Category Archives: Innovation

Borgess Health & Fitness Center Re-Opens With New Equipment

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Posted by Lew Tysman on August 13, 2010 – 2:24 pm
Filed under Borgess Health, Borgess Health & Fitness Center, Innovation

During the annual maintenance closure (August 16-20), the fitness floor at BHFC will be undergoing a makeover complete with new equipment.

New additions include:

Join us in the excitement at 7 a.m. on Saturday, August 21 and be among the first to experience the new fitness floor.

Borgess nationally certified for advanced heart failure and advanced stroke care, as well as for hip and knee replacement

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Posted by Lew Tysman on August 3, 2010 – 4:45 pm
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Health, Innovation

The Joint Commission has granted disease-specific certification to Borgess Medical Center for:

  • Advanced Stroke Care
  • Advanced Heart Failure Care
  • Knee Replacement
  • Hip Replacement

With this recognition, Borgess becomes the first hospital in Michigan to be certified for Advanced Heart Failure.  Only 12 other hospitals in the entire country have this certification.

Joint Commission disease-specific certification is based on:

  • Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines
  • Compliance with consensus-based national standards
  • An organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities

Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.  Joint Commission accreditation is a requirement for Medicare reimbursement. 

For Joint Commission advanced level certification, programs must meet the requirements for disease-specific certification plus additional, clinically-specific requirements and expectations.

The Borgess Heart Failure Program helps enhance patients’ quality of life by teaching them to manage their disease while remaining active and enjoying independence at home.  The program is part of the Borgess Heart Institute, one of the largest providers of cardiac care in the Midwest.  In addition to heart failure diagnosis and treatment, the Borgess Heart Institute includes:  a specialized women’s heart program, cardiac surgery, cardiology, enhanced external counter pulsation, cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation.  For more information, please visit heart.borgess.com.

The Borgess Stroke Center provides advanced, complete care for stroke. The Center’s comprehensive treatment for stroke includes:

  • A continuum of care that spans from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation
  • The only neuro intensive care unit in southwest Michigan
  • The only neurological rehabilitation unit in southwest Michigan
  • Highly experienced physicians and clinical staff
  • State-of-the-art technology
  • The area’s most comprehensive clinical stroke research

For more information, visit stroke.borgess.com.

Highly Experienced Team Forms Borgess Cardiothoracic Surgery

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Posted by Lew Tysman on July 27, 2010 – 3:09 pm
Filed under Borgess Health, Innovation

The Borgess Heart Institute has formed a new practice, Borgess Cardiothoracic Surgery, located at 1722 Shaffer Street on the Borgess Medical Center campus.

Two highly experienced physicians will be the heart of the practice – Michael Khaghany, MD, and David E. Martin, MD.  Together, Drs. Khaghany and Martin have more than 50 years of combined knowledge, experience and expertise in cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Khaghany is a graduate of Teheran Medical School, Iran, and completed a Cardiac Surgery residency at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA.  He earned his Cardiothoracic Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Health System and is certified by the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and the Canadian Board of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery.

Dr. Martin is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, where he also completed a General Surgery residency as well as a Cardiothoracic Surgery residency and fellowship. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.  Dr. Martin will function as Medical Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Borgess Cardiothoracic Surgery welcomes new patient referrals.  For more information, please call 269.343.1555.

The Borgess Heart Institute is one of the largest providers of cardiac care in the Midwest.  Doctors and other specialists have created new treatment options for patients worldwide.

In addition to cardiothoracic surgery, the Borgess Heart Institute includes:  cardiology, a specialized women’s heart program, cardiac surgery, enhanced external counter pulsation, cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation.

For more information, please visit heart.borgess.com.

Smart phones now access Borgess.com with special view and functionality

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Posted by Lew Tysman on July 22, 2010 – 8:16 am
Filed under Borgess Health, Innovation

People accessing Borgess.com on their iPhones, Blackberrys, Droids or other “smart phones” now get a new version.

It’s specially designed for these mobile devices.  With limited screen space, users need links and information without all the graphics.  That’s exactly what the mobile version of Borgess.com (also m.borgess.com) delivers.

On the home page, you find the most frequently used links:

  • Locations, phone numbers and maps
  • Physician Finder
  • Virtual Nursery
  • Requests for Information

Scrolling to the bottom of the home page, users get links to the latest five Borgess news stories, and a link to the non-mobile version of Borgess.com.

Links also perform functions automatically.  Click on a phone number, and the phone dials it.  Click on an address and a map appears, with all the Borgess.com functions–zoom in/out, move the map in any direction; search for nearby hotels, restaurants or other services; and even get a satellite photo of the location.

