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Carlisle Family Health Center Welcomes Physician Assistant

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:35:57 -0500

Karen Ware, PA-C, is now practicing at Holy Spirit Health System’s new Carlisle Family Health Center.

Ware has 25 years of healthcare experience in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. She has been a physician assistant for the past 14 years. Most recently, Ware was a physician assistant at the United States Army’s Dunham Health Clinic in Carlisle.

Ware has her master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska, Omaha NE. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX.

The Carlisle Family Health Center, located at 1211 Forge Road, Carlisle, offers family medicine visits by appointment and walk-in care for patients who need same day medical care. If a patient has a primary care doctor, Carlisle Family Health Center will send a summary of medical care provided to the primary care doctor’s office and return the patient to them for follow-up care.

To schedule an appointment, please call 218-3920. The Carlisle Family Health Center accepts most insurance plans.

Nurses' Walk to be Held in April

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:46:46 -0500

Holy Spirit Health System is sponsoring a “Nurses’ Walk” on Saturday, April 28, from 9 to 11 a.m., at Adams Ricci Park, 100 East Penn Drive, Enola. The event will be held rain or shine.

Registration and warm-ups begin at 9 a.m. The walk begins at 9:30 a.m. The paved walking paths are designed for all ages and agility levels. The walk will be on the Blue Loop (1.25 miles). Free health screenings and water stations.

Register by April 6 and receive a free T-shirt! The cost to participate in the walk is $25 ($10 for children 15 & younger). If you raise $50 or more in sponsorships, there is no registration fee.

For more information, call 763-2779 or send an email to Development@hsh.org. You can also print a registration form with event details or make a gift now to support the 2012 Nurses Walk. All proceeds benefit Holy Spirit Health System to provide charitable care which helps to underwrite the cost of providing necessary healthcare services to our neighbors in need.

Day of Dance to be held in February

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:31:11 -0500

Holy Spirit Health System is hosting its fifth annual Spirit of Women “Day of Dance” event on Saturday, February 25, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at the Radisson Hotel in Camp Hill.

Free blood pressure, body mass index, carotid artery and peripheral vascular disease (PAD), cholesterol, and glucose screenings, as well as cardiovascular risk, sleep disorder and blood clot risk assessments will be offered during the event. For health screenings and to be eligible for door prizes, please pre-register by calling 717-972-4879 or visiting http://www.hsh.org/register-now-for-spirit-of-women-event/.

Bring your friends and family to dance, enjoy the performances, participate in health screenings, and learn simple ways to stay healthy. “Day of Dance for Health” was designed to inspire women and their families to better heart health. Proving that exercise can be both fun and beneficial to the heart, the program combines the fun of dancing to different forms of music with health screenings and education on heart disease and other health issues.

“Day of Dance helps to make us more aware of the dangers of heart disease for women and provides information about cardiovascular health and risk factors,” says Margaret Kortze, coordinator of Holy Spirit Health System’s Spirit of Women program. “Heart disease is a serious threat, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun trying to prevent it.”

Dancing can burn as many calories as swimming, walking, or riding a bike. Dancing regularly has many other benefits as well, including a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and an improved cholesterol profile. Side-to-side movements of many dances strengthen weight-bearing bones and can prevent or slow the loss of bone mass.

Valerie Pritchett from abc27 and Pat Gadsden, an entrepreneur and trainer/consultant and television show co-host, will be the event emcees.

Just prior to “Day of Dance,” Spirit of Women will host a free special educational event for Spirit of Women members. Lenke Erki, MD, a cardiologist with Capital Cardiovascular Associates, will present “Women and Cardiovascular Disease” from 11 a.m. to noon. A heart-healthy lunch will be served at Radisson’s Bridges Café from noon to 1 p.m. Men may also attend if they are a guest of a Spirit of Women member. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required by email to makortze@hsh.org.

Participants in “Day of Dance for Health” will have the opportunity to register for Spirit of Women membership. This free membership entitles members to discounts at partner businesses, as well as discounted or free entry to future Spirit of Women events and programs.

Holy Spirit Hospital is affiliated with The Spirit of Women Hospital Network, a national coalition of hospitals and healthcare facilities joined together to advance the cause and business of women’s health. Day of Dance events will take place in more than 80 cities across the nation, presented by affiliate hospitals of the Spirit of Women Hospital Network.

