Healthbeat summer 2013

Summer 2013

St. Luke’s

B E A T 

Careful comeback

An athlete’s concussion journey PAGE 6

Exceptional heart care Why one patient wouldn’t go anywhere else for heart care

PAGE 8

Weight loss success

Shedding pounds and keeping it off PAGE 10

Breast cancer diagnosis New option cuts treatment time PAGE 2

unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

What’s

Inside 1 Health Clips

Health news you can use.

2 - 3

Breast cancer treatment in half the time There’s a new tool only at St. Luke’s that allows individuals to get back to living their life sooner after breast cancer surgery.

4 - 5

2-3

Rapid transport saves lives The Lifeguard Air Ambulance team saves the life of a Keystone man after a snowmobile accident.

6-7

8-9

Careful comeback A Linn-Mar basketball player recovers quickly from a concussion thanks to help from his St. Luke’s athletic trainer.

8-9

14 - 17

10 - 11

On the

Winter 2013

St. Luke’s

cover

B E A T 

Advances in breast cancer

Matt Lassen is back shooting hoops after a concussion.

Exceptional heart care St. Luke’s open-heart surgery team gets high praise from one of its patients for above and beyond care.

Only Iowa location with treatment PAGE 6

Heart Disease Awareness Son saves father with CPR PAGE 2 Heart attack symptoms women often w omen no ften miss miss PA PAGE P AGE 4

From trauma to triumph PAGE 8

Missed

the last issue?

Stories from Health Beat, Winter 2013, are available at unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

stlukescr.org

10 - 11 Weight loss success After trying dozens of diets a local woman finally finds a diet plan that sheds her unwanted pounds.

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Report to the community We invite you to learn more about St. Luke’s Hospital.

13

For your health

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.



Vol. 18 No. 2 l Summer 2013

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

Timely health and medical news.

14 - 17 St. Luke’s Foundation Learn how donations make a difference in the lives of eastern Iowans.

2013

Connect with St. Luke’s at unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

Health Clips St. Luke’s now UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital 2013

A five-time Top 100 Hospital For the fifth year, St. Luke’s has been named to the Truven Health Analytics 100 Top Hospitals list. St. Luke’s first earned this designation nine years ago and then in 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2013.

“This is an outstanding achievement for the doctors, nurses, staff, board and volunteers,” said Ted Townsend, St. Luke’s President and CEO. “The Truven Top 100 designation is a prestigious industry gold standard award, which cannot be purchased – most others require payment to market their awards. The Truven Award is based on facts, not opinion.”

If all Medicare inpatients throughout the country received 100 Top Hospitals care, then:

More than

164,000 lives could be saved 82,000

additional patients could be complication-free

$

6 billion could be saved

The average patient stay would decrease by half a day.

The study has been conducted annually since 1993. The study compared St. Luke’s performance against similarly-sized hospitals across the country.

Go to 100tophospitals.com/topnational-hospitals to read the entire 100 Top Hospitals: National Benchmarks study.

This spring the Iowa Health System announced it was changing its name to UnityPoint Health. As an affiliate of UnityPoint Health, St. Luke’s altered its name.

The change to UnityPoint Health follows several years of innovation and discussions between patients, donors, board of directors, doctors and staff regarding healthcare changes and how to best position the organization for the future.

OLD NEW St. Luke’s Physicians & Clinics

UnityPoint Clinic

St. Luke’s Home Medical Equipment, Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and Lifeline UnityPoint at Home St. Luke’s Hospice

UnityPoint Hospice

St. Luke’s Hospital UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital Jones Regional Medical Center

UnityPoint Health – Jones Regional Medical Center

stlukescr.org

unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

Commitment to heart care excellence leads to practice change UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology, formerly known as Cardiologists, L.C., has partnered with St. Luke’s Hospital to develop a Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence. The first of its kind in Cedar Rapids, the Center will provide advanced specialized heart care so patients won’t need to travel outside of Cedar Rapids for state-of-the-art heart care.

In developing this Center of Excellence, UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology will no longer practice at Mercy Medical Center.

This is a decision that wasn’t taken lightly. The cardiologists felt it was in the best interest of patients to concentrate all of their efforts at St. Luke’s because the hospital has the patient volume to support this specialized care and they have a long-standing commitment to the community as being the area’s heart hospital.

In fact, St. Luke’s has been nationally recognized multiple times as being a

Dr. Todd Langager UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology

Top 50 Heart Hospital in the nation – a true commitment to improving heart care in Cedar Rapids.

If you have any questions about these changes, we invite you to call us at 319/364-7101.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 |

1

Breast cancer treatment

in half the time B

etty McBurney had a nagging feeling. Her daughter had received a mailer urging her to get her mammogram. Even though her daughter hadn’t lived with her in years the piece of mail remained on her countertop.

“I kept meaning to give it to her,” said McBurney. “But there it sat – it was almost like it was whispering to me, ‘Get yourself checked, Betty.’”