“Our aim is to provide potential patients and other customers of Borgess with the information they need–in the way they need it,” said Tom Comes, Marketing Director.  “This will make Borgess and its services a little more accessible to the community we serve.”  

Comments on the mobile version are welcome.  Just contact Jason Pawloski, Internet Marketing Manager.

Helmets Will Save You and Your Pocketbook

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Posted by Lew Tysman on July 1, 2010 – 1:03 pm
Filed under Borgess Health, Events, Innovation

Bicycle riders who aren’t wearing helmets are 14 times more likely to be in a fatal crash. To save you and your pocketbook, Borgess Trauma Services offers convenient access to bike helmets at a very affordable price.

Bicycle Helmets: Only $8
Bicycle helmets meet CPSC Bike Helmet Standards. Toddler helmets are available in blue and pink, and have 11 vents. Small, medium, large and x-large helmets are available in a design that features a combination of blue, black, white and silver, offer an instant-fitting turn ring for adjustment, and have 10 vents. 

Buy Your Helmet at These Summer Events
Borgess Trauma Services will be selling bike helmets at the following local events:

  • Friday, July 9: Art Hop Kalamazoo, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
  • Saturday, July 10: Kindelberger Park Festival, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Friday, July 23: *Wells Fargo YMCA Triathlon Portage

*Individuals must register for this event to participate. For more information, visit kzooymca.org.

Also Available For Purchase at Borgess Trauma Services
Helmets may be purchased at Borgess Trauma Services in the Medical Specialties Building, Suite 005, on the campus of Borgess Medical Center (1521 Gull Road) in Kalamazoo. To ensure that someone is available to assist you or help you receive a proper fit for your helmet, call 269.226.6917 before stopping by the office.

Ernest Lanier, Sr., honored for outstanding service by Kalamazoo Rotary Club

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Posted by Lew Tysman on June 22, 2010 – 1:44 pm
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Health, Innovation

Ernest Lanier, Sr., Chief Diversity Officer, Borgess Health, has received the Red Rose Award for outstanding service by the Kalamazoo Rotary Club.

Lanier has had a significant, positive impact on the community through his volunteer work for the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ministry with Community, Douglass Community Association, Hispanic American Council, YMCA Black Achievers program and Kalamazoo Chapter of the NAACP.   

According to information provided by former Kalamazoo Vice Mayor and Borgess Emeritus Board member Sidney Williams, Lanier helped his family raise harvest crops during his childhood.  Through hard work and determination, Lanier obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in public administration.  

At Borgess, Lanier served as a Security officer and then Security Supervisor and Manager before becoming Director, Security & Property Management in 1987.  He was appointed Chief Diversity Officer for Borgess Health in 2006.

In accepting the Rotary Club award, Lanier thanked all those who have made his achievements possible, adding that he has been inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.”

Borgess doctor prescribes reasons to love Kalamazoo

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Posted by Lew Tysman on June 14, 2010 – 8:26 am
Filed under Borgess Brain & Spine Institute, Borgess Health, Innovation

More than one person has suggested that Dr. Firas Al-Ali should be mayor of Kalamazoo.

It’s not a position the Borgess doctor aspires to. (He knows Mayor Bobby Hopewell, likes him, and thinks he’s doing a fine job.)

From a residency standpoint it’s not possible. Dr. Al-Ali lives in Richland, outside the Kalamazoo city limits.

It’s just that he has so many good things to say about Kalamazoo.

Read more at Southwest Michigan’s Second Wave.

Borgess Medical Center named Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and for Knee and Hip Replacement

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Posted by Lew Tysman on June 3, 2010 – 10:15 am
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Bone & Joint Institute, Borgess Brain & Spine Institute, Borgess Health, Innovation

Borgess Medical Center has been named a Blue Distinction Center for Spine SurgerySM and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip ReplacementSM .  The recognition comes from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM).

The award helps consumers find healthcare facilities that provide quality care on a consistent basis. 

“Blue Distinction is an innovative quality designation that helps consumers and their physicians find medical facilities that have a demonstrated expertise in specialty care,” according to a statement from BCBSM.  “Blue Distinction  recognizes facilities that meet objective, evidence-based thresholds for clinical quality, developed  in collaboration with expert physicians and medical organizations.”

The Borgess Brain & Spine Institute brings together the specialists of Borgess Neurology, Borgess Spine and Neurosurgery of Kalamazoo into a comprehensive team.  The Institute provides prevention, diagnosis and treatment, including minimally invasive techniques, along with rehabilitation for disorders of the brain, neck, back, nerves and carotid artery, as well as head and spine injury and stroke, in an integrated model of care.  For more information, please visit brainspine.borgess.com.

