Download Heart Center 2011 Annual report covers

Recipient of the HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence AwardTM
for two consecutive years (2011-2012).
CentraCare Health System Leadership
Craig Broman, MHA, FACHE
St. Cloud Hospital president
Terence Pladson, MD, MBA
CentraCare Health System president
Allen Horn, MD, MBA
CentraCare Clinic president
It is the mission of the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center to enhance
the lives of those we serve. We do this for all through the prevention,
discovery and management of cardiac and vascular disease.
Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Introduction & Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Heart & Vascular Center History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Meet Our Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Outreach Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Cardiac Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Cardiac & Vascular Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
Rapid Transport Program (STEMI). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Patient Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Non-invasive Diagnostic Cardiac Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23
Heart Failure Management Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25
Electrophysiology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27
Take Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Pediatric Cardiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Cardiovascular Health and Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31
CentraCare Health Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-38
A Patient Success Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Thanks to all who devoted time and effort in the creation of this publication.
Pag e 3 Richard Backes, MD
Moving forward for you
In the Electrophysiology department, one of the fastest
growing areas of cardiac disease, complex ablations,
pacemaker and defibrillator implantations are an everyday
occurrence advancing both the quality and duration of
people’s lives.
Our catheterization laboratories continue to be active
as we diagnose and treat thousands of patients annually
for cardiac disease as well as peripheral vascular disease,
both arterial and venous. Our ASD/PFO closure program is
enrolling hundreds of patients in trials for atrial defects and
migraines. We will be aggressively treating DVT and PE
with thrombolytics to improve mortality rate and decrease
long-term sequela of these diseases. In addition, we will
join others offering percutaneous valve replacement for the
appropriate patient.
Welcome to this presentation of the CentraCare
Heart & Vascular Center. Our hope is to share with
you information about the people, procedures and
technology that we offer in striving to give the best
care when patients and families need us.
We are a national trendsetter in cardiovascular care.
Our STEMI program is rivaled by none, employing
the cutting-edge belief that patients can go from
ambulance to the catheterization lab in minutes
if ST-elevation exists, saving myocardium and leading
to survival rates not thought imaginable 10 years ago.
A strong heart failure team has enrolled more than
1,000 patients. Our goal is to combine the latest
technology (i.e. biventricular pacemakers, left
ventricular assist devices, home monitoring, etc.)
and prescribe the best medicine practices to keep
patients out of the hospital and functioning at the
highest possible level.
Pag e 4
The years to come will certainly bring changes and
challenges for health care. We are grateful to all who
have referred patients here and for your confidence in our
program. We pledge to continue to provide the best care
for our patients and to work closely with physicians in
striving for excellent outcomes.
Sincerely,
Richard Backes, MD, FACC
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center vice president
Bob Johnson
Expanding our vision
Dear friends,
Across the years, the CentraCare Heart & Vascular
Center at St. Cloud Hospital has seen wonderful
developments in the care of patients with heart and
vascular disease. Advances in technology allow for
less invasive approaches and therapies for disease
management. With generational changes in our staff
and physician group, we have had access to bright
minds and skilled hands.
No longer the startup program out in Greater
Minnesota, we have transformed, as a result
of performing hundreds of thousands of diagnostic
studies and thousands of interventional procedures,
into one of the top programs in our state and region.
Having performed our first heart catheterization in
St. Cloud in 1983 and our first open heart surgery in
1988, that distant memory is the spark that has led
to a 99 percent success rate for our STEMI program.
Patients come from surrounding states to receive care
in electrophysiology. No longer having to travel to the
Twin Cities for follow-up care, our pacemaker and ICD
patients number 3,700. Our cardiac surgical program
excels and has been recognized for two consecutive
years by Consumer Reports.
The metamorphosis continues as we plan for the
future. For more than a quarter of a century, we have
been providing best in class care for patients with
cardiac disease. For more than a decade, we have
broadened our program to treat peripheral arterial,
venous and cerebral vascular disease. And now our
second generation of talented physicians, nurses and
technical staff are giving us access to the latest
developments in the assessment of venous
incompetence, varicose vein ablation and IVC filter
placement for deep venous thrombosis.
Our history has made us who we are. What we do next
will determine what we can be. Be it medical care,
advancing technology or facility development, we have
no plans to stop our march forward for the sake of those
we serve. We are CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center,
and like our parent company, CentraCare Health System,
we “will be the leader in Minnesota for quality, safety,
service and value.”
Best regards,
Bob Johnson, MPH
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center executive director
Pag e 5 Heart Center History
looking back informs the future
Since its humble beginnings in 1983, the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center at St. Cloud Hospital has evolved
into a major comprehensive program providing excellent patient care for the people throughout Minnesota and its
border states.
Pag e 6
1983
First Cardiologist
First Diagnostic Heart Catheterization Performed
Cardiac Rehabilitation Offered to Patients
1996
Second Mobile Outreach Van
Nine Cardiologists
1984
Outreach Program Begins
1998
First Peripheral/Renal Angioplasty Performed
3,000 Open Heart Surgeries Performed
Echo Lab Nationally Accredited
2,400 Angioplasties Performed
1988
First Open Heart Surgery at St. Cloud Hospital
First Angioplasty Performed
1999
Heart Center Facility Expands
16 Outreach Sites
1991
Five Cardiologists
500 Open Heart Surgeries Performed
500 Angioplasties Performed
2000
Major Remodel of Heart Center
3,900 Angioplasties Performed
1992
Program Named “Central Minnesota Heart Center”
Eight Outreach Sites
Electrophysiology Program Started
2001
Cardiac Procedure Recovery Unit
Designed and Built
1993
Second Cardiac Surgeon
1,000 Angioplasties Performed
New South Building Opened
1994
Stent & Intravascular Ultrasound
Program Started
Pag e 7 2004
Clinical Research Department Started
Enhanced External Counterpulsation Therapy Implemented
ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction - St. Cloud
(STEMI-SC) Program Officially Initiated
2005
Cardiac Care Unit Became Part of
Central Minnesota Heart Center
Women @ Heart Project Launched
Smoke Free Communities Grant Awarded
Pag e 8
2006
Cardiovascular CT Scanning Began
21 Outreach Sites
2007
Take Heart-St. Cloud Program Initiated
First PFO Closure Performed
Holistic Services Offered
Heart Failure Management Program
Officially Established
2008
Quarter Century of Cardiac Care
20 Cardiologists
2 Cardiac Surgeons
27 Outreach Sites
5,400 Open Heart Surgeries
9,000 Angioplasties Performed
Top 10 percent of Hospitals Nationwide
for Cardiac Surgery
Recognized Repeatedly as a Thomson 100 Top
Cardiovascular Hospital
2009
Electrophysiology Outreach Started in Grand Forks, ND
Heart Center Cardiologist Placed in Willmar
Construction Began on a New 14-Bed
Cardiac Care Unit and a 9-Bed Cardiovascular
Thoracic Unit
2010
Ultra-High-Sensitivity Nuclear Cardiology
Scanner Installed
Dual-Source (128-Slice) CT Installed to Replace
64-Slice Unit
Cardiac MRI Available
2011
Name Changed to “CentraCare Heart &
Vascular Center”
Fifth Electrophysiologist Recruited for 2012
Third Cardiothoracic Surgeon Started
31 Outreach Sites
First Venous Ablation Performed
2,000 STEMI Patients
Pag e 9 Together we
make a difference
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center at St. Cloud Hospital is the largest, most advanced
and experienced cardiovascular center in Central Minnesota. Our staff consists of 15 cardiologists, five
electrophysiologists, two pediatric cardiologists, three cardiac surgeons and more than 350 staff. Physicians
of the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center see patients in consult and for follow-up, totaling 29,000 visits annually.
