st. joseph's magazine volume 8, issue 2, 2012

ST. JOSEPH’S magazineA magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Volume 8, Issue 2, 2012

Creighton University sChool of mediCineinaugural class begins at

st. Joseph’s

standardized patientsplaying sick to help medical

students learn

Patient care, research and education are the three long-standing pillars of St. Joseph’s Hospital

and Medical Center. In this issue of St. Joseph’s Magazine, we focus on education.

This summer, 42 third- and fourth-year medical students came to Phoenix for the inaugural class

of Creighton University School of Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. The affilia-

tion will expand educational opportunities available to Creighton medical students while allowing

the university’s School of Medicine to recruit more students. The collaboration is also designed to

strengthen the medical reputations of both institutions, promote the sharing of faculty and admin-

istrative expertise, create collaborative research opportunities and enhance medical services for

Arizona patients.

While the Creighton University School of Medicine will become St. Joseph’s primary academic

affiliation, St. Joseph’s will continue its affiliations with the University of Arizona College of Medicine

and more than 20 other U.S. schools of medicine.

Inside these pages you’ll also read about standardized patients who help medical students become

better doctors, our Nursery ICU’s new accreditation that allows staff members to train other cen-

ters, our robotics program and stories of individuals who have given back to St. Joseph’s to make

us the fine academic medical institution we are today.

Thank you for all you do for St. Joseph’s.

Patty White

President/CEO, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

Kathy X. Kramer

President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Foundation

P.S. Your continued support is vitally important to the work we do. Please make your gift to

St. Joseph’s Foundation today. A giving envelope is enclosed for your convenience, or give online

at SupportStJosephs.org.

OPENING THOUGHTS

On our cover: Creighton University School of Medicine student Mario Mitkov.

2 First Creighton University Students ArriveWorld-class medical school comes to St. Joseph’s.

6 Playing SickStandardized patients fake it to help teach medical students.

7 Labor of LoveMaking a difference as a St. Joseph’s volunteer.

8 Breathing AgainArizona’s first diaphragmatic pacemaker implanted at St. Joseph’s.

10 Cold HeartedSometimes a cold heart is just what the doctor ordered.

12 Dr. da VinciSome patients heal more quickly with a robot on the case.

14 Fragile BabiesNyICU certified to teach others how to handle the tiniest babies.

16 ACTIVATENew program helps patients transition to home.

17 Virtual DoctorTechnology brings doctors into the board room.

18 Distinguished FacultyTwo St. Joseph’s physicians awarded endowed chairs.

19 Ending the Shivers

21 Benefactor Briefs

22 News

ST. JOSEPH’S magazineA magazine for the friends of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Volume 8, Issue 2, 2012

contents

Lindsey [email protected]

Catherine MenorAssistant editor

Justin DetwilerArt director/designer

Brad Armstrong, D Squared ProductionsPhotography

Sara Baird, Melissa Morrison, Sarah McGrain Padilla Contributing writers

Panoramic Press

Patty White, President/CEO, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

Kathy X. KramerPresident and CEOSt. Joseph’s Foundation

• H o w t o R e a c h U s •St. Joseph’s Magazine is published by St. Joseph’s Foundation. We welcome your comments, suggestions and requests to be added to or deleted from our mailing list. Call 602-406-1041, email [email protected], or send mail to St. Joseph’s Magazine, Office of Philanthropy, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85013. Please include your name, address, email address and daytime telephone number in all correspondence. Visit us online at www.SupportStJosephs.org.

S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E2

WORLD-CLASS MEDICAL SCHOOL COMES TO ST. JOSEPH’Sby Melissa Morrison

CREIGHTON

Normally, the influx of a few dozen newcomers to the Valley isn’t particularly noteworthy. But the groupof 42 who moved to Phoenix in June are special: They are two years away from graduating medical school

and – ideally – staying on to establish careers here.Creighton University’s School of Medicine is based in Omaha, Nebraska, but a partnership with St. Joseph’s

Hospital and Medical Center brings its first satellite class of students to Phoenix, where they will complete theirMDs. The students marked the occasion on June 28 with the rite of passage known as the white coat ceremo-ny. One of the participants was Hannatu Tunga-Lergo, a Nigerian native raised in Florida, who opted to spendher final two years of medical school in Phoenix.“I thought it was a great opportunity to get a first look at St. Joseph’s, because this is going to be a hospital

where I would consider doing my residency,” says Tunga-Lergo, 29, fresh from examining a newborn, her firstpatient in her inaugural third-year rotation. “I also thought it would broaden my scope and enhance my skillsto go to a whole new area and see a whole new set of patients.”

Top: St. Joseph’s administrators and the inaugural class of Creighton University School of Medicine PhoenixRegional Campus at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. Left: Medical students Brittany Boswell andJanel Brown. Right: Creighton University president Fr. Timothy Lannon, addresses students.

S T . J O S E P H ’ S M A G A Z I N E 3

Both sides of the Creighton-St. Joseph’s partner-ship – officially, the Creighton University School of Med-icine Phoenix Regional Campus at St. Joseph’s Hospi-tal and Medical Center – describe it as win-win for bothinstitutions: St. Joseph’s has a farm team of future physi-cians and Creighton expands its number of medical stu-dents by more than 25 percent.“One benefit is in filling residency slots here at St.

Joe’s,” says Randy Richardson, MD, a pediatric radiol-ogist who is Creighton’s assistant dean of medical edu-cation. “Once we’ve trained those students in variousspecialties, St. Joseph’s can recruit them.”For Creighton, the expansion of its student class

addresses a recommendation by the Association ofAmerican Medical Colleges (AAMC) for a 30 percentincrease in medical school enrollment by 2015 toaddress a projected physician shortage. Creighton’sPhoenix contingent joins the University of ArizonaCollege of Medicine’s satellite campus, which openedin 2007; Midwestern University in Glendale; and Mis-souri-based A.T. Still University’s Mesa location.Creighton is the only Catholic medical school west ofMissouri, says its dean, Dr. Rowen Zetterman.

Ending the shortageTraining doctors who may then stay in the region

is crucial because Arizona has one of the biggest short-ages in the country, ranking 35th in physician-patientratios, according to the AAMC. The state has 218 MDsfor every 100,000 people, less than the national aver-age of 240 per 100,000 people.“Arizona is still underserved as far as physicians

per capita,” Dr. Richardson says. “We need more physi-cians in the area. Generally, people stay where they train,so if we’re training students here in Phoenix, there is amuch better chance of keeping them in the area.”Tunga-Lergo agrees. “I do think it’s true, you get used

to the city and get used to the culture and know whatkind of patients you’re going to see,” she says.The first Phoenix Creighton class will graduate in

2014. Next year, another 42 students will arrive, dou-bling the Creighton contingent. St. Joseph’s status as ateaching hospital is fundamental to its identity, whichspurred the partnership. “That’s who we are; we didn’t want to lose that,” Dr.

