St. Francis Health Behavioral Health offers support for those dealing with divorce

INDIANAPOLIS – Divorce can reap a heavy toll in myriad ways, and learning to adjust to marital breakups affects not only parents but children.

That’s why Franciscan St. Francis Health Behavioral Health Services is offering a support group beginning Monday Feb. 6. The classes, which are led by counselors DeAnn Harvey and Kristy McNamee, gather at 6 p.m. each Monday through March 12.

The classes are geared for toward parents, teens and youngsters. The parents group will focus on equipping them to help guide their children through divorce. The children’s group encourages youngsters to find healthy expression of thoughts and feelings in response to parental divorce.

All classes are at St. Francis Behavioral Health Services, 610 E Southport Road, Suite 100, at the corner Southport Road and U.S. 31.

To register, call 317-782-7536.

Pre-Super Bowl flag football showdown features war vets, former NFL players

Franciscan St. Francis Health co-sponsors Feb. 1 south side event

INDIANAPOLIS – The playing field at Indy Indoor Sports Park will become a field of honor with the Wounded Warrior Amputee Sports Team taking on the NFL Alumni of Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 1.

The doors to the south side facility (6650 S. Bluff Road) open at 6 p.m. with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. Presented by Washington National Insurance Company and RBVetCo, the event also is co-sponsored by Franciscan St. Francis Sports Medicine.

The Wounded Warrior squad is made up of amputee veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rocky Bleier, who was wounded during the Vietnam War but went on to play for the Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers, and Jeff George, a former Indianapolis Colts quarterback, will lead the team, which is being coached by Maj. Gen. Martin Umbarger, adjutant of the Indiana National Guard, and Wounded Warriors founded David van Sleet.

The NFL team has a roster of current and former professional players, including Jack Youngblood, Bill Romanowski, Ken Dilger, Bill Brooks, Jerry Kramer and other former Colts and NFL stars. Their head coach is Dick Vermeil, who led the St. Louis Rams to the 1999 Super Bowl championship.

“This great event pays tribute to our service members who have sacrificed much in defense of our nation and we are proud to be a part of it,” said Robert J. Brody, president and CEO of Franciscan St. Francis Health. “The willingness of NFL veterans to participate demonstrates their appreciation and respect for those who have gone into harm’s way.”

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, a retired Marine Corps officer and veteran of Operation Desert Storm, will officiate the game. And cheerleaders from the Indianapolis Colts and Southport High School will be on hand to cheer the players.

A $20 donation is requested for those attending the game. All proceeds will benefit Wounded Warriors Amputee Sport Team (WWAST) programs. There will be a free autograph session with the players following the game, including a raffle of NFL memorabilia and Indiana Pacers tickets.

To learn more about Wounded Warriors, go to https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=167. For more information about the game or to set up interviews with the participants, contact Chris Visser at 321-230-6666, or Marc Leonard at 413-885-7522.

Franciscan St. Francis Sports Medicine offers a variety of programs and services. Learn more at http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=54.

Franciscan St. Francis Health nurses honored for extraordinary patient care

INDIANAPOLIS – Two registered nurses at Franciscan St. Francis Health have been praised by patients and peers for above-and-beyond the call in caregiving.

Registered nurses, Michael Painter and Eric Balka have been named the January 2012 recipients of the hospital’s DAISY Awards. Both nurses work on the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is a national program that honors the compassionate care and clinical excellence. Franciscan St. Francis localized the program in 2010 to recognize its nurses for their achievements.

Painter was nominated for his compassionate care of a patient. “Mike understood the stress and emotional turmoil we had been through. I will never forget his kindness,” wrote the daughter of the patient. “He should be the poster employee for customer excellence.”

Balka was nominated by a patient’s family member. “Eric was very knowledgeable, compassionate and understanding,” wrote the family member. “Instead of simply answering our questions, he gave additional information about her condition that helped us to understand what had happened and what was about to happen.” “He gave us comfort through a very difficult time.”

The DAISY Award was established by the DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at 33 of an auto-immune disease. His family was so impressed by the clinical skills, caring and compassion of the nurses who cared for him that they created this national award to say “thank you” to nurses everywhere. For more information, go to www.daisyfoundation.org.

To learn more about nursing careers and programs at Franciscan St. Francis, go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/nursing.

Long-time Martinsville physician joins St. Francis Medical Group

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. – Paul E. Broderick, D.O. has joined St. Francis Medical Group (SFMG).

