Several St. Francis physicians featured among Indy magazine’s ‘Top Doctors’ list

INDIANAPOLIS – Twenty-seven St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers employed or affiliated physicians have been honored as “Top Doctors” by Indianapolis Monthly magazine (November issue).

They were among those selected by nationwide surveys of tens of thousands of physicians conducted by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., representing the upper tier of board-certified physicians in the Indianapolis area.

“The company’s research team follows a rigorous screening process to select doctors on both the national and regional levels,” magazine editors wrote. “Through mail, telephone surveys, in addition to electronic ballots, they asked physicians and the medical leadership of leading hospitals to identify highly skilled exceptional doctors.”

Members of St. Francis Medical Group (indicated) and hospital-affiliated physicians and their specialties:

William Berg, M.D. – Interventional cardiology (SFMG)

Richard Shea, M.D. – Cardiovascular disease (SFMG)

Sumeet Bhatia, M.D. – Medical oncology

Frederick Lane, M.D. – Colon/rectal surgery

Olaf Johansen, M.D. – Colon/rectal surgery

Barbara Sturm, M.D. – Dermatology

Ana Priscu, M.D. – Endocrinology/diabetes/metabolism (SFMG)

Richard Beardsley, M.D. – Family medicine (SFMG)

Michael Elmore, M.D. – Gastroenterology

David Pound, M.D. – Gastroenterology

David Moore, M.D. – Gynecologic oncology (SFMG)

Mary Lou Mayer, M.D. -- Medical oncology

Wendy Kindig, M.D. – Nephrology

David Josephson, M.D. – Neurology

G. Alan Von Stein M.D.  – Obstetrics and gynecology

Jeffery Pierson, M.D. – Orthopedic surgery (SFMG)

Thomas Fairchild, M.D. – Otolaryngology

Dan Nordmann, M.D. – Pain medicine (SFMG)

Baron Kidd, M.D. – Pediatrics

Charles Kinsella, M.D. – Pulmonary disease

Denise Johnson Miller, M.D. – Surgery (SFMG)

Erica Eugster, M.D. – Pediatric endocrinology

William L. Gentry, MD – Reproductive endocrinology

Jonathan Mandelbaum, M.D. – Surgery

Marc Gerdisch M.D. – Thoracic surgery

Martin Kaefer, M.D. – Pediatric urology

Dawn Salvatore, M.D. – Vascular surgery (SFMG)

In addition to his “Top Doctors” listing,” Nordmann, medical director for St. Francis Medical Group Spine Specialists, discusses in a related article how a team approach helped diagnose and treat a patient with puzzling symptoms.

Don McMahon, M.D., of St. Francis Medical Group Kendrick Family Medicine, also was profiled along with other physicians about their interests and hobbies outside of medicine. McMahon’s an Elvis impersonator, which he jokingly diagnoses as a “chronic infection.”

St. Francis Medical Group is comprised of about 130 physicians offering a variety of primary care and specialty care services at St. Francis’ hospitals at Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.
To learn more about St. Francis Medical Group, visit www.stfrancisdoctors.org.

St. Francis ortho surgeon explains joint replacement therapies Nov. 10

PLAINFIELD, Ind. – Hip and knee pain shouldn’t keep people from leading active and rewarding lives – and St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers wants to show you how.

The St. Francis “Road Show” will be coming at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 10, at Primo West, 2353 E. Perry Road, Plainfield. In the spotlight is a hip and knee replacement seminar.

Philip Faris, 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.

Faris is a surgeon with Joint Replacement Surgeons, a practice group affiliated with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery at St. Francis Hospital-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 St. Francis toll-free at 1-877-888-1777. A light buffet will be served, beginning at 6 p.m.

More information about the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=23.

Volunteers go the distance to make Indianapolis Monumental Marathon a success

INDIANAPOLIS – It take an all-hands effort to ensure an estimated 16,000 running feet get off on the right foot for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.

“It never ceases to amaze me how volunteers so generously donate their time and talents in so many ways,” said IMM Executive Director Julie Patterson. “We could not pull this event off without the help of the community and volunteers from St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.”