Richardson says.St. Joseph’s approached the Catholic medical school

about establishing a Phoenix campus. The Nebraskaschool has been sending its students for one-month rota-

tions at St. Joseph’s since 2005. “Because of the Jesuit-Catholic connection, we connected with Creighton,” Dr.Richardson says. The partnership is a natural fit, Dr. Zetterman says.

Creighton announced the deal three years ago andbegan the process of recruiting administrators andteaching faculty for its Southwest outpost, as well as stan-dardizing its curriculum.“We have to ensure the student experience is com-

parable,” Dr. Zetterman says. “That doesn’t mean we haveto give exactly the same talks to students at each site.But if you’re teaching the principles of recognizing apatient with an acute myocardial infarction, you needto be sure you teach the same principles.”

Creating spaceSt. Joseph’s had to carve out space for the students.

Philanthropists Doris and John Norton, who have longbeen patrons of St. Joseph’s, stepped in, funding a stu-dent center and administrative offices. Renovationbegan this summer on a dedicated building on thehospital campus that includes exercise and study areas.Meanwhile, students have a temporary center on thehospital’s second floor.The Nortons are also funding $4 million in schol-

arships for the Phoenix Creighton students.“They’re brilliant young people,” says Doris Norton,

who met them at their white coat ceremony held in Bar-row Neurological Institute’s Goldman Auditorium.“They are so appreciative about being here and very seri-ous about their education. It’s an honorable thing to beable to help the deserving students with their scholarships.”

Robert Garcia, MD, assistant deanfor student affairs, speaks to newstudents at the white coat ceremony.


As a Midwesterner whorelocated to Arizona with herfamily when she was a child,Doris Norton understandsthe Southwest’s appeal. Whenoffered the option of remain-ing in Omaha or coming tothe Phoenix campus, morethan 42 students opted forthe latter, so a lottery was held,Dr. Zetterman says.“The major attraction for

me was St. Joseph’s Hospital,especially Barrow Neurolog-ical Institute,” says Tunga-Lergo, who is consideringneurology and surgery amongpotential specialties. Some students had ties to

the Southwest and wanted toreturn. Others wanted toexperience a bigger city –Phoenix has more than triplethe population of Omaha.

“Phoenix is a great citywith professional sportsteams, musical theaters,operas and all the things thatcome with one of the largermetropolitan areas,” Dr.Richardson says. (Winter inthe Midwest vs. the South-west was also a draw, henoted.)Not that the students will

have much time to enjoy theirsurroundings, since year threeis especially demanding. Stu-dents rotate through coreclerkships, including pedi-atrics, general surgery, obstet-rics-gynecology, family med-icine, psychiatry and internalmedicine. They are on-callwith their team resident.Every eight weeks, they musttake a standardized test calleda shelf exam in each of thecore specialties. For many stu-

dents, the year is key to help-ing them choose their futurespecialty.“It’s a rigorous year for

them, but also exciting,because it’s their first clinicalyear,” Dr. Richardson says.“They get to begin learninghow to take care of patients.It’s their first opportunity toget on the units and beinvolved in surgeries andlearn how to really be a doc-tor.”The final year of medical

school, year four, allows morebreathing room, with fewerexams to worry about. Stu-dents explore subspecialties,but also have more time toinvestigate the surroundingcommunity.“The fourth-year sched-

ule is significantly less rigor-ous with mostly elective rota-tions,” Dr. Richardson says.“They will have time to enjoyour city because you can onlystudy so many hours a day,you can only take so muchcall. They’ll be quite active inour community. Recreationis part of being a well-round-ed person, which is what wewant.”When she has the time,

Tunga-Lergo is looking for-ward to her first mountainhike. She also plans to contin-ue the ballet lessons she beganin Omaha. She’s alreadyresearched Ballet Arizona’sadult drop-in classes.“I think every student

should take advantage ofbeing somewhere,” she says.“You can’t only be in the hos-pital.” ▪

“Arizona is still underserved as

far as physicians per capita.

We need more physicians in

the area. Generally people

stay where they train, so if

we’re training students here in

Phoenix, there is a much

better chance of keeping

them in the area.”

Randy Richardson, MD

Randy Richardson, MD, and medicalstudent Wyatt Ramey at the white coatceremony.


The east wing on the second floor of St. Joseph’sHospital and Medical Center is essentially a hos-

pital within the hospital. But no patients are ever seenhere. At least no real patients.Standardized patients, actor equivalents who mem-

orize real medical conditions and symptoms, are seenin a clinic environment by medical students and nurs-es who rotate though the simulation lab in the Learn-ing Center at St. Joseph’s Learning Institute.Standardized patients have a somewhat oddball

job. They interview like they would for many other jobs,but Heather Walker, the Learning Institute’s programmanager who oversees the standardized patients, saysshe’s looking for something more.“We want them to have a desire to facilitate learn-

ing and to help advance the field of medicine,” shesays. An acting background doesn’t hurt either.Michele Richmond just started working as a stan-

dardized patient at St. Joseph’s but has worked in thesame capacity for the University of Arizona College ofMedicine for more than a year. “What I really enjoy about being a standardized

patient is using my acting skills for something more thanjust fun,” Richmond says. “It’s a chance to help improvepatient care and help medical students learn the patientperspective.”

Advancing medicineWhen a medical student interacts with a standard-

ized patient, it goes something like this: the student logsinto a computer outside of the clinic room. There theyare given basic patient information similar to the infor-mation you would give your primary care physician’snurse before the doctor comes in – and then are toldto enter the patient room. The student has 15 minutesto spend with the standardized patient, asking all thequestions a physician should ask and performing aclinical exam. When time is up, they are given fiveminutes to document in the patient’s chart. The entireinteraction is recorded so the student and faculty canreview and critique the interaction.

PLAYING SICKSTANDARDIZED PATIENTS FAKE IT TO HELP TEACH MEDICAL STUDENTSby Lindsey Burke


“It’s an application of acquired knowledge in a goodlearning environment,” Walker says. “It gives studentsa chance to interact with patients and hone their knowl-edge and bedside manner.”Yet the job is far more than just role playing. When

medical students visit with a standardized patient, theyare working within a very specific skill set that is partof Creighton University School of Medicine’s requiredcurriculum. Standardized patients are required tomemorize different scenarios depending on the rota-tion cycle for the medical students. The actors arerequired to know everything about the case includingpatient name, age, social history, medical history, fam-ily history, high-risk behaviors, current symptoms andsymptoms they may have experienced prior to pre-senting at the clinic. They’re also instructed on how tobehave – friendly, articulate or nervous, for example. “All the actors must do everything the same. That’s

what makes it standardized,” Richmond says. “Thehardest part is having to stay in character and remem-ber the responses to the questions while making surethe student is doing everything right,” she adds.Standardized patients also must remember things

about the visit in order to provide post-interactionfeedback. They’re looking for things such as did the stu-dent ask for the patient’s first and last name, did he orshe give their full name and did they wash their hands.“It’s great to see the improvement of students over

time,” Richmond says, “and know that while the med-ical mannequins are good for practicing procedures, theydon’t enable you to see how a patient feels or read theirbody language or interpret the tone of their voice, allof those human things a machine can’t do.” ▪

The all new simulation lab in the LearningCenter at St. Joseph’s Learning Institute wasmade possible by a grant of more than$275,000 from St. Joseph’s Foundation. Thecenter features 12 high-fidelity patient simula-tors that are controlled via computer from acontrol room nearby. The simulators breathe,have a heart beat and respond to treatmentlike a real patient. Additional enhancementsfor the simulation lab are planned for 2013.