Richard Aplin, MD, FACC
Richard Backes, MD, FACC
Jacob Dutcher, MD, FACC
Bernard Erickson, MD,
FACC, FSCAI
Mark Johnson, MD, FACC
Richard Jolkovsky, MD, FACC
John Mahowald, MD, FACC
Mark Martone, MD, FACC
Joe Nguyen, MD, FACC
Jamie Pelzel, MD, FACC
Michael Rich, MD, FACC
Wade Schmidt, MD, FACC
Pag e 1 0
Timothy Schuchard, MD,
FACC
Daniel Tiede, MD,
FACC, FSCAI
Howard Zimring, MD,
FACC, FSCAI
Chip Martin, MD,
FAAP
Ann Dunnigan, MD,
FACC, FAAP
Keith Lurie, MD
Simón Milstein, MD,
FACC, FHRS
John Schoenhard, MD, PhD
Mevan Wijetunga, MD,
FACC, FHRS
John Castro, MD
Edgar Pineda, MD, FRCS(C)
John Teskey, MD, FRCS(C)
CARDIOLOGIST
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIST
PEDIATRIC
CARDIOLOGIST
CARDIAC SURGEON
Superior medical staff providing excellent patient care
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center has been able to attract great physicians by virtue of its advanced
technology and facilities, wonderful geography and focus on patients and families. This very skilled
and competent team is available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, to serve you and your loved ones.
Pag e 1 1 Administrative leadership—
always here for you
In an environment where teamwork is so important, our administrative leaders work collaboratively
with patients, families, physicians and other CentraCare Health System programs to help assure
success on all fronts. Working to create a technological platform and venue to care for patients,
to build operational efficiency, to manage costs and to support all in providing compassionate
care, these leaders are with us to serve the whole team.
“Given that we don’t care for the patient directly, we’d better be caring about and supporting
those who do.”
Bob Johnson, CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center, executive director
Timothy Dalton, MS
director of non-invasive cardiology
Philip Martin, RN, MBA
director of invasive &
interventional cardiology
Jim Gwost, MBA,
CentraCare Clinic,
site administrator for cardiology
Bob Johnson, MPH
executive director
Joe Wendt, MA
coordinator for nuclear medicine/CT
Pag e 1 2
Providing care in St. Cloud and throughout
Minnesota
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
Cynthia Friedmann,
PA-C
Rebecca Immonen,
PA-C
J. Chris Sutton,
PA-C
Jeffrey Trimble,
PA-C
ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS
Jenny Bauerly,
CNS
Amy Cruser,
CNS
Valery Hoover,
CNP
Kathleen Mahon,
CNP
Pag e 1 3 Heart & Vascular Center Outreach Services
Heart services offered in multiple communities throughout the region
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center (CCHVC) has a
unique relationship with two area communities, Brainerd
and Willmar. Since 2008, CCHVC has formally
collaborated with the Brainerd Lakes Health System
to develop a heart and vascular program for patients
in that area.
Since 2010, the Heart & Vascular Center has been
collaborating in Willmar with Rice Memorial Hospital,
Affiliated Community Medical Center and the Family
Practice Medical Center to expand heart and vascular
services in that area.
By arrangement, full-time cardiologists of CCHVC
have resided in both communities.
Albany
Marshall
Alexandria
Melrose
Appleton
Montevideo
Benson
Olivia
Brainerd
Onamia
Dawson
Ortonville
Devils Lake, ND
Paynesville
Elbow Lake
Rapid City, SD
Glenwood
Redwood Falls
Grand Forks, ND
Sauk Centre
Granite Falls
Sioux Falls, SD
Hutchinson
St. Louis Park
Jamestown, ND
St. Paul
Litchfield
St. Peter
Little Falls
Staples
Long Prairie
Wadena
Madison
Willmar
General cardiology
Nuclear
Echocardiography
Interpretive Services
Electrophysiology
Mankato
We continue to expand
Each year CCHVC staff drive a distance equal
to traveling from the earth to the moon... twice!
In days gone by, doctors made house calls to deliver care at home. CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center continues
this time-honored practice by bringing cardiovascular care to dozens of community hospitals and clinics. Without
this important care, thousands of Minnesotans would need to travel hundreds of miles each year to receive the care
they need. Our dedicated cardiologists, nurses and technical staff drive nearly a half million miles each year
in response to this outreach need.
As our new name reflects, the work of the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center has expanded beyond Central
Minnesota. Through an ever-growing outreach program, cardiology services are delivered throughout the state.
In fact, we provide services like electrophysiology and diagnostic interpretive services to patients in North
and South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Pag e 1 4
Access to innovation through research
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular
Center Research Department
supports and participates in many
clinical trials in the areas of heart failure,
electrophysiology, interventional cardiology and
prevention. We are one of the few sites in Minnesota
that offer patients participation in clinical trials and
access to novel cardiovascular drugs and therapies.
The goal of this research is to find better ways
to prevent, diagnose and treat heart disease in order
for patients to experience greater quality of life. Clinical
trials also give us more information about preventing
or reducing heart disease in healthy people.
Bernard Erickson, MD,
Research, medical director
events in patients with stable coronary heart
disease (CHD), CHD risk equivalents or at elevated
risk for cardiovascular disease.
A list of clinical trials that are currently enrolling can
be found on www.centracare.com.
Cardiologists and electrophysiologists participate
in research as principal investigators in a field of
interest, a sub-investigator supporting a fellow colleague
or as a resource to patients enrolled in a clinical trial.
The department employs four clinical research nurses
and a research assistant.
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center currently
is active in more than 30 open trials. Several of these
clinical trials include:
• the Premium Migraine/PFO trial that is evaluating
the incidence of headache reduction in subjects
with migraines and PFO using the Amplatzer PFO
Occluder compared to medical management.
• the Dal-Outcomes II- Phase 3b, Multi-Center,
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to evaluate
the effect of Dalcetrapib 600 mg. on cardiovascular
Pag e 1 5 John Castro, MD
Edgar Pineda, MD, FRCS(C)
Experts in the field
when you need
the best possible care
Cardiac Surgery
Since 1988, the cardiac surgery program at the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center
(CCHVC) has been a gift to thousands of Minnesotans. The comprehensive array
of services, from coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) to valve repair and
John Teskey, MD, FRCS(C)
replacement, has allowed countless individuals and families to avoid the extensive
travel and stress of leaving Central Minnesota and border communities for the Twin Cities.
In July 2011, John Castro, MD, joined the CCHVC, adding new skill and ability in cardiothoracic and vascular
surgery. Having completed his fellowship at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Castro has performed more than
600 procedures. Combining his experience with that of Drs. John Teskey and Edgar Pineda, who have performed
thousands of coronary bypasses, valves and related procedures, greatly expands the services offered
at the CCHVC.
Pag e 1 6
Mortality data for 2011 show a 65 percent lower in-hospital mortality and 42 percent
operative mortality for major procedures (CABG, Valve, CABG + Valve) at CCHVC
compared to national averages.
Cardiac Surgery Data
Complication rates associated with cardiovascular surgery remain significantly below the national average.
Cardiac Surgical Procedures 2008-2011
More than 350 cardiac surgeries are performed each
year at the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center,
with the vast majority being coronary artery
bypass surgery.
An award-winning program
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center cardiac surgery program received the
top three-star rating, meaning it performed above the national average, and was
recognized in the September 2010 and 2011 issues of Consumer Reports
magazine. The rating was based on overall performance, complications and other
quality measures. The data are from July 1, 2009 through July 30, 2010, and come
from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, which gathers information from more than
90 percent of the roughly 1,100 surgical groups in the United States that
perform cardiac surgery.
Five-star rated by HealthGrades for coronary bypass surgery
for 10 consecutive years (2003-2012).
Five-star rated by HealthGrades for valve surgery in 2012.
Recipient of the HealthGrades Cardiac Surgery Excellence
Award for two consecutive years (2011-2012).
TM
Pag e 1 7 Here when you need us most
Daniel Tiede MD, FACC, FSCAI
Cardiac Catheterization Lab,
medical director
Catheterization Lab
Treating more heart attacks than most Twin Cities hospitals
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center’s cardiac
catheterization lab provides invasive and interventional
diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in an effort
to discover, manage and control cardiac and vascular
disease for patients throughout the region.
removals. Additionally, peripheral angiograms and
angioplasties are performed in carotid arteries, upper
and lower extremity arteries and abdominal arteries
(renal and mesenteric).
The catheterization lab includes four procedure rooms.
Procedures include coronary angiograms, angioplasties,
IVUS, fractional flow reserve, atherectomy, venous
ablation, cardiac stenting and PFO/ASD closures
as well as inferior vena cava (IVC) filter implants and
Catheterization lab procedures
July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011: 5,250
Patient safety comes first at CCHVC, including close monitoring of kidney
function by measuring patient creatine levels before and after PCIs, and
minimizing radiation exposure by reducing fluoro time during PCIs.
