Healthbeat Winter 2012

Winter 2012

St. Luke’s



B E A T 

Miraculous recovery after aneurysm Learn the warning signs

PAGE 4

Biker beats cancer Easy early detection steps PAGE 2

Lifesaving transportation Quick care thanks to Lifeguard PAGE 8

Birth Care connection Woman meets namesake during delivery PAGE 10

stlukescr.org

What’s

Inside 1

Health Clips

Health news you can use.

St. Luke’s honored with Consumer’s Choice Award

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St. Luke’s Hospital was recently named a 2011/2012 Consumer Choice Award winner in a survey conducted by the National Research Corporation (NRC) of Lincoln, Nebraska. St. Luke’s is the only hospital in Cedar Rapids to receive this honor.

2 - 3 Biker beats cancer

Self-exams urged to detect testicular cancer.

4 - 5 Miraculous recovery

after aneurysm

A Marion man encourages others to learn the warning signs of a brain aneurysm.

6 - 7 Managing

pancreatic cancer

410- -511

2-3

Hospice provides comfort and support to a Cedar Rapids man and his family.

On the

cover

®

Inside St. Luke’s Birth Care

Neil Boudreaux with his dog, Lilly, in Marion.

8 - 9 Lifesaving

transportation

The award identifies hospitals that healthcare consumers have chosen for having the highest quality and image in more than 300 markets throughout the United States. The awards are based on an annual independent survey conducted by NRC.

Three families share their special deliveries PAGE 4

Cancer fighting duo Wellness program provides support PAGE 2

Heart surgery

Minimally invasive procedure speeds recovery PAGE 10

Missed

the last issue?

Stories from Health Beat, Fall 2011, are available at stlukescr.org.

The award puts St. Luke’s in the company of nationally recognized healthcare leaders, including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General and Johns Hopkins.

12

Ask the Expert

What questions do St. Luke’s financial counselors get asked the most?

13

For your health

Timely health and medical news.

ealth H St. Luke’s

B E A T

Health Beat magazine is produced locally by St. Luke’s Marketing Communications for the community and friends of St. Luke’s Hospital.

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Vol. 17 No. 1 l Winter 2012

Melanoma and Advanced Skin Cancer Care is part of the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center of Iowa. More than 200 doctors, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C. and St. Luke’s Hospital make up the area’s only community cancer center where physicians collaborate to provide patient-centered care.

be seen by a nurse coordinator, surgeon and oncologist. It will be seamless, centralized and more convenient care.”

To learn more about Melanoma and Advanced Skin Cancer Care or to speak to a representative of the area’s only physician-led, patientfocused Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center of Iowa, call 319/558-4876 or 877/242-4999.

“Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer being treated in this area,” said John Vander Zee, MD, plastic surgeon and medical director for Melanoma and Advanced Skin Cancer Care. “Now patients have one place to go where services will come to them. They will

The best chance of a cure for lung cancer is early detection and that’s why we’ve developed Lung Check for $175.

10 - 11 Birth Care connection A Cedar Rapids woman meets her namesake during delivery.

Patients with melanoma have access to the most advanced cancer care right here in Cedar Rapids. Melanoma and Advanced Skin Cancer Care is now providing personalized care and support services to those diagnosed with melanoma as well as other advanced types of skin cancer.

John Vander Zee, MD, Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center

A trench accident victim is grateful for Lifeguard Air Ambulance and its crew.

Melanoma Clinic

Health Clips

P.O. Box 3026 l Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3026 319/369-7395 l stlukescr.org

Lung Check Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women and is typically diagnosed at a more advanced stage after the cancer has spread.

Connect with St. Luke’s at stlukescr.org

St. Luke’s Lung Check includes a chest CT scan, which is a rapid, noninvasive test using low-dose X-rays providing detailed, three-dimensional images of the lungs. The entire chest is scanned between seven and 15 seconds.

Radiologists review images for the presence of small spots on the lungs, called nodules.

