vol: 4 issue: 3
The back nine Jon Van Ness Finally Escapes Chronic Back Pain
bypass at age 38: how a family history provided a warning sign
special advertising section
Boone Hospital Center Offers New Procedure For Patients With Blocked Arteries Boone Hospital Center is the first hospital in mid-Missouri to offer a new procedure to treat patients with completely blocked arteries, a condition called Chronic Total Occlusion, or CTO. This minimally invasive procedure provides an alternative to open-heart surgery for patients whose blockages cannot be treated with angioplasty.
Over 15% of patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease have CTOs. Many people with this type of blockage experience angina – chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart, which can interfere with daily activities. Patients with partial blockages are typically treated with angioplasty, a procedure where a thin catheter with a balloon is inserted into the blood vessel. In a patient with CTO, however, the catheter is unable to get around the blockage. While some cases are addressed by bypass surgery, 60% of CTO patients are managed with prescription medication only, because they present a high risk for complications from surgery. Anthony Spaedy, MD, interventional cardiologist at Boone Hospital Center, performs a minimally invasive procedure known as Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). During the procedure, Dr. Spaedy inserts a catheter into the wall of the artery, without perforating the vessel, improving blood flow to that area. Dr. Spaedy was one of the first physicians in the country to undergo intensive training for this procedure. The PCI system and devices, developed by BridgePoint Medical and later acquired by Boston Scientific Corporation, were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of coronary CTOs in May 2011.
2
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 385,000 people annually. In Missouri, more than 15,000 people die each year from heart disease. Boone Hospital Center is a 397-bed full service hospital located in Columbia, Mo. It is a regional referral center located in the center of the state. The hospital provides progressive healthcare programs, services, and technology to people in 25 mid-Missouri counties. inside columbia june 2014
“With this minimally invasive procedure, patients only spend one night in the hospital and, when released, have minimal restrictions placed upon their lifestyle.” — Dr. Anthony Spaedy
Table Of Contents Page 10
Page 12
Page 18
Page 22
Boone Hospital Center’s mission is to improve the health of the people and communities we serve.
Jim Sinek President
Ben Cornelius Communications and Marketing Manager
Jessica Park Marketing Coordinator Photos By
Dave Hoffmaster L.G. Patterson Jessica Park Contributing Writers
Jacob Luecke
5...................................................... A Note From Boone Hospital President Jim Sinek 6.....................................................................................................
myBoone Health Stories
8................................................................................................................ Hospital Headlines 10......................................................................................................................... Kids On Track 12........................................................................................................ Brand New Ball Game
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter Instagram and Pinterest. Please submit comments or feedback to bcc1170@bjc.org or call 573.815.3392
1600 East Broadway Columbia, MO 65201 573.815.8000 For a free subscription, call 573.815.3392 or visit myBooneHealth.com and click on the subscription link on the right side of the page.
14....................................................................................................... A Healing Environment 16......................................................................................................................... Group Fitness 18................................................................................................................ Fruit-Infused Water 19........................................................................................................................
The Back Nine
22............................................................................................................. His Heart Still Beats 24...........................................
Boone Employee Honored By University Of Missouri
26................................................................ ”Boone Hospital is where I wanted to be.” 27.................................................................. Stewart Cancer Center Day At The Ballpark 28........................................................................................ Getting To Know A BHC Doctor 29.......................................................................................... Getting To Know A BHC Nurse 30..........................................
Boone Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament Sponsors BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
3
Targeted Pain Relief Offered at Boone Hospital Center Chronic pain can hinder the overall wellbeing of an individual. Fortunately, relief may be in sight with a new procedure that provides ultrasound-guided pain injections, available at the Boone Hospital Center Pain Management Clinic, the only pain clinic in mid-Missouri offering ultrasound-guided diagnostic and therapeutic injections of joints, muscles and nerves. Ultrasound-guided pain injections provide relief to pain stemming from a variety of sources. Mitesh Patel, MD, explains that the use of an ultrasound-guided procedure can provide more accurate delivery of medication, which can provide the patient a quicker response to the medication that lasts for a longer duration.
Mitesh Patel, MD
“When we use the ultrasound, we can see live pictures of the joint and deliver the pain medication precisely where it will benefit the patient the most,” explains Patel. During the procedure, Dr. Patel uses a live ultrasound image to guide the needle into the joint cavity that needs treatment while avoiding vital structures such as nerves, tendons and blood vessels. This limits the complications for the patient and results in higher success rates. This procedure is especially helpful for delivering pain medication to areas of small joints, such as the hand and wrist. “The live ultrasound image can help clearly identify the nerve so the pain medication can be applied directly on top and provide the most benefit in pain relief, giving the patient a shorter recovery time than traditional procedures,” says Patel. Another area where the ultrasound-guided pain management delivers a benefit over traditional treatment is in hip pain, explains Patel. Generally, pain injections in the hips are delivered via an x-ray or are CT guided, which leads to radiation exposure. With ultrasound, there is no radiation exposure. Pain management may traditionally be considered for joint pain relief – shoulder, wrist, knee, hips and hands – but the ultrasound-guided pain management procedure can also be used for those who suffer from pain related to hernia surgery. “Using the ultrasound imagery, we can determine if the nerve near the mesh used to repair the hernia is causing the pain, or if it is another issue,” adds Patel. “Working with our partners at the hospital, we can deliver the best treatment for the patient.” An ultrasound also makes it easier to locate hard-to-find nerves. For example, entrapment of the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh, which causes severe neuropathic pain, cannot be found without an ultrasound. To determine if the ultrasound-guided pain management procedure is right for you, have your primary care physician contact the Boone Hospital Center Pain Management Clinic to schedule an evaluation. BHC is a leading mid-Missouri hospital, providing progressive health care programs, services and technology to a 26-county service area.
boone.org • 573.815.8000 For more information on this procedure, visit www.boone.org/pain.
A Note From Jim
Hitting The Trails
W
henever I can, I run on the MKT Trail here in Columbia. Even when it seems too hot to run on the streets in my neighborhood, running the local trails typically provides shade and what seems to be a significant reduction in temperature!
Many times I have encountered Boone Hospital Center teammates
getting in their workouts on the trail through biking, walking or running. A few months ago, I encountered Brian Whorley, surgical services business and supply chain manager, biking the trail. A few weeks ago, while I was running, I came across John Adams, MD, vascular surgeon with Columbia Surgical Associates. I had the pleasure of running together with Dr. Adams for a distance. If you know Dr. Adams very
Jim Sinek President Boone Hospital Center
well, then you know he is a competitive runner who’s completed numerous century (100-mile) races. Fortunately, I had my dog Salty along with me, which gave me an excuse to stop running before I fell over trying to keep up with Dr. Adams! Running, walking or biking are great ways to get in shape, stay healthy and, maybe most importantly, stay mentally refreshed. If you are ready to get into better shape or simply want to maintain your current level of fitness, I encourage you to join the Boone Team in hitting the trails.
BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
5
myBoone Health Stories Visit myBooneHealth.com To Read More — And Share Your Own Story
From A Care Provider By Janet Lee, Columbia Mo.
M
y/our story is ongoing as I provide support for an individual who resides at Woodhaven in Columbia. This individual, Mitch, whom I support, has had many opportunities to visit BHC, and with each visit the BHC staff have been helpful, gracious and exude great patience while working with Mitch. Staff has equally answered questions appropriately, providing continued encouragement and necessary care. Rhonda and Rick in the MRI department were very professional and kind. Michelle, RN, provided support along with guidance and piles of patience! Rachel, RN, in recovery was also very noteworthy in her care and assistance with providing even more superior care and patience! We thank BHC for the fabulous work they give! Truly, Mitch & Janet
The staff is incredible! Every time we are here we are amazed that there is still a hospital that cares for the patients! Thank you Boone Hospital! The GI clinic's front desk staff is the type of staff you need to keep. — Kyle Holder 6
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
Share your story myBooneHealth.com
A Health Care Team
I
came in to Boone for Chiari Malformation surgery, which involves removing part of the back of my skull and part of the first vertebrae. From the moment I walked into the surgery waiting room, I felt welcome. They were kind and willing to go the extra mile for me. My family was encouraged to spend as much time as they wanted with me until I was taken to the OR. The anesthesiologist, CRNA and Dr. Ryan were willing to
Andrew Elli, Columbia, Mo.
take and answer every question I had. The surgery went well and I was allowed to recuperate for a bit in the post-op room. Once I was moved up to the ICU, my care only got better. Jennifer, my first nurse, was very nice and willing to do anything she could to help me. She always had a smile on her face and never seemed put out by anything I asked of her. Once her shift was over I had the pleasure of having Christine as my nurse. Christine continued the high
level of care that I had been receiving since I walked into Boone Hospital. She stayed around to talk with me when she could since my family had left for the evening. I could not have asked for a better health care team to take care of me in those crucial first 24 hours when getting my pain under control. I would highly recommend Boone Hospital Center to all my friends and family. Thanks for making my stay so far great!
