Saint Francis Medical Center

Patients and healthcare professionals rate Saint Francis Medical Center among the very best in the nation, making Saint Francis the choice for healthcare in the Southeast Missouri region. Patient satisfaction scores, which are independently measured by Press Ganey, place Saint Francis in the top 2 percent of hospitals nationwide. Ranking in the 98th percentile, Saint Francis patients say they are very pleased with the care they receive at the Medical Center.

"Patients give Saint Francis high ratings for all aspects of our services, from the admissions process to staff attentiveness, physicians' skills and beyond," said Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Francis Healthcare System. "Our high patient satisfaction scores reflect our commitment to quality healthcare that meets the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our patients and their families."

Saint Francis Medical Center is a tertiary care medical center serving more than 450,000 people in the five-state area of Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Saint Francis is at the leading edge of medicine, being the first to bring state-of-the-art medical technology to Southeast Missouri, including frameless stereotactic radiosurgery and intensity modulated radiation therapy for treating cancer. Saint Francis is home to the region's first Level III Trauma Center and Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Family BirthPlace

For the vast majority of women, pregnancy follows a routine nine-month course resulting in the birth of a healthy baby. Some women and their infants, however, experience complications. These women are turning to the experienced obstetrical team at Saint Francis Medical Center for healthy solutions.

Cape Perinatology Services

With the opening of Cape Perinatology Services, women in the five-state region now have easier access to a high level of obstetrical care with the area's only full-time perinatologist. Cape Perinatology Services provides a maternal-fetal medicine specialist who assists with the care of high-risk pregnancies to ensure healthy outcomes. Services include 4-D ultrasounds; preconception genetic counseling; genetic disorders evaluation; management of multiple gestation pregnancies; and monitoring and management of chronic conditions affecting pregnancy, such as diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, etc. The relationship between the perinatologist and the neonatologists in Saint Francis' Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is central to providing a continuum of specialized care for high-risk pregnancies.

Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

At Saint Francis' Level III NICU, critically ill newborns receive care based on advanced medical technologies and have immediate access to board certified, fellowship-trained neonatologists who understand their intricate medical and developmental needs. The Level III NICU provides an unprecedented level of care for premature newborns and infants with infections, birth defects, breathing difficulties, growth retardation and maternal health problems affecting the infant.

Gene E. Huckstep Emergency Center/Level III Trauma Center

Saint Francis Medical Center is the only state-designated Level III Trauma Center in Southeast Missouri. The Gene E. Huckstep Emergency/Level III Trauma Center serves as a five-state regional resource for nearly 500,000 people.

The Level III Trauma Center designation requires close cooperation with EMS professionals, surgeons, hospital-based physicians, nurse practitioners, trauma nurse specialists, emergency medical technicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and patient advocates - all available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Advanced diagnostics are at hand, day or night, and include laboratory testing, MRI, CT scans, digitized radiology and ultrasound; images can be transmitted for physician review by PACS (Picture Archival Communication System).

Convenient Care

For the quick attention of minor injuries and illnesses, Saint Francis offers Convenient Care, the first walk-in urgent care facility in Southeast Missouri. Convenient Care is located adjacent to the Gene E. Huckstep Emergency Center/Level III Trauma Center and is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week - no appointment necessary.

Think First

Think First, a program encouraging head and spinal cord injury prevention, is available to schools and other organizations for free through Saint Francis' Trauma Services. Think First focuses on seat belt use, safe driving behavior, abstaining from drinking and driving, helmet use, diving safety and proper bystander behavior. This program is brought to the area through a partnership between Saint Francis and The Missouri Department of Highway Safety.

Neurosciences Institute

When treating injuries and diseases of the brain and spine, fast-acting and technologically superior care are crucial factors for recovery. That is why the Saint Francis Medical Center Neurosciences Institute is an innovative leader for introducing state-of-the-art treatments and providing the latest advancements in diagnostic equipment. Saint Francis was the first facility to offer artificial spinal disk replacement and remains a pioneer for introducing less invasive procedures.

Saint Francis' Stroke Center is rated as a Top 100 U.S. Hospital for stroke care by Solucient and ranked as best (#1) in the Southern Missouri Region, among the best (#5) in Missouri and among the top 10 percent in the nation for the treatment of stroke by HealthGrades. Saint Francis is the only stroke care provider in the region to receive the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' (JCAHO) Certificate of Distinction in Disease-Specific Care for primary stroke treatment.

Thomas G. Otto, MD, Orthopaedic Institute

Specialization and a commitment to efficiently restoring mobility and function are the trademarks of the Thomas G. Otto, MD, Orthopaedic Institute. This high level of expertise and sophistication has allowed Saint Francis Medical Center to become nationally recognized for orthopaedic services.

