Clinical study at Franciscan St. Francis Health seeks to get leg up on sciatic nerve pain

Hoosier patient is first in state and fourth in world to enroll in study

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s a shooting pain that radiates from the lower back, the thigh and below the knee and leaves many often unable to go about life’s routine activities.

It’s called sciatica – a common yet painful spinal condition – and physicians at Franciscan St. Francis Health are participating in a Phase II clinical trial designed to see if a product will bring relief for qualifying participants. The treatment is a non-surgical, non-steroid injection for sciatica-related leg and back pain.

DR. ROBERT PRINCE

”Although sciatica pain usually gets better on its own after a few weeks, for some people the pain continues, or even gets worse, which can take a major toll on your activity level,” said principal investigator Robert Prince, MD, pain expert for Franciscan Physician Network Spine Specialists.

The first patient in Indiana – and the fourth in the world – recently was enrolled in the research study at Franciscan St. Francis-Indianapolis. Performed as an outpatient procedure, the drug is injected into the epidural space as an extended release treatment.

To be considered for the study, patients must at a minimum:

·        be over 18 years of age

·        experience primarily leg pain (can also have back pain)

·        have failed conservative therapy (bed rest, physical therapy, medication) for at least six or more weeks

·        no chronic opioid use

·        be willing to stop anti-inflammatory drugs for sciatica for 24 hours before the implant and no use after the implant

For more information about the Franciscan St. Francis-based study, please call 855-5-STUDY-0 or visit www.LegPainStudy.com.

Surgeon explains orthopedic, joint replacement therapies June 11

COLUMBUS, 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 11, at the Comfort Inn and Suites, 2485 Jonathan Moore Pike, Columbus. Light refreshments will be served, beginning at 6 p.m.

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

Malinzak 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.

Physician establishes practice with McFarland Internal Medicine

INDIANAPOLIS – Reva Sharma, MD, has joined Franciscan Physician Network McFarland Internal Medicine and is accepting new patients.

Board-certified in internal medicine, she has more than 15 years’ experience in that field. Sharma most recently worked for five years as a hospitalist at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville.

Sharma earned her medical degree at the Lady Harding Medical School at Delhi University, New Delhi, India. She completed her residency at Mount Sinai and University Hospitals of Cleveland, where she also served as an attending physician and clinical instructor.

McFarland Internal Medicine is located at 7825 McFarland Lane, Suite B. To make an appointment with Sharma, call 317-889-6551.

Senior Promise appoints new accountable care organization adviser

INDIANAPOLIS – Chase A. Kunkel has been appointed Accountable Care Organization counselor for Senior Promise at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

In that role, he is responsible for managing the ACO member service phone line, communication and education with ACO staff, providers and beneficiaries.    

Kunkel, a licensed health and life insurance agent, most previously served as a financial consultant for Northwestern Mutual. Prior to that, he was an assistant instructor for an intensive mental health classroom for an Indianapolis elementary school.

An Indianapolis resident, he earned his undergraduate degree in social and behavioral science at Indiana University. Kunkel is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and serves on the board of directors for the Social of Greenwood.

Launched in 1987, Senior Promise is a program based at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis, provides its 22,000-plus members a variety of meaningful services and benefits for people age 50 and older throughout the year.

First class of UIndy Cohort nursing program poised to receive graduate degrees

INDIANAPOLIS – Twenty Franciscan St. Francis Health nurses make up the first class of students to complete their master of science degrees in nursing at the University of Indianapolis MSN Cohort Program.

The three-year program is a partnership between Franciscan St. Francis and the University of Indianapolis to encourage and assist nurses in obtaining their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Students receive a reduced tuition rate and can take classes at the hospital or online and can take advantage of the hospital’s tuition reimbursement.

The graduates completed studies concentrating on nursing education and nursing leadership and commencement is slate for May 10. They include:

·        Nancy Bryant, Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians

·        Corie Connor, Stroke Center

·        Angela Cottey, 5 East - Medical

·        Amy Dant, Critical Care

·        Kimberly Devine, Educational Services

·        Karla Dewey, Palliative Care

·        Betsy Glowinski, Indianapolis Gastroenterology

·        Debra Hillman, Educational Services

·        Laurel Hubbard, Critical Care

·        Lorie Nagy, Educational Services

·        Charlie Randolph, Clinical Informatics

·        Leah Scalf, Healthcare Quality

·        Erin Schoch, Educational Services

·        Tara Simon, Intensive Care Unit, Mooresville

·        Christa Smiley, Nursing Administration

·        Maria Smith, Educational Services

·        Kimberley Swisher, Educational Services

·        Lauren Titus, Franciscan Physician Network

·        Theresa Weisenbach, 4 East, BMT

·        Juli White, 5 West, Geriatrics

To learn more about nursing at Franciscan St. Francis Health, visit http://sites.franciscanalliance.org/stfrancis/nursing/