A Lasting Impression Daniel Neale, Columbia, Mo.
O
ur son Cooper was born in the family birthplace at 37 weeks on April 22, 2014, by emergency C-section and was in the ICN until the following Saturday (4/26/2014). First off, we would like to tell you how much we enjoyed the staff and what a great job they did. Dr. Merrihew showed a great level of care and went above and beyond to keep us posted throughout the first night and following days. She was great at explaining our son’s level of care and steps involved. She showed great dedication to the care of the patients, families, and the ICN. Two of your staff members stood out above the rest. Emily Kvitle was great with our son and very knowledgeable as well as able to answer any question we had clearly and thoroughly. She showed a great compassion for the children and was on top of their care. Molly Jaecques really left a lasting impression with us; she was absolutely amazing. My wife had a placental abruption while Molly was her nurse. When Molly discovered this, she was perfectly calm and handled the situation with total confidence. Her actions and level head kept my wife calm during what could have been a very upsetting situation. She showed amazing skills and knowledge while keeping a smile and pleasant atmosphere. We cannot say enough great things about Molly. These two are great assets to the family birthplace, and while their skill set may be replaceable, their amazing attitudes and compassion for the care they give is not. Please recognize and pass along our greatest and most sincere gratitude to these two outstanding individuals. Sincerely, Daniel and Amy Neale BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
7
Hospital Headlines News From Boone Hospital Center
Boone Hospital Center Awarded For Clinical Care
B
oone Hospital Center received an Excellence Award for Clinical Care from VHA Inc., the national health care network. The award recognizes Boone’s achievement of exceptionally high levels of performance in clinical care when compared to national benchmarks. The award was presented on Sunday, April 27, during VHA’s national Navigating to Excellence Forum, held in Las Vegas. “Every day, the Boone team strives to provide a safe environment and excellent outcomes to all of our patients,” says Jim Sinek, president of Boone Hospital Center. “It is rewarding when organizations as wellrespected as the VHA recognize hospitals like Boone that have differentiated themselves by achieving exceptionally high performance levels when compared to national benchmarks. Our medical staff and hospital staff work very hard to make sure our clinical quality scores and outcome data place Boone in the top tier, not just regionally or state-wide, but on a national Wade Schondelmeyer, MD, former chief of staff of Boone Hospital Center; Jim Sinek, president, Boone Hospital Center; Mark Cohen, MD, current chief of staff of Boone Hospital level.” Center; Curt Nonomaque, president and CEO of VHA Inc. To determine the winners of their Clinical Care Award, VHA used cost, length of stay, readmission and to identify areas for improvement to deliver even better results clinical outcome data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and lower costs for the communities they serve. Their spirit Services (CMS) to determine an integrated performance score for and commitment to continuous improvement reflects VHA’s each of its member hospitals. In addition to scoring above the 90th mission, and we are proud to recognize Boone Hospital Center’s percentile, as compared to other VHA members, the hospital also achievements.” must have participated in a VHA improvement program in 2013. VHA is a national network serving more than 5,100 health Boone Hospital Center was one of seven acute care hospitals (with system members and affiliates that work together to achieve more than 250 beds) recognized for their excellence. new levels of clinical performance and operational efficiency. By “Hospitals today are focused on improving clinical outcomes, vrecognizing institutions for their commitment and achievements, making operations more cost effective and enhancing the patient’s VHA hopes that other health systems will apply these leading experience,” says Byron Jobe, VHA executive vice president, service practices in their own organizations to further enhance the overall and delivery. “VHA’s Clinical Care Award honors institutions level of quality in our nation’s health care system. who are succeeding in those areas and that are diligently working
Study Confirms Effectiveness Of 3D Mammography
A
study published this week in The Journal of the American Medical Association and reported by The New York Times (http://nyti.ms/1pyVKTt) found that tomosynthesis, often called 3D mammography, improves breast cancer detection rates and reduces the number of false readings. Boone Hospital Center is currently the only area hospital 8
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
offering this service to every patient for both screening and diagnostic scans at its Harris Breast Center. “Tomosynthesis 3D breast scans represent the next generation of mammography,” said radiologist Terry Elwing, MD. “This 3D mammography technology is greatly enhancing our ability to detect cancer sooner than
before. Earlier diagnosis means a better chance of survival and recovery for midMissouri breast cancer patients.” A tomosynthesis scan uses the same procedure and takes approximately the same amount of time as the digital scans previously used at the Harris Breast Center, and no additional fee is charged for the service.
The latest news boone.org
Randy Morrow Retires As Boone Hospital Center Vice President/COO
O
n June 6, 2014, Randy M. Morrow officially stepped down as vice president and chief operating officer of Boone Hospital Center, retiring from an organization he has served for more than 38 years. Morrow began as an accounting manager at Boone County Hospital in 1975, and in subsequent years served as controller and assistant vice president. In 1993, he was appointed vice president and chief financial officer, and became vice president and COO in 2003. Morrow also served as the hospital’s interim president on several occasions, most recently in 2013. Morrow earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Missouri-Columbia. “I knew right away he was the kind of individual who could help lead a great organization like Boone Hospital Center,” says Jim Sinek, who became BHC president in August 2013.
Former BHC president Mike Shirk says, “Randy’s commitment to doing the right thing, as well as doing things right, has served as an inspiration to everyone in the Boone family, past and present.” Morrow is committed not only to Boone Hospital Center, but to the communities and people of midMissouri. He currently serves on the board of directors of Fitzgibbon Hospital, Regional Economic Development Inc., Salvation Army, Missouri Credit Union, Central Christian College of the Bible, Boone Hospital Center’s Visiting Nurses Inc., and CH Allied Services Inc. For his service and dedication to both the hospital and the communities it serves, BHC recently honored Morrow with its first-ever Lifetime Leadership Achievement Award. “The employees at Boone have always been like family,” Morrow says. “I can’t thank them enough for the support and friendship that they have given me throughout my career.”
Randy Morrow was recently honored with Boone Hospital Center’s first-ever Lifetime Leadership Achievement Award for his service and dedication to the hospital.