At St. Joseph’s, volunteers play an important part inthe hospital’s healing ministry, assisting staff and

providing that personal touch to patients.Irene Quinn, 83, recently retired from St. Joseph’s

Volunteer Services where she had staffed the Barrowneurosurgical waiting room for six years. After herlast shift, the Phoenix resident and three-time cancersurvivor looked back at the hospital with dignity andpride. “The last six years have been so wonderful,” Quinn

said. “I know I made a difference. I walked out everysingle day that I walked in, and I thanked God forthat. Aside from feeling blessed and thankful, I feltgood—like I made a difference.”Though she began her career in the crystal and

china industry, Quinn has always had a passion for talk-

ing with people and a connection with the hospital,where she delivered her two children. She began vol-unteering after retiring from the Paradise Valley Coun-try Club, where Quinn was well-known and worked thefront desk. “St. Joseph’s just seemed like the place Ineeded to be, and when I do something, I give it myall,” says Quinn.Jeanette Herman, manager of St. Joseph’s Volunteer

Services, says that Quinn was essential in creating mir-acles for families who anxiously awaited news from sur-geons. “Irene would sit with these patients’ familiesand offer them comfort. She always assured them thatBarrow is the best place their loved one could be.”“I got just as much back from the patients and the

staff as I gave,” said Quinn. ▪

LABOR OF LOVEMAKING A DIFFERENCE AS A ST. JOSEPH’S VOLUNTEER

by Sara Baird

Irene Quinn


The bullet that tore through Mario Zapata’s fleshlodged high in his cervical spinal cord and left

him immediately paralyzed from the neck down. Themetal fragments damaged his C3, C4 and C5 cervicalvertebrae – the ones responsible for controlling thediaphragm and allowing the body to breathe on itsown. He was placed on a ventilator, and for three years,that was how his body breathed.“There are so many feelings that go along with an

injury like this,” Mario, 28, says. “I’ve thought a lotabout how my life has changed. I used to get upsetthinking about all the things I’ve lost, and I’d get dis-couraged because I can’t even breathe on my own.” And then one day Mario was surfing the internet.

“For some reason I was watching a YouTube video oncardiac pacemakers, and the next video that popped up

was a pacemaker for the diaphragm,” he says. Thediaphragmatic pacing system by Synapse Biomedicalwas approved by the FDA in 2008 for ventilator -dependent spinal cord injury patients who lack volun-tary control of their diaphragm. “Every time I had an appointment with my pulmo-

nologist, I would ask him if I’d ever breathe on myown again. He told me there was a very low possibili-ty, and I had already accepted that answer, but mymom never did. She kept wanting me to ask.”So on his next visit, Mario asked the question again.

And this time pulmonologist Gregory Ahearn, MD,brought cardiothoracic surgeon Elbert Kuo, MD, MPH,MMS, into the room. “Dr. Kuo asked me if I had ever heard of diaphrag-

matic pacing. I told him about what I found on YouTube,

BREATHING AGAINARIZONA’S FIRST DIAPHRAGMATIC PACEMAKER IMPLANTED AT ST. JOSEPH’S

by Lindsey Burke

Mario Zapata


and together, the doctors said I seemed like the perfectcandidate for it. They took some x-rays and told methey’d get back with me in a couple of days. I wasscheduled for surgery on April 23.” Mario’s device was the first implanted in Arizona.

During the minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon cre-ates four small holes in the abdomen and places smallelectrodes near the nerves that control the diaphragm.The electrodes are then attached through wires underthe skin to a small battery-powered external pulse gen-erator that stimulates the muscle and nerves to makethe diaphragm contract. “It’s almost like doing pushups,” says Dr. Kuo. “There

is an electrical signal sent from your brain to the mus-cle that tells your arm to contract. In this case, thedevice sends the electrical signal that tells the diaphragmto contract. That causes the lungs to expand, and thatallows Mario to breathe.”“I remember waking up after the surgery asking my

nurse if it had worked. She told me yes but that it wasn’t turned on yet. And then I went back to sleep.When I woke up again, my room was full of doctors,and there were wires connected to me. They hookedeverything up, and I was breathing on my own for anhour and a half.”

The diaphragm, like all muscles, atrophies withoutuse. So the device must be used in short spurts at firstin order to rebuild strength in the muscle. Today, Mariouses the diaphragmatic pacemaker more than 14 hoursper day. The small device gives him more freedom tomaneuver outside of the home without a bulky venti-lator and the plethora of tubes that attach it to him. Italso brought back Mario’s sense of smell because he’sable to breathe through his nose – something that wasn’t possible with the ventilator. And according to Dr. Kuo, there are additional ben-

efits besides the one’s Mario has experienced. Thediaphragmatic pacemaker can save more than $3 mil-lion in healthcare costs over the lifetime of a 25-year-old patient. Patients using the device also see a decreasein pneumonia and have an easier time talking. “The future holds happiness for me and my fami-

ly. It’s a big change in my life. It’s a big deal. I’m so happyfor it.” ▪

“Every time I had an appointment

with my pulmonologist

I would ask him if I’d ever breathe

on my own again. He told me

there was a very low possibility,

and I had already accepted that

answer, but my mom never did.

She kept wanting me to ask.”

-Mario Zapata


Late one evening in June 2010, Zach Lindsay, thenjust 30-years-old, was studying for a final exam. He

drank a tall glass of cold water and went to bed. But hedidn’t feel right. He later got up, splashed water on hisface and tried to calm his racing heart. But it didn’t work.He woke his fiancé and asked to be taken to the emer-gency room near his Scottsdale home. There, doctors diagnosed Lindsay with atrial fibril-

lation, an irregular heartbeat, and gave him drugs to slowhis fluttering heart. After his heart converted to a nor-mal sinus rhythm, he was sent home with prescriptionsfor beta blockers including metoprolol to prevent recur-rences. “I felt horrible on medication,” Lindsay says, “and