When McBurney had her physical last fall with Richard Hodge, MD,

UnityPoint Clinic in Marion, she mentioned she was due for a mammogram.

“Dr. Hodge told me I could have a walk-in mammogram at the Marion St. Luke’s Breast and Bone Health, which was right next door to his office.

Betty McBurney visits with her grandchildren, (from left) Kaleb, DeLoss and Kalina as they look through a family book.

2 | unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

When he was done with me I walked right in and had a mammogram almost right away. It was pretty slick.”

It was during that mammogram doctors found “something.” McBurney received a phone call telling her they needed her to come in again and after a biopsy she had a diagnosis: breast cancer.

“I was upset but I thought I have to keep a positive attitude because that is what will get me through this,” said McBurney.

“Everyone at St. Luke’s was wonderful and really held my hand through everything.”

McBurney was connected with Wendy Young, a breast care coordinator at the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center. Once an individual is diagnosed with cancer the care coordinator is available to guide the patient every step of the way.

“Wendy was really great about explaining the process to me,” McBurney said. “She explained my options. We talked about a mastectomy and lumpectomy. And she also told me I may be a candidate for a fairly new procedure for early stage breast cancer patients called Intraoperative Electron Radiation Therapy or IOERT. I was really interested in it because the recovery time was so much faster and easier.”

Intraoperative Electron Radiation Therapy To learn more about IOERT and her options for breast cancer care McBurney met with Robert Brimmer, MD, FACS, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa cancer surgeon. He is part of a coordinated team of doctors that are part of the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center, which is located in the new Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Medical Pavilion.

“The IOERT unit at St. Luke’s is unique because it is a mobile linear accelerator, which produces an electron radiation beam,” said Dr. Brimmer. “It creates the same kind of electrons to treat patients as it would at any typical radiation center. Since it is mobile we are able to move it into the operating room and give the identical type of radiation other facilities have been administering for the last 40 years. IOERT’s benefit is that a woman receives this treatment during surgery and we are able to direct the radiation exactly at the spot where the cancer was.”

Radiation during surgery IOERT is offered to early stage breast cancer patients through an international clinical research trial. It is the application of electron radiation directly to the tumor bed immediately during cancer surgery. This single dose of radiation reduces the need for radiation therapy after surgery – generally cutting post-surgery radiation therapy in half from six to only three weeks.

“Ninety percent of cancer reoccurrences after a lumpectomy come within

two centimeters of the cancer tumor location,” said Dr. Brimmer. “If we can treat that area with electrons in the operating room we can avoid irradiating the skin, precisely target the tumor location, expect low tumor recurrence rates and simultaneously lower the cost of medical care.”

“I hadn’t heard about IOERT but after Dr. Brimmer explained it to me it seemed like my best option for breast cancer treatment,” said McBurney. “Removing the tumor and then receiving the radiation treatment right there in the OR where the tumor was – made so much sense. I also liked that my skin wouldn’t be exposed directly to the radiation.”

“ IOERT’s benefit is that a woman receives this treatment during surgery and we are able to direct the radiation exactly at the spot where the cancer was.”

Robert Brimmer, MD, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, cancer surgeon

McBurney had oncoplastic surgery to repair the lumpectomy defect. Oncoplasty uses plastic surgery techniques for breast cancer patients to minimize breast surgery distortion. When a patient has a lumpectomy it leaves the breast distorted.

This surgery sculpts the remaining tissue to restore a natural appearance to the breast shape. The opposing breast may also be modified to create symmetry.

“It was great to have everything done at once,” said McBurney. “It saved me a lot of time and headache. When I came out of the operating room everything was done except for only three weeks of radiation therapy. It was such a relief.”

care – they can receive it right here in Cedar Rapids and can expect excellent outcomes. It’s a great opportunity for our community.”

“Everyone I encountered at St. Luke’s and the Community Cancer Center treated me like I was their only patient,” said McBurney. “I appreciated that so much.

I didn’t feel like a number, I knew they really cared about me – that meant a lot.”

Today, McBurney is back to spending time with her family. She especially enjoys attending her grandkids’ sporting events. She makes sure to do things today that before her cancer diagnosis she might have put off.

“It’s gratifying to be able to offer these options to patients right here in eastern Iowa,” said Dr. Brimmer. “People don’t have to travel to achieve advanced cancer

To learn more about IOERT, go to radiationduringsurgery.com.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 | 3

Rapid transport

saves lives

Lifeguard Air Ambulance provides critical care

T

he sun was setting after a full day of snowmobile riding for Nick Wallace and his friend and co-worker, Brett Heishman, near Keystone, Iowa, where Wallace raises grass-fed cattle and organic grain on land that’s been in his family for five generations.

It was the first week in January and Wallace, 35, hadn’t been snowmobiling all season because his wife, Pascale, had just given birth two months earlier to their second son, Maddock. The night was cold, and as the two headed back to their truck, Wallace’s snowmobile ran into Heishman’s, catapulting Wallace through the air up ahead of both snowmobiles. The force threw Heishman off his vehicle.

