The final steel beam was raised during a topping-off ceremony for the new 10-story Mercy Health medical center in Muskegon just a little over a year since breaking ground. “The beam,” as it was referred to around campus, had been on tour during the last week before being placed, and featured thousands of signatures from many people, including Mercy Health colleagues, volunteers, medical staff members, donors and patients. Tour stops included Mercy Health General, Hackley and Mercy Campuses, as well as the Muskegon Country Club for a tradespeople appreciation event.
While there were many signatures of names, some guests chose to use the opportunity to truly make their mark on history. Take colleague Roger Slorf, for example – he has been working with us for the past 43 years as a med tech at the General Campus. On his day off, Roger came prepared to leave an impact on the beam that resonated with many others. He wrote the following poem that was so remarkable, it ended up being used in the leadership remarks at the topping-off ceremony:
Upon this sturdy beam I write
Words of wisdom, if I might.
For if a patient I may someday be
you will be strong and care for me.
Providing care is paramount
no matter what is tossed about.
Never bend from this, your mission,
and may it guide your every decision.
“Last September, the community gathered with us to break ground on the new medical center, and we are pleased to have completed the steel framework and mark this significant time in our history with the topping-off ceremony. This is a hospital designed for excellent patient care experiences with a myriad of regional resources and ready access to a wide variety of medical specialists,” said Gary Allore, president of Mercy Health Muskegon. “This milestone in the construction of the new medical center holds significance, not only for Mercy Health, but for West Michigan as well.”
Keeping with topping-off ceremony tradition, an American flag was affixed on one side of the final beam, representing patriotism and allegiance to our great country. On the other side, an evergreen tree was placed, representing life and vitality. In Native American tradition, the placement of an evergreen on top of the building signifies growth and good will for the project. To Mercy Health, it also signifies our commitment to the sustainability of the earth and the shelter the building will provide for the future. As a token, guests were given a seedling to take home and plant commemorating the topping-off event.
The beam is raised to the top of the tenth story of the new medical center in MuskegonUmbrellas needed while signing the beam at the Hackley CampusSunshine and blue skies during Mercy Campus beam signingJeff Alexander, Claudine Weber and Jay Bryan brave the rainy conditions while signing the beam at General Campus October 23Beautiful fall arrangements flank the stage at the topping-off ceremony October 26 at Mercy CampusNew Medical Center project managers stand in front of the tower before the topping-off ceremony“The Beam” included thousands of signatures from colleagues, volunteers, donors, patients, visitors and vendors
Mercy Health Muskegon colleagues enjoyed a gourmet tailgate cookout at Hackley Campus on October 24, and at Mercy Campus on October 25 to celebrate all of the hard work put in to the Joint Commission surveys this year. The effort paid off, and resulted in Mercy Health Muskegon being fully accredited.
Sponsored by Specialists in Hospital Medicine, and led by Dr. Rolf Hissom, a.k.a. “Chef Hissom,” the upscale tailgate food included specialty spiced meats, gourmet desserts, Dr. Hissom’s secret slaw, and freshly tapped root beer.
The menu was creatively outlined below:
Chicken “Survey” Sliders
Dr. Hissom’s Famous “Standards” Slaw
Volunteers from various departments offered to help serve the thousands of colleagues that came out to celebrate. Rainy conditions forced the tailgate inside at the Hackley Campus, but the fall weather emerged and was enjoyed by all the following day at the Mercy Campus cookout.
In addition to delicious food, colleagues were also encouraged to sign the final steel beam that was raised atop the new medical center on October 26.
Dr. Rolf Hissom (far right) with volunteers at the Hackley campus tailgate cookoutKim Maguire, Chief Nursing Officer (left) and Tricia Karnes, Executive Assistant to the President of Mercy Health Muskegon tap the root beer kegs at the Mercy Campus tailgateThe spread of desserts and cookies available at the colleague tailgate cookouts October 24 & 25.Blair Moreau, Director of Heart and Vascular, entices colleagues to enter into the drawing to won a gourmet meat smoker
While chaplains provide specialized spiritual care, all colleagues, providers and volunteers are able to provide generalist spiritual care in some manner. At Mercy Health, our Catholic identity and organizational values instruct us to honor with reverence the inherent dignity of each person —patient, visitor and colleague — and this is foundational to spiritual care.
