connectLawrence MeMoriaL HospitaL

Fall 2011

Celebrating a Decade of Hope and Healing

In this issueSpine surgery at LMH

Cardiologist paves new ways to the heart

LMH Kitchen and Dining gets upgrade

To get more information, visit www.lmh.org2

n a perfect fall evening in September, people stream toward the tented parking lot behind The Oncology Center at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. They sign in and scan the crowd for familiar faces. They give warm hugs to doctors and nurses and are often greeted by name, though the ribbon they wear designates

only Survivor (past patient), or VIP (current patient), or VIP Family. People mingle, eat catered barbeque and catch up with each other. The scene is reminiscent of a family reunion and indeed, the 10-year anniversary of The Oncology Center at LMH celebrates a group of doctors, nurses, support staff, volunteers and patients who have forged together to become a family.

OThe LMH Oncology Center opened

on May 3, 2000, with Ronald Stephens, MD, MA (Wales), handpicked as the medical director. Dr. Stephens came to

Lawrence expressly to develop The Oncology Center into a program that could diagnose and treat cancer, benefiting the entire region. In 10 years’ time, Dr. Stephens has built it into a top-notch program with highly trained medical staff.

But Dr. Stephens credits the vision and leadership of another oncologist, Matthew Stein, MD, in helping the Center to become a reality. Dr. Stein, who had an office-based oncology and hematology practice in Lawrence, could serve only a limited caseload of patients. Patients often had to go to Topeka or Kansas City for complete oncology care.

“It was Dr. Stein,” says Dr. Stephens, “along with LMH’s board and medical directors, who recognized that oncology care should be delivered locally and made opening a center for oncology care at LMH a priority.”

The Oncology Center has seen significant growth in the past decade, with expansions in facility as well as staff. Currently, the Center sees more than 600 new patients a year. In addition to Drs. Stephens and Stein, Michelle Affield, MD, Luke Huerter, MD, and Sharon Soule, MD, are the physicians; Karen Finkbiner, PharmD, RPh, is the Center’s pharmacy coordinator; and radiation oncologist Darren Klish, MD, provides radiation therapy right next door at the Lawrence Cancer Center. Nurses and social workers are obviously involved in caring for patients, as are office staff and volunteers.

The Oncology Center is a designated provider of more than 150 clinical research trials approved by the National Cancer Institute. These trials offer cutting-edge treatment options and new research therapies to patients. The Center regularly treats patients who travel from throughout Kansas, and other states, to participate in these trials.

L M H O N C O L O G Y C E N T E R C E L E B R A T E S

A Decade of Hope and Healing

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The number of areas that Ryan Stuckey, MD, specializes

in orthopedics is as big as his native Texas — traumatic spine

injuries; cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine disorders;

spinal tumors; osteoporosis; sports injuries; degenerative spine

disease; lumbar and cervical disc herniations; lumbar and cervical

stenosis; and myelopathy.

But the short story is that Dr. Stuckey is a fellowship-

trained spine surgeon, and with his addition to the practice

at OrthoKansas, spine surgeries are now being performed at

Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Dr. Stuckey came specifically to fill

a need for a spine surgeon in the area. He will likely perform 15 to 20 surgeries a month

at LMH.

Dr. Stuckey received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and

his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He did his residency

in orthopedic surgery at the KU School of Medicine in Wichita and received further

training through the Texas Medical Center Spine Fellowship Program in Houston. He and

his wife returned to Lawrence in August.

Typically, Dr. Stuckey first develops a plan of non-invasive treatment with patients

who are experiencing back or leg pain. If the symptoms progress even after the non-

operative treatment, then he will discuss surgical intervention with the patient.

“Historically back surgery has a bad rap,” says Dr. Stuckey. “But with the diagnostic

tools and instrumentation that we have now, spine surgery can be really successful in

relieving symptoms and getting people back to a functional status.”

Problems with the spine can arise from trauma or disease, such as cancer that has

metastasized from other organs. As well, like any other joint, the spine deteriorates

with age.

Dr. Stuckey says that his goal with spine surgery

is to have realistic expectations and to get patients to

a reasonable level of activity. For patients who have

suffered from debilitating back pain or disease, spine

surgery can offer a return to a level of functionality in

daily life and activities.

Dr. Stuckey, who enjoys golf, running, and water and snow skiing, says that the

process of helping patients get back to what they enjoy doing is the most gratifying part of

being an orthopedic surgeon.

“In general, orthopedic problems take place with active people. With appropriate

diagnosis and the art of surgery, we can get people back to activities and make a relatively

quick difference in their lives.”

