New orthopedic surgeon brings sports medicine expertise to Wyandotte County

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Nick Aberle II, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with expertise in sports medicine and shoulder surgery, has joined Providence Medical Group Orthopedics, Kansas City, Kan.

His office is located on the Providence Medical Center campus at 8919 Parallel Parkway, Suite 360. He is accepting new patients at 913-596-3940.

Dr. Aberle is excited to join the new practice dedicated to serving the orthopedic needs of Wyandotte County.

“One of the things that appealed to me about Providence is that the hospital has the advanced resources necessary to perform state-of-the-art orthopedic surgery, yet has a close-knit, collegial staff,” Dr. Aberle says. “Together, we can meet the community’s needs for orthopedic care.”

Providence Medical Center mourns loss of Cardiologist

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- In a press release issued by Stormont-Vail HealthCare this week, it was announced three people were killed in a small plane crash Sunday night in suburban Chicago.

The release indicated Tausif Rehman, M.D., Cotton-O’Neil neurosurgeon, and Ali A. Kanchwala, M.D., Cotton-O’Neil pulmonologist, and Dr. Kanchwala’s wife, Maria Javaid, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, were aboard a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron when it crashed in a vacant lot in a Palos Hills neighborhood.

“It is with a heavy heart we have learned of the recent passing of Maria Javaid, M.D., a cardiologist on staff at Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital,” said Randall G. Nyp, Chief Executive Officer, Providence Medical Center/Saint John Hospital.

“Dr. Javaid was a kind and caring physician on our staff who connected with her adoring patients with great listening skills and thoughtful input.  Our deepest prayers are sent to her family and our employees, physicians and volunteers who worked closely with her in the Providence Cardiac Center and other departments at our hospitals. We thank you for keeping Dr. Javaid’s family and closest colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.”

Chaplaincy and EAP services are being made available to assist staff at Providence and Saint John during this sad time.

Dr. Javaid, a board certified interventional cardiologist, joined the Providence Medical Center Medical Staff in 2008.  She was also a member of the Saint John Hospital Medical Staff.

A Memorial Service will be held honoring Dr. Maria Javaid, Dr. Ali Kanchwala and Dr. Tausif Rehman this weekend:

Sunday, Oct. 19, 2:30 p.m.
Az-Zahra Center, 8350 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas

Providence Physicians Assist with Free Kansas City, Kan. Health Fair Sept. 27

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) Heartland Chapter and Mercy & Truth Medical Missions are partnering to sponsor a free health fair Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m. The health fair will be held at the Mercy & Truth KCK Clinic, located at 721 North 31st Street, Kansas City, Kan.

Physicians on the Providence medical staff who are members of the APPNA and who will be volunteering at the health fair include Aman Khan, M.D., pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist; Maria Javaid, M.D., interventional cardiologist; and Hussain Haideri, M.D., nephrologist. They are among the 40 physicians of Pakistani descent from across the metro that will be providing their services at the event.

LeAnne DeTar Newbert, M.D., a family practice physician with Providence Medical Center Primary Care—Basehor, and medical director of Mercy & Truth, also is assisting with the health fair. JoAnn McIntosh, R.N., a member of the Providence nursing staff who is a volunteer with Mercy & Truth, is taking reservations for the health fair.

“There is a definite need in our community for this event,” says Karen Orr, R.N., M.S.N., M.B.A., C.M.S.R.N., chief nursing officer for Providence. “We are happy to make a small contribution to support the health fair, but want to acknowledge the importance of the partnership between our on-staff physicians and the APPNA, along with all the efforts of JoAnn McIntosh, one of our surgical unit nurses. Their involvement is key to reaching out to our community.”

“This is a wonderful event where Muslims and Christians are working side by side for the good of the underserved people of Wyandotte County,” says Dr. DeTar Newbert. “Mercy & Truth is in the business of caring for people with the servant’s heart of Christ and APPNA desires to give back to the community and serve the poor.”

Dr. Khan, who is a past president of the APPNA and is assisting with organizing the health fair, agrees and adds, “By working together, we will be able to make the most of our resources and reach people who need medical care in Wyandotte County.”

Abdul Ahad Haleem, M.D., current president of the APPNA and a physician on staff at the Veterans Administration Hospital, adds that the clinic will provide much-needed health care to the uninsured and underprivileged in Kansas City, Kan.  “Our health fair is part of the APPNA’s preventive health initiative, which will take place in 30 cities in the United States and Canada,” he says.

