Franciscan St. Francis surgeon steers orthopedics road show to Fishers June 4

FISHERS, Ind. – You can overcome hip and knee pain and get back to leading an active and rewarding life — and Franciscan St. Francis Health wants to show you how.

Franciscan St. Francis Health will present an arthritis and hip and knee replacement seminar at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 4, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 9785 North by Northeast Blvd., Fishers. Light refreshments will be served, beginning at 6 p.m.

Wesley Lackey, MD, will explain the latest procedures in joint replacement and arthritis treatments. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement.

Lackey is a surgeon with Franciscan Physician Network Joint Replacement Surgeons, the practice group affiliated with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery at Franciscan St. Francis–Mooresville, recognized in the United States and the world as a premier center for joint replacement surgery.

To register for this seminar, call Franciscan St. Francis toll-free at 1-877-888-1777 or go to CenterForHipAndKneeSurgery.org and click on Hip & Knee Seminars.

More information about the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery is at CenterForHipAndKneeSurgery.org.

Variety of free heart health, nutrition classes offered throughout May

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center is offering a full range of free classes focused on cardiovascular health and wellness throughout May.

Call 317-782-4422 or go on-line at MyHeartCare.net to register for any of the classes, which include:

Aneurysms: Pay attention before it’s too late

Thursday, May 15, 6:30 p.m.

UnaVie Cardiology Center

2451 Intelliplex Dr.  Shelbyville

Abdominal aortic aneurysms, also known as AAA, are uncommon but usually deadly.  They develop slowly and usually have no symptoms, but when the weakened walls of the artery collapse, there is little recourse. That’s why knowing your risk for AAA is so important.

In some cases, the condition is genetic, but if you smoke, have high blood pressure or cholesterol you may be at risk as well. Charles Kiell, MD, will discuss risks and symptoms of AAA and how St. Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center vascular surgeons are monitoring patients at risk and are using new materials to repair aneurysms before they rupture.

Treatment options for atrial fibrillation (A-fib)

Thursday, May 8, 6:30 p.m.

Clarion Hotel

2480 Jonathan Moore Pike, Columbus

Refreshments served at 6 p.m.

Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the heart beats irregularly at a high rate. If severe, this condition can lead to heart attack, stroke or death. Cardiologist John Moore III, MD, and cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, MD, will discuss the current medical and surgical treatments for atrial fibrillation and who should be treated.

Fitness Tips

Thursday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville (1201 Hadley Road) Register here>

Thursday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center (8111 S. Emerson Ave.) Register here>

Being fit is more than being thin.  Research shows that no matter what you weigh, increasing your fitness helps your heart.  Discover that exercise can be healthy and fun.  Learn how to set up a schedule for yourself.

Flavorful Cooking Tips

Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m. at Franciscan St. Francis-Mooresville Register here>

Wednesday, May 21, 6:30 p.m. at Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center (8111 S. Emerson Ave.) Register here>

Healthy cooking leads to a healthy life.  Adding herbs and spices to your cooking increases the flavor and enjoyment of the meals.  Learn how to choose the right ingredients that pump up the nutritional value and flavor of your favorite recipes in this class.  Recipe substitutions and cooking techniques will be discussed.

Healthy Dining Out Tips

Tuesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m. at Franciscan St. Francis-Mooresville (1201 Hadley Road) Register here>

Americans eat nearly half their meals away from home.  How can you control what you eat when you don’t cook for yourself?  Learn how to make wise menu selections and eat smart while dining out.

Reduce Stress

Tuesday, May 13, 6:30 p.m.at the Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center (8111 S. Emerson Ave.) Register here>

Negative stress causes changes in lifestyle and behavior, which may lead to unhealthy choices.  Learn to identify the causes of stress in your life and techniques to decrease your stress which can improve your health!

Savvy Shopping

Wednesday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Southport Meijer (5325 E. Southport Road) Register here>

With all the new and changing products on the shelves, grocery shopping can be overwhelming.  Learn where to find the healthy foods and how to avoid packaging tricks commonly used to market foods.  Discover how food labels make you a smarter shopper.

Arbor Day: Tree giveaway branches out with Greenwood and Franciscan St. Francis Health

GREENWOOD, Ind. – The City of Greenwood and Franciscan St. Francis Health are partnering for Arbor Day Friday, April 25 by giving away 1,000 tree saplings.

The giveaway will be from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at three locations: Greenwood Fire Department Headquarters (155 E. Main St.), Greenwood Community Center (100 Surina Way) and Franciscan St. Francis’ Education and Support Services Center (421 N. Emerson Ave.).

Participants can receive two saplings and information about their planting and care.

