Today's Health News
Read health-related news articles from Reuters Health Information (articles display for 30 days) and HealthDay (articles display for 90 days), plus the most recent press announcements from major medical organizations.

Stormont-Vail HealthCare’s New Emergency Department: Great Care. Less Wait

Stormont-Vail HealthCare’s new Emergency and Trauma Center offers patients quicker care in a more efficient environment. Patients are also given explanations about the care they are receiving and reassurance. The facility is Topeka’s only verified trauma center.

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Stormont-Vail HealthCare Awarded Joint Commission's Certification as a Primary Stroke Center

Stormont-Vail HealthCare has earned the Gold Seal of Approvalª from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers. Stormont-Vail earned this distinction after the Joint Commission conducted an unannounced on-site review in June.

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Stormont-Vail Achieves Heart Failure Accreditation and Status as a Chest Pain Center

Stormont-Vail HealthCare announces that it has received Heart Failure Accreditation and status as a Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers, an international organization dedicated to eliminating heart disease as the number one cause of death worldwide. Hospitals that have achieved SCPC accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack.

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Meet the Newest Member of the Stormont-Vail Family

Cotton-O'Neil Clinic now accepting new patients.

Daryn Schmidt, M.D.
Internal Medicine

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Need a doctor?

Health Connections provides physician referral at any time of day or night. Call a Health Connections' representative at (785) 354-5225.

BIG HEARTS for little hearts Golf Tournament

Brochure | Online registration | More Information

The10th annual BIG HEARTS for little hearts tournament will be Sept. 20, 2010 at the Topeka Country Club. For more information contact the Foundation at (785) 354-6851.

A Hospital Unit Just for Young Adults

Stormont-Vail HealthCare recently created the Young Adult Center, a unit that targets the needs of those aged 15 to 25. Hospitalist Dr. Kevin Dishman and pediatric hospitalist Dr. Kirsten Evans explained in a WIBW-TV, Channel 13, report why young adults have different needs than seniors and toddlers when it comes to hospitalization.

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Are you a Physical Therapist looking to be a part of a great team?

Stormont-Vail HealthCare has physical therapy opportunities – providing therapy in the hospital and at our clinic – for individuals with a BS, MS or PhD in Physical Therapy from an accredited school of Physical Therapy.

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Mohs Micrographic Surgery offers highest cure rate for basal cell and squamous cell cancer.
Now available at Cotton-O'Neil Clinic

Mohs micrographic surgery is a highly specialized surgical treatment for the removal of skin cancer and is now available as outpatient surgery at Cotton-O'Neil Clinic - Dermatology located at 6650 S.W. Mission Valley Drive in southwest Topeka.

Mohs micrographic surgery is named after its founder, Dr. Frederick Mohs, who first began using the surgical technique in 1938. The procedure has evolved over the years and today is considered to offer the highest cure rate for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. It is the treatment of choice for recurrent skin cancers because it offers a 98 percent cure rate and involves a minimal amount of tissue loss, while ensuring all the cancer is removed.

Dr. Matthew Ricks, is the only fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon in Kansas, with the exception of the Kansas City metro area. He is a native Topekan who returned to the area in July 2009 after 24 years of military service. Dr. Ricks completed his medical training at the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Md. He completed his residency training in dermatology at Brooke Army and Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He finished a fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery with Dr. Pearon Lang and Joel Cook at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C., which is considered one of the premier training programs in the country. He is also a member of the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS), which is known to hold its members to rigorous standards of training. Each member must participate in at least 500 Mohs micrographic surgery cases, under the supervision of an experienced, ACMS-approved Mohs surgeon.

For more information about Mohs Micrographic Surgery, click here. To schedule an appointment, it is best to talk with your primary care physician to determine if a consultation would benefit your condition.

Caring for Stormont-Vail HealthCare's Tiniest Patients

Stormont-Vail HealthCare's Neonatal IntensiveCare is the only one of its kind in the Topeka, Kansas area. It has 24/7 coverage by neonatologists (specialized physicians for infants) as well as other specialists to ensure our tiniest patients receive the best of care.

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Summer Issue of Healthy Times Arrives

Childbirth: Planning for a Natural Experience
Being pregnant and going through childbirth is a natural part of life. Learn how you can prepare for your childbirth experience at Stormont-Vail's The Birthplace in the summer 2010 issue of Healthy Times.
Stories in the summer issue also include a conversation with Topeka's only pediatric hematologist/oncologist, and learning what to do with expired medications.

Read the Stormont-Vail quarterly publication online or get a copy in Cotton-O'Neil clinics or at the library. You can also call Health Connections at (785) 354-5225 to have the publication mailed free to your home.

You Can Now Pay Your Bill Online!

Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center and Cotton-O’Neil Clinic now have an online bill pay system. Check out our free Online Business Office to pay your bill in a simple, quick and secure way or check your account information.

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