/ en Sun, 11 May 2025 17:44:29 -0500 Thu, 08 May 25 13:10:46 -0500 /role-hospitals-commonspirit-st-elizabeth-hospital-provides-toiletries-clothes-and-other-necessities-community-members-through <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-05/ths-commonspirit-st-elizabeth-clothing-toiletries-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="CommonSpirit St. Elizabeth Hospital provides toiletries, clothes, and other necessities to community members through its Care Closet" width="700" height="532"></div><p>CommonSpirit St. Elizabeth Hospital's Care Closet is a compassionate initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of vulnerable individuals and families in the community. By providing essential items such as clothing, toiletries, and feminine products, the Care Closet offers crucial support to those experiencing hardship.</p><p>St. Elizabeth President John Swanhorst emphasizes the importance of access to these basic needs, highlighting the hospital's commitment to extending a helping hand beyond its walls. “We believe access to these basic needs is crucial for overall health and well-being, and we are proud to offer this support to those who need it,” he said.</p><p>The Care Closet is accessible through St. Elizabeth staff members who identify a need in patients or community members. Although not open to the public, anyone who inquires can receive materials. The hospital provides toiletry bags, clothing, and other necessities for both children and adults. Generous community support has enabled the Care Closet to participate in local events, distributing items like coats and gloves.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.mountain.commonspirit.org/news/commonspirit-st-elizabeth-hospital-provides-toiletries-clothes-and-other-necessities-community-members-through-its-care-closet" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/promoting-healthy-communities">Supporting Public Health</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 08 May 2025 13:10:46 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-alice-peck-day-memorial-hospitals-sleep-center-diagnoses-and-treats-sleep-disorders-improve-health <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-05/ths-alice-peck-sleep-700x532.jpg" alt="Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital. A woman sleeps while wearing a breathing device" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Sleep is necessary for good health. It’s estimated that 50 million to 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome. Sleep disorders can affect a person’s performance at work or school and are closely associated with medical conditions like high blood pressure, depression, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Despite their high prevalence, most sleep disorders go untreated.</p><p>Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital’s accredited Sleep Center offers treatment for sleep disorders in adults and children who are over age 3. The hospital, part of Dartmouth Health, serves communities in the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire.</p><p>After a patient is referred by their primary care provider, the Sleep Center team conducts an evaluation and, if needed, a sleep study or tests to diagnose a possible sleep disorder and recommend effective treatments. Tests may include polysomnography, a sleep study that monitors a person’s heart rate, breathing rate and rhythm, eye movement, muscle activity, brain activity, blood oxygen level, and airflow.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.alicepeckday.org/services/sleep-health" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Fri, 02 May 2025 11:29:47 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-vanderbilt-health-surgeons-first-tennessee-use-new-kidney-preservation-technology <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-05/ths-KidneyVault-Airplane-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Vanderbilt Health. KidneyVault device shown strapped into a commercial airplane seat" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>More than 106,000 patients are currently on the national transplant waitlist in the U.S.; 86% of those people are in need of a kidney. Protecting donor kidneys is key when it comes to ensuring the survival of as many of those people as possible. Now a new technology is giving potential kidney recipients in Tennessee new hope.</p><p>Vanderbilt Health kidney transplant surgeons are the first in the state — and among just a few in the Southeast — to use a new Food and Drug Administration-approved portable hypothermic perfusion technology that preserves donor kidneys during transport. The Paragonix KidneyVault Renal Perfusion System provides continuous fluids through the kidney. Traditional perfusion machines are often bulky, making them difficult to use over long distances or during air travel. The KidneyVault is much more transportable and, in addition to providing perfusion, can maintain the kidney at an optimal temperature for up to 24 hours, while transporting the organs on ice can lead to varying temperatures, possibly damaging the kidney. Moreover, a monitoring system means that technicians and surgeons can keep an eye on the kidney through its journey.</p><p>Read more about <a href="https://news.vumc.org/2025/04/03/tennessees-first-successful-kidney-transplant-using-new-organ-preservation-technology-performed-at-vanderbilt-university-hospital/">the transplant</a> and <a href="https://www.paragonixtechnologies.com/healthcare-professionals" target="_blank">the KidneyVault</a>.</p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 01 May 2025 15:24:11 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-intermountain-primary-childrens-hospital-opens-new-autism-clinic <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-05/ths-intermountain-childrens-autism-clinic-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Intermountain Health. A young boy sits stacking blocks as a carer looks on" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital has opened a new Applied Behavior Analysis Clinic in Riverton, Utah, that aims to address the growing need for autism services in the community. The clinic offers early intensive services such as behavioral assessments, individual therapy, and group therapy for children aged 2-6 years old and is part of the Primary Promise campaign to build a model health system for children, ensuring that families have access to essential autism care.</p><p>“We want children with autism and their families to know that we’re with you on this journey,” said Katy Welkie, chief executive officer of Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital and vice president of Intermountain Children’s Health. “With expanded autism services, we can help children thrive.”</p><p>Made possible with a substantial donation from a Utah philanthropist and her family, the new clinic represents a significant step in closing the care gap for autism services in Utah and surrounding states, where there has historically been a shortage of programs and providers. Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital is committed to supporting children with autism and their families, helping them connect to the necessary treatments and services.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://ebu.intermountainhealthcare.org/video/live/intermountain-pc-autism.aspx?j=2403902&sfmc_sub=265543256&l=238325_HTML&u=41337188&mid=515013760&jb=9003">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/community-benefit">Benefiting Communities</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 01 May 2025 14:56:36 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-university-vermont-medical-center-innovative-procedure-game-changer-older-adults-heart-valve-disease <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/THS-UVM-hazel-winter-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Hazel Winter, 82, underwent the tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) procedure at UVM Medical Center" width="700" height="532"></p><p><em>Hazel Winter (Photo Courtesy of UVM Medical Center)</em></p></div><p>An innovative, minimally invasive procedure is reducing the risk faced by patients with heart valve disease and improving their quality of life. During the tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) procedure, surgeons use a clip to repair a leaky heart valve. The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington is currently the only hospital in the state that offers TEER and among the most experienced performing the procedure among health systems in the region.</p><p>Heart valve disease — which occurs when at least one heart valve isn’t working properly — affects more than 5 million people in the U.S., according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/php/data-research/heart-valve-disease-toolkit/index.html" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. Symptoms include fatigue, swelling in the legs, shortness of breath and irregular heart rhythms. Older adults in particular are at risk for this condition, which can lead to heart failure.</p><p>A blog on the UVM Health website, “<a href="https://www.uvmhealth.org/healthsource/wheelchair-walking" target="_blank">From Wheelchair to Walking</a>,” features the story of Hazel Winter, 82, who had a minor stroke and was being treated at the UVM Medical Center emergency department, where clinicians discovered she had tricuspid valve regurgitation, a condition where the valve allows blood to leak backward into the heart.</p><p>Winter was one of the first patients in the region to undergo TEER. Before this procedure was developed, the only options for patients were undergoing open-heart surgery or living with a condition that significantly reduces their quality of life. Winter marveled at how much better she felt after the procedure: “I arrived by wheelchair, and I’m planning on walking out of here …. I can’t believe the difference this had made for me already. It’s a game changer.”</p><p>Rony Lahoud, M.D., interventional cardiologist at UVM Medical Center, observed, “To watch people go home the very next day and immediately feel the difference — that’s the kind of outcome you aspire to have.” He lauded the medical center’s multidisciplinary teamwork to develop this innovative treatment: “Pushing the boundaries of what is possible requires true collaboration between different specialties, including interventional cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging, cardiac anesthesia and cardiothoracic surgery, among others.”</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.uvmhealth.org/healthsource/wheelchair-walking" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:14:07 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-university-oklahoma-cancer-center-implements-new-technology-make-cancer-care-more-comfortable <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-oklahoma-radiation-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="University of Oklahoma Medical Center. A patient receiving radiation therapy is viewed from inside the machine looking out" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>The Stephenson Cancer Center at University of Oklahoma Medical Center is the second hospital in the nation to introduce a groundbreaking cancer treatment called surface-guided radiation therapy. The treatment uses a non-invasive technology known as the Accuray Radixact System, offering cancer patients faster, more precise and comfortable treatments. The Radixact System delivers image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy, helping health care teams to effectively position patients and target tumors with increased accuracy while protecting healthy tissue. This advanced technology is particularly beneficial for patients with tumors in challenging locations, such as the lungs or near critical organs, as it minimizes the impact on surrounding healthy tissue. It can also track tumors in real time and adjust treatment to account for changes in tumor size.</p><p>“Every advancement in cancer treatment technology means new hope for our patients,” said Jerry Jaboin, M.D., radiation oncologist at the Stephenson Cancer Center. “With the Radixact System, we can offer more patients access to precise, personalized treatment plans that fit their specific needs while minimizing disruption to their daily lives."</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.ouhealth.com/blog/2025/january/new-cancer-treatment-technology-at-stephenson-ca/" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:03:06 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-penn-medicine-chester-county-stroke-surgery-and-advanced-care-team-close-home <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-penn-carotid-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital. A health worker passes an ultrasound probe over a woman's neck" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Donna Carr's life was saved by a timely and advanced medical intervention at Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital, thanks to the hospital's investments in advanced operating rooms and trained personnel.</p><p>In late 2024, Carr experienced symptoms of a stroke due to blood clots blocking her carotid artery. She underwent a minimally invasive procedure called transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR), which filtered out the clots and prevented further strokes. This procedure involves reversing blood flow around the blockage, using a balloon and stents to reopen the artery while filtering out plaque and clots. The hybrid operating room at Chester County Hospital, equipped with advanced imaging tools, facilitated this precise and life-saving intervention.</p><p>The hospital’s investment in upgraded capabilities has paid off by attracting innovative care providers and improving patient outcomes. Chester’s facility combines the capabilities of a standard operating room with the imaging tools needed for endovascular procedures, allowing for detailed and accurate interventions. This setup also streamlines scheduling and reduces the number of personnel needed for procedures.