I was having recurrences every couple of weeks. I need-ed relief, and the combination of medications wasn’tdoing it.”Lindsay did some research and decided that cardiac

ablation – a procedure in which misfiring heart tissueis purposely killed in order to correct the heart rhythmproblem – could possibly fix his heart. He visited spe-cialists in the Valley and traveled to San Francisco tomeet with one of the nation’s top electrophysiologists. “But everyone I saw just kept making decisions

based on the original doctor’s diagnosis,” he says. “Theyweren’t conducting any additional tests to confirm theroot of my problem, which I thought was more thanregular atrial fibrillation.”Then one day he read about cryoablation – an abla-

tion procedure that uses cold rather than heat – and localexpert Wilber Su, MD. He met with him two dayslater.“It was like night and day,” Lindsay says. “Dr. Su read,

page by page, everything related to my heart. At the endhe thought it was ectopic atrial tachycardia, not atrialfibrillation.” While ectopic atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrilla-

tion often mimic one another, the main difference isthat with ectopic atrial tachycardia, the problem areathat causes the heart to go into spasm originates fromjust one point, rather than many. The surgical approachis different, and most importantly, the typical atrialfibrillation ablation proposed by Lindsay’s other doc-

tors would not have fixed his ectopic atrial tachycar-dia.In April 2011, Dr. Su identified Lindsay’s problem

area and performed an electrical study on his heart toidentify the irritable spot that was making the heart racerapidly. Performing curative cryoablation via a catheterinserted through Lindsay’s leg and threaded into hisheart, Dr. Su was able to avoid collateral damage to acritical area of the heart.“We have all the tools we need to determine the prob-

lem area and ablate it safely,” says Dr. Su. “Had Zach gonethrough the typical atrial fibrillation procedure suggest-ed by others, he may have undergone extensive abla-tion and taken many unnecessary risks, and not evencome close to solving the real problem. ”The advanced procedure wasn’t available in a min-

imally invasive fashion until recently. One benefit ofcryoablation is simply safety: there is a period after theablation begins where the process is reversible, so if Dr.Su had noticed any effects he didn’t like during the pro-cedure, he could have simply stopped, and the processwould have reversed itself. In contrast, by the time aphysician sees any ill effects from a burning ablation,it may already be too late. With Lindsay’s problem areaso close to his heart’s conduction system, had there beena mistake with heat ablation, he would have needed apacemaker for the rest of his life.

Medication freeLindsay was able to go home the evening of the

procedure. “I was tired the next day, and my heart rate was ele-

vated for a couple of weeks, but that’s normal due to theirritation from having my heart poked at and frozen,”he says. Today, he’s off all of his medication and has had no

recurrences. “A lot of things fell into place to make this happen,”

he says. “From doctors who were too busy to see meto reactions to medications that I couldn’t tolerate, itall ended up leading me to Dr. Su. It was a night-and-day difference between him and the others. I’m sohappy to have found him.” ▪

by Lindsey Burke

COLD HEARTEDSOMETIMES A COLD HEART IS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED


Zach and Lily Lindsay


When gynecolog-ic oncologist

Bradley Monk, MD,operates these days, heoften does so while sit-ting several feet awayfrom his patient. Instead of standing

over the patient, Dr.Monk sits in a com-fortable chair in front ofthe da Vinci SurgicalSystem console. Insteadof peering through asurgical microscope, heviews a magnified 3Dimage of the surgicalsite displayed on ahigh-resolution screen. And instead of wielding ascalpel or rigid laparoscopy tools, he uses hand controlsand foot pedals to perform the operation with the daVinci’s robotic arms and tiny, highly maneuverablesurgical instruments.The da Vinci Surgical System is a type of robotic-

assisted laparoscopy; St. Joseph’s Hospital and MedicalCenter has two of the systems. The second was fund-ed through a gift from Mary Lou and Ira Fulton to St.Joseph’s Foundation.For Dr. Monk and many other St. Joseph’s physicians,

what was once a medical novelty is standard medicalpractice today.“Surgery is very rough on patients,” Dr. Monk says.

“With robotic-assisted laparoscopy, we can be veryprecise and exact. We can make smaller incisions, andwe can reduce blood loss, scarring and pain.”

Experiencing the benefits firsthandLaura Tarrant learned of these benefits firsthand

when she underwent surgery three months ago. Tar-rant, a registered nurse who works in the Division ofSurgery and Pelvic Pain at St. Joseph’s, was diagnosedwith endometriosis 23 years ago. Medical Director

Michael Hibner, MD, hired her in part because of herexperience with endometriosis, a condition many of hispatients have.Endometriosis is a female health disorder that can

cause pain, irregular bleeding and infertility. Over theyears, Tarrant underwent one open surgery and sixlaparoscopic procedures for her condition. In July, she underwent a final operation to remove

a remaining ovary. Nita Desai, MD, a colleague of Dr.Hibner, performed the procedure using the da Vinci sys-tem.“We knew her surgery would be challenging because

she’s had several complex operations. She’s had proce-dures that require a long recovery period and, frankly,a lot of pain,” says Dr. Desai. “We wanted to do a sur-gery that would cause minimal bleeding and minimalpain and that would give her a better recovery than she’shad in the past.”The operation required five small incisions—com-

pared to the three larger incisions in a standard laparo-scopic procedure. Dr. Desai was able to remove the ovarydespite a “very scarred abdomen” and even resect arecurrence of endometriosis in a small place that wouldnot have been accessible using other surgical methods.

DR. DA VINCIRECOVERY CAN BE QUICKER WITH A ROBOT ON THE CASE

by Catherine Menor

Mary Lou and Ira Fulton enabled St. Joseph’sto purchase a second da Vinci Surgical System.The system consists of a console from whichthe surgeon conducts the operation; a surgerytable with four robotic arms that carry out thesurgeon’s commands; and a vision system thatprovides 3D images of the surgery site.


Tarrant was amazed when she woke up after the oper-ation. “I felt around on my belly, and I had barely anypain. And when I saw the incisions, I thought, ‘Wow,that’s really small.’” She was up walking eight hours later.

The surgeons’ choice—for some conditionsThe da Vinci Surgical System has become the go-

to technology for many urological and gynecologicalsurgeries, including hysterectomies, ovary removal,appendectomies, bowel resections, prostate removalsand fibroid tumor removals. Dr. Hibner, who in 2009performed more surgeries using the da Vinci system thanany other physician in the country, estimates that he usesthe system in 60 to 70 percent of his cases. Other specialties are also exploring the system’s

possibilities. St. Joseph’s thoracic surgeons, for exam-ple, now use the da Vinci system for 15-20 percent oftheir cases. The team completed Arizona’s first robot-ic-assisted lobectomy for early-stage cancer. Thoracic surgeon Elbert Kuo, MD, says that although

the system is impressive, it is not right for every patient.“Patients come in asking for robotic surgery,” he says.“They need to have a heart-to-heart with their doctorabout whether it’s the best approach for their particu-lar case. It offers another tool in our arsenal, but it’s def-initely not the best tool in the box for every patient.”The da Vinci system does have its downsides.

Research shows that procedures utilizing the system aremore costly than standard laparoscopic procedures.Other disadvantages include longer procedure times anda lack of tactile sensation for the surgeon.

The future of surgeryBut for the appropriate case, robotic-assisted

laparoscopy offers several distinct advantages overother surgery techniques, these surgeons say. Theseinclude enhanced visualization, thanks to 3D imagesof the surgical field; wristed instruments that havemore range of motion than the human hand; a com-puter system that scales and fine tunes the surgeon’s handmovements, eliminating tremor; and a more comfort-able working environment for the surgeon.Robotic-assisted laparoscopy is pushing surgical

technology in the right direction, says Dr. Desai. “Forpatients, it can get them back to their lives quicker, andthat’s what’s important to us—doing the best for ourpatients.” ▪

Top: Bradley Monk,MD, and MichaelHibner, MD. Middle:Laura Tarrant, RN, andNita Desai, MD.Bottom: Elbert Kuo,MD.