Call 319/558-4867 to schedule your Lung Check today.

Lung Check is recommended for: • Men or women between the ages of 55 and 74 • Those who have smoked at least one pack a day for 30 years or more or two packs per day for 15 years • Those who quit smoking less than 15 years ago and smoked one or more packs a day for 15 or more years

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 |

1

Biker beats cancer Self-exams urged to detect testicular cancer

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he irony of his cancer diagnosis is not lost on Tim Martinek. The Marion man is an avid bicycle rider and takes part in several “century rides” each year for charitable causes. A century ride is a single day bike ride of 100 miles or more.

Martinek’s love of cycling sparked his interest in following seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong’s career through the years. And like Armstrong, Martinek is a testicular cancer survivor. He read Armstrong’s book, which chronicled Armstrong’s cancer journey, even before his own cancer diagnosis. But read it again during his treatment and recovery in 2010.

sent me to St. Luke’s for an ultrasound.

A short time later I was diagnosed with testicular cancer.”

Cancer of the testicle can develop in one or both testicles in men of any age but it’s most commonly diagnosed in boys and young men between the ages of 15 and 35.

“The most common sign of testicular cancer is a painful or hard lump,” said Dr. Richardson.

“Sometimes patients may even present with breast tenderness, back pain or weight loss. Another important point is tesMartinek initially shrugged off his cancer ticular cancer tends to be symptoms to his long bike rides. more common in men “I had been training for the Juvenile Diabe- who had an undescended tes Research Foundation (JDRF) Ride to testicle at birth.”

Cure Diabetes and I had been doing quite Martinek had surgery a bit of bike riding,” recalls Martinek. “I to remove the testicle, had just completed an 80-mile ride the which was followed by day before I first noticed symptoms and thought maybe the long ride was the cause four rounds of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy of the symptoms I was having.” was necessary because Martinek went to see his urologist, the cancer had spread Thomas Richardson, MD, Physicians’ to his lymph nodes.

Clinic of Iowa, P.C. (PCI) for a six-month “The surgery takes checkup following kidney stones. about an hour and the patient can go Cancer diagnosis home the same day,” “While I was there I mentioned to Dr. said Dr. Richardson.

Richardson that I had some swelling and “Testicular cancer is firmness in my right testicle,” said Martinek. “He examined me and immediately highly curable. Most

patients have a greater than 90 percent chance of being cured.”

“The care at St. Luke’s and PCI Hematology and Oncology was fantastic,” said Martinek. “I had nothing but a great experience. After completing the chemotherapy I had a CT scan, which showed the lymph nodes had cleared up and I was deemed cancer-free,” said Martinek.

“My original cancer diagnosis was June 24, 2010, and since my treatment I have remained cancer-free.”

Martinek now sees his oncologist Dr. William Fusselman, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, every few months to make sure the cancer remains at bay.

“I like to say I’m one of the luckiest guys to get cancer,” Martinek said. “I didn’t have severe nausea. I did lose my hair during chemotherapy but I feel very fortunate to have attacked the cancer head on and I am now back doing things I love like cycling.”

“This is a bit of a sensitive topic,” said Dr. Richardson. “Some people may be embarrassed to bring it to the attention of their parent or someone else but it’s important. Early detection of testicular cancer means an improved treatment outcome.”

“Now, I am enjoying spending time with my wife, Roxann and continue to roll along many of eastern Iowa’s scenic roads on my bike.”

To learn more about cancer diagnosis and treatment go to communitycancercenter.org.

“I consider myself blessed that my cancer was found fairly early and I responded so well to treatment,” said Martinek.

“Some people may be embarrassed to bring it to the attention of their parent or someone else but it’s important. Early detection of testicular cancer means an improved treatment outcome.”

Thomas Richardson, MD, urologist Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C.

Highly curable Testicular cancer is highly curable if it’s found early. Not all patients require chemotherapy or radiation and many are cured with surgery to remove the testicle only. Dr. Richardson recommends all men perform self-examinations, similar to what women are taught with a breast self-exam.