Boone Hospital Center Achieves 0% Early Elective Delivery
A
two year partnership between the March of Dimes Missouri Chapter and the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) is achieving its goal of significantly reducing early elective deliveries (EEDs) by the end of 2014. Of the 46 participating birthing hospitals in Missouri, 78 percent report a rate of five percent or less and 61 percent have had no EEDs in the last six months of reported data. “We are very proud to have achieved and maintained a 0% EED rate at Boone Hospital Center,” said Laura Noren, service line director for women’s and children’s health at Boone Hospital Center. “Patient safety is our top priority. This statistic is a direct result of that focus.” Additionally, of the 46 hospitals, 87 percent including Boone Hospital Center now have a “hard stop” policy in place, which establishes strict medical guidelines for when a physician may schedule a delivery. Only 35 percent had a hard stop policy in place before the MHA/ March of Dimes collaboration began. The policy prohibits doctors from scheduling a delivery – either by induction
or cesarean section – before the baby is at a confirmed 39 weeks gestation. The policy applies to non-medically indicated (elective) deliveries only. According to Herb Kuhn, president and CEO of the Missouri Hospital Association, "In the best interests of the health of mothers and infants, Missouri's hospitals have been working to reduce early elective deliveries. This is one of many quality improvements they are aggressively pursuing to achieve the Triple Aim of better care, better health and lower costs.” The March of Dimes has been providing support to MHA hospitals in the form of its Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait program, which includes educational materials and other resources. Trina Ragain, State Director of Program Services, Advocacy and Government Affairs for the March of Dimes Missouri Chapter, said, “This data provides hard evidence that more Missouri babies are being born full term, giving them the healthiest possible start to life. We hope that all of Missouri’s birthing hospitals will embrace this initiative and eliminate early elective deliveries.” BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
9
Learn more at boone.org/kot
Kids
On Track
B
>>>>>
Kids on Track in Centralia
26.2 miles
oone Hospital Center’s 2014 Kids on Track program has kept nearly 1,000 children and their families active this summer. From May through August, mid-Missouri children ages 14 and younger complete a cumulative marathon (26.2 miles) through running, bicycling, skating, swimming or other activities. While a thunderstorm led to cancelation of the kick-off event in May, this year’s program provided additional activities at a discount to participants, including two recreational swim days at the ARC’s Water Zone and roller skating at Empire Roller Rink in Columbia. “Kids on Track is beneficial for our community. By exposing youth to exercise in a fun and encouraging way, the program allows them to create positive health habits for the rest of their lives,” says Boone Hospital WELLAWARE coordinator Erin Wegner, who manages the Kids on Track program. Wegner notes that the mileage goals encourage not only fitness but also family togetherness and points out that many families enjoy going out together to collect rewards from the program’s Mile Sponsors and helping their children meet their goals. “One mother told me that, because of the Kids on Track program, her family had visited a new trail around Columbia every time they went for a walk,” Wegner says.
10
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
This year, Kids on Track expanded when the Centralia Family Health Clinic brought the program to their community, starting with a kick-off event on May 22, at the Centralia High School football field, where kids and parents completed four laps to start their first mile. “Centralia is a tight-knit community, and I am amazed at the awesome turnout that we’ve had,” says Shauna Harrison, BJC Medical Group Regional Manager. “Through the Kids on Track program, our clinic is able to play a fun, active role in our community’s health.” More than 150 children are participating in Centralia Kids on Track’s first year. Jeff Zimmermann, community health promotions manager for Boone Hospital WELLAWARE, says “We’re planning to bring Kids on Track programs to Ashland and Macon in spring 2015 and will be looking towards expanding to other communities in following years.” All good news for mid-Missouri kids eager to join in on the fun; Erin Wegner shares a letter she received last summer from a 5-year-old participant. “Thank you for putting this on and allowing me to have such a great summer,” the young author wrote. “Thank you for making us exercise.”
>>>>>
Finale Celebrations The Columbia Kids on Track finale takes place Thursday, Aug. 7, at Stephens Lake Park. The event starts at 5 p.m., with snow cones, activities and a station where participants can pick up their Kids on Track T-shirts. At 6 p.m., the last 1.2 miles will be completed with two laps around Stephens Lake, followed by a family barbecue catered by Hoss’s Market and prize drawings. Centralia Kids on Track will hold its finale celebration on Friday, Aug. 22, at the Centralia High School Football Field. The last mile starts at 6 p.m., followed by a football game at 7 p.m.
BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
11
Learn more at boone.org/heart
l l a B
9 e m a G
ht pain caug t s e h c , 8 At 3 off-base. n o s il W Steve
At first, Steve Wilson dismissed the pain: “I didn’t think it was heart issues,” he says. “I blew it off as something else — heartburn or exertion.” Occasionally, Steve had chest pain while hunting waterfowl or after heavy lifting. Sitting and resting would make it go away. Steve was 38 years old. When Steve’s father, Roland Wilson, was 40, he’d had several stents placed in his arteries. But Roland had been a smoker for decades, and Steve didn’t smoke. “I’d compare myself to my dad,” Steve says. “I thought I had a few more years before I’d have any problems.” At 50, Roland underwent open-heart surgery, as did Steve’s uncle and grandmother. High cholesterol also ran in the Wilson family. “Women in my dad’s side of the family didn’t weigh anything, but their cholesterol would still be off the charts,” he says. Steve wasn’t surprised when his own cholesterol levels were high, and he saw a doctor about it. His father recommended his cardiologist, Jerry Kennett, MD, at Missouri Heart Center. Dr. Kennett had also cared for Steve’s grandmother. At Steve’s first appointment in 2013, he took a treadmill stress test and started medication to control his cholesterol. He didn’t mention the chest pains, though, and his stress test results were OK. Steve thought that the episodes would resolve themselves, but in the following months, his bouts of pain grew more frequent and 12
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
By Je ss ic a Pa rk
severe. In the fall, he had to travel out of state repeatedly for his job as a field technician with Trek Design Group. Others relied on him to complete several important projects, so he set his concerns aside. Being away from home for weeks at a time, Steve didn’t have his family around to observe his worsening condition. He also kept this problem to himself. “Steve didn’t tell me a thing,” his wife, Kristie, says. “I knew nothing.” Kristie and Steve have been together for 19 years, married for 16. They met in their hometown of Moberly and live in Hallsville with their three children: Stephen, 14; Paul, 11; and 10-year-old daughter Ruthie. Kristie eventually learned that, in only six months, Steve had experienced more than a hundred episodes of chest pain. He’d looked up his symptoms online and was anxious about what he found, especially since a friend of a friend recently had suffered a heart attack while playing softball. At Kristie’s insistence, Steve called Dr. Kennett again: “He had me come in the following Monday and take a stress test again,” Steve says. “After the stress test, Dr. Kennett’s office called and explained it was abnormal and recommended I have an angiogram on Friday.” Steve thought that, like his father, he might also require stents. But the angiogram revealed four blockages, one of which completely blocked an artery. The blockages limited the blood flow to Steve’s heart muscle, resulting in chest pain, or angina. With his kind of blockage, stent placement was not an option. Steve required coronary bypass surgery and was scheduled immediately for Monday morning.
The Wilsons met with cardiovascular surgeon Richard Mellitt, MD, who explained the procedure. Parts of blood vessels taken from Steve’s chest and arm would be used to redirect the blood flow around the blockages, to his heart. Dr. Mellitt’s explanation was very clear and helpful, but Steve still spent the weekend worrying about the procedure. He’d watched family members go through bypass surgery. His father had complications due to his history of smoking and had a long hospital stay. Adding to the Wilsons’ concerns, Steve had undergone surgery at another hospital years ago, and it had been a bad experience. But friends and family reassured them. Steve says, “Everybody I talked to about my surgery says, ‘If you have heart problems, Boone is the place to be.’” At 6 a.m. on Monday, Steve and Kristie arrived at Boone Hospital Center’s surgery waiting room. Accompanying them were Steve’s mother, Cheryl Wilson; Roland Wilson and his wife, Betty; and some good friends who came along for support. “I wasn’t in the waiting room 10 minutes when they took me back, by myself,” Steve says. “It was kind of crazy. I had six people prepping me.” “They were really nice,” Kristie adds. “They were able to calm him.” After he’d been prepped, Steve’s family was brought to his bedside to spend time with him before he was taken to the operating room. His family was escorted to the Intensive Care Unit family waiting room, where Kristie was called periodically with progress reports on her husband’s surgery. After his bypass, Steve was transferred to the ICU. Dr. Mellitt and Missouri Heart Center nurse practitioner Lisa Byrd met with Kristie to follow up and let her know she’d be able to see Steve soon.
