St. Francis Health surgeon steers orthopedics ‘Road Show’ to Plainfield

PLAINFIELD, 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. EDT, Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Primo West, 2353 E. Perry Road, Plainfield. Light refreshments will be served, beginning at 6 p.m.

Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Philip M. Faris, M.D., will explain the latest procedures in joint replacement and arthritis treatments. He specializes in adult reconstructive surgery and joint replacement.

Faris is a surgeon with Franciscan Physician Network Joint Replacement Surgeons, a practice group affiliated with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery at Franciscan St. Francis Health–Mooresville.

The Center has been ranked No. 1 in Indiana for joint surgery five years in a row (2007-2011) by HealthGrades, one of the nation’s premier health care rating companies.

To register for this seminar, call toll-free at 1-877-888-1777.

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

Spinal stimulator proves to be game changer in easing chronic pain

St. Francis Health doctor treats patients with new device using Wii, iPhone technology

INDIANAPOLIS – A new motion-sensing neurostimulator is being used successfully to treat patients with chronic pain conditions at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

It’s called the AdaptiveStim™ with RestoreSensor™ stimulation system from Medtronic and is the first of its kind to gain recent Food and Drug Administration approval. The ideal patients are those with chronic back and/or leg pain, who have not been helped by other treatments.

Just as a smart phone “knows” to change its image vertically or horizontally and a Nintendo Wii Fit adjusts to a user’s motion, AdaptiveStim uses an accelerometer to detect a person’s change in position.

Robert Prince, M.D., a pain management specialist with St. Francis Medical Group Spine Specialists, is the first physician in Central Indiana to use the system. So far, he  has treated about10 patients and  the results have been dramatic.

"There are many patients who have residual pain after multiple spine surgeries, and this therapy can be amazingly successful for them in many cases,” Prince said. “Once the device comes on line the pain goes off line. They are the happiest patients I treat because they thought all hope was lost."

Chronic pain – defined as ongoing pain lasting for more than three to six months – is said to afflict more than 116 million Americans. For many, such pain is so severe it interferes with working, eating and overall quality of life.

Physicians have been using neurostimulation therapy to treat patient for three decades. It uses an implantable device (about the size of a pacemaker) to send electrical impulses through the spinal cord and squelch pain signals to the brain. Essentially it tricks the brain into translating pain as a tingling sensation.

While effective for the most part, such therapy has its drawbacks. Patients must use a remote control type of device and manually adjust them with each distinctive movement. Also, the implants have a battery life from three to seven years.

AdaptiveStim stores the stimulation level a patient has chosen when standing, lying down, upright and active, bending and stretching.

ROBERT PRINCE

“Essentially, this technology learns from a person’s movements and immediately responds by automatically adjusting pain-relief settings to the optimal level,” said Prince, who is board-certified in both pain and anesthesia and trained at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Prince implants the device in a minimally invasive outpatient setting. AdaptiveStim with RestoreSensor is tested before the procedure gets under way. A small incision is made for placement of the device, and tiny electrodes are carefully placed in the spinal column.

The patient is sent home with a remote control device to adjust pain-blocking remedies for all motions, all of which is recorded and stored. When the patient returns to Prince’s office a few weeks later, the sensor recording device is fine-tuned and adjusted. In most cases, a remote control is no longer needed.

AdaptiveStim is rechargeable and can last up to nine years, Medtronic officials say.

One of the other advantages of this pain-blocking stimulator is that it is a drugless therapy; thereby not requiring prescription narcotics, which are highly addictive.

To learn more about Prince’s work visit St. Francis Medical Group Spine Specialists. Visit  AdaptiveStim with RestoreSensor for more information.

Medical honor society welcomes St. Francis Health surgeon into its fold

INDIANAPOLIS – Bridget Sanders, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has been elected to membership into the Indiana chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

A colorectal cancer surgeon with Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center, Sanders will be inducted into the group at a ceremony and banquet at the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis next spring. She was nominated by members of the Indiana chapter.

