Spring 2012
your gui de to h e a lth & w ellness
Care ed liz na
Pers o
New Beginnings
Spread the word about your Affinity provider. Find us on Facebook (Affinity Health System), like our page, write a post on our wall describing why your doctor is special, and share with your friends!
“ Dr. Peter Janu is a did wonders for mn AMAZING physician. He him in a heart beate. I would recommend !” – Julie Peterson, New Lo nd on
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e were duly prepared for the elements this past winter, but instead, spring sprung early. Just like our weather, life can also be unpredictable. In this issue, we introduce you to a mom who, without any warning signs, went into pre-term labor and, thanks to her Affinity Medical Group care team, narrowly escaped death. Today, Leah Foerster and her daughter, Lauren, are thriving. A third-grader who suffered from chronic sinusitis underwent a new procedure for pediatric patients and now lives a pain-free, sniffle-free life. Read their stories starting on page 10. As the trees bud and the grass greens, we reflect on new beginnings. Affinity Health System has grown this year, too. On February 8, 2012, we announced the full sponsorship of Affinity by Ministry Health Care. Ministry has been involved with Affinity for more than 100 years, first as the founder of Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, and for the last 16 years as a co-sponsor of Affinity with Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Ministry and Affinity are like two branches of the same vine and by coupling our size and expertise, good things lie ahead. Then on February 27, 2012, the formation of Catalpa Health was introduced as the new organization in the Fox Cities offering children and teens better access to outpatient mental health services. Affinity is one of three local health care organizations behind the launch. What do you think? Let us know by posting your comments on our blog. We’re listening. Ou
Daniel E. Neufelder, FACHE Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations, Ministry Health Care President, Affinity Health System
nd u o f I y a d e h t on call s a w ih s ia cytial d u B “ Dr. Santi ughter has respiratory sythne hospital. out our da and admitted her into sionate virus (RSV)ry concerned and compas the best She was ve g sure our daughter had about makinle!” – Dana Kuhlman, Winneconne care possib
“ Dr. Melissa Koehle with my second prr calmed all my fears child was six week egnancy after my first during both of my s early. She was amazing were as smooth as deliveries and they to recommend Dr. can be! I will continue looking for an OB/Koehler for anyone GYN.” – Amy Kolbe, Apple ton AFFINIT Y HEALTH SYSTEM IS...
r blog: www.affinity health.org/b log Follow us:
• St. Elizabeth Hospital ‑ Appleton • Mercy Medical Center ‑ Oshkosh • Calumet Medical Center ‑ Chilton • Affinity Medical Group Clinics • Affinity Occupational Health For a complete list of Affinity clinic locations or to find a physician, go to our website at
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or call Affinity NurseDirect at 1-800-362-9900.
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c o n t e n t s SPRING 2012
F E AT U R E s
Affinity Health System Menasha, WI www.affinityhealth.org
10 Care Package
Daniel E. Neufelder, FACHE Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations, Ministry Health Care President, Affinity Health System
hen one Oshkosh mom goes into W labor early and things go unexpectedly wrong, her OB/GYN doctor and care team snap into action.
Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios
Chief Administrative Officer Vince Gallucci Editorial Management Jennifer Wagner Mauk John Egan Alison Fiebig
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15 Clarity for Christopher
Volume 1, Number 4 The material in @Affinity is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. @Affinity is published four times annually by Affinity Health System. For permission to reprint any portion of this magazine, change your address, discontinue multiple copies or stop receiving @Affinity, please contact us at editor@affinityhealth.org. © 2012 Affinity Health System. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from Affinity Health System.
Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios
Cover illustration by Gail Armstrong
D E PA R T M E N T S
RV
ICE
4 New Space for New Life
News on the BirthPlace renovation at St. Elizabeth Hospital
INTEGRITY JUSTICE
TEAMWORK CREATIVITY
by the n umber s
5 Our interest in Pinterest
STEWARDSHIP
At Affinity Health System, our mission guides our actions.
ow a minimally-invasive H procedure can change the quality of life for pediatric patients who suffer from chronic sinusitis.
Sho rt Cl ips
SE
Mission, Promise and Values
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Mission
In Season Sp r ing
6 A Green Clean
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and tidbits on Earth Day
Interesting local and national figures
Pointers and homemade solutions to help you clean this spring
after ca r e
18 On the Sidelines
Meet Dr. Darin Leetun, an
orthopaedic surgeon with the Kennedy Center at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, who spends his spare time with athletes like Olympic medalists Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso
The mission of Affinity Health System is to live out the healing ministry of Christ by providing services that promote the health and well-being of the communities we serve, especially the poor.
goo d
Promise
G et g reen
An Affinity employee sorts
We promise to provide personalized care by listening, treating you with respect and putting your needs and interests first.
lear n & l ive
Values The way we accomplish our mission is as important as the mission itself. These values of our sponsor, Ministry Health Care, guide our actions.
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eat ’ n
7 The Smoothie Solution
A mother’s plea for picky toddler food fixes
8 Water, Water, Everywhere Easy steps to conserving H2O and what Affinity does to cut back
Be well
9 Working at It
The corporate way to wellness
Illustration by Travis Foster
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giving back
20 For the Greater Good through the goods at Goodwill
22 Mom’s Club, Infant Care and Boating Safety
Educational opportunities @ Affinity
ki ds @affinity
23 Protect Your Melon
Bike-themed games and tips to staying safe S p r i n g 2 0 1 2
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SHORT CLIPS
A rendering of the new postpartum suite
New Space for New Life
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ife begins in the BirthPlace at St. Elizabeth Hospital. This fall, newborns and moms will have a new space to recover after delivery. Renovation for the new postpartum unit is currently underway on the third floor in the former Breast Center (which opened in its new space on the first floor in August 2011). The labor and delivery unit renovation will begin after the completion of the postpartum unit. When the project is complete, the new department will have two wings: 10 rooms for labor and delivery and 11 rooms for postpartum. This will allow both areas to be more private and quiet. There will also be a new nursery with viewing windows as you come off the elevators. Recovering moms will be treated to a larger bed and spa-like bathroom with a walk-in shower and separate whirlpool tub. Color therapy lights will contribute to a sense of calm in the new space. Family members will be able to keep mom company in comfort with more space and seating. Kathy Moy-Bye, director of patient care at the BirthPlace, and her team surveyed several hundred new mothers and their families on what they would like to see in the renovation. One frequent patient request was to have “an interesting place to walk while we are in labor.” “We worked hard to provide this for our patients,” says Moy-Bye. “When our renovation is complete, there will be several points of interest on our walking path for our labor 4 | @Affinity
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patients, including a hallway with windows overlooking a beautiful internal courtyard, a ‘rest’ area with comfortable chairs, southern exposure windows and, finally, interesting artwork throughout the unit.” In the planning phase, LEAN principles were utilized in order to accomplish staffrecommended goals, such as decreasing the amount of time spent gathering supplies to care for patients. The new design puts the needed supplies and equipment in patient rooms instead of a central store room. “Patients will benefit greatly from this as it will allow the nurse to spend more time interacting and caring for them,” Moy-Bye explains. Kitty Groves, a staff nurse for the BirthPlace, was one of many employees asked to give feedback. “We sat with plumbing and electrical folks, architects, and all realms of the staff to make this unit the best it can be,” Groves says. Women who arrive for a scheduled C-section will also have a special experience. In the new design, these patients will be admitted to a postpartum room. This will allow them to settle in before the baby is born. Another design extra is that the baby will be in a room next door to the operating room so family can be close to both mom and baby. Groves adds, “It has not been easy using a shell of a very old building, but with team effort, we have come up with a very functional and beautiful unit that will shine and compete with the best of the best in the area.”