“Young boys should be taught how to perform a self-exam by their father or other father figure,” said Dr. Richardson. “These self-exams should be performed once a month and if the young man notices a change he should have this evaluated by his doctor.”

“If you have swelling, unusual firmness or enlargement of one testicle see your doctor,” said Martinek. “Get it checked before it gets worse.”

Helen G. Nassif donates to the Community Cancer Center of Iowa Helen G. Nassif has once again made an investment in the future of healthcare in Cedar Rapids. Ms. Nassif donated $1 million to the Community Cancer Center of Iowa late last year and the Center is named in her honor.

Helen G. Nassif is a former Cedar Rapids resident now living in Rockville, Maryland. The Center will be located in the new Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Medical Pavilion located in the MedQuarter Regional Medical District, which is scheduled to open in early 2013.

Doctors at the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center of Iowa work together to develop an individualized and comprehensive treatment plan for each patient that may include surgery, chemotherapy, a combination of treatments or surveillance.

More than 200 doctors, including Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C. and St. Luke’s Hospital make up the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center of Iowa. Cedar Rapids’ only physician-led Community Cancer Center is now welcoming patients.

Call 877/242-4999 or go to communitycancercenter.org to learn more.

Tom Martinek participating in the Ride to Cure Diabetes.

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| stlukescr.org

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 | 3

Miraculous recovery after aneurysm Learn the warning signs

N

into the house and remember Lilly, our dog, barking.”

“I just remember thinking either I had been shot in the head or hit by a golf ball since we live on a golf course,” recalls Boudreaux. “I was experiencing the worst headache of my life. I managed to crawl

“I was downstairs and wondered why Lilly was barking so much,” said Donnie Linder, Neil’s partner. “She doesn’t usually bark a lot so I went upstairs to see what was going on and that’s when I found Neil on the floor. She’s the hero in all of this since she alerted me that something was wrong.”

eil Boudreaux was standing in his Marion backyard on June 18 when he thought he had been shot in the head.

Linder is a St. Luke’s Emergency Room (ER) doctor and his instincts kicked in when he saw Boudreaux lying on the floor.

“Neil was semiconscious and told me he had a severe headache. He was sweating profusely and vomiting. I suspected it was a brain aneurysm and rushed him to the hospital.”

At St. Luke’s ER he was immediately assessed and St. Luke’s ER doctor Tony Carter ordered a computed tomography (CT) scan. The scan confirmed what was suspected – a brain aneurysm.

A brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. It can leak or rupture, causing bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). A ruptured aneurysm is life threatening and requires immediate medical treatment.

Sudden, severe headache “A sudden, severe headache is the main symptom of a ruptured brain aneurysm,” said Dr. Carter. “I would describe it as the worst headache of your life. Neil also had what is called a sentinel bleed leading up to his ruptured aneurysm. This is when the aneurysm leaks a small about of blood.

It can be the precursor to a severe rupture.”

In about 40 percent of cases, a ruptured brain aneurysm is fatal. And of those who fail to get proper medical treatment, 20 to 30 percent will have a second bleed within the first month. Many individuals that survive a ruptured aneurysm experience brain damage.

Neil Boudreaux in his Marion home.

4 | stlukescr.org

Boudreaux owns his own hair salon in Cedar Rapids and is excited to be back at work.

“When you have a patient with something as serious as a brain aneurysm – every second counts in terms of saving their life and preventing further damage.”

“I am grateful to be alive and understand there are a small percentage of people who survive what I have been through especially with no brain damage,” said Boudreaux.

“It’s comforting to know we don’t have to go to a big city to get excellent medical care – it’s all right here in Iowa.”

Tony Carter, MD, St. Luke’s Emergency Department

Boudreaux was immediately transported to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for surgery to repair his brain aneurysm thanks to St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance.