“Brett was okay. When he looked up, his snowmobile drove over my head. As the ski went over me, it got under my helmet, ripped off my helmet and broke five parts of my spine,” Wallace said.

Heishman called 911 and the Blairstown and Keystone first responders drove to the site, calling St. Luke’s Lifeguard Air Ambulance before reaching the accident scene. Deep drifts and heavy snow kept the Keystone fire emergency rig from getting through the field, so they used a four-wheel-drive vehicle to get to Wallace. They dressed deep cuts on his face, put him in a cervical collar, placed him on a long-back board and brought him to their vehicle to keep him warm.

“They made the right call from the start,” said Lifeguard Flight Nurse Bev Minear.

“Our main goals are rapid transport and taking good care of that critical patient. Without

Nick Wallace uses the functional electrical stimulation bike with Therapists Barb West and Megan Andresen.

4 | unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

“ Our main goals are rapid transport and taking good care of that critical patient.

Without Lifeguard, there would have been a lot of delay because of where they were in the field.”

Bev Minear, RN, Lifeguard flight nurse

Lifeguard, there would have been a lot of delay because of where they were in the field.”

The Lifeguard team assessed Wallace in the aircraft then went directly to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). “En route, we put in the IV and gave him pain and nausea medicine. The flight time from the scene to the hospital was 16 minutes,” Minear said.

Wallace was in a lot of pain, but he was awake and even joked with the flight crew. “When I got in the chopper, they said I kept saying, ‘My wife’s gonna kill me,’” Wallace said.

Wallace’s sense of humor, along with a strong work ethic, determination and incredible support from his family helped him progress through his rehabilitation with surprising speed. Wallace heard St. Luke’s had a reputation as one of the best rehabilitation centers in the Midwest. After a short stay at UIHC, he was transferred to St. Luke’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. “Once I got to St. Luke’s, I was a lot more comfortable,” Wallace said, crediting St. Luke’s focus on patient-centered care.

Though he had several neck fractures, they were not complete injuries. “The spine just slammed into the side of my spinal cord, cutting off those nerves. It didn’t penetrate the spinal cord at all,” he explained.

“When he came in, he wasn’t able to feed himself or put in his contacts. He couldn’t stand or walk,” said Barb West, St. Luke’s occupational therapist.

“The only thing I could do was just wiggle my right toe a tiny bit. I couldn’t move the rest of my leg at all. I couldn’t pick up my arm,” Wallace explained.

St. Luke’s new functional electrical stimulation (FES) bike was a perfect tool to get Wallace moving again. Electrodes that deliver low-level electrical impulses were placed on Wallace’s body to stimulate his nerves and contract his muscles in patterns of movement that enabled him to pedal with his legs or arms, in spite of the fact that he couldn’t initiate movement himself. “He got movement in every single muscle group, which was very motivating for him to see and feel,” said St. Luke’s Physical Therapist Megan Andresen.

“Every time I was on it I would push harder and harder,” Wallace said. “I went from wiggling my toe to walking within three weeks.”

Wallace was discharged from St. Luke’s February 12 and refused a wheelchair so

he could walk out of the hospital with his family at his side. He continues working with St. Luke’s outpatient rehab and has improved his arm strength, hand control and fine motor coordination. “He is still working on getting full function of his arms to return to work tasks,” West explained.

“The physical and occupational therapists are doing more than their job. They truly care about the patients they see. They really push you to achieve what you want to achieve. And they’re always in a great mood, and that helps,” Wallace said.

At home, farm chores have become part of his therapy. And he’s working toward his goal of teaching his son, Graham, 3, to throw a baseball. “We’ve been practicing in the house with oranges,” he said. “He’s got a wing on him.”

St. Luke’s Inpatient Rehabilitation unit has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for over 38 years.

Learn more about St. Luke’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at unitypoint.org/cedarrapids.

Luke’sHealth HealthBeat Beat | Summer | Spring 2013 | 35 St.St.Luke’s

Careful comeback:

an athlete’s concussion journey D

ecember 9, 2011, in the first few minutes of a varsity basketball game at Linn-Mar High School – the third game of the year – player Matt Lassen was taking a charge from an Iowa City West player when he was knocked down. “My head hit the floor once and then another player was in the air and his whole body came down on my head. I bounced and came back up and got hit back down again. After that, I don’t remember much,” said Lassen, now 18.

St. Luke’s Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Jill Hendricks watched as a second player came down on Lassen’s head after the charging player fell on him. Lassen began convulsing immediately. Hendricks rushed onto the floor, securing Lassen’s body to keep him from further injuring himself. “I stabilized

Matt’s head and neck and tried to make sure he didn’t move anymore, if and when he became conscious. I’m trained to handle emergency situations like this,” Hendricks said. She told the athletic director to call 911 and the coach to get Lassen’s parents at his side.

Hendricks works full-time at Linn-Mar as part of St. Luke’s Sports Medicine program. She attends Linn-Mar High School’s varsity athletic practices, home events, and travels with the football team and other teams for post-season play.