Did you know that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States? The American Cancer Society predicts that more than 143,000 new cases of cancers of the colon or rectum are expected in the United States this year and nearly 52,000 people will die from it. A colonoscopy can save your life. Many people cringe at the thought, but the alternative – cancer – can be detected early and even prevented with this cancer screening. Recent studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggest that by removing precancerous growths (polyps) spotted during a colonoscopy, the risk of dying from colon cancer is cut in half. Discuss with your primary care doctor how often you need to have a colonoscopy, which is typically once every 10 years starting at the age of 50. Get peace of mind and schedule your colonoscopy today by calling NurseDirect at 1-920362-9900 or visiting www.affinityhealth.org/ colonoscopy. Affinity offers several convenient locations to serve you close to home.
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BY THE NUMBERS
10.4 million
Affinity recently joined the newest social networking craze called Pinterest, which had 10.4 million registered users as of February 2012. The site allows users to create online bulletin boards based on their interests and “pin” images to showcase and share their likes in a variety of topics. We are pinning “green” do-it-yourself ideas, art inspiration by the illustrators who have created @Affinity covers, healthy recipes, and more. To pin with us, go to www.pinterest.com and search for Affinity Health!
Wisconsin is ranked as the 25th most
obese state in the nation. Obesity not only
#5
affects a person’s physical health, but also affects mental and emotional health. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits, the risk of developing chronic conditions can be reduced. Eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies increases the intake of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, vitamins and antioxidants. Consider strawberries, sweet potatoes, yellow corn, spinach, blueberries, plums, white onions and black beans.
Colorize YOUR PLATE!
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Location is everything! An intensive study of health care performance recently released by The Commonwealth Fund ranks the Appleton area 5th, Green Bay area 12th and Neenah area 14th out of 306 community regions across the nation. The first-ever Scorecard on Local Health System Performance examines four dimensions of health — access, quality, costs and health outcomes — and how a region’s overall performance reflects the importance of cooperation and communication among local health providers. To read more, visit www.commonwealthfund.org.
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1970 A United States senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, coordinated an environmental
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teach-in to be held on April 22, 1970, in which more than
20 million people participated. Today, that day is Earth Day and celebrated in
The number of babies Affinity welcomed into the world on Leap Day. The chances of being born on Leap Day are one in 1,461, and the 10 babies born – eight at St. Elizabeth Hospital and two at Mercy Medical Center – will share their birthday with four million others around the globe. w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
more than 175 countries. To learn how you can help our planet, go to www.earthday.org. S p r i n g 2 0 1 2
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in season spring
spring 6 • good eat’n 7 • get green 8 • be well 9
A Green Clean Pointers and homemade solutions to help you clean this spring By Alison Fiebig
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aving officially entered the season of spring cleaning, consider these tips and doit-yourself (DIY) cleaning remedies. By making your own solutions with products you have around the house, spring sprucing can be chemical-free, budget-friendly and might even be (dare we say it) a little fun! ✓ Dust each room from top to bottom. Don’t overlook the obvious – ceiling fans, chandeliers, cabinetry, shelving, artwork, baseboards, TV and vents. ✓ Wash the refrigerator inside and out. ✓ Wipe off the stovetop with an allpurpose cleaner. ✓ Organize the pantry and cupboards. Toss expired food. ✓ Deodorize and disinfect the trash cans with an all-purpose cleaner. ✓ Vacuum furniture, pillows and carpet. Move furniture away from walls and vacuum underneath. ✓ Try this drape dusting technique: take them down, remove hooks and run them through an air-fluff cycle in the dryer with a damp towel (to attract the dust) for about 10 minutes. ✓ Clean glass tabletops, windows and mirrors with glass cleaner. ✓ Tidy the closet. Make a pile of items you can take to your local donation center. ✓ Take musty articles to the dry cleaner. ✓ Wash bed skirts and mattress pads. ✓ Wipe down cabinet interiors and shelving with an all-purpose cleaner or furniture polish. ✓ Clean shower curtain liner with a bleach alternative. ✓ Scrub the sink and tub. ✓ Take rugs and mats outside and shake them out. ✓ Vacuum around door trims and moldings.
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Do-It-Yourself Glass Cleaner Combine 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon natural liquid soap and 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Spray on the glass, working in small sections so that the solution doesn’t have time to dry before you’re able to wipe it clean. Scrub as needed with the rough side of a kitchen sponge and squeegee off. Citrus All-Purpose Cleaning Solution Take the peels from five citrus fruits – any citrus will do. Put peels in a jar. Pour vinegar over peels and cover jar with a lid. Allow the solution to sit for one to two weeks. Then, strain the solution to remove the peels and any clumps. Pour solution into a spray bottle, diluting with one part water to one part solution. Done!
Homemade Bleach Alternative Combine 1 1/2 cup of three-percent hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice and pure water to fill a gallon jug. Homemade Furniture Polish Combine 1 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a spray bottle. Using a cloth, gently rub a little dab onto furniture. Wipe dry with another cloth.
For more DIY cleaning remedies and other healthy to-do’s, follow Affinity Health on Pinterest!
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Problem solving for picky kiddos
By Alison Fiebig
good eat’n
The Smoothie Solution
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ydia Baughman is two years old. According to her mother and personal chef, Stacey, the toddler has a limited fondness for food. In an email to @Affinity, Stacey disclosed that Lydia can’t get enough of cheese, meat and dairy. As for fruits and vegetables, she will only eat watermelon and cantaloupe. “It’s tough for me, because I really don’t feel like she is getting a well-balanced meal,” Stacey admits. “I feel badly that she doesn’t like the fruits and veggies, so I give in and give her the things she likes (cheese, yogurt, meat) just to make sure her little belly is full. She doesn’t eat a lot at one sitting, so it’s tough to get the good foods in her in an amount that is going to keep her regular.” Lydia developed a discontent for fruits and vegetables as an infant and it remains true for the little girl today. Her mom was searching for a solution. Megan Harris, a clinical dietitian at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton who specializes in neonatal and pediatric nutrition, says the trick is to continuously offer toddlers a variety of foods. “In Lydia’s case, watermelon and cantaloupe are two great fruits to eat!” Harris says. “Let her eat them every day. Food jags are very common at this age, which means as parents, we need to continue to offer them foods we know they will eat while providing opportunities to try new foods on a daily basis.” Toddlers look to their parents for a reaction when they refuse foods. Children model behaviors, so if they see others eating and enjoying something, chances are they will, too.