St. Joseph’s recently became one of only 20 sites inthe world – and only the eleventh in the United

States – certified to train other facilities and healthcareprofessionals in providing developmental support to thesmallest and most fragile babies.In March, the hospital was recognized as a NIDCAP

(Newborn Individualized Developmental Care andAssessment Program) training facility. While St. Joseph’sNursery Intensive Care Unit (NyICU) has been NID-CAP-certified for more than 12 years and currently offersa staff development program, the new designationallows the hospital to train and certify others whowork with premature babies.NIDCAP is an international organization dedicat-

ed to “optimizing the developmental course and out-come of premature infants,” specifically, the populationof extremely premature and low-birth-weight new-borns. According to the organization, the incidence ofprematurity in the U.S. is currently 12.7 percent. Morethan half of children born too small for their gestation-

al age will go on to develop learning and emotional dis-abilities, requiring special education and mental healthservices.NIDCAP strives to change these statistics. Research

has shown that NIDCAP babies have shorter hospitalstays, better weight gain, improved behavioral out-comes and enhanced brain structure. Marla Wood, RN, MEd, one of two NIDCAP train-

ers at St. Joseph’s and co-director of the training cen-ter, says that much of the training is dedicated to learn-ing to read the infants’ cues. “When you watch these babies, you might notice dif-

ferences in their behavior, like slight color changes,yawning, stretching or sneezing,” says Wood. “We tendto think this is just how preemies behave, but there’s actu-ally meaning behind it. They’re trying to tell us some-thing.”For example, Wood explains, stretching might indi-

cate an issue with the motor system, while a yawncould indicate difficulty breathing. NIDCAP teaches

NIDCAP program managers Marla Wood, RN, MEd,and Bonni Moyer, RN.

FRAGILE BABIESNYICU CERTIFIED TO TEACH OTHERS HOW TO HANDLE THE TINIEST BABIES by Sarah McGrain Padilla


providers and family members alike to recognize andrespond to these cues through techniques that includecradling, creating nest-like bedding and allowing babiesto rest when they shows signs of stress.Among the most important recommendations is

skin-to-skin contact – or kangaroo care, as it is calledin the nursery – in which a parent is seated comfort-ably with the baby cradled against the parent’s chest.NIDCAP places a strong emphasis on keeping fami-lies as involved as possible in the care of their infant.“We’re trying to show the nursery staff that families

are the most important caregivers of their babies,” saysWood. “Sometimes we get so caught up in the techno-logical aspect of the NyICU, families can get lost in thechaos. But the families really need to be involved fromthe beginning. They need to know that being theremakes a big difference.”Lynn Wilson knows this firsthand. In July 2009,

her daughter Addison was born at 27½ weeks gestationweighing only two pounds, six ounces. She spent fivemonths in St. Joseph’s NyICU, enduring eight surger-ies, including three brain surgeries. Doctors warned Wil-son that Addison had a slim chance for survival and aneven slimmer chance of leading a normal life.Now a healthy and happy three year old, Addison

beat the odds – a miracle that her mom credits in partto NIDCAP. “As the parent of a full-term baby beforeAddison, there were so many things I didn’t thinkabout with her. Having that education can make all thedifference in your baby’s life,” says Wilson. Right away, Wilson was taught the importance of

nesting and repositioning the tiny infant, and she cre-ated powerful bonds with her daughter through kan-garoo care. Lynn was involved in Addison’s physical andoccupational therapy, both important for her long-term physical and mental development. She wasimpressed that staff pressed on with the therapiesdespite Addison’s many tubes and wires. “I’ve learned that it’s so important to give premature

babies these experiences, to let these kids write their ownstories,” adds Lynn. “I was so grateful for the programbecause I think it made a big difference in our outcome.”The skills taught through NIDCAP are not acquired

overnight. Individual certification is a multiphaseprocess that lasts up to two years and consists of a for-mal lecture, observation, independent work and anadvanced practicum in which both the trainer andtrainee write detailed reports. Once certified, theseindividuals – from nurses and physicians to psychol-

ogists and therapists – are better prepared to meet thedevelopmental needs of premature infants and toincrease their chances of leading a normal and healthylife.Likewise, the road to becoming a training facility,

typically a five-year endeavor, is a long one. SharonGlanville, executive director of Women’s and Chil-dren’s Services, began advocating for St. Joseph’s tobecome a training site more than eight years ago. “We realized how important this aspect of care was,

that there were no NIDCAP Training Centers nearby,making it a long and costly process to get staff certified.With the full support of our executive leadership team,we committed to the journey. We couldn’t be moreproud of our Nursery ICU team and the outstandingcare that they provide every day.” says Glanville.As the only training center in Arizona – and one of

only a handful in the western United States – the ben-efit will ultimately extend well beyond St. Joseph’s.Already program co-director Bonni Moyer, MSPT, istraining several nurses at Yuma Regional Medical Cen-ter. Many St. Joseph’snurses are also await-ing certification. “The benefit of

NIDCAP is for thebabies and their fam-ilies,” emphasizesWood. “We’re recog-nizing what the babyis trying to tell us andgiving them and theirfamilies the supportthey need. We’re sup-porting the develop-ing brain.” NIDCAP reminds

caregivers that pro-viding comprehensivecare to prematurebabies is about morethan ensuring theirsurvival – it’s aboutmaking small changesin their care that willultimately make a bigdifference in theirlives down the road. ▪

“When you watch these

babies, you might notice

differences in their

behavior, like slight color

changes, yawning,

stretching or sneezing.

We tend to think this is

just how preemies

behave, but there’s actu-

ally meaning behind it.

They’re trying to tell us

something.”

Marla Wood, RN, MEd


When a sick person leaves the hospital, chancesare they’ll be back in the emergency room

sometime within 30 days.St. Joseph’s, in partnership with Mercy Care Plan and

the Foundation for Senior Living, has set out to curbthe readmission rate through the hospital’s ACTIVATEprogram. ACTIVATE – which stands for AdvanceClients' Transition to Independence with Actions thatEmpower – helps patients make the transition to homeby providing follow-up care and in-home assistance.A transitional care nurse meets with patients in the

hospital to discuss the optional benefit offered free ofcharge to Mercy Care Plan’s long-term care members.Once a patient is enrolled, a hospital pharmacist rec-onciles his or her medication and provides bedsidemedication education, and the nurse creates an after-hospital care plan, an easy-to-understand booklet basedon information gathered from the pharmacy, medicalrecords and clinical documentation.“A home visit is conducted within 48 hours of dis-

charge. During this visit, the after-hospital care plan isreviewed with the patient and caregiver to ensure theyunderstand medications, potential side effects andwhen to call the doctor,” says Marisue Garganta, direc-tor of Community Health Integration. “Some of our

patients have as many as 20 medications, so understand-ing them all can be a challenge.” The nurse also workswith the patient to schedule follow-up appointmentswith their doctors, facilitates discharge informationand helps patients understand their health needs andhow to navigate the healthcare system.During a home visit the nurse makes sure the patient

is safe in his or her home and has necessary equipment,such as bathtub enhancements or grab bars in the rest-room. They also make regular follow-up calls to ensurethe patient is following his or her care plan and con-nects the patient with community services such asMeals on Wheels or transportation.The program has already made an impact, with a

33-percent reduction in readmission for the targetedpopulation since the program kicked off eight monthsago.“What’s unique about our program is that the Foun-

dation for Senior Living provides the transitional carenurse who works in our hospital,” Garganta says. “Theyare meeting the patient at the bedside and establishingfamiliarity and trust. That piece of the community isnow embedded within us and enables St. Joseph’s to notonly provide great care when patients are in the hos-pital, but also after they leave.” ▪

ACTIVATENEW PROGRAM HELPS PATIENTS TRANSITION TO HOME

ACTIVATE transitional care nurses Trina Alicea and Susan Kilby.