</p><p>The hospital's commitment to cutting-edge care has led to successful recruitment of skilled clinicians like vascular surgeon, Daniel Lee, M.D., of whom Carr said “He saved my life, what can I say? ... I can’t brag about him enough.”</p> <a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2025/march/a-stroke-a-surgery-and-an-advanced-care-team-close-to-home" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a> </p>--></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:45:20 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-providence-alaska-medical-center-innovative-therapy-prostate-cancer <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-providence-alaska-prostate-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Providence Alaska. A male physician sits talking with an older male patient" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>In 2025, researchers predict about 313,780 new diagnoses of prostate cancer and 34,770 deaths across the United States. But those cases aren’t evenly spread across the country. Mortality rates for Alaskans, for example, are typically higher than the general population due to a range of factors including limited access to treatment. For Alaska Native men, the number is even higher. Study findings show that overall prostate cancer rates for American Indian and Alaska Native men are 12% lower than white men, but mortality rates are 31% higher. For Alaska Native men, the number is even higher. Study findings show that overall prostate cancer rates for American Indian and Alaska Native men are 12% lower than white men, but mortality rates are 31% higher.</p><p>In Anchorage, Providence Alaska Medical Center has become the first facility in the state to offer an innovative treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. In March, the hospital began administering Pluvicto, a targeted therapy designed to identify and kill prostate cancer cells that express a protein known as prostate-specific membrane antigen. Pluvicto is different from traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatments because it specifically targets these cancer cells, minimizing damage to healthy cells. </p><p>“Pluvicto is one of the only treatments that improves overall survival in men with prostate cancer that has spread elsewhere in the body and is no longer responding to hormonal treatments,” said Dr. John Halligan, radiation oncologist and medical director of Radiation Oncology at Providence Cancer Center. </p><p>Treatment data shows that combining Pluvicto with standard chemotherapy and radiation led to 30% of men experiencing tumor reduction or disappearance. In contrast, those who received standard therapy alone saw a 2% reduction. Thanks to this new therapy, Alaskans no longer need to travel to the Lower 48 to receive this care.<br><br><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.nnbw.com/news/2025/mar/06/healthcare-industry-focus-conrad-breast-center-expected-to-open-this-summer/" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:44:08 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-renown-healths-comprehensive-hub-breast-cancer-care <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-renown-breast-cancer-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Renown Health. A female physician holds a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon " width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>This spring, the Renown Specialty Care Center at Renown Health in Reno, Nev., will open the <a href="https://www.renown.org/Health-Services/Cancer-Care/Breast-Health" target="_blank">Conrad Breast Center</a>, a multidisciplinary, one-stop shop for breast health and wellness.</p><p>The center, which will open on the third floor of the hospital, will feature state-of-the-art diagnostic medical equipment such as 3D mammography, breast MRI and breast ultrasound. It will also feature a breast wellness center for patients with a high genetic risk of developing breast and other types of cancers. These services will be available in one place, reducing travel requirements for patients and setting the facility apart from other care centers in the community.</p><p>“It was very fragmented, but now it will all be under one roof,” said Madeline Hardacre, oncology wellness physician at Renown Health. “It allows us to treat patients in a more collaborative and comprehensive way, which is better for our community since everything will all be located in one center.”</p><p>Certain cancer-related services, like medical oncology and chemotherapy infusion services, will remain at the main hospital campus. But most breast-specific services will be housed in the new center.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.nnbw.com/news/2025/mar/06/healthcare-industry-focus-conrad-breast-center-expected-to-open-this-summer/" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:49:45 -0500 Stories /role-hospitals-uconn-health-community-outreach-program-improves-access-mammograms <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-7"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-uconn-mammogram-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="UCONN Health. A patient is escorted to a mammogram screening" width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></p></div><p>The benefits of screening for breast cancer are well documented; for example, having regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. Saving lives is the impetus behind a community outreach and engagement program led by UConn Health, based in Farmington, Conn.</p><p>As part of this UConn Health program, community health workers attend events in the community and at other UConn Health offices to share educational information about prevention and screening for breast cancer. They also help people who are uninsured or underinsured schedule mammogram screenings and follow-up appointments.</p><p>During a presentation at a local YWCA literacy group in New Britain, Conn., community health worker Rosa Agosto spoke with Vanessa Neira, a New Britain resident with a history of breast cancer in her family. At the time, Neira did not have insurance, so Agosto helped Neira connect with the UConn Health free mammogram program. Neira’s mammogram detected a “concerning spot,” but follow-up testing ruled out cancer. Neira remains grateful for support from the UConn Health team.</p><p>Agosto emphasizes that lack of insurance “should not be a barrier to mammograms, and here at UConn Health we are proud to be able to provide assistance to those who need mammograms, so they have access to early diagnosis, interventions and treatment.”</p><p>“To tell a woman with no insurance we can offer her a free mammogram can be life changing,” adds Kim Hamilton, program coordinator, community outreach and engagement, at UConn Health.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://today.uconn.edu/2024/10/uconn-health-community-programs-helping-under-insured-and-uninsured-with-breast-cancer-screenings" target="_blank" title="Learn More">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/advocacy/access-and-health-coverage">Access to Care</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:50:56 -0500 Stories