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For Frank Brady, inactivity is not an option. In addition to being a full-time real estate agent alongside his wife, Lynn, the Stow, Ohio, resident has always been a spirited athlete. Brady’s competitive sport of choice is the triathlon, an event combining the skills of swimming, biking and running.

However, in 2008 after competing in a race in Chicago, Brady knew something was seriously wrong with his right hip. He realized he would need a doctor’s intervention if he wanted to continue leading his active lifestyle. He did some research and spoke with a specialist who referred him to Dr. Lou Keppler, orthopedic surgeon and co-medical director of the Spine
and Orthopedic Institute at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.

Brady was familiar with St. Vincent Charity, but had never actually been to the downtown hospital. To receive the highest quality care, he knew he needed the best, most highly recommended surgeon. What he pleasantly discovered was that he had found a new place for care.

Having been to other healthcare facilities before, Brady immediately recognized something different about St. Vincent Charity. “To me, there’s no comparison to St. Vincent Charity,” said Brady. “From the quality and cleanliness of the rooms, to the genuine feeling of compassion I felt from each Caregiver I interacted with. The people are what make this hospital special; you can tell that everyone really believes in the mission of the organization.”

He felt such a close connection the medical center, the Caregivers and the mission of St. Vincent Charity that he decided he wanted to become a part of it all. Just a few months after his hip replacement, Brady began donating his time as a volunteer. He admires the strong sense of camaraderie that is present.

Brady now volunteers at St. Vincent Charity for a few hours every two weeks. He visits with patients on the sixth floor, most of which are patients of the Spine and Orthopedic Institute, like he once was. He serves as a friendly face and a listening ear for the patients.

“I’ve found that oftentimes patients just want someone to talk to during their stay,” Brady said, who spends anywhere from 10 minutes up to an hour just visiting with a patient.

Brady finds that he has a lot in common with patients he visits and he knows what it’s like to be in their exact position because he’s been there—multiple times. Following his first successful hip replacement, he chose St. Vincent Charity and Dr. Keppler when he needed two additional procedures, a second hip replacement and back surgery.

“Being able to share my stories and my experiences helps put the patients at ease,” Brady said. “They see me—a 71-yearold— doing great after my surgeries and it brings them a sense of comfort.”

Brady has been a volunteer since 2008 and was recently recognized at St. Vincent Charity’s annual volunteer luncheon for reaching his five-year milestone. He was also recognized with the Customer Service Award for providing excellent care to the patients of St. Vincent Charity.

“St. Vincent Charity is truly a special place,” said Brady. “I’ve been here enough times to know that the compassion you see in the Caregivers is genuine. You can see that God is present here every day in the patients and in the Caregivers.”

Open enrollment of the Health Insurance Marketplace began on November 1st—are you covered?

A navigator from the Cuyahoga Health Access Partnership is now on-site at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center to help people learn about their options for health insurance through the marketplace. Open enrollment runs from November 1, 2015 – January 31, 2016.

The navigator is available by appointment only on Mondays and Wednesday from 10 am - 4 p.m. in St. Vincent Charity’s Health Care Clinic. To make an appointment, call 216.206.6419 or email degolia@chapohio.org.

#STV150: 150 years of service to Cleveland

Our 150th anniversary celebration is coming to a close, but new facilities and improved services remain. 

This year, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center opened a new $1.2 million, 16-bed geriatric psychiatry unit. This is on top of our other service expansions, new physicians, and projects in the works to enhance the patient experience. 

Some of St. Vincent Charity Development Foundation’s $1.5 million in 2014 gifts was used to renovate an old commercial building in Ohio City, a joint venture with Saint Ignatius High School that provides vital healthcare in an undeserved area, greater visibility for the hospital’s programs, and an important connection through a shared mission with another venerable Cleveland Catholic institution.

For a recap of the 150th anniversary of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, check out our video.

A St. Vincent Charity doctor becomes first of only two physicians in nation to perform new surgical technique

St. Vincent Charity medical residency program tops list in Ohio with highest percentage passing rate at 95%

Becoming a doctor takes years of classroom education, and even after all that learning, there’s still another step: the residency, a multi-year program of professional training under the supervision of senior physician educators.

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center’s internal medicine residency program was recently ranked the highest in Ohio for board passage. Out of the 21 internal medicine residency programs in the state, St. Vincent Charity topped the list with the highest passing rate at 95 percent.