Lifeguard saves lives Thousands of individuals have been helped

by St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance since it came into service 30 years ago. The blue helicopter has been a familiar sight in the skies around Cedar Rapids since February 23, 1981. St. Luke’s Lifeguard is called to many emergencies in Linn, Johnson, Jones, Cedar and Benton counties. Each Lifeguard flight includes a pilot, a paramedic and nurse all staffed by St. Luke’s ER in Cedar Rapids.

“I am extremely grateful for the St. Luke’s ER team and Lifeguard helicopter,” said Boudreaux. “I think having access to Lifeguard helped save my life.”

“Lifeguard is such an asset to the community,” said Dr. Carter. “When you have a patient with something as serious as a brain aneurysm – every second counts in terms of saving their life and preventing further damage.”

“I think Neil has recovered well,” said Linder. “The only real deficit he had was his left leg would swing out a little bit when he walked but it resolved within 10 days after he started therapy.”

To learn more about St. Luke’s ER and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation go to stlukescr.org.

“Neil had some balance issues,” said Megan Andresen, St. Luke’s physical therapist.

“I worked on a variety of things to help him improve his balance. Many of these exercises he took home to work on as well.”

Tony Carter, MD, St. Luke’s Emergency Department

“Initially I worked with Neil on driving, cooking and what he would need to do once he returned to work,” said Barb West, St. Luke’s occupational therapist.

“He completed a driving test and did very well. We were impressed with how well he was able to recover after such a traumatic event.”

“I think going through therapy really gave Neil more self-confidence,” said Linder. “I think this is especially true with making sure he was okay to drive again.”

“I feel great,” said Boudreaux. “Each day I feel more like myself. I imagine after a year passes since my aneurysm I will feel less scared of a reoccurrence.”

Therapy aids recovery Boudreaux spent 18 days in the hospital recovering from two brain surgeries.

He returned home and began outpatient physical and occupational therapy at St. Luke’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR). Part of what may have aided his recovery is that he exercised five days a week before his aneurysm.

Ruptured aneurysm symptoms: • Sudden, severe headache

• Seizure

• Drooping eyelid

• Nausea and vomiting

• Blurred or double vision

• Loss of consciousness

• Stiff neck

• Light sensitivity

• Confusion

If you or your loved one has these symptoms call 911 – don’t delay!

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 |

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pancreatic cancer Hospice care provides comfort and support

C

hris Walker went to his doctor’s office on May 9 for his annual physical. His doctor had been keeping an eye on his blood work over the last couple of years since late onset Type 2 diabetes runs in his family. It was something they planned to review.

“I also complained to my doctor about some recent backaches and mild stomach discomfort,” recalls Chris. “My doctor initially ordered an X-ray of my back, when that was clear he ordered a CT scan to investigate further. That’s when they found the tumor.”

“I quickly called my wife, Jean and told her to get to the doctor’s office,” said Chris. “The doctor delivered the news that I had pancreatic cancer.”

“The chemotherapy riled up his cancer and he would go into these awful pain cycles after eating,” Jean said. “It was hard to watch and I felt helpless.”

“We immediately knew this was bad,” recalled Jean, Chris’ wife. “We had a friend who had died from this disease.”

The Walkers sought help from St. Luke’s Palliative Care team to help manage his care and extreme pain. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious Further tests revealed devastating news – illnesses. It is focused on providing patients the tumor was inoperable. with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to According to the American Cancer Sociimprove quality of life for both the patient ety, pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading and the family. cause of cancer-related death. Approximately 44,000 new cases of pancreatic Palliative care is provided by a team of cancer are expected in the United States doctors, nurses and other specialists who each year and almost 38,000 deaths – work together with a patient’s other doctors nearly equally divided among men to provide an extra layer of support. It is and women. appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along Chris and his wife, Jean, sought help from with curative treatment. several doctors across the country. But in the end they returned to St. Luke’s for Collaborative approach Chris’ treatment.