ICU staff visited her, too, and explained that, after Steve’s first night in the ICU, she could stay with him overnight. Kristie was also paid a visit by Boone Hospital Center President Jim Sinek. Jim’s son, Joe, played baseball along with Steve’s son Stephen for the Mid-Mo Marines 14U. As coach for the Mid-Mo Marines, Steve had talked with Jim on the phone before. “That weekend, I’d sent Jim an email to say, ‘Hey, I’m coming to your luxury resort next week!’” Steve says, smiling. “I asked if he could check in on Kristie while I was in surgery.” Steve spent two nights in the ICU, then moved to the Cardiology and Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery unit. “Steve’s room was really nice,” Kristie says. “That was good for when our children were able to visit. It wasn’t a scary experience for them.” “My room was awesome,” Steve says. “I could keep it cool, just how I like it. My nurses liked that, too, because everybody else on the floor was much older and kept their rooms at 80 degrees.” Steve knew that bypass surgery at his age was uncommon. “If I heard I was too young to be there once, I heard it a million times. I had a hard time coping mentally with going through this at my age.” Dr. Kennett, who checked in on Steve in the hospital, addressed this concern. Kristie says, “Dr. Kennett told him, ‘It’s going to be OK. You’re a young guy; you’ve got 60 years left in you.’ That was the hardest part for me, wondering what this surgery meant for our future. Dr. Kennett was really reassuring and supportive.” Steve got back on his feet with help from his nurse, Alicia Brockland, and cardiac rehabilitation therapist Greg Thackery. “They focused on him regaining his independence,” Kristie says. “His nurse told me once not to help him, which was good to know. I’d been worried that he was going to break. She told me he wouldn’t.” Jim Sinek also checked in on Steve and Kristie every day. This was nothing like Steve’s previous surgery experience. “The care was fantastic, from the guys who wheel you down to X-ray to the techs who take your blood. When I hit my nurses’ button, somebody was in my room within seconds.” Kristie appreciated the care she received as well. “Everyone asked about my comfort as much as they asked about his. This sounds funny, but for what it was, this was an awesome experience.” Steve agrees. “I can’t think of a single negative.” Steve felt well enough to return home on Friday and was discharged, one week after his angiogram. He began getting back to work and resuming his favorite activities. In the Wilson family, baseball and softball are the main events. Steve coaches three baseball teams: Mid-Mo Marines 14U, Stephen’s team; Columbia Cannons 11U, Paul’s team; and Hallsville 14U, a team on which both of his sons play. Ruthie plays softball with the Ballisticks. “When Steve first came home, the kids were worried,” Kristie says. “We had to tell them that when Dad’s in pain or tired, it’s not his heart. His heart’s fine. I think we’re resuming normalcy — they’re getting back to asking ‘What about me?’” Steve has followed up with outpatient therapy at Boone Hospital Center’s Cardiac Rehabilitation clinic. He’s glad he called Missouri Heart Center when he did. “My doctors say I don’t have any heart damage,” he says. “My chest pains were warning signs.” After their experience, friends with family histories of heart disease have been calling the Wilsons for advice. Steve says, “I tell them that if you’re not feeling well, you’re not too young not to see your doctor and find out what’s going on.” By Jessica Park BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
13
Learn more at boone.org/giving
A Healing Environment
O
n a bright June afternoon, Boone Hospital Center’s Healing Garden comes alive. Coworkers share lunch in the shade of an umbrella. A visiting family pauses mid-stroll to read the inscriptions on the paving bricks. Butterflies investigate flowers, and songbirds perch in the branches of dogwood trees. Much is going on, but the pace is unhurried, the chatter softened by gentle music and the murmur of the garden’s two fountains. And there are plenty of open benches should one want to sit, enjoy a summer breeze, and be alone with one’s thoughts. Built between the existing hospital building and the new South Tower, the Healing Garden officially opened in May 2012. The project was a collaboration between the hospital’s board of trustees and Boone Hospital Foundation. The garden was designed by Todd Teuscher, a landscape architect with Parsons Brinckerhoff, and funds
14
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
were raised through sponsorships from the community. Barbara Danuser, Boone Hospital Foundation executive director, explains, “Many, many years ago, gardens were part of hospitals and health care. It was beneficial for people to be outside. This trend is coming back again. It’s not only for our patients, but also their family
"Simply being
close to nature
can be stress-reducing.” members, visitors and our employees — anyone who needs a change of scenery. Simply being close to nature can be stress-reducing.” Boone Hospital’s Healing Garden joins a movement to re-establish the presence of natural spaces that are safe and accessible for patients and caregivers. It was not uncommon for hospitals
during the 19th century to have a central courtyard with a garden and patient rooms with windows offering views of nature. Gardens were phased out as new hospitals were constructed during the 20th century, but have been returning as research conducted by physicians, environmental psychologists and landscape architects prove their benefits. Patients with access to natural views or surroundings while in the hospital reported feeling less anxious and less sad during their stay. Some patients also recovered and returned home sooner than patients without access to a natural view or setting. “The patients that probably get the most out of being in the garden have been in the hospital longer,” says Greg Thackery, cardiac rehabilitation exercise physiologist, who occasionally takes his patients to the Healing Garden. “I have surgery patients who might be in for four or five days before going home.
They get tired of being in the same room all day.” Thackery notes that, if their condition or treatment permits it, patients may be taken to the garden by family members. “The Healing Garden is a refuge,” Danuser says. “You feel like you’re out of the hospital when you’re there.” The garden features two fountains, six dogwood trees, one eastern redbud tree and an assortment of shrubs, grasses and flowering plants indigenous to midMissouri. In addition to their aesthetic and environmental benefits, native plants provide visitors with a comforting sense of home and familiarity. The garden is maintained by Creative Surroundings, a Columbia landscaping company that also tends the hospital grounds, including the flower baskets along William Street and arrangements in the main entrance roundabout. The garden encourages exploration and social interaction. Musical performances have been held there, including concerts by string quartets from the Missouri Symphony Orchestra in June 2012. Boone Hospital WELLAWARE holds yoga classes
in the Conference Center, which has a direct view into the garden, and sometimes moves a session outdoors. On nice days, new BHC employees eat lunch outside with their supervisors on their first day of orientation. Adding to the sense of community are the inscriptions throughout the Healing Garden. The sponsorships that helped the garden grow appear as dedications on plaques near the fountains (sponsored by Columbia Surgical Associates and Columbia Orthopaedic Group), bridges and trees; as panels on columns and seated walls; and as over 230 paving bricks, many of which were sponsored by employees. The bricks announce births, memorialize loved ones, thank hospital staff and congratulate retirees. Some bear inspirational messages. One brick celebrates five years of being cancer-free. “These are literal milestones,” Danuser says. “We had an employee propose to his girlfriend with a brick. It was wonderful. These are also great historical markers — our staff, patients and visitors know these people.” Even the music playing softly in the garden has been sponsored, as a gift Jim
Beck made to honor his wife, Dr. Mary Beck, Boone Hospital Center’s vice president of patient care. As something that benefits both patients and caregivers, it was a fitting tribute. Danuser says the Healing Garden touched lives before it opened. “One of our nurses called and said, ‘I know the garden isn’t open yet, but it’s getting close. Would there be a way to arrange for one of my patients to go outside?’ The patient’s daughter had recently had a baby. The baby was too young to be brought onto the patient care unit, and the patient couldn’t go home. So we brought her to the Healing Garden, and her daughter and grandchild met her there. If we didn’t have a place like that, it would’ve been very difficult for the patient to be taken somewhere. It was wonderful for her to be able to hold her grandchild — and what a pretty place to do it.” By
Jessica Park
To learn more about Healing Garden sponsorships or other donations, contact Boone Hospital Foundation at 573-8152800 or visit boone.org/giving BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
15
Learn more at boone.org/wellaware/group
Group Fitness WELLAWARE Classes Aim To Improve Strength And Coordination
S
pring into summer with style by joining others in group exercise classes with Boone Hospital Center WELLAWARE. Yoga, Zumba and a variety of other classes currently are being offered. Each class is adaptable to all levels of interest, age, ability and vocation. One of Boone Hospital’s physicians, Kimberly Jamison, MD, recently started yoga and shared that the movements used during yoga are much like those learned in physical therapy, held longer for continued muscular endurance. Dr. Jamison says, “It’s silly not to take advantage of these classes and the WELLAWARE fitness center.” To start and continue healthy habits, it’s important to enjoy them. Group exercise classes encourage you to become as healthy and fit as you are able. Shari Bullard, a Boone employee, really enjoyed taking our Zumba Gold class. She appreciates that the group laughs and has a good time together. “The instructors are encouraging and don’t make you feel bad when you modify the exercise based on your personal 16
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
abilities,” Bullard says. The classes encourage physical activity, provide accountability, camaraderie and relaxation, and offer endless physiological benefits, including: l Feeling more energized as a result of class participation on a regular basis. As your body adapts to the increased exercise, everyday activity becomes easier. l Increased flexibility, coordination, posture and improved balance can lower your risk of injury and falls later in life. l Strengthening bones and muscles reduces risk of injury and slows progression of osteoporosis. l Increased metabolism leads to weight loss, leaner muscles and fitting into your clothes better. l Improved cardiorespiratory fitness. As the body becomes more efficient with exercise, blood pressure and pulmonary function improve or can slow progression of heart and lung disease. l Improved circulation from increased blood flow, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack.