The rankings are provided by the American Board of Internal Medicine, which compiles data based on three years of board exam scores (in this case for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014). The 2015 graduates achieved a 100 percent board passage rate. St. Vincent Charity’s internal medicine residency program is directed by Keyvan Ravakhah, M.D. and is a teaching hospital of Case Western Reserve University.

“St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is fortunate to hold the advantages of both academic and community hospitals. We have an outstanding faculty that follows a comprehensive curriculum, and our residents are trained and evaluated based on the major core competencies of graduate medical education in the U.S.,” Ravakhah said. “Lastly, our community setting supports the primary goal of comprehensive internal medicine education that will enable our residents to become competent and confident leaders.” 

Treating obesity as a disease – and 7 steps for starting a journey towards better health

More than one-third of U.S. adults – 78.6 million people – are obese. Not just overweight—obese. The numerous health problems that result from obesity include heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

“The biggest contributing factor is how we have evolved into a sedentary culture. No one has time to do proper cooking. As a result we rely on processed food, which is enemy number one,” said Chandra Hassan, MD, medical director of the Center for Bariatric Surgery at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. The program has treated more than 7,000 patients who now live healthier, happier lives.

While the National Institutes of Health first recognized obesity as a disease in 1998, it wasn’t until the American Medical Association (AMA) did so in 2013 that the conversation about obesity and its treatment started to shift. Today, medical students learn about obesity as a disease. 

But shedding pounds in America is not just the doctor’s responsibility. People need to take action to understand proper nutrition and exercise habits. If weight is an issue for you or someone you know, here are eight ways to get started on living a healthier lifestyle. And visit the Center for Bariatric Surgery website to learn more about our offerings.

1. Talk to your doctor about your how your weight is impacting your health. Ask about weight loss options, including surgery. 
   
   
2. Keep a food log or journal to track not only your food, but your emotions. 
   
   
3. Get moving, even if it’s only a walk around the house. Make it a daily routine. 
   
   
4. Set small, realistic goals for yourself such as walking a little farther, and write them down. 
   
   
5. Talk to a dietitian to learn about healthier food choices and what makes a balanced plate. 
   
   
6. Weight loss is one meal at a time. If you blow it on one meal, get back on track with the next one. 
   
   
7. Seek professional help if you are struggling with stressors in your life. 
   
   
8. Be gentle and patient with yourself. The journey takes time.

‘Dr. Canales was so comforting and proactive about the steps I needed to take to get back into gymnastics’

It was the end of her sophomore year at Kent State University when scholarship gymnast Whitnee Johnson suffered an injury that she passed off as an ankle sprain. She competed for another year, taping her ankle, before finally discovering that she had torn her posterior tibial tendon, which is found in the ankle and heel.

A friend referred her to Dr. Mike Canales, a podiatric surgeon at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. Canales also happens to be a gymnast himself.

“He was so comforting and very proactive about the steps we needed to take to get me better and back into gymnastics,” Johnson said. “It made me feel good that he knew the gymnastics side of this injury too, and he was able to offer a good timeline for recovery so that I could compete again.”

She also liked the fact that, prior to surgery, Canales asked a nervous Johnson and her supportive friends and family for a “thumbs up” photo. After a May 2014 surgery, Johnson took the summer to recover and competed again her senior year and was able to perform in her four gymnastics events. Today, the Missouri native is an assistant gymnastics coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Cleveland, OH – (October 22, 2015) St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, Cleveland’s downtown hospital, has named two community leaders to serve on its hospital and foundation boards to help guide continued expansion and enhancement of patient care.

Anthony Coyne, of Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, has been named to the St. Vincent Charity Board of Directors.  Mr. Coyne is President of Mansour Gavin, focusing on commercial, municipal law, zoning and planning, eminent domain, real property and litigation.  An expert on urban affairs, he has authored several papers and was called upon to serve as Executive Assistant to the Director of Transition for former Cleveland Mayor Michael White into his first term.  Mr. Coyne earned a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University and master’s from Cleveland State University, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs and J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University.

James R. Kavalec, of Middleburg Heights, has been named to the St. Vincent Charity Development Foundation.  The foundation board is currently spearheading the hospital’s four-year, $50 million development campaign.  Mr. Kavalec holds more than 20 years’ experience in the wealth management and financial services industries.  Currently, he is Vice President and Financial Advisor for Bernstein Global Wealth Management.  He graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from John Carroll University.