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Harris says that a child often has to be offered a certain food about 15 times before they will try it. Her advice to parents is to be patient and persistent. “You work hard to prepare it, so it’s hard not to react,” explains Harris, a mother of two. “If they refuse something during a meal, say, ‘We’re all done with that,’ and offer it again later. I like to remind parents to celebrate what they love to eat today because tomorrow they may refuse it!” Harris encourages parents to get kids in the kitchen and let them be hands-on during meal preparation. The more they’re around food, the less foreign it becomes. She also suggests mixing fruits and vegetables with other kid-friendly foods, such as muffins and breads (try banana or zucchini), over ice cream, and in soups and smoothies. “Lydia loves shakes, but we haven’t tried much with her in the way of smoothies,” Stacey says. “I’m sure she would love it or, in the very least, give it a try.” The possibilities are endless and, surprisingly, a handful of veggies can be sweet tasting (such
as carrots). By combining a calcium component (milk or yogurt) with fruit juice and a variety of fruits and vegetables, you’re always sure to end up with a yummy treat.
Banana Rama Carrot Smoothie
Ingredients 1 banana, chopped (the riper the better) 1-2 cups carrots, chopped 1 cup pineapple, pear, orange or apple juice 1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt
Preparation Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If consistency is too thick, add a little more juice until desired consistency is reached.
To submit your favorite recipe for consideration in an upcoming issue, please email us at editor@affinityhealth.org.
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get green
Family Wellness Nights at the Paine Art Center
Water, Water, Everywhere Understanding water conservation
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he Fox Valley has great access to fresh water supplies from Lake Winnebago and the Great Lakes, which makes it difficult to believe water conservation is necessary to discuss. What if you were informed that your household will use 3.3 million gallons of water during your lifetime? It may sound outrageous, but the truth is we use water in massive quantities. National Geographic’s Human Footprint reported the average American will take 28,433 showers (at five minutes each) during their life. That’s 710,825 gallons. But water conservation isn’t about scolding you on your shower time; it’s about understanding that a greater number of people are accessing the same water supplies. In 2010, the city of Appleton reported its households consumed 125 gallons a day and over three billion gallons of water was delivered to citizens in the Appleton area. By 2030, studies show global water supplies will meet just 60 percent of total demand. To ensure water isn’t a scarce resource for the future, conservation must be a key component in human behavior. A quarter of water use in health care facilities is for domestic reasons, including faucets, urinals and showers. The other 75 percent is for essential operations including the cooling towers, boilers and chillers. At Affinity Health System, water conservation starts with small measures that have a big impact. In 2009, maintenance measures, such as rigorous leak inspections and an installation of a Hobart dishwasher saving over 1,300 gallons of water annually, aided in the achievement of Oshkosh’s Mercy Medical Center becoming an ENERGY STAR-rated hospital. When hand sanitizers were installed in the LEED-certified Affinity Medical Group Greenville clinic in 2007, its water savings resulted in 177,000 gallons! Practicing water conservation aids in reducing the impact to people, the planet, and prosperity.
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To read more of Iqbal’s water-related musings, go to www.affinityhealth.org/ blog. You can also interact with Mian and others on our Pinterest page by following Affinity Health!
An Environmental First
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e have a little extra to celebrate this Earth Day. Earlier this year, St. Elizabeth Hospital obtained the ISO 14001 Certification from QMI-SAI Global – North America’s leading management systems registrar. Our Appleton hospital is the first to earn this recognition in the United States for implementing an environmental management system that conforms to world standards relating to the environment. Earning this certification sets Affinity Health System (AHS) apart from other health care systems nationwide. With a process in place to analyze operations and services within influential control, AHS takes a proactive, standardized approach to understanding and reducing environmental waste in the workplace. “This exciting achievement not only affirms our commitment to continuous improvement, but it helps us understand our ecological footprint in health care as we strive to perform beyond compliance,” says Gary Kusnierz, vice president of performance excellence for AHS.
F oto sea r ch S tock I mage
By Iqbal Mian, sustainability team leader at Affinity Health System
C
lose your eyes and imagine the Wild West – Yosemite Valley, Glacier National Park, the redwood forests. Do you see it like Ansel Adams did? From June 22 through October 21, the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh will showcase 48 works of art by the American photographer called “The Museum Set,” sponsored by Affinity Health System. Just like the beauty and splendor that Adams saw through the lens, Affinity wants to touch on the importance of nature and has arranged for two free family evening events at the Paine. On Tuesday, June 26, 2012 the theme will be plant growth, allowing kids to touch and examine different types of soil as they plant seeds or bulbs to take home and nurture. An instructor and chef will demonstrate how to “grow a meal” by planting a variety of vegetables that come together to make salsa or pizza toppings. The importance of growing a colorized assortment of vegetables will be explained. Explore the great outdoors on Tuesday, July 31. After lessons on insect awareness and summer safety tips (such as caring for scraped knees), grab a pair of binoculars and head out for a nature walk through the Paine Gardens. From inch worms and butterflies to bunnies and bluebirds, spot everyday backyard critters. Learn fun outdoor games and how to do tai chi and yoga on your lawn at home! For more information, call the Paine Art Center at 920-235-6903.
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be well
Working at It Affinity Occupational Health is reshaping wellness in the workplace
Wellness @ Work
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ith conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol, obesity, and chronic disease (like diabetes and heart disease) on the rise among Americans, it is important that employers create a healthy worksite culture and encourage healthy behaviors for employees. Here are some statistics that might make you consider a workplace wellness program:
· A bout 40 percent of all deaths in the
U.S. are premature (at least 900,000 deaths each year) due to unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as tobacco use, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and misuse of alcohol and drugs.
· A n unhealthy lifestyle is the primary
factor to the six leading causes of death in the United States – heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases and diabetes – which collectively account for over 70 percent of all deaths.
· A pproximately 50-70 percent of all
diseases are associated with modifiable health risks that are potentially preventable.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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t r avis foste r
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he employees at Evergreen – a continuing care retirement community that serves adults ages 55 and older in Oshkosh – focus on the wellness of the residents. But even with access to two pools and a fitness center, getting employees interested in their own wellness was a tough sell for the company. That was until October 2009 when the company looked to Affinity Occupational Health (AOH) for help in developing a wellness program. Evergreen made attempts to encourage wellness years ago, but Erin Sanders, vice president of human resources for 10 years, will tell you, “Prior to Affinity, we would just bring in programming that sounded interesting. There was no rhyme or reason, no focus. We didn’t base it on employee interest or data that we had. We didn’t have a purpose.” After a recommendation by a colleague, Sanders sought the services of AOH. “We take the time to understand the company’s culture and see what their needs are
“I feel free to share information with other employees about wellness because I know Evergreen supports wellness initiatives.”
