There’s no denying breast cancer is scary. But statistics prove there are realistic expectations for survival – with early detection being a key factor. In fact, over 2 million breast cancer survivors are alive in America today. Afraid a mammogram may hurt? Don’t be. The Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health uses state of the art digital technology for all mammography services providing patients with a more comfortable experience.

We met with Linda Cohen, Women’s Healthcare Specialist for GE Healthcare, and she showed us why the digital mammography we use is so beneficial for our patients.  As Linda says, “Knowledge is Power”, it is better to know your health then to avoid it.

Take charge of your health. Schedule a mammogram today. Have a family member who may need a mammogram? Request an appointment for her as well. Don’t let fear stop you from protecting your life!

As record temperatures continue to rise in the area, heat-related hospital visits are on the rise. Excessive heat warnings are in effect and the scorching temperatures are expected to linger for the next couple weeks. Temperatures in the 90s and higher are dangerous, and become more dangerous the higher they go and the longer they last. The very young and the very old are at the highest risk, as their weight and age can impair their ability to handle high temperatures. Here are some tips to help you cope with the high heat:

Be aware of the heat. Pay attention to it and modify your activities appropriately. Check on elderly neighbors, children, and pets as they are at the highest risk for heat-related illness.

Pay attention to your hydration status and be sure to drink plenty of fluids.Cold drinks are good for cooling down the body

Try to stay in relatively cool areas, even when outside. Many public places, such as libraries, shopping malls and movie theatres, are air conditioned. Avoid hot, enclosed places, such as cars. Never leave children, pets, or the elderly unattended in the car

Stay on the lowest floor of your building.

Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.

Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing.

Cover windows that receive a significant amount of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your house cool.

Signs of Heat Overexposure:

Heavy sweating — though if heat stroke sets in, the body can no longer compensate and stops sweating.

Pale skin.

Muscle cramps.

Feeling tired and weak and/or having a headache

Altered mental status such as confusion or disorientation.

Becoming semi-conscious or passing out.

Nausea or vomiting.

First Steps to Take After Recognizing Heat-Induced Illness

Call 911. You can check  the ER wait times  for both the Homer Glen Free-Standing Emergency Care Center as well as Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet.Then immediately get the person out of the sun and into a cool area. An air-conditioned area is ideal, but moving someone into the shade will also help. Apply ice to the neck or armpits, where large blood vessels are close to the surface and  remove any heavy clothing.

The Encore Shop, will host its Fall Opening on Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Advisory Board raises funds for Silver Cross Hospital by operating a resale shop, called the Encore Shop which celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year. 

The Encore Shop, will host its Fall Opening on Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Items available for purchase include seasonal decorations, adult and children’s seasonal clothing, toys, household items, books and more. The Encore Shop is located on Walnut Street just north of the hospital’s Keck Emergency Pavilion and is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations are always welcome.  For more information, call Volunteers Services at Silver Cross Hospital at (815) 740-7117. 

Over the past 10 years, the Advisory Board has donated more than $572, 0000 to Silver Cross for the purchase of X-ray equipment for the Emergency Department, ICU beds, laptop computers for Home Health nurses, dialysis and mammography equipment, surgery carts and instruments, cardiac software, and a new pick-up truck used to maintain the grounds of the hospital campus.  The group recently completed a $75,000 pledge to purchase the water feature in the Serenity Garden outside the Silver Cross Replacement Hospital opening in February 2012.

Pavilion A

A  100 Top Hospital in the Nation for the past seven years, Silver Cross continues to make the experience even better for imaging patients and their family members. As Silver Cross gears up to open a 304-bed replacement hospital at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox, they are bringing in state-of-the-art imaging equipment and placing the new technology in key locations throughout the 70-acre campus.

“When we open on February 26, 2012 , imaging services will be strategically placed making it more convenient for inpatients, outpatients and emergency patients to get tested,” says Marci Vasiliades, Manager of Imaging and the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health.

Convenient Outpatient Testing in Pavilions A and B
The majority of outpatients will be cared for in Pavilions A and B.  These two buildings are connected to the main hospital and share a spacious lobby that will have a coffee kiosk, Walgreens pharmacy, and service ambassador. There will also be valet parking and shuttle service.  The Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health is already open and located on the first floor of Pavilion B.  Set in a spa-like setting, the Center currently offers a variety of services including full-field digital mammography, breast ultrasound and bone densitometry.

On the first-floor of Pavilion A, there will be new digital X-ray equipment.  The Hospital will also offer outpatient cardiac services such as Echo, Stress, Stress Echo, Nuclear Stress Echo and EKG procedures as well as outpatient Lab testing. The OB Clinic for high-risk pregnancies, which is currently located on the 4th floor of the Specialty Care Pavilion on the Joliet Hospital campus, will also relocate to this new outpatient testing area making it much more convenient for expectant mothers. 