With Chris dealing with debilitating pain the Walkers looked to their medical team “The chemotherapy just devastated me,” for emergency solutions. The medical team, recalled Chris. “I lost 40 pounds. which included Drs. James Bell, St. Luke’s I couldn’t keep anything down, I was Hospice and Palliative Care; Mary Hlavin, nauseous and in tremendous pain. On Neurosurgical Clinic of Cedar Rapids; Mark a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the Kline, Linn County Anesthesiologists and worst, I was a 12.”

“When you have tools to make people comfortable and you are able to use all of those tools to provide the best care possible – it’s a great feeling.”

James Bell, MD, St. Luke’s Hospice and Palliative Care medical director.

6 | stlukescr.org

“Chris came in for a pain crisis,” recalls James Bell, MD, St. Luke’s Hospice and Palliative Care medical director. “His oncologist did the typical things for pain and it didn’t help so we knew we were going to have to get creative.”

With a team of doctors Chris Walker’s pain was finally brought under control.

terrible diagnosis but God has made his presence known through this journey in the love we’ve received from our family and friends.

“The staff at St. Luke’s has been great,” said Jean. “We’ve had outstanding care.

It’s allowed us to enjoy our time together.”

To learn more about St. Luke’s Hospice and Palliative Care go to stlukescr.org/hospice or call 319/369-7744.

Editor’s note: Chris Walker passed away Nov. 18, 2011 at his Cedar Rapids home surrounded by loved ones. He leaves behind his wife Jean, and daughter, Madeline.

Jean, Chris and Madeline Walker pose for a family photo last summer.

“These doctors tapped into St. Luke’s Pain Clinic and were able to come up with this plan to enhance the quality of Chris’ life and it has been wonderful not to see him in terrible pain,” Jean said.

kliks photography

Managing

David Zenk, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, Hematology and Oncology – all worked together to find a solution.

“It has been so great,” said Chris. “I’ve had no pain, no chemo to knock me down. It’s been such a blessing. I have some nausea every now and again but the reality is I can live life again.”

Quality of life care Chris and Jean also made the decision that Chris would stop additional chemotherapy treatments and focus on maintaining a quality of life. He decided to end palliative care and use hospice services. Hospice care isn’t to cure or treat the underlying disease but to provide the highest quality of life possible for whatever time remains.

“The common misperception of keeping people comfortable in hospice care means not doing anything but really it’s about doing a lot for an individual,” said Dr. Bell. “When you have tools to make people comfortable and you are able to use all of those tools to provide the best care possible – it’s a great feeling.”

“We asked for a miracle when I was first diagnosed,” said Chris. “And we have seen so many along the way and all these doctors coming together to help me live a full life is one of the big miracles. It’s a

Hospice inpatient unit helps embrace life St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation is embarking on a capital campaign to create our community’s first dedicated Hospice Inpatient Unit. Within the walls of St. Luke’s Hospital, this unit will provide comfort and specialized care for patients facing the end-of-life and need to receive intensive, end-of-life care that is best delivered in a hospital setting. In addition, this unique unit will help grieving families cope with the death of their loved one in a peaceful, calming environment with trained experts on hand.

St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation is raising $2.5 million to build the Hospice Inpatient Unit and $1 million to start an endowment. This unit will be completely funded with philanthropy. The Hospice Inpatient Unit is expected to be operational in early 2013. To make a donation, contact St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation at 319/369-7716 or donate online at stlukesfoundation.com.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 |

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Lifesaving

medical transportation

Ongoing recovery

“Helicopter transport for patients like Tony is vitally important. He was very sick and minutes can mean the difference between life and death.”

Vicki Petersen, St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance flight nurse

Quick care thanks to Lifeguard Air Ambulance

W

hat started out as an “ordinary workday” quickly turned into a life-threatening situation for Tony Marbach of Manchester.