DAY OF DANCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25

1 p.m. Health Screenings Begin in Keystone Rooms

1 p.m. Ethnic Folk Dancing Performance – Philippine Cultural Dance Group

1:15 p.m. Irish Dance Performance – Rebel Heart

1:30 p.m. Welcome - Sister Romaine Niemeyer, SCC, President and CEO, Holy Spirit Health System

1:35 p.m. Zumba® – Momentum Female Fitness & Nutrition

2 p.m. Community Soul Line Dancing – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter

2:20 p.m. Choreographed Cardio Kickboxing – Fit For You

2:30 p.m. Belly Dance – Egyptian Moon Dance Company

3 p.m. Zumba Gold® – Harrisburg YMCA

3:20 p.m. Hip Hop – e-Dance Studio

4 p.m. Line Dances

4:25 p.m. Closing Remarks and door prize drawings

Cardiac Rehab Maintenance Program Offered

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:54:27 -0500

Holy Spirit Hospital now offers an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation maintenance program to those who have completed a formal cardiac rehab program. This non-monitored maintenance program will provide the patient with a safe environment where they can exercise with others who have the same goal of staying heart healthy. Minimal supervision is provided and independence is strongly encouraged. The nursing staff can be called upon if a problem or emergency arises. For details or to sign up for this self-pay program, call 972-4486.

Musical Performance Hosted by Holy Spirit Hospital Auxiliary in February

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:48:39 -0500

The Holy Spirit Hospital Auxiliary will be hosting a presentation of Theatre Harrisburg’s presentation of “Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” on Sunday, February 5 at 2 p.m. at The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. This timeless favorite is appropriate for all ages.

Tickets are $25 each and are available by calling Holy Spirit Hospital’s Auxiliary’s office at (717) 763-2796. Tickets for this performance are not available through the Whitaker Center’s Box Office. All proceeds will benefit Holy Spirit’s Spirit of Women program.

The Auxiliary will be collecting items to benefit clients of the St. Francis Soup Kitchen. Guests are encouraged to bring donations of canned goods to the performance.

Learn about the Link Between Diabetes and Heart Disease at "Taste of Sugar" Support Group in February

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:45:05 -0500

Holy Spirit Diabetes Services offers a free monthly support group for people with pre-diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and their families. “A Taste of Sugar” meets on the second Monday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. in Wegman’s conference room.

The American Diabetes Association will present information on the connection between diabetes and heart disease at the meeting on February 13. No registration is necessary. For more information, please contact Holy Spirit Diabetes Services at 763-2466.

Learn about Diabetic Foot and Leg Problems at "Taste of Sugar" Support Group in March

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:24:39 -0500

Peter S. Holtz, DPM, will present information on diabetic foot and leg problems during the meeting on Monday, March 12. No registration is necessary. For more information, please contact Holy Spirit Diabetes Services at 763-2466.

Spirit Girls' Night Out to be Held in Carlisle

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:13:18 -0500

Holy Spirit Health System’s Spirit of Women program is hosting Spirit Girls’ Night Out on Friday, March 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. This free event will be held at the Hotel Carlisle (formerly the Embers Convention Center), 1700 Harrisburg Pike, Carlisle.

Spirit Girls’ Night Out is a free event open to women age 18 and older and focuses on prevention and health education for women of every generation. Bring your mother, your sister, your girlfriends for free health screenings, educational displays, physician presentations, fun activities, games, door prizes, dancing, shopping, five-minute makeovers, mini-workshop on scrapbooking techniques, chair massage, a fashion show, and more.

Free blood pressure, bone density, body mass index, carotid artery and peripheral artery disease (PAD), cholesterol, and glucose screenings, as well as sleep risk assessments, will be offered during the event. For health screenings and to be eligible for door prizes, you must pre-register by calling 717-972-4879 or register online. All women who pre-register will receive a goody bag.

Holy Spirit Hospital is affiliated with The Spirit of Women Hospital Network, a national coalition of hospitals and healthcare facilities in more than 80 U.S. cities joined together to advance the cause and business of women’s health.

Hospital Auxiliary Holding 15th Annual Spring Festival

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:37:42 -0500

Holy Spirit Hospital Auxiliary will hold its 15^th annual Spring Festival on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Adams Ricci Park, Enola. The event will include a flower sale and chicken barbeque, bake sale, and children’s games and activities. Admission and parking are free. The event will be held rain or shine.

All proceeds from this family and community event will benefit Holy Spirit Hospital. For more information, or to pre-order flowers or chicken barbeque meals, please contact the Holy Spirit Hospital Auxiliary office at 763-2796 or ahubbard@hsh.org.

