'Never Too Late' to witness a work of heart

Pat Studebaker has experienced and seen a lot of things in her 84 years. But one dream she has had for much of her life was to get a first-hand look at heart surgery. The St. Francis Heart Center made that possible recently when she was cleared to observe a double-valve procedure performed by a surgical team led by Dr. Marc Gerdisch, chief of cardiothoracic surgery.

"I got to see a doctor hold a heart in his hand. That was amazing," she said after the five-hour procedure. "It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

Her wish was made possible through Never Too Late, an organization that grants wishes for seniors, in coordination with the Heart Center. You can read more about this at http://www.theindychannel.com/news/28268638/detail.html.

Learn more about the St. Francis Heart Center.

Photos by Zach Dobson

St. Francis Medical Group rheumatology practice to serve Franklin patients

FRANKLIN, Ind. – Rheumatology & Osteoporosis Specialists, a member of St. Francis Medical Group, is extending its services to residents here and to surrounding communities, effective June 30.

Its offices will be located at 1300 W. Jefferson St., and will see patients every other Thursday.

Rheumatology & Osteoporosis Specialists and its two physicians, Stefan Monev, M.D., and Heather Greist, M.D., are experts in the early diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory arthritis, osteoporosis, and autoimmune systemic diseases such as lupus, myositis and vasculitis.

The practice currently operates at two other locations: 5255 E Stop 11 Road, Suite 320, Indianapolis; and 1201 Hadley Road Mooresville. For appointments, call 317-888-1467.

To learn more, go to http://stfrancishospitals.org/SFMG/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=193

Led by President Isaac J. Myers II, M.D., St. Francis Medical Group is a multidisciplinary group of more than 160 physicians practicing 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 medical leader earns advanced degree from Carnegie Mellon

INDIANAPOLIS – Christopher “Topper” Doehring, M.D., vice president of medical affairs for Franciscan St. Francis Health, has received a master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University.

The degree, developed in partnership with the American College of Physician Executives, is designed for physicians who are serving in leadership roles. Doehring joins about 650 physicians around the nation who hold the specialized degree.

Doehring has been affiliated with St. Francis Health since 2003, also has served as associate director of the hospital’s Family Medicine Residency Program and was medical director for the St. Francis Medical Group.

He currently holds an academic appointment at the Indiana University School of Medicine as clinical assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine. A U.S. Army veteran, Doehring also held similar appointments with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and the Medical College of Georgia.

A native of Vandalia, Ill., Doehring is a Diplomate with the American Board of Family Medicine and has been certified in advanced trauma/cardiac/pediatric life support and holds similar certificates in neonatal and obstetric care.

He holds memberships in the American Academy of Family Physicians, Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, Indiana Academy of Family Physicians, Indiana State Medical Association and the Indianapolis Medical Society.

Doehring earned his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1996) and graduated with honors from Furman University (1991). He completed a family medicine residency at St. Vincent Hospital and a primary care fellowship at Michigan State University.

New chief to assume human resources helm at St. Francis Health

INDIANAPOLIS – Karen S. Sagar has been appointed Human Resources Executive for Franciscan St. Francis Health effective July 1.

In that role she will have responsibilities for all facets of human resources, including employment, retention, compensation, legal compliance, employee relations and employee communications. Additionally, she will oversee employee health services, education, employee assistance program, safety, and security.

Sagar succeeds John Ross, who will retire July 1 after 37 years of service.

Sagar previously was director of recruitment and retention. During that time, retention improved by more than 20 percent and employee satisfaction jumped upward nearly 40 percent. She also led cultural transformation, leadership training and employee education initiatives.

Prior to coming to St. Francis Health in 2004, Sagar was vice president for human resources, planning and marketing for Mercy Medical Center, Clinton, Iowa.

A resident of Greenwood, Sagar received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Marshall University, where she later earned a master’s in business administration.

Sagar was the recipient of the 2009 Communication Award from the American Society of Healthcare Human Resource Administrators. She is past president of the Indiana Society of Healthcare Human Resource Administrators and is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management.

Surgeon explains orthopedic, joint replacement therapies July 21

DANVILLE, Ill. – 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. Eastern Daylight Time, 5:30 p.m. Central, on Thursday, July 21, at the Days Hotel and Conference Center, 77 N. Gilbert St., Danville.

E. Michael Keating, 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.

Keating 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 Franciscan St. Francis Health 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