Shoveling heavy snow strains body, heart
KARE 11, 12/27/18
“There are more heart attacks in winter than any other time of the year,” Hennepin Healthcare Chief of Cardiology Dr. Brad Bart explains.
Got the flu this holiday? Here’s when it’s safe to go out
KARE 11, 12/20/18
“If you have a fever you’re still infectious,” Hennepin Healthcare Dr. David Hilden says.
Preemie graduates from HCMC after 515-day hospital stay
Star Tribune, 12/19/18
Dressed in a black cap and gown, Oliver was “graduating” from intensive hospital care at HCMC in downtown Minneapolis, marking the longest stay for a preemie at the hospital for the past 18 years.
Minnesota Moment: Preemie “graduates” after spending entire 515 days of life in NICU
KSTP 5, 12/18/18
But he is finally going home with his family. Doctors and nurses who cared for him threw a ‘graduation party’ on Tuesday.
Preemie “graduates” after spending 515 days in Minneapolis hospital
Fox 9, 12/18/18
Oliver Rodriguez-Ocampo was born on July 20, 2017. According to the hospital, staff celebrated his move from the Newborn Intensive Care Unit and now the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to home with a “graduation,” which included a cap and gown, cake and refreshments.
Air quality alert issued for parts of MN
KARE 11, 12/12/18
An air quality alert has been issued for the Twin Cities and parts of central and southeast Minnesota through Thursday evening due to higher levels of fine particles. Dr. Robert Kempainen interviewed.
REM sleep behavior disorder gets a textbook: Carlos H. Schenck, MD
Sleep Review, 12/12/18
In 1982, Carlos H. Schenck, MD, evaluated his first sleep medicine patients. A staff psychiatrist at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Schenck had long held an interest in neurophysiology.
Former firefighter gives back to HCMC Burn Unit
WCCO 4, 12/11/18
The organization Firefighters for Healing pulled up to HCMC hospital in four Minneapolis fire trucks with holiday gifts for burn victims.
Firefighters, volunteers deliver gifts to Burn Unit patients at Hennepin Healthcare
Fox 9, 12/11/18
Firefighters and volunteers brought a little brightness to those in the Burn Unit at Hennepin Healthcare Tuesday morning.
Esera Tuaolo sings Christmas song to ailing patients
WCCO 4, 12/11/18
The organization Firefighters for Healing pulled up to HCMC hospital in four Minneapolis fire trucks with holiday gifts for burn victims
Firefighters for Healing bring holiday cheer to HCMC Burn Center
KARE 11, 12/11/18
Every Christmas, Firefighters for Healing gives gifts to the patients of the Hennepin County Medical Center Burn Center. And this Christmas, it’s letting KARE 11 Sunrise’s Alicia Lewis and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey be a part of the holiday cheer.
Bags of Smiles delivers toys and games to hospitalized kids
Fox 9, 12/9/18
Being in the hospital can be very isolating, especially for a child. Knowing this, a local family came up with a plan eight years ago to create some fun for hospital stays. What started as a small gesture has grown into a big operation to give back.
It’s a Thursday in the pediatric unit at Hennepin County Medical Center and there is a special visitor.
Good Question: Is it unhealthy to stay inside all day?
WCCO 4, 12/4/18
“It doesn’t have to be,” says Dr. Matt Syzdek, a clinical psychologist with Hennepin Healthcare.
“Your serotonin and dopamine levels get affected by not being outside and that affects depression,” says Dr. Deepti Pandita, an internal medicine physician at Hennepin Healthcare.
Ask the hard questions: Family opens up about loss in hopes to save others
WCCO 4, 12/4/18
“Society teaches men it’s safe to be happy, it’s safe to be angry, that its not OK to be sad or afraid,” said Dr. Mark Lynn, childhood psychologist at Hennepin Healthcare.
How to beat burnout: 7 signs physicians should know
AMA Wire, 11/27/18
Mark Linzer, MD, director of the division of general internal medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, has long studied physician burnout.