We strive to celebrate diversity, cultivate inclusion and create a hospitable environment where all persons feel valued, both emotionally and spiritually.
As a way to show our commitment to spiritual care, the Spiritual Care Team at Mercy Health invited all colleagues, volunteers and physicians to place their handprints on an outline of a tree that symbolizes diversity and cultivation. The handprints were on display in the Urban Platter at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s during the week of October 23-28, 2017.
Office Coordinator Kristen Van Dyk shows 1-year-old Abigail the displays as part of MHPP Southwest Office’s Pumpkin Decorating Contest.
What better way to distract young patients before their vaccines than with a display of pumpkins depicting colorful characters and well-known themes, all in time for Halloween? Mercy Health Physician Partners Southwest Office, a primary care office with Internal Medicine and Med/Peds (Internal Medicine and Pediatrics) specialists, hosts an annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest that engages with patients and colleagues alike.
Celebrating its fourth year, the pumpkin decorating contest invites the different care teams of MHPP Southwest to collaborate on and create a theme for their design. The pumpkins are then displayed the week before Halloween in the office waiting room, where patients and guests can view them and even vote for their favorite pumpkins!
“Most of our colleagues and providers at the Southwest office participate,” said Kristin Gosko, office manager, MHPP Southwest Office. “It’s a fun way for our colleagues to work together on a project and to let their creativity shine! Our patients and guests love them. The fan favorite will be announced after Halloween.”
Congratulations to the following work groups, who designed and created the following pumpkins for 2017:
Star Wars –Angela Andrews, MD, and Stephan DeLapp, MD, and their care teams.
Beauty and the Beast – The Southwest Business Office Staff.
Trolls –Uche Nwankwo, MD, and Andre Hollingsworth, MD, and care teams.
Captain Underpants – The Southwest Nurse Triage staff.
Sesame Street –Thomas Foster, MD, and Kim Lanning, DNP and their care teams.
Mercy Health colleagues strive to live out the Trinity Health Core Values of reverence, commitment to those who are poor, justice, stewardship and integrity. Each quarter, four colleagues are chosen from many nominations for the prestigious Colleague Awards at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s.
Please celebrate with this quarter’s colleagues on October 31, 2017, at 3 p.m. on 5 Lacks during the Colleagues Award Ceremony, hosted by President Bill Manns. All are invited. Light refreshments provided.
– Hanna Liu, MA, Family Practice Residency
– Dena Marrison, RN, Labor and Delivery
– Bruce Shabahang, Physician, Thoracic-SBL
– Roxie Miller, Practice Leader, Family Practice Private
Hanna Liu
Hanna Liu, Medical Assistant, Family Practice Residency
Hanna has a keen awareness of underserved populations and their needs. She provides assistance to patients in any way she can, even if it means going above and beyond her job description. Excerpts from the testimonies of her colleagues describe how she helped patients return to their homes after visits to Mercy Health.
“Hanna takes the time to develop connections with her patients. In one instance, she ran into a patient waiting for a lab draw and discovered that the patient, a refugee who did not speak English and had a young child with her, did not have a ride home. She helped the patient find a way home, entertained her child, and sat with her until the patient could leave.
“She demonstrated her care for underserved populations again by creating a list of resources all about dental services, specifically for our low-income patients.”
Dena Marrison
Dena Marrison, Registered Nurse in Labor and Delivery
Empathetic and understanding, Dena provides endless help and care to patients and colleagues alike. Dena continually empowers her colleagues, steps in to help without having to be asked, and makes sure each patient is treated with dignity and respect. Following are excerpts from the nomination submission:
“One day when a pre-term OB patient needed immediate attention, we did not have an available nurse to assign to her. Without hesitation, Dena admitted the patient, and delivered the baby, all while still fulfilling her charge nurse role. She stayed late to make sure the patient’s needs were met while assisting other RNs and still fulfilling her charge nurse roles. Although she did not leave work until a few hours past her shift, she did so with a smile and a great attitude. This is just one of the times that she has put her patients first and ensured they have received the highest quality of care.
