Provena Health News

Presence Mercy first in the area to perform da Vinci Single-Site gallbladd...

Provena Health — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:00:00 CST

Aurora IL - Presence Mercy Medical Center recently became the first in Kane County to use da Vinci robotic surgical technology to perform a unique minimally invasive gallbladder surgery that requires only a single, small incision.

Doctors using this new state-of-the-art technology create a small incision in the belly button that allows patients to recover faster with virtually no scars associated with traditional major surgery.
Dr. Donald Prentiss is the first in the area to perform the da Vinci Single-Site™ surgical procedure at Presence Mercy Medical Center.

“This advanced technology offers numerous benefits to patients,” said Dr. Prentiss who is a member of the medical staff at Presence Mercy Medical Center and is on staff with Dreyer Medical Clinic in Aurora. “For example, quicker recovery time means lower risk of infection for the patient,” he said. “It also means less time spent in the hospital a

We Choose Health Vermilion County Kicks Off "Let's Walk Vermilion County" w...

Provena Health — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:00:00 CST

Two local organizations that are part of We Choose Health Vermilion County hope that their latest project will encourage more Vermilion County residents to get outside and walk for their health.

Presence United Samaritans Medical Center’s HALO Project and the Vermilion County Health Department invite citizens to the first ever Let’s Walk Vermilion County event on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. in 10 local communities throughout the county.

“The Let’s Walk Vermilion County project was developed to help promote and encourage regular physical activity in our busy lives,” states Kathy Richard, Director of the HALO Project. “Establishing small changes, as simple as walking 30 minutes a day, most days of the week, will improve your health.”

Participants on May 11 will receive a brochure of all the

Women4Women Awards Grant Winners

Provena Health — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:00:00 CST

The Women4Women giving club of Presence Covenant Medical Center’s Foundation will present donations to their grant winners at a ceremony on Thursday, April 18 at 9 a.m. in the Presence Covenant Auditoriums.

Women4Women is a group of female donors who collectively use their charitable dollars to affect the lives of women by developing partnerships and providing financial support to organizations that positively impact the health and wellness of women throughout the spectrum of their lives.

The 2013 Women4Women grant awardees are the Champaign County Christian Health Center, Crisis Nursery, Developmental Services Center Diabetes Group and SmileHealthy of Promise Healthcare.

The Women4Women funds are used to support programs and services that help women through the spectrum of their lives. Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000 and are awarded to programs that focus on building a CASE for women: Collaborating with ALL women, Advocating for young women, Supporting elderly women and Educating women at risk.

Women4Women membership is open to all community-minded women who want to make a difference

Continuing Our Mission Abroad

Provena Health — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:00:00 CST

Four Presence St. Mary’s team members took a break from their everyday grind and traveled across the globe on life changing mission trips. All went for different reasons, but came home with very similar stories of hope, compassion and love.

Degaulle Haile, M.D. and Jennifer Klump, Certified Nurse Midwife, were actually asked by a patient to attend a mission trip to Haiti with the First Church of the Nazarene in Kankakee. The trip was a week long and in their time there, they built a clinic from the ground up, at times practicing in the upstairs of the church using shower curtains as dividers and desks as exam tables. Dr. Haile and Jennifer, specializing in women’s health, expected to see predominantly women patients with issues they were accustomed to dealing with. That was far from the case. With Haiti being one of the poorest countries in the world, medical care is very scarce and they saw over 300 patients with various ailments. Some of the c

Sr. Johanna, also known as Sr. St. Sebastian, to Celebrate Milestone Birthd...

Provena Health — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:00:00 CST

“I am just as excited about life as I have been, Sr. Johanna remarked while discussing her upcoming 100th birthday. “My 99 years of life are certainly full of extraordinary experiences.”