Pag e 1 8
The revascularization success rate for
stented lesions at CCHVC is 99.7 percent
compared with the national average
of 98.8 percent.
* Data comparison outcomes for hospitals included in the ACC-NCDR Cath PCI Registry for FY10 through FY11.
** For patients with LOS >= 1 day
Providing both cardiac and vascular care
For nearly 30 years, the CentraCare Heart & Vascular
Center has aggressively treated the full spectrum
of cardiac disease. For the past 14 years, it has
expanded to treat peripheral arterial, venous and
cerebral vascular disease as well. Today, we are a
full-fledged vascular center that provides comprehensive
vascular services to our patients. Services also include
long-term patient care and counseling such as
monitoring for disease recurrence and encouraging
lifestyle modification.
thrombectomy, atherectomy, as well as endoluminal
treatment of aneurysms.
Diagnostic and therapeutic options for the treatment
of venous disease of the extremities are provided,
including ultrasound assessment of venous
incompetence, varicose vein ablation and IVC filter
placement for deep venous thrombosis.
Also provided is interventional therapy for DVT with
combined mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolysis.
We provide non-invasive diagnostic studies of the
carotid arteries, aorta, renal mesenteric arteries and
upper and lower extremities, including duplex
ultrasound, ankle brachial indices, as well as peripheral
CTA. Additionally, we provide percutaneous
revascularization procedures for the treatment
of peripheral arterial disease in all arterial distributions,
including angioplasty, stenting, thrombolysis,
Five-star rated by HealthGrades for coronary interventional
procedures for three consecutive years (2010-2012).
Pag e 1 9 Streamlining MI care saves lives
Richard Aplin, MD,
STEMI-SC program,
medical director
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular
Center’s (CCHVC) rapid transfer
program saves lives. The program
is called STEMI-SC for ST-Segment
Elevation Myocardial InfarctionSt. Cloud. One phone call to the
STEMI-SC number triggers a stepby-step protocol that results in prompt
transfer of the patient with a
myocardial infarction to the cardiac
catheterization laboratories at the
CCHVC.
Over the past two decades, treatment
of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial
Infarction has included primary
percutaneous coronary intervention
(PPCI) when possible, despite trends
toward a pharmacoinvasive approach.
Wade Schmidt, MD,
Most transfer programs continue to
IOPS Registry,
co-medical director
use complicated protocols which
include fibrinolytic therapy often resulting in transfer delays
and an increased risk of bleeding and stroke.
At the CCHVC, clinical research, absent of fibrinolytic
therapy, was applied to a 25-hospital network over
a 100-mile radius. From April 2004 to January 2008,
1,000 patients ages 21 to 90 who presented with symptoms
consistent with myocardial infarction were included in
this single-center registry.
The mortality rates for 1,000 patients were:
in-hospital
30 days post-procedure
six months post-procedure
one year post-procedure
2.1%
2.9%
3.8%
4.5%
The complication rates were:
in-hospital stroke
reinfarction
major bleeding
0.7%
2.0%
2.7%
By following a PPCI protocol, without fibrinolytic
therapy, our registry demonstrated excellent survival
rates and low-morbidity in the treatment of transferred
and on-site patients.
Since the formal program began in 2004, more than
2,500 heart attack patients have been transferred
to the CCHVC from 27 hospitals within 100 miles of
St. Cloud. The overall in-hospital mortality rate has
decreased dramatically and one-year survival rates
of patients maintained with the STEMI-SC registry
are 94.5 percent.
Prior to transferring to the CCHVC cardiac catheterization
lab, on-site and referral patients receive chewable
aspirin, heparin, Plavix (clopidogrel) and/or Effient
(prasugrel). The average time between admission to the first
hospital and insertion of a balloon or aspiration device in the
catheterization lab was 56 minutes for patients admitted to
St. Cloud Hospital and 110 minutes for patients transferred
from the referral sites. Despite inherent transfer delays, there
was no difference in mortality rates between patients at
St. Cloud Hospital and the referral sites. The PPCI success
rate was 99.4 percent.
IOPS Registry
In March 2012, the CCHVC initiated a new post-STEMI (ST-Segment
Elevation Myocardial Infarction) follow-up program called the IOPS
(Improved Outcomes Post STEMI) Registry. The intent of the registry is
to optimize patient follow-up after STEMI. The goal is to improve patient
care, patient satisfaction and patient quality of life.
Pag e 2 0
By adhering to a one-year standardized, multidisciplinary approach,
it is our hope that the CCHVC will optimize patient treatment and possibly
lower our already low 5.5 percent mortality rate at one-year follow-up.
Recovery at its best
Cardiac Procedure Recovery Unit
The Cardiac Procedure Recovery Unit (CPRU) is a 20-bed
cardiac monitoring unit for outpatients recovering from
elective cardiac and/or vascular procedures. Patients are
admitted and discharged from the same room. Beds are
available for patients requiring overnight stays.
Highly-trained CPRU staff are dedicated to finding ways
to aid their patients by increasing their comfort and
decreasing their length of stay.
The CPRU has received the Star of Excellence Award
six times for patient satisfaction.*
Telemetry
Telemetry is a 36-bed unit that provides
cardiac monitoring to medical and surgical cardiac
patients with arrhythmia. Direct patient care is
provided by registered nurses under the medical
direction of admitting and consulting physicians.
Services include inpatient cardiac rehabilitation visits
(Phase I), formal cardiac education classes and
diagnostic work-up available through the CentraCare
Heart & Vascular Center.
Telemetry has received the Star of Excellence Award
for nine consecutive years for patient satisfaction.*
Cardiovascular Thoracic Unit
Cardiac Care Unit
The 14-bed Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) provides patientand family-centered care to adults experiencing critical
or potential cardiac problems.
CCU provides care for a variety of cardiac medical and
surgical diagnoses with cardiac monitoring and
arrhythmia detection. The unit focuses on assessing,
treating and managing cardiac conditions to stabilize
each patient’s medical condition.
Direct patient care is provided by critical care-trained
registered nurses and patient care assistants under
the medical direction of the admitting and consulting
physicians. Discharge planning and patient education
are integral components of achieving optimal patient
outcomes. A multidisciplinary team approach is used
in meeting these outcomes. Dietary instruction is
provided by registered dietitians. Discharge risk level
is evaluated by registered nurses, and planning for
discharge is coordinated between social services,
case managers, medical staff and primary caregivers.
The new 9-bed Cardiovascular Thoracic Unit (CVTU)
allows patients to transfer from the Intensive Care Unit
the day after surgery directly into a specialized unit
that provides care for post-surgical, cardiovascular
and thoracic patients. Staff care for this patient
population, gaining proficiency in recognizing subtle
changes before they arise.
*This recognition is given nationally to hospital departments that
achieve the 90th percentile in patient satisfaction as determined
by Press Ganey.
Since the initiation of therapeutic hypothermia after
cardiac arrest, post-cardiac arrest survival to home
rates increased from 81 percent to 95 percent.
Pag e 2 1 Non-invasive diagnostic cardiac
imaging and testing
Quality care you’ve come to expect
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center (CCHVC)
offers a variety of the most up-to-date technologies
used for diagnosis of heart and vascular disease.
Nuclear Cardiology
Accredited by the
American College of Radiolog y
The most recent technological advancement in nuclear
cardiology at CCHVC is a high-sensitivity scanner for
MPI which offers an advanced imaging technique for
the diagnosis and/or management of coronary artery
disease. This new technology delivers higher resolution
images in less than one-third of the scanning time.
The ability to significantly reduce radiation dose is
another important advantage of this technology.
(Photo upper left)
More than 6,800 scans, on average, are performed
each year. Technological advances in nuclear medicine
scanning hardware are expected to drive this modality
forward. In the future, simultaneous rest and stress
imaging and coronary flow reserve index calculation
will provide even more physiological information
than ever before.
Mobile Nuclear Medicine
Accredited by the
American College of Radiolog y
Mobile nuclear medicine services began in 2000 as the
demand for cardiology services increased significantly
in the area. Since that time, the CCHVC has provided
nuclear medicine testing in the mobile environment for
nearly 15,000 patients. The program now performs an
average of 3,000 scans per year.
Today, the mobile nuclear service area encompasses
approximately one quarter of the entire state of
Minnesota, affiliating with more than 20 other
health care organizations.
