CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group - Cardiology

11/27/2024

Are you cooking up a Thanksgiving feast? Make sure you practice these safety tips for a happy and healthy holiday! 🦃

Step 1: Thaw your turkey. If you’re thawing a frozen turkey, do it in the fridge, not on the counter. Allow 24 hours of thawing for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.

Step 2: Avoid cross-contamination. Always wash your hands before handling food and after touching raw meat. Also, use separate cutting boards for raw meat and vegetables.

Step 3: Make sure your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it's fully cooked and safe to eat.

Step 4: Store leftovers in airtight containers and refrigerate them within two hours to prevent bacteria growth.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

11/26/2024

While we gather around the table to give thanks this holiday season, we’re also on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team.

Why You’ll Love Working With Us:
- Grateful Atmosphere: We value every team member and celebrate our successes together.
- Feast of Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, health perks and more!
- Growth Opportunities: We’re committed to helping you thrive in your career.

Let’s make this season of gratitude the start of something great together.

🍂✨ Ready to take the next step? Apply today! ✨🍂

https://ow.ly/fCbV50TXfAN

Search for available job openings at CommonSpirit Health

11/25/2024

In 2020, Elizabeth Williams, 69, sought care for a persistent cough. She hadn’t thought much about it, but her primary care doctor recommended a chest X-ray and a CT scan.

“If I were a smoker, I would have jumped on it much sooner,” Williams said. “I thought it couldn’t be anything serious.”

In March of that year, a pulmonologist diagnosed Williams with non-small cell lung cancer, stage 3. She was referred to Jessica Croley, MD, CHI Saint Joseph Health – Cancer Care Center on Blazer Parkway, and the treatment plan to shrink and eventually remove the tumor on her right lung was successful. However, the cancer returned as stage 4 in both lungs in 2021. New tests that can identify gene mutations prompted Dr. Croley to join forces with other specialists and start Williams on a non-chemotherapy pill treatment regimen, and she’s now been in remission since spring 2022.

“When I finished training in 2013, we would tell patients with stage 4 lung cancer they have one year to live,” Dr. Croley said. “Now, 20 percent of patients are living five years or more. Lung cancer is not the death sentence it was 20 years ago and patients should not be fearful of getting tested and establishing a diagnosis because the earlier we detect it, the better the outcomes are.”

Read more about Williams’ journey and how advancements in lung cancer testing are making a difference in cancer care by visiting the Spirit of Health blog: https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/blogs/early-diagnosis-for-lung-cancer-can-save-your-life

11/25/2024

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can often lead to stress and anxiety. From shopping for gifts to juggling family gatherings, checking in with yourself is essential to avoid increasing your stress levels, which could lead to additional health problems. Check out these tips:

Take Time for Yourself: Schedule moments of rest to recharge, and make sure you’re getting at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night.

Set Realistic Expectations: Do less to avoid stress! It's OK to say no or ask for help when needed – don't overexert yourself.

Stay Active and Eat Well: Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, snack on some fruits and veggies between those holiday treats, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

If you're feeling down, don't hesitate to talk to your primary care provider. Your well-being matters. Remember, it's OK to ask for help, and it's OK to take a break. You deserve peace and joy this holiday season!

11/23/2024

Thank you to all who attended this year’s Gala for Healing and Hope at Churchill's in support of mission and outreach services at Saint Joseph Berea. Guests enjoyed a dinner, cocktail reception, silent auction and dancing with music by Rock of Ages. Since its inaugural event, the Gala for Healing and Hope has provided nearly $150,000 in support for equipment needs, programming, scholarships and patient medication assistance. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

11/22/2024

As an inaugural sponsor of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since 2021, Flaget Memorial Hospital, in partnership with Nelson County Schools and the Nelson County UP Foundation, provides every baby born at the facility with their first book, an “I ❤️ Nelson County” onesie and information for how families can sign up for the Imagination Library. In this video, hear from Jennifer Nolan, president of Flaget Memorial Hospital, how this partnership is making an impact on kids, families and the greater community in Nelson County.

11/22/2024

Remember those New Year’s resolutions? With 2024 winding down, time is ticking to check off those goals. If getting a physical or preventive screening is on your list, get it done before the year ends! Schedule your appointment now: chisaintjosephhealth.org/appointments

11/21/2024

An endoscopic ultrasound is a tool used to diagnose and treat diseases inside and adjacent to the digestive tract. Bilal Aslam, MD, explains why endoscopic ultrasound is considered the gold standard for diagnosing problems with the pancreas.

11/21/2024

Did you know that cases of pancreatic cancer are on the rise? According to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, more Americans will be diagnosed with the disease than ever before in 2024. Today is World Pancreatic Cancer Day, and with pancreatic cancer having the highest mortality rate of all primary cancers, it’s important to understand any signs of the disease to catch it in its earliest stages – when it’s most treatable. These may include unexplained weight loss, abdominal or back pain, jaundice, stool changes, fatigue or weakness, nausea or vomiting, and bloating. If you have any symptoms, contact your primary care provider. Make an appointment: https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/appointments

11/20/2024

In recognition of first responders’ dedication to the community, CHI Saint Joseph Health recently held its annual “Blessings of the Rigs” ceremony across Kentucky. This event provided a non-denominational blessing to local first responders and the rigs they use to transport patients. This was the fourth year we held this event at our facilities statewide to help celebrate humankindness throughout our communities.

