Mallwalkers Get Stronger at Franciscan Alliance Event

Tammy Pankau, a certified group fitness expert at Omni 41 Health and Fitness Connection in Schererville, shows participants in the Franciscanfit Mallwalkers program April 27 how to sharpen their mental focus, boost stamina and improve muscle mass, through an interactive program of lower- and upper-body strength training.

Participants used resistance bands for their workout, which also included stretching exercises prior to using the bands, and cooling down methods at the end of the session. Body mass index and blood pressure screenings also were available.

The free program takes place on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Westfield Southlake mall in Hobart. For more information, call (800) 931-3322.

It's National Laboratory Week!

Did you know that more than 10 billion laboratory tests are performed in the United States each year?

Most of the laboratory team plays a behind-the-scenes role in the detection and diagnosis of disease. Lab professionals train and work in areas such as Hematology, Chemistry, Blood Bank, Blood Gas Analysis and Urinalysis and each area will provide the physician with crucial pieces of information in order to detect and be able to treat many different illnesses and disease states.

During National Lab Week, themed Laboratory Professionals Gets Results, we recognize the work of all our dedicated pathologists, medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians, phlebotomists, laboratory assistants, and support staff.

This week, take the time to meet the people behind the scenes and thank them for all they contribute to the healthcare team of professionals.

Learn more about our Laboratory services.

Happy Easter!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." - Matthew 28:1-10

Franciscan Physicians Hospital wishes you and your family a very Happy Easter.

Diabetes Defense: Begin Protecting Yourself this Spring

Diabetes is a common word that can be heard on any given day in almost any place. According to American Diabetes Association, the United States along has a population of 25.8 million children and adults living with diabetes. That's roughly 8.3% of the population, and that number is growing with the prevalence of fast food and inactivity in modern day society.

Classified as a metabolism disorder, diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too high. Glucose, a principal source of fuel for the human body, is a form of sugar, and enters our cells through insulin. Diabetics either produce too little insulin or have cells that don't respond properly to insulin, which is called Type 2 diabetes. Diabetics who produce no insulin at all are referred to as having Type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Michael Olden, DO, FACOI, and physician at Franciscan Physicians Hospital, gives the following information to help increase your awareness of diabetes and to protect yourself for the future.

"There are some preventative measures that you can take to guard yourself against diabetes. First off, maintain a healthy diet by ensuring that what you're eating has good fats, as opposed to bad fats, and try to avoid excessive sugar intake of the wrong kinds; specifically refined sugars. Furthermore, you should have your glucose levels checked, and individuals with a family history of diabetes should have what's called a C-peptide test to monitor the insulin being produced in your pancreas."

Dr. Olden continues by stating that "the typical onset age for diabetes can vary, but it's becoming lower as we enter an age of unhealthy eating and minimial exercise. In knowing that the condition cannot be fully reversed, individuals should take a comprehensive look at what they're eating and their level of exercise. There are many components of diet to consider, but diabetes comes from the sugar in your body."

Other tips for avoiding diabetes include eliminating refined carbohydrates such as soft drinks, fruit drinks and white rice; focusing on plant foods that are high in fiber; choosing healthy fats such as those found in Omega 3 fish, raw nuts, whole grains and olive oil; and lastly, quitting smoking. Smokers are known to be at least 50% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers.

By utilizing these precautions, you can lower your chances of getting diabetes. For more information regarding diabetes and diabetic care, visit our complete online health library or the American Diabetes Association.

WorkingWell Offers On-Site Health Clinic

WorkingWell, Franciscan Alliance's occupational health program, is focused on reducing healthcare costs and improving employee satisfaction at area businesses/companies throughout northwest Indiana, southeast Chicagoland and southwest Michigan. To go along with its full range of healthcare services, WorkingWell is now offering on-site health clinic to assist employers with job-related health needs.

Employee healthcare represents a major cost to employers. On-site health clinics can deliver significant cost savings to employers, particularly when they take an outsourced approach. The WorkingWell On-Site Health Clinic, supported by the integrated healthcare network of Franciscan Alliance, is your premier partner in implementing this innovative healthcare model.

Employer benefits of an on-site health clinic include:

• Lower employee health costs
• Increased workforce productivity
• Fewer lost workdays
• Healthier, more stable workforce
• Lower disability claims and costs
• Improved employee health outcomes
• Improved employee morale

Benefits for the employee include:

• Lower healthcare costs
• Convenient and timely access to healthcare
• Wellness and prevention programs
• Health education
• Integrated health record
• Franciscan Alliance healthcare network member

WorkingWell offers several different On-Site Health Clinic models specifically tailored to meet the needs of the business/organization. Call 866-552-WELL (9355) to learn more.

Visit WorkingWell online at http://www.workingwellsite.org/.

Franciscan Alliance Acquires Surgical Hospital of Munster

Surgical Hospital of Munster is the latest acquisition of Franciscan Alliance.