“Burnout doesn’t have to be highly expensive to fix,” said Dr. Linzer, director of the HCMC Center for Patient and Provider Experience. “Preventing burnout can actually save money in the long run on recruiting and training new practice staff.”
Overshadowed by opioids, meth is back and hospitalizations surge
ABC News, 11/26/18
Because there has been so much attention on opioids, “we have not been properly keeping tabs on other substance use trends as robustly as we should,” said study author Dr. Tyler Winkelman, a physician at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis.
Out of prison, but struggling for health care
Star Tribune, 11/26/18
For those with a substance use disorder, the risk of death from an overdose in the two weeks after leaving prison is 10 times higher than in the general population, said Dr. Tyler Winkelman of the Minneapolis-based Hennepin Healthcare, who researches health issues in the criminal justice system.
Good Samaritan recalls saving St. Francis teen hit by car
KARE 11, 11/25/18
“They both saved my daughter’s life. Otherwise, there’s a chance she might not be here today,” said Jill Kelley, Bollmann’s mom. On Friday the families spoke to the media from Hennepin County Medical Center.
Parents of teen girls “thankful” despite tragic accident
KSTP 5, 11/23/18
Two fourteen-year-old girls their parents say “do everything together” are now fighting for their lives together. St. Francis Middle School students Kaia Bollmann and Anneliese LaMotte were severely injured in an accident late Tuesday afternoon when they were struck by a car crossing state Highway 47 near the school.
Families talk about teens hit in St. Francis
KARE 11, 11/23/18
The best friends are together at HCMC. Annie’s in serious condition, although she’s talking and hopes to be out soon. Kaia, though, has a skull fracture and brain swelling, and she isn’t awake.
Victims of St. Francis pedestrian crash recover as their parents call for changes
Fox 9, 11/23/18
The girls are recovering at HCMC and now their parents are now pushing for change at a dangerous intersection.
“Your heart just sinks”: Families of teens hit by car recall incident, push for safety measures
WCCO 4, 11/23/18
Instead of spending Thanksgiving at home, the girls remain at Hennepin Healthcare.
Opioids are in the spotlight. But meth hospitalizations are surging.
Time, 11/21/18
Because there has been so much attention on opioids, “we have not been properly keeping tabs on other substance use trends as robustly as we should,” said study author Dr. Tyler Winkelman, a physician at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis.
Is social media making us happy or miserable?
WCCO 4, 11/19/18
Inside Hennepin Healthcare’s Clinic and Specialty Centers’ Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, exercise physiologist Jill Carter measured two numbers for our test: blood pressure and heart rate.
Good Question: Why are more people developing nearsightedness?
WCCO 4, 11/8/18
Dr. Seth Silbert, an ophthalmologist with Hennepin Healthcare, says a large portion of nearsightedness is due to genetics, but that can’t account for the dramatic rise in nearsightedness across the world.
Giving Back: FoodRx program embraces Food as Medicine
Star Tribune, 11/7/18
Dr. Diana Cutts, a pediatrician from Hennepin Healthcare, part of the FoodRx program, said the dilemmas poor families face are real and wrenching. She recalls readmitting to the hospital a 3-year-old boy suffering from asthma.
Vaccine for celiac disease may allow people to eat gluten again
KARE 11, 11/6/18
“If it does work it would be a game-changer for people with Celiac disease,” Hennepin Healthcare Gastroenterologist Dr. Jake Matlock says.
A village of min-houses for the poor and homeless proposed in Minneapolis
Star Tribune, 11/5/18
“We’re not putting people off in some distant corner,” said Dr. William Walsh, a surgeon and deputy chief innovation officer at Upstream Health Innovations, a team at Hennepin Healthcare that has provided input on the project. “Dignified housing has to be socially integrated housing.”
Good Question: How does soap work?
WCCO 4, 10/24/18
“Soap is important,” says Dr. Caitlin Eccles-Radtke, an infectious diseases specialist at Hennepin Healthcare.
