Millions of Americans avoid tomato sauce and spicy foods due to the pain that comes shortly after eating, thinking it’s their “new normal.” It doesn’t have to be this way. The symptoms of chronic heartburn, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), are now easier to treat with a minimally invasive procedure. St. Luke’s University Health Network is the first in th... »
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to educate men about their most common internal cancer—it afflicts about 1 in 7. It’s almost always curable, but the key is early detection. “Unfortunately, there are usually no ‘early warning signs’ for prostate cancer,” said Paul M. Berger, M.D., a urologist with St. Luke’s University Health Network. “By t... »
The recent outbreak of measles in certain areas of the country has parents and community members on edge. It has also put pediatric vaccinations—and their resisters—in the hot seat. What the news headlines don’t say, however, is the compliance rate for pediatric vaccinations is more than 92%, says Jeffrey Jahre, M.D., Senior Vice President of Medical and Academic Affairs ... »
Don’t wait. Those two little words summarize the approach of Ric Baxter, M.D. to hospice and palliative care. Both hospice and palliative care “help you live the best life you can in your remaining time; if you wait until you’re actually dying, you lose many of its benefits.” After all, Baxter should know -he’s the Chief of Palliative Care at St. Luke’s U... »
What was once the vision of the future is now today’s reality. Robots, and technology in general, are making the delivery of health care easier and leading to better outcomes and improved recovery times for patients. Robotic surgery is being used to treat lung cancer, prostate cancer, perform bariatric procedures that aid in weight loss, and much more. Daniel Verges, M.D. ... »
A robotic simulator, or a manikin that sweats, sheds tears, has a heartbeat, and pulse. An imaging table that allows you to view skin, muscles, organs, and veins at any angle and to any depth. Detailed, unscripted interactions with “patients” in a serious form of improv theater. That’s just some of what you’ll find at St. Luke’s Simulation Center. It’s a place where ... »
Just like maintaining your car with a regular tune-up to keep it running smoothly, Lifestyle Medicine teaches patients good habits to reverse or prevent disease (so they don’t end up in the hospital). This new field of practice takes a holistic view of the individual and promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors, like good nutrition and physical activity to stave off or reduce ... »
Earlier this year and under the guidance of orthopedic surgeons from St. Luke’s University Health Network, students at Parkland and Phillipsburg High Schools interested in medical careers had an exciting experience: the observation and actual participation in the dissection of a shoulder from a human cadaver. At Parkland, it was part of the Project Lead The Way® human body... »
After years of undergrad and medical school, doctors still have to undergo a grueling residency program before they can be full-fledged attending physicians. The schedules of first-year and third-year residents are incredibly different. Geny Augustine, M.D. completed her first-year of residency—the intern year—this summer. Manuel Puente, M.D. graduated from St. Luke’... »
St. Luke’s was the fourth hospital in the country to operate a school for nurses. Today, St. Luke’s School of Nursing is the nation’s oldest nursing school in continuous operation. In 1884 the school became a reality when Dr. William Estes appointed Miss M. J. Merritt from Bellevue Hospital, New York, as principal of the nursing school. Nine students formed the first class... »
