Physician establishes practice St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – William A. Kcomt, M.D., has joined the medical staff at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville.

He comes to St. Francis from Elk Regional Health System in St. Mary’s, Pa. He also was affiliated with the Guthrie Clinic, Robert Parker Hospital, Upper Allegheny Medical Center and Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, all in Pennsylvania.

A native of Lima, Peru, Kcomt earned his medical degree at the Universidad Nacional Mayor De San Marcos and completed his internal medicine residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York. He completed a fellowship in the Rheumatology Division at the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2004.

Kcomt’s office is in the Rheumatology Center, Family Medical Pavilion at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville, Suite 160, 1001 Hadley Rd.

His practice focuses on the specialized management of neck pain and low back pain; diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia; comprehensive management of shoulder pain; diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and prevention of fractures; and diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory muscle and joint conditions.

Kcomt, a member of St. Francis Medical Group, joins the Mooresville hospital as it nears the completion of a $42 million expansion project. The project will be finished in mid-April and includes more private patient rooms, new surgery suites, an intensive care unit and expanded laboratory services.

The Mooresville hospital also will offer a new emergency department and a new medical office building for the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery, scheduled for opening in July.

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Photo of Dr. Kcomt available upon request

St. Francis, Wellness Community host seminar for cancer patients

INDIANAPOLIS – Stephen Eberwine, M.D., medical oncologist for the St. Francis Oncology Head and Neck program, will discuss the language of cancer at a free seminar for cancer patients and their families Friday, Feb. 22.

The session, which includes lunch for all registered participants, will be from noon to 2 p.m. at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

The program is designed for both newly diagnosed and in-treatment patients with all types of cancer. Caregivers are also welcome. Ample time will be provided for participants' questions.

Registration is required. To register, call 317-782-4422 or for more information on cancer services at St. Francis Hospital, visit www.StFrancisHospitals.org/cancer.

The event is sponsored by St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers and the Wellness Community of Central Indiana.

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Medical chief selected for Orthopedics and Joint Center Services

INDIANAPOLIS – Timothy J. Williams, M.D., J.D., has been appointed medical director for Orthopedics and Joint Center Services for St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Williams practices at the Center for Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine and specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery as well as the treatment of arthritis.

He earned his medical degree at The Ohio State University where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery.

He received fellowship training in adult reconstruction and biologic arthroplasty at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He also is a graduate of Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.

"I am very excited to be a part of the St. Francis health-care team," said Williams. "This is a great opportunity to contribute to the already excellent orthopedic care provided by St. Francis."

Williams is a frequent lecturer on orthopedic care and has co-authored a book chapter on knee replacement.

Details about services and programs at the Orthopedics and Joint Center Services and the Joint & Spine Center at St. Francis are at www.stfrancishospitals.org/ortho.

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Indiana’s First Lady, central Indiana women dance their way to healthier hearts

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contacts:
Shannon Phillips, Borshoff
(317) 631-6400
Shannon.Phillips@borshoff.biz

Teresa Clark, St. Francis Community Relations
(317) 782-7992 (office)
(317) 906-1101 (pager)
Teresa.Clark@ssfhs.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana First Lady Cheri Daniels will be among the guests attending the fifth annual St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers' Spirit of Women Day of Dance event on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Greenwood Municipal Airport, 799 E. County Line Road.

What: The free Spirit of Women Day of Dance event is open to women of all ages and their families. This annual event promotes exercise and healthy living. Statistics show that heart disease is the number one killer of American women. Exercise along with a balanced diet is a great way to lower your risk for heart disease.

Day of Dance participants will enjoy a fun-filled day of music and dance instruction. Professional instructors will teach participants the steps to such dances as the swing, hip-hop, belly dancing and the latest fitness craze, Zumba, a Latin-inspired workout. Healthy snacks and beverages will also be offered.

A detailed event schedule is available at StFrancisHospitals.org/women.

When: Saturday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Participants may attend at any time throughout the day.

Where: Greenwood Municipal Airport, 799 E. County Line Road.
Due to limited parking at the airport, guests should park in the professional buildings on the south side of County Line Road. Shuttle buses will take guests the short distance from the parking lots to the airport. Look for signs designating the parking areas and the shuttle bus pick-up locations.