At HCMC, doctors pursue a new way to treat opioid addiction
Star Tribune, 10/24/18
Hennepin Healthcare, one of the state’s largest hospital systems, is among a small but growing number of institutions nationwide that have begun initiating treatment for opioid addiction in the emergency room, where patients often have “hit bottom” and are more receptive to treatment.
Verify: Does the weather really affect your mood?
KARE 11, 10/9/18
Hennepin Healthcare Psychologist Talee Vang is helping us verify if the weather can actually affect how we feel.
Are hemp-derived CBD products illegal in Minnesota?
WCCO 4, 10/8/18
Minnesota Poison Control Center’s Dr. Travis Olives says this is a “buyer beware” type of situation.
A flu shot not only protects you, but everyone around you
Star Tribune, 10/5/18
I marked an anniversary last week by getting a flu shot. It has been 100 years since the pandemic of 1918, during which an estimated 50 million people worldwide — 675,000 in the United States — died from influenza. Last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control, the flu killed more than 80,000 people in the U.S. Kelly Maynard is a pediatric nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center and a part-time copy editor at the Star Tribune.
Expert warns of “micro-dosing” dangers as trend gains popularity
WCCO 4, 10/5/18
“Eventually trends from the coast do trickle down,” Dr. JoAn Laes said. As an addiction medicine doctor at Hennepin Healthcare, she’s well aware of the dangers from psychedelic drugs like LSD, mushrooms and acid.
Startup seeks to help patients make their appointments
WCCO 4, 9/27/18
“If we can move the needle just a little bit with something like Hitch Health, the rewards are palpable,” said Hitch Health CEO Dr. Chip Truwit.
These Minnesotans give healthcare a human touch
Minnesota Monthly, 9/19/18
In 2014, Minnesota playwright and journalist Syl Jones landed a prestigious Bush Fellowship, a two-year grant he used to enroll in Columbia’s Narrative Medicine program. He put its lessons into practice at Hennepin County Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center and teaching hospital in downtown Minneapolis.
Daily aspirin may be harmful for healthy older adults, large study finds
NBC News, 9/17/18
“We knew there would an increased risk of bleeding with aspirin, because there has always been,” said study coauthor Dr. Anne Murray, a geriatrician and epidemiologist at the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute and the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
What you need to know about your ragweed allergy
KARE 11, 8/12/18
“We’ve seen a steady rise of ragweed in the air, along with other pollens like nettle and pigweed, lamb’s quarters,” said Dr. John Sweet, division director of Allergy and Immunology at Hennepin Healthcare.
Opioid addictions among pregnant women on the rise in Minnesota
Fox 9, 8/10/18
“Every day – I mean we have many patients every day who are pregnant, who are addicted to opioids,” said Dr. Charles Reznikoff of Hennepin County Medical Center. “And in addition to that we have even more patients who have gotten through the pregnancy successfully who have had a healthy child and done well after the pregnancy.”
Blood test may be able to predict need for CT scan after a head injury
Forbes, 7/28/18
“This study demonstrates the power of a serum biomarker test to determine whether or not a CT scan will be positive, which could almost certainly enable a reduction in unnecessary imaging,” offered Uzma Samadani, M.D., PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Rockswold Kaplan Endowed Chair for Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Hennepin County Medical Center.
Drug shortages affecting local hospitals and clinics
KARE 11, 7/28/18
“Things keep getting worse,” Hennepin Healthcare Pharmacy Operations Manager Brian Howard says.
Raising awareness about heart health
KARE 11, 7/23/18
Dr. Michelle Carlson, a Hennepin Healthcare cardiologist, gave KARE 11 some important reminders about heart health.
Minnesota pediatricians promote reading for young patients and their parents
Star Tribune, 7/19/18
“You can see more in that interaction about how that kid is really developing,” said Dr. Rachael Rapacz, a family medicine doctor at Hennepin Healthcare Clinic in Brooklyn Park.
Wanzek Family Foundation funds Breast Imaging Center & Infusion Area in Minneapolis
InForum, 7/13/18
Fargo, ND: The Wanzek Family Foundation has donated to the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation in support of the Hennepin Healthcare Clinic in downtown Minneapolis. The donation funded the Wanzek Family Breast Clinic and the Jantze Haley Infusion Area, both are on the main level of the Clinics Cancer Center located at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Dr. David Hilden: Coffee is good for you!!