Broderick, the owner of Central Indiana Proctology (formerly known as Laser Institute), has practiced in the Martinsville area since 1995. He specializes in proctologic surgery.

Board-certified by the American Osteopathic College of Proctology (AOCP), he has been affiliated with Franciscan St. Francis-Mooresville and the Mooresville Endoscopy Center since 2005. He has hospital privileges with various medical centers throughout central Indiana.

He will operate his practice at SFMG’s Martinsville Family & Internal Medicine, 49 Bills Blvd. That office also houses internist Dianna Boyer, M.D., and family practitioner Ryan Lacy, M.D., and SFMG’s cardiologists.

Broderick currently serves at Morgan County Health Officer and is the former chief of surgery and chief of staff for IU Health Morgan Hospital. He has held various leadership positions with AOCP and Morgan County Board of Health.

He received his undergraduate degree at Ball State Univeristy and earned his doctorate at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an internship at Michiana Community Hospital in South Bend and proctologic surgery residency at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Grandview Hospital and Medical Center in Dayton.

Led by President Isaac J. Myers II, M.D., St. Francis Medical Group is a multidisciplinary group of physicians throughout central Indiana. These physicians offer a variety of primary care and specialty care services and all practice at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

To learn more about St. Francis Medical Group, go to www.stfrancisdoctors.org.

St. Francis Auxiliary donation boosts efforts to construct hospice facility

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Healthcare Foundation are one step closer to realizing a long-held desire to build Hospice House, thanks to a donation from the St. Francis Auxiliary.

That group recently presented the foundation with $100,000. The proceeds were generated from the auxiliary sale of uniforms, shoes, books, craft fairs and other items at Franciscan St. Francis Health hospitals in south-central Indiana.

“This generous gift will enable us to move closer to our goal to build Hospice House at our Indianapolis campus,” said Greg Williamson, foundation president. “The free-standing facility will provide a home-like environment with the most compassionate medical care for patients and respite for their loved ones.”

The St. Francis Auxiliary is made up of over 150 volunteers who support Franciscan St. Francis Health through their generous contributions of time and service. The mission of the Auxiliary is to support the hospital by providing fundraising activities, serving within the hospital departments, and encouraging the spirit of volunteerism.

“We have had a long relationship with hospice,” said Paula Curseaden, St. Francis Auxiliary president. “There is a definite need for a free-standing Hospice House. We chose to pledge our funds to promote this project. The Auxiliary raises funds through vendor sales and Franciscan St. Francis employees support these efforts and, without them, we could not have met our pledge.”

The donation was made at a recent luncheon of the auxiliary and foundation, and leadership and staff of the St. Francis Hospice program.

To date, the Hospice House project has raised $2 million, nearly a quarter of the total needed to begin work. It would be the only facility of its kind in south-central Indiana and will serve many surrounding counties.

Hospice House features include:

· 16-suite facility with room for expansion to 32 suites

· Bright gathering areas, kitchen and dining areas

· Garden-like landscaping and a chapel for meditation and worship

· Unlimited visitation from loved ones and family members, including the family pet

· State-of-the-art pain and symptom management 24 hours a day, seven days a week, plus emotional and spiritual support

· Various levels of care, including general inpatient care for intense medical intervention, symptom management and acute care; and respite and assistance to family members and caregivers.

To learn more about the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation, Hospice House and St. Francis Auxiliary, visit www.stfrancishospitals.org/Foundation/Index.aspx?tabindex=0&tabid=1.

Franciscan St. Francis Health, St. Vincent Health, Community Health Network join Cancer Genome Atlas Project

Dr. Christopher Doehring explains Franciscan St. Francis' role in the project to WIBC News Radio reporter Mike Corbin.

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan St. Francis Health, St. Vincent Health, and Community Health Network announced today their collaboration with The International Genomics Consortium (IGC) in Phoenix to serve as a critical network Tissue Source Site (TSS) to provide cancer tissue samples for analysis in the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) historic project The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA).

St. Francis, St. Vincent Health, and Community Health Network will provide cancer tissue samples under uniform and standardized conditions and also collect specific long-term clinical outcome data to facilitate research into the underlying cancer mechanisms.

IGC’s Expression Project for Oncology (expO) has combined its network and mission with TCGA to help create a comprehensive and coordinated effort to accelerate the understanding of the molecular basis of cancer through the application of genome analysis technologies, including large-scale genome sequencing.