The 23-year-old Marbach is a heavy equipment operator. On September 19, he and two coworkers were working on a drainage tile project just south of Ryan. The trench they were digging for the project was about six feet wide and about seven feet deep. Around 8:45 a.m. Marbach jumped into the trench to make sure everything was positioned correctly.

“The next thing I remember was seeing some cracks in the trench wall and it started to move,” recalls Marbach. “I turned around and started sprinting out. Then all of a sudden I felt the dirt wall come crashing down and everything went dark. I was completely buried in dirt.”

Marbach felt several of his bones crack from the weight of the dirt. He willed himself to stay calm but the pressure from the dirt packed around his body made it difficult to breathe.

“I had a lot of thoughts running through my mind,” Marbach said. “I wondered if this was going be the last time I was going to see daylight. I thought to myself – was this the end?

Was this my time?”

Tony Marbach continues his recovery after an accident last fall.

8 | stlukescr.org

Meanwhile his coworkers were frantically digging to save their trapped colleague. Marbach heard them calling his name.

“There was a small pocket in front of my chest where I could see some light,” recalls Marbach. “I took my left hand and pushed away about a football-sized chunk of dirt and they saw my hand and knew I was alive. That’s when emergency crews arrived.”

Emergency responders quickly and carefully dug Marbach out. He was finally freed around 11 a.m. St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance had been called to rush Marbach to the hospital.

“I was amazed at how calm Tony remained as emergency crews worked to dig him out,” said Deb Julian, St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance flight nurse.

“As soon as the firefighters freed him, we quickly loaded him into Lifeguard and delivered him to St. Luke’s.”

Minutes matter “The injuries to Tony’s chest area were evident at the scene, and while we knew it would be hard on his lungs to lay him flat, it was critical that his back and neck be immobilized in case he had neck or spine fractures,” said Vicki Petersen, St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance flight nurse. “Helicopter transport for patients like Tony is vitally important. He was very sick and minutes can mean the difference between life and death.”

“Vicki and Deb were great,” said Marbach.

“They kept me calm. The entire ride in Lifeguard seemed to last only five minutes.

Lifeguard is very important to my family.

I’m not the first to take a ride in the helicopter. My brother, Matt, lost his arm in a farming accident several years ago and Lifeguard was called to transport him too.

It could have been a different story for me that day if I would have had to take an ambulance from Ryan to St. Luke’s. My family is very grateful to have Lifeguard in our community.”

“Anyone who has a trauma like Tony’s – it’s important you get to a hospital that triages him quickly with multiple specialists to address the problems right away and get him stabilized,” said James Boddicker, MD, Internists PC “This immediate care will get him on the right road to recovery and minimize secondary problems that might arise from the trauma.”

“The care was great at St. Luke’s. They did a good job getting me better and back on the right track,” said Marbach. “I had excellent nurses.”

Marbach is working with a physical therapist and continuing to recover from his injuries.

“He’s doing fine,” said Dr. Boddicker. “He still sees Dr. David Hart at Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C. Orthopedics for his shoulder and his ribs are healing nicely. These types of injuries take time to heal but he should be able to return to work.”

“I want to return to work,” said Marbach.

“I just need some more time before I’m completely healed. Overall I’m doing great and I’m thankful to be alive.”

To learn more about Lifeguard Air Ambulance go to stlukescr.org/lifeguard.

Doctors determined Marbach had six broken ribs, a separated right shoulder, several fractured bones around his left eye, broken collar bones and a collapsed lung.

“Tony is pretty lucky he had someone working with him who knew how to get him out quickly,” said Dr. Boddicker. “In a trench collapse they just get buried and can basically suffocate because the dirt just falls in quickly. It’s also common to see crush injuries like Tony sustained because of the intense pressure from the dirt collapsing around him.”

Marbach spent a total of 10 days at St. Luke’s Hospital. Four of those days were spent in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

James Boddicker, MD, Internists PC

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 |

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Birth Care Connection Cedar Rapids woman meets namesake during delivery

S

t. Luke’s Birth Care Labor and Delivery Nurse Sarah Serbousek first met patient Sarah Jill Mulherin 28 years ago.

