, physician information, product holders, contracts and account files for my visits in 13 counties,” said Ray Degner, community liaison for the organization. “Everything is always there with me when I need it, and I don't have to worry about not having transferred all my supplies after each weekend. The gas mileage is much better than my SUV too,” said Degner.

The Sentras can get up to 26 miles per gallon in the city and up to 34 miles per gallon on the highway, which is important for the large service area in West Central and North Central Indiana.

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice serve patients in Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Parke, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties. St. Elizabeth Home Health Care also serves patients in Parke and Putnam counties.

“One of the ways we can be more efficient as a health care organization is to be responsible with the amount of fuel we use. By having more fuel-efficient vehicles, we hope to be more environmentally friendly as well as be able to provide quality, cost-effective care to patients,” said Lamb.

Portable writing surfaces will be installed shortly to allow staff a solid surface to do paperwork. The cars also have lighter-adapters so the staff can complete paperwork and update files on their laptops after they complete visiting patients.

Brenda Herrmann, R.N., is a home health nurse and travels approximately 100 miles a day and spends at least 3 to 4 hours on the road visiting patients.

“It is a great opportunity to have a car that is dedicated to use for Home Health. I have a lot of supplies that I need to carry with me on a daily basis. Many times we are many miles away from the office and if we need a certain medical supplies, we need to have it with us,” said Herrmann. “Many times my personal car was loaded down with supplies and if we needed the car for other things it was a huge hassle. I can arrange my car the way I want and it stays that way.”

St. Elizabeth Home Health Care and St. Elizabeth Hospice are both located in the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette on the campus of St. Elizabeth Central.

For more information on the services provided by St. Elizabeth Home Health Care, please call (765) 449-5046 or 1-800-755-5650 or visit www.ste.org/homehealth. For more information on St. Elizabeth Hospice, please call (765) 423-6224 or 1-800-755-5650 or visit www.ste.org/hospice.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni Association seeking nominations for annual outstanding alumni award

2010-09-16T08:21:00.000-04:00

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni Association is seeking nominations for its annual outstanding alumni award.

The award, first given out in 2003, will be announced at the alumni association’s annual luncheon on Saturday, Oct. 23 in Lafayette. Nominees must demonstrate how they devote their life to others as a nursing professional and a member of the community.

Nomination forms are available online at www.steson.org/alumni or at the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing main office, 1508 Tippecanoe St. in Lafayette.

All nominations must be received no later than Monday, Sept. 27, 2010.

For more information, please call Bo Kuzee-Baumis, director of development and recruitment, at (765) 423-6427.

St. Elizabeth Orthopaedic Center to host free seminar on shoulder pain

2010-09-14T14:02:00.000-04:00

The St. Elizabeth Orthopaedic Center will host a free seminar on shoulder pain on Thursday, Sept. 23 from 6: to 7 p.m. at St. Elizabeth East. Guests should park in the North parking lot and use the North Entrance.

Peter J. Torok, M.D., a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with Lafayette Orthopaedic Clinic, will speak on shoulder pain and the latest advances in shoulder surgery. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session where guests will have the opportunity to ask questions about the procedures and rehabilitation options that are available in the Greater Lafayette area.

This seminar is free but registration is required. Please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133 to reserve your spot. St. Elizabeth East is located at 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette.

AED recipients announced for 2010 Duke Smyser Chili Blast Open golf outing

2010-09-10T15:44:00.002-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Chili Blast Charities Inc. will be awarding four AEDs (cardiac defibrillators) to area non-profit organizations at the fourth annual Duke Smyser Chili Blast Open. This year’s recipients are:

Lafayette Police Department,
Mental Health America of Tippecanoe County,
West Lafayette Community School Corporation and
Chalmers Community Volunteer Fire Department.

The Duke Smyser Chili Blast Open is set for Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 at the Ravines Golf Course, 8525 Division Rd., West Lafayette, with registration starting at 12:30 p.m. and play beginning at 1 p.m. A chili dinner catered by Harry’s Chocolate Shop will be served at 6 p.m. For more information or to register for the Open, please visit www.chiliblast.org or sign up at the Ravines pro shop.