Holy Spirit Hospital Now Offers Cryoablation Services

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:21:45 -0500

Safwat Gassis, MD, FACC, has joined Capital Cardiovascular Associates, a service of Holy Spirit Health System. Dr. Gassis is a cardiologist who offers the most advanced treatment options for heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation. He performed Pennsylvania’s first balloon cryoablation procedure to treat atrial fibrillation—the most common irregular heart rhythm—after its approval by the FDA in December 2010. The Ortenzio Heart Center at Holy Spirit currently is the only location in the greater Harrisburg area where this ablation technique is being performed. Dr. Gassis is among the most experienced electrophysiologists in the country using this ablation technique, an important factor shown to influence success rates.

Instead of using heat, as with traditional catheter ablation, balloon cryoablation uses a coolant to isolate entire regions of abnormal electricity from the rest of the heart to restore proper heart rhythm. “The freezing technique is less traumatic to the tissue and other structures around the heart,” explains Dr. Gassis. “It is also more efficient. The procedure takes less time and recovery for the patient is quicker.”

Half of all patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation do not respond to drug therapy. “Cryoablation has revolutionized catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and offers patients a new treatment option,” says Dr. Gassis.

Approximately 3 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation, and many more go undiagnosed. Untreated atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of death from heart-related causes, including congestive heart failure, increases the risk of stroke by 500 percent, and raises the risk of hospitalization.

A large clinical trial found that almost 70 percent of patients treated with cryoablation therapy were free from atrial fibrillation one year later, compared to approximately seven percent using only drug therapy. Additionally, those treated with cryoablation had a significant decrease in symptoms and need for drug therapy, and they had substantial improvement in their quality of life.

Dr. Gassis uses the Medtronic Arctic Front® Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System. It has been used to treat more than 20,000 patients in 200 centers worldwide.

Holy Spirit will open a new Atrial Fibrillation Center (AFC) in February and Dr. Gassis will be the medical director. The AFC will provide patients with access to state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment options for atrial fibrillation to decrease their risk of stroke and congestive heart failure. “The care for patients with atrial fibrillation will be individualized,” explains Dr. Gassis. “Treatment will be tailored to suit each patient’s specific situation, including how the rhythm disorder affects his or her ability to function, its effect on heart function, risk of complications from the arrhythmia, as well as patient preference.”

Capital Cardiovascular Associates provides services to diagnose and treat even the most complex cardiovascular problems. Their offices are located at 101 Erford Road, Camp Hill and 5 Capital Drive, Harrisburg. The phone number is 724-6450. All of the physicians and physician assistants continue to provide services to patients at Holy Spirit, as well as the PinnacleHealth hospitals.

Holy Spirit’s Carlisle Center Adding New Services January 18

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:56:39 -0500

The Holy Spirit Carlisle Center will open its imaging and lab services on Wednesday, January 18. This new center is located at 1211 Forge Road, Carlisle, near Westminster and York Roads.

“Holy Spirit has enjoyed serving patients in the Carlisle community for many years. More and more Carlisle area residents choose Holy Spirit Hospital and our outpatient services,” says Rick LaVanture, senior vice president, Strategic Planning and Business Development. “This center will allow us to provide additional care and services in a more convenient and integrated setting.”

Imaging services will include MRI, CT, 3D and 4D ultrasound, full body bone densitometry, and digital X-ray. Digital mammography, with computer-aided detection, services will be offered beginning in late May. Imaging services will be offered Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and on Fridays from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment for imaging services, please call 972-4900.

Complete specimen draws and laboratory collection services will be available at the Holy Spirit Carlisle Center. The lab will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. No appointment is needed for most lab tests, and early morning collection times are available.

Patients who need to have an EKG (a simple, painless test that records the heart’s electrical activity) done as part of their routine care will be able to have them performed at the Holy Spirit Carlisle Center. To schedule an EKG, please call 763-2191.

In December, the Carlisle Family Health Center opened at this location. Babak Behta, MD, provides family medicine visits by appointment. Walk-in care is also available for patients who need same day medical care. If a patient has a primary care doctor, Carlisle Family Health Center will send a summary of medical care provided to the primary care doctor’s office and return the patient to their doctor for follow-up care. To make an appointment, please call 218-3920.

Physician specialty services will be offered at the Holy Spirit Carlisle Center in the future. For more information, call 717-763-CARE (2273).

