Free Hepatitis C virus screenings 

The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver cancer. Millions of Americans have HCV, yet up to 75 percent of people who do don't know it.

As part of World Hepatitis Day, the Saint Luke's Liver Disease Management Center will offer Hepatitis C virus screenings from July 29 until supplies are depleted.

Screenings will be offered at five locations:

• Saint Luke's Hospital
• Saint Luke's East Hospital
• Saint Luke's North Hospital
• Saint Luke's South Hospital
• Saint Luke's Cushing Hospital

Individuals born between 1945 and 1965 are at higher risk for Hepatitis C, especially if they are veterans or have tattoos. This screening is open to all, but we strongly encourage those who are at higher risk to get screened.

Testing is free and confidential. All patients testing positive for Hepatitis C will receive a phone consultation from a nurse.

Please call 816-932-5483 to schedule an appointment.

Epic credentialed trainer position available

Next year SLHS will be launching the largest training initiative in its history to implement our new electronic medical record, Epic. In order to successfully train all necessary employees in the allotted time, Saint Luke's has created a temporary position to assist, develop, and deliver the training program.

This 19-week temporary full-time position is designed for those with clinical backgrounds to be temporarily assigned to the SLHS training team. As a credentialed trainer (CT) you will learn how to train others while collaborating with the training manager, instructional designers, project leaders, and application teams. At the end of this temporary assignment, you will return to the role you had prior to the temporary transfer and can serve as a super user for your department after the go-live launch.

To apply for the position of credentialed trainer, please email EpicSLHS@saint-lukes.org by Aug. 4 with the following information: Name, department, job title, and the best contact number to be reached between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. from Aug. 5 - 9. You may be contacted for a phone interview and will learn more about the position.

Karen Black named clinical nurse manager of Neuro 4

It is with great pleasure that I am formally announcing the promotion of Karen Black, R.N., M.S., to the Neuro 4 clinical nurse manager position. Karen has been a nurse in the float pool for the past 13 years where she has served as a peer coach, preceptor, and member of several Shared Governance committees. Since 2008, Karen has also worked as an adjunct clinical nursing instructor for Saint Luke's College of Health Sciences and Research College of Nursing.

Prior to her career at Saint Luke's, she held a leadership role as program director/clinical coordinator at Hospice Northwest Hospital in Seattle.

I am delighted to have her on board and staff are excited for her leadership. Please join me in congratulating Karen on her new position.

Neuro 4, a 20-bed intermediate care unit located on the 4^th floor of the Neuroscience Institute, will open on Tuesday, Aug. 20.  

- Angela Locke, R.N., B.S.N., M.B.A., Director of Patient Care Services

Student Scholars complete program

Front Row (left to right): Lesley Johnson, Alex Schelble, Kirsty McGhie, Peter Holt, M.D. (Faculty) Middle Row: Lauren Gillespie, Erin McGaugh, Connor Clarkston, David Embers Back Row: Joe Fritzlen, Ryan Morgan, Chris Miller, Jim Gallogly Not pictured: Connor Gill

The Student Scholars Program is designed to provide an opportunity for 12 college undergraduates with an interest in health care to spend six weeks in a clinical or research area of emphasis at SLH.  The hope is to someday see some of these students become members of the SLH medical staff.

The 2013 Student Scholars completed their program on July 26. Congratulations!

For more information, please contact Jeanne Kimball in Medical Education at jkimball@saint-lukes.org.

Credit Union update

2013 Tax-Free Weekend is Aug. 2 - 4

Take advantage of Tax-Free Weekend Aug. 2 - 4 with a back-to-school loan from Saint Luke's Credit Union and leave your high-interest rate credit cards at home. The back-to-school loan has a $2,500 limit and a low rate of only 12 percent (compared to 16 - 18 percent for credit cards).

With this loan, you pay cash for your clothing and school supply purchases, making it easier to stick to your budget. The Credit Union offers easy payroll deduction for your payments.

Go to saint-lukescreditunion.org to apply, or stop by or call any of the branch locations for more information.

Cars, Boats, Motorcycles - rates as low as 1.90 percent

If you're in the market for a new or used car, boat, or motorcycle, see the Credit Union first! With a pre-approved loan from the Credit Union you can shop with confidence, knowing how much you can afford to spend and that you have pre-approved money in your pocket.

The Credit Union has rates and terms to fit anyone's budget. Call ext. 25300 or stop by any branch location for more details.

Ticket discounts

If you're a Credit Union member and planning to go to Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun, Schlitterbahn, Silver Dollar City, or White Water this summer, stop by the Credit Union first. We sell tickets to these theme parks at a discounted price.

SLHS launches Emergency Alert System (EAS)

SLHS has initiated a voluntary service to allow staff to sign up to receive timely, accurate, and useful information in the event of an emergency situation at our hospitals/campuses, on health system property, or in local areas that poses a risk to health and safety.

This service (TextCaster) uses text messaging and email alerts to broadcast pertinent information and, when appropriate, provide directions to those in the affected area(s).

Signing up is easy:

Click here to go to the registration webpage (you can also find a link on the Employee eLink under Announcements).

Enter your name, ZIP code, email address, and cell phone information. Select your campus or geographic location to receive notifications. A five-digit authorization code will be sent to the mobile phone/email address entered for verification.

Note: This service is FCC CAN-SPAM compliant, and users may update message preferences or unsubscribe at any time. Users should check their wireless provider for any message and data rates that may apply. Any messages sent will be from security@saint-lukes.org.

Sign up today! When an actual emergency occurs, it's too late.

Saint Luke's Neuroscience Institute 2013 Symposium

Sept. 20, 2013

Kansas City Public Library - Plaza Branch

Register now for the Saint Luke's Neuroscience Institute 2013 Symposium, Sept. 20, at the Kansas City Public Library - Plaza Branch. This conference will focus on new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of common and "not so common" neurological disorders.

The conference is intended for primary care physicians, family physicians, neurosurgeons, neurologists, neurointensivists, psychiatrists, nurses, case managers, social workers, and other health care professionals. This educational event is a joint sponsorship of the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine and Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City.

For more information and to register, click here.