The Borgess Bone and Joint Institute brings together highly skilled surgeons and specialists to provide southwest Michigan with comprehensive orthopedic care, making surgery and recovery simpler, faster and more effective.  More information is available at bonejoint.borgess.com.

Borgess Foundation receives March of Dimes Grant to support Borgess Women’s Health CenteringPregnancy® Program

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Posted by Lew Tysman on May 18, 2010 – 9:31 am
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Foundation, Borgess Health, Innovation, Women's Health

The March of Dimes Michigan Chapter has awarded the Borgess Foundation a $25,000 Chapter Community Grant for use in supporting the Borgess Women’s Health CenteringPregnancy® program.

“We are honored to receive the support of the March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health,” said Megan Deibel, CNM, Borgess Women’s Health. “The focus of the CenteringPregnancy program is threefold: assessment, education and support. Each woman learns to effectively monitor her well-being and the well-being of her baby. Participants take ownership of their experience during their prenatal care, which helps build confidence in parenting.”

Only 10 projects, including the CenteringPregnancy program at Borgess Women’s Health, received funding via the March of Dimes Michigan Chapter Community Grant. With the award, Borgess Women’s Health hopes to achieve the following objectives/outcomes by the end of 2010:

  • Receive official site approval for the CenteringPregnancy program by the Centering Healthcare Institute
  • Realize a prematurity rate of less than or equal to 10 percent (for program participants)
  • Help 86 percent of program participants initiate breastfeeding and 50 percent of program participants continue breastfeeding through their six-week postpartum follow-up visit

 In a group setting, the CenteringPregnancy program gives those expecting added time, attention and guidance. Along with receiving prenatal checkups and care in groups, women also spend additional time with their health care provider and other expecting mothers, giving them greater opportunity to learn more about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.

“A key benefit of this program is that women form relationships with other expectant moms,” Deibel said. “Research has shown that CenteringPregnancy decreases preterm birth and low-birth weight babies, because participants empower themselves to make better health decisions.”

For more on the CenteringPregnancy program or the complete gynecologic and obstetric care available at Borgess Women’s Health, visit women.borgess.com.

To Have or Not Have a Hysterectomy?: Noninvasive Treatment Option for Fibroids May Answer The Question

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Posted by Lew Tysman on May 13, 2010 – 10:14 am
Filed under Borgess Fibroid Center, Borgess Health, Innovation, Women's Health

“I haven’t had any problems at all,” said Kate Keller, who underwent a noninvasive procedure designed to shrink uterine fibroids (benign tumors that grow on or in the muscle tissue of the uterus). “All around, it was the best option for me. For some reason, I was thinking, ‘I was born with these organs. I want to keep them.’ The problems didn’t justify a hysterectomy.”

Keller’s fibroids did create some pressure in her pelvic area and a frequent urge to urinate, but did not cause a great deal of pain. Instead of opting for a hysterectomy like her gynecologist had recommended, she became the first person in Kalamazoo to have a noninvasive outpatient procedure called magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS). The procedure uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to pinpoint the location of the fibroids and high-intensity ultrasound waves to ablate (destroy) the fibroid tissue.

Keller had the procedure in 2006 as part of a clinical study conducted by Borgess Medical Center in partnership with Premier Radiology and KNI/Southwest Michigan Imaging. Since that time, about 20 to 30 of the procedures have been done locally as part of two clinical studies.

Currently, the Borgess, Premier Radiology and KNI/Southwest Michigan Imaging partnership is the only group in Michigan able to perform MRgFUS. “This isn’t something that works for everyone,” said Dr. Scott Piereson, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at Premier Radiology and Borgess Women’s Health. “However, in some cases, it does offer an alternative to the more traditional types of treatment.”

About 200,000 women undergo hysterectomies annually. A hysterectomy can result in an eight-week recovery period. With the MRgFUS procedure, a woman can return to work the next day.

A Closer Look at Fibroids

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 25 percent of American women are estimated to have fibroids, and black women are two to three times more likely to get them than other women. Uterine fibroids can range in size from a small coin to a large melon. They can cause problems like heavy bleeding or painful periods, frequent urination, bleeding between periods, pain during sex, lower back pain and feeling “full” in the lower abdomen.

The way fibroids are treated depends on their size, the severity of symptoms, fertility considerations, and the patient’s age and willingness to undergo invasive procedures.

For more on uterine fibroids and treatment options available in southwest Michigan, visit fibroids.borgess.com.