WCCO Radio, 7/3/18
The Doc agrees with a new study that says you live longer if you drink more coffee.
Good Question: What happens to our skin during a sunburn?
WCCO 4, 7/2/18
“It is actually burning,” says Dr. Erin Luxenburg, a dermatologist with Hennepin Healthcare.
Building Blocks: Hennepin County Healthcare Clinic & Specialty Center
Finance & Commerce, 6/15/18
The clinic’s design focuses on making health care providers more efficient and the patient experience more comfortable, said senior director Molly Jacques. Separate check-in and check-out desks near elevators reduce confusion, improve patient flow and allow patients easy access back to the underground parking once they see their doctors, she said.
Minnesota’s hospital germ fighters report progress
Star Tribune, 6/13/18
At Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, data clearly showed more infections when urinary catheters remained in patients for five or more days, but doctors and nurses worried about the consequences of removing them any earlier.
“Nobody wants to cause patient harm,” said Dr. Dan Hoody, HCMC’s chief medical quality officer.
Minneapolis first responders prepare for “major” construction detours
Fox 9, 6/7/18
“We will get to your emergency regardless of construction,” said Hennepin EMS Operations Battalion Chief Mike Trullinger.
Minnesota’s first self-training CPR kiosk unveiled
Star Tribune, 6/1/18
A new self-training kiosk at Hennepin County Medical Center seeks to train more Minnesotans so they understand CPR and don’t feel afraid if they ever need to use it.
The first public demonstration of the training kiosk came Friday from Alicia Bravo, a Hennepin ER nurse who suffered a cardiac arrest last summer while swimming across a Wisconsin lake with her father and other relatives trailing her in a boat.
A new approach to saving lives: Kiosk teaches hands-only form of CPR
MPR, 6/1/18
A new form of CPR takes out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and instead focuses solely on hands-only chest compression — to the beat of the Bee Gees’ song “Stayin’ Alive.”
“The hands-only CPR is a relatively new approach,” said Dr. Brad Bart, the head of cardiology at Hennepin Healthcare. “They always used to teach it that you had to do the chest compressions and then you had to do the mouth resuscitation.”
Inside your Health: A quicker, more comfortable MRI experience in downtown Minneapolis
KSTP 5, 5/27/18
A new MRI machine is in place at a healthcare clinic in downtown Minneapolis. And one doctor said the machine is so much more quiet and comfortable than other MRI machines that he compares it to being in a spa.
Hennepin Healthcare offers “Compressed Sense” MRI System
MPR, 5/22/18
Hennepin Healthcare officials say the new machine, described as “the latest in Philips ‘Compressed Sense’ MRI technology,” can detect ailments throughout the entire body. And it’s located close to where it’s needed most — next to the orthopedic center and the hospital’s cancer center.
The procedure lasted about 20 minutes. Hennepin Healthcare’s head of radiology, Dr. Chip Truwit, says that’s a lot shorter than it used to be. He said this new machine — the first of its kind in Minnesota and costing more than a million dollars — uses a new technology which speeds up the scanning process.
Son gives his dad a new kidney and new chance at life
Dairyland Peach, 5/14/18
The surgery was performed at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).
Unsettled issues at the Minnesota Legislature: Drugmakers must help pay for opioid solutions
Star Tribune, 5/11/18
Editorial submitted by CEO Jon L. Pryor addiction medicine specialist Dr. Charles Reznikoff.
Home visiting program to expand in Minneapolis
KSTP 5, 5/11/18
The Minnesota Visiting Nurse Association, part of the Hennepin Healthcare System, has 16 visiting nurses. MVNA partnered with the city of Minneapolis eight years ago.
Researchers are working on an opioid vaccine to help addicts avoid overdosing
Circa.com, 5/1/18
“Ultimately, I think it can save lives. A vaccine like this could offer sort of long lasting protection,” said senior investigator at the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation (MMRf) Dr. Marco Pravetoni.