– Amber Eckstein, executive administrative assistant at Evergreen
from start to finish,” says Christine Pongratz, the wellness and preventive services coordinator for AOH and wellness account specialist for Evergreen. “For some, we help schedule Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) and screenings only. For others, it’s putting together a fullysupported, outcome-based wellness program that can include providing online resources, on-site health coaching and other wellness interventions based on the company’s needs and interests.” Evergreen provides a full spectrum of these services. It began with employees completing HRAs and now includes the $100 Wellness Challenge – a program to keep participants engaged by offering a cash reward for completing two programs in each specific category: nutrition, fitness and stress management. A $50 bonus is offered to those who complete an annual physical with their primary care provider. “Affinity has all the resources,” Sanders says. “I don’t have to go online to find programs or make up my own. We use data from our HRAs to identify what our employees need or want, and match it with what Affinity can offer us.” For instance, a journaling program encourages folks to keep track of their activities, such as nutritional intake (like fiber) and exercise, and pay attention to what might cause stress. “Being in an environment that supports
healthy behaviors makes it easier to practice those behaviors because you aren’t always fighting against poor food choices and negative attitudes,” says Amber Eckstein, executive administrative assistant at Evergreen. Eckstein adds that there has been a noticeable shift to healthy behaviors in the last three years. Evergreen’s executive leadership has shown support for employee wellness by committing resources to the work of employees on its POW (Promoting Optimal Wellness) team. Pongratz joins the group in a consulting role to assist in developing new programs for the company. “The more employees who are engaged in the wellness program, the better the outcomes will be over time,” she says. “Being in a consulting role allows me to assist Evergreen and clients to put together programs that can evolve their workforce and stimulate behavior change in the organization.”
Employers interested in learning more about wellness programming should contact Affinity Occupational Health at 920-628-1532, or visit www.affinityhealth.org/pages/ employers.
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after care
Get to know your care provider
by Becky Kopitzke
Most days you can find Dr. Darin Leetun caring for folks in the clinic or operating room. Other days, the orthopaedic surgeon for the Kennedy Center at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh stands in as the team physician for the U.S. National Under-17 hockey team and USSA women’s Alpine speed ski team. Read about his adventures in joining pro athletes on their journey through training, traveling and taking on competitions.
or most Midwesterners, a winter vacation means escaping the rigors of work to relax someplace tropical. Dr. Darin Leetun takes a different route. Dr. Leetun, an orthopaedic surgeon for the Kennedy Center at Mercy Medical Center, is passionate about sports medicine. That’s why he spends his time off traveling as a physician for two high-profile athletic teams: the U.S. National Under-17 hockey team, and the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) women’s Alpine speed ski team. “The pinnacle is to be able to be involved with the highest level athletes,” Dr. Leetun says. “I get the opportunity to learn about the sport and the intensity of those disciplines, so I can bring that back to the people I treat locally.” High-level athletes, indeed. In March, Dr. Leetun traveled to Are, Sweden, for an international ski competition where he worked with some of the biggest names in World Cup skiing, including Olympic medalists Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso. Prior to that, he spent Christmas break at the 2012 World Hockey Challenge in Canada, tending to the National Hockey League’s up-and-coming young stars. “Part of the reason I chose sports medicine was because sports are a significant part of our society,” Dr. Leetun says. He began his sideline career with Michigan Tech hockey before advancing to the U.S. National team. This year will mark his third year of participation with the hockey team and his fourth year with the USSA women’s ski team. An avid skier, Dr. Leetun experienced some injuries himself over time and now lives with the long-term effects. “I want to use my skill to help prevent people from having problems in the long run,” he adds. On the slopes and rink-side, Dr. Leetun’s duties range from evaluating coughs and colds to stabilizing a variety of injuries, including broken bones, dislocated joints, shoulder separation, concussions and neck or head trauma. His job is to determine if it’s safe for them to compete or if there’s anything he can do to make sure they play more safely. The Under-17 hockey team is a development program for high school hockey players. It represents the United States at international events and competes in minor league hockey games against the Green Bay Gamblers and similar clubs. Unlike the women’s ski team, these young men are still aiming for professional glory. Dr. Leetun does 18 | @Affinity
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The U.S. National Under-17 hockey team
everything he can to help them reach their potential. “A team travels 4,000 miles for a particular event and it’s disappointing for the player to have to back out. Not just for wins and losses, but for the opportunity of being evaluated by scouts,” Dr. Leetun says. “Being in this development program already gives them the stamp of being among the best in the country. But if they’re not playing, they’re not going to be evaluated.” Dr. Leetun is one of several elite physicians around the country that volunteer to cover one or two sporting events a year. “The reason these teams have us involved as physicians is to provide the understanding and ability to coordinate appropriate treatments and keep up with U.S. standards as much as humanly possible, especially in foreign countries,” he explains. In cases of serious or life-threatening injury, his job is to coordinate emergency care with the local health care providers. Competitions and tournaments require a significant length of time away from clinical practice, typically a week or more of earned vacation time. Neither sport compensates the physicians for their time. The USSA also doesn’t cover the cost of airfare, lodging or meals. Dr. Leetun takes on the assignment for the sheer love of sports and medicine. And a chance to ski some amazing slopes. “Before the race, we do a check of the run to find potential risks for
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Two Affinity OB/GYN doctors save the lives of an Oshkosh mom, Leah Foerster, and her baby girl, Lauren, who will celebrate her first birthday in June.
Care Package b y
S h a r o n
V e r b e t E n
Having cheated death once, Leah Foerster, 37, never realized she’d live to do it again. But last summer, while pregnant with her second child, the Oshkosh mother endured a harrowing labor and delivery experience. With the help of experts from Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, both Leah and her newborn baby daughter, Lauren, survived.
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The Foerster family in their Oshkosh home
Leah awoke in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and discovered she had begun hemorrhaging. While she recalls she wasn’t in pain, she knew something could be wrong with her baby. Her husband called an ambulance to transport her to Mercy Medical Center (MMC). In the midst of the frightening journey, Leah slipped out of consciousness, lost many units of blood and came perilously close to dying before giving birth on June 22, 2011. Baby Lauren was born eight weeks early and weighed only four pounds. Still, despite her ordeal, you’d be hardpressed to find a more positive person than the Antigo native. “I never thought the baby would die,” she says, brimming with happiness and resilience. She credits her quick-acting Affinity Medical Group OB/GYN, Dr. Stacey Sensor, with shepherding her through. “Any procedure I’ve had, she’s been there,” says Leah. 12 | @Affinity
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“She looked me straight in the face [when the chaos began] and said, ‘You’re in great hands. I have the best people here.’”
Power of Positivity
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hen Leah was 11, she was severely injured in a tragic automobile accident that disabled her mother and killed two people. The event instilled in her the power of faith, healing and gratitude. “Everything happens for a purpose,” she says. “I don’t know how to see bad in these sorts of circumstances. We have scars…[but] let’s just celebrate the fact that we’re here.” Celebrating is easier for Leah and her husband, Michael (who goes by Leon) now that Lauren has completed their family of four, along with son, Ian, 3. But that happy ending was a bit precarious last June, when Leah’s otherwise routine pregnancy took a turn for the worst. “I was nervous,” says Leah. “I don’t think I was necessarily scared. I get ‘matter-of-fact.’”