“Several years ago I was at work and one of our nurses came to me and said ‘you have to come meet this patient – she was named after you!’” recalled Serbousek.

Nurse Sarah Serbousek and Sarah “Jill” Mulherin with Jacob in St. Luke’s Birth Care.

The two S

arahs 28

years ago

.

At the time Mulherin was pregnant with her now three-year-old daughter Hannah. She came to St. Luke’s with labor pains. Turns out it was false labor but before Mulherin left the hospital she relayed a popular family story – one her mother had shared with her many times over the years.

“I asked the nurse who was with me at the time if there was a nurse named Sarah who has worked at St. Luke’s for 30 years that still works here,” said Mulherin. “The nurse mentioned Sarah Serbousek had and we put two and two together and realized she was the nurse who helped deliver me 28 years ago. When my mom had me she experienced some serious complications and said ‘if the only thing I get to do is name this child I want her to be as kind as this nurse.’ My mom said her nurse was especially kind to her and her name was Sarah and so she named me Sarah with an “h” because that’s how the nurse spelled it.”

Nurse honored Thankfully Mulherin’s mother survived and did in fact name her daughter Sarah. As you would expect Mulherin’s story deeply touched Serbousek.

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“I do remember her mother,” said Serbousek. “But as you would expect the details fade a little after so many years.

But to think you do your job every day – the best you can do – and to have made such an impression on a woman that she names her baby after me is really cool. I was really quite honored.”

And even though Mulherin was sent home and delivered baby Hannah

Connect with us Are you using social media? So is St. Luke’s Hospital! There are several active communities on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube related to St. Luke’s. Take a look and join the conversation.

We encourage open discussions and look forward to any comments, stories and experiences you want to share.

Find us as at: • Facebook.com/stlukeshospital • Facebook.com/stlukesbirthcare • YouTube.com/stlhospitalcr • Twitter.com/stlukescr

Jacob. It was so neat how everything came full circle and it allowed me the chance to get to know her a little better and see for myself what a great nurse she is. My mom was right, Sarah is a very caring person.”

Full circle “When I saw I was assigned to help Sarah deliver her son I thought it was so ironic,” said Serbousek. “It was really very special and neat to see the end of the story – we kind of came full circle and I was happy to be a part of it.”

That “circle” was complete with the arrival of Jacob Alexander Mulherin.

He arrived at 12:31 p.m. on Sept. 2, weighing 8 pounds, 9 ½ ounces.

“I had such a great experience at St. Luke’s,” said Mulherin. “I delivered here because it is the hospital my family has always gone to.”

“St. Luke’s is really a great place to work,” said Serbousek. “My coworkers are great and the families I get to take care of are fantastic. It’s really a rewarding job. I tell people all the time I’m lucky I get to see births happen just about every day – that’s pretty special.”

As for the two Sarah’s – they plan to stay in touch.

another day – the connection between the two women remained. Fast forward three years and Mulherin was expecting her second child, a boy. She once again chose St. Luke’s to give birth.

“I was getting settled in my room and in walks a very familiar, smiling face,” said Mulherin. “Sarah Serbousek walked in and said she had been assigned as my nurse. She assisted with the delivery of

“Sarah is really neat and I’ve been fortunate to get to know her,” said Serbousek.

Get to know St. Luke’s Birth Care with a personal tour.

To schedule call 319/369-8129 or register online at stlukescr.org/birthcaretour.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 | 11

Ask the

Expert

For your

Shawn Johnson: Inspiring Greatness!

What questions do St. Luke’s financial counselors get asked the most?

Connie Ament, St. Luke’s financial counselor

Tuesday, January 24 • 7 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Road NE

down with someone who may have a lot of anxiety about their bills and walk them through the process. They usually leave my office relieved to have things sorted out.”