“As we head into our next 150 years, we are pleased to have the support of some amazing community leaders,” said Dr. David F. Perse, president and CEO of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. “I’m confident that both Tony and Jim will add tremendous value to our efforts and look forward to working with them.”

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines^®-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

To receive the Silver Plus Quality Achievement award, hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke achievement indicators for at least 12 consecutive months and during the same period achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality measures.

These quality measures are designed to help hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. They focus on appropriate use of guideline-based care for stroke patients, including aggressive use of medications such as clot-busting and anti-clotting drugs, blood thinners and cholesterol-reducing drugs, preventive action for deep vein thrombosis and smoking cessation counseling.

“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and this award demonstrates our commitment to ensuring patients receive care based on nationally-respected clinical guidelines,” said David F. Perse, MD, president and CEO. “St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of stroke care and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke helps us achieve that goal.”

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center has also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center or as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients.

“We are pleased to recognize St. Vincent Charity Medical Center for their commitment to stroke care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee and Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Studies have shown that hospitals that consistently follow Get With The Guidelines quality improvement measures can reduce length of stay and 30-day readmission rates and reduce disparities in care.”

For providers, Get With The Guidelines-Stroke offers quality-improvement measures, discharge protocols, standing orders and other measurement tools. Providing hospitals with resources and information that make it easier to follow treatment guidelines can help save lives and ultimately reduce overall healthcare costs by lowering readmission rates for stroke patients.

For patients, Get With The Guidelines–Stroke uses the “teachable moment,” the time soon after a patient has had a stroke, when they learn how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital and recognize the F.A.S.T. warning signs of a stroke.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.  

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center’s internal medicine residency program was recently ranked the highest in the state of Ohio for board passage. Out of the 21 internal medicine residency programs in the state, St. Vincent Charity topped the list with the highest percentage passing rate at 95%. The American Board of Internal Medicine compiles the data based on three years of board exam scores—in this case for the year’s 2012, 2013 and 2014. St. Vincent Charity’s internal medicine residency program is directed by Keyvan Ravakhah, M.D. and is a teaching hospital of Case Western Reserve University.

Congratulations to our amazing residents, faculty and staff!

Fall sports programs are well underway at high schools across Northeast Ohio. St. Vincent Charity Medical Center’s Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. George Friedhoff, DO, offers parents and students 5 key strategies to help prevent chronic or life-threatening injury this season.

“Today’s high school athletes train incredibly hard and put in thousands of hours during the year to not only make their school’s team, but to compete at the highest levels.It is so disappointing to these young men and women to suffer an injury, to have to sit out part or all of a season or, in some cases, to have to quit a sport all together. While we can never prevent all injuries, there are basic steps that all athletes can take to give themselves the best odds of staying healthy,” Dr. Friedhoff said.

1. Core and Cross Training – Many athletes focus on the major muscle groups in the arms and legs when they strength train and fail to focus on the core muscles. Strengthening the core through daily use of planks and bridges substantially helps prevent back and lower body fractures, as well as ACL-related injuries. Cross training helps to build an athlete’s endurance while reducing the risk of repetitive or overuse injuries that occur when doing the same activity every day.
2. Proper Technique – Understanding and utilizing the proper technique for a sport is critical to avoiding injury, including concussion.Most concussions in young athletes occur in head to head collisions, particularly in sports such as soccer and football.For example, learning and utilizing the Heads Up technique in football for tackling and blocking helps prevent head to head contact.
3. Staying Hydrated - Risk of dehydration and heat stroke is much higher during hotter months.While coaches and players are more aware today of the need for water breaks throughout practice, Dr. Friedhoff said he is seeing an increasing risk among athletes due to the growing use of caffeine supplements and energy drinks.High levels of caffeine not only increase the heart rate, but can lead to dehydration even before practice begins.This, combined with muscle-building supplements such as creatine, increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmia and heat stroke.Dr. Friedhoff encourages parents to be aware of and to monitor their child’s use of these supplements.
4. Proper Fitting Equipment – Student athletes and their parents should understand the proper equipment fitting techniques for their specific sport. Double checking proper fit of helmets, pads and protective gear will help ensure the equipment does its job at times of contact.
5. Taking Breaks – The body needs regular breaks to recover from intense workouts.Dr. Friedhoff recommends taking at least one or two days a week off throughout a season to allow the muscles to rest.In addition, all athletes should take at least 3 to 4 weeks off per year to help prevent overuse injuries.