“Dena is the most compassionate, caring, understanding, hardworking, and positive nurse I have ever had the honor to work with.”
Bruce Shabahang, MD
Bruce Shabahang, MD, Physician, Thoracic- SBL
A thoracic surgeon passionate about his work and patients, Dr. Shabahang proved that the bond between a patient and their physician can last a lifetime. The following story was described by a colleague.
“After a long day of surgery, Dr. Shabahang came to Hauenstein 2 to round on his patients. A family member approached a staff member on the unit to ask if that was Dr. Shabahang. The family member described that her brother, nearing the end of his life, had once been a patient of Dr. Shabahang. She mentioned their special relationship, and how meaningful it would be if Dr. Shabahang could visit her brother and say goodbye to him. Dr. Shabahang returned to the unit and spent some time with this man and his family. When he left, he thanked the staff for paging him so he could come and be with the family. The man passed away shortly thereafter, but the family was so grateful that Dr. Shabahang cared enough about a former patient to take the time to come and say goodbye.”
Roxie Miller
Roxie Miller, Practice Leader III, Family Practice Private
Intelligent and always ready to share her knowledge, Roxie respects the dignity of her colleagues while helping them learn and answering their questions. Following are two colleagues’ experiences with Roxie:
“Roxie has so much experience and knowledge that she is willing to share with so much patience. She would be the person that if she sees you struggle with something, she will stop what she is doing to help you. Before she gives you an answer, she will make sure she understands your question or concern and then she will make sure you understood her answer.” Tabita Kuiper
Congratulations to all who were nominated and awarded.
Seventy-seven-year-old Richard Buck was sure his pain was from indigestion — no doubt from something he ate. True, he sat up all night because of the pain in his chest, but surely those over-the-counter antacids would kick in at some point, he thought.
But they didn’t. And it was the persistence of his pain the next morning that led Buck to tell his wife they needed to go from their home in Hudsonville to the Emergency Room on the Mercy Health Southwest Campus in Byron Center.
He was seen immediately by a physician in the ED who ordered bloodwork, which indicated that Buck had suffered a heart attack. The next thing he knew, Buck was in an ambulance being rushed to Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, where he was met by cardiologist Nishant Kalra, MD, who was preparing to perform a heart catheterization on him.
Afterward, Dr. Kalra informed Buck’s wife that he had six blockages and that his condition was beyond what they could do with stents. Dr. Kalra said he was a good candidate for open heart surgery and explained that cardiac surgery through Mercy Health was performed at its Muskegon location by one of the University of Michigan Health cardiothoracic surgeons. So they transported Buck to Mercy Health in Muskegon, where they admitted him.
Two days later, Buck underwent open heart surgery performed by Cardiothoracic Surgeon Nabeel El-amir, MD, an assistant professor of cardiac surgery at University of Michigan Health whom Buck described as “an excellent surgeon with a great bedside manner.” He attributes his speedy recovery “to the skill of such a fine surgeon.”
Following surgery, Buck spent two days in ICU followed by two days in a step-down unit. “The caregiving staff were excellent,” Buck recalled. “I had no pain in my chest, but the biggest problem I had was in my leg, where they harvested the vein for the bypass. My leg was extremely tender to the touch from my ankle to my mid-calf for another month.”
His soreness is not an uncommon outcome, said Dr. El-amir. “In Mr. Buck’s case, we were able to do endoscopic vein harvesting using a small incision and a camera to retrieve the vein for the bypass.” This eliminated the need to incise the skin over the course of the vein.
In one week from the first onset of symptoms, Buck was back at home.
Now, three times a week Buck attends cardiac rehab at Mercy Health in Grand Rapids. He has also met with his cardiologist and surgeon at clinics in Grand Rapids for his follow-up care.
“I’m anxious to get back to doing the things I like to do, but that will take a little more time,” Buck admitted. “I have a positive outlook, though I need to come to grips to seriously change my lifestyle regarding diet and exercise.”