Approximately 40 physician specialists of Pakistani descent from across the area will be on hand to consult with individuals. Patients who are referred to the health fair by other safety net clinics or private providers will receive a copy of their consult notes and a copy will be sent to the referring provider. Patients who have no provider will be given a list of providers participating in the Wyandotte Safety Net clinic network and encouraged to follow up with the consultation information provided.

Specialties represented at the health fair include:  internal/general/family medicine/pediatrics; pathology; neurology/neuro-intervention/strokes; pulmonary (sleep); cardiology (heart); allergy/rheumatology; nephrology (kidney diseases); gastroenterology nutrition/dietary; orthopedics (joint, back pain); pain evaluation and management; psychiatry/psychology; and hematology/oncology.

The providers will be administering free flu shots to the first 200 participants. Basic blood tests (cholesterol and glucose), EKGs and cardiology consults, also will be available.

Health fair appointments are free, but pre-registration is recommended. Contact McIntosh at 913-396-2575 to schedule a free appointment.

Sponsors of the health fair include Providence Medical Center, Walmart, Walgreen’s, Target, Starbucks, Cameron Regional Hospital and Panera Bread. Burmese, Nepali and Spanish interpretation will be available.

Providence Invests in Family Medical Group and Community’s Health Care

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – In an effort to expand its health care presence and commitment to the residents of Wyandotte County, Providence Medical Center has recently acquired Family Medical Group, P.A., located at 8101 Parallel Parkway, Suite 100.

The group includes six board-certified family practice physicians:  Michael Parra, M.D.; Russell King, M.D.; Margaret Killam, M.D.; Robert Jevons, M.D.; Sabrina Markese, M.D.; and Terry Simmons, M.D. All of the physicians are on staff at Providence. During the transition, the new practice will be known as Providence Medical Group—Family Medical Group.

Dr. Michael Parra has a long-standing association with the hospital and Kansas City, Kan. His father, Miguel Parra, M.D., established his medical practice in the community in 1970. Miguel Parra was a member of the former Bethany Medical Center medical staff, and the Providence medical staff. Before Dr. Miguel’s retirement in 2000, his practice grew into one of the city’s largest multispecialty groups, Kanza Medical Group.

“We are very excited to welcome Family Medical Group to Providence,” says Randy Nyp, Providence CEO. “Dr. Parra is the second generation of his family to practice medicine in Wyandotte County. The members of this practice are dedicated to the legacy of caring that his father established more than four decades ago. Our new association represents a mutual commitment to provide and grow primary care for the residents of this community.”

After earning his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kan., Dr. Michael Parra performed a residency in family practice at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kan. Following graduation, he practiced medicine with his father at Kanza. He established Family Medical Group in 2002, along with his partners, Drs. King, Jevons, Markese and Killam.

Dr. Parra is committed to continuing his father’s legacy of caring for the members of the community, having practiced medicine for 21 years in Wyandotte County. He also has served as the medical director of Providence Place since 1995; and is the medical director of Sacred Heart Hospice.

The other members of the practice also have become fixtures of medical care in the community.

• Dr. Jevons earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kan., and performed a residency in family practice at the University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kan. He has practiced in Wyandotte County for 25 years.

• Dr. King earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kan., and performed a residency in family practice at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa, Okla. He has practiced in Wyandotte County for 22 years.

• Dr. Markese earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kan., and also performed her residency in family practice there. She has practiced in Wyandotte County for 14 years.

• Dr. Killam earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kan., and performed a residency in family practice at the University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kan. She has practiced in Wyandotte County for 12 years.

• Dr. Simmons earned his medical degree from the University of Health Services, Bethesda, Md. He performed a residency in family practice with Dewitt Army Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, Va. He has practiced in Wyandotte County for 10 years.

“It is important to strengthen our bond with Providence,” Dr. Parra says. “We want to continue to provide quality health care to the residents of Wyandotte County with a hometown feel. With health care reform, we also believe it’s crucial to grow accessibility and availability of primary care in this community. We are committed to giving residents an option to receive their medical care in a community hospital, where they often can be closer to home, as well as near relatives, friends and neighbors. That is an important feature in establishing a patient-centered medical home and a more coordinated model of care.”

The practice’s location at 8101 Parallel Parkway, Suite 100, will remain unchanged, as will its phone number, 913-299-9200. For more information about primary care at Providence, visit www.providencekc.com.

Brian Jones returns to Providence Pain Management Center

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Brian M. Jones, M.D., a board-certified anesthesiologist, has returned to the Providence Pain Management Center as an employed anesthesiologist.

