Blog

Touching Lives with Palliative Care

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 »

Annual Mammogram Key to Successful Treatment

Barbara Mudd went in for her routine mammogram at Hillcrest South in early June 2019. When she received a call to return for a follow-up, she wasn’t immediately concerned, as she had been an active marathon walker for over 10 years and had no health problems.

Nonetheless, when she received the results of her mammogram, she was shocked. The mammogram revealed a small tumor in her breast tissue that hadn’t previously been detected. After a biopsy of the abnormal tissue, Mudd was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer: stage 1B, triple negative breast cancer, which is a... Read More »

Oklahoma Man Receives Exceptional Care at Hillcrest

It was over five years ago when Bob Wall experienced his first stroke. He and his wife, Lisa, were shopping in San Diego when she noticed he was mumbling and his face was drooping.

“He could barely lift his left arm,” Lisa said.

She was confident he was having a stroke. After a store employee quickly called an ambulance, Bob was rushed to the hospital, and just 24 hours later, he was discharged. With no history of stroke or heart problems, Bob and Lisa left with no answer as to what had caused the stroke.

Only two days later, Bob suffered a second stroke and was once... Read More »

Man Sings Praises About Care Provided at Hillcrest

Mike Compton was enjoying a mid-morning walk with his dogs when all of a sudden, he began struggling to breathe. He wasn’t experiencing chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack, so he let the feeling pass, finishing his walk and returning home. While walking his dogs again that afternoon, he began to feel the same shortness of breath he felt that morning. Later, his physician examined him and after completing an EKG, Compton was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. After being admitted to Oklahoma Heart Institute, Alan Kaneshige, M.D., located a large clot in his left ventricle. The... Read More »

Focused on Zero

In order to achieve the highest level of quality and patient safety, Hillcrest Medical Center remains focused on pursuing the latest best practices and most advanced technologies in the health care industry. Hillcrest Medical Center’s Patient Safety Officer, Debra Allen, remains actively engaged in researching and implementing quality improvement initiatives focused on measuring and improving patient outcomes.

“It’s important to stay focused on the next level of excellence,” said Allen. “As health care environments continue to evolve, quality and patient safety remain our top... Read More »

Prepare for the Unexpected

Emergencies can happen at any time. Follow these tips on how to be prepared for the unexpected.  

Change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detector twice a year. A convenient time to remember is each spring and fall during time changes. According to the National Fire Protection Association, a working smoke alarm reduces the risk of death in a house fire by 50 percent (Can we make this an infographic?). Be aware of natural disasters that are common to your area and plan accordingly before a disaster strikes. Assemble an emergency kit for both your home and car. The... Read More »

Meet Hillcrest Medical Center’s New CEO, Xavier Villarreal

From Volunteer to CEO

Xavier Villarreal’s interest in health care began during a summer break in college when he had the opportunity to volunteer at a hospital. There, he was allowed to see every department that contributes to patient care.

That’s when Villarreal “fell in love” with working in a hospital, leading him to pursue a degree in health care administration before eventually becoming chief executive officer of Hillcrest Medical Center in April 2019.

His ties with Hillcrest Medical Center began long before being named CEO.

While attending Trinity... Read More »

The Highest Commitment to Stroke Care at Hillcrest

According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood clot or ruptured vessel reduce the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Without appropriate nutrients and oxygen, brain cells begin to die, which can cause death or disability.

Dr. Andre Fredieu, medical director of the Oklahoma Stroke & Neurological Institute at Hillcrest, said that stroke has always been a fascination of his.

“Being of African American descent, I have numerous family members that have a myriad of different medical... Read More »