The AEDs will be presented at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Friday prior to the start of the golf outing.

Proceeds from the Chili Blast Open are donated to the Kathryn Weil Center for Education and used towards the purchase of AEDs to be placed with non-profit organizations in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties. The Kathryn Weil Center for Education oversees the Revive & Survive program, as well as works with other groups who fall outside the Revive & Survive guidelines but are still in need AEDs.

Applications are still being accepted for the Revive & Survive program offered by St. Elizabeth Regional Health. To qualify, the organization must be located in Tippecanoe or Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Warren or White counties and may be tax-based. Qualifying 501(c)3 organizations are encouraged to apply at the Kathryn Weil Center or online at www.ste.org/aed.

The Chili Blast Open is named for Duke Smyser, who was a Lafayette banker for almost 30 years before succumbing to heart disease in 2006.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education hosting fifth annual community conference on child psychiatry, ‘Is What You See What Is Wrong?’

2010-09-07T11:31:00.000-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host the fifth annual community conference on child psychiatry from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9.

This year’s theme is “Is What You See What Is Wrong?” and is sponsored by the Mental Health America of Tippecanoe County, NAMI, Lafayette School Corp., Kathryn Weil Center for Education, St. Elizabeth Regional Health and NCHS.

This community conference is for primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, marriage and family therapists, teachers, school counselors, mental health workers and others who care for children with difficult behaviors, including the layperson.

Presentations during the conference include:

“New DSM V Criteria, Diagnostic Issues in Children” –Jerry Fletcher, M.D. of St.Vincent Stress Center;
“IQ and Other Testing: What Do Scores Really Mean?” –Elizabeth Akey, Ph.D., of the Purdue University Department of Psychology;
“Obesity and Depression and Mental Health Issues” –Andrew Riggs, M.D., of Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent;
“Alcohol and Drug Use, Testing Limits, Addiction, Self-Medication” –Danny Waddle, Ed.S, LMCC, of St.Vincent Stress Center;
“Anger, What’s Up and What To Do About It” –Buck Black, MSW, LCSW, QMHP, of Heartland Clinic; and
“Personality Disorders: Do They Start That Young?” –Jerry Fletcher, M.D.
This event is moderated by Dr. Linda Emery of Sigma Medical Group and Dr. Michael Hunter of Clarian Arnett Health.

Continuing education units are available for those in attendance.

Registration is required and can be made by contacting Mental Health America of Tippecanoe County at (765) 742-1800 or by visiting their Web site www.mhalafayette.org. Registration and continental breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and the conference starts at 8 a.m. Cost for this event is $35 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Checks can be mailed to Mental Health America of Tippecanoe County, P.O. Box 1626, Lafayette, IN 47902.

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

St. Elizabeth Hospice community panel discussion set for Sept. 23 at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

2010-09-06T15:09:00.002-04:00

St. Elizabeth Hospice will present “Hospice: Dealing With End of Life Issues,” a panel discussion from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education.

During the panel discussion, participants will learn about hospice, coverage options for hospice care, when hospice is needed and myths and misconceptions regarding hospice care.

Presentations and presenters include the following:

“History and Philosophy of Hospice” by Carmen Balfour, R.N., CHPN, community liaison for St. Elizabeth Hospice;
“Professional Disciplines: Who Provides the Care” by Janet Van Buskirk, R.N., St. Elizabeth Hospice supervisor;
“Spiritual Support” by the Rev. Nancy Eberhard, bereavement coordinator; and
“A Special Role for Volunteers” by Diana Salazar, volunteer coordinator.

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.

This program is free, but registration is required and can be made by calling the center at (765) 449-5133.

ACLS/PALS instructor class set for Sept. 15 – 16

2010-09-06T15:08:00.000-04:00

St. Elizabeth Regional Health will host an ACLS/PALS instructor class on Sept. 15 – 16. This class will prepare candidates for teaching ACLS and/or PALS.