Arbor Day is observed annually, usually in spring, and encourages the public to plant and care for trees. The first Arbor Day in the United States was in Nebraska City, Neb., in April 1872.

Japanese orthopedic surgeon conducting research in central Indiana

MOORESVILLE, Ind. — Tatsuya Sueyoshi, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery and the Joint Replacement Surgeons of Indiana Research Foundation for one-year research fellowship, beginning in early April.

Sueyoshi, 37, will work at the Mooresville campus and at the foundation’s biomedical research lab at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

“We at the JRSI Research Foundation in Mooresville and the Orthopaedic Biomedical Engineering Laboratory at Rose-Hulman in Terre Haute are looking forward to Dr. Sueyoshi's research here,” said Michael Berend, MD, orthopedic surgeon with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery and a member of the Franciscan Physician Network. “During his time with us, Dr. Sueyoshi will share his research expertise by collaborating with our team of surgeons and researchers in the investigation and improvement of total joint replacement surgery.”

Sueyoshi will split his time in support of clinical database research at the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery and biomechanical research collaborations with Rose-Hulman.

“This international exchange of clinical experience and scientific interests will bolster the research efforts of the JRSI Research Foundation in addition to providing training opportunities for Dr. Sueyoshi to take back to Japan and incorporate into the care of his own patients in back home,” Berend said.    

This is Sueyoshi’s second visit to the United States but his first time to live abroad. He said he is looking forward to living in Indiana, though he’s nervous about the “severe winter cold in the Midwest. I was brought up in Okinawa, the most southern island of Japan.”

Suevoshi received his medical degree and an advanced doctorate degree in orthopedic surgery from Kyoto University. He is board certified by the Japanese Orthopedic Association and a member of the Japanese Orthopedic Association and the Japanese Society of Cartilage Metabolism.

He plans to return to Japan following his fellowship training here. He is an orthopedic surgeon with the Yoshikawa Hospital in Kyoto.

Franciscan St. Francis nursing chief among IU School of Nursing centennial honorees

INDIANAPOLIS – Susan H. McRoberts, vice president and chief nursing officer for Franciscan St. Francis Health, has been named as one of the first recipients of the Top 100 Alumni Legacy Leaders Award at the Indiana University School of Nursing.

The award, which recognizes alumni’s outstanding contributions to nursing education, clinical practice, leadership and research, coincides with the school’s celebration of its 100^th anniversary.

“We’re extremely proud of our Top 100 Alumni Legacy leaders,” said Marion Broome, PhD, IU School of Nursing dean. “Their contributions have made a deep and lasting impact on the profession and in the health care system.”

McRoberts began her career at Franciscan St. Francis in 1980 as manager for inpatient mental health services. She later served as director of behavioral health services and director of quality management.

As chief nursing officer, a position she assumed in 1997, she is responsible for the overall nursing practice, staffing and budget for more than 1,400 nurses who work at Franciscan St. Francis’ hospitals in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel. She is an integral member of the administrative and clinical leadership of those three campuses and their parent organization, the Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance.

A resident of Greenwood, McRoberts is an associate adjunct professor at the IU School of Nursing and active in the school’s graduate programs.

McRoberts received her undergraduate in nursing and her master’s in nursing administration from IU. Certified in Advanced Nursing Administration, she is a member of the American and Indiana State Nurses Association, American and Central Indiana Organization of Nursing Executives, and the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety.

She also is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, a national nursing honor society and the Indiana Center for Nursing, the latter of which she is a charter member.

McRoberts and other honorees will be recognized June 21 in downtown Indianapolis as part of the 100^th Anniversary Celebration Weekend.

The IU School of Nursing is one of the largest schools of its kind in the nation. About 40 percent of Indiana’s nurses are graduates of the school.

New family medicine residents ready for rounding at Franciscan St. Francis Health

INDIANAPOLIS – Newly minted physicians will begin honing their skills in the Family Medicine Residency Program at Franciscan St. Francis Health on July 1.

The 36-month program launches the start of their family medicine careers. Residents practice out of the hospital’s Family Medicine Center in Indianapolis, where they see patients of all ages and incomes. They also provide care for expectant mothers and deliver babies for many of these patients at the hospital’s Indianapolis campus.

This year’s class, which was expanded to eight participants, includes: Elizabeth Arneman, DO, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences; Sarah Astorga, MD, Indiana University School of Medicine; Nathan Billington, MD, St. Louis University School of Medicine; Paul Day, MD, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Jon Feist, MD, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Brandon Hockenberry, University of Nevada School of Medicine; Tim Musick, MD, University of Nevada School of Medicine; and Amanda Smith, MD, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

“We are so pleased and excited with our results and the calibre of these residents,” said Richard Feldman, MD, program director. “We could not have asked for a better outcome.”