Spine surgery newest service at LMH

Ryan Stuckey, MD

The clinical trials, latest technologies and highly esteemed doctors are certainly crucial to patients at LMH. The well-equipped patient rooms provide comfort and appreciated amenities. However, former patients agree that the compassionate care, the hope and the emotional support they received are what most find invaluable.

LeeBeth Dever knows this first hand as a former patient in The Oncology Center at LMH. “As a cancer survivor, I exchange stories with other survivors of diagnosis, treatment and healing. Our experiences with LMH’s Oncology Center are consistent — LMH Oncology doctors, nurses and staff are amazing, exceeding expectations. The level and quality of care is extraordinary, and the hope for healing gives a patient the positive power to endure and have faith for recuperation. I owe them a debt of gratitude.”

OrthoKansas PA1112 W. 6th StreetLawrence, KS 66044785-843-9125orthokansaspa.com

Tapas “Joey” Ghose, MD, has known that he was destined to be a doctor since he was 15 years old, though he didn’t know which discipline he would pursue. But when he got a C on an exam in cardiac physiology in medical school, the path was opened up before him as he set out to, in his words, “beat

cardiology.” In the process of doing that, he came to appreciate cardiology as the fulfillment of many of the major facets of medicine, encompassing diagnosis, acuity, surgery and continuity of care.

Beating cardiology has taken on another meaning as well for Dr. Ghose. He is a trailblazer in an approach of performing catheterizations to the heart through the radial artery in the wrist, rather than through the traditional femoral artery in the groin area. Dr. Ghose learned this method during his fellowship at Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City and has been paving the way for Cardiovascular Specialists of Lawrence to use this approach. Nationally, only 5-7 percent of cardiologists apply the radial method, though this number is almost certain to increase with the results of a recent study.

The RIVAL Study (RadIal Vs. FemorAL Access For Coronary Intervention Study), published in April 2011, studied more than 7,000 patients

in 32 countries over three years, comparing the rates of death, heart attack, stroke and bleeding in patients who underwent either radial or femoral access interventions. According to the study, the 30-day postoperative results for either access site were almost equal. However, the radial access approach showed significant advantages over the femoral in terms of bleeding, with the radial site having virtually no bleeding complications.

Another distinct advantage of the radial approach is in patient recovery. A pneumatic compression device is worn at the incision site until the body is able to clot its own blood. The patient is able to get up, eat, walk and go home hours after surgery. Conversely, the femoral approach requires that the patient lie down for up to eight hours, with intense pressure applied to the incision site. Because of the decreased hospitalization time, the radial artery can be more cost effective as well.

Become a member of the LMH community. Gifts of time and resources are welcome.4

LMH cardiologist paving new ways

Tapas “Joey” Ghose, MD,is a trailblazer in performing heart catheterizations through the wrist.

5www.lmh.org

DocTalk

Lawrence Memorial Hospital welcomes Vascular Surgery Associates, PA (VSA) to Lawrence. VSA has been treating patients in the Kansas City area with peripheral vascular diseases since 1984. In Lawrence, they have an in-house vascular laboratory that provides carotid, peripheral arterial and venous non-invasive vascular testing. VSA is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories and treats conditions that involve the arteries and veins outside of the heart including:• PeripheralVascularDisease• AneurysmDisease• CarotidDisease• VisceralArteryDisease• RenalVascularDisease• VenousDisease• VenousUlcerCare

VSA’s team of five surgeons are fellowship trained in vascular surgery and certified by the American Board of Vascular Surgery. Michael J. Beezley MD, FACS and Kirk A. Hance, MD, FACS will be seeing patients in the Lawrence office.

Michael J. Beezley, MD

Dr. Beezley graduated from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed an internship and a residency in general surgery at David Grant USAF Medical Center in California. He completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of California–Irvine and is board certified in vascular surgery.

Kirk A. Hance, MD

After earning his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Dr. Hance completed his internship and residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he has also served as an assistant professor. His fellowship in endovascular surgery was completed at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

VSA employs three other highly-qualified physicians who will be available in the Lawrence office when necessary. • DanielP.Connelly,MD,FACS• RichardC.ArnspigerMD,FACS• JennyGraceCho,MD

to the heartpaving new ways

Vascular Surgery Associates, PAMedical Arts Building | First Floor346 Maine StreetLawrence, KS 66044785-856-5075 | vascularsurgeryassoc.net

Dr. Ghose explains, “The femoral approach has been used since the 1950s, with equipment and surgical tools being adapted around this procedure. The radial approach has been in existence since the 1990s, but up to this point has been mostly used in Europe, Japan and Norway. But I anticipate that with the RIVAL study, the radial approach will become more widely adopted in the U.S.”