WELLAWARE currently offers Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:15 p.m., and Zumba on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. Zumba Gold and Body Conditioning are periodically offered, while Pilates, the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Tai Chi, and Qigong will be offered in the future. Please call us today if you’re interested or have questions. We would love to get you started with the appropriate activity specific to your exercise needs. Get the spring back in your step by joining WELLAWARE’s group exercise classes today. Please contact Boone Hospital Center’s WELLAWARE Fitness Center at 573-815-3876 for more information. Find a schedule of ongoing and upcoming WELLAWARE group exercise classes at boone.org/ wellaware/group. l More efficient use of naturally occurring insulin. As your body becomes more active, it is better able to utilize insulin to control blood glucose levels and decrease risk of type II diabetes. l Improved immune system. Your body is strengthened systemically and is less likely to succumb to viruses. You also gain a boosted ability to recover from injury and illness. l Mental benefits of exercise include improved concentration, decreased stress and increased feelings of wellbeing as a result of the chemical serotonin being released into the brain. By Heidi Salter
Qigong is the Chinese practice of aligning body, breath and mind for health, relaxation, and martial arts training.
Zumba makes exercising to dance styles such as the merengue, salsa, cha-cha, cumbia, tango, hip-hop and rock easy to follow so that everyone, at any age, can have fun doing it. This is an excellent way to burn calories in a fun environment. The Zumba class gets you moving aerobically while strengthening key muscle groups including the core (abdominals). Yoga offers a low to moderate intensity that is appropriate for nearly everybody, including individuals living with chronic diseases or recovering from an injury or illness. A delightful member of WELLAWARE fitness center and yoga enthusiast Tammy Winfrey says, “You get to enjoy 60 minutes of your own quiet time during the class.� She encourages anyone to come and try it out — people of all different ages, shapes and sizes enjoy the class.
Tai Chi benefits include increased balance, strength, endurance, improved circulation and decreased stress.
The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program includes gentle, joint-safe exercises developed specifically for people with arthritis to help relieve stiffness, decrease arthritis pain and improve balance.
Although each class has a different style, all are appropriate for most anyone interested.
Zumba Gold is less intense than Zumba. The instructor has experience working with beginning exercisers, active mature adults and special populations.
Body Conditioning helps to reduce stiffness and tension through focused stretching and core muscle toning.
Pilates is all about creating long, lean muscles through developing the core and improving balance. Modifications will be learned in order to feel progression throughout the course of these sessions.
Fruit-Infused Water ➽
We hear it all the time: For overall better health we need to drink more water. But what if you don’t like the taste of water or need something else to quench your thirst? A trendy new option to help you drink more water and keep hydrated is fruit-infused water. It’s also a healthier alternative to sugary drinks and/or caffeinated beverages. Every system in our body depends on water. Water flushes out toxins and keeps your body’s environment (skin, muscles, organs, etc.) moist from the inside out. Water carries nutrients to your cells, helps you look and feel your best, and provides you with energy. Experts tend to differ about how much water we need to drink. It is important to understand that we are all different and have specific needs when discussing water intake on a daily basis. Factors such as your current health status, where you live and your activity level all play an important role. On average, 60 percent of our body is made up of water. The average person needs 2,000 cc of water per day, which is equivalent to a two-liter bottle. A simple formula to determine your water needs is to take your body weight, divide it in half, then drink that number in ounces of water. For example, a 200-pound person should drink 100 ounces of water, and a 140-pound person should drink 70 ounces. By Jeff Zimmermann
10 Ways To Increase Your Daily Water Intake ••• Start your morning off with a glass of water, right after you wake up. ••• Fill and carry your favorite water bottle with you wherever you go. ••• Drink water with a straw. ••• Eat water-rich foods, such as watermelon, tomatoes, oranges, celery, etc. ••• Drink water before eating a meal or snack. ••• If you are feeling sluggish in the afternoon, drink some water. Fatigue may be a sign of dehydration. ••• Track/log your daily water intake. ••• Cut back on caffeine, and replace caffeinated drinks with water. •••
h and Refres dding ff by a o l o o c esh ms (fr e it e s the your en) to z o r f r o water:
18
Cucumber • Lemons and limes • Oranges Grapefruit • Grapes • Ginger and mint • Peach Kiwi • Blackberries • Watermelon • Pineapple Blueberries • Raspberries • Strawberries
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
Drink plenty of water when exercising — before, during and after the workout. ••• Jazz your water up with fresh fruit by using a water bottle infuser.
The back nine Reaching his mid-50s, Columbia man finally escapes chronic back pain
By Jacob Luecke
›››
BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
19
Hole 16 is one of the more unique challenges at the Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia. If you miss the green on your tee shot, you could easily wind up in Grindstone Creek, which forks around both the front and back of the green. And even if you hit the green, you have to hit it just right. If your ball lands too far from the pin, you’ll find yourself putting across some tough slopes just to make par. On Oct. 20, 2012, Jon Van Ness stood on the tee on the 16th hole and sized up the green from 135 feet away. It was a clear fall Saturday. There was little if any wind. He swung with his 9-iron. The shot was perfect — over Grindstone, to the green, toward the hole, in the hole. A hole-in-one! Even for avid golfers with low handicaps like Jon’s, the chance of scoring a hole-in-one is 5,000 to 1. The shot was noted in the newspaper the next day. While the ace on 16 marked a high point in Jon’s golf hobby, in just months his favorite sport would start becoming an uncomfortable experience. For more than 20 years, Jon had been dealing with back pain. As he reached his mid-50s, the pain was becoming worse. “Before, it was a general discomfort; it was more of a nuisance,” he says. “But then, at the beginning of 2013, it started to affect my physical ability.” The pain became unbearable at times when Jon had to stand still — a situation that happens often during a round of golf. 20
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
“It got to the point where it was uncomfortable waiting on the tee for someone to hit,” he says. “If I was standing on the green waiting for someone to putt, I had to go to one knee.” But it wasn’t just golf; many common situations were becoming painful for Jon — waiting in line at the movies, socializing at a party, standing in the shower. In January 2013, Jon discussed his pain with his orthopedic specialist, David Hockman, MD, at Columbia Orthopaedic Group. Dr. Hockman directed him to a pain management physician who used shots to provide temporary relief. Jon also tried a number of other remedies, such as physical therapy, chiropractic visits and yoga. Yet, nothing was keeping the pain away for good. “I had basically tried every option that was available to me,” he says. Jon had heard a lot about back surgery options from others in his social circle. Before, he had never considered himself a candidate for back surgery because he could manage the pain on his own. Now, however, he was eager to find out if surgery could help him. Last summer, Jon met with back and spine specialist S. Craig Meyer, MD, at Columbia Orthopaedic Group. Dr. Meyer determined Jon had a degenerative spondylolisthesis. The problem caused Jon’s spinal canal to
narrow, leading to the severe pain he was experiencing. “A spondylolisthesis is basically a slipped vertebrae or instability in the spine that eventually leads to back pain and leg pain when the nerves become compressed,” Dr. Meyer says. Jon’s specific problem made him a good candidate for a minimally invasive procedure called Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion. It’s a procedure Dr. Meyer helped pioneer in mid-Missouri when he moved his practice from California to Columbia in 2008. This type of minimally invasive fusion surgery is less painful than traditional back surgeries and has a greater rate of long-term success, Dr. Meyer says. The procedure also eliminates the muscle damage caused by some other forms of back surgery, helping ensure the back remains strong, lessening the risk of ongoing spine degeneration. “Patients with stenosis associated with a degenerative spondylolisthesis get great outcomes from this surgery without all of the potential side effects of a more traditional open lumbar fusion,” Dr. Meyer says.