Sr. Johanna was born on March 21, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois and was baptized on April 13, 1913. She had two younger brothers and one younger sister. Her mother died at the age of 29 while giving birth to her youngest brother. The death of her mother left her father unable to care for the children due to their young ages. Her father and her grandfather packed up the children in their car and left for Our Lady Academy in Manteno. Most of the places were very reluctant to accept the children; one French Sister welcomed them with open arms. Sr. Johanna's father eventually remarried and the wife assumed the role as mother to her four children in addition to her own son. Johanna recalls her memories of swimming, ballet classes, going to plays and reading as a child. She said that education was important to her f

Robotic Surgery Makes Recovery Easier on Patient

Provena Health — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:00:00 CST

3/4/13
As seen in The Beacon-News

Having surgery is not exactly fun. And when North Aurora resident Ana Velez learned from her doctor that she needed a surgical procedure, the thought of a long and painful recovery caused her to delay scheduling.

“I’m a procrastinator,” said the 40-year-old single mother. “And this is something I didn’t want to do.”
Velez needed a hysterectomy, which can involve a long and painful recovery time.

“I didn’t want to miss work for that long. I have bills to pay,” she said.

But when Velez heard about the new robotic surgery available at Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, she contacted a local doctor to learn more.

Doctors at Presence Mercy recently began treating patients with the hospital’s new robotic technology known as the da Vinci® Surgical System, which allows for a much less invasive surgery than traditional surgic

Provena Covenant & Christie Clinic Offer Advanced Heart Care

Provena Health — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:00:00 CST

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is recognized as a health concern that may lead to stroke, congestive heart failure and even death. Currently, more than 3 million patients in the United States have atrial fibrillation and those numbers are rapidly increasing.

Provena Covenant Medical Center and Christie Clinic now offer an advanced program for people with atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias. The Heart Rhythm Center provides arrhythmia/electrophysiology care from a team of expert Christie Clinic physicians working with a nurse navigator. A primary component is a new electrophysiology-dedicated Catheterization lab at Provena Covenant with the most advanced cardiac mapping and ablation technology. This type of comprehensive arrhythmia program is only available at a limited number of centers in the country with the nearest center located in Chicago.

“We want to provide an option for physicians to help their atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmia patients before the disease progresses to an untreatable state,” states Dr. Abraham Koc

Provena United Samaritans Begins Two-Phase Construction Project

Provena Health — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:00:00 CST

Provena United Samaritans Medical Center is preparing to begin Phase 1 of a construction project that will see the relocation of Rehabilitation Services to the Lobby Level, and ultimately the creation of a Clinical Decision Unit in the Emergency Department on the Ground Level.

Last week, several staff offices were temporarily relocated to the fourth floor of the medical center. Next week, Speech Therapy Services will be relocated to the offices just across from the Cafeteria on the Ground Level near the North entrance. Physical Therapy patients will check in to the Rehabilitation gym just northeast of the Main Elevators on the Ground Floor while construction begins on the Lobby Level behind Registration.

The Rehabilitation Department delivers nearly 6,400 therapy sessions annually, and the new location will be advantageous for patients in a number of ways.

“Patients will have to travel through the hospital less, have better accessibility for check-in and waiting, as well as proximity

Provena United Samaritans Receives Grant from Local Foundation

Provena Health — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:00:00 CST

Provena United Samaritans Medical Center is pleased to be the recipient of a generous grant from The Iroquois Federal Foundation in the amount of $10,000.

The grant will fund part of the hospital’s future Clinical Decision Unit. When realized, the CDU will provide an alternative to discharge or hospital admission for patients who may need extended observation or additional diagnostic evaluation.

Tom Chamberlain, Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at Iroquois Federal says the foundation is proud to be a part of this project. He adds, “Provena is always working hard to improve the patient experience and this CDU project is a great testament to that. “

The Iroquois Federal Foundation was founded in 2011 and provides financial support to charitable and community service organizations. This grant falls under the area of health and human services, through which it supports programs essential to underlying medical care as well as initiatives that focus on physical and mental wellness.

Mike Brown, President and CEO of Prov

Provena United Samaritans Lab Earns National Honors

Provena Health — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:00:00 CST

The laboratory at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center has been awarded another two-year term of accreditation as part of an on-site visit by the College of American Pathologists Accreditation team.