The overarching goal of TCGA is to improve our ability to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer. TCGA is one of the largest initiatives to date to analyze such a wide array of cancers with so many different genomic analyses ranging from sequencing to methylation studies.

The genomic blueprints of each cancer will be available on the web for all scientists to have access to for translational discoveries. TCGA plans to analyze 500 tumors from each cancer type studied by the program and will provide the clinically annotated outcome data along with the complete genomic analysis on the web free of any intellectual property restrictions.

IGC plans to retain a portion of each sample that it provides to TCGA, if available, to expedite translational discoveries to help patient care, in work separate from TCGA.

“We look forward to supporting The Cancer Genome Atlas project and other initiatives at IGC through our research efforts here Franciscan St. Francis Health and continuing not only to provide world-class patient care, but also facilitating ground-breaking cancer research,” said Dr. Christopher Doehring, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

“Community Health Network and St. Vincent Cancer Care are committed to bringing comprehensive, cutting-edge cancer care through a multi-disciplinary approach – including The Cancer Genome Atlas project - providing cancer tissue samples for research,” said Dr. Jeff Mossler, Principal Investigator at Community Health Network and St. Vincent. “By providing these samples, Community Health Network and St. Vincent are doing its part to advance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer."

“We are honored to partner with St. Francis, St. Vincent Health, and Community Health Network on this historic NCI initiative to join in the fight against cancer,” said Robert Penny, M.D., Ph.D., IGC’s CEO and Principal Investigator for both the TSS and Biospecimen Core Resource components of TCGA.

David Mallery, J.D., M.B.A., IGC’s President noted that “Together with St. Francis, St. Vincent Health, and Community Health Network, we look forward to providing the critical biospecimens and data necessary to facilitate translational research.”

IGC thanks the National Cancer Institute, the National Human Genome Research Institute, Maricopa County, the City of Phoenix, Science Foundation Arizona, the Flinn Foundation as well as many of the pharmaceutical companies that have provided financial and leadership support to IGC.

Spirit of Women program dishes out tips for digestive disorders

INDIANAPOLIS – An estimated 70 million Americans are said to suffer from a variety of digestive disorders, many of which can be properly treated.

Such options will be discussed by Franciscan St. Francis Health physicians at the Spirit of Women’s All Right Now: Solving Digestive Disorders program. It begins at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Indianapolis hospital’s auditorium, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Michael Morelli, M.D., and Frank Trioano of Indianapolis Gastroenterology & Hepatology will be on hand to discuss the latest information about digestive disorders and procedures that can alleviate such conditions.

This free event also includes an expert who will explain ways to ease cramping and bloating.

To register, call 317-528-5865.

St. Francis Health, St. Vincent Health, and Community Health Network to Hold Joint News Conference on Tuesday, Jan. 10

Indianapolis hospitals to announce participation in scientific collaboration

WHAT: Franciscan St. Francis Health, St. Vincent Health, and Community Health Network will hold a joint press conference to announce they are participating in a cutting-edge, breakthrough scientific collaboration.

WHEN: 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10

WHERE: AmeriPath, 2560 N. Shadeland Avenue, Suite A, Indianapolis. The news conference will be held in the Ivy Conference Room.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Joe Stuteville

Media Relations

Franciscan St. Francis Health

317-782-7986, office

317-946-9930, cell

joe.stuteville@franciscanalliance.org

Jen Dial

Public Relations

St. Vincent Health

317-583-4031, office

317-407-8436, cell

jkdial@stvincent.org

Lynda de Widt

PR and Media Relations

Community Health Network

317- 621-3636, office

ldewidt@eCommunity.com

New Year baby arrives at Mooresville hospital

MOORESVILLE, Ind. –The clock struck 7:36 a.m on Jan. 5 – and Layla Blackburn became the first baby born in 2012 at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville.

Layla weighed in at 7 pounds and 8.3 ounces, and measured 21.5 inches long. She is the daughter of Amanda Mendenhall and Brandon Blackburn.

In 2011, 429 babies were born at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville. The hospital provides parents of the first New Year baby with a gift basket.

Each time a child is born at the hospital, Brahms Lullaby chimes throughout the hospital via the public address system.