More than 6,800 scans, on average, are performed each
Pag e 2 2
Providing the highest
quality care with
the latest technolog y
Stress Testing
Cardiac MRI
An excellent stress testing lab, staffed by registered
and masters-prepared technicians, plays an integral
part in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. The
stress lab offers a full array of stress test procedures
including pharmacologic stress testing and exercise
treadmill testing, both with and without advanced
imaging techniques. Recently, cardio-pulmonary stress
testing was added to the service line. On average, more
than 4,400 stress tests are performed each year.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was
initiated in 2010 and is a collaboration between the
CCHVC and St. Cloud Hospital Imaging Services.
Today, cardiac MRI procedures are performed
routinely each week.
Cardiovascular CT
Accredited by the
American College of Radiolog y
The cardiac CT department opened in 2005. This
exciting new modality boasts the ability to obtain
exquisite images of coronary anatomy, including the
ability to differentiate hard (calcified) plaques from
soft plaques.
Because of rapidly improved technology in the past five
years, the CCHVC replaced its CT scanner in 2010 with
a new, state-of-the-art system. Today, extremely high
resolution images of the heart are routinely obtained
in a scan that is approximately one fourth of a second
in duration using very small amounts of radiation.
Echocardiography
Accredited by the Intersocietal Commission
for the Accreditation of Echocardiography
Laboratories (ICAEL)
The CCHVC echocardiography laboratory has been
accredited by the ICAEL since 1997. It employs highly
skilled, nationally registered technologists who provide
services to 13 other facilities throughout Central and
Western Minnesota, plus interpretive services for many
facilities that use our digital network to transfer cardiac
ultrasound studies. More than 12,000 cardiovascular
ultrasound procedures are performed annually for
patients of all ages. In this past year, we have added
lower extremity venous insufficiency studies and 3D
echo/TEE to our menu of services.
Overall patient satisfaction scores are consistently
higher than the 90th percentile, according to Press
Ganey.
The CT program performs, on average, more than
700 cardiac scans per year. Because of this modality’s
unique ability to obtain so much information so quickly,
the operating hours for cardiovascular CT have recently
been extended allowing its use for more emergency
room patients.
Pag e 2 3 Heart Failure Management Program
Heart failure is the fastest growing heart
problem in the United States. About five
million Americans suffer from this
disease. It is the No. 1 reason people
age 65 and older are hospitalized. The
Heart Failure Management Program at
the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center
helps patients and their families
Jamie Pelzel, MD, manage heart failure and improve their
Heart Failure
quality of life. The program aims to:
Management
• Educate and support patients
Program,
medical director
and their families;
• Help patients manage their heart failure symptoms;
• Help patients manage their risk factors, such as
cholesterol, blood pressure and weight;
• Assist patients in managing medications;
• Reduce patients’ visits to the emergency
department;
• Prevent hospitalizations;
• Increase patients’ tolerance for activity.
The program currently has a panel size of more than
1,000 patients and has achieved positive results
including:
• Maintaining re-admission rates that are, on average,
3.2 percent below the national mean of 24 percent
(FY 2010 through the second quarter of FY 2012).
• Improvement in core measures, documentation
of ACE/ARB and LV function, utilizing an integrated
clinic and hospital approach.
Pag e 2 4
The care team
The team of specialists includes a cardiologist,
advanced practice providers and registered nurses
with special training in heart failure management.
The team assesses, treats and coordinates a plan
of care for each patient. Patients are seen every
three months after their initial visit. Staff also
provide telephone support as needed.
Heart failure research
The Heart Failure Management Program uses
the latest research to manage heart failure. As
a member of the Heart Failure Consortium in Minnesota,
it actively takes part in research studies with many other
hospitals. Experimental therapies are offered to patients
who have tried standard therapies without success.
Improving quality of life
Pilot project helps transition patients home, reduces readmissions
St. Cloud Hospital is working to reduce readmission
rates through an ongoing pilot project aimed at
patients with chronic heart failure. As one measure
in the value-based care equation, readmission rates
will affect the hospital’s reimbursement beginning in
October of 2012.
With a focus on the transition of care between
hospital and home, this pilot includes interventions
such as medication reconciliation by a pharmacist
at admission and discharge, consistent diseasespecific education delivered throughout the hospital
stay and the introduction of a transitions coach. The
transitions coach provides information and guidance
to the patient and family for an effective care transition,
improved self-management skills and enhanced
patient-provider communication. This set
of interventions is being piloted in Telemetry
and St. Cloud Hospital Medical Unit 2.
This project is the result of a partnership between
a number of entities including:
St. Cloud Hospital;
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center;
St. Cloud Hospital Home Care;
CentraCare Clinic;
CentraCare Health System - Melrose;
CentraCare Health System - Long Prairie;
St. Benedict’s Senior Community.
Heart failure is the No. 1
reason people age 65 and older
are hospitalized.
Five-star rated by HealthGrades for treatment
of heart failure for three consecutive years
(2010-2012).
Pag e 2 5 Keith Lurie, MD
Ann Dunnigan, MD,
FACC, FAAP
Simón Milstein, MD,
FACC, FHRS
Mevan Wijetunga, MD,
FACC, FHRS
John Schoenhard, MD, PhD,
recently joined the electrophysiology team
Electrophysiologists treat patients throughout the Midwest
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center (CCHVC)
electrophysiology team consists of five board-certified
electrophysiologists, one of whom is a board-certified
pediatric cardiologist. Staff come from backgrounds in
critical care and emergency trauma and are certified in
Advanced Cardiac and Pediatric Advanced Life
Support. All cardiovascular technologists are certified.
Pag e 2 6
The CCHVC electrophysiology procedure rooms are
equipped with the latest technology. Each room has
biplane X-ray allowing the team to perform basic to
complex EP procedures and accommodates any
emergency. Pediatric EP procedures along with device
implants also are performed.
Many patients from Minnesota and neighboring states,
such as Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
and Nebraska, are referred to CCHVC for specialty care.
Pacemaker, Implanted Cardioverter-Defibrillator
programs offer specialized care
Pacemaker/ICD program
Follow-up monitoring, done by professionals
who are specially trained and dedicated to this
unique patient population, is critical for patients
to receive maximum clinical benefit from their
devices. It also is essential for the prevention
and management of potential adverse outcomes
related to their heart conditions.
Clinic statistics
The pacemaker/ICD program monitors more than
3,700 patients with implanted devices. Devices
include pacemakers, Implanted CardioverterDefibrillators (ICDs) and implanted loop recorders.
For fiscal year 2011, the pacemaker/ICD program
conducted 17,291 device-monitoring evaluations.
Monitoring includes a combination of remote (home)
monitoring and in-clinic (in person) visits.
Pacemaker/ICD staff visit 14 outreach sites
each month seeing 15 to 20 patients at each site.
Pag e 2 7 “I will be forever grateful to all
who helped me and the care that
I received from the CentraCare
Heart & Vascular Center and
St. Cloud Hospital.”
Bob Kempenich,
cardiac arrest survivor
Sudden cardiac arrest is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States
Take Heart increases sudden cardiac arrest survival
Since the beginning of the Take Heart St. Cloud
program in December 2005, the survival rates
for patients admitted to St. Cloud Hospital after
sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) have more than
doubled, from 8.5 percent to 19 percent. Using
therapeutic hypothermia, the hospital cooled 262
patients.
Take Heart St. Cloud was designed to show how
cardiac arrest survival rates in America can be
significantly increased through a system-based,
community-wide approach to faster and better
treatment.
Pag e 2 8
The strategies employed are:
• Free training in bystander cardiopulmonary
resuscitation;
• Utilization of automatic external
defibrillators (AEDs);
• Training emergency workers and first
responders in the use of impedance
threshold devices;
• Placing more AEDs in the communities;
• Incorporating hypothermia in the treatment
of SCA.
Due to its success, Take Heart was implemented
statewide — Take Heart Minnesota.
Pediatric cardiology
We love kids
Pediatric
cardiology
at CentraCare Heart
& Vascular Center
offers a wide range
of services for
infants, children
and adolescents
with congenital heart
disease. Board-certified pediatric cardiologists staff
the clinic on a daily basis. Non-invasive evaluation
using echocardiography (transthoracic,
transesophageal and fetal), ECG and MRI, exercise
stress testing and 24-hour or 30-day arrhythmia
monitoring are available.