The US federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditations Program, which was founded in the 1960’s as being equal to or more stringent than the government’s own inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record and overall management.

The Alverno Clinical Laboratory at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center provides 24/7; 365 days a week state-of-the-art lab services for inpatients, outpatients, local physicians, and extended care facilities.

Joliet Hospital Named Among Top 12 in Chicago area

Provena Health — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:00:00 CST

Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet is Named One of Chicago’s Top Hospitals

What does Joliet’s very own, Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center(PSJMC) have in common with Northwestern, Rush, University of Chicago and Loyola University Medical Center? They were all selected as hospitals to consider if you or a family member finds out they have a serious illness. Chicago magazine recently ranked St. Joseph in Joliet among the best hospitals in the Chicago area.

Of the 97 hospitals in the six-county metro area, Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet ranked eleventh on the prestigious list. The magazine analyzed data on medical quality from various sources, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Hospital Association and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The data was weighted by topics of su

Provena United Samaritans Names New Emergency Director

Provena Health — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:00:00 CST

Provena United Samaritans Medical center welcomes Susan Miller, RN BSN MS, as the new Director of the Emergency Department.

Susan has extensive Emergency Department clinical and leadership experience holding positions at several Indiana hospitals including Riverview Hospital in Noblesville, Community Hospital in Anderson, Ball Memorial in Muncie, and most recently at Indiana University Health Arnett in Lafayette.

In her most recent role, Susan was responsible for the implementation of a fully electronic record system, and her department was awarded the Healthgrades "Excellence in Emergency Care" designation in 2011.

Miller says her team will continue to provide high-quality, compassionate care to the surrounding community. She adds, “I am looking forward to becoming part of the Danville community, and have been very encouraged by the excellent team of nurses and d

Provena Life Connections Hires Director of Strategy and Integration

Provena Health — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:00:00 CST

Ryan McClymonds has been appointed Director of Strategy and Integration for Provena Life Connections in Mokena, Ill., effective December 4, 2012. With 42 locations throughout Illinois and Indiana, Provena Life Connections provides a constellation of healthcare services in a variety of settings, meeting the needs of the communities – from children to older adults – by connecting them to the care, services and support they need. In his new role, McClymonds will assist in the development of business models and strategic initiatives with a focus on growth and revenue opportunities.

Previously, McClymonds worked as the Regional Director of the Riverside Medical Group in Kankakee, Ill. He earned his Masters in Business Administration degree from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., where he also received an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a minor in marketing.

For more information, contact Provena Life Connections by calling 866-737-INFO or on the web at

Provena Health — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:00:00 CST

Provena United Samaritans Medical Center Foundation is pleased to share the results from the three “Share the Joy through donation” initiatives from the 2012 Festival of Trees.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our community,” states Kathy Richard, Director of HALO Project, who coordinated the efforts at the Festival. “The generosity that we witnessed made this year’s Festival of Trees even more meaningful.”

Blood Drive
For two weeks leading up to the Festival of Trees and on opening day, Community Blood Services of Illinois collected blood donations from 84 individuals, which has the potential to help 252 people in need of blood.

Veteran Comfort Items
On Veteran’s Day, 1,219 comfort and toiletry items were donated by Festival-goers for our local veterans. In addition, a dri

Provena Home Health Care Named One of HomeCare Elite by National Research ...

Provena Health — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:00:00 CST

Two of Provena Home Healthcare’s agencies have been named to the 2012 HomeCare Elite™ list of nationally recognized home health care agencies. This year, Provena’s Champaign and Bourbonnais agencies have been honored.

The HomeCare Elite™ is an annual compilation of the most successful home care providers in the United States. Prepared by National Research Corporation (also known as OCS HomeCare), and DecisionHealth, The HomeCare Elite recognizes the Top 100 and Top 500 providers nationwide.

“Provena Home Healthcare is proud to have been included in The HomeCare Elite list each year since 2006,” said Sue Enright, vice president, Clinical Integration, Provena Home Healthcare. “We know that our performance is evaluated across several areas such as quality of care, quality improvement, patient experience, process measure implementation, and financial performance.”