Who: St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers, one of the largest health care systems in Indiana, is part of Spirit of Women, an elite network of hospitals nationwide committed to caring for women. As a Spirit of Women hospital, St. Francis works to find the very best in women’s programming across the nation to central Indiana.

Cost: Admission to Day of Dance is free, but advance registration is suggested. To pre-register, call (317) 782-4422 or online at StFrancisHospitals.org/women.

How: To learn more, visit StFrancisHospitals.org/women or call (317) 865-5865.

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Support program helps kids handle grief in loss of loved one

INDIANAPOLIS – Consider the caterpillar: It builds a cocoon and remains safe until it transforms and emerges into a new life, one that takes flight.

Death is a part of the life cycle, and it’s especially difficult for children to grasp and make sense out of it, particularly when they lose a loved one. And that’s why St. Francis Hospice offers Caterpillar Kids, a support program that offers learning experiences for children ages 5 to 12.

St. Francis Hospice will offer its Spring Caterpillar Kids program beginning March 12. The workshops, which are free, are from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and run three consecutive Wednesdays with a one-week break, then resume for three additional sessions.

Meetings are at Christ United Methodist Church, 8540 U.S. 31 South, one mile north of Greenwood Park Mall.

“Children do grieve and they may express it differently than adults, but their feelings are as genuine and essential in healing,” said Barbara Weatherspoon, hospice social worker. “Caterpillar Kids brings children together in a safe, nurturing environment where they receive information about grief and learn healthy ways to cope with the death of a loved one.”

Led by staff trained in bereavement support for children, youngsters participate in storytelling, art projects, games and other sharing opportunities. Parents also are invited to participate in a concurrent session to assist them in supporting their children.

Registration is required. To register or for more information about Caterpillar Kids, call Roberta White at 317-865-2092 or toll-free at 800-390-9915.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280.

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Freedom From Smoking: A liberating way to snuff a bad habit

INDIANAPOLIS – Tobacco is a tough habit to kick and folks often need encouragement and help to quit.

That’s why the St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers and the American Lung Association have teamed up to offer the step-by-step cessation program, Freedom From Smoking©.

The latest session gets under way 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 28, at the St. Francis Community Relations Carson Square Office, 3145 E. Thompson Rd. The seven-week program shows participants how to use a variety of behavior modification techniques to help participants quit smoking.

The cost for the program is $50; however, the fee may be reimbursed by insurance companies.

To register for Freedom From Smoking classes, call (317) 782-7999.

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Nurse navigators help cancer patients maneuver through treatment

INDIANAPOLIS – When first diagnosed with cancer, a person often feels set adrift in a murky sea of uncertainty and fear – and alone in their struggle.

But an innovative program at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers helps patients from the time of diagnosis throughout their treatment regimen. It’s the nurse navigator program and it’s designed for patients and their families with colorectal and head and neck cancers.

This nurse specialist assists patients in coordinating diagnostic appointments and physician visits, along with helping to manage symptoms, providing education, increasing awareness of clinical trial availability and very importantly, easing patient anxiety.

"We augment what’s being done on the clinical side by helping guide patients through every step of the treatment and beyond," said Karen Norris, R.N., nurse navigator at St. Francis’ Colorectal Cancer Center of Excellence. "It’s not enough for the technology to be good – you have to provide the human touch to the people you serve."

Norris, who took on her role as a nurse navigator in mid-2007, is an integral player on a team of more than 25 physician specialists including gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, general surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, family practice physicians and radiologists who comprise the Center.

"It truly is a collaborative effort and our physicians and other specialists do a wonderful job in communicating and coming together to decide what’s best for patients," Norris said.

Nurse Practitioner Janice Leak’s role as St. Francis’ other nurse navigator – she was the first in 2006 – has positioned her as a key link between physicians and patients receiving care for head and neck cancers. The patients Leak works with often go through different treatment phases, often a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and that means they will be seen by different physicians and technicians for tests and procedures.

