WELL KEEPING Methodist Healthcare—San Antonio S p r i n g 2 0 2 2 A special space comforts families going through infant loss Page 5 Sharing the love Appreciative patient bakes for staff every week Page 4 IN THIS ISSUE: p2 Meet our new facility animals! p6 Age is just a number for 99-year-old patient p7 Level up: Video games speed healing
2 SAHealth.com KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2022 Meet Major A 2-year-old golden retriever specially trained in skills that help and comfort hospital staff and patients, Major is our first full-time therapy dog designated strictly to adult care. Major and his handler, Kirsta Deboy, Critical Care Manager for the Lung Rescue ICU, work as partners to help adult ICU staff cope with long hours and stressful situations as well as provide comfort to patients and families. Major was gifted to Methodist Hospital from Patient Paws Service Dogs, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides facility dogs to hospitals to benefit patients, their families and facility staff. Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan was selected as the inaugural winner of Outpatient Surgery Magazine’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. This award is just one of many given yearly as part of their annual OR Excellence Awards. “Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan was selected as the inaugural winner of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award for taking the lead in providing welcoming care for members of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Daniel Cook, Editor-in-Chief/Editorial Director with Outpatient Surgery Magazine. “The efforts of the hospital’s leadership team and frontline staff are a shining example of inclusivity that should inspire other healthcare systems and professionals to do the same for all patients.” Methodist campus welcomes two additional facility animals We have seen firsthand the positive impact our facility dogs Jaime and Hazel have had on our patients in providing emotional support during challenging situations. We recognized a need to provide even more patients and staff with visits from animals who naturally possess healing abilities and bring smiles to all they meet. In 2021, we were excited to welcome two new facility animals into our Methodist family: Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan receives Outpatient Surgery Magazine’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award. Meet Bambi Bambi is a 4-year-old miniature therapy horse trained to provide emotional support in healthcare settings. She joined us from All Star Farm Heavenly Acres in Bradenton, Florida, where she was raised to be comfortable around hospital beds, walkers and wheelchairs. Bambi and her handler, Alexa Farris, Manager of Emergency Services, work together as partners to provide comfort to patients and families going through difficult medical situations, procedures and diagnoses. Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan earns recognition for diversity, equity and inclusion
KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2022 Methodist Hospital | Atascosa nurse sings to heal patients Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant makes historywith a new national kidney transplant milestone As a nurse with over 10 years of experience, Allison Walker has loved singing since she was a child. It wasn’t until 2008, when she was working through her clinicals at an Alzheimer’s/dementia facility that she began incorporating music into her work. Allison is a firm believer that being a nurse is more than just helping patients heal medically, but spiritually and emotionally, too. As a nurse at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, she has been incorporating her love of singing into her everyday work to cheer up her patients and herself! “We’re here to take care of you, and how you feel and what you’re concerned with and what your fears are … these all matter to us, too. It’s part of your healing,” Allison said. Allison said that connecting with patients and helping them relax is a priority, especially during the past two years with COVID-19. “It’s a fearful time for patients. And so, sometimes, I will be gowned up in full PPE singing. I’ll hug patients, I’ll pray with them … whatever it takes,” said Allison. One Sunday, Allison was working and couldn’t attend church, so she sang hymns to patients who could not participate in church either. Tom Sablatura, a pastor, was a COVID-19 patient. Allison visited him and began singing “How Great Thou Art,” which Tom captured in a video. Tom said he would start to feel better when Allison sang to him. “If I can bring a breath of fresh air to patients and take time out of my day to just pause and help, I will. It ends up helping me pause and feel refreshed,” Allison shared. The video of Allison singing to Tom has since “gone viral” on social media and shared by many different outlets, including CNN National News! To see the video of Allison singing, visit any of our Methodist Healthcare System social media pages. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) has recognized the kidney transplant program at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant as the nation’s only transplant program in history to perform more than 200 living donor and more than 200 deceased donor kidney transplants in a single year. According to recently released UNOS data, the program completed 221 living donor kidney transplants and 216 deceased donor kidney transplants in 2021. The program was also recognized as the largest living donor kidney transplant program, the largest kidney paired donation program, and the largest Hispanic kidney transplant program in the country. “This milestone demonstrates our commitment to improve the lives of people with kidney disease in our communities, one patient at a time,” said Kevin Scoggin, CEO of Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant. “To achieve this national recognition at a community hospital that serves a majority Hispanic population and many underserved communities around Texas is a remarkable accomplishment.” A primary focus of the facility’s program is to overcome barriers to transplantation that many patients face, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and social determinants. “Our program has developed unique dual expertise in both living and deceased donor transplantation, which has allowed all of our patients a better opportunity to receive a lifesaving transplant,” Adam Bingaman, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and Director of the Abdominal Transplant Program commented. Over 90,000 patients are on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, yet less than 25,000 received a kidney transplant in 2021. SAHealth.com 3 For more information about the kidney transplant program at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant, please visit SAHealth.com/specialties/ transplant-services.
KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2022 Patient bakes with love Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan patient Pat Good has made it her mission to spread cheer to the hospital’s employees one cookie at a time. After being misdiagnosed with COVID-19 and a stroke by another health system, Pat was immediately admitted into the COVID-19 ICU at Metropolitan. When she woke up, she was confused, in shock, and the only patient in that unit who could actually talk. Although it was learned that Pat didn’t have COVID-19, she could not leave the unit due to her exposure being there. This led to Pat getting to know the nurses taking care of her. Their stories inspired her to find a way she could make sure they were taken care of once she left the hospital. Now home and healthy, Pat has made it her mission to remind the team that cared for her how much they’re appreciated by bringing them homemade baked goods every week! “I call myself God’s Little Delivery Girl, and all the way down to the hospital, I pray, ‘God, whoever receives these cookies, bless them today. Give them just one sweet moment in their day, because they have a lot to face, you know?’ ” Pat said. “Everybody has a breaking point, and there’s a lot of nurses leaving the profession today,” Pat said. “That concerns me… I want them to know through my baking that I care about them and that I think they’re heroes.” Pat has since inspired her church to help her “adopt” other hospitals in the community by baking for them and spreading the love. To thank Pat and show their appreciation, the ICU team at the hospital wrote cards, provided her a basket of goodies, and even got her a new apron that describes her treats. It says, “Baked with love.” Art project pays tribute to breast cancer survivors In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their breast cancer program, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan partnered with The McNay Art Museum to honor breast cancer survivors, those we’ve lost and their families, through an art project. Community members were invited to submit art pieces that pay tribute to those impacted by breast cancer for display on social media during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The art pieces symbolize hope and support, and the hospital was delighted and amazed by the many beautiful works of art submitted. 4 SAHealth.com Pat Good happily gives cookies to staff from the ICU department who cared for her. By Wendy Diaz By Delta Gutierrez By Gregory Lambert and Becca Ortiz By Karin Denson By David Valle
SAHealth.com 5 KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2022 Annaleigh’s Room supports grieving families First-time parents Rebekah and Andrew Paltz lost their baby, Annaleigh, at birth two years ago. “It was a hard day,” said Rebekah. “But it was one of my favorite days, too. She was just so beautiful. I got to hold her, and when I talk about her, it’s like she is still here.” The couple anticipated a normal delivery at Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak, but staff could not find the baby’s heartbeat. It was later determined that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice. “The staff was just amazing. They did an excellent job helping us grieve,” she said. “We all got to hold her in our arms and say goodbye,” said Rebekah. “I don’t know if I would feel as whole as I do now without being able to hold her. Holding your baby in your arms is something that every mom should do. It’s your baby, whether she is breathing or not.” was when we said goodbye to Annaleigh,” said Rebekah. “I feel that infant loss just is not talked about enough,” she said. “It’s downplayed because you really did not get to know your baby. Families are hurting, but we don’t know how to reach out to them. So many people just try not to bring it up. But not mentioning it doesn’t help. Annaleigh was our first-born child. She will always be our baby and part of our family. We want to talk about her and remember her.” In Annaleigh’s Room, a beautiful mural decorates the wall. A bassinette sits in the corner to give a place for babies to meet their families. On the “Our Saved Angels” plaque, families may memorialize the loss of their baby by writing their name and date of birth on a tag to be permanently displayed. “With Annaleigh’s Room, hospital staff is making sure that our little girl is making an impact even though she is not here,” Rebekah said. “We knew we wanted to do something to remember Annaleigh, and Kaylen Bagley, RN, at the hospital, suggested creating a special room to honor other families going through infant loss,” said Rebekah. This legacy was realized on Annaleigh’s second birthday in December 2021 with the creation of Annaleigh’s Room. “It’s actually the same room where my family From left: Jana Castro, Director of L&D; Andrewand Rebekah Platz; Kaylen Bagley, RN; Corinne Schulze, RN; and CEO JeffWilson commemorate the opening of Annaleigh’s Room.