The center is conveniently located on the Providence Medical Center campus in the Doctors Building, West Tower, Suite #416, adjacent to the hospital.

Dr. Jones provides patients with a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of all types of chronic pain, including:

• Neck, back and joint pain
• Multiple chronic pain disorders
• Chronic headaches
• Arthritis
• Pain related to shingles
• Cancer pain
• Nerve Pain

The Providence Pain Management Center treats each patient’s mental as well as physical well-being and helps coordinate care with the patient’s primary care provider, rehabilitation specialists and psychologists, as needed. The center offers a multidisciplinary team approach that includes:

• Medication management
• Interventional procedures
• Advanced techniques (spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal delivery systems)
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Behavior modification

“At the Providence Pain Management Center, we care for the whole person, physically and mentally,” Dr. Jones says. “Our goal is to reduce each patient’s pain to a manageable level so they can return to their normal lifestyle and activities.” Because the Providence Pain Management Center works very closely with the Providence Spine Center, many of the treatments offered focus on relieving back and neck pain.

Dr. Jones is an experienced pain management specialist who received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan., and his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kan. In addition, he completed a residency in anesthesiology with a special emphasis on pain management at the University of Missouri Columbia Hospitals and Clinics, Columbia, Mo. 

Dr. Jones belongs to a number of professional organizations that promote continuing medical education and leadership. These include:  the Kansas Medical Society, the Kansas City Society of Anesthesiology, the Metropolitan Medical Society, the Medical Society of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, the American Medical Association, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jones, please call 913-596-5104.

Providence and Saint John Physicians offer advice to fight the flu

Though no one can predict exactly what this winter’s flu season will be like, it’s a pretty safe bet that at some point between October 2013 and March 2014, the community will be affected.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control says each year, on average, five to 20 percent of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from the illness.

“We usually see flu cases peak in our offices after the holidays, in January and February,” says Nicholas Brockert, M.D., a family practice physician on staff at Saint John Hospital, Leavenworth, Kan.

So what’s the best way to stay out of the doctor’s office this winter? “All adults should get vaccinated for the flu now,” Dr. Brockert says. “There’s no reason to delay. If you get vaccinated, immunity will protect you throughout the season.” It takes an adult’s immune system about two weeks to develop full immunity, and protection can last up to a year. The only group the vaccine is not recommended for is children six months and younger.

George Bures, M.D., a family practice physician with Providence Medical Group in Bonner Springs, also encourages everyone to get a flu vaccination.

“The more of us to get vaccinated, the better we all will be protected,” he says. Dr. Brockert adds, “Everyone who works in our office and in the hospital gets vaccinated. It’s the best thing we can do to protect our patients and ourselves.”

Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth continue service at Providence and Saint John

KANSAS CITY, KAN.  – For more than 150 years, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth have been an integral part of Saint John Hospital and its affiliate, Providence Medical Center.

And though the hospitals recently transitioned ownership to Prime Healthcare Services, the Sisters’ commitment to serving the hospitals remains strong.

“Several of the Sisters recently have begun volunteering at the hospitals,” explains Jordan Frost, Volunteer Services regional manager. “It’s exciting to see their continued dedication to Providence and Saint John through volunteering. It means the world to our patients, visitors and staff that they want to continue their tradition of service and that they are embracing the good things happening at the hospitals.”

Kathleen Conwell, director of Marketing and Public Relations at Providence and Saint John adds, “We’re very grateful for the Sisters’ service and ministry. I believe it really speaks to the heart of their mission that they want to continue to be a part of the hospitals’ healing ministry.  Their presence is very important to our patients and to our staff.”

Many of the Sisters are volunteering in the hospitals’ Spiritual Care departments, delivering the hospital’s morning prayer, visiting patients and praying with them, and presiding over Prayer and Communion Services in the chapel. Sister Mary Lex Smith is one of those volunteering to do just that.

Providence Hospital announces Daisy Award winner

Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., continues to honor its extraordinary nurses with the DAISY Award.

The hospital’s most recent DAISY Award winner is Rebecca Gooch, R.N., staff nurse, Cardiovascular Care Unit (CVC).

Gooch was selected from a field of registered nurses nominated by patients, families, co-workers, physicians and volunteers at the hospital. She received a certificate commending her for being an “extraordinary nurse.”

She also received a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa. Cinnabons also were given to all the nurses in her department thanking them for everything they do for their patients and families.