Fellowship-trained in sports medicine, Dr. Friedhoff has also held numerous sports medicine appointments, including team physician for Ohio University, Otterbein University, Ohio Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships, Nationwide Columbus Marathon, NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, PGA President’s Cup and All Ohio State Soccer Championships.

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center celebrated the holiday season a little early this year with a Christmas in July event at the Norma Herr Women’s Shelter. On Wednesday, July 22nd a group of Caregivers traveled to the shelter to deliver gifts and enjoy a festive evening with the residents.

Over the past few weeks, caregivers have been donating personal care items such as flip flops, socks, t-shirts and toiletries—items much needed by the women at the shelter—to fill 175 gift bags. In addition to the gift bags, the residents were able to enjoy a home cooked meal prepared by SVCMC caregivers, Christmas caroling and holiday cheer.

The Norma Herr Woman’s Center, formerly known as the Community Women’s Shelter, is a safe haven for displaced women and children. The center serves as the largest shelter in Cuyahoga County for homeless women and women with children. Services are available 24/7, 365 days a year.

CLEVELAND, OHIO (July 6, 2015) — Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA, was installed on June 8 as the Board Chair of the Catholic Health Association (CHA), the nation’s largest group of health care providers dedicated  to advancing Catholic health ministry in the United States.

Karam, who serves as Congregational Leader for the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, is one of the few remaining women religious in Catholic health care leadership nationally. A longtime president and CEO of the Sisters of Charity Health System, she also served in that role at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center—the congregation’s oldest hospital—celebrating its 150^th anniversary this year. Currently, Karam serves as chair of the public juridic person (PJP), the sponsoring body comprised of lay and religious persons charged with corporate decision-making for all of the Sisters of Charity Health System’s sponsored ministries.

“Catholic hospitals such as St. Vincent Charity Medical Center often provide more than just health care,” said David F. Perse, MD, president and CEO of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. “Sister Judith Ann’s leadership and understanding of health care as a ministry is an example to us all. We are proud that her voice will lead the discussion on a national stage.”

Karam’s installation coincided with the CHA Centennial Assembly event, which also featured a keynote address by President Barack Obama on the five-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In her address to the Assembly, Karam shared that the new definition of health that focuses on overall expansion including wellness and preventive care has always been a part of Catholic health care. “The direction of today is what Catholic health care is all about—care for the whole person (mind, body and spirit),” she said.

Catholic health care is present in all 50 states with 1 in 6 patients in the U.S. cared for in a Catholic hospital. The majority of Catholic hospitals (66%) are located in metropolitan areas. The hospitals are noted for high quality and innovative care.  Here in Northeast Ohio, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in downtown Cleveland is joined by its sister hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake, a joint venture with University Hospitals, and Mercy Medical Center in Canton.

While terms such as population health, integrated delivery networks and patient-centered care are buzzwords that grew out of the Affordable Care Act, they have long been the practice of Catholic hospitals that expand beyond their four walls and into communities through outreach, palliative care, long-term care, home health, neighborhood development and educational partnerships.

Priorities for Karam’s term as board chair include: ensuring that health care remains a right for all; paying specific attention to the poor, especially in light of financial challenges; succession planning in ministry; and preparing for a future that includes more complex ethical issues.

Karam added that as the ministry resets business models to adapt to health reform, Catholic health care can continue to build upon its rich legacy of delivering person-centered, holistic care while also addressing community needs. “I serve with an exceptional, dedicated team to meet the challenges of our day.  At a time when many in healthcare nationally seek to do only that which is profitable, our faith demands that those working in Catholic hospitals do that which is just.  We are our sisters and brothers keepers.  It is an inherent part of our mission, a call we are privileged to live each day.”

Recalling how, 100 years ago, CHA’s founders recognized the need to unite the church’s ministries to protect Catholic health care’s work and identity, Karam said the answer today is to continue to come together. “Collectively, we are the largest not-for-profit health care provider in the world.  There is great strength in that,” she said. “More importantly, it is a great responsibility, and we embrace the opportunity to provide the highest quality care for every person in the communities we serve and at the same time to bring peace and dignity to the least among us in their most vulnerable moments.”