Blog

Stay Safe in Summer Heat

It’s that time of the year again when the temperatures outside begin to rise across Oklahoma. The peak of summer not only brings longer days, but the hottest days of the year. Many of us see this season as the perfect opportunity to head outdoors to enjoy our favorite summer activities. Whether you are working or having a little fun, it’s vital that you properly prepare for the weather.

During this time of the summer, you‘ll often find meteorologists issue heat advisories. Because our bodies easily absorb more heat than they release, heat-related injuries and illnesses are much more... Read More »

Stay Safe While Grilling This Memorial Day

The outdoor cooking season is here, which means many of us will be grilling countless burgers and brats over the next few months! According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 75 percent of U.S. households own at least one barbecue, grill or smoker. Unfortunately, an average of 8,900 home fires occur each year due to the use of outdoor cooking equipment. Approximately 160 injuries and 10 deaths are the outcomes of these preventable accidents each year.

To keep such a fun activity safe, it’s important to use extra caution when grilling or making campfires. Below are a few... Read More »

Get Fit, Don’t Sit: Tips to Keep Exercise Enjoyable

While we all know that exercise is essential to living a healthy lifestyle, it’s something that many struggle to do. Whether due to a busy schedule or feeling discouraged about our current physical condition, we often find ourselves lacking the physical activity our bodies need.

According to Mayo Clinic, healthy adults need at least two and a half hours of aerobic activity each week. The general goal is 30 minutes of exercise daily to help you achieve the recommended amount of weekly exercise. Aerobic exercise consists of any form of physical activity that increases your heart rate... Read More »

A Community of Care and Compassion for Burn Survivors

Behind the doors of the Alexander Burn Center located within Hillcrest Medical Center, a dedicated and specialized group of doctors, nurses, therapists and staff witness patients making remarkable progress in some of the minutest measurements. The instantaneous moment that changed patients’ lives forever meets the place and the people who work tirelessly to heal and restore burn survivors. The care and commitment required to move the mountains on a patient’s journey home creates a community bond unlike any other place in the hospital. It is one that extends well beyond the weeks or months... Read More »

Making it Personal: The Office of Patient Experience at Hillcrest

A first-time expectant mother arrives at triage at 25 weeks pregnant with signs of preterm labor. A grandfather arrives for his first day of cardiac rehabilitation exercise three weeks after suffering a heart attack. A two-time breast cancer survivor arrives for chemotherapy the day of her 45th wedding anniversary. Did anyone hold the door open? Did anyone ask if they needed help finding their way? Did anyone make eye contact and offer a warm greeting? “Patient experience is about all those encounters that are taking place while our patients and their families are here,” shares Hillcrest... Read More »

What a Thank You Note Says about the Patient Experience

The interactions with those you meet during life-changing events have the power to shape your entire perspective. You remember the tone of their voice, their words and their actions. You remember how they made you feel. In health care, every encounter with every patient matters. It is not only how we deliver medical care, but how we truly care for people – our patients – like Larry Hester.

Life-flighted from Hillcrest Hospital Henryetta to Hillcrest Medical Center’s Oklahoma Stroke and Neurological Institute in September, Larry underwent emergency brain surgery to reduce the... Read More »

Hillcrest Leadership Series with Cassie Stanzak

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The Center for Diabetes Management at Hillcrest Supervisor Cassie Stanzak, RD/LD, CDE, gives an inside look into building her career at Hillcrest.

I have been at Hillcrest eight years. When I started working here, I knew I wanted to do an outpatient education role, but I never thought I would grow in my profession as much as I have here at Hillcrest.  I love to watch people learn – especially when they are motivated. I started in a role that was part-time in the fitness center and part-time in The Center for Diabetes Management as a registered dietitian. Through the years, I became... Read More »

Diabetes Education Classes Offer Help to Unexpected Diabetes Patient

When Asnul Bahar decided last year he should have a primary care physician, he never would imagine the diagnosis he would be given after an annual checkup. “I did not have a doctor and did not go for checkups, but decided I needed to last November,” says Asnul. “I went to Utica Park Clinic physician, Dr. Michael Gebetsberger, for a checkup and had several tests done.” A month later, Asnul heard back from Dr. Gebetsberger regarding his lab results. “My blood test results showed I had A1C levels (average blood sugar levels) of 6.6, when the average healthy range is 4.0-5.6. He told me these... Read More »