New KDIGO report helps define risks, treatment approach for arrhythmias in patients with kidney disease
Healio Nephrology, 5/1/18
Nephrology News & Issues asked two members of the working group – Wolfgang Winkelmayer, MD, ScD, the Gordon A. Cain chair in nephrology and section chief of medicine-nephrology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and Charles Herzog, MD, professor of medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center/University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, to summarize the recommendations and how they might reduce the risks of sudden deaths in patients with CKD.
Heroes at 35,000 feet: Trio of medical professionals save fellow passenger on flight
Fox 9, 4/29/18
“What are the odds that a Mayo doctor, an EMT and a longtime nurse are on the same plane at the time of a medical emergency?” said Blake Tyra, the (Hennepin EMS) EMT. “Not very likely.”
Meth cuts lethal path through Minnesota
Star Tribune, 4/29/18
Overdoses on meth can lead to cardiac arrest, but users can also be exposed to “secondary traumas” associated with their activity while on the drug, said Travis Olives, an associate director at the Hennepin County Medical Center. Not long ago, when Olives was in training at HCMC, he said he could count on one hand the annual emergency room visits for meth abuse.
Vaccines to treat opioid abuse and prevent fatal overdoses
Science & Technology Research News, 4/26/18
A team of scientists from the University of Minnesota Medical School and Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation at Hennepin Healthcare is developing vaccines against heroin and prescription opioids, such as oxycodone and fentanyl.
Minneapolis pediatrician earns CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award
AmericanTowns.com, 4/25/18
Dr. Dawn L. Martin of Minneapolis has been named a 2018 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion for her dedication to promoting childhood immunization in Minnesota.
Prince death investigation: How common are counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl?
Fox 9, 4/19/18
“We’re seeing them more recently in the rise in fentanyl-related deaths,” said Dr. JoAn Laes of Hennepin County Medical Center. “What a lot of people are doing is starting their own clandestine pill operation where they are manufacturing pills.”
U of M students develop natural alternative to coffee, adderall
Fox 9, 4/16/18
HCMC Addiction Specialist Dr. Gavin Bart said Monday that while the dosage seems safe, proper rest and stress management remain better ways to improve your GPA.
“As long as it’s a pure product, it’s a safe product,” he said. “Does it work? Well, that’s a different question.”
Richfield works toward becoming a ‘dementia friendly’ city
FOX 9, 4/12/18
Dennis Thornberg was diagnosed with dementia when he was 65. His symptoms declined so fast that he lost his ability to speak, but he was still allowed to drive—until he was pulled over by a metro police officer.
“He was mumbling and they grabbed him out of the car, threw him to the ground and tazed him,” his wife Lou-Ann Thornberg said.
Minnesota medical researchers develop vaccines to treat opioid abuse
FOX 9, 4/11/18
A team of scientists from the University of Minnesota Medical School and Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation at Hennepin Healthcare are developing vaccines against heroin and prescription opioids.
A “nightmare bacteria” found in the US has a Minnesota doctor’s attention
BringMeTheNews, 4/9/18
Antibiotic-resistant superbugs are killers to approximately 23,000 Americans every year, but the CDC says it found 221 cases of unusually resistant superbugs – which it’s dubbing “nightmare bacteria” – in the U.S. in 2017.
“CDC’s study found several dangerous pathogens, hiding in plain sight, that can cause infections that are difficult or impossible to treat,” said CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, M.D.
Such cases in Minnesota have been rare, but Hennepin County Medical Center infectious disease doctor, Nick Vogenthaler, is on the lookout.
“It’s something that we definitely worry about,” he explained to BMTN. “This is not something simply isolated to the United States. This is a global public health problem.”
Roundtable: What patients say, what doctors hear
MPR, 4/6/18
Syl Jones, a playwright and a resident fellow for narrative medicine at HCMC, also joined the roundtable. He said that the best way to make sure the doctor hears what you need them to hear is to think about your story before your visit. “Make sure you outline the thing you really are interested in, make sure you say what you want to achieve in your treatment plan, and then ask the doctor how he or she feels about that.”