Thank you to our local first responders for giving selflessly in times of urgency and demonstrating humankindness every day.

11/19/2024

Recently, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education announced scholarship awards to postsecondary Kentucky health care programs and their partnerships with regional employers, including two of our partners, Midway University and Morehead State University. We are proud to collaborate with both schools to support their nursing programs. To learn more, visit https://cpe.ky.gov/news/stories/cpe-awards-11m-hwif.html.

11/18/2024

No act of humankindness is too small.

11/18/2024

We are proud to announce that Saint Joseph London has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety, for the third consecutive grading period. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. Thank you to our caregivers who constantly go above and beyond to demonstrate humandkindness to our patients – this recognition would not be possible without the level of care you provide! To learn more, visit https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/hospital-news/saint-joseph-london-earns-an-a-hospital-safety-grade-from-the-leapfrog-group-for-the-third-consecutive-grading-period.

11/17/2024

Aging-related cognitive changes do not typically impact your daily life. Forgetting a person’s name or facts about them, misplacing your reading glasses, not remembering a conversation your spouse said happened last year or having trouble recalling significant dates or passwords are normal signs of an aging brain. However, more significant factors of forgetfulness like repeating questions already asked, getting lost in familiar places or having trouble finding the right words should be evaluated by a specialist, such as a neurologist, who can assess these changes.

Learn more about expert care for aging brains on the Spirit of Health blog: https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/blogs/expert-care-for-aging-brains

11/16/2024

Most of us know that long-term smokers are at high risk for lung cancers, but there are others who are at high risk who could greatly benefit from screening for lung cancer. Dr. Iram Nawaz, MD, FCCP, with CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group – Pulmonology, explains in this HealthBreak.

11/15/2024

Brooke Dadisman, BSN, began her health care career in 1996 as a nursing assistant at Flaget Memorial Hospital. She worked for a few years at another hospital after she received her bachelor’s degree in nursing. It wasn’t long before she returned to Flaget in 2004 as a floor nurse in the birth center. She said she considers it home and her co-workers like family.

“I love my job. If I ever retire, it will be from Flaget. I’m not going anywhere else,” she said.

As the manager of the Birth Center at Flaget Memorial Hospital since June 2024, Brooke says she does not avoid the heartbreak that sometimes occurs there. In fact, she says she is dedicated to “walking that path” with bereaved parents, sending them cards on significant dates and giving them with a birthstone necklace to commemorate their baby’s birth.

“Those little souls, just because they were born sleeping doesn’t mean they deserve any less than a baby born with a heartbeat,” said Brooke, who was named Flaget’s Leader of the Year in May. ”So I want to make sure they have the same things in their short time here that any other baby would get.”

Brooke says she’s known she wanted to be a teacher or a nurse since she was 2 years old. She is also a certified lactation consultant, neonatal resuscitation program instructor, mentor to new staff and nursing students and a prime example of humankindness at work within our walls.

Read more about Brooke on our blog: https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/blogs/a-comforting-presence-for-parents

11/15/2024

Do you know some of the common symptoms of diabetes? These may include urinating frequently, feeling very hungry or thirsty, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, cuts or bruises that heal slowly, unexplained weight loss (for type 1 diabetes), and numbness in the hands or feet (for type 2 diabetes). If you experience any of these signs, contact your primary care provider. https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/appointments

11/14/2024

For parents who have gone through the dark times of miscarriage and infant loss, a baby born after that time is called a rainbow baby. Luke and Katie Moore of London know all too well the dark times, but also have had the joy of a rainbow baby – their Owen is now 17 months old. Their first two pregnancies ended early in the term, and the couple handled the health issues at home. In the third pregnancy, the couple ended up at Saint Joseph London.

“Even though we were dealing with a lot of emotion, they took care of it to where we didn’t have to deal with other issues,” Katie said. “They just handled us with such care.”

Since 2019, the bereavement program at Saint Joseph London has provided families who have lost a child with some closure through a burial service held every quarter. Youmarcks Jacques, also known as “Chaplain YouYou” at Saint Joseph London, says the goal of the program is to not only provide the option for parents who may not have the means to hold a private service, but to ultimately offer some comfort and closure.

“You see their grief,” Chaplain YouYou said. “They cry a lot. Having the burials for them … that gives them some comfort and hope, but the closure as well.”

Finally, in the pregnancy that fulfilled their dream of becoming parents, Katie savored every joy. Like many bereaved parents, the Moores haven’t forgotten the experiences they had in the previous pregnancies. When they returned to the hospital for various tests and delivery, they were scared, but the hope and each successive experience – the ultrasound, hearing the heartbeat – inspired even more hope until Owen’s delivery at 37 weeks. Now, they find strength in their baby, and in sharing their story.

To read more of Luke and Katie’s story, visit https://www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/blogs/service-helps-parents-cope-and-find-hope-after-loss.