Children’s emergencies eased when caregivers are prepared for ER visit

INDIANAPOLIS – Parents hope their children never need emergency medical care. But it happens: More than 30 million youngsters are treated in hospital emergency departments every year.

Being prepared can help you feel more in control during a time that calls for quick action, said Nancy Mosier, nurse manager of the Franciscan St. Francis Health Pediatrics Unit. One way to prepare is by talking with your child’s pediatrician in advance about childhood emergencies.

Ask the doctor:

• When should I go directly to the emergency department?

• When is it best to call 911 instead of driving to the hospital?

• Are there signs that can help me determine whether it’s an emergency?

Make a list of allergies and any medicines your child takes. Include a brief medical history. Keep copies of these documents handy. It is also nice to keep an immunization record available for your child.

“There are several pocket-size forms available that you can use to record your child’s medical history information and immunization records,” said Mosier. “You’ll find this very helpful in a stressful situation.”

If you do find yourself heading to the hospital, take these medical records along with your child’s favorite toy or book to help occupy the time before seeing the emergency department doctor.

When you arrive:

• Tell the person at the emergency department desk why you’re there. Let him or her know you have medical history or immunization documents.

• Soon a nurse will talk to you and your child. This first quick review helps the department staff determine which patient requires the most urgent care. You may be asked to wait while others are treated first.

• If your child has to stay overnight at the hospital, the emergency department will make the necessary arrangements for your child to be admitted and will let your child’s doctor know as well. If your child doesn’t need to be admitted to the hospital, a nurse or doctor will give you instructions for follow-up care. Be sure to ask the staff any questions you have.

To receive a free children’s coloring book about what happens in a hospital emergency room, call 317-782-4422, or visit StFrancisHospitals.org, click on “Health Resources & Classes” and choose “ Good Health Today magazine.

Franciscan St. Francis Health names operations director for new Carmel medical center

INDIANAPOLIS – Stephen J. Wheatley, R.N., B.S.N., has been named operations director of Franciscan St. Francis Health’s new Carmel Hospital, located in Building B at 12188 N. Meridian St.

Wheatley will bring years of surgical and administrative experience with Franciscan Surgery Center to the development of Franciscan St. Francis Hospital Carmel facility.

Franciscan St. Francis Health Carmel, opening in phases now through April 1, is designed as a short-stay medical center, offering patients a range of inpatient and outpatient services that are easy to access and lower in cost.

The 89,000-square-foot, three-story facility will include a six-bed inpatient unit, inpatient and outpatient surgical suites, a comprehensive imaging center, cardiac testing, physical therapy, oncology infusion therapy, sleep disorders lab and other clinical services, as well as several primary care and specialty physician offices, some of which are already in the building.

Wheatley comes to the Carmel position after serving nearly 10 years as administrator of the Franciscan Surgery Center in Indianapolis. He was responsible for overall direction of all clinical and non-clinical activities at the multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center and its 65 employees. More than 60 surgeons perform approximately 6,300 cases annually at the center.

Previously, Wheatley was a surgical first assistant for Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Associates from 1990-2002, serving six cardiac and vascular surgeons.

He also was surgical first assistant for general, thoracic and vascular procedures with John D. MacDougall, M.D., from 1980-1990.

Wheatley received his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Indiana University School of Nursing in 1980.

He is a member of the Board of Directors, Indiana Federation of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.

The Carmel location Wheatley will oversee is expected to create a convenient continuum of care for current and future patients and provides a closer access point for north side residents to Franciscan Alliance hospital services. The Carmel center also advances another goal of the Franciscan Alliance: to provide more care to more patients at lower costs.

Other Franciscan Alliance hospitals in central Indiana are located in Indianapolis, Mooresville, Beech Grove, Lafayette and Crawfordsville.

Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis welcomes first baby of 2012

INDIANAPOLIS –The clock struck 11:49 a.m., Jan. 1 – and Emma Viehweg became the first baby born in 2012 at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis.

Emma weighed in at 7 pounds and 5.2 ounces, and measured 20 inches long. She is the daughter of Taylor Oliver and Bryce Viehweg of Indianapolis.

In 2011, more than 2,900 babies were born at the Indianapolis hospital. Nearly 40,000 infants have been delivered there since 1995, when the Women and Children’s Services program at Beech Grove was consolidated with the hospital’s south-side campus at 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Each time a child is born at the hospital, Jesus Loves Me chimes throughout the hospital via the public address system.

###