As the calendar winds toward December, many people focus on holiday plans, shopping and year-end deadlines. But for those who’ve been putting off elective surgery, now can be a great time to act. At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, you can schedule many surgery procedures close to home, avoid travel hassles and make the most of your insurance benefits before they reset. This …

Dr. Michael “Mickey” Ising, brings more than surgical skill to the St. Elizabeth cardiac surgery team – he brings the mindset of an engineer. Before he ever stepped into an operating room, Dr. Ising was immersed in the world of biomedical engineering. He worked on artificial heart technology – designing mechanical systems that could replicate the rhythm and reliability of …

Nicole Schadler, a loving wife, mother and long-standing Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, lived an active and healthy lifestyle. But one day in March, Nicole began experiencing troubling symptoms – swollen hands, kidney pain and abnormally high blood pressure. Despite multiple doctor’s visits and new medications, her periodic symptoms continued to worsen, …

Virtual health is here to stay, and it’s easy to see why. Patients love the convenience of accessing care via a smartphone, tablet or computer. And telehealth visits are often covered by insurance, just like traditional in-person appointments. Perhaps the biggest challenge is knowing which virtual healthcare option is right for you. At St. Elizabeth our goal is to make …

When it comes to your family’s medical history, having detailed information is invaluable. Carrie Anderson, MS, LGC, a Genetic Counselor at St. Elizabeth, explains that while many people know a relative had a “heart condition,” healthcare recommendations can vary widely depending on whether it was coronary artery disease, a heart valve disorder, an abnormal heart rhythm or another condition. Gaining …

Coronary artery disease — blocked heart arteries — is the most common type of heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it affects one in 20 American adults over age 20. Interventional cardiologists use a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to clear arteries in patients with this condition. To help patients with severe artery blockages …

If joint pain is keeping you from doing the things you love—walking your dog, playing with your grandkids or simply getting a good night’s sleep—it may be time to consider joint replacement surgery. Dr. Matthew Hummel, an Orthopaedic Surgeon at OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, understands that surgery can feel intimidating. But he wants patients to know that joint replacement …

Every year, nearly 320,000 women in the United States receive a breast cancer diagnosis. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 90% include surgery in their treatment plan. St. Elizabeth Healthcare offers the most advanced surgery options to deliver the highest quality care possible. To help you decide whether surgery is the right choice for you, Brianne Nicholas, …

As a new parent, you want to do everything right for your baby — including helping them sleep safely. But with so many products online and trending on social media, it’s hard to know what’s truly safe. “Some products may look cozy or promise better sleep, but they may increase the risk of suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS),” …

Hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, mood changes. They’re all changes synonymous with menopause. But there’s another symptom of menopause many women may not be aware of: increased risk of heart disease. Most women experience menopause (the end of their monthly periods) in their late 40s or early to mid-50s. Certain menopause-related biological changes, including a decrease in estrogen production, …