Saint Francis received five-star ratings in total knee replacement, total hip replacement, hip fracture repair, overall orthopaedic services, joint surgery, and back and neck surgeries with and without spinal fusion from HealthGrades. The healthcare authority also recognized Saint Francis as best (#1) in Missouri for overall orthopaedic services for the third year in a row. This ranking places Saint Francis among the top 5 percent in the nation for overall orthopaedic services, the only hospital in the region to receive such a high rating. Saint Francis was also ranked among the best (#3) in Missouri and is among the top 10 percent in the nation for joint surgery.

At the Thomas G. Otto, MD, Orthopaedic Institute, innovation extends beyond minimally invasive surgical techniques and cutting-edge technology. The facility even reflects careful planning and proficiency to set Saint Francis apart from other hospitals. The unit features spacious private rooms, and rehabilitation services include a warm water therapy pool and state-of-the-art equipment as part of an on-campus, medically integrated fitness and wellness facility.

Heart Institute

The Saint Francis Medical Center Heart Institute sponsors multiple educational and prevention programs to help the region improve cardiac health. In particular, the Medical Center focuses on increasing women's awareness of heart disease, the number one cause of death for women in Southeast Missouri.

As part of this initiative, Saint Francis introduced the region to Women's HeartAdvantage, a combined effort of nearly 50 healthcare organizations dedicated to bridging the gap between the misconceptions and realities of women and heart disease. In addition, Saint Francis remains the local sponsor for the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign, a national effort encouraging women to take an active role in their cardiac health. Saint Francis provides many free community health screenings and risk assessments to further support at-risk patients.

Along with being a firm advocate for community health prevention, the Heart Institute has pioneered a number of cardiac procedures and introduced the region to cardiac catheterization. Saint Francis was also the area's first to offer an all-digital echocardiography lab; minimally invasive descending thoracic aortic stenting; and the Silverhawk® Plaque Excision System, a revolutionary new procedure that safely removes plaque from the lower arteries and eliminates the need for bypass grafting and angioplasty. In some instances, the procedure helps patients avoid limb amputation.

The most exciting and revolutionary procedure for cardiac care may in fact be the Medical Center's 64-slice computerized tomography (CT) scanner with modified cardiac visualization equipment. Saint Francis will be the first hospital in Missouri to feature this specialized diagnostic tool. The new application of CT technology dramatically improves image quality and speed. It can also capture organ functions instantaneously and reproduce high-quality 3-D images. This device is so fast and accurate, it is able to record full-color, high-resolution images of the heart in midbeat.

Cancer Care

The latest techniques used in the treatment of cancer are available in Cape Girardeau thanks to the Cancer Institute of Cape Girardeau, LLC. and the Saint Francis Outpatient Care Center. A highly trained clinical team that includes oncologists, radiation oncologists and hematologists coordinates efforts to ensure patients have every advantage in their fight against cancer in one convenient location.

Frameless stereotactic radiosurgery and intensity modulated radiation therapy are among the most technically advanced treatment methods for tumors located in areas of the body that were once considered too risky to treat. These methods are especially successful in treating head, neck, prostate and lung cancers.

In addition, Saint Francis offers radioactive seed implants for treating prostate cancer. Tiny pellets slowly eliminate cancer cells while avoiding many of the side effects commonly associated with treating prostate cancer.

Advanced diagnostics are also available, such as P.E.T./CT and digital mammography, and Saint Francis participates in clinical trials through the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.

Saint Francis Health and Wellness Center

Promoting health and wellness is a major goal for Saint Francis Medical Center. In September 2004, Saint Francis took regional healthcare to a higher level with the opening of the Health and Wellness Center. This medically integrated, state-of-the-art facility blends fitness, wellness, disease management, prevention and rehabilitation in one location - all overseen by a physician-directed Medical Advisory Group.

A large component of the Health and Wellness Center is Fitness Plus. Unlike any area fitness center, Fitness Plus offers services to fit the unique health profiles and fitness goals of each person served. Patients and members can expect a highly qualified and educated staff of personal trainers, fitness specialists and exercise physiologists to help with meeting rehabilitation, prevention and fitness goals.

Fitness Plus also delivers result-producing programs complemented by state-of-the-art amenities, such as exercise studios; contemporary locker rooms with saunas and steam rooms, Deli Plus offering Starbucks® coffee; exercise stations with cardio theater; family changing rooms; four-lane, 25-yard lap pool; indoor track; Kids Plus baby-sitting and youth activities; massage therapy; multipurpose room for basketball and volleyball; free weights and weight training equipment; recreation pool; warm water therapy pool; and whirlpool, to name a few. For more information, call Fitness Plus at 573-331-3355. In addition to the services available at the Medical Center, Saint Francis extends its healing mission through Saint Francis Healthcare System. The system's involvement in joint ventures with the Cancer Institute of Cape Girardeau LLC.; Poplar Bluff Medical Partners; and Landmark Hospital are increasing the medical innovations available regionally.