“From the outside, I looked perfectly fine,” Leah recalls. By the time they reached the hospital, her vitals were dropping. Due to extreme blood loss, Leah’s blood pressure was dropping perilously, and she began to lose consciousness. “Things just dulled out on me,” she recalls. “I could feel life leaving.” On call that night, Dr. J. Michael Gonzalez, an Affinity Medical Group OB/GYN provider, realized Leah’s baby would have to be delivered soon, so he called Dr. Sensor, who lives only a few miles away. “When you do obstetrics, you do have a lot of ‘come now’ calls,” Dr. Sensor says. “I’m pretty good with getting up and getting it together.” The doctors determined Leah was suffering from a placental abruption, in which the placenta detaches from the uterine lining. “She was in trouble,” admits Dr. Sensor, who has been the Foersters’ doctor for many years. When a baby is born in a normal birth, Dr. Sensor explains, the placenta will separate
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Lauren is a happy, healthy baby and turns one-year-old this June
from the wall of the uterus. In Leah’s case, it was starting to separate and, after the baby was delivered, it was discovered parts of the placenta were growing into the muscle of the uterus, not allowing the normal remaining separation. She had both, which was unusual. Lauren had a 75 percent chance of survival and Leah had, at best, a 25 percent chance. Dr. Sensor credits both the obstetrics and anesthesia teams for their fast-acting preparation for Leah’s C-section. “If I had to wait on any of those things, I don’t know if she would be here,” Dr. Sensor adds. “It was a team effort that saved Leah’s life.” Due to the danger to both Leah and her baby, Dr. Sensor and the team worked fast to deliver the baby. After Lauren was born, she was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at St. Elizabeth Hospital, where she stayed for 20 days. While Lauren was out of the woods, Leah was not. Dr. Sensor soon discovered Leah also had w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o r g / b l o g
The OB/GYN doctors who cared for Leah: Dr. J. Michael Gonzalez and Dr. Stacey Sensor
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Mercy Medical Center surgery staff (front row left to right): Sheen Arakaki, certified registered nurse anesthetist; Sadie Bley, surgical technician; Sarah Schultz, surgical technician; Courtney Clayton, staff nurse; Jill Roach, surgery clinical coordinator; (back row left to right) Ray Feger, staff nurse; and Scott Fischer, staff nurse
placenta accreta, a severe case of the placenta attaching deeply to the uterine wall. Because of this abnormality, she had to perform a hysterectomy to save Leah’s life. It was a risky procedure. The surgery was particularly challenging because of Leah’s blood loss, which made her blood pressure precarious. Throughout her ordeal, Leah was given 13 units of blood; the average person has about 10 units of blood in their body. “They prepared me for [her not making it]; at that point, I was basically in shock,” Leon says, recalling the moment a church chaplain came and laid his hand on his shoulder. “I think you learn things at the pace you can handle them.” “I cried with her husband,” says Dr. Sensor. “It’s very emotional. You have a relationship with these people. They develop a bond of trust; you have a personal connection to the patient.” Despite his fear, Leon could only think about his two children and how much they’d need their mother. “I was confident they were going to save her,” he says of his wife of six years. “We definitely had full faith and trust in Dr. Sensor.” After a grueling ordeal, Leah did pull through the surgery, pleased to learn her baby girl was going to be fine. “For some reason, I knew she was going to be okay,” she says about Lauren. “I just knew she was going to survive; I didn’t even think of me.” Leah faced the news of her hysterectomy with a positive attitude. “We decided to celebrate the fact my body worked in the first place rather than grieve over a loss I had no control over,” she said. “What more evidence does one need but to look at the miracles that survived this craziness. We’re all alive, and if a part of me was damaged as a result, that’s a pretty small price to pay 14 | @Affinity
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Mercy Medical Center Birthplace staff nurses (left to right): Connie Moran and Sherry Madse
for this incredible life I’ve been given.”
A Serious Setback
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ith baby Lauren at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton – and Leon traveling there daily to see her – Leah remained in the ICU for a few days when her condition took another turn. She found it uncomfortable to walk or lie in her bed and pain medications had ceased to provide relief. Mercy staff performed a CT scan and discovered a torn ureter tube (which connects the kidney and bladder), prompting a pocket of urine to form in Leah’s back. Additional surgery was needed to correct the situation. And in the process, Leah’s left fallopian tube and left ovary were removed. After an extended stay in the hospital and
another health scare involving a drop in Leah’s hemoglobin and calcium, life gradually started to look up for the Foerster family. Now, almost a year later, Leah has a few remaining urology issues. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s really not that big of a deal,” she says. Today, Lauren is a happy, healthy infant. She has tiny red hemangiomas (red birthmarks that will fade over time) scattered on her body, but she’s showing no negative impact of her momentous entry into the world. With a team of almost two dozen specialists attending to her during her most precarious surgeries – and Dr. Sensor always by her side – Leah and Leon feel blessed to have had so many experts looking out for their family. “They did what they needed to do,” Leon says. “And with our faith in God, I knew we were going to be fine.”
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Clarity for Dr. Todd Meyer, Affinity Medical Group otolaryngologist, and his patient, Christopher Zielinski, showing off the “got your nose” trick
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A minimally-invasive sinus procedure is changing young lives
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With pink cheeks and orange-stained Cheetos™ fingers, Christopher Zielinski looks like any other nine-year-old boy. However, his childhood has been anything but ordinary. He will tell you that life is good today. The Appleton third-grader can now camp, hunt and play outside for long periods of time – something most children take for granted. Until a year ago, he couldn’t fully enjoy these regular activities because he suffered from chronic sinusitis – long-lasting swelling of tissue lining the sinuses. The condition put the kibosh on everyday tasks. S p r i n g 2 0 1 2
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“I felt tired and had a lot of headaches,” the youngster says. “It was hard to concentrate and listen.” Between the runny nose, headaches, facial pressure and difficulty breathing, he spent a lot of time suffering through school and struggling to sleep. “I really felt bad for him,” says Stacey Zielinski, Christopher’s mother. “He was restricted to staying inside and lying in bed a lot of the time. It got to the point where I knew it was bad because he would ask me for medicine; he built up a tolerance to the pressure and pain over the years.” He had tubes put in his ears when he was 18 months old, and his tonsils and adenoids removed when he was five years old. Later that year, he met Dr. Todd Meyer, an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist) with Affinity Medical Group (AMG) in Appleton. “He had ear infections to sinus infections and beyond,” Dr. Meyer says. “Most cases of sinusitis in children can be resolved with medication management and about 50 percent of adenoidectomies are effective in relieving symptoms, but Christopher wasn’t seeing results.” So, Dr. Meyer considered a procedure called balloon sinuplasty that he believed would help break the pattern of sickness.
