El Paso Herald-Post El Paso News & Opinion
Hospitals of Providence announce new doctor, new hysterectomy procedure at Transmountain Campus.
On Thursday, officials with The Hospitals of Providence announced Thursday that Dr. George Iskander, obstetrician and gynecologist with Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, is now performing a new, cutting-edge type of hysterectomy procedure at their Transmountain Campus.
Officials say that the new procedure, known as Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (vNOTES), is “minimally invasive, scarless and almost painless.”
Dr. Iskander performed the first vNOTES procedure last week at the Transmountain Campus.
Dr. Iskander is one of only 20 physicians certified to perform the vNOTES procedure in the U.S. The robotic procedure allows a hysterectomy to be performed without any abdominal incisions on the patient, thus leaving no scarring and significantly reducing recovery time.
“This is an incredible procedure to now have available here in the El Paso region,” said Dr. Iskander. “Our patients undergoing a hysterectomy will significantly benefit from this procedure and see quicker recovery time and will be able to return to everyday activities within 24 hours of the surgery.”
Patients undergoing a vNOTES hysterectomy will see reduced postoperative pain, faster recovery time, and a decrease in wound infections, as well as the absence of surgical scarring.
“We are proud to be expanding services and procedures for women’s services and provide our patients the care they need close to home,” said Tasha Hopper, chief executive officer for The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus.
Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso see patients at The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus.
TTUHSC El Paso, TTP El Paso partner with Paso Del Norte Health Information Exchange
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and its clinical practice, Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, have partnered with the Paso Del Norte Health Information Exchange (PHIX) to improve patient care in the Borderland.
“TTUHSC El Paso and TTP El Paso have been close partners of PHIX for many years,” said Emily Hartmann, executive director for PHIX. “We are thrilled that they are now sharing data through the health information exchange. Their partnership is vital to improving care coordination and quality in our community.”
Established as a nonprofit health information exchange (HIE) in the El Paso region, the mission of PHIX is to improve health through collaboration and data technology.
PHIX centralizes health information from different hospitals and providers to create an electronic community health record for each patient. This community health record enables providers and care managers to see the full scope of a patient’s health history across the continuum of care.
With their doctors conducting more than 200,000 clinic visits each year, TTP El Paso is the region’s largest multispecialty medical group practice. The group, with over 250 specialists and subspecialists, provides care for the entire family at several locations across El Paso.
These community health records include health information from multiple PHIX partners in the El Paso region, as well as the U.S. Veterans Administration and U.S. Department of Defense.
Health leaders in El Paso created PHIX to solve a fundamental problem in health care, which is unreliable and inefficient sharing of health information.
“When health records are not shared efficiently, care coordination is difficult, lab tests are unnecessarily repeated and patients are left struggling to remember their medications every time they see a new provider,” PHIX officials shared. “PHIX improves the efficiency, quality and safety of patient care by ensuring that providers have secure, electronic access to essential medical information at the time of care.”
PHIX follows all federal and state guidelines, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to ensure that only authorized users have access to health data.
PHIX’s data exchange partners include TTUHSC El Paso and TTP El Paso, The Hospitals of Providence, University Medical Center of El Paso, El Paso Children’s Hospital, Emergence Health Network, Centro San Vicente, Project Vida, Centro De Salud Familiar La Fe and the City of El Paso Department of Public Health.
Video+Gallery+Story: From wheelchair-bound therapy patient to Electric Slide line dance performer
48-year-old Jennifer Parker graduated on Friday, February 7, – not with a cap and gown, but with a dance.
Parker graduated from The Hospitals of Providence Outpatient Therapy program, where she has spent the last 16 months learning to walk and regain function of her lower extremities.
Wheelchair bound due to a brain aneurysm causing a rare spinal cord injury in 2018, Parker has worked every day since the event to learn simple functions such as walking, writing, and preparing meals.
After months of hard work, Parker left her wheelchair behind forever, as she graduated from the therapy program.
With her team of therapists by her side, along with her husband Travis, they celebrated the long journey together by line dancing to the Electric Slide.
“I would set small goals for myself every day and would envision reaching the goal multiple times before my first attempt. I was never surprised that I could do it as my friends, family, and therapists looked at me in amazement,” said Parker.
During her extensive therapy, Parker approached each day with a sense of tenacity and strong will.
Now, diligently working to return to the activities she loved before the injury, her goal is to not only inspire other patients enduring difficult situations, but to inspire everyone to live each day to the fullest.
Parker’s message is a simple one,”Do what you can, while you can! Because, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring.”
Lawson named new Group Chief Nursing Officer for The Hospitals of Providence
Officials with the Hospitals of Providence announced that Linda Lawson has been named Group Chief Nursing Officer for The Hospitals of Providence.
“She is committed to transforming healthcare and improving the delivery of care and the overall experience for each patient,” Hospitals of Providence officials shared via a news release.
Lawson joined The Hospitals of Providence team in 2006 and holds over 32 years of nursing experience.