Agency performances are compared against the performance of other organizations in their state and nationwide (including U.S. territ

Provena St. Mary's Achieves Heart Failure Accreditation

Provena Health — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:00:00 CST

Provena St. Mary’s Hospital has received full Heart Failure Accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), formerly known as the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Recognizing that heart failure is a leading cause of mortality in the United States and in Kankakee County, this accreditation demonstrates the dedication of Provena St. Mary’s Hospital to effectively manage the increasing number of heart failure patients who come to the emergency department for clinical assessment and treatment.

“Heart failure is currently the only cardiac disease that continues to increase in both incidence and prevalence,” states Amy M. LaFine, president and CEO, Provena St. Mary’s Hospital. “More Medicare dollars are spent for diagnosis and treatment of heart failure than for any other disease. At Provena St. Mary’s Hospital, we are pleased to have taken measures through Heart Failure Accreditatio

Provena St. Mary's Imaging Service Line Passes Annual Quality Standards Sur...

Provena Health — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:00:00 CST

Provena St. Mary’s Hospital is pleased to announce that it has successfully passed the Mammography Quality Standards (MQSA) and Radiation Protection Survey conducted by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).

The annual survey is performed by a medical physicist and focuses on mammography, radiation effects, and radiation protection. Under MQSA, the radiology department was inspected for equipment performance; quality assurance; quality control; personnel qualifications; and medical audit and outcome analysis records.

“I am very proud of the entire Imaging Service team for the work they do every day to ensure our compliance with state and federal radiation safety requirements and, most importantly, to provide excellent care and service to our patients and their families,” said Tony Hardesty, BS, RT, director, imaging service line at Provena St. Mary’s Hospital.

Catholic Health World, October 15, 2012, by Julie Minda

"Suites feature spa-like décor … soothing colors and soft lines … serene environment …"

While the description may fit a fine hotel, it comes from the website of a $7 million birthing center that opened in the spring at Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana, Ill. That facility is among a growing number of maternity services in the ministry offering beautiful private birthing rooms with open family visiting hours, room service, high-speed Internet and movie channels — amenities in tune with the expectations of parents who are accustomed to curating their consumer experiences and expect to shape one of the main events of their lives.

"There is a desire for a more personal touch and a family-centered experience" among most parents-to-be, said Cindy Reno, interim director of maternal child health at Provena Covenant. "It's about the environment — we want to help make the birth process as comfortable and homelike as possible."

Sara Oddan-Karamanis, clinical su

Mike Brown Named Rotary Person of the Year

Provena Health — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:00:00 CST

Presence United Samaritans Medical Center President and CEO Mike Brown was named the 2012 Vocational Service Person of the Year Award by the Danville Rotary Club.

This award is presented to an individual in the community for fulfillment of the Rotary Ideal of Service, who has shown outstanding achievement in his/her vocation by encouraging high ethical standards and by dignifying that vocation as an opportunity to serve society.

Brown is the CEO of United Samaritans in Danville and Covenant Medical Center in Champaign-Urbana.

In nominations, Brown was described as “a driven professional dedicated to improving the quality of medical care in our community.” Nominators noted that Brown is a “very productive leader within the regional healthcare industry” and is active in the community including his work with United Way.

The 2012 Vocation Service Person of the Year Award was presented Monday, October 22, 2012 at the Danville Noon Rotary lunch

Educator is no ordinary teacher

Provena Health — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:00:00 CST

As seen in the Beacon-News
October 10, 2012

For educator Marissa Happ, a typical teaching day might mean bringing a caterpillar into the classroom, creating its natural habitat and journaling with students about its metamorphosis. Or, it might mean bringing snow into class on a winter day.

But Happ is no ordinary teacher, and her environment is no ordinary classroom. In fact, there really is no typical day for this educator, who works with children who are hospitalized for behavioral health illnesses.
“I always knew I wanted to merge education and social work,” said Happ, who recently was named “2012 Teacher of the Year,” by the Minneapolis-based Kids in Need Foundation.