VIRTUAL DOCTORUNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CANCER CENTER AT ST. JOSEPH’SBRINGS PHYSICIANS INTO PATIENT MEETINGS VIRTUALLY

When medical oncologist Jeffrey Isaacs, MD, con-sults with experts in the University of Arizona

Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital and MedicalCenter, they all speak face-to-face, yet Dr. Isaacs neverhas to leave his office. That convenience is thanks to thecenter’s state-of-the-art high-definition video confer-ence system that recently went online. The only systemof its kind in the hospital is now operational, thanks tocommunity outreach events planner Mario Medina. The treatment plan for each patient at the Cancer Cen-

ter is carefully planned and orchestrated. After receiv-ing such services as surgery, chemotherapy and radi-ation therapy, most patients return to their medicaloncologist in the community for ongoing follow-up care. “Our community physicians are an integral part of

our patients’ treatment and care plan,” says Medina, “sokeeping them in the loop and being able to consult oncases is key to good outcomes.” The technology at the center makes this possible.

“Doctors no longer have to drive in for a meeting of thetumor board,” Medina says. “They just have to connectto us, and all the experts can discuss the case at once.”Those experts include representatives from St.

Joseph’s pathology, radiology, radiation oncology, medical oncology and other departments.

The comprehensive HD video system cost $110,000,with $30,000 coming from a grant from St. Joseph’sFoundation. The high-definition cameras and dualscreens allow participants to view crystal clear medicalimages together while showing a full-screen video chat.Dedicated data lines allow for a seamless transmis-sion; system administrators can operate the system viaiPhone or iPad. Six ceiling speakers broadcast soundwhile four table microphones and two ceiling micro-phones placed perfectly throughout the room pick upvoices regardless of where the speaker is sitting. “With the whole treatment team including resi-

dents and medical students, sometimes this room is fullwith nearly 30 people reviewing a case,” Medina says.“We wanted to bring our community doctors into thefold, and this system really manages to do that.”Dr. Isaacs agrees. “I can stay informed on my patients’

progress without having to spend a lot of time on theroad making it to the hospital, which saves time awayfrom the clinic,” he says. “I can have a dialogue thatincludes a prospective evaluation and planning sessionleading to treatment, and I never have to watch the clock.It’s very easy.” ▪

Mario Medina designed and oversaw installation ofthe state-of-the-art conference technology in theUniversity of Arizona Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s.


Two distinguished faculty at St. Joseph’s Hospitaland Medical Center recently were awarded endowed

chairs. Ross M. Bremner, MD, PhD, was awarded theWilliam Pilcher Chair in Thoracic Disease, and PriyaRadakarishnan, MD, was awarded the Craig Chair inInternal Medicine. The chairs were created throughdonations to St. Joseph’s Foundation’s Endowed ChairsProgram, which promotes academic excellence andrecognizes the exceptional achievements of gifted fac-ulty members.“Endowed chairs provide support and prestige for

distinguished faculty, supporting our efforts to recruitand retain the very best,” says Linda Hunt, president ofDignity Health Arizona. “Endowed chairs also enablenationally recognized physicians and scientists to pur-sue research and medical education projects to ensurecontinuous contributions within a specialty area. Aboveall, endowed chairs are given to only the very top indi-

viduals in recog-nition of theirhigh degree ofcompetency andsignificant contri-butions to theirfield.”Dr. Bremner is

the surgical direc-tor at the Centerfor Thoracic Dis-ease at St. Joseph’sas well as the chiefof thoracic sur-gery at the Heart& Lung Institute.Dr. Bremner caresfor patients in theCenter for Tho-

racic Disease and the Center for Thoracic Transplan-tation. His main clinical interests are minimally inva-sive thoracic surgery, thoracic oncology and lungtransplantation. He has an active interest in thoraciconcology research and directs a St. Joseph’s research lab-oratory located at the Translational Genomics Research

Institute in Phoenix. Additionally, Dr. Bremner is adiplomat of the American Board of Surgery and theAmerican Board of Thoracic Surgery.Dr. Radhakrishnan is a board-certified internist

with the American Board of Internal Medicine. Sheprovides adult primary care at the Internal MedicineHealth Center. Her interests are chronic disease man-agement, health policy and advocacy, and medical edu-

cation. She is the past president of the Mountain WestRegion of the Society of General Internal Medicine.She has won several teaching and service awards andis actively involved as a mentor to medical studentsand residents. ▪

DISTINGUISHED FACULTYTWO ST. JOSEPH’S PHYSICIANS AWARDED ENDOWED CHAIRS

Ross Bremner, MD, PhD

Priya Radhakrishnan, MD


As much as human beings have evolved through-out history, at least one thing hasn’t changed

much – the way our bodies react to the cold. Butresearchers at St. Joseph’s believe they have finally dis-covered a way to block the body’s response to coldusing an individual drug, a finding that could have sig-nificant implications in treating conditions like strokeand cardiac arrest.The groundbreaking research, led by Andrej

Romanovsky, MD, PhD, director of the Systemic Inflam-mation Laboratory, or FeverLab, part of St. Joseph’s Trau-ma Program, was published in the Feb. 8 issue of theJournal of Neuroscience and was also highlighted in Sci-entific American earlier this year. The research took placeat St. Joseph’s, in collaboration with Amgen Inc. andseveral academic institutions. Lowering the body’s temperature is an effective

way to treat certain conditions because of the body’sdecreased need for energy and oxygen at low temper-atures. However, natural defense mechanisms to main-tain a steady temperature – such as shivering, narrow-ing of blood vessels in the skin and generating heat inthe so-called brown fat tissue – can make it difficult tolower body temperature in unanesthetized patients. Dr. Romanovsky, research team members Camila

Almeida, PhD, and Andras Garami, MD, PhD, and col-laborator Narender Gavva, PhD, believe they have dis-covered a pharmacological method to inhibit thesenatural defense mechanisms. “Humans have used external heating and insulation

as the only approaches to defend themselves against coldsince the days of the caveman. We have proposedsomething new,” says Dr. Romanovsky. “Our study issignificant because it is the first time we have been ableto inactivate the body’s natural defense mechanisms byusing a drug that selectively blocks the sensation of cool-ing in the skin.” The research focuses on the TRPM8 (transient

receptor potential melastatin-8) receptor, a proteinresponsible for relaying the sensation of skin cooling,and on the drug M8-B, a TRPM8 antagonist. In other