Sanders joined the Kendrick practice in 2005. She specializes in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, as well as laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery. She treats patients at Franciscan St. Francis Health hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

Certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, she is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

Sanders earned her medical degree at the IU School of Medicine where she later completed a surgical residency. Following the residency, she completed a colon and rectal surgery fellowship at Cleveland clinic before joining Kendrick.

Franciscan St. Francis Health physicians among U.S. News ‘Top Doctors’ list

INDIANAPOLIS – More than 30 Franciscan St. Francis Health physicians have been singled out by U.S. News & World Report in the publication’s annual “Top Doctors” listing.

The Top Doctors list was compiled with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., publisher of America’s Top Doctors, among other consumer health guides. Nominations came from physicians in academic medical centers and private practices, specialty hospitals and regional hospitals.

Castle Connolly’s physician-led research team reviewed each nominee’s training, achievements and appointments, along with other credentials.

U.S. News Media Group provides a free searchable directory available at www.usnews.com/top-doctors that lists nearly 30,000 peer-nominated physicians across the country.

Franciscan St. Francis physicians and their specialties include:

Richard Beardsley (family medicine)

William Berg (interventional cardiology)

Michael Elmore (gastroenterology)

Erica Eugster (pediatric endocrinology)

Thomas Fairchild (otolaryngology)

Jack Farr II (orthopedic surgery)

Peter Garrett (radiation oncology)

Marc Gerdisch M.D. (thoracic surgery)

Charles Hughes III (plastic surgery)

Denise Johnson Miller (surgeon)

Martin Kaefer (urology)

Baron Kidd (pediatrics)

Robert Kinn M.D. (cardiac electrophysiology)

Charles Kinsella (pulmonology)

Frederick Lane (colon and rectal surgery)

G. Todd Lemmel (gastroenterology)

S. Chase Lottich (surgeon)

Jonathan Mandelbaum (surgeon)

Mary Lou Mayer (medical oncology)

David Moore, M.D.  (gynecologic cancer)

Dan Nordmann (pain management)

Jeffrey Peterson (family medicine)

David Pound (gastroenterology)

Ana Priscu (endocrinology)

Dawn Salvatore (vascular surgeon)

Juan Sanchez (pediatric endocrinology)

Bridget Sanders (colon and rectal surgery)

Richard Shea (cardiologist)

Barbara Sturm (dermatology)

James Thompson (medical oncology)

Jan Jansen (hematology)

Olaf Johansen (colon and rectal cancer)

Jeffery Pierson (orthopedic surgery)

G. Alan Von Stein M.D (obstetrics/gynecology)

U.S. News Media Group provides a free searchable directory available at www.usnews.com/top-doctors that lists nearly 30,000 peer-nominated physicians across the country.

More than 1,000 physicians are employed or have practice privileges at Franciscan St. Francis’ hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

Nearly 170 physicians are members of St. Francis Medical Group, a multidisciplinary team practicing in 46 groups 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.

Internist the first to see patients at new St. Francis Health Martinsville office

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. – Dianna L. Boyer, M.D., has established a practice at Martinsville Family & Internal Medicine with St. Francis Medical Group.

The newly established medical complex opened Sept. 19, and provides a broad range of health care options for local residents and surrounding areas.

Board-certified in internal medicine, Boyer most recently was employed by Indiana University Health Morgan Hospital, where she also served as chief of medicine, medicine section chair and the medical executive and credentials committee. Before that affiliation, she was in private practice in Martinsville.

Boyer received her undergraduate degree at Bryn Mawr College and earned her medical degree from the IU School of Medicine. She completed an internal medicine residency at IU Hospitals in Indianapolis.

To schedule an appointment with Boyer, call 349-3627.

The new medical office, located at Martinsville Shoppes at 49 Bills Blvd. near State Road 37, has 9,000-square-feet. Boyer will share the space with SFMG’s Indiana Heart Physicians, primary care physicians and nurse practitioners.

Franciscan St. Francis Health announced plans earlier this year that it would open a multipurpose medical office to better serve the needs in the Martinsville community. The hospital system also operates a full-service hospital in Mooresville.

