Clinical Trends

By Cheryl Koch, RN, MSN, CNOR Director of Surgical Services Methodist Richardson Medical Center We all know the feeling. You eagerly anticipate a special event and it seems like it takes forever for the date to arrive. Then when it finally arrives, it seems like it happens in the blink of an eye. The Methodist Richardson Medical Center family, along with the surrounding co ...

By Johann Correos, BS, CCRCResearch Center Manager, The Liver InstituteMethodist Dallas Medical Center There’s a well-kept secret on the Methodist Dallas Medical Center campus, which for liver disease patients, could mean a new lease on life. The Liver Institute at Methodist Dallas sponsors an active program of clinical research focused on patients suffering from liver disea ...

By Shannon Huggins Vice President, Managed Care Methodist Health System Sometimes, the ABCs of health care can be confusing. But in the new world of health care reform, there’s one acronym that everyone needs to know — ACO. ACO stands for accountable care organization. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), an ACO is a group of doctors, hospital ...

By Kyle Orrell Director, Clinical Research Institute Methodist Health System When patients choose Methodist Health System for their care, they probably don’t realize that they are also accessing a hub for clinical research. The independently practicing physicians on the medical staffs at Methodist Dallas, Methodist Charlton, Methodist Mansfield, and Methodist Richardson Me ...

By Cheryl Koch, RN, BSN, MSN, CNOR Director of Surgical Services Methodist Richardson Medical Center If you need proof that technology has revolutionized health care in the United States, you need look no further than the operating room. Surgeons are able to perform procedures with greater accuracy, affecting only a targeted area of tissue through incisions that a ...

By Joben Rieth, RN, BS, MBA Director of Emergency Services, Methodist Dallas Medical Center Does a full moon mean higher emergency department (ED) volumes? Will more women really go into labor? Halloween conjures up thoughts of black cats, werewolves, and other superstitions, so that begs the question, “What’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to health?” ED nurses w ...

By Allison Vo, RN, BSN, OCN Cancer Program Manager Methodist Dallas Medical Center Picture this. It’s 7 p.m. Monday evening. You’re headed to the breast imaging center to have your mammogram. You pull your car up to the entrance and are met by a friendly valet who parks your car. An escort guides you to the imaging center where you are greeted by a friendly staff member who ...

Sonya Goffney, RT, Manager Respiratory TherapyMethodist Dallas Medical Center Nicole Higdon, RT Tara Merchant, RT Methodist Dallas Medical Center Working at a tertiary care facility like Methodist Dallas Medical Center provides clinical staff with the opportunity to care for patients with medically complex conditions. Many are critically ill and require careful monitoring ...

By GeTonya Dickerson, RN Clinical Nurse Supervisor, Cardiac Telemetry, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. In 2005, I joined Methodist Health System as a patient care technician (PCT) while attending nursing school. During my last year of school I signed a contract with Methodist. It was great for me because I got paid while I was finis ...

By Chris Murray, RCIS Lead Tech, Methodist Dallas Medical Center We’ve come a long way, baby. That’s not only true of most areas of medicine; it’s especially true for cardiology, my area of specialization. When I think about the leaps and bounds we’ve made in diagnosing and treating various heart problems since I began my career, it’s astounding and satisfying. It’s amazin ...

By Bernnie Kennedy, RN, BSN Director, Cardiology/Nursing Supervision Methodist Mansfield Medical Center And Karen Yates, RN, BSN Cardiac Stroke Coordinator, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center While amazing advances have been made in diagnosing and treating heart disease, the fact remains that it is the number-one killer of men and women in the United States. February is H ...

By Pam Blaney, MSN, RN, CCRN Director of Nursing, Methodist Charlton Medical Center November 1, 2011, was finally here. The day we had all been planning for. The day of our first open heart procedure at Methodist Charlton Medical Center. This was truly one of the highlights of my career as a critical care nurse. Planning for the big day began more than 12 months earlier. ...

By Sam Ruffing, Assistant Vice President, Clinical and IT Services, Methodist Health SystemIn a perfect world, we’d flip a switch and the electronic health record (EHR) would be magically implemented across the health care spectrum. Every user would automatically know how the software works and would consistently enter accurate, comprehensive data.Truth be told, the EHR has its ...

By Kathleen Hazlett, RN, Director of Enterprise Applications, Methodist Health SystemInformation technology (IT) is dramatically changing the face of health care, offering a new set of challenges for nurses and other clinicians. While it may seem like the learning curve is fast and furious right now, in the long run the payoff for patients and clinicians will be significant.For ...

By David Hambrick, BSN, RN, CGRN, Manager, GI Lab, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterIf it seems like more people are diagnosed with digestive diseases these days, it’s true. An aging population and higher levels of obesity and diabetes are just a few of the reasons for the increase. Greater awareness of screening procedures to help detect conditions that might lead to colon cance ...

By Brian T. Asmussen, Director of Neurosurgery Services, Methodist Health SystemNeurosurgery is one of the most exciting areas in medicine today. It’s one where technology is driving advanced care and treatment for patients while providing a challenging and fulfilling career path for health care professionals.Progressive health systems are guided by leading neurosurgeons traine ...