In addition, pediatric electrophysiology services are
available for those individuals with arrhythmias that
require vigorous study, including electrophysiologic
evaluation in state-of-the-art electrophysiology labs
where pacemaker and/or defibrillator placements
can occur.
Chip Martin, MD,
FAAP
In the future, we look to expand the fetal
echocardiography program by partnering with
perinatology services in St. Cloud, increasing
outreach clinics in greater Central Minnesota and
continuing to grow the adults with congenital heart
disease clinic.
Ann Dunnigan, MD,
FACC, FAAP
Pag e 2 9 Cardiovascular Health
and Prevention Services
Certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehabilitation since 2001
Cardiovascular Health & Prevention Services offers a comprehensive approach to cardiovascular disease
management. Staff includes a cardiologist as medical director, exercise physiologists certified as American
College of Sports Medicine clinical exercise specialists, registered and licensed dietitians, Mayo Clinic-certified
tobacco treatment specialists and a holistic services specialist. The program’s focus is to ensure that every
patient has the necessary tools to improve his or her quality of life and reduce risk factors for heart and
vascular disease.
Participation in an outpatient cardiac rehab (OPCR) program has proven to reduce morbidity and mortality by
27 percent following an acute heart event. Emphasis on exercise, nutrition and stress management encourages
patients to adopt positive lifestyle changes through education. The graphs below reflect changes
in diet and exercise habits pre- and post-OPCR participation. Best practice studies show improved utilization
with a combination of automatic referral and physician recommendation for participation. Our goal is to maximize
the utilization rate to meet the needs of cardiovascular patients in Central Minnesota.
Services Provided
N=1,715 patients for the last three fiscal years at CCHVC
Pag e 3 0
·
Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation
·
Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation
·
Maintenance Rehabilitation Program
·
Enhanced External Counterpulsation
·
Nicotine Dependence Counseling
·
Nutrition Counseling
·
Holistic Services
Average number of sessions in OPCR = 14
More than 24,010 OPCR visits from 2008-2011
Cardiovascular Health and Prevention Activities
The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center is proactive in the prevention of heart disease, the primary
cause of death in the United States. Its expanded services include primary prevention programs for
patients, employees and the community. Community programs have been offered to groups
ranging from pre-school age to nursing home residents. Examples of services provided are:
weight management, blood pressure intervention to area firefighters, grocery store tours and lifestyle
presentations. A Workplace Wellness Program for CentraCare Health System employees includes
individual counseling for exercise, nutrition and stress management.
Tobacco cessation is a CMS core measure and an important initiative being monitored by CentraCare
Health System. According to the Hospital Quality Alliance, St. Cloud Hospital has 100 percent compliance
in addressing smoking cessation in acute myocardiaI infarction patients.
CME Opportunities:
The CCHVC offers an Annual Cardiology Seminar in February. This day long program focuses
on providing education, information and updates for staff working with cardiac patients. A speaker
also provides education to the community as part of this event. In-house presentations for ongoing
education are provided as well, on a quarterly basis. Many staff within the CCHVC have served as
program mentors for outside facilities.
Pag e 3 1 Donors are a gift to the
Heart & Vascular Center
Philanthropy’s impact on a patient’s
life is immeasurable.
Mark Larkin, CFRE
CentraCare Health Foundation,
executive director
Stephanie Lang
CentraCare Health Foundation
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center
senior development officer
The CentraCare Health Foundation engages the
philanthropic community in partnership to improve
health and health care. Without the support of our
generous benefactors, many projects and services
would not be possible.
Gifts from donors like you constantly build our
commitment to innovation, provide state-of-the-art
technology and top-notch facilities and help us deliver
the highest-quality health care.
To keep advancing, we need your support — your
help will make a difference for future generations
of patients.
For more information about giving options and ways to
give to the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center, please
call (320) 240-2810 or e-mail [email protected].
Your investment will give hope and save lives for generations.
Pag e 3 2
Gifts make a difference
Roger and Betty Duininck made a generous gift to the Caring
for Generations Campaign designating a portion of their dollars
to the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center.
“I have received excellent care at the Heart & Vascular Center,” Roger
said. “The staff and care given there are extraordinary. I want to make
sure that continues. We are proud of our community and for the health
care that is available not only to the people of St. Cloud, but to all
of Central Minnesota.”
In 2011, a generous estate gift, made through the CentraCare Health
Foundation, was made by Celestine (Cel) and Mary Lieser to the
CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center Heart Failure Program. Grateful
for the care he received when he underwent a valve replacement
surgery at the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center at St. Cloud
Hospital, Cel wanted to give back to others with heart disease.
They gave so others could benefit
Cel and Mary lived in Sauk Rapids for many years. Cel was an
electrician for Cold Spring Electric and later at Electric Motors in
St. Cloud. Mary worked for many years at Sauk Rapids City Hall.
Mary died in October 2010, Cel in January 2011.
“They were good people who lived simple lives,” said Cel’s brother, Jerome Lieser from Paynesville.
“Their generosity reflects the kind of people they were. They gave so others could benefit.”
“The CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center is so grateful for the kindness and generosity of its many wonderful
patients and families,” said Bob Johnson, executive director. “The Liesers’ gift to the Heart Failure Program
will help sustain it for years to come.”
“This gift is a wonderful example of the impact any one couple or person can have on the lives of people in Central
Minnesota,” said Mark Larkin, executive director of the CentraCare Health Foundation. “We are able to deliver
better health care and have a healthier community for the future because of estate gifts like these.”
Pag e 3 3 The persons, foundations
and corporations listed
here have generously given
to the CentraCare Heart
& Vascular Center. We are
truly grateful to our
benefactors and make
every effort to list them
as they prefer. Please call
(320) 240-2810 to correct
any errors or discrepancies
that appear in the
following list. (Donors listed
as of Feb. 24, 2012).
Rose Aasen
Wendell Aasen
Bernard A. Abrahamson
Leo J. Achter
Brenda Ackerman
Romaine &
Corinne Adamietz
Doug Adams
Judge Richard &
Karen A. Ahles
Tammy Ahmann
Pat Akerman
Mr. David P. Akervik
Ronald C. &
Barbara J. Aksamit
Charles R. &
Nancy J. Aldrich
Mrs. Stephanie Alelyunas
Tom & Sally Allen
Elle I. Alms
Howard &
Connie Anderson
Joann M. Anderson
John Anderson
Norma Anderson
Mr. & Mrs. Robert
W. Anderson
Roger L. &
JoAnn Anderson
Violet L. Anderson
Ann’s ABC Playhouse
David B. Arnold
Array Services Group
Ascent
Assumption Home
Karen &
Curt J. Atkinson
Pag e 3 4
Atonement Lutheran
Church
Marjorie W. Axum
Pat & Irene Backes
Douglas D. &
Lois M. Backlund
Eric & Jan Bailey
Ronald P. Bakker
Carol Bares
Adrian G. Barkosky
Bob & Terry Barrett
Wilbert R. Bartz
Roger & Julianna Bast
Kenneth F. &
Rose M. Bauer
S. Nancy Bauer
Pamela Baumgartner
Clifford & Frances Beck
Karla R. Becker
Paul & Marion Beczkalo
Patty Behrendt
Dr. Joseph & Mary Belshe
Collette R. Berg
Dorothy Berg
Ernest J. &
Eileen A. Bergeron
Douglas E. Bergerson
Bethlehem Lutheran
Church
Lydia Beuning
Brenda Kay Bican
Danny Bicknell
Jody & Charles Binsfeld
Birchwood Terrace Mobile
Home Park
Ann M. Black
Daryl P. &
Geraldine M. Blais
Dorothy P. Blizil
Donna Bloch
Ralph H. Blohm
Scott C. Blowers
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
of Minnesota
Kathleen L. Bluhm
Howard & Teresa Bohnen
William C. &
Alice T. Bolen
Darwin Bonn
Cheryl & Gregory Bonnema
Lynn & Gene Borgert
Boston Scientific
Foundation
Clela M. Braastad
Lee & Donna Braaten
Thomas Braatz
Brandl Motors
Helen M. Branstner
Dennis O. &
Ruth Bredeson
Bremer Bank,
National Association
Father Kenneth Brenny
Phylis M. & Eugene Breth
Gladys E. Breuer
Brighter Beginnings
Child Care Center
Lori Brix
John J. & Gladys Brixius
Robert & Alice Brouwer
Gary R. & Sharon Brown
Richard D. Brown
Tim Brown
Josephine A. Brummer
Jeffrey G. & Jane L. Brunn
F. Donald Bucher
Wanda & Brian Buck
Ervin J. & Bertha Bueckers
Lisa L. Bulinski
Everett F. Bullert
J. Patrick & Sharon Cairns
Howard L. Caldwell
Jennifer &
Thomas R. Campbell
Mr. & Mrs. Allen &
Audrey A. Carlson
Carl A. Carlson
Charles D. Nielsen &
Peggy L. Carlson
Stanley M. Carlson
Wallace A. &
Lela A. Carlson
Luanne Caton
Selma E. Cebulla
Central Minnesota
Ceilings, Inc.