Old Procedure, New Audience
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he Center for Disease Control data reports sinusitis affects an estimated 37 million Americans, leading to 500,000 surgeries a year. It is among the most common illnesses in the United States. To restore normal sinus drainage and widen constricted sinus passages, Dr. Meyer performs balloon sinuplasty – a breakthrough, minimally-invasive technology that was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults in 2005. Since 2007, Dr. Meyer along with two other physicians in the group - Dr. Darin Wright and Dr. Gregory Swanson - have treated more than 300 adult patients with the procedure. A catheter enters the nasal cavity and a thin wire gently advances into the target sinus. Once the wire has found and illuminated the sinus, the balloon is introduced over the catheter and positioned in the blocked area. By inflating the balloon, the narrow sinus opening is remodeled and widened. Before balloon sinuplasty procedures, surgeons performed a much more invasive procedure in order to enlarge the openings that drain the sinuses. The sinuplasty procedure wasn’t approved for children by the FDA until 2008. Previously, surgeons used fluoroscopy, an
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Balloon Sinuplasty Frontal Sinus (green)
Sphenoid Sinus (yellow)
Ethmoid Sinus (purple)
Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally-invasive procedure that widens blocked sinus passages and facilitates drainage of the mucus that builds up in patients who suffer from chronic sinusitis. A small, flexible, balloon catheter is inflated to restructure the walls of the sinus passages while maintaining the integrity of the sinus lining.
imaging technique that uses x-rays to visualize the maxillary sinuses (small cheek pockets under the eyes), says Dr. Meyer. The procedure required more time and additional preparations. “I was resistant to use fluoroscopy with children,” he adds. “They could be considerably more sensitive to the effects of ionizing radiation than adults.” In addition to sinusitis, Christopher also suffers from a multitude of allergies and allergyinduced asthma, which causes inflammation of the maxillary sinuses and results in infection. Pediatric patients make up about 22 percent of all ear, nose and throat office visits for chronic sinusitis with repeated infections, headaches, facial pain, persistent congestion, cough and fatigue. Balloon sinuplasty was an advantageous solution for Christopher, who wasn’t responding to antibiotics. Dr. Meyer, who bonds with the nine-year-old over Star Wars and “knuckles” (a fist bump shared between friends), saw an opportunity to give him a sniffle-free life.
Maxillary Sinus (blue)
Dr. Todd Meyer performed the balloon sinuplasty procedure on Christopher’s maxillary sinuses.
On March 24, 2011, Dr. Meyer performed his first balloon procedure on a pediatric patient – Christopher.
Night and Day
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here is one comment that Stacey fondly remembers from talking with her son post-surgery. “He said, ‘I can breathe through my nose!’” she shares. “The difference was night and day. He was happy, smiling and feeling good about himself.” Since having balloon sinuplasty, Christopher has only had one bad headache and one sinus infection. Today, he is able to enjoy a day in the sun without a care – or pain – in the world. “My nose feels better, it’s not full at all,” he says. “Last summer (2011), he was outside a lot,” Stacey adds. “He would play for hours. He could stay outside all day long!” Dr. Meyer isn’t surprised. The sinuplasty technique has proved 80 percent effective in pediatric patients.
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“He has freedom from all those complications,” Dr. Meyer reports. “His general health has improved, less [sinusitis-related] visits and he has less of a need for antibiotics.” But trips to the doctor’s office are the norm for the Zielinski family. Stacey, Christopher and his two younger siblings – Colin, 6, and Cami, 5 – still see Dr. Meyer (Colin sees Dr. Wright) regularly for allergy shots. It’s a fact Stacey jokes about, but the routine is something that eases her mind. “Dr. Meyer is polite, understanding and he doesn’t make you feel like you’re overreacting,” Stacey adds. “He makes you feel like you’re not going to the doctor!” As far as Christopher is concerned, he is going to visit a friend – someone he can talk to about light sabers and action figures.
Dr. Peter Roloff, Affinity Medical Group pediatrician, with patients Izzy Schalk, 3, her brother, Jaden, 7, and their mom, Katie.
Dr. Todd Meyer and his AMG partners, Dr. Gregory Swanson and Dr. Darin Wright, provide comprehensive care for the full spectrum of ear, nose and throat conditions. Call 920-730-4443 to make an appointment with an ENT provider and learn more about balloon sinuplasty. Watch a step-by-step video on how the procedure is performed on the Affinity Health System YouTube channel.
Christopher and his mom, Stacey
Family Comes Home to Affinity When you find a good provider in health care – especially for your children – the last thing you want to do is leave. Six years ago, a friend referred Katie Schalk to Dr. Peter Roloff, an Affinity Medical Group (AMG) pediatrician at the Deerwood Clinic in Neenah, when she and her husband, Brian, adopted their first child, Jaden (J.J.). “We started seeing him right away,” Katie says of Dr. Roloff. “For a new mom who was new to adoption, he was great walking me through the whole process. I was really happy.” Three years later, the Schalks adopted a little girl, Izzy, who was born a month early. Dr. Roloff saw her for a handful of weekly check-ups before the Schalks received news that Brian’s company switched health insurance plans. Affinity Health System (AHS) was no longer covered. “Izzy was an infant at that point, so we were really upset,” Katie remembers. “Dr. Roloff and I had to have a conversation and we were really sad to leave.” Having been an AMG pediatrician for 10 years, this was not an unusual exchange for Dr. Roloff. The conversation he shared with Katie was one of the hardest of his career, he says. “It’s a challenging, emotional issue,” he says. “It affects not only the patient, but the staff and providers, too. Parents get used to the system and come to rely on our office for advice and encouragement. To have to change midstream is very difficult.” In the Schalks’ case, they were notified a short while after Brian’s insurance changed that AHS had been added to their plan. “We immediately called Dr. Roloff’s office,” Katie remembers. “Every time we walk in that office, the receptionists greet me and the kids. They invest in you, and they hadn’t forgotten us.” Today, AHS accepts nearly every insurance carrier in the state, which creates greater accessibility to personalized care and complements Affinity’s long-term strategy of opening access to AMG and AHS hospitals. “My advice to other people is to fight for the medical care that you want for your kids,” Katie adds. “At the time, I thought my moves were dictated by the insurance company, but do whatever it takes to find good care.” “Families can now go out and pick a doctor, regardless of insurance,” Dr. Roloff says. “It’s a huge change, but not everyone has heard this message yet.” To find out if Affinity Health System providers and hospitals are covered by your insurance plan, visit www.affinityhealth.org/insurance or call call 920-628-9000.
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“Part of the reason I chose sports medicine was recognizing that sports are a significant part of our society.” — D R . Darin Leetun
Dr. Leetun with hockey player Keaton Thompson
skiers getting off course,” he explains. “That way, if they radio where a skier is injured, I’ll know where it is.” These trial runs also pave the way for embarrassing mishaps. At one recent event, Dr. Leetun was following a trainer down a slope that had just been injected with water, turning it into ice. The trainer stopped short in front of him, and Dr. Leetun tumbled, resulting in an 18-inch diameter bruise on his hip. “The bruise didn’t hurt as much as the pride of taking a spill in front of all these coaches,” he recalls. “I had to accept the fact that my expertise is to be a physician, not a skier.” And he is a better physician, he believes, because of his unique view inside professional sports. “When you see what they go through day in and day out, it’s not a very glamorous life of the pro athlete on tour,” he says. Athletes can wear out from constant traveling, training and fierce competition. “I can understand athletes who want to achieve that level medically as well as psychologically. Not only am I needing to treat their knee or shoulder, but also get them back into the field and build trust, not letting them get down, frustrated or worried about some things that happened during the recovery process,” he explains. “That’s something I can take away in my work as a physician when I’m home day-to-day.” Whether he’s treating world-class sports heroes or Wisconsin’s weekend warriors, Dr. Leetun sees beyond a patient’s physical needs to help boost their confidence within. “When a competitor is healthy and trusts in his or her body’s ability to handle the pressure and activity after surgery, they have every chance to compete and win if their talent can take them there,” he says.