“We had the luxury of learning from our experiences in the Smith Outpatient Pavilion on our current campus and most recently the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health,” said Vasiliades.  “We really like our ‘pod’ layout in which the staff work area is in the middle of the unit surrounded by the patient testing rooms, so we are replicating it in our new environment.”

Hi-Tech Services offered in Main Hospital for All Patients
At the main hospital, Imaging Services is located adjacent to the Emergency Department on the first floor. 

“Since all of Imaging supports the Emergency Department around the clock, we felt it was important to locate this equipment nearby,” said Ken Schroeder, Silver Cross Imaging Manager & PACS Administrator. 

In the main hospital Imaging Department, there will be 2 CT scanners, 4 digital X-ray units, 2 digital R & F units, 3 Nuclear Medicine cameras, 2 MRI scanners—one being wide bore to allow for added comfort, and several ultrasound units.

“We will also be placing a CT scanner on the second floor near the Procedural Care Unit and ICU,” said Schroeder.  “With this location, it will be more convenient for the high-risk patients and adjacent to the pre/post recovery area for patients needing interventional CT scan procedures.”

Also, located on the second floor will be the Neurology Department providing EEG and EMG procedures. 

Associated Radiologists of Joliet will continue to provide 24/7 interpretation services for Imaging procedures and will be located in the hospital’s Imaging Department. There is also a radiologist at the Center for Women’s Health to perform diagnostic procedures and provide on-site interpretations.

Outpatients who are coming for multiple testing that include a CT, MRI, non-cardiac Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound or Neurology testing will be seen in the main hospital.   There will be valet parking and self-registration kiosks just like at the current hospital. Patients and family members alike can also take advantage of the many amenities nearby including the Coffee Shop, Chapel, Library or Childerguild Gift Shop. For patients waiting for a ride, they can do so in the new Discharge Lounge in the Main Lobby.

“To enhance patient-family centered care, we will be bringing even more testing to the bedside when appropriate,” says Vasiliades. 

For more information about the Silver Cross Replacement Hospital, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

(for sauteed peaches)

• 2 1/2 cups sliced, fresh peaches (1/4 in.)
• 1 cup diced red onions (1/4 in.)
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 pinches black pepper
• 2 1/2 tbsp. soft margerine

(for the grilled chicken)

• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 8 (4oz.)boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preperation:

1. Melt margarine in saute` pan over medium-hich heat.
2. Add onions.
3. Saute` for 3-4 minutes until tender. A
4. dd peaches, lemon juice, curry powder, ginger, cinnamon, and pepper.
5. Saute` for 4-6 minutes unti peaches are tender.
6. Keep warm
7.  Next, preheat the char-grill to medium.
8. Lightly pound chicken with meat mallet.
9. Lightly coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.
10. Cook chicken until internal temperature reached 165 degrees F and juices run clear, 4-6 minutes on each side.
11. Serve each piece of chicken with 1/4 cup of sauteed peaches.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION per serving

Calories:150  Carbohydrate:7g  Protien:16g 

Sat. Fat: 2g  Cholesterol:40mg  Sodium: 270mg

Recipe courtesy of Silver Cross Hospital Nutrition Services & Aramark

There are few families that have not been affected by breast cancer, but there is something that women can do to prevent it: an annual mammogram. Linda Cohen, GE Healthcare Women’s Health Specialist, shares why she believes every woman should get screened.

The American Cancer Society believes the best way to detect breast cancer early  involves a combined approach that includes:

• Women’s awareness of changes in their breasts
• Breast self-exams and clinical breast exams starting at age 20
• Mammograms starting at age 40
• For women at high risk, annual MRI and mammogram

Know your health. Schedule a mammogram today.

Kegel exercises are one of the most effective ways of controlling urinary incontinence and pelvic floor disorders naturally. They aim to strengthen pelvic floor muscles that support and hold up the bladder.

Dr. Sandra Culbertson, Urogynecologist with the University of Chicago at the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, shares how to perform correct Kegel exercises.

The beauty of Kegels is that you can really do them just about anywhere, anytime. To exercise the pelvic floor muscle, pretend you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Pull in and squeeze those muscles. Hold the squeeze for about 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Try for three or four sets of 10 contractions every day.  Try doing a few sets of Kegels when you are in your car, sitting at your desk, or watching TV. To be sure you are doing Kegels correctly, ask your doctor or the nurse to describe the proper form. They can also check that you are doing them correctly. While this may seem like an emberassing topic to bring up with your physician, it is so important for women to really understand how to do a proper Kegel.