Led by Isaac J. Myers II, M.D., nearly 170 physicians are members of St. Francis Medical Group, a multidisciplinary team practicing in 46 groups 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 Health surgeon explains orthopedic procedures at Plainfield event

PLAINFIELD, 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. EDT, Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Primo West, 2353 E. Perry Road, Plainfield. Light refreshments will be served, beginning at 6 p.m.

Robert A. Malinzak, M.D., will explain the latest procedures in joint replacement and arthritis treatments. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in adult reconstructive surgery and joint replacement.

Malinzak is a surgeon with Joint Replacement Surgeons, a practice group affiliated with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery at Franciscan St. Francis Health–Mooresville.

The Center has been ranked No. 1 in Indiana for joint surgery five years in a row by HealthGrades, one of the nation’s premier health care rating companies.

To register for this seminar, call toll-free at 1-877-888-1777. Or register online at http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=39.

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

St. Francis Health plastic surgeon earns top listing in international publication

INDIANAPOLIS – Charles E. Hughes III, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has been selected “Top Plastic Surgeon in Indianapolis” by the International Association of Healthcare Professionals (IAHCP).

That accolade earns Hughes a listing and profile in The Leading Physicians of the World, an international publication featuring physicians who are leaders in their fields.

Certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Hughes has practiced in the Indianapolis area for more than 25 years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Hughes earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School and served his internship at Passavant Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He completed residencies in general surgery and plastic surgery at Northwestern and a fellowship in surgical oncology with the American Cancer Society.

He holds memberships in various professional organizations and has lectured widely about plastic surgery. Hughes also is a National Visiting Professor of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

More information about the services at the Indianapolis Institute for Plastic Surgery is at http://www.indplsplasticsurgery.com/. The practice will be renamed St. Francis Medical Group Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons.
St. Francis Medical Group is comprised of more than 140 physicians, offering a variety of primary and specialty care services at St. Francis’ hospitals throughout central Indiana.
To learn more about St. Francis Medical Group, visit http://www.stfrancisdoctors.org/.

St. Francis Medical Group appoints permanent clinical chief

INDIANAPOLIS – Paul E. Driscoll, M.D., has been selected as medical director for St. Francis Medical Group (SFMG). He had been serving in that position on an interim basis for several months.

Driscoll, who will oversee clinical operations of the 140-member group, joins SFMG President Isaac J. Myers II, M.D. in the leadership role.

Board-certified in family medicine, Driscoll has been affiliated with Franciscan St. Francis Health in many capacities since 1980, after completing his residency with the hospital. He has been in practice with Beech Grove Family Medicine since 1987 and a member of SFMG since 1994.

Driscoll, who chairs the St. Francis’ Department of Family Medicine, formerly was vice chair of SFMG’s Board of Managers and the hospital’s Physician IT Committee.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Driscoll has chaired the Family Medicine Department on two occasions and served on the Board of Directors for St. Francis Health Network for several years.

A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he has earned several academic and professional honors, including his selection as a Fellow with the American Academy of Family Physicians.

SFMG physicians offer a variety of primary care and specialty care services and all practice at Franciscan St. Francis Health facilities.

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

St. Francis Heart Center earns echocardiography national accreditation

INDIANAPOLIS – The St. Francis Heart Center has been awarded three-year accreditation with the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL).

The rating comes in the wake of an extensive peer-review by ICAEL physicians and sonographers, who evaluated all aspects of echocardiography laboratories and patient outcomes at St. Francis. The accreditation applies to the hospital’s Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville campuses where the echocardiography procedures are conducted.

The program is spearheaded by cardiologist Richard J. Shea, M.D., and Mary Ellen Stewart, technical director of echocardiography. Shea provided the oversight and medical direction for the St. Francis Medical Group’s accreditation at the Indiana Heart Physicians’ office several years earlier.

Echocardiography is a noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses ultrasound to study structure and motions of the heart, and used to detect cardiac disease.

“This effort has been under way for nearly two years and is a testament to the quality and scope of the work performed at St. Francis,” said Michael Hertel, executive director of the St. Francis Heart Center. “The accreditation is highly regarded in the health-care industry and a distinguishing program characteristic.”