When 39 doctors in Poplar Bluff wanted to improve the quality of local healthcare, they approached Saint Francis Healthcare System. Working together, Saint Francis and the partners are building an exciting new medical facility called Poplar Bluff Medical Park on a 32-acre campus at Highway PP on the 67 Bypass.

The Medical Park's diagnostic imaging center offers the area's only open MRI, as well as CT scans, ultrasound, X-ray, nuclear medicine, mammography and P.E.T. technology. The ambulatory surgery center for procedures that do not require a hospital stay provides Poplar Bluff residents with high-quality healthcare close to home and family, as well as easy access to Saint Francis Medical Center's tertiary care services.

Physician specialties of Poplar Bluff Medical Partners include radiology, urology, neurology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family practice, internal medicine, oncology, anesthesiology, otolaryngology, podiatry, ophthalmology and general surgery.

Saint Francis Medical Center realized there was a gap in the full continuum of care required for an aging population. To satisfy this care need, Saint Francis partnered with Landmark Holdings of Missouri LLC. to develop Landmark Hospital, a 30-bed long-term acute care hospital for patients with catastrophic and/or chronic medical conditions. This will be the only long-term acute care hospital between Memphis and St. Louis, allowing patients to stay closer to home, family, friends and their primary care physicians.

Saint Francis Medical Center offers health and medical care for every stage of your life and every member of your family. Other Saint Francis services include the nationally acclaimed Saint Francis Wound Healing Center, the region's first Pain Management Center accredited by the American Academy of Pain Management, Womancare, Healing Arts Pharmacy, Home Health, Sleep Disorders Center, Sports Medicine and more. For a complete list of services, please visit www.sfmc.net.

Biometrics®

Losing weight and keeping it off can be trying. Biometrics' six-week nutrition and fitness program blends personal training with customized meal planning to encourage weight loss and improved body composition. For more information or to register, call 573-331-5399.

Breast Cancer Support Group

Whether you are looking for more information on breast cancer or to share and hear other people's experiences, the Breast Cancer Support Group offers support and understanding. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month. Call 573-331-5209 for more information.

Childbirth Classes

Saint Francis wants to help you and your family get off to a healthy start through its free childbirth classes. From preparing for childbirth and preparing siblings for the new arrival to breast-feeding and the basics of infant care, Saint Francis offers a variety of classes. For class information or to register, call 877-231-BABY.

Depressive Bipolar Support Alliance

If depression is affecting your life, you'll find support, sharing and education through the Depressive Bipolar Support Alliance. Meetings are held the fourth Monday of most months. Call 573-331-5107 for more information.

Grief Support Group

The loss of a loved one can be very difficult. The added comfort and understanding you may be looking for can be found in the Grief Support Group, which meets the last Thursday of each month. For more information, call 573-331-5107.

Heart & Health Screenings

Screenings for blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and osteoporosis are offered at low-costs or for free every Wednesday, 7-10 am, in the Saint Francis Health and Wellness Center lobby, 150 S. Mount Auburn Road. No appointment or physician referral is necessary. Call 573-331-5970 for more information.

Mended Hearts Support Group

Whether you are looking for more information on cardiovascular disease or to share and hear other people's experiences, the Mended Hearts Support Group is welcoming new members. Meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month. For more information, call 573-331-5153.

New Voice Club

Providing information and support for laryngectomy patients and their families, the New Voice Club encourages you to attend its monthly meetings - with the exception of January and February - the second Tuesday of each month. Call Luana Rhodes at 573-331-5205 for more information.

Parkinson's Support Group

This friendly support system is made up of Parkinson's disease patients and their families. If you or a loved one is affected by Parkinson's disease, please attend the monthly meetings - with the exception of June and July - the last Monday of each month. For more information, call Desma Reno at 573-331-5871.

Diabetes Support Group

Dedicated to assisting diabetics and their families, this support group provides the knowledge and support for participants to successfully live with and manage their diabetes. This group meets the third Thursday of each month. For more information, call Ken Green at 573-331-5136.

Fibromyalgia Support Group

Whether you want to listen or share, you will enjoy the company of others who understand how fibromyalgia is affecting you. Call 573-331-5880 for more information.

La Leche League Support Group

La Leche League is an international, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to providing education, information, support and encouragement to women who want to breast-feed. If you are breast-feeding or want to learn more about breast-feeding, please attend the meetings the second Thursday of each month or call 573-331-5107.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group

Dedicated to assisting persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), their families and their friends, this support group provides the knowledge and support for group members to successfully live with MS and remain vital participants in their community. For more information, call 573-331-5107.

For more information on Saint Francis support groups and classes, log on to www.sfmc.net.