Methodist Hospitals - Leading the way to better health.

Methodist Hospitals Auxiliary will celebrate its annual fundraiser luncheon on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at the Avalon Manor. The event, "Jazzing the Blues Away", will feature the GIII Jazz Trio.

Methodist Hospitals is pleased to announce Beth Sullivan as the new Executive Director Business Development, a newly created position that will ensure the development and achievement of the organizational mission and strategy through the effectiveness of all new business project plans and start-up. Ms. Sullivan will be responsible for coordinating the strategic planning process, translate strategic plan into new business opportunities, create program plans with stakeholder input, develop feasibility analysis and strategies for implementation.

On November 2nd at the Avalon Manor, Nicole Greene will have the opportunity to thank the March of Dimes and Methodist Hospitals for her miracle, her son Johnny, at the 8th annual March of Dimes Signature Chefs Tasting and Auction. Johnny Greene III was born 3 months early at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus on September 20, 2008. The tiny infant spent two and a half months in the neonatal intensive care unit where he was monitored and cared for around the clock. “I am so thankful and grateful to the nurses and physicians at Methodist Hospitals’ neonatal intensive care unit. I know that Johnny would not be the happy, healthy boy he is today without their constant care and attention,” stated Nicole. Nicole Greene, her husband and Johnny will attend the event as March of Dimes Ambassador Family.

Methodist Hospitals is offering the community an opportunity to take advantage of free health screenings including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, body fat analysis, bone density, oximetry and PSA screening on Saturday, November 7. The event held from 9 am to 12 pm at the Helenic Cultural Center is expected to attract hundreds of Northwest Indiana residents. In addition to the free screenings, many of the hospital services will be represented by healthcare professionals with free literature and giveaways for everyone that attends.

Methodist Hospitals is proud to be an exclusive dinner sponsor of the Jubilation Joy Celebration honoring Breast Cancer Survivors. This event is presented by the Barden Gary Foundation and Friends of the Barden Gary Foundation.

This event invites women across the region to enjoy an exquisite networking reception followed by dinner with a Breast Cancer Survivor at a location provided by one of the event sponsors.

Methodist Hospitals hosts its 22nd annual Teachers Institute Day Luncheon for the Gary and Merrillville Public School nurses, counselors and social workers on October 22, 2009. We are expecting close to 50 education professionals to attend!

The Methodist Hospitals Paramedic Education Program has received accreditation through The Committee on Accreditation of Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). Accreditation represents a method to ensure the students and the community that an educational program meets uniform, nationally accepted standards. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) awarded Accreditation to the Emergency Medical Services Programs in 2004. Methodist Hospitals is currently the only hospital in Northwest Indiana that has maintained national accreditation following the guidelines established by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation.This accreditation is a result of the professionalism and high standards held by our RCC.

A study issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization, finds that Methodist Hospitals is among the top 10 percent in the nation for Stroke care for 6 years in a row. The nation’s nearly 5,000 nonfederal hospitals were all included in the sweeping study, which examined mortality rates and complication rates from government data from 2006, 2007 and 2008.

“Hearing the word Cancer is a scary experience, but Shellie made me feel like I was never alone,” stated Teddi Ferda, a Chesterton resident, as she spoke to a room full of women at Methodist Hospitals’ Healthy Night Out with the Girls Event. There were tears throughout the room as Teddi recalled her experience of being told by her physician that she had an infiltrating ductile carcinoma in the right breast. “Hearing this diagnosis would never be good; however, having Shellie Rowe here to discuss the issue with was a blessing. She is knowledgeable, personable and compassionate. I realize that she does this everyday and sees many patients, however, she made me feel like no one else existed but me.”

Methodist Hospitals Board of Directors is pleased to welcome three new board members; Robert E. Johnson, III, Glenn S. Vician and Reverend Cynthia Reynolds. These individuals are leading figures in their respective fields of IT, Law and the Methodist Church and bring a wealth of experience and information to Methodist Hospitals as we continue to work towards becoming the regional leader in subspecialty care.

Each year, for the past 20 years, U.S. News & World Report releases its findings for the top hospitals in the United States. This year, Methodist Hospitals scored higher than all other NWI hospitals in 8 of the 12 categories that largely use care based data to establish score. The 8 categories are: Neurology & Neurosurgery; Diabetes & Endocrine disorders; Urology; Digestive disorders; Cancer; Ear, Nose & Throat; Kidney disorders; and Gynecology.