6 SAHealth.com KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2022 Harold, 99, proves that age is just a number In September, Harold “Soupy” Reich, 99, had a fall and fractured his hip. After surgery, Harold was transferred to Methodist Hospital | Texsan for rehabilitation. Harold had one goal while completing his rehab journey: to be able to attend the wedding of his granddaughter Molly and her fiancé, Marcus Moss, in Memphis. “Harold was a unique patient. He wanted to remain independent,” said Kelly Quintero, a Methodist Hospital | Texsan physical therapist. She focused on improving his mobility, strength, and balance. “Making a comeback from a hip fracture is pretty difficult, and he did it.” Helene Abrams, Harold’s daughter and Molly’s mother, describes her father as self-sufficient and extremely driven. “He lives alone, attends the gym on a regular basis, and he is even on Facebook,” said Helene. When the special day finally arrived, Harold was able to walk his granddaughter down the aisle. Later, they shared an unforgettable dance. Helene said, “My daddy put up a fight. It was tough, but he worked hard and the staff at Texsan was amazing. They went above and beyond. Everyone at the wedding was so surprised to see my daddy there.” For nearly 10 years, head and neck surgical oncologists at Methodist Hospital have been robotically treating patients with malignant and benign conditions of the throat, tonsils and tongue, using a specialized and advanced technology only available in select areas of the country. Methodist Hospital recently adopted the newest edition to its acclaimed robotic fleet, the “SP,” also known as single port. Methodist Hospital is the first hospital in South Texas to welcome this advanced technology, and with a track record of robotic surgical excellence, Methodist Hospital’s head and neck surgical oncologists are among the most experienced in the state at performing these cases. The new single port robot is specifically designed to provide exposure through a single port for head and neck surgery as well as certain urology cases. The device is equipped with enhanced instrumentation, camera angles and a new design, which enable better maneuverability and visibility and allow physicians to reach places in the mouth and throat that may have been inaccessible or very difficult to access with conventional robotic systems. Whereas previous generation robots used three separate, rigid arms through three separate ports, a tight fit for a patient’s mouth and throat, the single port is ideally suited for minimally invasive surgery through a single port using flexible instruments. “The SP is going to allow us access to more tumors than we had before and give more patients surgical options and, in the end, better patient outcomes,” commented Nathan Hales, MD, Director of Head and Neck Surgery/Transoral Robotic Surgery Program at Methodist Hospital. “The instruments allow us to do more in smaller areas and ultimately help more people.” Methodist Hospital physicians take surgery to new levels with innovative robotic technology
KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2022 In 2018, Methodist Children’s Hospital became the first hospital in Texas to explore the benefits of virtual reality and gaming as part of the healing process for children. In three years, full-time patient technology specialist (PTS) Alexander Pereira has used technology to provide a positive hospital experience for thousands of children. The program’s success has led to the recent addition of a second full-time PTS, whose position is fully funded by Child’s Play Charity. “Having two patient technology specialists is already paying dividends in our ability to cover more patients, work on more projects and host more special events,” Pereira said. “There’s quite literally twice as many options as there used to be.” For Pereira and newcomer Elena Guerra, a typical day for a PTS could involve spending one-on-one time with a child who may be struggling mentally with his or her hospital stay. Then, broadcasting and hosting virtual bingo for dozens of children on the hospital’s private television channel. The PTS would wrap up the day with a private virtual reality session that promotes physical therapy by encouraging the child to get out of the hospital bed and move their body within set