Free CPR Classes Offered to Community

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:25:56 -0500

ALL CLASSES ARE FULL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

In honor of Heart Month, Holy Spirit Health System is offering free CPR classes on Saturday, February 4. American Heart Association-trained instructors will be teaching these classes in Holy Spirit Hospital’s auditorium. These courses will teach participants the skills needed to successfully resuscitate the victim of cardiopulmonary arrest and to relieve a foreign body airway obstruction. Participants will learn the risk factors and signs of a stroke, heart attack, cardiopulmonary arrest, and airway obstruction, and how to correctly use an automated external defibrillator (AED) for adults and children.

“BLS for Healthcare Providers” will be offered from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. This course is designed for healthcare providers.

The “Heartsaver AED” class will be offered to community members. This course is intended to teach the lay rescuer. Participants may elect to learn adult and child CPR and/or infant CPR. This class begins at 9 a.m.

After successfully completing the course, each participant will receive a course completion card. To register for these free classes, please call (717) 972-4262. Please register early as space is limited.

Holy Spirit Hospital Auxiliary to Host Musical Performance

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:23:08 -0500

The Auxiliary will be collecting items to benefit clients of the St. Francis Soup Kitchen. Guests are encouraged to bring donations of canned goods to the performance.

Caring for Elderly Parents Seminar to be Offered

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:55:46 -0500

Holy Spirit Health System will host a free educational seminar on caring for elderly parents in January. Maureen Asper, RN, ACNS-BC, coordinator of Palliative Care and Faith-Based Nursing Ministry, Holy Spirit Hospital, and Mary Ann Stetz, MS, LSW, will present “Caring for Elderly Parents: Coping Strategies for the Sandwich Generation” on Thursday, January 19, at 6 p.m. The lecture will be held in Holy Spirit Hospital’s Auditorium.

Come for an hour and learn how to cope with caring for both elderly parents and children, long distance care giving, disagreements among family members, and discover how easy it is to create an advance directive or living will.

There is no need to register. Light refreshments will be served. If you have questions, please call 763-2900.

Doctors at Holy Spirit Hospital Perform United States’ First Non-Trial TAVR Procedure using the SAPIEN device

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:02:44 -0500

Rajesh Dave, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Chief Medical Executive, Holy Spirit Cardiovascular Institute, and Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at The Ortenzio Heart Center at Holy Spirit, and Vincent Park, MD, Cardiovascular Surgical Institute, together successfully performed the United States’ first (non-trial, commercial use) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the Edwards Lifesciences’ SAPIEN device at Holy Spirit Hospital. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Edwards SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve Model 9000TFX and accessories for commercial use on November 2, 2011.

The TAVR procedure allows doctors to implant an artificial heart valve as they would a coronary stent without opening the chest or using heart and lung bypass machines. This procedure is especially beneficial to patients who are too sick to undergo conventional open heart surgery. “With TAVR we can now significantly improve life expectancy and quality of life for patients who have very limited treatment options,” says Dr. Dave. “When patients are treated with medical therapy alone, because they cannot have surgery or are at a high risk for open heart surgery, we’ve seen very poor outcomes—in recent trials and clinical practice. “TAVR represents one of the greatest advances in treating cardiovascular disease.”

Dr. Park, a cardiovascular surgeon, makes a small incision into the patient’s groin, allowing access into the artery for Dr. Dave to implant the SAPIEN device using a balloon catheter.

Two TAVR procedures were performed on Monday, December 12, and one was performed today. The first patient, a 93-year-old male, was discharged today, two days after undergoing this procedure.

Capital Cardiovascular Associates has offices on the East and West Shores, including 5 Capital Drive, Harrisburg, and 101 Erford Road, Camp Hill. The phone number is 724-6450. Cardiovascular Surgical Institute is located a 423 North 21^st Street, Camp Hill. Both practices are services of Holy Spirit Health System.

Day of Dance to be held February 25

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:46:07 -0500

Holy Spirit Health System is hosting its fifth annual Spirit of Women dance event in February. “Day of Dance for Health” will be held on Saturday, February 25, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at the Radisson Hotel in Camp Hill. In addition to dance performances and lessons, this event includes health displays and free health screenings for registered participants. Bring your friends and family to dance, learn simple ways to stay healthy, enjoy music, and participate in health screenings. To be eligible for door prizes and health screenings, please register by calling 717-972-4879 or register online.

Spirit of Women members and guests can register for a special presentation, "Women and Heart Disease," that will be offered by Lenke Erki, MD, from 11 a.m. to noon. To register, please send an email to makortze@hsh.org. The presentation is limited to first 100 registrants.