ENDING THE SHIVERSRESEARCHERS BLOCK BODY’S RESPONSE TO COLD, OPEN DOORS TO NEW DRUG TREATMENTS

Andrej Romanovsky, MD, PhD

by Sarah McGrain Padilla


words, the M8-B drug blocks the TRPM8 protein fromrelaying cold signals from the skin to the brain.Researchers discovered that M8-B inhibited multi-

ple cold-defense mechanisms in mice and rat models,effectively lowering their body temperature. ThisTRPM8-antagonist-induced hypothermia is the firstexample of a change in the deep body temperature ofan animal as the result of using a drug to block tem-perature signals at the thermoreceptor level.Lowering body temperature to treat a medical con-

dition is not a new concept. For example, Barrow neu-rosurgeons pioneered the cardiac standstill, a tech-nique in which surgeons cool the body and drain itsblood in order to operate on cerebral aneurysms. How-ever, until now, inducing hypothermia has required theuse of general anesthesia, which, in essence, temporar-ily shuts down many functions of the brain. Using drugs that target cold signals from the skin

specifically may allow doctors to induce hypothermiain unanesthetized patients, paving the way for newtreatment options. “We believe that this approach will be used in the

future to induce mild therapeutic hypothermia inunanesthetized patients, as well as to maintain deep body

temperature, and perhaps the activity of some thermo-effectors, at desired levels,” says Dr. Romanovsky. “It’sa whole new direction.” Conditions that could benefitfrom therapeutic hypothermia include cardiac arrestand stroke.Dr. Romanovsky adds that the pharmacological

control of thermoregulation might also be used ininstances in which we need to conserve the body’senergy, such as in space travel. If we can block thebody’s response to cold, we can save the energy thatmight otherwise be used trying to keep it warm. These applications represent just the beginning of

the emerging field of thermopharmacology – or, putmore simply, using drugs to regulate body temperature. For now, says Dr. Romanovsky, these applications

are still speculative and his research team continues tolook at other receptors, in addition to TRPM8, that maybe involved in thermoregulation. “There are many cold and heat defenses, and they

are very diversified, but if we can identify the specificdrugs that block specific responses, then we can devel-op new treatments,” he says. ▪


BENEFACTOR BRIEFSThe 39th annual event honors Lou GrubbThe 2012 Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf was all

about remembering the beloved man who createdthis popular fundraiser. Lou’s friends and familyhonored the well-known businessman and philan-thropist, who passed away in early 2012, in a bigway: The event netted nearly $500,000 for Barrowand St. Joseph’s—by far, the most the event has ever

raised in its 39-year history.Roger and Kathy Maxwell received a special

award for their many years of service to the LouGrubb event. Emcee Tara Hitchcock said that shewas especially touched to be part of the eventbecause her stepson, Dylan Francis, was a patient atBarrow Neurological Institute the day after Loupassed away.So many people signed up for the golf tourna-

ment that five teams of women golfers held theirown tournament at Camelback Golf Club, while afull field of 260 played at McCormick Ranch GolfClub. Golfers enjoyed a golf clinic with Tina Tombsbefore the tournament, and a dinner and awards cer-emony afterward.John Dawson, Ken and Randy Kendricks, and

Shelly and Steve Butterfield provided special under-writing for the event.Sponsors included the Arizona Cardinals, Ari-

zona Diamondbacks, CBIZ, John Dawson, DPRConstruction, Greenberg Traurig, Dan and KathyGrubb, Lou and Evelyn Grubb, Bill and Linda Hunt,

Kitchell, Roger and Kathy Maxwell, PanoramicPress, Scottsdale Plaza Resort, St. Joseph’s Health &Wealth Raffle, Symmetry Software, Young’s MarketCo. and Xerox.Tournament co-chairs were Mike Medici and

Dennis Sage. Other committee members includedGreg Anderson, Scottie Button, Brent Cannon,Dawn Cirri, Hamilton Espinosa, Booker T. Evans,Michael Haenel, Bill Hunt, Stuart Kirk, KathyKramer, Roger Maxwell, Larry Mayhew, Loui Olivas,Tom Reahard, Anne Robbs, Lee Rosenthal, DennisScully, Joanne Springrose and Kelli Smith.

Tournament raises$16,100Each spring, the friends and

family of Cameron T. Haselhorst,a former patient of the NurseryICU at St. Joseph’s Hospital andMedical Center, sponsor theannual Cameron T. HaselhorstInvitational Golf Tournament.

This year’s tournament, hosted by the Ehlebrachtand Haselhorst families, was held on May 5 at theGold Canyon Golf Resort.The charity event raises funds for St. Joseph’s as a

thank-you for the care doctors and nurses gave toCameron. The child weighed just over two poundswhen he and his twin brother, Tyler, were born pre-maturely in 2002. Tyler did not survive. Cameronalso received life-saving care at St. Joseph’s in 2005.Cameron’s friends and family host the event to raisefunds for the unit as a way to thank the NyICU staff.This year’s tournament raised $16,100. Numerous

sponsors were involved in making the event a suc-cess, including Jack and Renee Chapman, SandraHales and Karen Cully, Twin Technologies, AP Pro-fessionals, Net App, Corelink Datacenters, Nova-coast, NCO Group, Healthcare Resources andResults Positive. The 2013 event will be held at GoldCanyon Golf Resort on May 4. For more informa-tion, email [email protected].


NEWSDignity Health to build medicalcampus in GlendaleDignity Health, the parent organization of St. Joseph’sHospital and Medical Center, has announced plans todevelop a 35-acre medical campus in Glendale.The campus will become the centerpiece of Digni-

ty Health’s West Valley expansion. It will be anchoredby a 60,000 square-foot hospital that is expected toopen in 2014. Dignity Health began its strategic growth

last year when St.Joseph’s opened amedical clinic inPeoria, and it hasplans to launchmore clinics in theWest Valley duringthe next year.An initial $44-

million investmentfor the campus will include construction of an emer-gency department, a 24-bed inpatient hospital withtwo operating rooms and dedicated space for diag-nostic services. Officials expect the hospital to employabout 200 people. The hospital also has the capacity toexpand to 200 inpatient beds as demand grows.“We expect this facility to become a model for

reducing healthcare costs with the integration of busi-nesses and organizations that will be involved on thecampus,” says Linda Hunt, Dignity Health ArizonaPresident and CEO. San Francisco-based DignityHealth, formerly Catholic Healthcare West, includesmore than 40 hospitals and healthcare centers in threestates, including three acute-care hospitals in Arizona,as well as a wide array of joint ventures and outpatientsurgery and treatment facilities.“We are so pleased that Dignity Health selected

Glendale to showcase its innovative healthcare facili-ty,” said Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs. “We believethis will provide high-quality care for our residents, aswell as our neighbors throughout the West Valley.” To learn more about the planned hospital, visit

www.growingdignityhealth.org.