During these tough economic times, it seems that nearly everyone has had to make a new notch or two in their belts as they tighten them up. In the face of high rates of unemployment and numerous economic downturns, two individuals are doing all that they can to give people in the Northwest Indiana region a little bit more breathing room, and a little bit more slack in their belts. Owners of the Crown Point Ponderosa, Gerald and Jimmie Sue Farmer, are going above and beyond the call of duty to help make a difference in their community. For over a year the Farmers have been making donations in the form of free meals, baked goods and monetary gifts to numerous service organizations and schools in the Northwest Indiana region, and they are doing it at their own expense.

When Teresa Harris brought her young son to Methodist Hospitals’ Southlake, she had no idea how serious the situation was about to become. Andrew Garcia, 9, was admitted to the Methodist Hospitals’ Southlake emergency department on April 30th. The boy was suffering from a high fever, some loss of motor control, vomiting, a large rash, and incoherency. “Andrew was very pale, almost as pale as a dead person. His face was grey, his lips were white, and he had dark circles under his eyes and on his eyelids,” Teresa recalled.

Methodist Hospitals has partnered with Northwestern University’s McGaw Medical Center in new program that offers unique training to post-graduate emergency medical residents.

Julia Steele knew she could no longer live with the pain. Everyday for three months she had been experiencing severe pain in her lower back and leg. “I had tried everything I could think of to try and alleviate it, I even visited a chiropractor to see if that would help. Nothing was working.” Julia had had surgery on her lower back four years ago when Hytham Rifai, MD, a neurologist at Methodist Hospitals had performed a lumbar disectomy. When this new pain persisted, Julia went back to Dr. Rifai.

The pediatric unit at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus now has its very own “Reading Room,” thanks to Methodist Hospitals Auxiliary. Connie Hickman, President of Methodist Hospitals Auxiliary, wanted to establish the room in memory of her late husband, Robert Hickman. She donated the furnishings for the room. The books, which are distributed to the young patients, are donated through Project R.E.A.D. (Reading Early Accelerates Development) by the Gary Literacy Coalition, Inc. (GLC). Project R.E.A.D. is a Methodist Hospitals volunteer program that focuses primarily on reading to infants and young children. While serving as the literacy link for Project R.E.A.D., the Gary Literacy Coalition, Inc. supports the Methodist Hospitals pediatric literacy initiative, Reach Out and Read. Reach Out and Read is a national early literacy program, sanctioned by pediatricians, that makes books a routine part of pediatric care. During the last seven years, over 10,000 books have been distributed through the Methodist Hospitals’ Project R.E.A.D. program.

Methodist Hospitals today announced that it has received the 2009/2010 Women’s Health Excellence Award™ from HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent healthcare ratings organization, based on a newly released study of patient outcomes.

Methodist Hospitals was honored to receive the Rural Indiana Smoke-Free Environment (RISE) Award. This award is a joint award presented annually by the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency and the Indiana Rural Hospital Association to healthcare facilities that had implemented a smoke free policy prohibiting any smoking by staff, patients and visitors in hospital buildings, on the grounds and in vehicles 24 hours a day. The award recognizes management and staff that have taken the necessary steps to lead Hoosiers toward a healthier Indiana. The term rural is loosely defined in order to recognize all healthcare facilities committed to a smoke free environment.

Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people in the United States. We are now beginning to recognize the effects that it has on overall health. With obesity, comes the increased risk of high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon, and prostate cancer. In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health conditions such as depression or feelings of shame and low self-esteem.

Methodist Hospitals has invited 350 past and present cancer patients and their families to celebrate the spirit of these heroic individuals. This is also a great opportunity for the cancer survivors to meet and talk with fellow survivors. The party is made possible by a donation from former patient, Mark McDaniel. Eight years ago, Mark decided to host a HORSE basketball tournament as a fundraiser for Methodist Hospitals. Named Giddy Up Games, the tournament grew from just 12 participants playing in the driveway of the McDaniel’s Schererville home, to a full-blown block party that now attracts more than 200 participants. A cancer survivor who credits Methodist Hospitals with saving his life, Mark, through his Giddy Up Games program, recently donated $1,000 to the Hospital’s Oncology and Pediatric Units. He is also a DJ and will be providing his services for the event. There will be refreshments and raffle items.