Cardiovascular Specialists of LawrenceMedical Arts Building | First Floor1130 W. 4th St. Suite 2050Lawrence, KS 66044785-841-3636

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LMH Kitchen and Dining Gets Upgrade

Dining Room

Cafeteria

Atrium Entrance

Open-space seating, new stone veneer-face along with comfortable modern seating.

More efficient traffic flow with made-to-order cook station for visitors and staff.

UnderConstruction

The Lawrence Memorial Hospital Food and Nutrition Department is getting a much-needed facelift. Maybe all-over reconstructive surgery would be a better metaphor. Major changes are coming to the cafeteria, dining area, and kitchen. These changes have required some very creative and sometimes challenging solutions to logistical problems, but Debbie Carter, Director of Food and Nutrition, is confident when she says, “It is all worth it.”

The LMH kitchen has not seen a remodel since it was built in 1977. The cafeteria and dining areas had a minor remodel in 1996, but were in need of upgrades as well. The planning for this project began over three years ago, and finally came to fruition in July, when two trailers arrived to provide a temporary kitchen for the preparation of patient meals. These industrial kitchen trailers are the same as what were used to provide relief for disaster situations like Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornado, and are equipped to handle the same kind of services as any standard large industrial kitchen. The trailers, while functional, have required kitchen staff to adjust to more challenging working conditions for the short term. “Things are spread out and kind of crazy, logistically,” says Mike Hugo, Food Service Manager. “But it will really pay off in the end,” he says.

The kitchen, designed by Hollis and Miller Architects and built by JE Dunn Construction, will be completely new, from the floors, pipes, drainage, electrical, to walls and equipment. There will be two new walk-in refrigerators and a new freezer, as well as expanded space for offices, storage, and the dish washing room. The work-flow area in the kitchen has been completely remapped to be more efficient, and to speed production. The kitchen area construction is slated to be finished on December 9.

The dining area will be open, boasting a fire place and comfortable chairs. There will be some bar seating, and the booths will be retired in favor of banquette seating. The area will be modern and beautiful, and should “feel like a getaway,” according to Carter. The cafeteria area will be more open and will offer a made-to-order cook station in the center where various cooks can prepare special meals for visitors and staff. These areas are set to open on January 17, 2012.

LMH visitors and employees have been receiving their meals in a makeshift cafeteria in the atrium area. The Lawrence Originals, a group comprised of ten local restaurants, have brought in meals on a daily basis because the makeshift kitchen was not equipped to handle both patient meals and the cafeteria’s needs. Seating has been shifted to meeting rooms and break rooms. Everyone at LMH has had to make adjustments in order to see the kitchen project through, and anticipation is high for the completion of the work.

Carter, who has worked for LMH’s Food and Nutrition Services for 40 years, says this project has been a labor of love. Despite the challenges this project has presented, she is thrilled with the whole project and what it means for the entire LMH community. She says, “It is a dream come true.”

www.lmh.org

Sometimes people find themselves in need of intensive nursing or rehabilita-tion. This is where the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at Lawrence Memorial Hospital comes in. The TCU, formerly known as the Skilled Nursing Facility, assists patients with medical or physical therapy needs following a hospitalization.

Who can be treated in the TCU?Patients who qualify to be treated

in the TCU need intensive nursing or rehabilitation services only for a short period of time. Examples of patients who may benefit from care in the TCU include:

•Apatientwhohasundergonesurgeryand needs nursing assistance with wound care.

•Apersonwhoneedshelpwiththemanagement of a disease such as diabetes that requires insulin adjust-ment and blood sugar monitoring.

•Apersonwhohadacaraccidentandneeds physical therapy and nursing care while recovering.

•Apatientwhoneedsobservationandassessment of an acute condition requiring IV antibiotics.

Patient requirementsThere are certain requirements for

patients who enter the TCU. Patients must:

•Requireskillednursingor rehabilitation services performed by or under the supervision of pro-fessional and technical personnel.

•Requireskilledservicesonadailybasis.

•Havebeenanacutecarehospitalinpatient for a minimum of three hospital days (not counting the day of discharge) within the last 30 days, or in a skilled nursing facility and have remaining days available.