Looking back, Buck wants others to know that he probably had some warning signs that he attributed to the “natural aging process” rather than to potential heart problems. “I wish I had had discussed these signs in more detail with my primary care physician. I had some swelling in my ankles and extreme fatigue to the point that I would fall asleep every time I sat down. My family would make jokes about how easily I could fall asleep.”
Dr. El-amir says that Buck’s prognosis is very good. “It is important to understand that bypass operations do not reverse the heart disease of our patients — an operation takes care of the immediate symptoms. But in most cases, it improves our patients’ long-term survival. We encourage our patients to make lifestyle changes that include weight reduction, proper diet, and diabetes management and smoking cessation, when appropriate.”
Mercy Health’s collaborative, team-based approach broadens patient access to comprehensive cardiovascular services regionally and locally. “It gives patients more access points for health care,” said. Dr. El-amir. “It gives patients more options and more choices. That’s the plus that Mercy Health has to offer.”
Buck agrees. “To my good fortune I went to Mercy Health and received the great care that I did. At each facility I was treated kindly and respectfully…they really knew what they were doing,” he recalled. “I would definitely recommend them.”
Nearly 17 years after she was married—Heather Luchies’ husband, Todd, truly became her life partner. On January 9, 2017, Todd donated his kidney to his wife, giving her “a second chance at life.”
The Luchies’ journey toward kidney donation and transplant began 23 years earlier, when Heather landed in the ER with an “awful headache.” Her blood pressure was very high, and further testing revealed that Heather had focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), essentially a chronic disease that scars and impairs kidney function. Over time, FSGS tends to worsen, causing kidney failure, which leads to dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Editor’s Note: What follows is Heather’s story in her own words.
I was lucky that I caught it when I did. Many people don’t have symptoms until it’s too late. I was able to treat FSGS with blood pressure medications for 20+ years. I knew that eventually I would need a kidney transplant…that sometime later my kidneys would fail.
Even though I was young at the time of diagnosis, I had a good attitude about my condition because I’m a positive thinker. I know that bad things happen, but I didn’t worry about eventually being able to qualify for the kidney recipient list or to find a donor.
For the past two years, my kidney function began to rapidly decrease. Once your kidneys’ function is under 20 percent, you qualify to get on the waiting list for a kidney. I’m a pretty healthy person beyond my kidney issues, so I passed with flying colors and got on the list. It was a relief.
During that time I discovered that I have O-positive blood type, so I could only receive a kidney from a person with O-positive or O-negative blood type. That blood type is more rare, so the wait for people in Michigan who need a transplant can be 7+ years.
My husband was one of the first people to be tested to become a living donor. He didn’t hesitate for a moment. It turned out that we were the same blood type, which we didn’t know at the time. Todd ended up being my perfect match. It’s amazing that my donor, my match, has been by my side all along.
I am so blessed. Because we were able to identify my donor so quickly, I didn’t need dialysis, and I didn’t have to wait and wonder if I would find a donor.
Mercy Health’s kidney transplant team is amazing. On the day of the surgery, doctors removed Todd’s kidney, checked it, and then transplanted it into my abdomen, leaving me with three kidneys. It wasn’t necessary to remove my two “native kidneys,” which were shriveled at that point.
Our recovery in the hospital was similar: Todd and I were there for less than a week, and we both complained of soreness for about two weeks after the surgery. We are blessed with family and friends who cared for us while recovering at home. Now we’re both back at work.
Everyone at Mercy Health has been wonderful—before and after the transplant. It’s strange, I know, but I actually look forward to my follow-up visits because the transplant team treats me like a family member. I know I’m in good hands and that they put my best interest first. I’d recommend Mercy Health in a heartbeat.
The first person who ventured into the Johnson Family Cancer Center (JFCC) Patient & Family Resource Center when it opened on November 5, 2013, did not find what he was looking for.
The shelves were beautifully stocked with a variety of free resources for patients and families, but this visitor’s particular topic of interest was nowhere to be found.
Greeted by one of 20 highly trained, friendly volunteers, the man felt comfortable revealing that he was a cancer patient looking for information about male breast cancer.
He was right — there was nothing on display concerning his topic. But that didn’t matter because the trained volunteers at the Center have the skills and knowledge to conduct Internet searches on behalf of all visitors.