By the time the estimated 8,000 participants – a record number that is expected to grow by the Saturday, Nov. 6 race – about 800 volunteers will have either been working behind the scenes before and during the event to ensure smooth sailing.

Rob Thornburg, a member of IMM’s board of directors, along with Christa Petzke and Chris Gale, oversee a wide range of activities of its 650 volunteers, including registration and packets, set-up crews, start and finish line assistance, course marshals, gear checks, water stations and featured entertainment.

To learn how to become an IMM volunteer, go http://monumentalmarathon.com/participate/volunteers.

St. Francis, which continues in its role as title sponsor of the IMM, also will have a strong presence. Dr. Jeff Peterson, a sports medicine and family medicine physician, heads a medical team ready to assist runners along the course and other sites.

“We have about 100 physicians, nurses, physical therapists and trainers – many of them affiliated with St. Francis Sports Medicine – in the triage area and at the finish line,” said LeeAnn Abercrombie-Logan, marketing manager who coordinates all aspects of St. Francis’ participation.

Another 40-plus St. Francis volunteers are tapped to work in runners’ packet pick-area, water stations and other related activities. They also assist at the Expo the day before the race, featuring running gear and shoes, as well as the latest developments in sports, fitness and nutrition. Experts from St. Francis Sports Medicine team will be on-hand to offer last minute tips and answer any questions runners and walkers may have.

Runners from 47 states have registered , and so have participants from Australian, Brazil, Ecuador, Kenya, the Philippines, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

The race features a full marathon (26.2 miles) a half marathon (13.1 miles). An inaugural 5K run – sponsored by local engineering architectural firm HNTB – also is on tap.

All courses begin near Washington and West streets and finish on Robert D. Orr Drive to the finish line, just steps away from the Indiana State Capitol building.

The urban courses are sanctioned and certified by the standards of USA Track and Field, the national body of road racing, with the marathon course serving as a qualifier for the 2011 Boston Marathon.

To register for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, go to http://monumentalmarathon.com.

More information about St. Francis Sports Medicine is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=4&tabid=54.

And the beat goes on: Cardiac docs discuss treatments for irregular heart rhythm

INDIANAPOLIS – More than 2.2 million Americans have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib), a serious heart rhythm problem that can lead to heart failure and stroke.

Physicians with the St. Francis Heart Center will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis and the latest treatments of Afib at an upcoming workshop, 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 13. The free event, which includes breakfast will be in Classrooms 1 and 2 at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Cardiologist John “Trey” Moore III and cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, M.D. have successfully treated patients with Afib through minimally invasive surgical and non-surgical procedures.

Participants will learn about new treatment options and the risks of Afib, which, according to some estimates. contributes to 70,000 strokes annually.

Moore, a member of Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis, is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He specializes in clinical cardiac electrophysiology.

Gerdisch, director of cardiothoracic surgery at St. Francis, made headlines last July when it was announced he was the first in the world to use CorMatrix Extracellular Matrix (ECM)™ to modify and repair cardiac structures, allowing heart tissue to re-grow inside the beating hearts of heart surgery patients. To learn more about Gerdisch’s work with ECM go to www.cardiactissuerepair.net.

Registration is required to attend. Call 317-782-4422.

To learn more about the cardiac services at St. Francis, go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/heart.

New director assumes helm of St. Francis Perioperative Services

INDIANAPOLIS – Rhonda L. Anders, R.N., has been appointed director of Perioperative Services for St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers’ Indianapolis and Beech Grove campuses.

A board-certified nurse executive, Anders comes to the position after serving the last three years as director of Medical Surgical Nursing at St. Francis. Prior to that she was manager of cardiovascular operating rooms.

Anders serves on the National Board of Directors for the Association of Operating Room Nurses and has held several top leadership positions with that organization in the Indianapolis area. She has given several presentations focused on surgical nursing and has written on the subject for professional journals.

Anders, who carries Certified Nurse Operating Room credentials earned a master of science in management from Indiana Wesleyan University and bachelor of science in nursing at Indiana University.