The Sept. 15 session will involve completing the ACLS/PALS Core CD.

Participants have the option of completing the CD at home or in a classroom at Home Hospital from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Sept. 16 session will involve distribution of materials, instructions on use of materials and instructor monitoring at the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Space is limited. Registration deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 7. The Core CD may be picked up at Kathryn Weil Center for Education, Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

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

Car seat clinics set for Sept. 10 and Sept. 25

2010-09-06T15:07:00.000-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will host a car seat clinic from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, which is National Car Seat Check Day. To participate in the clinics, families must make an appointment. To make an appointment, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

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.

Cholesterol screenings scheduled at Kathryn Weil Center for Education

2010-09-06T15:00:00.002-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, Sept. 9 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health announces appointments to Palliative Care

2010-09-06T14:59:00.000-04:00

St. Elizabeth Regional Health’s Palliative Care Department recently expanded. The new Palliative Care employees include:

Addie Gasper, R.D., R.N., MSN, ANP-BC, has worked as an outpatient registered dietitian. She received her nursing degree and began working in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis and at Clarian Arnett Health. Gasper completed her master’s of science in nursing at Purdue University and is currently board certified as an adult nurse practitioner. Her interests include caring for adults with dementia and delirium.
Jude Indiano, R.N., patient care coordinator, has 27 years of experience in medical/surgical, orthopedic, neurological and long-term nursing care. She has particular expertise in palliative medicine and end of life care and is responsible for staff training and management of team operations.
Heather Askren, R.N., MSN, NP-C, OCN, is a certified adult nurse practitioner by The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). She completed undergraduate studies at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and Saint Joseph’s College and received her master’s degree from Purdue University. Askren has worked at Home Hospital as a nurse tech, staff nurse, performance improvement representative, education coordinator, and is currently the oncology program coordinator. She is a certified oncology nurse. Her interests include educating nurses on compassion fatigue and working with oncology patients and families.

St. Elizabeth East opens Observation Unit

2010-09-06T08:30:00.002-04:00

Unit located adjacent to the Emergency Care Center
St. Elizabeth Regional Health opened an Observation Unit on Monday, Aug. 30 on the St. Elizabeth East campus, 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette.

The Observation Unit will be located adjacent to the Emergency Care Center and can be accessed by family members through the South Entrance/Emergency Care Center entrance or through the 3900 Building. Patients who are placed in the unit are only done so after being treated in the Emergency Care Center or being seen by their primary care provider.

The new unit has 16 rooms and features all private rooms.

“St. Elizabeth Regional Health believes that by opening the Observation Unit, we can continue to provide high-quality, affordable health care to all patients in our community,” said Michele Paddack, operations manager of the Observation Unit. “The Observation Unit is considered an extension of the Emergency Care Center and helps us move patients through the Emergency Care Center and helps medical providers determine if a patient should be admitted to the hospital.”

Patients who traditionally use an observation unit are those who need to be monitored and undergo tests. Many suffer from dehydration, asthma symptoms, and various other symptoms. Observation patients are not inpatients; they stay an average of 8 to 23 hours. They are classified as outpatients and are not admitted. They benefit from a quick turnaround time. Test results and orders can be acted upon promptly. Typically, only 25% of observation patients are ultimately admitted.

Physicians are expected to see patients within two to four hours of placement on the observation unit, and most patients are followed by a hospitalist. The unit’s goal is to ensure testing and treatment is completed in a timely manner, allowing a short length of stay and a quick turnaround.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health opened a 12-bed Observation Unit at St. Elizabeth Central, 1501 Hartford St., on Sept. 1, 2009.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education to host free peripheral arterial disease screening

2010-08-27T15:54:00.002-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education, St. Elizabeth Regional Health and area health care providers are teaming together to provide a free Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) screening from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education.