The ICAEL was incorporated in 1996 in response to the need for standardization and improvement of the quality of echocardiographic laboratories.

To learn more about programs and services at the St. Francis Heart Center, go to www.MyHeartCare.net.

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Physicians join newly established St. Francis County Line Pediatrics

INDIANAPOLIS – Shanna Bowman, M.D., and Stacey Smith, M.D., members of St. Francis Medical Group, have joined County Line Pediatrics.

Bowman earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in Bloomington and her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is board-certified in pediatrics.

Smith received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN and a master’s degree in biology from Purdue University. She earned her medical degree from
Indiana University School of Medicine and completed her residency training at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville.

She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is board-certified in pediatrics.

County Line Pediatrics is a newly established St. Francis Medical Group practice, located at 8325 South Emerson Ave, Suite B-1 in Indianapolis.

Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 317-781-7297 for an appointment or for more information.

To learn more about St. Francis Medical Group and its physicians, go to http://www.stfrancisdoctors.org/.

No bone of contention: Some men at risk of osteoporosis

INDIANAPOLIS – For those who think osteoporosis is a woman’s disease, think again. Some 2.5 million American males have it, and countless more are at risk.

“Unfortunately, osteoporosis often goes undiagnosed until weak bones break,” said Stefan Monev, M.D., rheumatologist with Rheumatology and Osteoporosis Specialists at St. Francis. “However, a bone mineral density test can detect bone loss. Talk to your doctor if you have risk factors for osteoporosis or if you have lost height, your posture changes or you notice sudden back pain.”

Ways to maintain bone health:

• Don’t smoke; it’s hard on bones.

• Be sure to get 1,200 mg calcium and 800 IU vitamin D from diet and supplements daily. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium.

• Exercise regularly. Weight-bearing activities, like walking, are good choices.

Monev said it is crucial to determine the causes for low bone density at the onset of the disease and to seek immediate and appropriate treatment. Conditions such as vitamin D deficiency frequently contribute to bone loss and may require specific therapies.

Medications are available that help build bone and decrease risk of breakage in men with osteoporosis.

To learn more about rheumatology and osteoporosis services at St. Francis, visit www.stfrancishospitals.org/SFMG/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=193.

Surgeon establishes new practice at St. Francis Vascular Associates

INDIANAPOLIS – Robert W. Zickler, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has joined St. Francis Vascular Associates.

Board-certified in vascular and general surgery, he most recently was affiliated with Surgical Associates of Fredericksburg, Va., and was a staff surgeon at Mary Washington Hospital. He has held staff positions at hospitals in New York and New Jersey and academic appointments at Pennsylvania State University-College of Medicine and the Department of Veterans Affairs-New Jersey.

Zickler’s clinical interests include repair and aortic stent grafting, carotid artery surgery, treatment of lower extremity venous disease, minimally invasive vein surgery, limb salvage surgery and endovascular interventions.

He received his medical degree at Hahnemann University-School of Medicine in Philadelphia and earlier earned a doctorate of medical dentistry at Farleigh Dickinson University-College of Dental Medicine.

Zickler completed residencies at Seton Hall University/Jersey City Medical Center and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School. He held fellowships in endovascular and interventional radiology and vascular surgery at Pennsylvania State University.

Widely published in professional journals, Zickler is a member of the Medical Society of Virginia and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

St. Francis Vascular Associates includes both patient offices and a vascular lab, where select diagnostic vascular procedures are performed. All vascular surgeries take place at the St. Francis Heart Center, located adjacent to the practice office building.

For more information about St. Francis Vascular Associates go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/SFMG/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=46.

Brock Nolan, Iraq War MD, establishes practice with St. Francis Psychiatric Associates

INDIANAPOLIS – Brock P. Nolan, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has joined St. Francis Psychiatric Associates.

Nolan most recently served as medical director of behavioral health services, a Luke Air Force Base, Phoenix, Ariz., where he was a staff psychiatrist/executive officer, flight surgeon, and was responsible for supervising physicians and mental health specialists.