Using the Center’s computer, the volunteer accessed several trusted, up-to-date sources of information about male breast cancer and printed the information for the patient, who left with what he eeded.
Carefully designed with patients and privacy in mind, the Center is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers and receives all of its financial support from philanthropy.
Volunteers
The amazing volunteers at the Center believe in the power of information, the power of being informed and the importance of human connection.
“We offer a non-threatening environment with compassionate volunteers who are happy to listen and be in the moment with visitors,” said Shelley Brocci, Lead Volunteer. “Today’s patients need to be their own advocates, and the best way to do that is to be informed.”
The volunteer team, led and trained by Brocci, were hand-picked for their dedication, expertise, compassion and willingness to serve.
“Our volunteers come with a wealth of personal and professional experience: We have retired nursing, health care and social work professionals; former business professionals from disciplines ranging from accounting to human resources to information technology; two students focusing their studies on medical careers, as well as former educators and cancer survivors,” said Brocci.
A volunteer herself, Brocci built her team based on the model she experienced as a trained volunteer for eight years at the University of Michigan Patient Education Resource Center located within the Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she worked closely with a medical librarian who taught her “if you build it they will come.” Volunteers undergo semi-annual training under Brocci’s careful leadership.
Take-Aways
The majority of cancer information sought by the more than 1,500 visitors each year is divided among lung, breast, colon and hematological cancers.
In addition to seeking information on specific cancers, patients and family members also gravitate toward the free self-help brochures about nutrition, support and coping and caregiving. “There is something for everyone,” Brocci added. The Center even offers many resources about explaining cancer to children and grandchildren.
Brocci says that people love having something they can take home with them, whether they are borrowing books, CDs or DVDs, or discovering free brochures about the cancer journey — from diagnosis through treatment and survivorship. In fact, this year the Center will hand out close to 7,500 brochures.
“We also offer a non-cancer collection of resources because cancer patients or their family members may have other chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol,” Brocci explained.
Not surprisingly, these non-cancer resources are also in high demand. To appeal to the broadest population, the Center features everything from current social issues — such as cyber-bullying — to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, mental health issues, chronic pain, heart disease and more.
Innovative Programs
At the Center, patients are invited to:
• Be Informed by using the information in the Resource Center.
• Be Connected by borrowing an IPad during infusion.
• Be Inspired by relaxing with a complimentary adult coloring book and colored pencils.
• Be Uplifted through the center’s soon-to-launch mobile resource center cart that circulates in the infusion center and offers patients free printed resources plus blankets and caps donated from the community.
Outreach
One important way the Center reaches out to patients is through its partnership with Mercy Health’s Comprehensive Breast Center (CBC) and its Nurse Navigators. In addition to brochures on a variety of health and wellness topics and breast health issues that are available in a self-service information center at the CBC, the Center provides brochures for patient packets that address topics ranging from nutrition during treatment to physical activity survivorship and more.
Another vital way the Center reaches the community is through its annual sponsorship of the Cancer Awareness Musical at Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church in Muskegon Heights. This year’s event will take place on November 12 and feature a nationally recognized Gospel act along with other musical artists and speakers.
The Patient & Family Resource Center will host an information table with free information that focuses on prevention, cancer screening, support and coping and care-giving. The Center also attends the Seaway Run Healthy Lifestyle Expo each year.
Whether through community events, patient packets or its convenient location in the Johnson Family Cancer Center, the Patient & Family Resource Center supports and empowers patients and their families so they may take an active role in their health care and achieve the best possible outcome, one person at a time.
JFCC Patient & Family Resource Center Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more
The first person who ventured into the Johnson Family Cancer Center (JFCC) Patient & Family Resource Center when it opened on November 5, 2013, did not find what he was looking for.
The shelves were beautifully stocked with a variety of free resources for patients and families, but this visitor’s particular topic of interest was nowhere to be found.
Greeted by one of 20 highly trained, friendly volunteers, the man felt comfortable revealing that he was a cancer patient looking for information about male breast cancer.
He was right — there was nothing on display concerning his topic. But that didn’t matter because the trained volunteers at the Center have the skills and knowledge to conduct Internet searches on behalf of all visitors.