In addition to her new role as Group Chief Nursing Officer for The Hospitals of Providence, Lawson will continue to serve as Chief Nursing Officer for the Transmountain Campus.
Lawson holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Master of Science in Critical Care/Nursing Administration for the University of Massachusetts and a Doctor of Nursing Practice/Executive Leadership from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Hospitals of Providence Cereal Drive surpasses goal with 503k+ servings collected
Hospitals of Providence officials announced Thursday that, through the efforts of their team members and community partners, the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive collected over 503,000 servings of cereal to benefit the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank.
“We are so incredibly grateful for the support of our staff and our dedicated community partners across El Paso who join us each year in our efforts to help lead the fight against hunger,” said Nicholas Tejeda, Group Chief Executive Officer for The Hospitals of Providence. “Through our cereal drive, we are able to provide El Paso children and families struggling with hunger with a healthy breakfast during the summer.”
According to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, 1 in 3 children currently experiences food insecurity.
Summer is a particularly difficult time for many food insecure families because children can no longer rely on schools for nutritious meals putting an added burden on families.
“This was an unbelievably successful year as we surpassed our goal by 100k servings, providing more kids with a healthy breakfast,” said Tejeda. “Hunger is a community health issue and The Hospitals of Providence are committed to being a part of addressing this problem to better the lives of children and families of El Paso.”
Donations to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank are always welcome, click here for more information.
Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus Selected as Trial Site for Revolutionary Heart Procedure
The Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus has been selected to participate in the Edward Lifesciences PARTNER 3 Low Risk Trial for Transcatheter Aortic Valve replacement (TAVR).
According to hospital officials, “As a participant, the Sierra Campus will be the first in the region to offer this procedure to low risk cardiac patients with severe aortic valve stenosis as a less invasive alternative for aortic valve repair.”
TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure to replace the aortic heart valve without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. The Sierra Campus’ role is specifically designed to ensure that underrepresented populations are included in this nation-wide study.
“Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the United States, killing more people every year than all forms of cancer combined,” said Nicholas Tejeda, Market Chief Executive Officer for The Hospitals of Providence. “Our goal is to bring new medical advancements to our community, such as the TAVR procedure, which could offer better outcomes for our most high-risk patients.”
TAVR is designed to replace a patient’s diseased native aortic valve without traditional open-heart surgery and while the heart continues to beat. This avoids the need to stop the patient’s heart and connect him or her to a heart-lung machine, which temporarily takes over the function of the heart and the patient’s breathing during surgery (cardiopulmonary bypass).
“I am very proud to be part of the team to bring this exciting technology to Sierra Campus,” said Dr. Venkatachalam Mulukutla, Cardiologist. “I believe that transcatheter valve replacement is one of the greatest technological breakthroughs in the modern medical era, and I am looking forward to participating in this trial to further advance cardiology treatments for patients in this region.”
Severe aortic stenosis is a very serious heart condition. Many patients are not treated because they are deemed inoperable for surgery, have not received a definitive diagnosis or because they delay or decline the procedure for a variety of reasons.
Patients who do not receive an aortic valve replacement (AVR) have no effective, long-term treatment option to prevent or delay their disease progression. Without it, severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is life-threatening – studies indicate that 50 percent of patients will not survive more than an average of two years after the onset of symptoms.
Workforce Solutions Borderplex Holds Annual Meeting, Hands Out Honors
At its Annual Board Meeting on this week, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) celebrated the contributions of its board members and business partners.
At the event, Board Chair Leo A. Duran Sr. introduced the second year winners for the Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Board Member and a special recognition for the Past Board Chair. In addition, three Business Partner Awards were presented for continued success utilizing the workforce system.
These recognitions were implemented during Mr. Duran’s tenure as Board Chair.
“Our board members and business partners are exceptional and we are so pleased to get to recognize them this way,” said Board Chair Leo A. Duran Sr. “They truly have a positive impact on our organization and community.”
The 2017 awards presented are:
Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Board Member: Lydia Nesbitt-Arronte
Lydia has supported WSB in numerous community projects including the recruitment effort for the Amazon headquarters in El Paso. She has lead partnership discussions for regional Skills Gap Analysis Roundtables and has supported WSB STEAM Fiesta with monetary donations. Lydia has provided a voice among community leaders that helps strategically guide programs and initiatives for lasting impact. Lydia currently chairs the WSB Economic Development Committee.
Recognition of Past Board Chair: Bertha A. Gallardo
Bertha has served as Past Board Chair in both 2016 and 2017. She served as Board Chair in 2014 and 2015 and was Vice-Chair in 2013. Bertha has served as a board member since 2007.
Small Business Partner of the Year Award: YMCA of El Paso
Bill Coon, CEO for the YMCA of El Paso, was instrumental in creating a true partnership with WSB to offer summer jobs with great outcomes. Staff members at the YMCA were proactive in reporting direct hires from the WorkinTexas.com jobseeker database. His organization was always willing to participate in career days and offer internships and subsidized employment. Mr. Coon joined the WSB board this year.