A commissioned Air Force officer, Nolan was detachment commander at Forward Operating Base Kalsu in Iraq in 2008. He commanded a unit in support of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and 101st Airborne Division. During that tour of duty, he supervised treatment for soldiers experiencing a range of combat-related psychiatric conditions.

A graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, he was chief resident at Wright State University in Ohio, where he was awarded a fellowship by faculty and resident because of his leadership through residency training. Nolan is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

St. Francis Psychiatric Associates is now located at 610 E. Southport Rd, Suite 200, Indianapolis. To schedule an appointment call 317- 781-4588. The 24-hour crisis line phone number is 317-782-6495.

Orthopaedic surgeon establishes new practice at St. Francis

INDIANAPOLIS – Michael E. Ralston, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has joined Orthopaedic Restoration at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Ralston is an honors undergraduate of The Ohio State University, where he also earned his medical degree. He completed a surgical internship and residency training at the University of Florida, and later completed a fellowship in total joint replacement at The Ohio State University.

Ralston is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Orthopaedic Restoration at St. Francis is located at 701 E. County Line Rd., Suite 204, Greenwood. For appointment information, call 317-887-2034, or toll-free 317-945-0217.

St. Francis family medicine veterans move practice location

INDIANAPOLIS – Two St. Francis Medical Group physicians are relocating their family medicine practices to a new location in early August.

Matt Wolf, M.D., and Joe Johnston, M.D., will see patients at the newly opened South 31 Family Care center, located at U.S. 31 and Southport Road. They previously practiced at St. Francis Center Grove Family Medicine.

They will be joined by Lisa Altuglu, M.D., and John Baldea, M.D., at the new location.

Wolf and Johnston are board-certified in family medicine and also provide obstetrical care and delivering babies at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis.

Both physicians completed their residencies at St. Francis and were graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine.

To schedule an appointment at South 31 Family Care, call 317-781-7370.

Physician poised to see new patients at South 31 Family Care

INDIANAPOLIS – John D. Baldea, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, will establish a practice at South 31 Family Care effective Aug. 3.

Baldea, who specializes in family and sports medicine, comes to the new position from Colorado, where he served as team physician at the University of Colorado and University of Denver. Previously, he was employed by U.S. Healthworks Urgent Care Center and Southway Urgent Care Center in Colorado.

A graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, Baldea completed family residency training at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie and a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Colorado.

He holds memberships in the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine and the Indiana Academy of Family Physicians.

Baldea joins Matthew Wolf, M.D., W. Joseph Johnston, M.D., and Lisa Altuglu, M.D., at the newly opened Southport Family Care center, located U.S. 31 and Southport Road. Wolf and Johnston previously were associated with St. Francis’ Center Grove Family Medicine.

To schedule an appointment with Baldea at South 31 Family Care, call 317-781-7370.

Indiana Heart Physicians joins forces with St. Francis Hospital

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Heart Physicians, a leading internationally recognized cardiology practice, will integrate its services with St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers, effective Aug. 3, 2009.

Thirty years of industry-leading cardiac care to the residents of south central Indiana has taken a major step forward with the integration of Indiana Heart Physicians and St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers. This integration harnesses the expertise of both organizations and their ability to offer a wider range of cardiac and vascular services to patients in central Indiana.

“The health-care industry has clearly established the need to better manage our scarce resources and to do so with a continued focus on our customers overall health. This can only be achieved by collaborating across the entire care continuum and avoiding all unnecessary costs not associated with patient care,” said Keith Jewell, St. Francis senior vice president and chief operating officer.

“Fully integrating our organizations enables St. Francis and Indiana Heart Physicians to continue the high quality service customers have come to expect while also investing resources in applying the science and research that is transforming the delivery of cardiac care,” added Robert J. Brody, St. Francis president and chief executive officer.

IHP currently has 23 board-certified physicians specialized in the areas of electrophysiology, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and interventional cardiology. They are supported by nearly 150 physician assistants, nurses, medical technology staff and support personnel.