She’s responsible for both Linn-Mar and opposing teams at home games as well as officials. And, as a full-time athletic trainer, she’s at school every morning to treat and evaluate injured athletes.

The Lassen family honored Athletic Trainer Jill Hendricks with a Guardian Angel Award through St. Luke’s Foundation for her care of Matt.

Lassen was taken to St. Luke’s Emergency Department then to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he spent time in the intensive care unit. He had a serious head injury that involved brain hemorrhages and swelling. “The second day I remember waking up and my whole family was in the room,” Lassen said. He didn’t feel any pain until he moved his head, then his heart rate went up, equipment started beeping and he felt incredible pain.

When Lassen was released to go home, he had to avoid stimulating his brain, which meant no video games, limited reading, TV and activities. He avoided noise and lights, which gave him bad headaches. His balance was off. He missed several weeks of school and when he returned, it was for half days at first. “Resuming activity after any head injury is a gradual process that’s carefully observed,” Hendricks explained.

Hendricks attended Lassen’s appointments with Mary Hlavin, MD, a UnityPoint Clinic neurosurgeon, who evaluated Lassen and gradually released him to do different activities under Hendrick’s supervision.

Lassen worked with Hendricks daily, taking detailed notes for Dr. Hlavin. “She went above and beyond and spent hours with me to get me back. She had bosu balls for

“Resuming activity after any head injury is a gradual process that’s carefully observed.”

Jill Hendricks, Athletic Trainer, St. Luke’s Sports Medicine

6 | unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

The American Academy of Neurology says almost 9 percent of high school sports injuries involve concussions.

balance and would have me stand on the ball with one foot and my eyes closed,” he said. “There’s no way I would have done half the things I did as fast as I did without her.”

Dr. Hlavin cleared Lassen to rejoin the basketball team with a few games left in the season. He played about 10 minutes his first game back. “That game was probably one of my best high school memories ever. I came in and the whole crowd stood up and they gave me a standing ovation,” Lassen said. The next game Lassen started and scored 30 points.

He realized his dream of playing in the state tournament.

“A concussion affects everything in your life,” Lassen said. “I couldn’t ride in a car at night. I couldn’t focus on school.

I got dizzy a lot. It’s tough and I know I would’ve given in and gotten down if I didn’t have all the people around me to keep me motivated – my parents, the rest of my family, my teammates, my coaches, Jill. It is a long road, but once you get past it, it changes you. It puts life in perspective.”

St. Luke’s Sports Medicine provides athletic trainers to local high schools, colleges and sports organizations.

For more information on St. Luke’s Sports Medicine call 319/369-8723.

Matt Lassen will play basketball for Kirkwood Community College next year.

Iowa’s concussion safety law Athletes who show signs or symptoms of a concussion must be removed from athletic participation until a licensed healthcare professional, such as an athletic trainer, releases them to play. Violent trauma is only one way concussions occur. A fall or blow to the body that jars the brain inside the skull can also cause concussions.

Symptoms may take a few minutes, days or even weeks before they are noticeable.

Common symptoms of concussion: • Headache • Dizziness/lightheadedness and memory difficulties but may also include nausea/vomiting • Visual disturbance (blurring most common) • Light sensitivity • Loss of smell/taste

• Hearing trouble such as tinnitus or loss of hearing • Balance trouble • Trouble concentrating, impaired judgment, emotional trouble, personality change • Easy fatigue, disruption of sleep/ wake cycle St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 |

7

Exceptional

heart care T

he simple act of walking up the stairs with a laundry basket had Robyn Crissman, 52, gasping for breath last fall. The Robins woman had recovered from a stroke months earlier.

“I sat down and said to myself, ‘Robyn, you need to lose weight,’” recalled Crissman. “I thought I shouldn’t be severely winded after walking up the stairs. And that’s when I vomited. It was at that point I realized something might be seriously wrong with me.”

Crissman then drove herself to UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine at Bowman Woods. Crissman is a patient of Jerome Janda, DO.

“Robyn has been my patient for many years,” said Dr. Janda. “So when she arrived at UnityPoint Clinic the front desk staff immediately recognized her and could tell she was not well. They called my nurse who got in touch with me immediately.”

Dr. Janda promptly hooked Crissman up to an EKG or electrocardiogram, which is a test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of the heart.

“Knowing Robyn helped me to know at a glance that she was in trouble,” said Dr. Janda. “With her symptoms I thought she was either having heart issues or that she could possibly have a blood clot. The EKG confirmed she was having a possible heart attack and we immediately called an ambulance to take her to St. Luke’s.”

Open-heart surgery Doctors at St. Luke’s Emergency Department worked with a cardiologist from UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology to determine Crissman’s heart blockages were too severe to open with a cardiac catheterization procedure.

She would need open-heart surgery.

St. Luke’s is the only hospital in Cedar Rapids that can perform open-heart surgery and other specialized heart procedures.

