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If you missed our live tweet of a total knee replacement, you can see the full surgery and watch video and read about our patient's journey online at www.cleveland.com/knee. St. Vincent Charity Medical Center was pleased to work with The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com to give readers and viewers unprecedented access inside the operating room during surgery. You can follow along John Favaloro's journey as he receives a new knee and new lease on life.

Tweets about "#stvknee"

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is giving viewers the opportunity to go inside the operating room to watch a live surgery on November 19. For the first time in Northeast Ohio, participants will be able to watch and interact via live video stream, Twitter and Instagram with the surgical team as they perform a total knee replacement.

The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com have been working with St. Vincent Charity on the series “New Knee, New Life” following one patient’s journey through knee replacement surgery and recovery. The series began on October 25 on Cleveland.com with an introduction to the patient, John Favaloro, and his story that led him to get a knee replacement with Dr. Lou Keppler, Co-Director of the Spine and Orthopedic Institute at St. Vincent Charity.

The surgery will take place at 10:30 a.m. on November 19. Through social media accounts and comments on the live stream, interested viewers will be able to ask questions and see exactly happens during the procedure. Live tweets will be sent by Cleveland.com’s official Twitter account (@clevelanddotcom) and live stream video will be available on the home page of Cleveland.com. Tweets, photos and short videos can be viewed on St. Vincent Charity’s Twitter (@StVincentCMC) and Instagram (@StVincentCharity) accounts. Follow the conversation by using the hashtag #StVKnee.

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center General Counsel Shannon Fogarty Jerse has been named a finalist in the 2013 General and In-House Counsel honorees by Crain's Cleveland Business.

Shannon has served as General Counsel at St. Vincent Charity since 2009. The article states, "Ms. Jerse said she always had her eye on St. Vincent and that her goal was to work at the faith-based organization where she serves as general counsel. She said she enjoys the people she works with and the organization's rich tradition." 

The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com are following the story of Garfield Heights resident John Favaloro who will undergo knee replacement surgery on Nov. 19 with Dr. Lou Keppler. You can follow along John's journey, follow his surgery live right here on our website, on cleveland.com and on Twitter.

Serves as co-medical director of the Spine and Orthopedic Institute

Chicago - Becker's Spine Review released a list of "90 Spinal Surgeon Device Inventors & Innovators to Know." This list compiles spine surgeons and specialists who developed innovative implant and devices to advance the field. Many members of this list hold multiple patents and continue to work toward improving their technology. [more]

Several members of this list also serve on device company boards and lead clinical trials for new innovations.

John S. Collis, MD (St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, Cleveland)

Dr. Collis is a neurosurgeon and the co-director of The Spine and Orthopedic Institute at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland. He has a special interest in disorders and injuries of the cervical and lumbar spine. He has helped invent many devices, including surgical instruments for total disc replacement, a laminectomy retractor and a table for disc puncture testing and treatment. Previously in his career, Dr. Collis has served as an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, director of spinal surgery at Cleveland Clinic and director of neurosurgery at St. Vincent and Lutheran Hospital. He received his residencies in general surgery and neurological surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Members of this list were selected based on editorial research and public solicitation for recommendations. Physicians do not pay and cannot pay to appear on this list. Direct questions and comments about this list and Becker's Spine Review to Editor-in-Chief Laura Miller at lmiller@beckershealthcare.com.

Becker's Spine Review is a Chicago-based online and print publication focused on news and analysis of the business and legal issues related to spine surgeons and practices. The publication includes electronic newsletters, additional web content and a quarterly print publication sent to spine surgeons and practice decision-makers across the country.

Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA, accepts the honor on behalf of the congregation

Sister Ignatia Gavin, CSA, founder of Rosary Hall, was officially inducted into the Ohio Addiction Professionals Hall of Fame last Friday. Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA, Congregational Leader, accepted the honor on behalf of the congregation. [more]

Sister Ignatia is widely recognized as one of the first persons to effectively treat individuals for alcoholism in a hospital setting. In 1952, she came to St. Vincent Charity from Akron to help serve alcoholics and was instrumental in the development of Rosary Hall. Sister Ignatia had previous experience treating alcoholics at Akron’s St. Thomas Hospital, where she worked with Robert H. Smith, MD, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Sister Ignatia, revered as the “Angel of Mercy,” is such an important piece of the story of Rosary Hall and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. Sister Ignatia paved the way for programs like Rosary Hall, having cared for more than 20,000 alcoholics during her life. Her legacy of caring and compassion continues to live on each day through our Caregivers.

Shares the success of institutionalizing health literacy at SVCMC

What attributes of a health literate organization are found at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center? Karen Komondor, Chair of the Health Literacy Institute shared those with a group of health and human service leaders gathered at the Regional Health Literacy Coalition Symposium at the University of Pittsburgh on October 16, 2013. [more]

Karen shared all the work the Health Literacy Team has done to help institutionalize health literacy at St. Vincent Charity. Since 2007, she has led the initiative with a goal to promote health literacy across the continuum of patient care. Karen has conducted health literacy training at more than 50 health care facilities and conferences and is currently the chair of the newly established Ohio Health Literacy Collaborative.

Nice job, Karen!

If your organization is interested in training, please contact Karen at 216-363-2553 or email karen.komondor@stvincentcharity.com

Flu season upon us so be sure to get your shot today

Flu season is upon us, and the Centers for Disease Control is recommending you get your immunization early this year. Last year’s flu season was one of the worst in recent years and hospital emergency rooms were packed with patients showing flu-like symptoms. One of the best ways to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot. Immunizations are available—for a fee—at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center’s HealthCare Center on our main campus. To make an appointment, call 216.241.6201.[more]

Here are some other tips to protect yourself and those you love from the flu this year:

• Flu can survive for up to eight hours on surfaces. Keep your hands clean by washing them several times a day or by using hand sanitizers.
• Keep your hands away from your face. We touch our faces about 2,000 times per day. The flu virus can enter our bodies through our eyes and nose. Avoid touching your face to help prevent you from getting sick.
• Use proper respiratory etiquette. When we cough or sneeze, droplets can spread three to six feet away—always cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or sneeze/cough into your elbow or shoulder. Clean your hands after coughing or using a tissue.
• If you are experiencing flu symptoms, stay at home away from others. This puts others at risk of developing flu. If you have to leave the house, protect yourself and others by wearing a surgical mask.

Annual ceremony is back by popular demand

Weight loss is something everyone should be proud of; but for those achieving weight loss of more than 100 pounds… well, that warrants a party. Back by popular demand this year is the annual Bariatric Graduation at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. [more]

This was an opportunity to celebrate success with family and friends and also to meet the new faces at the Center of Bariatric Surgery. The 66 patients attending this year’s ceremony collectively lost a total of 7,391 pounds—what an amazing accomplishment! The graduates have not only lost weight, they have also drastically improved their overall health. Check out some of the other facts and figures from the 2013 graduating class:

High Blood Pressure

• 31 patients had high blood pressure before surgery
• 20 patients have resolved their high blood pressure since surgery

Diabetes

• 22 patients lived with diabetes before surgery
• 17 patients have resolved their diabetes since surgery

Sleep Apnea

• 41 patients had sleep apnea before surgery
• 33 patients have resolved their sleep apnea since surgery

Medications

• The 2013 graduating class took, in total, 274 pills each day before having surgery
• The 2013 graduating class currently only takes 116 pills each day
• That’s 158 pills no longer being taken each day, which equals 57,670 pills per year!

Calories

• 1 pound = 3,500 calories
• The graduating class lost a total of 7,391 pounds, which equals 25,868,500 calories!

Congratulations, again, to the 2013 Center for Bariatric Surgery graduating class! For more information about the services at the Center for Bariatric Surgery, visit www.stvincentcharity.com/bariatric or call 216.592.2801.