More than 225 physicians have completed residencies at Franciscan St. Francis since the program began, most choosing to remain in Indiana to establish family medicine practices.

Franciscan St. Francis to participate in WTHR-13’s Health & Fitness Expo

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan St. Francis Health is one of the major sponsors of the second annual WTHR Health & Fitness Expo on Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The family event will feature a large exhibit hall that will include area fitness organizations, hospitals, clinics and more.

A free screening zone includes cholesterol, blood pressure checks and BMI scoring, and local organizations will take the stage to lead workout sessions and entertain. One stage is also dedicated to healthy cooking, with demonstrations scheduled during the entire two days.

Local and national celebrities also will make appearances, including Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts), Sarah Fisher (IndyCar Series driver/owner), Bret Michaels (lead singer for Poison), Serena Aunon (NASA astronaut), and Nick Goepper (Winter Olympics medalist).

The Expo will be at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Exposition Hall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $5 at the door, but free online. Visit wthr.com for details for ordering free tickets, and use the promo code “HEALTH.”

Franciscan St. Francis is the sole sponsor for the Expo’s Million Step Challenge. Every person attending will receive a free pedometer and will be encouraged before they leave to enter the number of steps they have walked during their visit.

Franciscan St. Francis will have a presence at two booths. The hospital’s Cancer Center is the Expo’s major cancer services representative, with a 600-square-foot booth dedicated to lung health. Staff will offer free pulmonary function tests to interested adults.

Franciscan St. Francis also will participate in the screening zone, sponsored by Marian University.

The whispering fury: Heart surgeon to explain causes of heart murmurs, treatments

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – That low whispering inside some human hearts may speak volumes about a person’s health.

Marc Gerdisch, MD, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center, will explain the importance of understanding why heart valves may cause murmurs and when it’s time to seek treatment. His presentation –- which is free and open to the public – is 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 23 at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville (1201 Hadley Road).

Heart murmurs are caused by valves inside the heart that don’t close properly. Sometimes, people can live with heart murmurs a long time without any symptoms. However, if the problem becomes more serious, the blood flow to the heart may be affected.

People who have innocent heart murmurs have normal hearts. They usually have no other signs or symptoms of heart problems. Innocent murmurs are common in healthy children. Many, if not most, children will have heart murmurs heard by their doctors at some time in their lives.

Call 317-782-4422 or go on-line at MyHeartCare.net to register.

Anatomy of an execution: Physician to explain crucifixion from medical perspective on Good Friday

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s a crime scene investigation focused on a case which occurred 2,000 years ago. Call it, perhaps, CSI: Jerusalem.

That will be the focus of a special presentation at the auditorium of Franciscan St. Francis Health 11 a.m. on Good Friday, April 18. Charles J. Dietzen, MD, will discuss, from a medical perspective, the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth and what really happened on that long-ago day atop Golgotha.

Dietzen, an Indianapolis pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and founder of Timmy Global Health, will explain the Roman practice of execution, the physiological aspects of Jesus’ death and a medical analysis of opposing theories on the resurrection.

Additionally, he will discuss what medical and scientific analyses reveal about the  Shroud of Turin, an ancient linen many believe to be the burial cloth of Jesus.

The presentation, which will be in the hospital's auditorium,  also will include a full-sized replica of the cross, Roman period artifacts and a life-sized copy of the Shroud of Turin.

April event heralds hospital’s century-long health care ministry in Central Indiana

Spotlight on Franciscan St. Francis Health’s past with a focus on the future

INDIANAPOLIS -- Step back in time to 1914. Henry Ford introduces the assembly line for the Model T. Charlie Chaplin debuts as “The Tramp” in film. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated, thus sparking World War I and Babe Ruth plays his first professional baseball game with the Baltimore Orioles.

Back home again in Indiana, René Thomas wins the 4th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race and blisters the track with a record-setting lap of 82.4 mph and Mayor Joseph Bell establishes the police force’s first vice squad.

And in fledgling Beech Grove on Indianapolis’ south side, St. Francis Hospital begins accepting patients at is new medical facility, complete with 75 beds, operating rooms and an emergency room. It was the fulfillment of a vision orchestrated by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration.