Central Minnesota Federal
Credit Union
Central Minnesota Noon
Optimist Club
Centralia Orthodontics
Mr. & Mrs. Nick Chanaka
Charles J. &
Sue L. Charney
Linda & Tony Cherne
Carol J. &
J. Ronald Chihos
Melvin E. Christen
Dorothy H. Christianson
Church of Saints
Peter & Paul
Merv & Jean Cihlar
Clearwater Travel Plaza
Clearway Minnesota
George E. &
Ruth L. Clemens
Pam Clemens
Dan & Mabel Coborn
Lyda J. Cocking
Kathleen M. &
Kenneth C. Colgrove
Dr. Thomas &
Paulette Como
Jessie A. Cully
Robert A. &
Mary J. Cushman
Loraine F. Dahlberg
Barbara Joanne Dalby
Eugene R. &
Luceil Dallmann
Stephanie Danger
David R. Marshall
Foundation
Alda D. DeGier
Genevieve J. Derry
Anne Deters
DeZurik
Lonie M. &
Michael T. Dincau
James J. &
Louise I. Dingmann
Marcella M. Dingmann
David J. & Cindy Dirkes
Vernon J. &
Arlene E. Dockendorf
Joan A. & Berthold J. Dold
Carol A. & Ray Domeier
Donettes Daycare
Donlar Construction
Company
Immanuel &
Joyce Duesterhoeft
Janis V. Duggan
Roger & Betty Duininck
Elaine A. Duncan
Dr. Jacob & Sarah Dutcher
Drs. Robert Ang &
Belen Dy
Dorothy J. Dyrseth
William G. &
Kathleen M. Ebert
John & Mary Sue Ebnet
Elaine Eckstrom
Lisa Edelbrock
Jane J. Edmond
Sara Edwards
June M. Eggerth
Lucille I. Eldred
Dale O. &
Susann Ellingson
Lila Enneking
Marjorie M. &
Don Erickson
Eileen C. Eskelson
Nellie Esselman
Virgil E. &
Lori A. Euteneuer
Frances L. Ewy
Michael J. Fa
Juanita Feigum
Steve & Judy Feneis
Peter J. & Kit M. Ferber
Tamara & Scott Fernholz
Clarence Fischbach
Mavis & Dean Fjeld
Ruth Fladmark
Franz E. Flath
Mr. & Mrs. Burle A. Force
Nancy Ford
Bob Forsyth
George M. A. &
Sharon A. Fortier
Shirley A. Fortune
Franciscan Sisters
of Little Falls, MN
Gene H. & Betty Fransen
Steven & Tamara Frericks
George & Rose Funk
Jill Gablenz
Paul W. Gandrud
Mark J. Gartner
David Gates
John J. Gessell
Margaret A. Gessell
Dawn Gibson
Leroy & Darlene Gillson
Edwin F. &
Mary Lou Goebel
Martin Goerger
Gary & Jan Gohman
Goldeneye Solutions, Inc
Clifford L. &
Lydia A. Goodwater
Robert & Helen Gorghuber
Grace Covenant Church
Graham United
Methodist Church
Great River Regional
Library
Lyle L. &
Jean D. Greenwaldt
Paul Gross
Jerry & Lois Grote
Evelyn J. & C. Grove
Melvin Grundei
Muriel I. Grunerud
Lucille W. Guck
Arlene Gulbrandson
Wilbur &
Arlene Gulbrandson
Louise E. & Jay Gunderson
Raymond G. &
Jean M. Gustafson
Adeline I. &
William C. Gutenkauf
Richard L. Gwash
Keith C. &
Ardyce E. Haarstick
Dick & Doreen Hageman
Shirley A. Hagen
William D. &
Mary Jane E. Hager
James & Pauline Hall
Joan Hall
Marlene & Allan O. Halls
Lynzie Halvorson
Lois G. Hamann
Cynde L. Hammerel
Jeanette Hanenburg
Blanche M. Haney
David R. &
Rosemary F. Hannan
Betty M. &
Douglas A. Hansen
Carol J. &
Robert G. Hansen
Greg & Toni Hanson
Joyce M. & Lloyd Hanson
William Hapka
Linda & John Harambasic
Gayle A. Harrington
William K. &
Clarissa M. Harris
Cathie Hartmann
Lila K. & John G. Hasser
Richard D. Hawkinson
Patrick & Bonnie Hayek
Larry & Lavonne Heffron
Florence V. Heim
Sharon E. Heim
Donnamae F. Heinen
Victor A. &
Shelby Heitzman
Loretta M. &
Kenneth D. Helfenstein
Leo J. &
Mary Jo A. Hemmesch
Harvey &
LaVerne Hempeck
Mr. & Mrs. H. S. &
R. C. Hendrickson
Lorraine C. Hengel
Victor & Joyce Hengel
Kenneth M. &
Margaret Hennen
Mark O. Henry
Nellie C. Henry
Judith Herdan
Mary Kathryn Hess
John F. & Natalla Hetman
Aloisia M. Hiemenz
Earl C. Hiepler
Cynthia Hilden
Kelly Hinnenkamp
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas
Hockert
Ida T. &
Raymond G. Hoffarth
Paul G. &
Patricia A. Hoffman
Yvonne Hogie-Streich
Howard H. &
Adeline Hokkanen
Dennis & Tammy Holland
Jessica Hollenkamp
Joan F. Holm
Robert V. Holmen
Tom & Elaine Holscher
Janet Holt
Myrtle Holthaus
Carl & Lorraine M. Hondl
Mark & Jessica Horning
Marilu Hornstein
Joyce A. & Richard Houge
Robin Howell West
Beverly A. Hoye
Bonnie J. Hubert
Mildred M. Huberty
Warren D. &
D. H. Huebner
Hug-A-Tot Childcare, Inc.
Jill Huling
Ralph R. &
Ada M. Hunstad
Lellia L. Huston
Beulah Rose Hutchens
Mary & P. Ignatowicz
Alcuin & Dorine (†) Illies
John & Brianna Inkster
Betty M. Inselman
Integrity Data & Fiber
Vernon C. Irwin
Carole & Leo Jacobs
Leland F. Jacobs
Ronald & Ruth Jacobson
Reverend Jesse W. James
DJ & Deborah Jeanquart
Carla & Jeff Johnson
Charles D. &
Joyce M. Johnson
Cheryl A. &
Gerald F. Johnson
David O. Johnson
Dolores L. Johnson
Donna J. &
Raymond E. Johnson
Donna L. &
Kenneth A. Johnson
Dorothy A. Johnson
James W. &
Betty L. Johnson
Palma M. &
Sheldon Johnson
Bob & Judy Johnson
Walter L. & Mae Johnson
Wendy S. Johnson
Johnson Fertilizer
Service, Inc.