They set the surgery for Oct. 31, 2013, almost exactly one year after Jon’s hole in one. “I was eager. I wanted to get this pain gone,” Jon says. “There was no way I was going to continue with the discomfort I had. I’m 55 years old; I just wasn’t going to go through this pain for the rest of my life.” During the procedure at Boone Hospital Center, Dr. Meyer operated from the side of Jon’s body, rather than through his back. Using a specially designed retractor and neuromonitoring, Dr. Meyer was able to correct the spondylolisthesis and decompress Jon’s nerves. He then used special image guidance to secure the fusion with small screws he placed through tiny incisions in Jon’s back. The surgery took about an hour and a half. Dr. Meyer’s high-tech, minimally invasive approach helped avoid any of the muscle damage patients sometimes face during a traditional spine surgery. After the surgery, Jon says the change was instant. “The absence of pain was immediate,” he says.
“Every day I get up and I go about my lifestyle and I’m amazed that I just don’t have that pain,” - jon van ness He was also surprised at how quickly he could return to his life. He spent just one night at Boone Hospital. In three days, he was back working part-time as the general manager at KRCG TV-13. Soon he was working full-time again. During his recovery, Jon was able to walk and stay active. As he got stronger, he gradually reintroduced his other hobbies — going to the gym, lifting weights, playing golf. By May, he was completely back to his normal routine. Only one thing is missing — the pain. “Every day, I get up and I go about my lifestyle and I’m amazed that I just don’t have that pain,” he says. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about.” Dr. Meyer says Jon has a great outlook for the future. He says cases like this are what make his job so rewarding. “I think he has a great outlook for a
pain-free back,” Dr. Meyer says. “It is especially satisfying to give someone their life back. If you take someone like Jon — who is very active — by the time he came to see me, he was very debilitated from his pain. That is common in a lot of patients that we see. We know in certain conditions, with a high degree of certainty that we can help return that patient back to an active, pain-free lifestyle.” Jon praises his doctors and caregivers for their work to finally free him from his back pain. He says he enjoys sharing his success story. “I was absolutely thrilled with my relationship and the results from Dr. Meyer, he could not have been better,” Jon says. “I can’t say enough about the care I was given at Columbia Orthopaedic Group and Boone Hospital.” BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
21
Anniversary th 4 6 r o F e im T essful Surgery In c c u S s a H n a M d Ashlan uecke
I
n his younger days, Kenneth Sapp considered himself a shade tree mechanic. When an old car wouldn’t start, he enjoyed opening the hood and trying to get it running again. Last fall, Kenneth’s own motor was showing signs of breaking down. One morning in October, the 82-year-old Air Force veteran was making breakfast at his home outside Ashland when he suddenly fainted. The incident shocked Kenneth and his wife. “Oh my goodness, yes, it was terrible,” says Charlene Sapp. At Boone Hospital Center, doctors discovered his fainting episode was heart-related. The situation was dangerous. “Passing out, or syncope, is a sign of aortic stenosis and a sign that the problem is advanced and life-threatening,” says Richard Mellitt, MD, a cardiac surgeon at the Missouri Heart Center.
22
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
L By Jac o b
When Kenneth arrived at the Missouri Heart Center on the Boone Hospital campus, Cardiologist Anthony Spaedy, MD, noted that Kenneth had a shortness of breath and felt chest tightness when he exerted himself. “It had gotten to where I couldn’t hardly walk any distance at all without getting out of breath,” Kenneth says. An echocardiogram — an ultrasound of his heart — showed severely restricted blood flow. A cardiac catheterization revealed that Kenneth had severe coronary artery disease. Fixing the problem — and prolonging Kenneth’s life — would require a lengthy surgery. Making the procedure more difficult was the fact that Kenneth had a quadruple bypass 16 years ago. When a valve replacement has to be done a second time on the same heart, it adds to the challenge. Yet, with the region’s leading heart staff and technology at Boone Hospital, Dr. Mellitt felt
Post surgery, Kenneth Sapp goes to Boone Hospital for cardiac rehab. (Pictured: exercise bike with Jody Oligschlaeger, treadmill with Lugine Hein) Opposite Page: Kenneth and Charlene Sapp confident in offering the surgery to Kenneth. “We perform over 400 heart operations a year with many of them being valve/bypass combined operations,” Dr. Mellitt says. “The fact that his was a redo operation made it a little less common and more difficult and time-consuming. But it was still within the realm and expertise of our medical and nursing staff.” While Kenneth understood the surgery and recovery would be difficult, he trusted the care and expertise of his Boone Hospital team. “I just think Boone Hospital is about the greatest place in the world if you have to be in the hospital,” he says. His surgery was scheduled for April 23. That day, Dr. Mellitt began by stopping Kenneth’s heart for the surgery. Once he had access to Kenneth’s heart, Dr. Mellitt could remove scar tissue and wires from Kenneth’s previous heart surgery. With that done, he opened Kenneth’s aorta, took out the old constricted valve and sewed a new valve in its place. Dr. Mellitt tested the valve for leaks or obstructions. Finding none, he closed Kenneth back up. The surgery took more than five hours, but Kenneth’s engine was running again. With the surgery behind him, Kenneth awoke to a difficult and uncomfortable recovery. He was on a feeding tube for days after his surgery. At first, he wasn’t even able to drink water. “You never realize how much you miss water until you can’t have it,” he says. Yet, Kenneth says his Boone Hospital care team went out of their way to make him feel comfortable and at home. As Kenneth recovered in the hospital, Charlene was right there with him. Boone Hospital’s private patient rooms include a family area with a pull-out couch where a family member can stay the night. Charlene never had to leave Kenneth’s side. “They gave me sheets and pillows and it was perfect,” Charlene says. “I have nothing but good things to say about the nurses, the techs, the doctors, everybody. Even the lady who cleaned our rooms. We made friends. They were wonderful.” Dr. Mellitt says that being comfortable is important to the healing process. “Having heart surgery is a huge life event,” he says. “When you can help someone and their family through this process, not just
with the surgery and the medical care but even the little things, it makes them relax and comfortable. It helps them get well.” As Kenneth got stronger in the hospital, a very important date was approaching: the Sapp’s 64th wedding anniversary on May 2. When hospital staff learned about the upcoming anniversary, they decided to bake an anniversary cake for the Sapps, who have two children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandkids. However, what really made this wedding anniversary one to remember is that Kenneth was released from the hospital that day. He was going home. “I was able to come home and sit in my chair and I was glad to be able to do that,” he says. Since the surgery, Kenneth has continued slowly to get stronger. Caregivers from Boone Hospital Home Care came out to the Sapp’s home to help him recover. He is now doing outpatient cardiac rehab at Boone Hospital. Dr. Mellitt says that patients often notice that recovery begins to quicken about a month after the surgery. By three months, they are usually back to normal. “It just feels like someone knocked the wind out of your sails for awhile,” he says. At his home, Kenneth says he is looking forward to getting stronger. He and Charlene are planning to sell their home and move into Ashland. The couple continue to praise the work of Dr. Mellitt, Dr. Spaedy and their Boone Hospital caregivers. “Everybody was just great,” he says. Dr. Mellitt says the feeling was mutual. “Mr. Sapp and his wife had great attitudes toward his surgery,” he says. “They were quite determined that he was going to get better and had reasonable expectations as to how long that would take. It has been our honor to care for both Mr. Sapp and his wife.” BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
23
Boone Employee Honored By University Of Missouri
“I could not have imagined a better internship supervisor.” Following are excerpts from student testimonials:
From left are Dr. Rosemary Hogan, associate clinical professor and chair of the Department of Health Sciences; Emily Mahler, Department of Health sciences internship advisor; Jeff Zimmermann, Boone Hospital Center WELLAWARE health promotions manager; and Dr. Mark Kuhnert, associate teaching professor and director of the internship program.