Holy Spirit Carlisle Center to Open on December 19

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:43:25 -0500

The Holy Spirit Carlisle Center will open on Monday, December 19. This new center is located at 1211 Forge Road, Carlisle, near Westminster and York Roads. The center will include family medicine and walk-in care, imaging and lab services, routine EKGs, and specialty physicians. These services will be opening progressively over the next several months.

“Holy Spirit has enjoyed serving patients in the Carlisle community for many years. The numbers of Carlisle area residents who choose Holy Spirit Hospital and our outpatient services continues to increase,” says Rick LaVanture, senior vice president, Strategic Planning and Business Development. “This center will allow us to provide residents with additional care and services in a more convenient and integrated manner.”

On Monday, December 19, the Carlisle Family Health Center will open. Babak Behta, MD, will provide family medicine visits by appointment. Walk-in care will also be available for patients who need same day medical care. If a patient has a primary care doctor, Carlisle Family Health Center will send a summary of medical care provided to the primary care doctor’s office and return the patient to them for follow-up care.

The Carlisle Family Health Center will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 8 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. until noon. To schedule an appointment at the Carlisle Family Health Center, please call 218-3920 beginning on December 19. The Carlisle Family Health Center will accept most insurance plans.

Dr. Behta has been practicing at Holy Spirit’s Silver Creek Family Health Center, Mechanicsburg, and at Broad Street Family Health Center, Marysville. He received his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., and completed his residency at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville, NC. He received his bachelor’s of science degree in Biology at Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pa., and graduated first in his class.

Most imaging, lab and routine EKG services will be available beginning on Wednesday, January 18. Imaging services will include MRI, CT, 3D and 4D ultrasound, full body bone densitometry, and digital X-ray. Digital mammography, with computer-aided detection, services will be offered beginning in late May. Imaging services will be offered Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and on Fridays from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment for imaging services, please call 972-4900.

Physician specialty services will be offered at the Holy Spirit Carlisle Center in the future. For more information on services provided at the Holy Spirit Carlisle Center, call 717-763-CARE (2273) or visit www.hsh.org.

Bereavement Support Group Offered

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:31:18 -0500

Holy Spirit Hospital's Pastoral Care Department offers a Bereavement Support Group/Lecture Series for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. It is also offered to those who care about friends who are grieving. Various aspects of the grieving process will be discussed to help individuals understand how to cope with grief and how to develop skills necessary to turn their mourning into cherished memories of their loved ones.

The support group will meets regularly throughout the year. The sessions are held in the Holy Spirit Hospital Pastoral Care Department. For dates or to register for the series or for certain weeks, please call 763-2118 or 972-4255.

Managing Heart Failure during the Holidays

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:38:29 -0500

Holy Spirit Hospital has teamed up with cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to provide cardiac health education, as well as group support to patients, their families, and caregivers to promote lifelong heart healthy living.

Holy Spirit’s Spirited Hearts, a cardiac patient support group, provides cardiac health education, as well as group support to patients, their families, and caregivers to promote lifelong heart healthy living. On Tuesday, December 6, Christopher Spizzieri, DO, FACC, FASE, Capital Cardiovascular Associates, and Carmelia Edwards, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, Holy Spirit Hospital, will present “Managing Heart Failure during the Holidays.” A question and answer session will follow. The Cardiac Patient Support Group meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Holy Spirit Hospital’s Auditorium C&D.

Seating is limited. Please call 972-4486 to reserve your seat.

Understanding Medicare Educational Seminar to be Offered

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:53:57 -0500

Holy Spirit Health System and the APPRISE program of the Cumberland County Aging and Community Services will host a free educational seminar for Medicare beneficiaries, those who will soon become eligible, and their families on Wednesday, November 16, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. “Understanding Medicare” will be held in Holy Spirit Hospital’s Auditorium C & D, 503 North 21^st Street, Camp Hill. Parking is free.

Staff from Holy Spirit Hospital and the APPRISE program of the Cumberland County Aging and Community Services will host this free open session for anyone who wants to learn more about Medicare options and the importance of doing an annual plan comparison before the open enrollment program closes on December 7. They will also discuss Medicare beneficiaries’ rights and responsibilities.

Space is limited. Please register by Monday, November 14 by calling Holy Spirit Hospital at 717-763-2138 or the APPRISE office at 1-888-697-0371 extension 6110 or 717-240-6110. Light refreshments will be served.