St. Francis surgeon, volunteers honored as ‘Heroes’ by business magazine

INDIANAPOLIS – A St. Francis cardiothoracic surgeon who pioneered the use of new technology to repair inner heart tissue and 10 volunteers who help families that have lost babies have been singled out by the Indianapolis Business Journal as "Health Care Heroes."
That recognition came today (March 5) at a ceremony/breakfast at the Conrad Indianapolis sponsored by IBJ.

Marc Gerdisch, M.D., was the winner in the Advancements in Health Category. He was cited for his work, advancing heart valve surgery through the use of Extracellular Matrix to modify and repair cardiac structures. The CorMatrix ECM is a unique biomaterial that harnesses the body’s innate ability to repair damaged heart tissue. Over time, it is replaced by the patients’ own tissue.

Gerdisch was the first in the world to perform procedures using the ECM inside the human heart. He is director of cardiothoracic surgery at the St. Francis Heart Center, a partner at Cardiac Surgery Associates, and co-director of the St. Francis Heart Valve Center.

Volunteers for the St. Francis Caring Companions program also were selected as finalists in the Volunteer category. They are: Anna Schmitt, Becky Cassenelli, Marian Diaz-Soto, Linzi Horsley, Christine Davis, Shalome Frye, Melanie Collings, Mary Mouradian, Teresa Kirchoff and Julie Jackson.

The purpose of Caring Companions is to support families at the time of miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death. After becoming trained as certified Resolve Through Sharing caregivers, the women operate on 24-hour call schedule. When they are notified of an infant’s death, one or two Companions arrive at the hospital to provide support to the families sharing with them their own experiences of loss and hope.

The volunteers also help coordinate events that are so important to the ongoing healing process, such as Walk to Remember, Christmas Memorial, Infant Memorial service and Parents' Day.

This year’s recipients join other St. Francis-affiliated employees and programs recognized in the past as IBJ Health Care Heroes:

• John McIntyre, Ph.D. (finalist, 2009 and 2001)
• St. Francis Cord Blood Donation program (finalist, 2008)
• Jan Gaddis, R.N. (winner, 2006)
• Horace "Buzz" Hickman, M.D. (finalist, 2004)
• Carolyn Davis, R.N. (winner, 2002)
• Marcia Jenkins, R.N. (finalist, 2001).

To learn more about Gerdisch’s work visit http://www.cardiactissuerepair.net/. More information about St. Francis Caring Companions is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/women/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=103.

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St. Francis Hospital selects new disaster management coordinator

INDIANAPOLIS – Susan Perkins, R.N., has been appointed disaster management coordinator at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

In her new role, Perkins serves as liaison with St. Francis emergency room personnel, physicians, security and other departments in planning for and responding to disasters. She has previously worked at the hospital in emergency room services.

Perkins has an extensive background in public safety and health issues. She’s been affiliated with the Indiana Trauma System Advisory Task Force, Indiana Trauma Network, Indiana State Department of Health Injury Prevention Advisory Council, Indiana Emergency Nurses Association, various state and national trauma systems and Emergency Medical Services committees.

She earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Indianapolis. Perkins holds membership with the America Trauma Society, Emergency Nurses Association, and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.

Annual Docs vs. Jocks showdown takes aim at drug abuse awareness

INDIANAPOLIS – Former Indiana Pacers star Rik Smits and a local radio personality Jimmy “Mad Dog” Matis will be on hand for the annual Docs vs. Jocks vs. Drugs charity basketball game at Roncalli High School, Friday, April 16.

This marks the 24TH year St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers has sponsored the event, which raises funds and educates youth about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco use. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Roncalli’s substance abuse awareness and tobacco-cessation programs.

The action gets under way at 7 p.m. at the high school gymnasium, pitting St. Francis physicians against Roncalli High School faculty and staff. Pacers mascot Boomer also will be on hand prior to tipoff and throughout the game.

This meeting is pivotal: St. Francis and Roncalli have met on two other occasions with each squad having a win.

