In June 2013, Christi M. was looking forward to spending the day outside with a friend. While applying sunscreen, her lighthearted attitude instantly changed. She felt a small lump on her breast. After confiding in her friend, she immediately contacted her Utica Park Clinic OB/Gyn to learn that, unfortunately, the doctor was out of the office that week. With no desire to wait for any length of time, Christi made an appointment with Sreelatha Krishna, M.D., a Utica Park Clinic internal medicine physician. “She let me cry in her exam room with her for a good five... Read More »
Blog
When participating in her walking exercise routine in early 2008, Marilyn Roby noticed an increasing pain at the top of her left thigh. Chalking it up to a pulled muscle, she continued her routine with then boyfriend and now husband Robert.
“I did ice and heat like you are supposed to, but it just didn’t get well,” Roby said. “I went to the doctor and got some medication and continued to try to ice it. Two weeks later, it still hadn’t improved.”
After a few return trips to her primary care... Read More »
Jodi Simmons, RN, BSN, MHA and chief nursing officer (CNO) of Hillcrest Medical Center, Tulsa, OK
The COVID-19 virus hit Oklahoma fast. Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Jodi Simmons had planned a spring break trip, but had a bad feeling about the virus and decided not to leave town. Two days later, Hillcrest Medical Center was in full incident command mode and Jodi has been working in the Incident Command Center every day for nine weeks and counting.
The best leadership advice Jodi offers is to have... Read More »
For the protection and safety of patients, visitors and our staff, we continue to restrict visitation and take every measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, we understand how important it is to stay connected to loved ones and friends, whether they are in the hospital or at home. We encourage you to call, text and connect via video to purposefully connect while helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Here are some ways to stay connected.
FaceTimeMake video and audio calls over Wi-Fi or cellular supported iOS or... Read More »
A slight heart attack took Louis Jackson by surprise in April 2019.
“It was a surprise for me and forever life changing,” said Jackson, who was 59 years old at the time. Jackson was home when he began to experience intense chest pain.
“The pain would come and go, but at one point it just stayed with me,” Jackson said.
Jackson was taken to the emergency room at Hillcrest Medical Center, where he found out he suffered from a slight heart attack and had a blockage... Read More »
Debbie Holland was nearing 30 years as a deputy clerk to a Federal Judge when she had a cardiac episode. She had symptoms of a heart attack, but results showed she had no blockages or clots. As it turns out, Holland had suffered from “Broken Heart Syndrome.”
Broken Heart Syndrome or takotsubo cardiomyopathy is when adrenaline rushes into a person’s system, causing the heart to have difficulty pumping blood. This event can be triggered by physical extremes such as dehydration or high body temperature, but it can also be caused by... Read More »
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), around 30.3 million people in the United States have a form of diabetes, and many of these people experience complications caused by infected wounds.
Diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in the United States, and approximately 14-24 percent of patients with diabetes who develop a foot ulcer will require an amputation. Foot ulceration precedes 85 percent of diabetes-related amputations. However, research has shown, that development of a foot ulcer is preventable.
James Beebe, M.D.,... Read More »
Palliative care is a specialized form of medical care for people with serious illnesses. Regardless of diagnosis, the main goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family with a focus on providing relief from symptoms and sufferings of a critical illness. Many people believe that palliative care is solely for hospice or end-of-life care. However, palliative care is appropriate at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided in combination with a curative treatment on an inpatient, outpatient, community or hospice basis.
November is... Read More »