“Indiana Heart Physicians has proudly served the south-central Indiana community for over 30 years and being fully integrated with St. Francis will only strengthen our ability to continue to provide the best possible cardiovascular care to the patients we serve,” said Jeff Christie, Indiana Heart Physicians’ managing partner.

IHP was established in 1978 under the direction of H.O. “Buzz” Hickman, M.D. In addition to its long-established relationship with St. Francis, IHP also has affiliations with Morgan Hospital and Medical Center in Martinsville and Major Hospital in Shelbyville.

Last year, nearly 70,000 patients were seen at IHP, including office visits, testing and procedures.

IHP physicians conduct most of their work at the St. Francis Heart Center, located on the Indianapolis hospital’s south campus at Emerson Avenue and Stop 11. The center is the home to the city’s first certified Chest Pain Evaluation Center, Midwest Heart Valve Center, vascular laboratory, and a national training site for catheterization lab procedures, carotid stent placement and endovascular repair.

IHP physicians also developed the landmark Emergency Heart Attack Response Team at the Heart Center, which significantly reduces response times for heart attack patients, improves their outcomes and reduces health care costs. The EHART protocol has received much acclaim in the medical world and has been adopted by hospitals throughout the world.

The hospital/physician integration is seemingly timely and reflects a part of the health care reform proposals being discussed nationally, St. Francis and IHP officials say.

To learn more about the Indiana Heart Physicians, go to www.ihpmd.org. More information about St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers is at www.stfrancishospitals.org.

St. Francis physician establishes new practice at South 31 Family Care

INDIANAPOLIS – Lisa Altuglu, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, has joined South 31 Family Care effective Aug. 3.

Board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics, Altuglu previously was a partner in Pioneer Physicians Network, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She has held academic appointments at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Summa Health Systems, Akron General Medical Center and Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Akron.

She completed residencies in internal medicine and pediatrics at Akron General Medical Center and Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She earned her medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine.

Altuglu received various academic accolades as an undergraduate and as a medical student. She is a member of the Ohio State Medical Association.

She joins Matthew Wolf, M.D., W. Joseph Johnston, M.D., and John Baldea, M.D., at the newly opened South 31Family Care center, located U.S. 31 and Southport Road. Wolf and Johnston previously were associated with St. Francis’ Center Grove Family Medicine.

To schedule an appointment with Altuglu at South 31 Family Care, call 317-781-7370.

Rheumatologist offers services at 3 St. Francis locations

PLAINFIELD, Ind. – Rheumatologist William Kcomt, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, will begin seeing patients at Plainfield Health Center on Fridays, effective June 5.

His office hours will be 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the center, located at 315 Dan Jones Road. Kcomt, who is affiliated with the Rheumatology Center at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville (1201 Hadley Road), focuses his practice on the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory muscle and joint conditions and arthritis.

He also works with patients for the management of knee, neck and low back pain; diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia; comprehensive management of shoulder pain; diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and prevention of fractures.

Kcomt also sees patients 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Beech Grove Internal Medicine on Wednesdays. The office is located at 2030 Churchman Ave.

To schedule appointments, call 317-834-9051.

Blessings, open houses planned for St. Francis medical offices

INDIANAPOLIS – The public is invited to progressive blessings and open houses which are on tap for three St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers medical facilities, Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The blessings begin at 2 p.m. at the Orthopedic Restoration office of Charles Bartley, M.D., 701 E. County Line Road, Suite 201 in Greenwood. After the blessing and tour of the office, the celebration will continue to the Franciscan Spine Center and St. Francis Pain Clinic, 8051 S. Emerson Ave., Suite 360.

After a 3 p.m. blessing ceremony there, visitors will be treated to refreshments and will have the opportunity to meet with physicians and staffs during tours of the facilities.

For more information on the services offered at Orthopedic Restoration, visit the Web site at http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/SFMG/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=160, or call 317-887-2034.

The Franciscan Spine Center, directed by Daniel Nordmann, M.D., offers patients a complete range of surgical and non-surgical care. For more information call 317-783-8494, or visit its Web site at www.stfrancishospitals.org/SFMG/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=147.

For more information about services offered at the St. Francis Pain Clinic, go to http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=135.