Dr. Darin Leetun, orthopaedic surgeon
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giving back
For the
By Rachael Noffke, compliance generalist in the corporate integrity department for Affinity Health System Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios
greater good
Rachael Noffke sorting the racks at the Goodwill store in Darboy
“Who is this girl running around the warehouse Each issue, we’ll in dress pants and clicky-heeled shoes, wearing one of our aprons? Did share the story they really just snap her picture?” of an Affinity I was sure that was what everyone was thinking as I settled in to my Health System morning shift at the Darboy Goodwill store. But after walking from team member one introduction to the next, touring each work station, and getting the who volunteers at chance to help collect and sort donations, it became clear that no one had a local nonprofit really noticed my noisy shoes or the camera. In fact, they smiled and said organization. “Hello,” as if they were just happy to have more helping hands. Affinity is After tying on my apron, I was whisked away to the donation committed to warehouse, which is attached to the retail store. The team leader guided supporting local me to the donation sorting area and it quickly became clear that this organizations responsibility was no easy task. and charitable Every five minutes or so, the bell rang and another car was at the door events aligned with items to donate. We would step out into the chilly cold to greet them with our mission of and help bring their donation inside to be sorted. The items were placed providing services into huge boxes organized by category: clothing, shoes, glass, house wares, that promote electronics and more. the health and It didn’t take long before piles accumulated and I found myself well-being of the scurrying to sort the items before the bell rang again. communities we Once a box was full, it was moved by pallet and forklift to a different station where other team members thoroughly organized the items. serve. Goods that could be sold on the floor were sized, priced and stocked. The items that could not be sold were properly broken down and disposed of or recycled, as were the plastic and paper bags the donations came in. Nothing was wasted in the donation process, which cycles back to the very purpose of Goodwill. Employees wear red aprons and volunteers – like me – wear blue. 20 | @Affinity
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These smocks are worn with pride by Goodwill team members who spend their days collecting, sorting, pricing, stocking and selling donated goods. These items not only help to create jobs and fund programs within the local community, but they also provide a world of opportunity for the people who help raise funds by putting them back on the shelf. The mission of Goodwill is to improve communities by improving the lives of its people. The nonprofit human services organization provides meaningful training opportunities for people who face barriers to employment, such as a disability, language, lack of education, poverty or significant life transition. Through collaboration with community partners, there are more than 25 programs that teach individuals the skills needed to become more independent, create stability in their lives, participate as active members in the community and achieve their fullest potential. For a parent, the opportunities created by Goodwill mean paying the bills and feeding little bellies; for someone who didn’t finish high school, it’s earning a GED and building a resume; for someone who has been formerly incarcerated, it’s a stepping stone; for someone with a handicap, it’s helping hands; and for so many
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Foundations for Giving Back others, it’s simply being given the opportunity. For me, the “ah-ha” moment was witnessing the impact that the job had on each person – no matter the color of their apron. Everyone was well aware of the importance of their role – not only on the success of the organization, but on the lives of their fellow team members. Never in my life had I met a group of people more proud and inspired by their work. From the people who make donations and those who sort, stock and sell them, to the individuals who walk away with the lessons and stability to live up to their full potential, it takes an entire community to contribute to the “good” in Goodwill.
By Alison Fiebig
Caring for Moms and Babies @ Affinity
Goodwill donation warehouse
SNAPSHOT Goodwill continues to look for volunteers to work in their stores and assist with the programs and services they offer, such as: Circles of Support, which helps recently released prisoners transition back into the community, and Harmony Café, which is a place to celebrate diversity of people, ideas and activities in a coffeehouse setting. Maybe you know someone who can benefit from one of these many Goodwill resources: Community Garden Partnership helps feed families and contribute to local food pantries through rental garden plots; Almost Home supports people in retaining ownership of their Habitat for Humanity homes; School-to-Work helps students with special needs develop work skills and behaviors; Payment Partner helps those who need assistance with money management; Beyond Boundaries of Autism provides in-home therapy for children with autism; and Miracle League gives children with disabilities (between the ages of 4-19) the opportunity to play baseball. Volunteer coaches, umpires, buddies and announcers are needed for the upcoming 2012 Miracle League season. For more information, visit www.goodwillncw.org.
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To make a tax-deductible, charitable donation to support these and other projects at Mercy Health Foundation and St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, please visit www.affinityhealth.org and under ‘About Us’ click on ‘Foundations.’
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i ma g e z oo / stoc k i ll u st r at i o n so u r c e
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aboring moms at Mercy Medical Center are finding calm in the chaos with an increasingly popular relaxation technique called HypnoBirthing, which is a method of stress-free child birthing that teaches women and their companions the means to experience birth in a comfortable manner. Mercy Health Foundation donors recently helped support this innovative program by funding the training and certification of a new HypnoBirthing instructor at Mercy’s BirthPlace. “Philanthropy provides a way to be vicariously ‘on the front line’ with patients,” says Vicki Schorse, Mercy Health Foundation executive director. “Most of us want health care – including the birth of a new baby – to be less stressful and painful, and certainly a more enjoyable process. Our charitable dollars help make these improvements possible.” The training grant was provided through the foundation’s David C. Leach Continuing Education Fund for Nurses and Integrative Medicine Fund. Women who have tried HypnoBirthing say there is pain, but it wasn’t unbearable. Through guided imagery and self-hypnosis, they learn how to release all prior conditioning about birth, eliminate or reduce the need for medication, and trust their bodies and free themselves from limiting thoughts and emotions that lead to pain-causing fear and resistant muscles. The result is a serene and comfortable labor, and a brand new bundle of joy. St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation also supports the needs of families, mothers and babies. Last fall, Dr. Nancy Tsai, a neonatologist at St. Elizabeth Hospital, submitted a grant for neonatal ventilators for pre-term babies who stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Dr. Tsai proposed to replace the old machines with ventilators for babies who weighed only two or three pounds, which would reduce the risk of chronic lung disease, brain bleeds or length of hospital stay. “Our most vulnerable and fragile patients – premature babies – will now have readily available ventilatory support that is critical to the healing process. These babies will live healthier lives,” says Tonya Dedering, executive director of St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation. “Donor support for items like the ventilators has been and will continue to be very important to our ability to serve the mission and provide personalized care to our patients.” The Foundation funded the grant for two Drager Babylog® advanced ventilators that allow providers to set the pressure levels on the device and keep extremely premature infants ventilated in a gentle fashion and prevent unnecessary lung damage. Additionally, St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation will host its 20th Annual Women’s Golf and Luncheon Benefit on August 6, 2012. The funds raised will be directed to renovating and equipping a postpartum suite in the new St. Elizabeth Hospital BirthPlace Unit.
