Blog

Is it possible to eat nutritious, budget-friendly meals during quarantine?

(March is National Nutrition Month and to commemorate the occasion, Hillcrest Medical Center and Oklahoma Heart Institute dietitian Andrea Shotton will share her expertise on the topic of nutrition in a pandemic through a series of weekly blogs. In the first edition, Shotton discusses if it is possible to eat nutritious meals that are also budget friendly.)

Going into quarantine has become all too common during the pandemic.

From this isolation, food insecurity and mental health issues have... Read More »

Debunking COVID-19 vaccine myths

A tidal wave of information has circulated social media for the last few months regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

But what parcels of information can be trusted?

Hillcrest HealthCare System Chief Medical Officer Guy Sneed, M.D., and Utica Park Clinic Chief Medical Officer Jeffrey Galles, D.O., addressed 10 common concerns surrounding the vaccine.

Here are their answers to those concerns:

Concern: The vaccines are unsafe because... Read More »

Patient Finds Hope After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

A practicing attorney and mother of four adult children, Bobbie Chandler has a passion for her career. She is fortunate to have candid relationships with her co-workers at the law firm as they were the first to notice – and mention to her – when she became short of breath. Additionally, her right breast had become red and inflamed. Despite her extensive family history of various cancers, Chandler had not gotten a mammogram in two to three years.

Her gynecologist examined her breast and became concerned. “My doctor had seen... Read More »

Oklahoma Nurse Treats Patients Like Family on COVID-19 Unit

When the coronavirus began spreading, hospitals across the country assembled designated COVID-19 teams and units to care for patients. Caregivers with diverse medical backgrounds were brought together for one common purpose: to provide care, comfort and support. At Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Kristin Canady, RN, has been one such nurse joining the front lines of defense in this lingering pandemic.

“In the beginning, it was pretty difficult,” said Canady. “People who were... Read More »

Oklahoma Nurse Answers Call to Help Amid COVID-19

Since the age of 4, Frances Giessen, RN, had her sights set on working in health care. In college, she started taking pre-med courses but redirected her interests toward nursing when she realized the main thing she wanted to do was simply help people. Now, a year and a half into her nursing career in Tulsa, Giessen has risen to new heights in helping others by being a part of Hillcrest Medical Center's COVID-19 unit.

"In March, we quickly realized that COVID-19 had arrived in Oklahoma, so our director of nursing asked for five volunteers who would live at the hospital full-time to... Read More »

Breast Cancer Treatment at Hillcrest Leads to Good Health and New Friendships

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 »

Cancer Survivor Celebrates Life

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 »

Providing Nurse Leadership in a Pandemic

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 »