St. Joseph’s earns patient satisfaction awardSt. Joseph’s was recently honored with Avatar Interna-tional’s Exceeding Patient Expectations Award. AvatarInternational is an industry leader in healthcare qual-ity improvement services. “St. Joseph’s Hospital hasgone above and beyond to exceed its patients’ expec-tations,” says David Medvedeff, CEO of Avatar. “As aresult of such effort, St. Joseph’s is extremely deservingof this year’s Exceeding Patient Expectations Award.”

Top docsNine physicians from St. Joseph’s have been named inthe 11th edition of “America’s Top Doctors,” a peer-rec-ommended list published annually by U.S. News &World Report and Castle Connolly Medical. These nineSt. Joseph’s physicians, representing a diverse array ofspecialists and subspecialists, have been recognized asbeing among the best in their respective fields:Lishan Aklog, MD, thoracic and cardiac surgeryStephen Beals, MD, plastic surgeryEdward Donahue, MD, surgeryTerry Fife, MD, neurologyRoy Patchell, MD, neurologyDana Seltzer, MD, orthopedic surgeryWilliam Shapiro, MD, neurologyRobert Spetzler, MD, neurological surgeryNicholas Theodore, MD, neurological surgery.

Creighton Medical student winsnational essay contestAdam Pendleton, a fourth-year Creighton Universitymedical student, is the winner of the 2012 Associationfor Academic Psychiatry annual medical student essaycontest. This year’s essay theme was The Art of Com-munication in Psychiatry: Connecting with the Patient.Pendleton’s essay reflected on a patient experience dur-ing his third-year rotation at Creighton University’sSchool of Medicine Regional Campus at St. Joseph’s Hos-pital and Medical Center. He will present his winningessay “What Lies Beneath” at the annual meeting of theassociation in October.


Dignity Health and Vanguard Healthjoin forces in physician integrationTwo of the state’s largest hospital and healthcare organ-izations, Dignity Health and Vanguard Health Sys-tems, which owns Abrazo Health Care, have announcedthe intention to create a joint Accountable Care Organ-ization (ACO). This alliance will involve more than 700physicians throughout Maricopa County. The ACOwill support enhanced clinical collaboration and careimprovements for Medicare patients in the county.The two organizations intend to file their applica-

tion with the federal Centers for Medicare & MedicaidServices prior to the September due date. ACOs are acornerstone of healthcare reform. They create a networkof doctors, hospitals and other providers that shareresponsibility for delivering care to patients. Theseproviders and their participating physicians agree to beaccountable for the quality and cost of care for Medicarepatients assigned to the ACO. In addition to the ACO partnership, the organiza-

tions plan to jointly develop a clinically integrated net-work in the county.“This partnership will launch a new era of inte-

grated care for Arizonans,” said Linda Hunt, presidentand CEO of Dignity Health Arizona. “We are excitedto be building on our system’s history of communityservice to create an integrated physician network thatwill deliver more efficient care that truly focuses on indi-vidual patient needs.”

St. Joseph’s named one of thenation’s best hospitalsSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is Arizona’shighest nationally-ranked hospital in this year’s U.S. News& World Report Best Hospitals edition. U.S. News &World Report’s annual listing of top hospitals is themost respected of all national rankings. St. Joseph’s isranked #13 in this year’s neurology and neurosurgerycategory.Barrow Neurological Institute, the neurological

division at St. Joseph’s, is known throughout the worldfor providing cutting-edge treatment for people withbrain and spine diseases, disorders and injuries.

Barrow performs more neurosurgeries than anyother hospital in the world. The hospital has the largestneurosurgery residency program in the United States,training more neurosurgeons than anywhere else in theworld. Barrow is also home to the Muhammad AliParkinson Center.St. Joseph’s is considered a sought-after destination

hospital for treating the most complex cases fromthroughout the world. Every day, approximately 20percent of the hospital’s patients have traveled from out-side of Arizona to seek treatment at St. Joseph’s.

U.S. News & World Report ranks hospitals in 16specialties, and only approximately 150 U.S. hospitalsscored high enough to make this year’s nationallyranked list. The magazine selects hospitals based on avariety of criteria including reputation, mortality rates,patient volumes and key technologies.

Spring 2013 is 10th anniversary ofHealth & Wealth RaffleWe thank you for your support of the Raffle as it con-tinues to benefit the amazing research, medical educa-tion and outstanding care available at St. Joseph’s Hos-pital and Barrow Neurological Institute.We are taking a break this fall to refresh and enhance

the Raffle in anticipation of launching the 10th Anniver-sary Raffle in the Spring of 2013. Be watching for emailupdates over the next few months.Thanks again for

your support of St.Joseph’s Health &Wealth Raffle!


Do you have a life insurance poli-cy you no longer need? Perhaps

your other assets have grown to providethe protection you require, and theinsurance policy lies forgotten in a safe-ty deposit box.That policy could make a wonder-

ful charitable gift to St. Joseph’s Hospi-tal and Medical Center. Instead of giving cash or stock, you

can sign over your insurance policy toSt. Joseph’s Foundation and, generallyspeaking, receive a charitable income taxdeduction for the replacement value ofthe policy. The Foundation can cash inthe policy and put those dormant dol-lars to work right away.Your gift of life insurance can be

used to establish a future endowmentfund in your name or to honor a lovedone. You might choose to support aspecial project close to your heart, such

as the hospital’s lung transplant pro-gram, medical education or research. Orperhaps you would like to support acapital project or give the annual funda boost. If you have insurance you would

like to contribute or if you are current-ly paying premiums on a policy andwant to discover how this policy mightwork as a gift, please contact me. Iwould be pleased to speak with youand describe the various ways insurancecan be used prudently to make aplanned gift. I am also available to meetwith your life insurance professional, ifyou wish. Call me at 602-406-1025 orsend and email to [email protected]. ▪

LIFE INSURANCE:THE FORGOTTEN GIFT?by Alan KnoblochDirector of major and planned gifts

“Your gift of life insurance

can be used to establish a

future endowment fund in

your name or to honor a

loved one.”

Zoe Lemieux was born with an insufficient supply ofoxygen to the brain, likely caused by a kink in herumbilical cord. Her first APGAR score – a measure ofa newborn’s pulse rate, reflex, complexion, muscletone and breathing – was one out of a possible 10.Zoe was airlifted to St. Joseph’s just three hours afterbirth, where doctors cooled her tiny body for 72hours in order to preserve critical brain function thatcan be lost without sufficient oxygen. The procedure,called therapeutic hypothermia, saved Zoe’s life.

You can help St. Joseph’s give amazing care like thisby making a tax-deductible gift to the St. Joseph’sFoundation. To learn more call 602-406-3041, orvisit SupportStJosephs.org. A giving envelope isenclosed in this magazine for your convenience.

Happy Endings

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 685Phoenix, AZ

Dignity HealthSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center350 W. Thomas Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85013

[email protected].

Visit us on Facebook.com/FoundationsofStJosephs

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st. joseph's magazine volume 8, issue 2, 2012

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