Anna C. Johnsrud
Sharron E. & W. G. Jordan
Norbert & Anna Mae Jost
Robert F. Jung
Hilary E. Jurek
Della Just
John G. &
Angeline A. Kaiser
Wayne P. &
Phyllis M. Kammerer
Terry & Barbara Kantor
Gary B. Keays
Kelly Kelley
June Kelly
Mr. Steven J. Kelly
Dr. Robert D. &
LuBell Kendall
Jill A. Kent
Donald C. Keppers
Pamela Riley &
David J. Kiedrowski
Merrill R. &
Beverly J. Kindall
Marion &
Corwin G. Kindelberger
Karen Kinsley
Janice N. Kittelson
Mary Kittridge
Robert L. &
Rita C. Klassen
Bridget & Michael Klein
Evelyn Ann Klein
Imelda Klockner
Kimberly Kloss
Margaret A. Kloss
Harry S. Klyve
Thomas & Janet Knoll
Darron K. Knowlton
Larry & Brenda Knutson
Erich P. Koester
Eugene R. Koglin
Joe R. &
Maureen C. Kolstad
Gerald J. Kortan
Joan A. &
Richard J. Kortan
Julie T. & Dale J. Kraemer
Mark Krebsbach
Laurie M. &
M. W. Kremer
Donna & Le Roy Kresien
Leo J. & Jeanette Krippner
Peter W. &
Connie Kroeplin
Elaine A. &
Sylvester Krueger
Magdalen M. &
Firmin Krupa
Jeanne Kuchera
Shirley Kuklok
David B. & Mary J. Kult
Lucille H. Kutzke
John F. La Shomb
William J. &
Phyllis M. Lacroix
Laerdal Foundation
Diane E. &
George A. Lamotte
Gloria K. Lamp
George T. &
Mary Ann Landsberger
Dorothy A. Lang
Joseph C. & Steffi Lang
Mr. Tad B. Larsen
Dorothy & E. Larson
Harold V. &
Mary J. Larson
Maynard & Helen Larson
Rodney J. & Marcia Larson
Rose M. & Todd R. Larson
John & Sandy Laurich
Elvin & Bernett Leblanc
Leighton Broadcasting
Radio Stations KCLD,
KZPK, KCML, KNSI
Drs. Sura & Som Lekhakul
Joanne M. &
T. H. Lenneman
Marilyn & Dan Lepinski
David A. Lesage
Leander J. &
Eunice T. Lesser
Joan & Kevin Leverentz
Rose B. Leyendecker
Albert W. &
Patricia R. Libke
Cel (†) & Mary (†) Lieser
Janice E. Linn
Marcelene L. Linn
Carrie A. Loberg
Elois F. &
Jerome A. Loehlein
Irving C. & Jean M. Loftus
Kenneth R. & Rachel E.
Lolmasteymaugh
Richard V. & Mary B. Lord
Love and Learn LLC
William B. &
Donna M. Luckemeyer
Lee K. & Grace K. Lueth
Robert C. & Sherry Lundell
Kathleen Lutz-Kampa
Merle & Mary A. Lynch
Patrick E. Lynch
Irene I. Maciey
Stuart A. &
Susan B. Mackechney
Dr. Donald J. &
Carol Mackinac
Marcie Maddox
Barbara Magnan
Douglas &
Karen L. Magnus
Eldon P. Malek
Francis T. & Jeanne Malley
Jerry & Elaine M. Manke
Marathon Petroleum
Company, LLC
Donald L. & Doris Marcus
Candace K. Markfort
Nancy & Erich Martens
Dennis J. &
Jeanne M. Martin
Pag e 3 5 Mary & Philip Martin
Dr. Mark J. &
Lisa B. Martone
Mary L. Martone
Frank R. & Carol A. Mason
Eileen Maus, RN
Kurtis J. Mayer
Darlene K. McDonald
Joan McDonald
John & Cherie McDowall
— McDowall Company
Robert T. &
Carla M. McKimmy
Virgil J. McLaird
Charles Mead
Anna L. Meadows
Medical Alloy Industries
Magdalen F. Mehr
Marvin & Marie Meier
Kenneth F. Merrill
Roger G. &
Jeannette D. Meyer
Mr. Thomas J. Meyer
Dawn Michaud
Midway Iron & Metal, Inc.
Midwest EAP Solutions
Don L. & Phyllis Miklos
Millennium Research Group
Kristin Miller, RN
Math & Katie Mimbach
Bert W. Mitchell
Robert G. & Nancy Moe
Brian J. &
Stacey L. Moehrle
Margaret Molus
Stephen L. &
Lisa M. Montag
Marn & Shirley Moody
James R. Moore
Don & Millie Moran
Dr. Paul T. &
Nancy E. Moran
Don A. &
Karla L. Morawitz
Edna G. & Roy E. Morgan
Betty Moscho
Elwood Moseng
Joyce Mueller
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Muggli
Tonya Mumm
Shirley F. &
Robert J. Murphy
Pag e 3 6
Gary & Allison Murray
Brenda Naegeli
Sheila Nahan
Christy Nathe
National Karate
Gloria J. & Neil M. Neeb
Neils, Franz &
Chirhart, PA
Andrew R. &
Angela J. Nelson
Frances A. &
Larry S. Nelson
Peter & Gertrude Nessler
Mary Ann Nething
Adeline A. &
Lowell M. Neumann
Darla Neumann
C. E. Nierengarten
Angeline Nierenhausen
Miriam L. Niezgocki
Patricia Niskanen
Luverne H. &
Arlene M. Norby
Donald A. Notsch
Andrea Nyquist
Jim O’Neill
Cordelia B. Obermiller
Donald J. & Luella Ollom
Mr. Michael D. Olsberg
Floyd O. & Beverly A. Olsen
Carol D. Olson
Orlean & Shirley Olson
Robert W. Olson
Runay & Dennis Olson
Doris E. Oman
Rodney A. &
Daniella S. Omann
Adrian F. & Dorothy Opitz
Order of Saint Benedict
Virginia M. Orth
Deanna M. Otte
Richard & Jean Otte
Sandra & James R. Otto
Carol Overfors
Elizabeth A. &
James Paetznick
Mr. & Mrs. Noel Paetznick
Melissa Pajari
Harold H. Pankonin
Patricia J. Paquette
Michael L. & Irene Paul
Esther B. & David J. Pauly
Helen A. &
Donald L. Pauly
Marcelline Paycer
Wain D. Pearce
Bobby L. & Esther J. Persen
Robert P. & Valeria Peters
Betty L. Peterson
Elizabeth L. &
Gordon O. Peterson
Janelle M. Peterson
Muriel M. Peterson
Patricia L. Peterson
Dr. David N. &
Rebecca Peterson
Ron Petrowski
Sally Petrowski
Richard W. &
Linda L. Petty
Marjorie C. Pfannenstein
Robert Pfannenstein
Virginia A. Pfannenstein
John & Pat Pflipsen
Kim Phung Thi Tran
Curtis H. Pierce
Mary A. J. Pietz
Wendy S. & Russ Pikus
Patricia & Max K. Pina
Marcella M. & Emil Pintok
Paul J. &
Wendy L. Plachecki
Franklin L. &
Marian I. Pladson
Mr. & Mrs. Ben
Plantenberg
Erin E. & Enik S. Pluimer
Joseph B. & Elaine Poepping
Karlyn & Russ Pogatchnik
Edwin J. &
Mary Ann Pogatschnik
Duane R. Popilek
Marie A. Popp
Florence M. Porter
Jim & Denise Potter
Frances J. &
Shirley A. Pramann
Primevest Financial Services
Inc. - Associates Club
Betty Proell
John C. &
Jannine A. Provinzino
Ione M. Puntsack
David W. Raden
Frank & Marilyn Rajkowski
Ken & Sylvia Raschke
Gerald F. Rasinski
Chris Rasmussen
Gerald Rassier
Edward A. &
Marlene J. Rau
William V. Rausch
Richard Reberg
George H. Record
Kristine Reetz
Laura J. Rice-Jansky
Pamela Richardt, RN
Richmond Thursday
Night Alanon
Thomas & Deb Rickers
Richard A. & Joan J. Ritter
Maricelis RodriguezMartinez
Michael & Melinda Roemer
Eunice A. Rosenow
Edwina Ross
Bob & Carol Ross
Ammanda Rothleutner
Velma M. Roy
Catherine E. &
Thomas E. Rudolph
Carolyn Ruegemer
Alice & Anthony Rueter
Lucille Rutledge
Ernest & Josephine Saatzer
Maynard T. Sand
Norman F. &
Eileen A. Sandberg
Jack & Carol Ann Sander
Kenneth C. &
Regina L. Sapp
Mrs. John Sargent
Jeanne L. Satterstrom
Donald & Cheryl Sauerer
Marilyn A. Savage
Herman C. &
Alice Schaefer
Clifford J. Schafer
Ms. Karen Schauff
Elis H. Schedin
Lyle H. &
Katharine M. Schei
Everett G. &
Beverly Scherping
Armella Schimnich
Joan Schleper
Jeff & Melissa Schlueter
Alice L. &
R. Donald Schmidt
Stella L. &
Dennis L. Schmidt
Bernice F. &
Orville L. Schmitz
Michael E. &
Joan M. Schramm
Dellis Schroeder
Duane & Elaine Schultz
— Winkelman Building
Corporation
Anthony C. Schulzetenberg
Donald R. Schwarzkopf
Philip W. &
Bonnie J. Selisker
Orlou C. Severson
Joseph C. &
Kathleen A. Sexton
Bob & Sandy Sexton
Shirley Shaw
Michael Shea
Sherburne County
Auditor/Treasurer
John E. Shogren
Gary R. Siltman
Edwin E. &