Iowa’s own Shawn Johnson knows about hard work and determination. By the age of 17, she had earned gold and silver Olympic medals, as well as the “Dancing With the Stars” first-place mirror ball trophy.

Shawn is a firm believer in setting lofty goals and one of her passions is inspiring people to be fit and healthy. People of all ages will want to attend to hear about her amazing journey, as well as her personal tips for families who want to get healthy together!

Another common question patients have is how much an individual is going to have to pay after an insurance claim is made.

A

trip to the hospital is never easy, but it can be even more stressful when you have questions about hospital bills and don’t know who to ask. St. Luke’s Hospital has financial counselors available to help answer a variety of hospital billing questions.

“Probably our most-asked question is – ‘Is there assistance available to help pay my medical bills?,’” said Connie Ament, St. Luke’s financial counselor. “We work directly with the patient and many times we discover an individual may qualify for financial assistance. This is for uninsured, underinsured individuals or a patient who has a large bill after insurance has been paid.”

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St. Luke’s financial counselors will work with individuals and assist them in applying for financial assistance. These forms are available in the Emergency Department, SurgiCare and at the Cashier’s desk. Eligibility is based on household income, monthly expenses, available assets, current financial obligations, outstanding medical bills and availability of insurance coverage. If a patient does not qualify for financial assistance the financial counselors will assist individuals with setting up an agreeable payment plan.

“We are also available to sit down with patients one-on-one and answer any insurance questions they may have,” said Ament. “This is a great service the hospital offers – it’s also enjoyable for me to sit

“I will look into the individual’s insurance plan and see what their benefits are,” Ament said. “I contact the doctor’s office to get the procedure code and look at the contracts St. Luke’s has with that particular insurance company to give individuals an estimate of what they can expect to pay. A lot of patients are very appreciative of my assistance and it makes them feel a little more aware of what is going on and what costs they will be responsible for.”

St. Luke’s strives to be very transparent regarding hospital charges and billing practices and welcomes the opportunity to educate patients and the community whenever the need arises. In fact, the top ten most frequently asked questions about procedures and estimated costs can be found on the hospital website at stlukescr.org/billing.

To contact St. Luke’s financial counselors call 319/369-7513 or for specific questions about an account or bill, contact Iowa Health System’s Central Billing Office at 888/343-4165.

You may also go to stlukescr.org/ billing to send questions via e-mail.

Health

To register for this free event, go to stlukescr.org/livewell or call 319/369-8068.

How Healthy Are Your Lungs?

Tuesday, January 10 • 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

3rd Floor Nassif Heart Center Classrooms

Learn about hospitalists When you have heart troubles you see a cardiologist.

When you have a baby you see an obstetrician. And when you are in the hospital you see a hospitalist.

Learn more about this new medical specialty by watching a video created especially for patients and families. Hear from St. Luke’s Hospitalist Medical Director Dr. Tracy Reittinger about what to expect if you or a loved one is treated by a hospitalist.

Watch the video at stlukescr.org/hospitalist.

For most, breathing is easy – but many of us take it for granted. As we age, we’re all at risk for lung complications – regardless of smoking history. Attend this program to learn about the most common conditions and symptoms, risk factors and what you can do to improve and preserve your lung health!

Attendees will learn: • Most common lung-related conditions • Risk factors for lung complications • Signs/symptoms of lung disease or other complications • Basics on diagnosing & treating lung issues To register for this free event, go to stlukescr.org/livewell or call 319/369-8068.

St. Luke’s website is your resource for videos and information about health conditions and procedures. You can find the St. Luke’s video library at stlukescr.org/videolibrary.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Winter 2012 | 13

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ealth H St. Luke’s

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We apologize for mailing problems such as duplicate copies. If you have questions or concerns about Health Beat magazine, please call us at 319/369-7395 or e-mail stlukes@crstlukes.com. © 2012 by St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA

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Left to right: Drs. J. David Cowden; John Vander Zee; Thomas Warren and James Renz.