The 7-foot-4-inch center averaged nearly 15 points and more than six rebounds a game during his NBA career. Matis is known locally for his 23-year career at WFBQ-FM 94.7 on the Bob and Tom Show, and his sports news updates on sister station WNDE-AM 1260.

Both will be available for autographs and entertainment includes Pacers mascot “Boomer” and music from Roncalli’s pep band and show choir.

Tickets are $5 per person and are available at Roncalli and at the gym door the night of the event. Children 6years old and younger will be admitted free.

Roncalli High School is located at 3300 Prague Road.

The annual game has visited high school courts all over south-central Indiana, raising students’ awareness of the dangers of drug use and abuse. The program has raised more than $110,000 since its inception.

Donald J. Kerner, M.D., former chief medical officer at St. Francis, is the driving force behind Docs vs. Jocks vs. Drugs. He was awarded the 2004 Hulman Award for founding the annual event.

Measuring Spirit of Women’s Day of Dance success: 1,000 busy feet

BEECH GROVE, Ind. – While some moms shared the experience with their daughters, others made it a girls’ day out and some came alone.

Whatever their motivations, 500 participants learned the latest dance moves and embraced new ways to get heart-healthy during St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers’ seventh annual Spirit of Women Day of Dance.

Participants learned different types of dance such as hip-hop dance, courtesy of Adrienne McDade forDance Rhythms Ltd., salsa, IntoSalsa and short routines from the Indiana Pacemates. Participants also had the options of Tai Chi, Zumba and Nia.

Nikki Reed, traffic reporter for WIBC-93.1 FM, emceed the event and introduced dance instructors throughout the day. The Feb. 27 program, sponsored by St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers, was at the Benedict Inn Retreat & Conference Center in Beech Grove.

Although the event, which promotes exercise and healthy living, was targeted to women, men also came to join in on the fun. Along with the dancing, free screenings such as cholesterol and blood pressure were offered by St. Francis Heart Center.

“It's going to be tough to plan a bigger and better event,” said Michele Wood, manager of St. Francis’ Spirit of Women program. “It was a spectacular day of dancing, laugher, friendship and fun all in the pursuit of better health and vitality.”

More than 70 hospitals across the country sponsored Day of Dance in February as part of Spirit of Women, an elite network of hospitals nationwide committed to caring for women. The goal of the event is to offer an exciting and interactive way to get people moving through exercise that is creative, expressive and fun.

2011 Day of Dance is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011

New IT system bolsters St. Francis’ patient care delivery, processes

INDIANAPOLIS – New health information technology acquired by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc. will strengthen the hospital system’s processes related to patient care and clinical administration.

SSFHS has selected EpicCare, a comprehensive, integrated suite of applications produced by the Wisconsin-based Epic Systems Corp. Among the hospitals affected: St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers (Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Mooresville), St. Anthony Medical Center (Crown Point), St. Anthony Memorial Health Centers (Michigan City), St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville), St. Elizabeth Regional Health (Lafayette), St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers (Hammond and Dyer), and St. James Hospital and Health Centers (Olympia Fields and Chicago Heights, Ill.)

“Several factors went into this decision,” said Robert J. Brody, St. Francis president and chief executive officer. “Health care in the United States is rapidly changing to a system where care providers will be required to produce much higher quality outcomes using fewer resources, and where collaboration is vital in providing top-notch, efficient patient services.”

Among the areas where the EpicCare computer technology will be integrated:

Patient medical records
Medication administration, pharmacy tracking
Operating room/surgery management
Alverno Clinical Labs
Medical imaging
Emergency room documentation and patient tracking
Cardiology and anesthesia
Physician order
Hospital scheduling, registration and billing

Other services such as oncology, ophthalmology, ambulatory pharmacy and home health programs are cheduled to be phased in at a later time.

Headquartered in Mishawaka, Ind., the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services is a network of 13 growing hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois and is one of the largest health-care systems in the state.

The system’s health-care ministry in Indiana was established in 1875 and today employs more than 18,000 individuals in its health-care ministries. More information about SSFHS is at www.ssfhs.org.