See if you are at risk for Incontinence or Pelvic Floor Disorder and take a FREE on-line risk assessment. Silver Cross has several doctors on staff who specialize in diagnosing and treating pelvic floor disorders. Learn more here. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago at Silver Cross Hospital also provides extensive support programs for pelvic floor disorders.

With the shifting focus to bring more care to the bedside, the Material Management Department at Silver Cross Hospital is improving the way supplies are delivered and stocked on the patient care units.  When the Replacement Hospital opens in New Lenox on Feb. 26, 2012, the Material Management team will be responsible for managing the inventory in the nurse supply servers, equipment in the hallways, and the weekly supply stock on the patient care floors.

“With our enhanced focus on making the patient/family experience even better, we knew we needed to centralize the way that supplies and equipment are stocked on the floors,” said Jeff Olson, Director of Material Management at Silver Cross Hospital.  “By becoming the concierge for each unit’s supply and equipment needs, we will be expanding the services we currently provide.”

Nurse Supply Servers
Over 75% percent of the patient care supplies used by a nurse or certified nurse assistant (C.N.A.) are stored in the nurse server outside the patient’s room.  Today, it takes a nurse two to three hours a few times a week to restock the server.  In the Replacement Hospital, a Floor Supply Tech will be assigned to each floor to re-stock the nurse servers from a prefilled locked cart as needed thus allowing our nurses to spend more time caring for patients.  “Staff won’t have to hunt and gather supplies,” Olson says.  “The Tech will make sure caregivers have exactly what they need—when they need it.”

Open Architecture Inventory
Modeling the successes in how supplies are stocked on the 6th floor—the Joliet Hospital’s most recently renovated patient care floor, there will be an open architecture inventory system in the replacement hospital.  This means that supplies will be put on open shelves and inventoried using bar code scanning to determine what items need to be restocked in the main supply areas.

“The Floor Supply Tech will become an integral part of the caregiver team on each floor,” said Olson.   “No longer will nurses need to call down to the Storeroom for a ‘Stat’ request or a piece of equipment. They can simply contact the Tech saving valuable time and energy.”

The Floor Supply Tech can also fill special requests so that it is available for when the patient needs the item.

Equipment Storage
Making sure that the necessary equipment such as beds, stretchers and chairs are available to take care of patients is important. However, when not being used, this apparatuses tends to end up in the hallways becoming a potential safety hazard. 

“This will no longer be a problem in the new hospital,” Olson says.  We’ve incorporated a space within the Material Management Department on the Lower Level that will house these items. And we are developing a plan among support areas such as Environmental Services, Building Services and Material Management to keep the hallways clear of clutter.”

Patient care equipment and supplies have already started to arrive and are being stored in a warehouse in Bolingbrook until they can be moved to  the new Hospital this fall.  These supplies as well as all other deliveries will be brought in through the new loading dock which can accommodate up to six trucks at a time.  It will take up to three months to stock the entire hospital and another month to clear out the existing inventory left behind.

“Our top priority is to make sure that we have all the necessary supplies needed to care for patients when we open on Feb. 26, 2012.”

For more information about the Silver Cross Replacement Hospital, visit www.silvercross.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

Did you know that ice cream is loaded with calcium, providing 10% of your daily-recommended allowance per serving?  That means that snacking can give you what you need to keep those bones in good shape preventing osteoporosis or “porus bones”.

Osteoporosis is a disease that thins and weakens the bones to the point that they become fragile and break easily.   It’s seen most often in small-framed women age 40 to 50. Women who are postmenopausal, particularly light-skinned, and have a family history of osteoporosis are also at risk for this debilitating disease.

Unfortunately, osteoporosis does not have any symptoms until a fracture occurs. Women most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist. But any fracture could be a warning sign that the bone is weaker than optimal.

So how do you know if you have osteoporosis?  A bone mineral density test is considered the best way to check your bone health. Bone density tests compare your bone density to the bones of an average healthy young adult. The most widely recognized test is a DXA scan of the hip and spine. This test shows if you have normal bone density, low bone mass, or osteoporosis. It is also used to monitor bone density changes over time in response to treatment.  DXA scans are available at the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health located on the Silver Cross Replacement Hospital campus in New Lenox.

Get a Free Dove® Ice Cream Bar!
Women who call before Aug. 31 to schedule an appointment for a DXA Scan to screen for osteoporosis will receive a complimentary Dove® Bar.  Getting enough calcium is critical for keeping those bones strong!  Request an appointment online or call (815) 740-7076 and don’t forget to mention ICE CREAM! A physician’s order is required at time of appointment.  Don’t have a doctor? Click here or call 1-888-660-HEAL for a free referral.