Leak currently works with about 48 patients having head and neck-related cancers; Norris has a caseload of more than 70 patients at St. Francis hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

"Cancer treatment can seem very complex and segmented to patients," Leak said. "That’s where a nurse navigator can be a common thread to help weave the patient through the process and so that they feel supported throughout the process."

Cheryl Snooks is one patient who has experienced that process. The business project manager was diagnosed with an oral-related cancer in 2006 at St. Francis and was immediately paired with Leak.

"As you go from diagnosis to treatment, your questions and concerns change," Snooks said. "It was helpful to have Janice there with the answers and to have a positive experience."

As part of the Center’s commitment to provide the newest technology and highest quality of care, Norris explained that all patients are screened for enrollment in clinical trials. These research studies are among nearly 100 now under way and overseen by the St. Francis Cancer Research Foundation.

The attention doesn’t end with treatment. Norris and Leak both follow up with their patients long after their therapies.
St. Francis also has plans to expand its nurse navigator program into lung cancer.

More information about Cancer Care Services at St. Francis is at http://stfrancishospitals.org/cancer.

Athletes’ Feat: Mini-Marathon training under way at St. Francis

INDIANAPOLIS – Participants wanting to get a foot up on Indianapolis’ annual Mini Marathon can do so at a Jan. 26 event sponsored by St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers and Ken Long & Associates (KLA).

A free kick-off clinic and a training run and walk will be held Saturday, Jan. 26 at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis, 8111 S. Emerson Ave. The clinic will be held in the hospital’s main entrance and cafeteria.

The event gets under way at 8 a.m. with a sign-in and welcome. It will be followed by a nutrition workshop for runners and walkers presented by St. Francis exercise physiologist Kim Modglin.

Staff from St. Francis Sports Medicine, and experts KLA from Athletic Annex, Gray Goat Sports, The Runners Forum and The Running Company will discuss:

What’s your foot type?
How your feet contribute to injuries during training
Orthotics – What they really do, the difference between custom-made and over-the-counter and who really needs orthotics
What is the “correct” shoe for you?
What’s new in 2008

Following the workshops, the prospective Mini Marathon participants will take to the streets for a “Run & Walk,” from 30 minutes up to 4 miles.

Registration for the clinic and training event is strongly encouraged. To do so, contact Ken Long & Associates at 317-884-4001, or at klong@kenlongassoc.com.

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Internal medicine physician named St. Francis Hospice chief

INDIANAPOLIS – Nicolas M. Priscu, M.D., has been appointed medical director of end-of-life medicine at St. Francis Hospice.

In that role, Priscu consults with the terminally ill patients’ primary-care physicians, visits with patients in hospitals and in their homes and works closely with hospice medical staff to help patients with pain management.

He also practices with Beech Grove Internal Medicine of the St. Francis Medical Group.
Priscu earned his medical degree from the Institute of Medicine & Pharmacy of Cluj-Napoca in Romania in 1984 and completed his residency training at McKeesport Hospital in Pennsylvania.

St. Francis Hospice is an interdisciplinary team of professionals and volunteers who provide services in patients’ homes, hospitals and residential or nursing facilities. They serve patients and their families in Marion, Johnson, Morgan, Shelby, Hendricks and Hancock counties.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280

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Photo of Dr. Priscu is available upon request.

Program helps women cancer patients ‘Look Good, Feel Better’

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis will host a free workshop for women with cancer from noon to 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11.

The program is at the hospital, 8111 S. Emerson Ave., Indianapolis. Family members or a support person is welcome to attend.

The Look Good, Feel Better workshop teaches women with cancer beauty techniques to help restore their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Volunteer licensed cosmetologists lead small groups, usually consisting of six to 10 women, through practical, hands-on experience. Women learn about makeup techniques, skin care, nail care, and options related to hair loss such as wigs, turbans, and scarves. Each group program participant receives a free kit of cosmetics for use during and after the workshop.

The workshop is supported by the American Cancer Society and the National Cosmetology Association. Participants are required to register for the workshop and may do so by calling 317- 782-4422.

More information on cancer services at St. Francis Hospital, visit www.StFrancisHospitals.org/cancer.

