Saint Luke's Health System

🚨 Important Update About the Global IT Outage: As you might have experienced or seen in the media, a large-scale IT outage has impacted organizations globally overnight, including BJC Health System (BJC HealthCare and Saint Luke’s Health System), affecting access to numerous servers, programs, and computers. This was not a cybersecurity attack. Our IT teams are actively working to restore access to our core systems and reconnect PCs to our network successfully. Though we are seeing progress, this process will take some time. If you have an appointment with one of our providers today, Friday, July 19, please plan to arrive at the normally scheduled appointment time. Due to this outage, please be patient as appointments may take longer and wait times may be extended. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this developing situation. Our goal is to always provide our communities with the best care possible. We will continue to share updates as they become available.

Red, white, and BABIES! 👶 🇺🇸 These USA star athletes were BORN READY for the 2024 Summer Olympics. We can't wait to watch these Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City NICU babies bring home the gold for cuteness. 😉 #Paris2024

Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute's Vascular Program is the first in the Kansas City metro and the state of Missouri to implant a new medicated, dissolvable vascular stent known as the Esprit BTK System. The FDA-approved Esprit BTK System is a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent for people with limb-threatening ischemia below the knee. The stent is implanted through a catheter-based, minimally invasive procedure to open the blockage and delivers a drug called everolimus to heal the vessel until it is strong enough to remain open on its own, then the stent dissolves. Dr. Matthew Bunte, Medical Director of Saint Luke's Vascular Program, and Dr. Karthik Vamanan, Surgical Director, performed the first two procedures with their medical teams. "This new treatment option supports healing while reducing the risk of long-term complications," said Dr. Bunte. "We're excited to be able to offer our patients the latest technological advancements." Congratulations to the entire vascular clinical team on this milestone! #TeamSaintLukes 💙

BJC Health System is honored to have received 86 recognitions for clinical excellence by U.S. News & World Report, with multiple BJC hospitals ranking among the best in Missouri: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, and Saint Luke's East Hospital. The pediatric hospital rankings will be released this fall—in 2023, St. Louis Children's Hospital ranked nationally among the top 12% (No. 23) and is ranked in 8 pediatric specialties. In January 2024, BJC HealthCare and Saint Luke’s Health System combined to form BJC Health System in a commitment to deliver high-quality, affordable patient care to the communities we serve across Missouri, southern Illinois, and eastern Kansas. Together, we are operating as a single health care organization that serves two regions. We are incredibly proud of our clinical teams and are thankful for their expertise, compassion, and dedication to excellence. We are honored by this recognition and look forward to continuing to provide exceptional care to our communities across the Midwest. See the complete list of BJC Health System honors here: https://bit.ly/469SclV

The 26th Annual Steven R. Hall, MD, Trauma Symposium offers physicians, nurses, prehospital providers, and others caring for trauma patients an opportunity to learn more about emergency care in the Midwest from some of the leading minds in trauma care. Steven R. Hall, MD, Trauma Symposium Oct. 7 – 9 Margaritaville Lake Resort, Osage Beach, Missouri Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3zfYHay

Saint Luke's Nurse Residency Program is now accepting applications for Fall 2024 graduates. The program provides BSN and ADN graduates with the training, resources, and support you need to kickstart your career. Learn more and apply today: https://bit.ly/4eX6Twz

Last week, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute became the first in the region to perform a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement using the FDA-approved EVOQUE valve. The tricuspid valve is one of four valves in the heart. It opens and closes to ensure that the blood moves in the right direction. When it does not close and seal well, blood flows backward from one chamber to another. When it is severe enough, patients might have symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling, and weight loss. This condition was often difficult to treat—until now. The EVOQUE valve replaces the tricuspid valve without open-heart surgery, a revolutionary procedure in cardiology. Drs. Adnan Chhatriwalla, Keith Allen, David Skolnick, and Elizabeth Grier, along with their clinical team, performed the first two tricuspid valve replacements in the region. “Often referred to as the ‘forgotten valve,' we had limited treatment options for tricuspid valve disease," said Dr. Chhatriwalla. "As of today, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute Valve Center of Excellence is the only program in the region to offer comprehensive valve disease care, including surgical therapies and transcatheter therapies, and that is hopeful for all our patients." Tricuspid valve intervention offers our patients new hope and is the next milestone in the treatment of valve disease. Led by Dr. Adnan Chhatriwalla, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute Valve Center of Excellence is the region’s leader in the field of transcatheter heart valve intervention. In 2008, we performed the first transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedure in Kansas City. Through clinical trials and research, we helped establish this life-saving therapy as the new standard of care. A few years later we participated in the next landmark clinic trial, one that brought a transcatheter-based option for patients with a leaky mitral valve. Way to go, #TeamSaintLukes! 💙

Are you interested in exploring the world of pharmacy? Sign up for Saint Luke's Pharmacy Observer Program and get a firsthand look at the daily life of a pharmacist. Gain valuable insights, knowledge, and experience in the field of health care with this unique opportunity. Don't miss out on this chance to shadow a pharmacist—learn more and sign up today: https://bit.ly/45yfzVT

Saint Luke's Cancer Institute is expanding in the Northland! A comprehensive cancer program will open at Saint Luke's North Hospital next spring, offering additional cancer care services close to home. Learn more from Dr. Timothy Pluard, medical director of Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, on Health News You Can Use. #SaintLukesHealthNews

Semaglutide, the first weight loss drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, improves symptoms in both men and women who present with heart failure. When it comes to weight loss, however, the drug appears to benefit women much more than men according to a new study from Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, Vice President of Research at Saint Luke's Health System. Dr. Kosiborod recently presented the new research at the American Diabetes Association’s 2024 Scientific Sessions. Read more: https://bit.ly/3RHPXQU