B
oone Hospital Center’s partnership with the University of Missouri’s Department of Health Sciences is a true win-win, says Jeff Zimmermann, BHC WELLAWARE health promotions manager. For the past five years, Zimmermann has supervised the university’s health sciences student interns at BHC. “We help the students learn and gain experience and knowledge,” Zimmermann says. “And, in turn, they help us with our health and wellness events in the community.” For his role in the partnership, Zimmermann was honored with the department’s “Internship Supervisor of the Year Award,” April 14. Emily Mahler, internship advisor, presented the plaque to Zimmermann. Other university faculty members, BHC WELLAWARE staff and Zimmermann’s family were in attendance. Each year the Health Sciences department honors one community partner from the state and one University of Missouri partner with the award, which is given in recognition of exceptional mentorship and dedicated support of the students. In addition to working one-on-one with the students and monitoring their success in the program, Zimmermann’s supervision includes interviewing each student, describing the hospital’s programs and explaining the students’ involvement with
24
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
WELLAWARE, as well as completing paperwork and ensuring the students have completed all program requirements. Zimmermann says the students help staff BHC health fairs, assisting with assessing weight, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol testing and health coaching. “They are assigned to a BHC staff member when performing these specific tasks,” Zimmermann says. “We enjoy teaching our students — future health care professionals — the importance of listening and understanding patients and assisting them in taking small steps to see big, life-changing healthy habits,” he says. “Our greatest asset is our health — we must invest in it on a daily basis.” Although he finds his role as internship supervisor personally rewarding, Zimmermann says community members reap the program’s real rewards. “We are able to do more and reach out to more people in our community with the students’ involvement,” Zimmermann says. “The students are knowledgeable and professionally driven to do well. They are very eager to do more and work more hours than they need to, because of the enjoyment and overall experience. “I was surprised and honored to receive this recognition,” Zimmermann adds. “Working with the students and teaching them the importance of patient care from a health and wellness perspective is very rewarding.” By Patty Johnson
“I have had the best internship experience with Mr. Jeff Zimmermann. He has been more than helpful since Day 1 with scheduling events and guiding us through our involvement and understanding of our responsibilities with WELLAWARE. He always has the most positive attitude and outgoing personality in the room — even at 4:45 a.m. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of the WELLAWARE program — and, thanks to Jeff Zimmermann, it has been a memorable and beneficial experience.” “I had the privilege of interning at WELLAWARE in the fall of 2013. Mr. Zimmermann was my supervisor, and I can honestly say he is truly one of the nicest people I have ever met. He always was so positive and in a great mood and it definitely put me in a good mood. He is a very selfless person and would do anything for anyone. I could not have imagined a better internship supervisor!”
Diane, Fred and Donavan Oerly
“Boone Hospital is where I wanted to be.”
A
s a Marine in the Pacific theater, Fred Oerly had survived World War II. He had volunteered to serve as a forward observer for naval gunfire on hostile islands like Guadalcanal, Bougainville and Okinawa, and received both a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. But, on a Sunday morning in February 2014, Fred thought he might be in for his last battle. Fred had been living by himself since his wife passed away. He continued to live in the Boonville home he had built with her 63 years ago. At 91, he led an active life, exercising three times a week and driving himself to Hartmann Village, a local assisted-living facility, for lunch. His daughter-in-law Karen had purchased meal tickets for him there, and Fred greatly enjoyed the camaraderie and socialization whenever he visited. Fred had been selected for a Boonville Honor Flight to visit the World War II monument in Washington, D.C. A proud supporter of the program, Fred, who is a prolific and talented woodcarver, hand-carved more than a hundred cardinals over a period of two years and presented them to the volunteers who ran the Boonville Honor Flight program. Fred was also working on his second book, sharing his experiences during World War II. His first book, Some Mighty Good Years: 1925–1937, written when he was 86, was a memoir of his childhood spent in the small river town of Overton, Mo., where Fred’s father ran the local grocery store until it closed during the Great Depression. And then, on that February Sunday morning, Fred threw up bright red blood. His first action was to call his daughter, Dianne Fred’s family made a video about his woodcarvings for the Honor Flight program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haroWLVgibs 26
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
Oerly. She quickly picked him up and brought him to Boone Hospital Center’s Emergency Department. An initial endoscopy was unable to locate the source of the bleeding, but an x-ray and CT scan revealed a large mass in his right lung. Fred was admitted. Fred’s doctor, Wade Schondelemeyer, MD, soon arrived, in the company of Eric Thompson, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon. Dr. Thompson told Fred there was a favorable chance that his surgery would be successful. “Then let’s go!” Fred responded. He and Dianne made some calls to other family members. Another daughter, Donovan Davis, made urgent plans to travel from her home in Florida to be at her father’s side in Missouri. The surgery to remove the mass from Fred’s lung concluded at midnight and was successful. The entire mass had been removed; no follow-up radiation or chemotherapy would be needed. The next day, Fred felt pretty good. “The service was amazing,” Dianne says. “My father was diagnosed and cured in one day.” Dr. Thompson attributes Fred’s recovery to his positive attitude. Prior to his surgery, Fred told the surgeon about his experience in Bougainville during the war. As a young Marine, he had been convinced that he would die during the intense combat on the island. His survival changed his outlook on life. “I’ve seen this in some patients who’ve faced death before,” Dr. Thompson says. “They lose their fear of dying.” Fred remained upbeat about retaining his independent lifestyle, as well. Boone Hospital occupational therapy assistant, Cayla Viers, advised him on how he could make his home safer, and the family arranged for visits from Boone Hospital Home Care. After a week in the hospital, Fred went home with Dianne and Donavan. “Boone Hospital is where I wanted to be,” he says. By Dave Hoffmaster
Stewart Cancer Center Day At The Ballpark
Sunday, Jun e 1, 2014, w as National Survivors day Cancer . In honor o f those surv Norm Stewar ivors, t, alongside his wife, Virg threw out th inia, e fir Cardinals bas st pitch of the St. Louis eball game. It was Stewar Cancer Cen t ter Day at th e ballpark. Norm is a su rvivor himse lf having def colon cance eated r in 1989. N orm and Virg are founder inia s of Coaches vs. Cancer, an organization that is closin g in on $10 million in th 0 e fight again st cancer sin 1992. In 20 ce 12, the onco logy service Boone Hosp line ital Center w as designated at Stewart Can cer Center. the
Jerry Virginia Stewart, Dr. s Pictured: Norm and lter and Stacy Peter Wa Dr. , ett nn Ke and Michele
getting to know a BHC Doctor
› Clay Mechlin, MD How did you get into medicine?
I got into the medical field because I’ve always liked anatomy. I had a little exposure to it growing up, since my father is a surgeon. I got my master’s degree in anatomy and was teaching medical students, but I wanted to do more in caring for people. While doing research in graduate and medical school, I’d worked with urology residents. They always seemed to be in a good mood and had a great sense of humor. The field of urology is so diverse. There are four or five subspecialties within urology. You can do open surgeries, minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery with the DaVinci system, etc. In Albany, when I was doing my residency, we were one of only three or four sites in the U.S. using the DaVinci system for microsurgery like an operating microscope. The technology is progressing all the time. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Clay Mechlin, MD was born at Boone Hospital Center and grew up in Columbia. Dr. Mechlin’s father, David Mechlin, MD, is an ear, nose and throat surgeon. After attending the University of Missouri, Dr. Mechlin went to St. Louis University Medical School and completed his residency in Albany, NY. He has completed a fellowship in reconstructive surgery and male infertility and is board-certified in urology. Dr. Mechlin lives in Columbia with his wife, Michele, and their sons Jack, 5, and Wyatt, 2. 28
Summer 2014 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
Reconstructive surgery is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work. Issues like urinary leakage or erectile dysfunction may arise after fixing major problems like cancer or prostate removal. I do a lot of prosthetic surgery like artificial urinary sphincters, penile implants and stricture repairs for males. There’s been tremendous advancement in these devices. I also work with some of Dr. Gil Wilshire’s male patients from his infertility clinic. We do microsurgery for vasectomy reversals and varicocele repairs. What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging aspect in my practice is counseling the patient and setting the right expectations, because these are quality-of-life surgeries. That seems to be the hardest thing to counsel. The most rewarding thing is to get the patient back to what they were doing before they had cancer or other problems: doing
normal activities, not being afraid to go on the golf course because they might leak, getting them back to having good relationships with their significant others. Those things make them feel like themselves again. Another challenge is using the most cost-effective methods to produce healthy outcomes. In the future, we may be limited by the cost of the equipment needed to perform these procedures. It may not happen, but that seems to be one of the biggest questions for the future. What has changed most in your career as a physician?