The center is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

PAD is a clogging of arteries in the leg that can be life-threatening if left untreated. An estimated 12 million Americans have PAD, increasing their risk of death by two to six times from heart attack and stroke. PAD can decrease blood flow to the legs and feet, resulting in muscle fatigue and pain when walking and can lead to amputation, disability and diminished quality of life.

PAD develops slowly over many years and the chance of having PAD increases as you get older; people over age 50 are at highest risk for PAD, but the risk is increased among people who:
• smoke or previously smoked;
• have diabetes;
• have high blood pressure;
• have abnormal blood cholesterol levels;
• are of African American ethnicity; and
• have had heart disease, a heart attack or a stroke.

The screening is in conjunction with National Peripheral Arterial Disease month and materials are provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health and Spirit of Women Health Network.

Participants may also participate in a free personal cardiac assessment, which includes a cholesterol screening and a glucose screening, as well as a body composition assessment.
The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and St. Elizabeth Regional Health are members of the Spirit of Women network, 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.

This screening is free and open to men and women, but registration is limited and required. To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133.

Free seminar: "Concussions: Prevention and Treatment in Athletes"

2010-08-26T15:58:00.002-04:00

Brian F. Morris, M.D.

Concussions can be a serious side effect of athletic participation. Dr. Brian F. Morris, Sigma Sports Medicine, will speak about concussions and the need for ImPACT testing on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. The seminar will be held at St. Elizabeth East located at 1701 S. Creasy Lane in Lafayette. Attendees should use the North Entrance. This seminar is free, but registration is required. Please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133 to reserve your spot.

An ImPACT test is a computer-based test used to measure an athlete’s memory and how quickly they can recall words, numbers and shapes. Athletes are tested in the pre-season to create a baseline score. If an athlete suffers a concussion, their pre- and post-concussion scores are compared to help determine their ability to return to play. Student athletes, weekend warriors and virtually anyone involved in sports can benefit from ImPACT testing.

Free Overactive Bladder Seminar

2010-08-18T13:45:00.000-04:00

If you’ve tried overactive bladder treatments without any success, don’t lose hope. InterStim Therapy by Medtronic, is FDA-approved therapy that works with the bladder to control urinary function. Come to a free health seminar hosted by St. Elizabeth Regional Health to find out if InterStim Therapy could eliminate or greatly reduce your bladder control problems.

Dr. Richard Selo and Dr. Jeffrey Cooper, of Lafayette Clinic of Urology, will speak about InterStim Therapy and the latest treatments for overactive bladder. This seminar is free but registration is required. Please call (765) 449-5133 to reserve your spot.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education and Spirit of Women encourage women to create new opportunities with the ‘Reinvention Factor’

2010-08-17T16:15:00.000-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education and the Spirit of Women are hosting a program that encourages area women to create the life they want.

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will present “Reinvention Factor” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9 at the Inspired Fire Glass Studio and Gallery, 2124 State Road 25 South in Lafayette.

“Reinvention Factor” will include several presentations, door prizes and surprises designed to make the evening both fun and educational. The following events are currently scheduled:

“Take A Deep Breath” by William Hutchison, M.D., a pulmonologist and internal medicine physician with Sigma Medical Group. Dr. Hutchison will talk on how disorders of the respiratory system can prevent you from enjoying life.
“Reinventing Yourself From The Inside Out” by Simone Yeomans, Ph.D, M.S., MFT. Dr. Yeomans will provide important background information about breathing as well as on teaching breathing techniques to easily and effectively apply in daily situations.
“Inspired Reinvention” by Sharon Owens of Inspired Fire Glass Studio and Gallery. Owens will craft a beautiful glass art Christmas ornament. One fortunate participant will get to take it home. All participants will receive a 10% discount on all purchases made at the event.

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.

This program is free for Spirit of Women members or $5 for non-members, and registration is required. To register, please call the Kathryn Weil Center for Education at (765) 449-5133. For more information on the Spirit of Women, please visit www.ste.org/spirit.