“Robyn had a bifurcation blockage,” said Dr. Mir Wasif Ali, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa cardiothoracic surgeon. “This occurs when the main coronary artery and an adjoining side-branch vessel are blocked due to calcified plaque and fatty build-up.

Without adequate blood flow, the heart becomes starved of the oxygen it needs to work properly.”

There are several risk factors for heart disease (see sidebar) some individuals are able to control but one you cannot control is family history. Both of Crissman’s parents had heart disease and open-heart surgery. Her father was 46 when he had open-heart surgery and her mom was in her 50s. Her father passed away from heart disease at age 56.

Robyn Crissman and her husband, Ted, enjoy camping together each summer.

8 | unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

“I know my family history so I took steps to prevent heart disease,” said Crissman.

“I didn’t smoke and exercised regularly.

I didn’t feel like I had any warning signs leading up to my heart scare. So it was somewhat of a surprise especially coming on the heels of a stroke last year, which was a wake-up call for me.”

Attention to special concerns Another concern for Crissman was her skin condition. Any kind of tape, Band Aids or other adhesives leaves her skin raw.

“It’s a very painful condition,” said Crissman. “When the adhesive is removed it rips away my skin. It’s almost like a burn.

It takes a long time to heal and sometimes it can get infected. So when Dr. Ali mentioned I needed to have open-heart surgery I had a lot of concerns. About the surgery and what it would do to my skin.”

“We had to balance caring for her skin with protecting her from infection,” Dr. Ali said.

“I worked with the open-heart surgery team at St. Luke’s to figure out what we could do for Robyn. We devised a plan where we would use a small amount of tape on her chest but found an adhesive remover that is used in St. Luke’s NICU. We were creative and found alternative ways to do what we needed to do for Robyn without damaging her skin.”

“Besides the small amount of tape they had to use for the surgery there was no other tape used during my 12-day stay at St. Luke’s,” said Crissman. “The whole team of doctors and nurses was wonderful. I received exceptional care. I am so grateful.”

“Her surgery went well,” said Dr. Ali. “Robyn healed nicely and all the work everyone did paid off because there were no skin issues. There’s always a concern with a skin disorder like Robyn had because she could have developed an infection and

had more problems. If her skin had been sloughed off it might have opened her up to infection and more issues.”

“I am doing much better today,” said Crissman. “I am seeing Dr. Richard Kettelkamp at UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology.

He is wonderful and is helping me stay healthy. I feel fortunate to be alive. I would urge others to seek medical treatment immediately if they ever suspect they are having a medical emergency. I just think if I had waited to go to the doctor that day I probably wouldn’t be here. I’ve thought about that a lot. And know I am very lucky.”

Crissman and her husband, Ted, are back to enjoying camping this summer. It’s an activity the couple of 26 years hopes to enjoy together for many more years to come.

Take control of your heart health by finding out your heart disease risk with the $99 Heart Scan from St. Luke’s Heart Care Services. St. Luke’s $99 Heart Scan takes X-ray pictures of your heart and detects plaque in the arteries. The results help your doctor assess your risk of heart disease and

Mir Wasif Ali, MD, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, cardiothoracic surgeon

which steps to take to avoid serious heart complications. The Heart Scan is for men and women between the ages of 40 and 70. All that’s needed is a doctor’s order.

To sign up for St. Luke’s Heart Scan, call 319/369-8909.

Understand your risk for a heart attack The following risk factors have been linked to a higher incidence of heart attack.

• Increasing age: About 82 percent of people • High blood pressure: High blood who die of heart disease are 65 or older. pressure increases the heart’s workload.

• Physical inactivity: An inactive lifestyle

• Gender: Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women and typically have attacks earlier in life.

is a risk factor for heart disease.

• Heredity: Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves.

• Smoking: Smokers’ risk of developing heart disease is two to four times that of nonsmokers.

• High blood cholesterol: As blood cholesterol rises, so does the risk of heart disease.

• Obesity and overweight: People who have excess body fat - especially around the waist - are more likely to develop heart disease.

• Diabetes: Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease.

• Stress: Some scientists have noted a relationship between heart disease and stress.

Source: American Heart Association

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 | 9

Weight loss

success

B

illie Burhite of Cedar Rapids has tried just about every diet available. Up to this point the 40-year-old hasn’t had much success shedding her excess pounds. It’s something she was always working on but didn’t feel any sense of urgency until recently.

Billie Burhite includes daily walks in her new diet and exercise regimen.

“I felt some chest pain,” said Burhite. “My dad died at the age of 36 from a heart attack so I was worried. I called my doctor.”

Her family doctor is Shannon Throndson, MD, UnityPoint Clinic. Dr. Throndson examined her and didn’t immediately identify any heart problems. To be sure she referred Burhite to Subhi Halawa, MD, a cardiologist at UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology. Thankfully everything checked out fine.

“I went back to see Dr. Throndson and she said Prasuna Rao Madhavaram, MD, (Dr. Rao) at UnityPoint Clinic Multi-Speciality started a weight loss program. We had talked about my need to lose weight a couple of times before and we both agreed it would be a great Abha Saxena, MD, IPCtry.