“Rebecca wasn’t a nurse who just gave medications,” says her nomination for the DAISY. “She answered every question my mom and each of us six children had, even when we were asking the same thing. She never seemed annoyed and always took the time to answer, even though she had to be busy. When she came into the room, and that was often, not only did she ask my mom what she could do for her, she asked what she could do for every person in the room, and you could tell she meant it. Rebecca was a star!”

A recent nursing school graduate, Gooch was surprised to be selected for the DAISY Award. “You don’t expect something like this to happen as a new graduate,” Gooch says. “My faith plays a large part in how I treat my patients. As a Christian, my duty is to serve others as Jesus served others. My patients are sick, stressed, and facing sometimes scary situations. When I am sick, stressed or facing life situations I consider scary, I know Jesus is patient with me. He listens intently. He reassures me and encourages me. I try to do the same with my patients.”

Kansas Attorney General: Charity care commitment clears way for sale of Providence and St. John hospital

The new owner of hospitals in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties has agreed to enter into a binding agreement with the State of Kansas to maintain charitable health care and hear community input about its operations for at least the next 5 years, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced today.

Prime Healthcare Services, Inc., and its local affiliates have committed to enter into a binding agreement with the Attorney General to continue providing charitable care in the Kansas City and Leavenworth communities at a level at least equal to that provided by the hospitals’ prior owner, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, Inc.

Schmidt said the legally binding commitment to ongoing charity care and to maintaining a formal community advisory board, once it is formally executed, would provide sufficient assurance to allow him to take no action to block the sale.

Under Kansas law, the Attorney General is responsible for ensuring that the sale of charitable assets to a for-profit organization sufficiently complies with the public interest.

In this case, Schmidt said the difficult financial condition of the two hospitals and the likelihood they would close without the infusion of new capital by the new owners was compelling.

Public hearing scheduled on proposed sale of Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt will conduct a public hearing on Wednesday, March 27, beginning at 7 p.m., at the George Meyn Center, 12600 State Avenue, Kansas City, Kan.

The purpose of the public meeting is to receive comments on the proposed sale of Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., and Saint John Hospital, Leavenworth, to Prime Healthcare, Inc., of Ontario, Calif.

Kansas law requires the state attorney general to review and approve sales transactions when certain non-profit medical facilities are offered for sale to a for-profit entity.

Representatives from the medical facilities involved will attend the public hearing and offer presentations on their proposed transaction. Members of the public wishing to present their views may do so by attending the public hearing. There will be a five-minute limit on comments from each speaker.

Any individual with a disability seeking reasonable accommodations to attend or participate in the meeting should contact the Kansas Attorney General’s office at general@ksag.org or (785) 296-2215 three or more days before the public meeting.

Piper resident credits Providence Providers with saving her life

News Release

Sharon Anaya has always been healthy, so when the 48-year-old resident of Piper, Kan., began experiencing problems with her balance several months ago, she had reason to be concerned.

“I went to see my primary care provider, Sandy Suderman, F.N.P.-B.C, at Providence Care Bonner Springs,” Anaya says. “My main symptom was that I felt dizzy or off balance when I would stand up or sit down,” Anaya explains. “My left hand and arm were also gradually going numb, but I thought I had developed carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Preliminary testing didn’t reveal any obvious health problems, but Anaya’s symptoms continued and seemed to be worsening. “I didn’t have headaches or seizures, but just before I received my diagnosis, I noticed some problems with my speech, and I wasn’t sure why,” she says.

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan revealed the reason for Anaya’s balance problems—a racquetball-sized tumor on the left side of her brain. “The tumor was very fast-growing, so it was important to do something right away,” she says.

Anaya was referred to Frank P. Holladay, M.D., a board-certified neurosurgeon on staff at Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan. Dr. Holladay confirmed the tumor location and scheduled surgery immediately.

"Walk like a penguin" - local hospital offers winter walking tips

Walking to and from parking lots or between buildings at work (or anywhere) during the winter requires special attention to avoid slipping and falling—especially with more snow on the way including some freezing rain.

The Emergency Services physicians at Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital offer the following safety tips to keep in mind:

• Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; assume all wet, dark areas on pavements are slic.

• Walk in designated walkways as much as possible. Taking shortcuts over snow piles and other frozen areas can be hazardous. Look ahead when you walk.

• During bad weather, avoid boots or shoes with smooth soles and heels. Instead, wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice.

• Point your feet out slightly like a penguin! Spreading your toes out slightly while walking on ice increases your center of gravity. Bend slightly and walk flat-footed with your center of gravity over your feet.