The purchase of the hospital, 7847 Calumet Ave., was effective April 14. It will serve as an outpatient surgery center of Franciscan Physicians Hospital LLC in Munster, according to Franciscan Physicians President Barb Greene. Inpatient procedures will be transferred to that hospital.

"We are excited about the combination of this surgical facility and Franciscan Physicians Hospital. This makes a lot of sense for our patients, our physicians and our combined staffs. Franciscan Physicians Hospital is anticipated to perform more than 6,000 procedures in 2011, with this acquisition," Greene said.

Approximately 20 physicians will serve the new outpatient center, which also will have a 31-member staff of nurses, operating room technicians and clerical workers. The center has four operating rooms and 14 recovery bays.

Surgical Hospital of Munster, which for more than 20 years operated as Calumet Surgery Center, opened in 2008 as a joint venture of Hammond Clinic, Regent Surgical Services and several area physicians.

A planned Franciscan Alliance acquisition of 60-plus physician Hammond Clinic, which has served Northwest Indiana for nearly 60 years, was announced in February, and is expected to be completed shortly. Hammond Clinic has locations at 11355 W. 97th Lane, St. John; 9800 Valparaiso Drive, Munster; and at 7905 Calumet Ave., Munster, next to the former Surgical Hospital.

No purchase price was disclosed for either acquisition.

The Surgical Hospital of Munster was embedded in the Hammond Clinic and owned by it, so acquiring it was essential to completing the transaction in a manner mutually acceptable to the parties," said Gene Diamond, regional CEO of Franciscan Alliance.

"When the integration of the Hammond Clinic into Franciscan Alliance is complete in a few months, residents of the communities served by both organizations will have more locations from which to seek the high-quality, mission-driven compassionate care to which they've become accustomed for the past century and more."

Diamond said the acquisitions are part of a plan for Franciscan Alliance to become an Accountable Care Organization, the health delivery system envisioned under health care reform. 

Besides Franciscan Physicians Hospital, Franciscan Alliance hospitals in Northwest Indiana include St. Margaret Health-Dyer and Hammond, St. Anthony Health-Michigan City and St. Anthony Health-Crown Point. Mishawaka-based Franciscan Alliance has 13 hospital campuses in Indiana and in Illinois.

FPH and P.U.C. nursing students promote a comprehensive work environment!

Four Senior Capstone Nursing course students from Purdue University Calumet joined forces with the Indiana Hospital Association, Lisa Leckrone, Director of Quality & Risk Management and the nursing team at Franciscan Physicians Hospital to promote hand-off communication in the hospital.

The task: ensure communication between departments as patients are moved from one area to another. Michelle Jansma, Brittany Rispens, Tara Zegazzewski, and Caitlyn McDonald, all seniors in PUC's nursing program, came up with a way to solidify the communication taking place. They did so by creating a promise: literally.

P.R.O.M.I.S.E., an acronym created by the nursing students, is a communication tool that can be easily remembered by nurses doing initial analyses of their patients as they move through departments such as pre-surgery, surgery, recovery, intensive care and inpatient rooms.

The letters represent the following:
P: Patient information
R: Review of systems (another way of saying a head-to-toe analysis)
O: Overview of tests and labs
M: Medications
I: IV (including solution, rate, size of needle and site of entry)
S: Specific unit checklist (pertinent information from each department)
E: Exchange of information to family and nurse

Through observation and listening, the students pinpointed communication areas for added assistance and practiced their new method with nurses to analyze change. The information contained in the acronym will prove beneficial for nurses communicating between departments.

Together, with help and organization from the Indiana Hospital Association, these students have furthered their knowledge to help patients and innovate the health care experience. Franciscan Physicians Hospital thanks them for all of their hard work and creative thinking. The future of innovation in nursing will be better with bright students like these!

FranciscanFit Mallwalkers Program Set for April 27

Strength training will be the presentation topic for the next Franciscanfit -- Steps to Good Health monthly Mallwalkers program.

The free program, sponsored by Franciscan Alliance  hospitals in northern Indiana and Westfield Southlake mall, is scheduled for 8 to 10 a.m. April 27.

The public is invited to attend a 9 a.m. presentation of the program theme offered by Tammy Pankau, a certified group fitness expert at Omni 41 Health and Fitness Connection in Schererville. Pankau will teach participants ways to sharpen  focus, boost stamina and improve muscle mass with an all-ages interactive program on strength training of upper and lower body.

Body mass index and blood pressure screenings also will be available.

New Mallwalkers members are welcome to register for the program, which takes place on the mall’s lower level, outside of JC Penney, on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Regular walkers hours are 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 to 11 a.m. Sundays.

For more information, call (800) 931-3322.

Franciscan Alliance hospitals in northern Indiana include Franciscan Physicians Hospital LLC in Munster, St. Margaret Health-Dyer and Hammond, St. Anthony Health-Michigan City and St. Anthony Health-Crown Point.