Nephrologist opportunity forPhD, me to Two days later DaVita Cedar Rapids medical director I enrolled in the program.”

10 | unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

Medical oversight

“Any meal replacement program needs to be very nutritious and very low in calories to result in a significant weight loss and Health One meal replacement is one of those,” said Dr. Rao. “It’s a very safe product. For any weight loss program the medical management is very important to ensure patient safety.”

The Medical Weight Loss Clinic has medical oversight provided by Dr. Rao. The Clinic encourages individuals to participate in the Health One program. The Health One program combines a complete meal replacement product with support for your greatest chance of success.

All patients enrolled in the Medical Weight Loss Clinic have medical management, which includes a hormone evaluation, medication adjustments, lab tests and continued monitoring of each individuals’ medical conditions. The program consists of 20 weekly, group

“Obesity is associated with so many serious health conditions and unfortunately there is no magic medication that we can use to cure it – so the main “medication” that always works is diet and lifestyle changes,” said Dr. Rao.

sessions working closely with a dietitian and behavioral therapist.

“I believe in eating natural and healthy food but I’ve seen patients who are very overweight and they have many health conditions,” said Dr. Rao. “They need drastic weight loss and this is a safe program, which is low in calories and nutritious and helps people lose weight fast.”

“It’s very structured,” said Burhite. “You check in on Mondays and are able to ask the dietitians questions. Everyone wants to help you succeed. I think out of all the programs I have done this is the most hand-holding I have had and I think that’s what makes it work.”

“I want to be around for my kids,” said Burhite. “I think people need to know there’s nothing to be embarrassed about – everyone in the group wants to see you succeed just as much as you do and they all want to help you along the way.

It’s a complete lifestyle change. And it’s a good change – thanks to my weight loss to date I am already off one of my blood pressure medications.”

Customized plan

Health improvements

The Clinic customizes a weight loss plan for each individual. It is built around meal replacement, which comes in several flavors. Each participant may also be allowed to eat varying amounts of fruits and vegetables and are encouraged to drink lots of water and gradually increase exercise.

“When I first saw Billie she was on blood pressure medications, had pre-diabetes and high cholesterol,” said Dr. Rao. “Now she’s off one medication for blood pressure and I think she will eventually be off all of her blood pressure medications – soon she’ll have better pre-diabetes numbers and much lower cholesterol.”

“The shakes are good,” said Burhite. “In a typical day I have a vanilla meal with two tablespoons of coffee and a cup of fruit for breakfast. Then I have another snack of fruit midmorning. For lunch I use a potato shake and mix it with two cups of vegetables and it makes a hearty soup. Then for dinner I typically have two meal replacements and may make one with vegetables and make a quiche.

I think because I eat a lot of small meals throughout my day and drink a lot of water I don’t feel hungry.”

Burhite is happy to report her healthy eating has spread to her family as well.

One of her sons has lost weight because they have removed a lot of junk food from their home.

“I would absolutely say anyone can do this program,” said Burhite. “It’s structured, healthy, safe and you have people helping you along the way who want to see you have success.”

For more information about the Medical Weight Loss Clinic attend an information session or call St. Luke’s Health Promotion at 319/558-4867.

All of this medical information is shared with Burhite’s family doctor who will continue to see her after completion of the program. Patients are slowly introduced to incorporating more food back into their diet and have continued access to the dietitians for a period of time after completion of the program.

“I can’t expect to lose all this weight and then go back to eating the way I was before so I will definitely use the dietitians in the weeks following the end of the program,” said Burhite. “I have lost about 32 pounds so far in the seven weeks I’ve been on the program. I am down three sizes and hope to go shopping soon. Overall I’d like to lose a total of 80 pounds.”

“For any weight loss program the medical management is very important to ensure patient safety.”

Dr. Rao, MD, UnityPoint Clinic Multi-Speciality

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 | 11

Average Score

Higher is better

88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012

26% lower than

traditional radiation treatment

Surgery leader

Outpatients having surgery who received the right kind of antibiotic

Millions of people have surgery every year. Every surgery has risks, but there are some that can be prevented. Hospitals can reduce the risk of infection after surgery by making sure they provide care that’s known to get the best results for most patients. This measure shows how often St. Luke’s staff give patients the right kind of preventive antibiotic for their surgery.

St. Luke's Average for all Average for Hospital reporting hospitals all reporting

in Iowa hospitals in U.S.

By the numbers

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Read St. Luke’s full Report to the Community at unitypoint.org/cedarrapids.

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Want to learn more?

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Need a doctor?

Find one at unitypoint.org/cedarrapids.

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We have more doctors and providers ready to care for you and your family. These doctors include cardiologists, pediatricians, family medicine and specialty doctors.

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UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital and UnityPoint Clinic have the largest fully integrated healthcare group in eastern Iowa.

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Vast network of care

Higher percentages are better.