• Extend your arms out to your sides to maintain balance.

• Keep your hands out of your pockets! Hands in pockets while walking decreases your center of gravity and balance.

• Take short steps or shuffle for stability.

• If you fall; try to avoid landing on your knees, wrists, or spine.

• Try and keep both feet on the ground as you exit and enter your parked vehicle.

Professional athletes to visit Providence Holiday Heart Mart Dec. 15

Join Will Shields, Chiefs’ Hall of Famer and owner of 68’s Inside Sports Health and Fitness Clubs, Kenny Hook, Kansas City T-Bones Manager, and Matt Besler, Sporting KC and MLS Defender of the Year, as well as Providence Medical Center board-certified cardiologist Donald McSweyn, M.D. on Saturday, Dec. 15 from Noon to 2 p.m. at a Men’s Heart Health holiday event.

The free event will be held at the Providence Holiday Heart Mart at The Legends Shopping Center, Kansas City, Kan., which is located between Charming Charlie and the Yard House Restaurant.

Dr. McSweyn and area athletes are teaming up to bring awareness of heart disease this holiday season. New research indicates that three out of five men and one of two women, who are otherwise healthy at age 45, will develop heart disease in their lifetimes.

“Most people don’t know this, and during the holidays, they often overindulge in eating and drinking which can lead to a spike in their blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.,” Dr. McSweyn remarks. “Our free Heart Health event is specially designed to educate men about their hearts and risk factors for heart disease.”

To help spread the word across Kansas City, Dr. McSweyn and Kansas City sport icons will go on air with Sports Radio 810 WHB at a live remote, outside the Holiday Mart.

Participants will be able to meet athletes, get signed autographs and participate in a free and convenient 15-minute heart screening which includes cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, body mass index, pulse oximetry and a leg vein assessment. Hot cider and coffee will be served.

Each guest will receive a holiday heart health assessment form and packet. The Holiday Heart Mart is staffed by clinical and cardiac professionals.

Follow-up appointments with cardiologists, primary care physicians and other specialists can be scheduled after the screenings.

“As the official hospital partner of The Legends and the community hospital in this area, we’re doing all we can to help improve our community’s heart health and make heart care convenient,” says Randy Nyp, president/CEO of Providence. “Our neighbors in the community who shop at The Legends can take advantage of this opportunity to have their heart health evaluated by our outstanding clinical professionals. A free heart assessment may be the best gift you could give yourself or a loved one this holiday season.”

Providence Medical Center to participate in data sharing program

Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., which is a member of the Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC) serving the Greater Kansas City area in Missouri and Kansas, will be participating in the Medicare Data Sharing for Performance Measurement Program.

Besides KCQIC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the other two participants are Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati and Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation.

The program is designed to help consumers get more information regarding their local doctors, hospitals and other health care providers.

The Medicare Data Sharing for Performance Measurement program, made possible by the health care law, makes Medicare claims data available, under strict privacy requirements, to groups that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) certifies as qualified to handle this data and protect patient privacy.

These groups will combine Medicare and private insurance data to create comprehensive, useful reports on provider performance.

 “We are excited about this opportunity to participate,” said Barb Tirrell, Administrative Director of Quality, Infection Prevention and Case Management. “The focus of this initiative and the ability to work across all sectors of health care will enable us to better plan for discharges from our facility.”

Providence Hospital launches "Holiday Heart Mart" at The Legends

This holiday season, be sure to stop by the “Holiday Heart Mart,” a free heart screening service offered at Providence Care at The Legends. The “Holiday Heart Mart” is now open Monday-Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m.

The Holiday Heart Mart is located between Charming Charlie and the Yard House Restaurant in The Legends Shopping Center, Kansas City, Kan.

Throughout the holiday season, shoppers can receive a free and convenient 15-minute heart screening which includes blood pressure, body mass index, pulse oximetry and a leg vein assessment. Additional screenings such as cholesterol and glucose will be available soon.

Each guest will receive a holiday heart health assessment form and packet. The Holiday Heart Mart is staffed by clinical and cardiac professionals.

Follow-up appointments with cardiologists, primary care physicians and other specialists can be scheduled after the screenings.

Providence and Saint John appoint three new members to Board of Directors

Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital recently appointed three new members to the hospitals’ Board of Directors.

They are Sabato Sisillo, M.D., a board-certified pulmonologist; Mary Lou Jaramillo, president and CEO of El Centro, Inc.; and Doris F. Givens, Ph.D., president, Kansas City Kansas Community College.