Medium Business Partner of the Year Award: FedEx Ground El Paso
FedEx Ground El Paso participated in two WSB Manufacturing Industry Council Roundtables and several career fairs. The company was an active participant at the first-ever JobCon event and also participated in the Vocational Rehabilitative hiring event. FedEx Ground is always eager to partner for recruiting and direct hires. They are currently working on future career days and providing internships opportunities to WSB customers.
Large Business Partner of the Year Award: The Hospitals of Providence
The Hospitals of Providence has been a key partner in STEAM Fiesta by sponsoring the Business Challenge for the past two years. They have participated in JobCon, Red White and You Veterans Hiring Fair and several Career Expos. They are always active in WorkinTexas.com with job postings, hiring and reaching out to WSB recruiters for assistance.
The Hospitals of Providence accepted the challenge to participate in career days and will provide internships. They also partnered with WSB and El Paso Community College to provide job training for 331 new and incumbent workers using $481,813 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission.
This grant will be used to provide customized training with classes and training focused on industry-related topics such as basic nursing, critical care, neonatal intensive care nursing, emergency and operating room care, chemotherapy infusion and respiratory therapy.
Trainees will include registered nurses, nursing assistants, phlebotomists, radiologic technologists and respiratory therapists. Upon completion of training, the workers will receive an average wage of $26.02.
WSB Board of Directors elected the current slate of officers for a two-year term, beginning January of 2018 and running through December of 2019.
Mica Short, Community Relations Manager at Texas Gas Services, will serve as Board Chairperson.
Grace Muñoz, Senior Vice President of Talent Management at First Light Federal Union, will serve as Vice Chairperson.
Hector Vidal, Manager at Walgreens, will serve as Secretary.
Leo A. Duran Sr., Owner of L&J Café, will serve as Past Board Chair.
The complete current listing of Workforce Solutions Borderplex Board of Directors can be found online.
Amid Smiles and Creosote bushes, Groundbreaking Held for Horizon City Hospital
Surrounded by hospital board members, community members and Horizon’s elected officials, golden shovels dug in and dirt was turned in the long-awaited Horizon City Hospital project.
Hospitals of Providence officials pointed to the explosive growth of Horizon and the city’s surrounds as reason to bring the new facility to the High Desert. Since 2000, Horizon’s city population has grown at a rate of 180 percent, and with that growth comes a greater need for high quality, patient-centered health care in a convenient location.
“The Hospitals of Providence recognizes the growing need for health care services in Horizon City and the surrounding communities, and we’ve been working closely with the city leadership to ensure that we are meeting this need as the city continues to flourish,” said Sally Hurt-Deitch, Market CEO of The Hospitals of Providence.
The nearly two-year project will now kick into high gear, as hospital officials say the ribbon cutting ceremony for the completed facility will occur “in just about 12 months from today.”
A beaming Horizon Mayor Ruben Mendoza told the assembled crowd that the hospital would not only bring top-notch health care to our community, but “100 permanent, good-paying jobs to the citizens of Horizon City.” Mayor Mendoza went on to say, “This facility in Horizon is only the beginning of a generations-long relationship with the community.”
Former Mayor and current council member Walter Miller, who is credited with beginning the talks with the hospital and starting the conversation also addressed the crowd. Miller touched on the long wait for the project to start, but reassured the crow that it was all part of the process. He added, “He was wonderfully glad that the day was finally here.”
The new Horizon Campus will total 39,508 square feet and will include an emergency department, inpatient unit, laboratory, and imaging services as well as medical offices for physicians and other health care providers.
The new facility will offer expanded health care service to the community with compassion, efficiency and excellence, while maintaining the highest standards for quality, safety and service.
“We are honored to partner with The Hospitals of Providence, an organization that has cared for generations of El Pasoans,” said Dr. Toby Hamilton, founder and CEO of Emerus. “They are a cornerstone of their community, and that is a perfect match for Emerus’ mission of providing the highest level of emergency and inpatient care with excellence and empathy in the communities in which people live.”
Hamilton was raised on the outskirts of El Paso. His grandparents owned one of the first houses built in Horizon City. “This is a project that’s near and dear to my heart,” he said. “This new facility will improve the healthcare situation in this community. We are going to provide jobs, and opportunity – and make a huge difference in people’s lives.”
The Hospitals of Providence Horizon City Campus is a joint venture with Emerus, a nationally recognized, innovative leader in the delivery of emergency, inpatient, and diagnostic medical health care and the nation’s first and largest operator of micro-hospitals.
Horizon City set to get first hospital
According to a newly-posted sign alongside Horizon Boulevard, the rapidly-growing community just east of El Paso about to get their first hospital.
The sign, posted between Richard Smith Street and Thea Smith Drive across from the Horizon Golf Course, shows a Southwestern-inspired design, 3-story facility.
The hospital, set to be run by The Hospitals of Providence, will have all the services offered by a full-service facility.
The sign boasts 24/7 Emergency Care, a less than 15 minute wait, Laboratory and Imaging services, in-patient care, surgery services and doctor’s offices.
There is no set date for construction to start, nor is there any mention of an opening date.