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Emergency Department Satisfaction

Radiation treatment time

100.0

As one of the busiest Emergency Departments in the state, it’s St. Luke’s priority that patients see a doctor as quickly as possible. It’s also important individuals and their families receive timely, expert care to make an otherwise frightening experience as enjoyable as possible. These steps are paying off in the form of increased patient satisfaction scores in our Emergency Department.

St. Luke’s is the only Cedar Rapids hospital to offer Intraoperative Electron Radiation Therapy (IOERT), which offers radiation treatment in half the time to select breast cancer patients.

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Emergency Department patient satisfaction

Reduces damage

to surrounding healthy tissue

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Quality care, close to home

IOERT benefits:

Percent of patients

2012

Report to the Community:

Breast cancer treatment in half the time

UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital

For your

Health Your journey to a healthier heart… begins today

Gluten Free Success Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are diagnosed at an increasing rate. You may know the symptoms, but have you heard about the potential for success? Attend our upcoming event and listen to one man’s story of how going gluten-free dramatically improved his health. Dr. Alecia Allen will explain the basics of these conditions, identify risk factors and provide useful tips for living gluten-free.

Thursday, June 13 • 6:30 p.m.

Lose Weight to Gain Health Sixty-five percent of Iowa’s adults are overweight. These extra pounds can increase risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and certain types of cancers. Endocrinologist Dr. Prasuna Rao treats individuals at UnityPoint Clinic Multi-Specialty Medical Weight Loss Clinic. She’ll shed some light on the health benefits of losing weight and talk about techniques for achieving weight-loss goals.

Thursday, June 27 • 6:30 p.m.

Classes are held at St. Luke’s Hospital, 3rd floor Nassif Heart Center classrooms.

To register for these free events, go to unitypoint.org/cedarrapids, click on Classes and Events or call 319/369-7395.

Take control of your heart health by finding out your heart disease risk with tests from St. Luke’s Heart Care Services.

St. Luke’s $99 Heart Scan takes X-ray pictures of your heart and detects plaque in the arteries. The results help your doctor assess your risk of heart disease and which steps to take to avoid serious heart complications. The Heart Scan is for men and women between the ages of 40 and 70.

For individuals looking to determine their heart and vascular health, St. Luke’s Heart Check is an option. It also determines your risk for stroke. The cost for all five tests, plus consultation with a heart care expert is $195.

To learn more about Heart Scan, call 319/369-8909. Or to sign up for Heart Check, call 319/369-8129.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 | 13

St. Luke’s Foundation

For good I

love this time of year, as we get ready to release our Annual Report for St. Luke’s Foundation.

Looking back on 2012, the phrase “For Good” repeatedly came to mind. So many things happened for the good of the hospital and our community: gifts totaling $2.5 million to create the Ed and Joan Hemphill Hospice Unit, gifts making new equipment possible for the hospital’s robotic surgery and heart care departments and the continued support from employees through the iCare campaign, just to name a few.

All of these wonderful achievements were not only for the good of the hospital and community; they also highlight the culture of philanthropy we strive to create at St. Luke’s. It’s an attitude, an understanding, a realization that what we do today will positively affect others for good.

We enjoy most being able to share the many names and faces of individuals and organizations that have a continuing legacy of giving to the Foundation. These four pages are just a preview of the many you’ll find in our Annual Report. As you read these compelling stories, I urge you to consider how your gift can also make a difference for good. All gifts – big or small – help to continue the excellence St. Luke’s has achieved and continues to strive for.

Look for our full 2012 Annual Report online at stlukesfoundation.com or use the QR Code to the left to download it to your mobile device.

If you’re interested in contributing for the good of the hospital and our community, you can contact the Foundation at 319/369-7716 or e-mail us at foundation@crstlukes.com.

You can even make a donation easily and securely right on our website.

We hope you’ll enjoy the 2012 Annual Report as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Scan this QR code to read the full report.

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James M. Sealy, President St. Luke’s Foundation

St. Luke’s Foundation

St. Luke’s Foundation:

Continuing the culture of philanthropy I

s there anything else we can do for you?” is a phrase you’ll hear often around St. Luke’s. It embodies the desire to go above and beyond for patients, their families and visitors to the hospital.

“

But this guiding principal isn’t new, and it’s not confined to patient care. It’s always been evident within the organization on all levels, including St. Luke’s Foundation.

• $200,000 for St. Luke’s first medical helicopter, Lifeguard, construction of the helistop and annual program support.

• Over $2.5 million for the purchase of two da Vinci surgical robots and $210,000 for robot and simulator upgrades.

expenses were partially covered by 100 citizens who donated $1 each month; shortfalls were covered by gifts from prominent members of our community.

Officially formed in 1977, the Foundation’s mission is built upon those same principles of the hospital’s early years: promote awareness of healthcare issues and fundraise for areas of need. These goals help to strengthen St. Luke’s financially and ensure the future health of the area.

Growth through generosity The Foundation carries out the spirit of giving that dates back to the first years of the hospital, when merchants and individuals donated fruits, vegetables and canned goods to the hospital.