“Our new board members bring a great range of expertise and involvement with our community to the table,” says Randall Nyp, president/CEO, Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital. “Their willingness to volunteer their time and talents will have a lasting impact on the futures of both hospitals.” 

Sabato Sisillo, M.D., FCCP—Dr. Sisillo is a board-certified pulmonologist who currently serves as president of the Providence Medical Staff. He practices with K.C. Pulmonary Associates, 8919 Parallel Parkway, Suite 203, Kansas City, Kan. Dr. Sisillo also serves as medical director at Kansas City Kansas Community College and is a clinical assistant professor with the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan.

He also is director of Medical Education at Providence; and medical director of Pulmonary Services at the hospital.

Dr. Sisillo performed a fellowship in pulmonary critical care medicine and a residency in internal medicine with Saint Luke’s Hospital/Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo.; and a family practice internship with Truman Medical Center Lakewood, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

He received his medical degree from the University del Noreste, Tampico, Mexico; and his bachelor’s of science from St. John’s University, Jamaica, New York.

He is a member of the American Society of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and is a published author on the topic of pulmonary diseases.

Providence and Saint John select Sidley as Chief Nursing Officer

Renee Sidley, RN, BSN, MSN, NE-BC, ANCC, has been selected as chief nursing officer for Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., and Saint John Hospital, Leavenworth, Kan.

In her new position, Sidley will lead patient care services including nursing, nursing education, palliative care, pharmacy and clinical informatics at both hospitals.

Sidley brings more than 19 years of experience in a wide range of clinical and administrative positions in inpatient and outpatient care settings.

Most recently, Sidley served as chief nursing officer at Heartland Regional Medical Center, Marion, Ill.; vice president of patient services at Portneuf Medical Center, Pocatello, Idaho; and vice president of operations at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, Bozeman, Mont.

Sidley began her nursing career in the United States Navy, following graduation with her bachelor of science in nursing degree from Ursuline College, Cleveland, Ohio.

She received her master of science in nursing degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.

Bonner Springs physician office now offering extended hours

Providence Care Bonner Springs, a physician practice located at K-7 and Nettleton, now has extended hours on Mondays and Wednesday evenings and offers same-day appointments throughout the week.

The new hours are:

• Mondays extended hours 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.  
• Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesdays, extended hours 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Providence Care Bonner Springs offers comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages.

George J. Bures, Jr., M.D., a board-certified family practice physician; and Stephen Thies, M.D., a board-certified family practice physician; Ann Kurtz, M.D., a board-certified family practice physician; and Sandy Suderman, A.R.N.P., nurse practitioner— see patients in this conveniently located office.

Providence Care Bonner Springs is one of several physician practices operated by Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital to meet the growing need for quality health care in Wyandotte Leavenworth and northern Johnson counties.

Providence Care Bonner Springs accepts most insurance and is located at 913 Sheidley, Bonner Springs, Kan.

Patients can schedule an appointment by calling 913-322-7222.

Local attorney turns to Providence Joint Center for new lease on life

At just 66 years old, Marc Potter, a retired attorney who resides in rural Bonner Springs, Kan., considers himself too young to sit on the sidelines of life.

“I injured my left knee several years ago when I fell on the ice,” Potter says. “After that, it would give out on me unexpectedly. I couldn’t sit on the floor to play with my grandchildren, or even stand in church long enough to sing a hymn without leaning on a pew or sitting down. My knee would just give out on me.”

Though Potter had had arthroscopic surgery a decade earlier, the repair didn’t last.

“I wasn’t anxious to have my knee replaced,” he admits, “so I tried several other medical treatments first, but nothing seemed to work.”

When Potter decided it was time for surgery, he turned to Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., and George Robinson, M.D., a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon on staff at the hospital and the Joint Center’s medical director.

Providence Medical Center selects Franiuk as DAISY Award winner

Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., continues to honor its extraordinary nurses with the DAISY Award. The hospital’s most recent DAISY Award winner is Judy Franiuk, R.N., B.S.N., Intensive Care Unit.

Franiuk was selected from a field of registered nurses nominated by patients, families, co-workers, physicians and volunteers at the hospital.

In a Providence tradition, she received a crown of daisies, as well as a certificate commending her for being an “extraordinary nurse.” 

She also received a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

Cinnabons also were given to all the nurses on her unit thanking them for everything they do for their patients and families.

Franiuk was nominated for the honor by the husband of one of her patients. In his nomination, he described her as demonstrating the mastery of her craft.