boundaries. A recent study by the University of Utah indicates that video games can be therapeutic and are already beginning to show health-related benefits. Pereira says he’s witnessed the benefits first-hand. “We had a patient who was in our PICU who had lost fine muscle control in their hands,” Pereira recalled. “I was able to bring an adaptive controller set up for them to be able to play a video game. But they needed a second person to steer for them, who ended up being their mom when I wasn’t able to be present. I went out for the weekend and by the time I got back to the patient, they had figured out a way to play completely on their own. It was really impressive to see how far the patient had progressed because gaming provided them a concrete goal. Throughout their recovery with us, they continued to try and recover as much fine motor control in order to play video games.” SAHealth.com 7 Patient technology program expands, reaching more children than before Methodist Hospital | Northeast opens Progressive Critical Care Unit Methodist Hospital | Northeast has opened a new Progressive Critical Care Unit to address the incredible growth experienced in Live Oak and surrounding communities. The new state-of-the-art PCCU was designed with quality, safety and extraordinary patient experiences in mind. The 30 private patient rooms with full bathrooms are large and spacious to accommodate continuous bedside vital monitoring, dual suction and air gases, bedside dialysis cabinets, and charting inlets. Growth at Methodist Hospital | Northeast continues in 2022 with plans to complete a new Hybrid OR and break ground on a new medical office building. Methodist Children’s Hospital now has two patient technology specialists, Alexander Pereira and Elena Guerrero. They use gaming to normalize the hospital setting for patients like Brandon Raine.
Introducing Methodist Healthcare’s new content series discussing practical health matters from trusted experts to help keep South Texas families well. SAHealth.com/healthmatters C M Y CM MY CY CMY K mhs-keeping-well-4x4.5-mar2022-r1.pdf 1 3/8/22 8:24 AM Articles in Keeping Well do not necessarily represent the opinions of doctors practicing at Methodist Healthcare facilities. Methodist Hospital campuses include: Methodist Children’s Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant, Methodist Hospital | Texsan, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, and Methodist Hospital | Northeast. Additional Methodist Healthcare hospitals are Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak and Methodist Hospital South. Information in KEEPING WELL comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2022 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. KEEPING WELL is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of Methodist Healthcare, 8109 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78229, telephone 210-575-0355, web- site SAHealth.com. Allen Harrison, President and CEO Palmira Arellano, Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs Cheri Love-Moceri, Associate Vice President of Communications METHODIST HEALTHCARE 8109 Fredericksburg Road San Antonio, TX 78229 Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID San Antonio, TX Permit No. 1409 New name, same great care: Methodist Hospital | South has been renamed Methodist Hospital | Atascosa Call-A-Nurse forChildren fromMethodist Children’sHospital 210-22-NURSE (210-226-8773) Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Weekends and major holidays. When your child has a medical need, Call-ANurse for Children from Methodist Children’s Hospital has specially trained pediatric nurses to assist you with medical advice concerning your child. HealthBus andWellWaldo’sWheels 210-MHS-RIDE (210-647-7433) HealthBus for adults and Well Waldo’s Wheels for children and expectant moms provide transportation from your home to your doctor’s office or hospital and then pick you up later and take you home. This service is especially helpful for adults and children with special needs that require extra transportation assistance. For information on how to schedule a ride and specific hospitals and ZIP codes served, please call 210-MHS-RIDE. Medical Advice for Adults 210-575-0355 Available 24/7 Good to know
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