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Let’s Talk about Organ Donation
It’s not a casual conversation, but organ donation is something we should all talk about - because the need for organ donors is very real.
Consider these statistics from the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network:
More than 100,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list. Every 9 minutes another person is added to the transplant waiting list. 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant. Every donor can save 8 lives and improve the lives of 75 more.In the Upper Midwest, an estimated 3,400 people are waiting for a transplant at any given time.
Patient + Provider = Perfect Number for Heart Health
Age may be just a number, but unlike age, when it comes to your ticker, numbers count.
“Knowing your four key numbers can, to a certain extent, help monitor your risk for cardiovascular disease like angina, heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease,” said Peerawut Deeprasertkul, MD, CHI St. Alexius Health Cardiologist.
Team Up: Let’s Beat Diabetes Together
Alarming numbers: about one in 10 Americans is diabetic, one in three is prediabetic. It’s important to watch for symptoms.
“Diabetes is definitely known to increase the risk of dementia, gum disease, dental disease and hearing loss,” said Michael Page, MD, CHI St. Alexius Health Primary Care Provider. “It has also been linked to a modest increase in certain cancer risks.”
Brain Attack: Prevention and Detection
Every four minutes, someone dies from a “brain attack” commonly known as a stroke. When blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die.
“We use the saying ‘time is brain.’ If treated with clot-busting medication within three hours of onset, we can significantly reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke,” said Syed Shiraz Hyder, MD, CHI St. Alexius Health Neurologist. “That’s why it’s incredibly important for everyone to know the signs of a stroke and to call 9-1-1 immediately. “Things to look for include sudden numbness, weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, understanding or seeing, loss of balance or coordination and/or severe headache with no known cause,” said Dr. Hyder.
Mental Health: It’s Really a Disease
While some forms of depression can be linked to stress, trauma, loss and other life events, research has found differences - like lower serotonin levels - in the brains of those with clinical depression.
“Though we exist in the age of information, mental illness remains a stigmatized and misunderstood group of diagnoses,” said Vanna Binning, MD, CHI St. Alexius Health Primary Care Provider.
Vaccine Hesitancy: No Need to Wait
Maybe you haven’t gotten the COVID-19 vaccine yet because it’s new. “The fact that it’s a new MRNA vaccine has caused some concern, which is understandable,” said Stephen Coulson, MD, CHI St. Alexius Health Emergency and Trauma Physician.
Doeling Appointed President of St. Alexius Health Devils Lake
Mariann Doeling, RN, MAL, has been named president of CHI St. Alexius Health Devils Lake in North Dakota after serving as interim president since May of 2021. Prior to this appointment, Doeling served as president of CHI St. CHI St. Alexius Health - Carrington, where she served in various roles for more than 26 years.
Doeling shared that her leadership philosophy is to have a good relationship with local community commissioners, city council, and in particular the mayoral office in order to gain their understanding and support. She explains that this strong connection with local partners can drive successfully achieving goals that will benefit the facility and consequently the community.
E.J. Kuiper new president and CEO of CHI Health
CHI St. Alexius Health is pleased to announce that E.J. Kuiper is the new CEO of CHI Health and President of CommonSpirit Health’s Midwest Division. Monday, Jan. 17, Kuiper began providing strategic leadership and overall operational oversight to the health system’s 28 hospitals, two stand-alone behavioral health centers, and more than 150 employed physician practices in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota. CHI St. Alexius Health is part of CHI Health, the Midwest Division of CommonSpirit Health which includes locations in North Dakota, eastern Minnesota, Nebraska and southwest Iowa.
Kuiper comes to CHI Health with significant health care experience, most recently serving as president and CEO at Hospital Sisters Health System Illinois--a nine-hospital division totaling more than 1,150 acute care beds. He received his bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the Academy for Physical Therapy in the Netherlands; a master’s degree in health science, health services administration from Florida Gulf Coast University; and a doctor of physical therapy degree from St. Augustine University.