Project leader will steer development of documentation system

Media contact:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations Manager
317-782-7986
317-946-9930 (cell)
317-909-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Charlie Randolph has been appointed to lead a new on-line documentation project system at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Randolph of Speedway, Ind., will oversee a multidisciplinary team with other hospitals designing and implementing the next phase of the clinical on-line system, Horizon Expert Documentation.

The hospitals are part of a network of 13 hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc., one of the largest health-care systems in Indiana.

A registered nurse, Randolph most recently served as the clinical manager for the progressive care unit at the Heart Center based at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis. He also has extensive experience with technical and electronic health-care systems and equipment.

Randolph, who received his undergraduate degree in nursing from Marian College in 1997, was inducted as a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society for Nursing Leadership in 2006.

Franciscan Spine Center has your back with non-surgical therapies

Media contact:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations Manager
317-782-7986
317-946-9930 (cell)
317-909-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The recently established Franciscan Spine Center now offers patients a complete range of non-surgical care services.

The center’s clinical staff makes use of the latest technologies such as injection therapy and radiofrequency treatments to locate diagnose and treat the causes and symptoms of spinal pain.
Physical therapy and behavior modification also are incorporated as effective components in patient care at the center.

"The treatment process begins with a single phone call from a referring physician," said Dan Nordmann, M.D., medical director of the Franciscan Spine Center. "The patient is evaluated to see whether surgery is expected or imminent. Most cases do not require surgery and are directed into a program of conservative, cost-effective treatment supported by research."

Nordmann, who is board-certified in internal medicine, anesthesiology and pain medicine, is an expert in the diagnosis and non-operative treatment of spine disorders.

The Franciscan Spine Center is at 110 N. 17th Street, Suite 300, Beech Grove. For more information, call 317-783-8494.

Photo of Dan Nordmann available upon request.

Center for Geriatric Medicine offers unique, full range of care

Media contact:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations Manager
317-782-7986
317-946-9930 (cell)
317-909-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Here’s what the U.S. Census Bureau sees as it gazes into the crystal ball: By 2030, one in every five Americans will be 65 or older and the number of people aged 85 and older – currently the fastest growing segment of the older population – could exceed 10 million.

To meet the current and projected medical needs of central Indiana's aging population, St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers recently established the Center for Geriatric Medicine. Located at St. Francis Hospital-Beech Grove, the facility is the first of its kind in central Indiana and its physicians and staff provide a full spectrum of inpatient care, including adult intensive care for patients who become critically unstable.

"While the number of America’s aging population continues to spiral along with their unique health-care needs, the number of physicians specializing in geriatrics is declining markedly and it poses a potential crisis" said center director Daniel J. Hurley, M.D., a board-certified geriatrician with St. Francis Medical Group.

The nursing staff has specialized training and experience in geriatric medical conditions and behaviors, and assisting patients’ families.

More information about the geriatric care and programs at St. Francis is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=212.

Volunteers bring more than just skills to St. Francis Hospice

Media contact:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations Manager
317-782-7986
317-946-9930 (cell)
317-909-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Do you have a special place in your heart for the dying? Perhaps talents or skills you’d like to share with these patients and their families?

St. Francis Hospice is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions and roles, including office assistants, people trained in bereavement to assist with phone calls and support groups and to make visits to patients’ homes and extended-care facilities. Musicians, hair stylists and volunteers with other skills also are needed.

"All St. Francis Hospice volunteers complete an orientation program provided by our staff and have the opportunity to meet other volunteers and to shadow a member of our team to patients’ homes," said volunteer coordinator Glenda Dennison. "Our goal is to create a meaningful experience for volunteers and the patients and families they will work with."

Volunteers must be 18 or older and willing to commit to four hours a week for six months. They must complete a hospital volunteer application process and attend orientation.

To learn more about the hospice volunteer program, contact Glenda Dennison at 317-859-2874, or Glenda.dennison@ssfhs.org.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280.

St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville welcomes first baby of 2008

Media contact:
Marty Spitz
Marketing Manager
317-834-9539 (office)
317-906-1303 (pager)
Martin.Spitz@ssfhs.org

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – Stephany and Randall Franklin welcomed the new year and celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary with another momentous event — the birth of their second child, the first baby born in 2008 at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville.