Throughout the first decade, operating

• $5 million for both the Helen G. Nassif Center for Women’s and Children’s Health and the Nassif Heart Center.

Since its inception, the Foundation has invested over $40 million in St. Luke’s, and gifts of years past continue to serve hundreds in our community.

A few examples of the Foundation’s philanthropy include: • $6.7 million to modernize and remodel St. Luke’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pharmacy, Emergency Department and Surgery. This allowed for the creation of the Helen G. Nassif Pavilion, an entrance and waiting area for the Emergency Department.

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 | 15

St. Luke’s Foundation

For life A

s the Board Chair of St. Luke’s Foundation, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand, not only the generosity of a community, but the individuals that are able to benefit from the giving acts of others.

It’s seeing the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grandparents, neighbors and friends that are able to take comfort in the care we provide that brings to life the mission of the hospital: to give the healthcare we’d like our loved ones to receive. It’s seeing individuals and groups come forward and offer what they can to help, that highlight the Foundation’s mission of supporting the hospital.

Making a difference: St. Luke’s employees give to the iCare Campaign In 2012, 1,046 St. Luke’s employees pledged gifts to the Foundation. The employee giving campaign, called iCare, raised a total of $285,941 last year. Employees were given the option of donating their gift to St. Luke’s Foundation, United Way, Variety Club or by becoming a member of St. Luke’s Auxiliary.

These funds donated to the Foundation in 2012 will go toward iGrant, which is a new program that provides money for equipment, programs and services that cannot be funded in other ways.

Employees and departments have the opportunity to apply for iGrant funds twice a year, meaning their area could benefit from the money they donated.

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It’s often the meshing of these experiences that brings out the best in people. So many times we’ve heard a donor say they want to give because of the care their loved one received as a patient.

St. Luke’s is a special place because of the giving spirit that brings us all together, whether in joyous times like the birth of a new baby, or sorrowful times like life’s final journey.

While we embrace our status as a highly regarded birth care center, we’ve also been working hard to provide comfort to those families preparing to say goodbye to a loved one.

The recent completion of a $2.5 million campaign to create the Ed and Joan Hemphill Hospice Unit was an incredible milestone. It means 220 patients and their families – nearly 1,000 individuals annually in our community – will have the best possible care at one of the most difficult times they will ever experience. It’s reassuring to know these families will breathe easier because of what we have accomplished collectively.

I take great pride in what we’ve accomplished as a community and as a hospital in 2012. I’m so grateful for the donors who have helped make these achievements possible.

Terri Christoffersen, Board Chair St. Luke’s Foundation

St. Luke’s Foundation

For growth: gifts at a glance

2012: A very good year While the highlight of the year was reaching the $2.5 million campaign goal to build the Ed and Joan Hemphill Hospice Unit at St. Luke’s, funds were also provided to the hospital for many

smaller purchases and services, including: an upgrade of robotic surgery equipment, instrumentation for minimally invasive cardiac valve surgery and an Echo bed in the electrophysiology (EP) lab.

In addition to the major fundraising for new projects, the Foundation also secured gifts and grants for programs like scholarships, forensic interviews

“ As a hospital, we’re on the frontlines of healthcare and can see an evolution in the works. It’s an incredible opportunity for innovation. I’m grateful to know we have St. Luke’s Foundation at our side every step of the way.”

for abused children at the Child Protection Center, colon cancer screening programs, rural healthcare initiatives – all programs important to our hospital and the communities we serve.

Whether large or small, donor support to the Foundation has meant so much.

Yet it all starts with a simple phrase: “Is there anything else we can do for you today?”

For the full 2012 Foundation Annual Report, please visit stlukesfoundation.com

Ted Townsend, President and CEO, St. Luke’s Hospital

2012 was a year of growth at St. Luke’s Foundation.

2011 Total Donors: 2,353 106 Organizations/Foundations 730 Employees 1,517 Community Members

2012 Total Donors: 2,624 135 Organizations/Foundations 960 Employees 1,529 Community Members

St. Luke’s Health Beat | Summer 2013 | 17

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Cedar Rapids, IA Permit No. 91 1026 A Avenue NE P.O. Box 3026 Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3026

ealth H St. Luke’s

B E A T 

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 StLukesCR@unitypoint.org. © 2013 St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA

A new name.

A new day in health care.

Iowa Health System is now UnityPoint Health.

This isn’t just a new name for us. It’s a new way to think about providing care. It’s about putting you in the center of everything we do. And collaborating as a team, your team, providing coordinated care between your doctor’s office, St. Luke’s Hospital, and in your home.

You’ll have access to the expertise and resources of UnityPoint Health’s vast network of care that spans across the region. We all work together with one goal in mind. Getting you healthy faster. And helping you stay that way. Welcome to UnityPoint Health.

The point of unity is you.

unitypoint.org/cedarrapids

St. Luke’s Hospital UnityPoint Clinic UnityPoint at Home