About the TCU at LMHThe TCU at LMH strives to be the

best skilled nursing facility in the region by helping individuals achieve well-being through collaborative rehabilitation services. Located on the fourth floor at LMH, it has 12 Medicare-certified skilled nursing beds, including four semi-private rooms, two isolation rooms and a Palliative Care/Hospice room. The TCU focuses on:

•Rehabilitation:Helpingpatientsachieve a higher level of function and wellness

•Nursing:Theresolutionand management of patients’ illnesses and physical disabilities

•PalliativeCare:Themanagementofchronic diseases that significantly affect patient comfort, and can result in loss of function

•Hospice:Thecareofpatientsastheymove through the end-of-life process.

Services providedFrom nurses to social workers to

physical therapists, the TCU team offers professionals and services that help pa-

tients achieve the highest level of wellness. They include the following:

•Physicianservices•Nursingservices•Rehabilitationservices•Socialservices•Dietaryservices•Activitiestherapist

The TCU team can assist with the fol-lowing services:

•Homehealthcare:Uponthepatient’sdismissal, the social worker assists in planning for health care at home if needed.

•Dentalservices:Patientsare assisted in obtaining routine and emergency dental care as needed.

•Podiatry:Alsoasneeded,patientsare assisted in obtaining routine and emergency podiatry care.

•Clergy:Spiritualcomfortisof great concern to us. We respect all religious preferences and can arrange for clergy to visit at a convenient time.

•Hospice:TheTCUhasagreementswith area hospice organizations to provide inpatient symptom management and/or respite care.

For more informationVisit us online at lmh.org or

call 785-505-6470.

7

Is the Transitional Care Unit right for you?

Teresa Kaiser, RN, BSN, CHPN

Teresa Kaiser is the director of the Transitional Care Unit at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She moved from Wichita to join LMH in 2000. Prior to joining the team, Kaiser spent 15 years working in long-term care where she served as a charge nurse, house supervisor and the director of nursing.

In her position at LMH, in addition to acting as the director of the TCU, she serves as the nursing director for the Center for Rehabilitation and is the director of the Palliative Care program. Kaiser enjoys her work and feels like the most rewarding part of her job is interacting with patients and listening to their stories. She also is thrilled to be working with outstanding nurses and is proud of how hard they work to provide excellent care for the patients on the unit.

“I have worked in skilled care for many years and I believe we have the best post-acute care program in the area,” she notes.

Kaiser is married and has three children, three grandchildren, two dogs and two cats. When she is not hard at work at LMH she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, cooking, traveling and boating.

325 Maine StreetLawrence, KS 66044

connect is published by Lawrence Memorial Hospital. The information in this newsletter is intended to educate readers about subjects pertinent to their

health and is not a substitute for consultation with a personal physician. To have your name added to or removed from this mailing list, please call 785-505-3315.

Gene Meyer | President and CEO, Lawrence Memorial HospitalEditorial Board | Kathy Clausing Willis, Sherri Vaughn, MD, Janice Early

8 Lawrence Memorial Hospital • 325 Maine Street • Lawrence, KS 66044 • 785-505-5000 • www.lmh.org

Before a 35-year old woman died of breast cancer, she left her friends with some pretty strong marching orders: She wanted the infusion rooms in the Oncology Center at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where she spent countless hours receiving chemotherapy treatments, to look and feel more like a place of refuge and less like a hospital.

Jamie Barkes Pursley died March 29, 2011, after fighting breast cancer for five years. When she had learned that her breast cancer was terminal, she wanted to leave something tangible for others who would also fight cancer. She was passionate about renovating the infusion rooms at LMH.

“Jamie told us, if there’s something you want to do when I’m gone, I think this is it,” says Aimee Jackson, one of Jamie’s close friends.

Upon days of her passing, Jackson and several other friends started an organization called Jamie’s Wish. Within a month, they met with administrators at LMH to put a plan in place to raise money for this special project, setting a fundraising goal of approximately $100,000. “Each infusion room will cost about $6,500 to update. It will include new patient infusion chairs, new guest chairs, new paint, flat screen televisions and DVD players, iPads and iPod docking stations,” explains Jackson, now a cofounder of Jamie’s Wish.

Jamie was a graduate of Kansas State University so her friends felt it was ironic that she and her husband chose to live in Lawrence. “Jamie was a huge K-Stater. That’s one reason why it’s been so fun partnering with the Jayhawk community. It’s K-State and KU coming together to improve the lives of those fighting the toughest battle of their lives,” says Kelli Alldredge, Jamie’s friend and now cofounder of Jamie’s Wish.

For more information about the project or to make a tax deductible donation, go to www.jamieswish.org.

jamie’s Wish

Jamie’s Wish Board Members

JAMIESWISH.ORG