Franciscan St. Francis Health is celebrating its centennial in 2014 and will officially kick off a series of activities beginning  Thursday, April 10, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“Step Back in Time” will offer friends of Franciscan St. Francis Health a preview of its centennial celebration gala at the JW Marriott on Saturday, Sept. 27. The April 10 event will provide the special 100 guests an evening of hospital history and refreshments; actresses dressed in 1914-era clothing, who will mingle with guests; Fred Astaire dance instructors demonstrating their fleet-footed moves to Big Band music; and the opportunity to preview silent auction items that will be featured at the gala.

Guest also will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a free two-year lease on a Fiat 500 Pop from Tom O’Brien FIAT of Greenwood. The winner of the Fiat will be announced during the gala in September.

Honorary Co-Chairs of the Franciscan St. Francis Centennial Celebration Gala on Sept. 27 are The Most Rev. Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Indianapolis, and Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter and his wife Sarah.

While history drives this event, the future of the hospital’s outreach to the greater community also takes a front seat. Proceeds will be designated to the Hospice House project. 

Groundbreaking for this free-standing facility, located on the Indianapolis hospital campus, is scheduled for June 12 with completion by year’s end.

When complete, the facility will serve as many as 600 Central Indiana families annually. It includes a 16-suite facility (with additional shell space for future expansion); bright gathering areas, kitchen and dining areas; garden-like landscaping and a chapel for meditation and worship; and unlimited visitation from loved ones and family members, including family pets.

To learn more about Hospice House and see images, click HERE.

Franciscan St. Francis will have other activities throughout the year to celebrate “A Century of Inspiring Health.” A video is being produced to recount the hospital’s growth at the former Beech Grove hospital and its campuses at Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel and a “history wall” is being developed for public display. 

Franciscan VNS selects new director of quality, support services

INDIANAPOLIS – Rhonda Deluise, RN, has been appointed director of Quality and Support Services at Franciscan Visiting Nurse Service. She was a manager in that same area the last five years.

Before joining Franciscan VNS, she was vice president of patient care services for Howard Regional Health System and held various nursing positions at other medical facilities in Kokomo.

Deluise received her associate and bachelor degrees in nursing from Indiana University.

Long-time nurse selected obstetrics nurse navigator

INDIANAPOLIS – Erin Neu, RN, has been appointed obstetrics nurse navigator for Women and Children’s Services at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

She will work with expectant mothers and personalize their pregnancy and delivery experiences and direct them to resources needed before and after the birth of their children. Additionally, she will coordinate with the hospital’s Maternal Child Services unit to develop community awareness and involvement with the OB Nurse Navigator program.

Neu, who has been affiliated with Franciscan St. Francis Health for 15 years, most recently worked in the postpartum and newborn nursery units. She also served in labor and delivery and maternal child home health units.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Indianapolis.

Click HERE to learn more about Women and Children’s Services at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

Franciscan St. Francis ER physician assumes new role for Morgan Co. EMS

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – Robert Austgen, MD, has been appointed medical director of the Morgan County Emergency Medical Services for Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville.

In accordance with Indiana EMS regulations, ambulance services are required to have medical oversight by a physician. Austgen, representatives from ambulance services, EMS education and hospital staff will continue to develop patient care protocols, training programs, and quality improvement processes.

Austgen’s oversight includes the fire departments in A&A Township, Brown Township, Morgantown, Paragon and Stilesville.

A member of Emergency Physicians of Indianapolis since 2012, he is part of a medical group that staffs the emergency departments at Franciscan St. Francis’ Mooresville and Indianapolis campuses.

“The hospital is part of the community, and partnering with the emergency responders is a natural extension of the hospital. They know the needs of their area and we are glad to help them provide the best patient care possible,” Austgen said. 

Franciscan St. Francis Health hosts National Healthcare Decisions Day events at its hospitals

INDIANAPOLIS – Who do you want to speak for you and make health-care decisions when you are unable to do so?

Advance health-care directives instructions are given by individuals specifying what actions should be taken for their health in the event that they are no longer able to make decisions due to illness or incapacity.

That’s why Franciscan St. Francis Health is helping lead and coordinate efforts to educate the public about the importance of having advance health-care directives.

Information booths will be set up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, April 14, at Franciscan St. Francis-Carmel (12188-B N. Meridian St., main lobby); Wednesday, April 16, at Franciscan St. Francis-Indianapolis (8111 S. Emerson Ave., cafeteria) and Franciscan St. Francis-Mooresville (1201 Hadley Road, main lobby).

An information station will also be hosted at the Greenwood Park Mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 16 at the Rejuvenation Station in front of Sears. Hospital clinical experts, social workers and chaplains will be on hand to answer questions.

The events coincide with the National Health Care Decisions Day, designed to raise awareness about the importance of advance care planning.

Click here to learn more about advance directives and related issues.