Huge advancements have been made improving prosthetics that are coated with specific antibiotics to prevent infection from organisms that are most prevalent in a certain area. In some cases, we can do surgery and send the patient home in the same day, because the surgery was much less invasive with less bleeding. There’s also much more of a group effort today taking care of the patient with a care team of oncologists, cancer surgeons and reconstructive surgeons. What advice would you give someone considering a medical profession?
My advice to someone going into medicine now is to really like the practice of medicine, the analytical thinking. Want to challenge yourself. And really be sure that this is what you really want to do, that you’re going into medicine because you want to care for people and find the subject matter stimulating. Medicine is a huge commitment. Anything else?
The biggest advice I have for patients in the hospital is to get up and get moving as much as possible within restrictions. Interact as much as possible and not just stay confined to the room. Immobility is one of the biggest causes of complications. I like working at Boone Hospital Center. It’s been a great first year!
getting to know a BHC nurse
› rachel spano, rn [ Charge Nurse, Medical Specialties ] Rachel knew from an early age that she wanted to take care of people. A Boone baby, Rachel grew up in the Columbia area. In high school, she had considered becoming a teacher, but after she completed a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program with the Columbia Career Center during her junior year, Rachel had no doubt that nursing was the career she wanted. She graduated from Columbia College with her associate degree in Nursing and is currently back in school working towards her bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is to watch the recovery process of an extremely ill patient. I see patients who are so ill that they can’t eat or do anything for themselves. Then they start to care how their hair looks — that actually tells me a lot about how much they’re improving. And then they finally go home to their families. What is the most challenging part of your job?
Giving each patient the great care that they deserve and being available to help my co-workers as well can become difficult and stressful at times. But it’s also one of the reasons I love working on Medical Specialties — taking care of sick patients and being the best charge nurse that I can be. What has changed most in your nursing career?
I have seen a big change in bedside reporting. We are now engaging our patients more and more with their health care plans. It’s turned out to be a lifesaver for our
As a nursing school student, Rachel’s primary interest was obstetrics, but she found that she preferred the atmosphere and challenges of the Medical Specialties unit. Rachel works with patients who have multiple health issues and ensures that their specific care needs are met. She encounters new diagnoses and situations every day, which is why she loves caring for patients in this area: “I am a person who loves to keep busy at work and keep my skills sharp. That is what Medical Specialties offers me.”
patients. We’re able to act quickly to get patients treatment that saves their lives. Health care is a field that is always changing. I don’t know exactly what will change over the next five to 10 years, but I hope that a focal point will be on getting the nurse more time with the patient. What advice would you give someone considering a health care profession?
Taking care of others is not a job; it’s a career, a life decision. This is a field where you will sometimes endure hard times, bad attitudes, loss and anger. People might be afraid and angry about what’s happening to themselves or their loved ones and, sometimes, this might be directed at you just because they need to get those feelings out. You have to be someone who understands this and still gives 110 percent. But it’s not all hard times. Laughter really is the best medicine. I once took care of a patient who was on our floor for almost two months. We got to know her like family. One of the best things that helped her get through that time was laughing and joking around with the staff. BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2014
29
The Boone Hospital Foundation would like to thank the sponsors of the 11th annual Golf Classic. Aflac — Chris Ashton / Jon Hartman American Document Solutions Aramark Atkins Inc. Bank of Missouri Binghams BJC Healthcare BJC Medical Group Bob Wagner — Boone Hospital Trustee Boone County National Bank & Central Trust Investment Company Boone Electric Cooperative BSA Lifestructures C&C Group Calhoun’s Centurylink Columbia Insurance Group Columbia Orthopedic Group Commerce Bank Emergency Physicians of Mid Mo PC
Gustav Lehr Healogics Imhoff Construction Inside Columbia Magazine Inside the Lines Interior Investments Jim Flink Joe Machens Ford Lincoln Mercury John Franken Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Royals Kent’s Floral Lakota Landmark Bank Lenoir Woods Macadoodles Mary Beck Meyer Electric Inc. Missouri Cardiovascular Specialists Missouri Perfusion Services Monica Smith Morrison Foods Neurology Inc.
Environmental Engineering
Officer Mechanical Inc
Feeler Scheer Architects
Parsons Brinkerhoff
Phoenix Textile
Radiology Consultants
Reinhardt Construction River City Construction
Rogers, Ehrhardt, Weber & Howard LLC Sam’s Club
Schindler Elevator Corporation Schneider Electric
Septagon Construction Shelter Insurance SOA Inc.
SSC Engineering
St. Louis Cardinals Sycamore
Tallulahs
Tech Elctronics Inc. Terracon
The Club At Old Hawthorne
The Lawrence Group
The Outsource Group
Tiger Express Car Wash UMB
Van Matre Law Firm Wellaware
Will Electronics
Williams Keepers LLC
Proceeds from this tournament are used to support the Caregiver Education Fund, helping Boone Hospital Center caregivers in their mission to improve the health of the community.
Skin Cancer Tips From Boone Hospital Center With summer in full force and more time spent outside, the amount of exposure we have to the sun increases. With increased sun exposure comes an increased risk for skin cancer. As with any disease, early detection is important. The Boone Hospital foundation, along with Boone Hospital Center (BHC), WELLAWARE, and the Stewart Cancer Center, offer tips and free skin cancer screenings throughout the summer to help mid-Missouri residents with early detection of this disease.
Pam Jones, RN, BSN
BHC offers free skin screenings throughout the summer. During the screening, a trained medical professional will look over the skin for any abnormal-appearing marks and provide recommendations. The screenings are available to those 18 years of age and older and will
To help with early detection, it’s important to conduct a self skin check monthly, recommends Pam Jones, RN, BSN, a health promotions nurse with BHC. During this skin check, look for marks, moles, freckles and lesions and become familiar with the marks so if changes occur they can be monitored. Jones also recommends a yearly skin check conducted by a professional to provide a comprehensive skin assessment. Another important tip provided by Jones includes understanding how sunscreen works and what is really protected by all those SPF numbers. SPF stands for sun protection factor. The rating is determined by the level of protection provided in the sunscreen against UVB rays. The higher the rating, the more protection provided. Many groups, including the American Academy of Dermatology, recommend using a sunscreen with at least a rating of SPF 30, providing 97 percent coverage of UVB rays for one hour of sun exposure. Once you have the right sunscreen, it’s important to ensure you apply it correctly. Apply a thick layer to ensure the level of protection expected is actually provided. Of course, sunscreen is not the only preventative measure for complete protection from the sun. Other steps include:
be conducted in the
> Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect the face and ears.
hospital’s Know Your Numbers mobile health
> Slip on a long-sleeved shirt, pants or a long skirt that is made of tightly woven fabric to help provide protection.
unit which will be parked
> Wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from sun damage.
at 1701 E. Broadway.
> Avoid peak sun hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. BHC is a leading mid-Missouri hospital, providing progressive health care programs, services and technology to a 26-county service area.
boone.org • 573.815.8000 For more information on skin screenings, visit www.boone.org/kyn.
Boone Hospital Center 1600 East Broadway Columbia, Mo 65201 573-815-8000
NONPROFIT U.S. Postage
PAID
Columbia, MO Permit 286