Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Kenny Moore’s progressing heart failure left him unable to walk a block without becoming fatigued. His health was also declining. His heart was not pumping efficiently, and fluids were building up in his body. His doctors gave him some choices. To improve his quality of life he could get on a heart transplant list or get a ventricular assist device (VAD). Or he could continue with his current quality of life on medications alone. Kenny opted for a better quality of life. “I wanted to keep my own heart,” says Kenny, a 66-year-old from Petersburg, Kentucky, who became St. Elizabeth’s…

When people think of pelvic floor health, they typically think of women and the infamous Kegel exercises. But pelvic floor health is an important issue for men, too — and it actually involves something called an “anti-Kegel.” “When it comes down to it, men and women have the same kind of pelvic floor muscles,” says Molly Carpenter, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s Pelvic Health Physical Therapy program. “While women’s pelvic floor issues are often about weak muscles, men’s issues are usually caused by muscles that are too tight.” Fortunately, the first line of treatment for men’s…

Brittany Sorrell was well prepared for her third child’s arrival — and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, turning her carefully thought-out birth plans upside down. Brittany, a former Educational Specialist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare and mom to two boys, knew she would be in great hands once she arrived at the Family Birth Place. “But the closer I got to delivery, the more anxious I became,” says Brittany. “I’m so close to my mom, my sisters and my mother-in-law, and no one could be at the hospital with us.” “When I had to go into triage for the second time…

For many people, the idea of joint replacement surgery can seem daunting. It may conjure thoughts of a long hospital stay or a painful recovery. But what if that surgery didn’t require a hospital stay? What if it meant you would be up and walking shortly after the procedure? With same-day joint replacement surgery, all that is possible. “Most patients can move and follow commands right after the surgery,” says Matthew Grunkemeyer, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine practicing at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “We work closely with anesthesiologists and use less invasive techniques to help control…

The past efforts of many made it possible for Deborah Miller to have a healthier future. The Kentucky resident recently underwent robotic-assisted surgery to treat her early-stage lung cancer. “It was a success because of the doctors and scientists researching the field of early-stage lung cancer treatment. And because funding to hospitals helps support the purchase of new technology. And the academic experience the doctors, nurses, and medical staff have. Each of them took care of me,” says Deborah. In early May 2020, Deborah was receiving care for another health issue when a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a shadowy…

We’re right here to change the future of cancer in our region. Welcome to the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center, we’re excited to have you on this tour. As you hopefully know by now, this isn’t just about a building. We’re here to change the future of cancer in our region. Not just treating the cancers but treating the patients themselves. The entrance leads into the main lobby. In addition to registration and lounge areas, this first-impression high-traffic space offers direct access to the Center’s lab services, retail pharmacy, café and our Resource Center. Down the hall, you can find the…

Vaping devices, also known as e-cigarettes, vape pens, e-vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems are becoming familiar terms. Since they first were introduced to the public, they have become wildly popular in many shapes and sizes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2022 more than 2.5 million middle and high school students in the United States used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. The devices used to vape contain a battery used to warm the e-liquid in the prefilled pod or refillable tank. You can use certain products again and again by replacing the tank…

Listen to Jacob Bast, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of St. Elizabeth Physicians, on Becker’s Healthcare Podcast. He discusses his top priorities in the coming months, his best advice for emerging leaders, and more.

A majority of American adults have experienced back pain at one point in their lives. Common culprits include yard work, overdoing it while exercising, or merely turning too quickly. Chronic conditions, like arthritis, can also cause pain in the back and neck areas. No matter what the source, back pain can significantly affect a patient’s quality of life. Treatment options for back pain The first stop for patients with back pain should be their primary care physician. Speak with your physician about how and when the pain started. Treatment options include exercises to strengthen your core muscles and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory…

For Northern Kentucky resident Scott Bonta, May 28 will forever mark a new anniversary in his life: it’s the day he returned home after battling COVID-19 for more than two months in the hospital. Surrounded by cheering St. Elizabeth Healthcare nurses, doctors, therapists and aides, Scott slowly stood up from his wheelchair and carefully walked into his family’s embrace. They had waited 68 days to hug him. Scott spent more than two months battling COVID-19 and its lingering after-effects at St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas. Half of those days were spent in the Intensive Care Unit on a ventilator in a…