Camp Bluebird sessions scheduled for Oct. 27 - 28; volunteers needed for Camp Bluebird

2010-08-17T14:06:00.000-04:00

Fall Camp Bluebird sessions scheduled for Oct. 27 – 28

Camp Bluebird, an adult retreat for cancer survivors, will be held Oct. 27 – 28 at Camp Tecumseh’s Leadership Center. The camp is sponsored by St. Elizabeth Regional Health.

The two-day, one-night retreat is an informal educational experience in a relaxed nature-filled environment.

Open to cancer survivors of Tippecanoe and surrounding counties, a camper candidate is any adult, 18 years or older, who has had a personal cancer experience. Newly diagnosed cancer patients are encouraged to inquire about Camp Bluebird.

Space is limited. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register or for more information, call St. Elizabeth Regional Health’s Oncology Services at (765) 423-6291. Registration deadline is Sept. 17, 2010.

Camp volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed to assist with the fall session of Camp Bluebird.

Camp Bluebird, an adult retreat for cancer survivors will be held Oct. 27 – 28 at Camp Tecumseh’s Leadership Center. The camp is sponsored by St. Elizabeth Regional Health.

The two-day, one-night retreat is an informal educational experience in a relaxed nature-filled environment.

Interested volunteers need to fill out an application and go through a short training session before the camp. For more information or to receive an application, call St. Elizabeth Regional Health’s Oncology Services at (765) 423-6291.

St. Elizabeth Hospice offering grief support meetings

2010-08-17T11:31:00.000-04:00

St. Elizabeth Hospice will offer two 10-week grief support groups. The group is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. The sessions will be facilitated by Nancy Eberhard, M.Div., hospice bereavement coordinator.

The evening group meets weekly on Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Hospice office, located in the lower level of the Bill Long Building, 1415 Salem St. in Lafayette. The group starts on Monday, Sept. 20.

A morning session will be held weekly on Fridays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in a private conference room at MCL Cafeteria, 521 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette. The group starts on Friday, Sept. 24.

Some aspects of participating in a grief support group include:

Giving information about the grief process so that people understand the changes that are happening;
Providing a safe place to share the grief experience; and
Sharing ideas on how to handle daily concerns and changes that come with grief.

Materials include a workbook and Understanding Your Grief, Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Cost for the book is $12. Participants may return the book at the end of the final session for a full refund.

Registration is required and can be made by calling Nancy Eberhard at (765) 423-6732.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing celebrates summer commencement

2010-07-26T12:40:00.000-04:00

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing will celebrate the July commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. (CDST) on Friday, July 30 in the Chapel at Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind. The ceremony will include distribution of nursing pins and the conferring of diplomas. Twenty-one students are eligible to graduate.

After passing the national licensing examination, St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduates may practice as registered nurses.

The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing is a three-year diploma school of nursing. It is the only hospital-based school of nursing in Indiana. A bachelor’s degree in nursing option is available in conjunction with Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer.

For more information on the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, please call (765) 423-6400 or visit www.steson.org.

Editor’s note: For media interested in covering the graduation ceremony, please contact Ben Kalinowski at (219) 866-6177.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health employees receive certifications

2010-07-09T08:55:00.000-04:00

Three St. Elizabeth Regional Health employees have recently received national certifications in their respective areas:

Valorie Dunn, R.N., BSN, CRNI, infusion therapy coordinator with St. Elizabeth Home Health Pharmacy, received her national certification in infusion from the Infusion Nurse Society and the Infusion Nurse Certification Corporation.
Jennifer Anderson, R.D., with the St. Elizabeth Diabetes Center, received her certified diabetes educator status by passing an exam and completing a minimum 1,000 hours providing patient education by a two-year span and maintain 15 hours of continuing education in diabetes management each year.
Denise Seeger, CFCP, educator at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education, received her certification as a fertility care practitioner by the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals’ Commission on Certification. The American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals is a professional organization dedicated to fostering, advancing and promoting quality natural family planning through service, education, leadership and research.

