Memorial employees broke ground today, May 14, on the front lawn of the medical center to launch our historic expansion project, Advancing Care by Design, which will transform both interior and exterior features on the campus.

A quick look at the numbers tied to the expansion includes:

• 3 new patient floors, which will accommodate a total of 114 private rooms designed with specific “zones” for the patient, family members and nursing staff to optimize care giving;
• 6 new operating rooms, for a total of 23, in our soon-to-be-expanded lower-level Surgery Center;
• 2 additional lanes of traffic in our main drive, for a new total of 3, to improve flow of traffic;
• 1 new Memorial Center for Learning & Innovation, a three-floor building that will enhance learning and training opportunities for Memorial employees as well as our medical partners. Read the rest of this entry »

Parents often ask Devin Spears, lead athletic trainer at Memorial’s SportsCare, how they can keep their children from getting injured during football season.

“The only thing I can guarantee you is if I put your child in a suit of armor and stand your child in the corner of the end zone, I could pretty much guarantee you they’re not going to get hurt,” Spears said.

“But we know that’s not a reality,” Spears explained during a recent interview with Bob Murray on radio station WTAX. One of the best ways, however, to minimize the damage that young athletes receive when they’re on the field is to make sure their equipment fits and that they are wearing it correctly. Read the rest of this entry »

As more and more central Illinoisans fall victim to the flu, it’s important to understand the nature and symptoms of the flu while taking the proper precautions to prevent the spread of infection. Below are answers to commonly asked questions about the flu. Information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Q: What, exactly, is “the flu”?

A: Influenza (or, “the flu”) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. In the United States, on average 5 percent to 20 percent of the population gets the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal flu-related complications. Flu seasons are unpredictable and can be severe.

Q: How can I prevent coming down with the flu?

There are three very important things you should do: Read the rest of this entry »

Flu season has struck early, including in Illinois, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported high influenza-like illness (ILI) activity in recent days, and this year’s peak is not yet in sight.

Flu activity likely will continue for some time. Your best defense against the flu is to receive your annual flu vaccination, which thus far appears to be well matched to the dominant stains of influenza being seen this year, the CDC reports.

It’s not too late to receive the flu vaccination to protect yourself and your loved ones, especially if you have young children who have not yet been protected. Read the rest of this entry »

Many of us worry what the endless stream of munching does to our waistlines during the holidays, but we often forget that we’re drinking calories, too. And sometimes, a lot of them.

“Every meal – and there are many! – is preceded by drinks, paired with cocktails and wrapped up with aperitifs,” said Christina Rollins, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC, a clinical dietitian at Memorial Medical Center. “It’s no wonder we’re bloating more than Saint Nick himself.”

While holidays are meant to be enjoyed, the key to smart holiday cocktail prep is having some good tricks in your back pocket to help minimize that post-holiday bulge, Rollins said. Read the rest of this entry »

Traumatic events, such as the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., can be a challenging topic for parents to discuss with their children. Not only is it an emotional topic, but there are questions that cannot be answered. For many adults, the natural instinct is to protect their child from tragic events so they avoid talking about what happened.

Melissa Stalets, a licensed clinical professional counselor and director of the Children’s MOSAIC Project, a program of The Children’s Center at Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, advises that parents talk to their children, answer questions and provide reassurance when tragedy strikes — especially when it involves children and schools, a place many consider a safe haven.   

Tips for Talking to Children about Tragic Events

The approach a parent takes for the conversation should depend on their child’s age and developmental level. Very young children, such as those 6 and younger, should not be introduced to this tragedy. But shielding them entirely may prove impossible.  Read the rest of this entry »

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate fungal meningitis outbreak among patients who have received spinal injections of a steroid drug called methylprednisolone. Memorial Medical Center did not purchase an injectable drug suspected in a fungal meningitis outbreak from a Massachusetts pharmaceutical company.

We recently removed all of the drugs that we bought from the pharmacy under investigation for a fungal meningitis outbreak. While we never bought the specific drug that’s suspected as the outbreak’s source, we took this step because your health and safety are our top priorities. Here’s more from our chief medical officer.
 

The following list will answer some of the common questions you may have about this incident.

Q: What happened?

A: Federal officials believe an estimated 14,000 patients nationwide may have been exposed to a contaminated steroid, methylprednisolone, which came from the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts. The contaminated steroid is suspected as the source of a multistate fungal meningitis outbreak.

The FDA has issued guidance for healthcare facilities that all products distributed by the New England Compounding Center should be retained, secured and withheld from use. The pharmacy has voluntarily recalled all products that it has distributed.  

Q: What is meningitis?

A: Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is most often caused by viral infections but can be triggered by other sources, including fungi.

Q: Did Memorial Health System purchase the contaminated steroid from the Massachusetts pharmacy?

A: No. We did not. Only three healthcare facilities in Illinois purchased the contaminated steroid from the New England Compounding Center. All three are in the Chicago region. Read the rest of this entry »

If you follow sports, you likely heard the latest news about Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls leading scorer, sitting out the next 8-12 months following his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery.

The 23-year-old point guard went down with just 80 seconds left of the first game of the Bulls’ Eastern Conference quarterfinals series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Video courtesty of jmike619 on Youtube. Video may not play if Youtube user has removed it.

He’s not alone. Several NBA stars have experienced the same injury during this compressed season. But it’s not just NBA stars who are susceptible. Read the rest of this entry »

You might think a winter virtually free of ice, snow and bitterly cold temperatures means fewer people coming down with the flu. But here in central Illinois, the above-average temperatures have just delayed the onset of what is typically considered the peak of flu season, mid-January through February. 

Now, just one month out from spring, the flu bug is biting. 

Local doctors report a recent increase in patients with flu-like symptoms. High fever, sore throat and body aches are all typical signs. And for the first time this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 10 percent of patients have tested positive for flu. A sure sign flu season is here.  Read the rest of this entry »

As a parent of a sixth-, seventh- or eighth-grade girl, you cannot expect her life to go smoothly. There will be bumps in the road. Many successful people even point to their failures as important learning moments and the reason for their success.

“Unfortunately, our culture does not often teach us how to recover from downturns, disappointments, and failures, no less how to develop the grace to reflect and learn from unfortunate events. Yet, it can be learned,” said Virginia Dolan, MD, a pediatrician at Koke Mill Medical Associates. “Along with learning and performing better, these same skills improve relationships and can bring joy back into the lives of those who have high expectations for themselves.” Read the rest of this entry »