Methodist Health System Blog

Methodist Dallas Medical Center has been granted a three-year, full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons.  Methodist is one of only three such centers in Dallas and 11 in Texas.Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily committed ...

By Melanie Algermissen, Assistant Vice President, Wellness, Methodist Health SystemChristmas day has come and gone. Now it’s time to start that diet, exercise more, quit smoking, or spend less money. Or maybe you’ve given up on resolutions since your great intentions seem to fizzle out a couple of weeks into the new year.Many of us fail at New Year’s resolutions because we choo ...

By Karla Ramberger, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterNursing has always been synonymous with nurture. In fact, both words have the same Latin origin, “nutritura,” meaning “the act of nursing.”While nurses have long been devoted to the care and nurture of patients, today’s health care leaders recognize an equally important commitment to nurture our nurse ...

ttp://youtu.be/yRTq4RWyaMcChef Carol Ritchie has been part of the To Life! Weight-Loss program at the Methodist Weight Management Institute for a year and has lost nearly 30 pounds and feels great! The To Life! Program is for life and she'll continue to participate in the support groups, visit her doctor, and track her calories and exercise. She makes one last meal for her webl ...

By Carol Ritchie, celebrity chef and Participant in the Methodist Weight Management Institute’s To Life!™ Lifestyle Change Management ProgramThe holidays are here, and so are all the temptations that come with them. A steady stream of pot luck gatherings, parties, holiday shopping (and eating), and food gifts can totally undo the hard work you’ve invested in your weight-loss or ...

Today Methodist Dallas Medical Center received electronic notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with the findings of the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) survey which concluded November 8 at Methodist Dallas. The letter confirms that as a result of the hospital’s comprehensive action plan and the survey, CMS has found Methodist ...

ttp://youtu.be/BdwB328X9s0Jennifer Tullis, RN, BSN, ONC, and Orthopedics Coordinator at Methodist Dallas Medical Center discusses the benefits of the Methodist Joint Academy's patient-centric care ...

By Bernnie Kennedy, RN, Director, Cardiology Nursing Supervision, Methodist Mansfield Medical CenterBeing a nurse has its share of occupational challenges, but did you know nurses are at great risk for heart attacks? And if you work the night shift, that could mean even more trouble for your health.Several studies have documented that nurses struggling with work pressures have ...

By Kim Cason, RN, Labor and Delivery, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterMost nurses enter this profession with a sense of concern for others. It’s what we were called to do. Finding the right balance between caring too much and caring too little, however, is critical for every nurse’s well-being and long-term job satisfaction.Nurses are increasingly at risk for compassion fatigue, ...

By Carol Ritchie, celebrity chef and To Life!™ Lifestyle-Change Management ParticipantAs the holidays arrive, I find myself thinking about our favorite seasonal foods, soups for cold nights by the fire, and sweets for all. Foods we associate with fall, winter, and the holidays are often more calorie-laden, so now’s the time to plan ahead and enjoy all the season has to offer by ...

By Grace Secrest, BSN, Nursing Manager, Oncology, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterCongratulations! You’ve graduated with your RN degree and found a job at a hospital. Now what? Welcome to the real world of nursing.Here’s your chance to link book-learning with real-life nursing. It may be what you’ve been preparing for, but most every nurse will admit the first job can be a littl ...

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 ...

http://youtu.be/dflLqPVQ_DEPamela Stoyanoff, CPA, MBA, Chief Operating Officer of Methodist Health System, offers tips to women who want to advance to executive roles in health care. ...

http://youtu.be/_evnktaU6i8Reverend Carole Somers-Clark, Vice President of Pastoral Services at Methodist Health System discusses ethics, health care, and tips on handling moral distress. ...

Methodist Dallas Medical Center announces Karla Ramberger, RN, as its new chief nursing officer (CNO). She will take over the position effective Nov. 7, moving from her current position as director of the Emergency Department at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center.“We welcome Karla to this important role at Methodist Dallas and know that she brings an expansive and impressive ar ...

By Christine Walker, RN, MSN, Director of Nursing, Emergency and Trauma Services, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterDoes a full moon mean higher ER volumes? Will more women really go into labor? Halloween conjures up thoughts of black cats, werewolves, and other superstitions. While the full moon doesn’t fall on Halloween this year, it does beg the question, “What’s fact and what’ ...

ttp://youtu.be/nFMa4SJoCy0 Chef Carol Ritchie has lost 23 pounds and six and half inches from her waist on the Methodist To Life! weight-loss program and that's something she vows she'll "never see again" as she pumps up the volume on her exercise routine and continues to eat healthful, hearty meals and snacks. This week she prepares nutrient rich nourish snacks -- cottag ...

By Carol Ritchie, celebrity chef and To Life!™ Lifestyle Change Management ParticipantOne of the things I’ve learned on my weight-loss journey is to be prepared. With a little planning, you can navigate through fall sporting events, tailgate parties, and playoff games without blowing your diet. For a successful strategy, take a few minutes to think about the foods you associate ...

New HR leader to join health system Oct. 17Methodist Health System announces that Deanna Kenard will join its senior leadership team on Oct. 17 as senior vice president of human resources.  In this role, Kenard will serve as Methodist’s lead executive responsible for strategic transformational leadership, policy development, and directing all HR activities including recruitment ...

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 ...