Dortha M. Silvers
Sisters of the Order
of Saint Benedict
Alma M. Skaj
Ellen Skorseth
Mabel I. Slettedahl
Berniece J. Slupe
Clair W. & Darlyne Smith
Gerald W. & Agnes Smitten
William A. &
Gayle A. Smoley
Gordon & Bonnie Snyder
Nicole Solarz
Dr. Stephen (†) &
Mary Sommers
Dorothy Sorenson
Esther Sovada
Ronald & Sharon Spanier
Jo Ann Spaulding
Desiree Spoden
St. Cloud Country Club
St. Cloud Country Club
Women’s Golf
Association
St. Cloud Hospital
St. Cloud Metro Lions
St. John Cantius
St. Joseph Chamber
of Commerce
St. Jude Medical
Robert F. Stafford
Gillian Stalker
Anthony H. &
Evelyn Stangler
James & Katie Staska
State of Minnesota
State Square Dance
Federation
Hilda Steil
Elsie Stein
Janet Steinkamp
Bruce W. &
Katherine L. Stender
Julee Sticha
Agnes Stock
Lori Stock
Dorothy A. Stoeber
Dr. Thomas J. &
Ann L. Stone
Gale A. Stoneburg
Louann C. &
Kenneth J. Strack
Donna Mae Stroeing
Carol A. &
Gary L. Stuckmayer
Russell T. &
Mary Ann Sumption
Floyd M. Svee
Florence Swanson
Sheri L. Sweere
Take Heart America
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Survival Initiative
Donald H. &
Mildred Talberg
Kevin T. &
Nicole S. Taylor
Kelly Teff
Carol & George Terzich
The Little People’s Place
The Medtronic
Foundation
Jeanette R. Theisen
Kathleen M. Theisen
Pam Theisen
Joe & Jessica Thoma
Family
Bernice K. Thommes
Mr. & Mrs. Conway
Thompson
Elsie Thompson
Larry E. Thompson
Ray Thompson
Patricia R. Thomson
Joann & Bob Thueringer
Phyllis Thulin-Bartels
Dr. Daniel J. &
Julie S. Tiede
Allan & Blanche Tirk
George & Shirley Torrey
Edgar & Kitty Traut
Eleanor Tretter
Beverley Y. &
Ernest J. Trimble
Betty Jeanne Trobec
Cecilia Trobec
Sandra Trossen
Darlene C. Trovall
Eileen T. Tschida
Patricia E. Tschida
Jeanie & Jim Turck
Henrietta P. Turcotte
Jan Tyrrell
Kimberly Uecker
United Way of
Central Minnesota
Burton R. & Ella Van Ort
Vascular Solutions
Tammy Vasfaret
Nicholas J. &
Donna C. Ventrella
Verlon Caskey
Construction Inc.
Dr. Charles & Carol Vick
Gordon Viere
William V. &
Ardyce L. Vipond
Louis Vogel
Marlin & Donna M. Vos
Mary C. &
Stanley J. Wagner
Waite Park/Al Ringsmuth
Library Friends
Dr. Peter W. &
Ami Waldusky
Lewis R &
Patricia A. Walker
Michael L. Walker
Irene I. Walstrom
George L. &
Susan M. Walters
David & Dena Walz
Jonathan D. &
Amy J. Warrey
Harold G. Watkins
Biran R. &
Jamie S. Weappa
Jerome Weber
Shirley A. & John P. Weber
Rose M. Wegner
Penny Weihrauch
Stan & Deb Weinberger
Doris O. Weis
Jeffrey F. Wells &
Christy Graham-Wells
Marie A. Welz
Joseph & Heidi Wendt
Kaye Wenker
Harry M. &
Lois A. Wenner
Shannon Wenning
Robert H. &
Shirley M. Wensman
Appolonia L. Wentland
Clarice P. Wesley
Julia M. Westendorf
Hugo B. &
Rita M. Weyrens
Clarence L. &
Willie Mae White
Deb & Doug Wieneke
Cheryl L. Wilhelmi
Sharon L. Willasson
Sharon L. & John Wilson
Mathew E. & Ruby Woida
Joyce K. & Roger J. Wolf
Craig & Michelle Wolhowe
Women of the ELCA
Great River
Richard K. &
Laurel T. Woodbury
Bill & Sharon Wortham
Michelle Wurzberger
Xcel Energy Employee
Involvement Programs
Alan H. &
Cathy B. Young
Sean V. & Joan M. Zadoo
Marilyn J. Zastrow
Dennis & Karen Zaun
Dr. Leo A. &
Mary V. Zehrer
Gail Ziemer
Leroy Zierden
Amy Zimmer
Joseph E. Zimmerman
Bonnie Zink
Francis Zwick
(†) Deceased
“At times our own light goes
out and is rekindled by a
spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to
think with deep gratitude
of those who have lighted
the flame within us.”
— Albert Schweitzer
Pag e 3 7 History/Continues
St. Cloud Hospital Construction Continues
Approximately 200 people have worked on-site each day
to complete the 360,000-square-foot east tower addition
to St. Cloud Hospital. The building opened in spring 2012.
The $223-million east tower is home to:
• a 14-bed Cardiac Care Unit;
• a 9-bed Cardiovascular Thoracic Unit;
• a 28-bed Intensive Care Unit;
• 10 additional state-of-the-art surgical suites;
• a 14-bed Surgical Care Unit and 9 Surgical
Progressive Care Unit beds;
• a new Family Birthing Center;
• 15 Medical Progressive Care beds;
• 8 additional Neuroscience patient rooms; and more.
The addition has 10 floors, (3 underground and 7 above
ground). The new tower will house heart and vascular
patients in private rooms to enhance their comfort.
The CentraCare Health Foundation’s Caring for Generations
Campaign, publicly launched in October 2010, has raised
$18.2 million from local benefactors, employees and
physicians to help fund the $223-million project.
The campaign aims to raise $21.7 million by December 2012.
Pag e 3 8
Life is great
for heart surgery patient
“It has been a long time since I have felt this good” are
the words of Mike Ennis after he recovered from open
heart surgery. “I feel like I can participate in life again.”
The previous months were a different story. Mike had
chest pain and felt too fatigued and out of breath for
a man of 60. He always had lived an active life serving
as a professional educator for 30 years, holding the
position of principal of Discovery Middle School in
Alexandria for most of that time.
Mike’s internist in Alexandria referred him to Cardiologist
Jamie Pelzel, MD, of the Heart & Vascular Center.
After meeting with Mike and running tests, he diagnosed
his ischemic cardiomyopathy. The left side of his heart
had been damaged, it was unclear if surgery would help
or not.
Dr. Pelzel discussed Mike’s case with his colleagues
at a weekly conference for difficult or complex patients.
“The decision on which therapy to recommend was not
an easy one,” Dr. Pelzel said. “That’s when it’s great
to have a team of physicians and nurses who can work
together to come up with a solution.”
The team decided Mike would benefit from coronary
artery bypass surgery. Cardiac Surgeon Edgar Pineda, MD,
from the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center performed the
surgery the following week.
Mike talks of the exceptional care he received at
St. Cloud Hospital and the Heart & Vascular Center.
“Dr. Pelzel and his nurse, Ann, were amazing,” Mike said.
“They took as much time as I needed to explain my case,
go through the options and help me decide what my best
option was. Dr. Pelzel really encouraged me to have the
surgery and I am so glad I did.” Mike was released from
St. Cloud Hospital four days later.
Mike continues to enjoy collecting antiques and going to
antique auctions with his wife, Lana. His biggest challenge
these days is keeping up with his six grandchildren.
“The kids are very active and thanks to my surgery I am
able to spend quality time with them building memories.”
Pag e 3 9 1406 Sixth Avenue North | St. Cloud, MN 56303
(320) 656-7020 | www.centracare.com