learn & live
Educational Opportunities at Affinity
Parents-to-be Prep
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Mom’s Club attendees chit-chatting
Mom’s Club
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ammy Shortess gets together with a group of women every Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospital for what’s called Mom’s Club. New moms and their babies can drop in for an hour-and-a-half of conversation, support and informal discussions about infant care. “One of the most important things this group does is help new moms form bonds with other people who are in the same stage as them,” says Shortess, who is a registered nurse and has been a LifeSpan Educator at St. Elizabeth Hospital for 16 years. “Any new parent is invited. Dads are welcome, too!” There is no registration or fee required. Mom’s Club meets every Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospital and every Tuesday at Mercy Medical Center from 10:30 a.m. to noon; both groups meet in the LifeSpan classroom in the BirthPlace units. The time is used to socialize, weigh your baby, ask questions and learn about your child’s development. Shortess is a certified educator of breastfeeding and child birth and is there to answer the many Babies are fans questions that come up on of Mom’s Club too! development. She says the most common realization of Mom’s Club attendees is, “You mean, my baby isn’t the only one doing that?” Throughout the year, and if a specific need arises in the group, Shortess will schedule guest speakers. She is also a certified car seat technician and, as part of Mom’s Club, will give instructional car seat fittings. She also performs car seat inspections by appointment. “I go out to the vehicle and make sure the car seat is situated just right,” Shortess says. “It can make a priceless, immeasurable difference.” It is recommended that parents have their car seats inspected (prior to delivery if expecting a baby). One easy, free way to have your car seat inspected is at a local fitting station. Those who live in Winnebago and Outagamie counties can make an appointment through Affinity NurseDirect (see number below). Residents of Calumet County can make an appointment by calling Catherine Ellis at 920-8491432. For more information on Mom’s Club, call NurseDirect: 1-800-362-9900. All are welcome.
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ow do you deal with a sick baby? What kind of complications can happen during delivery? What is to be expected postpartum? These are the types of questions addressed in the Infant Care class for parents-to-be. Learn about newborn appearance and behavior, what to expect during and after delivery, how to keep your baby well and what to do when sickness strikes. A pediatrician and LifeSpan nurse educator will walk participants through interactive stations, such as diaper changing, taking a rectal temperature, bathing and car seat usage. Schedule the class to finish about two to four weeks before your due date. Both parents are encouraged to attend. The class is offered once a month at Mercy Medical Center (except in June) and St. Elizabeth Hospital.
Water Ways
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t won’t be long before the sounds of boat engines echo up and down our waterways. Chris Ryden, a security officer at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh who also teaches ATV and snowmobile safety classes, will be instructing folks on the principles of boating safety. Four in five people who die in boating accidents on Wisconsin’s waters every year haven’t had formal training. If you were born after 1989, you are required to complete a boating safety course to legally operate a motorized boat or personal watercraft (PWC). It is important to learn about the specific equipment requirements and operational restrictions that apply to the local waterways and get the facts on boater registration before receiving a safety education completion certificate. Class participants should be at least 11 years old due to course content, and adults, parents and guardians are encouraged to attend the class and catch up on changing state and federal boating laws. The course is offered throughout April and May at both Mercy Medical Center and St. Elizabeth Hospital. To see the course dates, go to www.affinityhealth.org/classes and search for Wisconsin DNR Boating Safety. While you’re there, check out the Wisconsin DNR Hunter Safety class, too.
To review all classes and seminars offered, visit affinityhealth.org, click on “health resources” then “class registration.” Register online or call NurseDirect at 1-800-362-9900.
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ki d s
BICYCLE BULLETIN May is Bike Awareness Month! Mark your calendars and celebrate these events with us. May 5: Bring the kids to the Helmet Challenge at the Deerwood Clinic in Neenah for Affinity’s Protect Your Melon event. Go round and round in the bike rodeo with the Diablo Cycling Club, see the Town of Menasha Police Department’s fire truck and crime scene response vehicle, and get a custom helmet fitting from Affinity Medical Group team members and Fang, the mascot for the Timber Rattlers! A handful of Timber Rattlers players will be giving autographs. Helmets are $10 and come in a variety of styles and colors!
From 9:00 a.m. to noon, May 5
May 9: Ask your neighbors to join you in putting the pedal to the pavement on National Bike to School Day. Visit www.walktoschool.org for more information.
Safety first
May 17: East Central Regional Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) observes Bike Safety Day in an effort to increase awareness and promote bicycle safety. While encouraging children to bike to school, the day also serves to promote healthy living. Schools can check out a bike blender which allows kids to pedal a stationary bicycle and make a smoothie or lemonade slushy. Bike Safety Day toolkits containing ideas for activities and student incentives (bike helmets, T-shirts, water bottles and bike accessories) are available. Tell your teacher to call 920-751-4770 or visit www.eastcentralsrts.org for more information!
ONE – When standing over your
bicycle – feet on the ground – there should be one to two inches between you and the top bar if using a road bike and three to four inches if a mountain bicycle. The seat should be level front to back. The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. The handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
Connect the dots
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– Give your tires a squeeze to make sure they’re inflated. Test your brakes in the driveway or on the sidewalk.
Reveal the hidden object below by connecting the dots. Start on #1 and connect the dots until you reach the highest number. Then connect the highest number with #1 to end. Do this for each color. Use colored pencils or markers to match the color of the dots!
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bright colors or wear something that reflects light. Position a light on your bike for night riding. Just because you can see the driver doesn’t mean the driver can see you!
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I Spy (for kids) Can you spot all the hidden insects on our cover? Make a list of what you find and send it to editor@affinityhealth. org for a chance to win a free T-shirt!
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@Affinity
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Affinity Health System 1570 Midway Pl. Menasha, WI 54952
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We do n’t jus t care we’re p for the roud t comm o be an unity, Here i active s a glim p art of pse of activit it. some o ies in t f our r he com ecent munit ies we serve. On Fe b comp ruary 3, A e f benef tition that finity spon it Hawk non-prof showcased sored seve s r St. Eli (high scho its Commu outstandin al tables a nity F zabet g o l youn t Bright s e lfor h Ann Seton funded co Hope (suic g talent in Stars Fac e Off, -op h the ar in Osh ide pr a o e kosh e receiv ckey team vention an a. The eve K-12th gr ). Mira nt rais a ed top d awa n ed de tale da Leg reness honor ) and $55,000 nt s. gett, to th a fifth grade e Oshkosh Ice r at
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he team ers as t m supports e t n lu o a roup, v kids y Progr edical G WIAA Hocke ore than 30 r. M y it m in , D f d . s f y e e A e d iv k r n and g re, elf-fu ity hoc ider fo ic prov teams. The s ia cares for – d junior vars variety of ca jury. d e a p o c a n h y r in a t e d a r e k y e G o c in it id r. o n s p v h D a ar ls and pro Garcia, s Stars f which cervica o play v Dr. Alex n for Fox Citie eam – both o pportunity t h long season managing a t t o d physicia irls and boys schools) the he four-mon bronchitis an t g h r both a ven area hig game during edication fo e m y (from s ttended ever , prescribing s a e h ia c c r it a t G doing s such as
s tment celebrated Leap Day at the ADDY Award Affinity Health System’s marketing depar s for: @Affinity award silver five home took ty Affini Club. hosted by the AAF-Fox River Ad and the fall issue of @Affinity, the Affinity blog T-shirts, the premiere issue of @Affinity, on rded forwa been have s award The r. al Cente a provider social invitation for Calumet Medic g on to nationals will be movin cts Proje . apolis Minne in n etitio comp to the regional level of announced on April 21!