Saint Luke's cardiac transplant program - the only one of its kind in the region - set a new record in 2012 for transplants. A total of 47 transplants were performed in 2012, the most ever performed in a single year at the center. The previous record was set in 2010 with 43 transplants.

 

Saint Luke's offers the only adult cardiac transplant center in Kansas City. The program regularly surpasses national benchmarks for volumes and survival and ranks among the top 10 for number of adult transplants nationwide. While 80 percent of U.S. programs perform 20 or fewer heart transplants a year, Saint Luke's averages 30 or more.

 

Average waiting time for a donor heart is significantly shorter at Saint Luke's than it is for the U.S. as a whole - five months vs. 16 months. Patients who undergo heart transplantation at Saint Luke's also have higher survival rates than the American average.

 

"This is an exciting milestone in the area's only cardiac transplantation program," said Michael Borkon, M.D., surgical director of cardiac transplantation at Saint Luke's. "It's a real testament to the dedicated and highly experienced team of heart transplant specialists at Saint Luke's."

 

The heart transplant program was recently awarded the Medal of Honor for Organ Donation from the Department of Health and Human Services for its success in increasing the number of organs available for donation - the only heart transplant program in the state to receive this award. "Thanks to the selfless generosity of donor families, many people in the Missouri-Kansas-Arkansas area have received a second chance at life through transplantation," said cardiologist Andrew Kao, M.D., medical director, Saint Luke's cardiac transplantation program.

 

The program has transplanted 570 patients since its inception in 1985.

United Way Campaign reaches goal

 

We did it! Thanks to your support, we reached our 2012 Saint Luke's Health System United Way Campaign goal! More than 13 percent of employees participated and we raised $220,495.07.

 

Thanks to your support, United Way will continue to assist our friends, family, and neighbors in their times of need!

 

This campaign would not have been successful without your help. Thanks for all you do.

 

- Emily Allinder and Ann Mulvenon, SLHS 2012 United Way Co-Chairs

 

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Making a Difference

 

 

Each and every day our dedicated and passionate employees make a difference in the lives of our patients, visitors, and colleagues. We would like to highlight some of those stories. If you have a colleague you would like to recognize, please send the employee's name and how he or she made a difference to slhrounds@saint-lukes.org.

 

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Look Good, Feel Better workshop

 

Thursday, Jan. 17

1 - 3 p.m.

SLH Plaza

Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center

 

Women currently undergoing cancer treatment are invited to attend the next Look Good, Feel Better class, a free two-hour workshop offering simple beauty techniques for skin and nail care, makeup application, and coping with hair loss. You will receive a complimentary bag of makeup to use in the session and at home.

 

Call Vickie at 816-932-2124 to sign up.

 

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Handmade with Heart

 

While the red dress promotes awareness about women's heart disease, the red scarf symbolizes lifelines for women as a reminder that they are not alone in their battle with heart disease. The red scarf offers comfort, support, and encouragement for women with heart disease and becomes part of their healing journey.

 

You can make a difference in the lives of these women and help them celebrate Heart Month in style! Pull out your knitting needles or crochet hook, create a red scarf, and become an advocate for women's heart health at the same time. Scarves should be 5 - 8 inches wide, 48 - 60 inches long, and red.

 

Once you are finished with your creation, send your scarves with your name and contact information to the Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center. All scarves received by Feb. 28 will be entered into a drawing for one of the following offerings of the winner's choice: a bottle of Omega 3 Fish Oil or a Women's Heart Center Heart Wellness Package assessment.

 

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Saint Luke's Hospice is currently looking for new volunteers!

 

Saint Luke's Hospice provides support and care for persons in the last phases of incurable disease to ensure a life of quality. Volunteers provide social support and respite to hospice patients and their families. They visit patients and families in their homes or in nursing homes to provide companionship, a listening ear, and a caring presence. As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to be part of a dedicated team devoted to continuously improving the quality of our patient care.

 

Upcoming volunteer training is scheduled for:

 

Tuesday, Jan. 22 - 5:30 - 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 24 - 5:30 - 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29 - 5:30 - 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 31 - 5:30 - 9 p.m.

 

If you are interested in becoming a Saint Luke's Hospice volunteer, please contact Melissa Tinklepaugh at mtinklepaugh@saint-lukes.org or call 816-360-8009.

 

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Discontinued purple logo items available at bargain prices

 

 

 

SLHS purple logo promotional/giveaway items are now available at discounted prices through HEMM (Horizon Enterprise Materials Management). These items are still acceptable to hand out even though we are using our new blue color for new items. The current inventory of purple logo items will need to be depleted before transitioning to the new blue logo items.

 

Items can be ordered by departments for use at upcoming events and conferences (not for internal employee distribution). Once you are ready to place your order, contact your department's authorized budget owner. He or she will place the order directly through the HEMM application, and items will ship directly to your facility. Shipment typically takes 3 - 4 days.

 

Click here to view a price list of available items for each facility. Please reference the product's item number when placing your order through HEMM.

 

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Ready, Set, Go, Saint Luke's!

 

Are you ready to make 2013 your year to lose weight and stay active? Last year, SLHS employees lost more than 1,500 pounds in the "Ready, Set, Go" team challenge. SLHS employees reduced their total BMI points by 259 points - an estimated savings of $52,540 to the SLHS medical plan. According to research, a reduction of one BMI point (5 - 10 pounds) saves $202.30 in health care costs.

 

This year, SLHS is again offering the "Ready, Set, Go" team challenge through Aetna Get Active. This eight-week challenge features a welcome kit with a logbook and pedometer for tracking steps. During the eight weeks, you can track one or more of the following: weight loss, pedometer steps, and/or exercise minutes.

 

Here's how to get started:

 

• If you haven't yet registered on the Aetna Get Active website, you can do that today. Go to Aetna Get Active and register by typing "SLHS" in the company field, then click the search button. Click on SLHS to go to the registration page. You will then enter your Employee Identifier (the five digits of your "A", "P", or "O" number and the last four digits of your SSN) and your date of birth to verify your eligibility. All active SLHS employees and spouses are eligible. The spouse will enter the employee identifier and his/her own date of birth to register.
• If you have already registered through the Aetna Get Active website you can log in anytime to create challenges, engage your supporters in conversations, and participate in weekly bonus challenges. In addition, you can track your calories in the calorie tracker and up to 50 other activities as you wish.

 

Registration for the "Ready, Set, Go" eight-week challenge begins Jan. 16. To participate in this challenge, log in to the Aetna Get Active website and complete the following:

 

1. Select one or more divisions in which you wish to compete: weight loss, pedometer steps, and/or exercise minutes.
2. Create or join a team. Remember that only teams of five to 11 members will be eligible to compete in the team competition. Teams of less than five will not be included in the team standings. Feel free to create a team of one if you would rather not compete in the team competition.
3. You will be prompted to enter your shipping information in order to receive your welcome kit, complete with pedometer and logbook.

 

Get ready for some fun, and make 2013 your year to lose/maintain weight and Get Active!

 

For more information, visit the Your Health Matters - Called to Excellence webpage located on the Employee eLink or email yourhealthmatters@saint-lukes.org.

 

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