Using the Center’s computer, the volunteer accessed several trusted, up-to-date sources of information about male breast cancer and printed the information for the patient, who left with what he eeded.
Carefully designed with patients and privacy in mind, the Center is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers and receives all of its financial support from philanthropy.
Volunteers
The amazing volunteers at the Center believe in the power of information, the power of being informed and the importance of human connection.
“We offer a non-threatening environment with compassionate volunteers who are happy to listen and be in the moment with visitors,” said Shelley Brocci, Lead Volunteer. “Today’s patients need to be their own advocates, and the best way to do that is to be informed.”
The volunteer team, led and trained by Brocci, were hand-picked for their dedication, expertise, compassion and willingness to serve.
“Our volunteers come with a wealth of personal and professional experience: We have retired nursing, health care and social work professionals; former business professionals from disciplines ranging from accounting to human resources to information technology; two students focusing their studies on medical careers, as well as former educators and cancer survivors,” said Brocci.
A volunteer herself, Brocci built her team based on the model she experienced as a trained volunteer for eight years at the University of Michigan Patient Education Resource Center located within the Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she worked closely with a medical librarian who taught her “if you build it they will come.” Volunteers undergo semi-annual training under Brocci’s careful leadership.
Take-Aways
The majority of cancer information sought by the more than 1,500 visitors each year is divided among lung, breast, colon and hematological cancers.
In addition to seeking information on specific cancers, patients and family members also gravitate toward the free self-help brochures about nutrition, support and coping and caregiving. “There is something for everyone,” Brocci added. The Center even offers many resources about explaining cancer to children and grandchildren.
Brocci says that people love having something they can take home with them, whether they are borrowing books, CDs or DVDs, or discovering free brochures about the cancer journey — from diagnosis through treatment and survivorship. In fact, this year the Center will hand out close to 7,500 brochures.
“We also offer a non-cancer collection of resources because cancer patients or their family members may have other chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol,” Brocci explained.
Not surprisingly, these non-cancer resources are also in high demand. To appeal to the broadest population, the Center features everything from current social issues — such as cyber-bullying — to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, mental health issues, chronic pain, heart disease and more.
Innovative Programs
At the Center, patients are invited to:
• Be Informed by using the information in the Resource Center.
• Be Connected by borrowing an IPad during infusion.
• Be Inspired by relaxing with a complimentary adult coloring book and colored pencils.
• Be Uplifted through the center’s soon-to-launch mobile resource center cart that circulates in the infusion center and offers patients free printed resources plus blankets and caps donated from the community.
Outreach
One important way the Center reaches out to patients is through its partnership with Mercy Health’s Comprehensive Breast Center (CBC) and its Nurse Navigators. In addition to brochures on a variety of health and wellness topics and breast health issues that are available in a self-service information center at the CBC, the Center provides brochures for patient packets that address topics ranging from nutrition during treatment to physical activity survivorship and more.
Another vital way the Center reaches the community is through its annual sponsorship of the Cancer Awareness Musical at Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church in Muskegon Heights. This year’s event will take place on November 12 and feature a nationally recognized Gospel act along with other musical artists and speakers.
The Patient & Family Resource Center will host an information table with free information that focuses on prevention, cancer screening, support and coping and care-giving. The Center also attends the Seaway Run Healthy Lifestyle Expo each year.
Whether through community events, patient packets or its convenient location in the Johnson Family Cancer Center, the Patient & Family Resource Center supports and empowers patients and their families so they may take an active role in their health care and achieve the best possible outcome, one person at a time.
JFCC Patient & Family Resource Center Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more
The September 2017 DAISY Award winner is Holly Kistler, RN, from North 4 on the Hackley Campus. Holly was nominated by Clinical Supervisor Amber Reinhardt.
“Holly went above and beyond for a patient who was admitted and found to have cancer. Holly advocated for the patient by getting all the right people on the same page and working very diligently to expedite a necessary test that was needed in order to begin treatment.”
Holly was honored with a surprise celebration on her unit in front of her leaders and peers. To nominate a well deserving nurse, please complete the nomination form located on the Mercy Health Muskegon Intranet.