“I believe that every child can learn and grow, and that education is one of the most important gifts we can offer anyone,” said the Aurora resident, who has been a teacher and community liaison at Provena Mercy Medical Center since 2

Congratulations, You're Having a Baby, and by the way, You have Cancer

Provena Health — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:00:00 CST

Congratulations, You’re Having a Baby, and by the way, You have Cancer

How Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Physicians and Staff Helped a Young Mother Live

Imagine having a loving husband and a one-year-old son at home and finding out you are pregnant with your second child. It would be one of the happiest moments in your life. It should be, but what if you also found out that you have breast cancer?

In 2001, at the age of 30, Colleen Lenz had just received the news of her second pregnancy, and two weeks later found a lump in her breast. Dr. Angela Intili, OB/GYN at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, first did a needle biopsy, then an ultrasound and X-ray.

Within a week from finding the lump, a lumpectomy performed with only local anesthetic (because of the pregnancy) confirmed breast cancer. The next day a nurse from the office of Sarode Pundaleek

Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery Receives Illinois Arts Council Grant

Provena Health — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:00:00 CST

In 2013, the Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery plans to use the grant money that the Illinois Arts Council awarded them to develop programming designed to reach teenagers in the community.

The Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery is proud to announce that they are once again the recipients of an operating grant from the Illinois Arts Council (IAC), which will help support all gallery programs in the 2013 calendar year.

This year, the IAC grant will help the gallery reach its goal of developing programming that reaches teenagers in Kankakee County. “It is unfortunate that we are living in a time when arts budgets are continuing to

Health Matters: Doctor takes lessons of heart attack to heart

Provena Health — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:00:00 CST

As seen in The Beacon-News
September 10, 2012

For many years, Dr. Charles Woodward taught advanced cardiac life support. He saw and treated more than his share of heart attack patients during his tenure in Provena Mercy Medical Center’s emergency department.

Nevertheless, even this highly skilled and knowledgeable doctor wasn’t immune to falling into the trap of dismissing the symptoms of a heart attack.

“I never thought it could happen to me,” Woodward said. It’s a common phrase, a cliché, perhaps. But clichés are made for a reason.

In 2000, Woodward survived a heart attack that he says could have killed him were it not for the lifesaving efforts of medical caregivers at Provena and the educational tools provided by organizations like the American Heart Association.

He’ll share a piece of that story later this month at the Provena Mercy/American Heart Association Heart Walk on the hos

Provena Mercy to Host Free Community Picnic to Celebrate Private Room Grand...

Provena Health — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:00:00 CST

Join Provena Mercy Medical Center for a community picnic to celebrate the grand opening of their new private rooms. The picnic will be held Saturday, September 15 from 11am-2pm on the lawn located on the west side of campus at Provena Mercy Medical Center-1325 North Highland Ave. Bring the family and enjoy; free health tips, new room tours, picnic & live music, a special visit from Mrs. Illinois and Ozzie the cougar- Kane County Cougar mascot, face painting, games, balloon animals, bounce houses, and more! Private room tours will be held from noon-1pm.

This picnic celebrates the completion of the hospital’s $11 million renovation project that features 90 newly renovated rooms with private bathrooms, flat screen televisions, and access to wireless internet, soothing décor and ample space for visitors. However, this project is not only about comfort, it is about privacy, i

Provena St. Joes Receives AHA Quality Achievement Award

Provena Health — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:00:00 CST

Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Receives American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Bronze Quality Achievement Award for Heart Attack Care

Award demonstrates Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center’s Commitment to quality care for heart attack patients

Sept. 4, 2012 - Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® Bronze Receiving Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center’s commitment and success in implementing a high standard of care for heart attack patients.

Each year in the United States, nearly 300,000 people have a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, known as STEMI, the most severe form of heart attack. A STEMI occurs when a blood clot completely blocks an artery to the heart. To prevent death, it is critical to immed