St. Elizabeth Hospice volunteer training class begins in July

2010-07-07T16:51:00.000-04:00

The St. Elizabeth Hospice has scheduled their summer hospice volunteer training classes for new volunteers to work with hospice patients and their families in your area. The first training session will be held on Saturday, July 24.

The first of five sessions will be held at the Kathryn Weil Center for Education. The Kathryn Weil Center for Education is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

Volunteers provide non-medical services to hospice patients and their families that may include a break for caregivers, patient companionship, listening and emotional support, basic bedside comfort measures or assisting with shopping, yard or household chores. Volunteers can be a meaningful support for families during this difficult time. Volunteer are needed for the following counties: Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery Tippecanoe, Warren and White.

Those who have lost loved ones within the last year are strongly encouraged to wait for at least one year before volunteering for direct care with our hospice families; however interested persons could volunteer to provide office support.

Please contact Diana Salazar, St. Elizabeth Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, at (765) 423-6924 by July 15, 2010 to schedule an interview for the July training class or to inquire about hospice volunteer opportunities.

St. Elizabeth Diabetes Center presents 'Healthy Families and Healthy Kids'

2010-06-15T09:02:00.002-04:00

The St. Elizabeth Diabetes Center will present “Healthy Families and Healthy Kids” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23 at the St. Elizabeth Diabetes Center. The center is located in the Medical Arts Building, 415 N. 26th St., Suite 400 in Lafayette.

The program for adults will feature presentations by James Poulos, M.D., medical director of the center, and Jenny Anderson, a diabetes educator and dietitian, on nutrition and how to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. A special activity, crafts and snacks will be planned by Allison Stetler, a dietitian, for children in attendance.

This event is free. Registration is required and can be made by calling the St. Elizabeth Diabetes Center at (765) 449-5180.

Camp WACK gearing up for another session

2010-06-08T09:42:00.000-04:00

Registration is now being accepted for the fourth annual Camp WACK(Water Adventure Camp for Kids), which will be held on June 30 and July 1 at Lake Harner in Lafayette.

Camp WACK provides children with disabilities the opportunity to participate in adapted water skiing. Skis are specially equipped to allow skiers to sit and ski, while outriggers provide balance and stability to ensure a rewarding and positive ski experience. A variety of games and activities will also be available for the campers on shore throughout the day. Campers will be given a choice as to which day to attend. All attempts will be made to accommodate your request.

Camp WACK is limited to the first 50 participates. Eligible participants are children ages 5 to 18 with disabilities. The following guidelines must be followed:

Children must be able to communicate utilizing words or hand signals.

Children must be able to roll over from face down position in the water.

Participants do not have to be able to hold the ski rope independently.

Cost is $20 per child. For an application packet, please visit www.campwack.org. Payment with registration is due by June 11.

Camp WACK is presented by Modified Athletics for Kids. Sponsors of Camp WACK include Lafayette Tent and Awning, The Eagles, The Finish Line Foundation, Jeanne Ward, St. Elizabeth Regional Health, Jack Coffin and family, Tipmont REMC, Duke Energy, Lynn Ward and HBT Inc.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health hosting rummage sale to benefit employee emergency fund

2010-06-01T11:36:00.000-04:00

St. Elizabeth Regional Health will host a rummage sale from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 5 in the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Auditorium. The entrance to the auditorium is located on 16th Street, across from the main entrance to St. Elizabeth Central.

The sale includes something for everyone: children’s clothes, play items, linens, kitchen essentials, CDs, books, tools, clothing (various sizes) and household decorative items.

Donations of canned good items will be accepted for Food Finders Food Bank.

For more information, please call Cindy Benner, St. Elizabeth Regional Health Mission Integration Department, at (765) 502-4334.

Kathryn Weil Center for Education schedules basic tuberculosis course

2010-05-26T11:38:00.001-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer a basic tuberculosis course from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 10. 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.

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

2010-05-26T11:37:00.004-04:00

The Kathryn Weil Center for Education will offer cholesterol screenings by appointment on Thursday, June 10 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. For more information or to schedule your screening, call the center at (765) 449-5133.