Max Kendall Franklin was born Thursday, Jan. 3, at 8:03 a.m. He weighs 6 lbs., 7 oz. and is 18-3/4 inches long. Mother and baby are doing well in the hospital’s Cherished Beginnings labor and delivery unit.

“This has been quite an occasion for us,” Randall Franklin said.

The Franklins were married on Jan. 3, 1998. The family, including Max’s big brother Luke, 2-1/2, are residents of rural Martinsville.

Photo of the family is available upon request. Contact Marty Spitz at 317-906-1303.

Ortho surgeon tapped to lead Mooresville hospital medical staff

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – John B. Meding, M.D., has been elected president of the St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville medical staff for a two-year term.

The new president is a surgeon with Joint Replacement Surgeons of Indiana, a practice group affiliated with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery at the Mooresville hospital. Meding’s specialty is adult reconstructive surgery with specialty interests in sports medicine, shoulder disorders and joint replacement.

A graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine, Meding completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Cincinnati. He is board certified in orthopaedic surgery and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip & Knee Surgeons, Orthopaedic Research Society and the American College of Sports Medicine.

Meding has co-authored research articles for nationally and internationally published medical journals such as Clinical Orthopaedics, Journal of Arthroplasty and the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. He also has made a number of national professional presentations.

Meding comes to his position as the Mooresville hospital nears completion of a $42 million expansion. The project is expected to be completed in mid-April and includes more private patient rooms, new surgery suites, an intensive care unit and expanded laboratory services.

The Mooresville hospital also will offer a new emergency department and a new medical office building for the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery, scheduled for opening in July.

Photo of Dr. Meding is available upon request.

St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis welcomes its first baby

Media contact:
Teresa Clark
Community Relations Coordinator
317-906-1101 (pager)
Teresa.Clark@ssfhs.org

St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis welcomes its first baby
of 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Kevin and Jolene Green are the parents of St. Francis Hospital—Indianapolis’ first baby of the New Year, James Donald Green.

James was born Tuesday, Jan. 1, at 1:07 a.m. He weighs 7 lbs., 1/2 oz. and is 20 inches long. The Green family, including big sisters Abby, 4 1/2, and Izzy, 13 months, are residents of Greenwood. Mother and baby are doing well.

A photo of the family is attached. For more information, please page Teresa Clark at (317) 906-1101.

‘Sleeve’ procedure offers unique option in weight-loss surgery

INDIANAPOLIS – Some patients seeking a surgical solution to weight loss have another alternative to consider now offered at the St. Francis Weight Loss Center.

It’s called the sleeve gastrectomy, an operation that removes part of the stomach and resizes it roughly to the shape and size of a banana. The smaller stomach helps patients become full faster when eating and decreases the appetite sensation.

“The sleeve gastrectomy doesn’t involve rerouting or reconnecting of intestines and is a simpler procedure than the gastric bypass or the duodenal switch,” said Jonathan Mandelbaum, M.D., the center’s surgical co-director. “Unlike the Lap-Band, the sleeve gastroectomy doesn’t require implanting an artificial device inside the abdomen.”

Sleeve gastretcomies are recognized as a first and single procedure for weight loss because it can achieve more than 50 percent excess weight loss in as little as 18 months.

For certain patients, in particular those with a body mass index greater than 60, the sleeve gastrectomy may be the first part of a two-stage operation. Patients may safely lose up to 100 to 150 pounds in a six-to-12 month period, at which point the weight loss may plateau and other procedures become less risky.

Both stages of the surgery can be performed laparoscopically – minimally invasive surgery – and offers the advantages of shorter recovery time, shorter incisions, and fewer incision-related problems and less pain.

Within one to two years after a sleeve gastrectomy, patients in medical studies have shown resolution for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and sleep apnea.

St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers is a nationally recognized as a Center of Excellence for bariatric surgery by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. This honor recognizes quality surgical programs around the country.

More information about the St. Francis Weight Loss Center and surgical procedures is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Weightloss.