Hitch Health: Automating ride-sharing to get patients to scheduled appointments
Applied Radiology, 4/4/18
Chip Truwit, MD, chief of radiology at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) and emeritus professor of radiology at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in Minneapolis, co-founded Hitch Health with Susan Jepson, vice president of Upstream Health Innovations, HCMC’s innovation incubator. Dr. Truwit, also chief innovation officer of Upstream Health Innovations, has spent more than two decades focusing on ways to improve patient-centered care and physician engagement.
Emergency departments extend their reach
Athenahealth, Inc., 4/3/18
Breaking the cycle of youth violence – Gun violence is the cause of nearly 39 percent of deaths among young people in Minneapolis – and Hennepin County Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center, treats many of the victims.
KARE 11, 4/1/18
Dr. David Hilden of Hennepin County Medical Center said many patients don’t have a certified disability, a federal designation that is very difficult to obtain, and yet are battling chronic health issues that vary greatly from day to day.
How to avoid your allergies
KARE 11, 3/27/18
Fortunately, Dr. Sweet says there are ways to fight allergies.
“I’m allergic to everything,” said Lisa Bautista, who suffers from allergies.
And unfortunately, her problem is all too common. According to her doctor, Dr. John Sweet with Hennepin Healthcare, one in six people have allergies.
HCMC Clinic & Specialty Center renovations designed to help heal
WCCO 4, 3/27/18
Hennepin County Medical Center is known for being a level one trauma center, it’s also distinguished by its 1970s architecture. As of this week, that’s changing.
The music, the décor and the million-dollar views almost make you forget this is somewhere no one really wants to end up.
“There aren’t many occasions you come to a hospital or clinic or specialty center that are joyous occasions,” Andrew Malovrh, a physical therapist at HCMC, said.
Lawmakers consider Medicaid work requirements
KARE 11, 3/26/18
Opposition is building to possible changes in Minnesota’s Medical Assistance program. Doctors and non-profit leaders stopped by the capitol to say proposed work requirements could hurt Minnesotans’ access to health care.
“Roughly 40 percent of our patients on Medicaid would be affected by this bill,” said Dr. David Hilden of Hennepin Healthcare.
New numbers show flu season not done yet
WCCO 4, 3/26/18
Influenza B is on the rise. Dr. David Hilden from Hennepin County Medical Center says he’s dealt with daily flu hospitalizations this year, and the season is not over.
“B tends to come late in the season and it tends to be worse with children so that’s what we’re seeing now this year,” Hilden said.
Want to avoid the flu while flying? Try a window seat
KARE 11, 3/26/18
Flu expert Dr. David Hilden of Hennepin Health Care says the study was also limited to short domestic flights.
“It’s probably much more likely that you would get influenza on an 8-hour flight than a 3-hour flight,” Dr. Hilden explains.
10 projects that will change the look of the Twin Cities
Star Tribune, 3/26/18
Hennepin Healthcare Clinic and Specialty Center
This consolidation effort places more than two dozen far-flung clinics and practices under a single, convenient roof.
New Downtown Minneapolis Health Clinic Focuses on Flow
KSTP 5, 3/25/18
The doors to a glassy, modern new health clinic will open Monday morning in downtown Minneapolis. The Hennepin Healthcare Clinic and Specialty Center was built just across 8th Street from Hennepin County Medical Center. Both facilities are operated by Hennepin Healthcare, but the new clinic is about more than trauma and emergencies.
“We brought in close to a thousand patients and a thousand employees to kick the tires and go through a mock-up clinic room,” said Hennepin Healthcare CEO Dr. Jon Pryor
Hennepin Healthcare opens $225M outpatient clinic — 5 insights
Becker’s Hospital Review, 3/19/18
Minneapolis-based Hennepin Healthcare opened its $225 million Hennepin Healthcare Clinic and Specialty Clinic March 17, the Minneapolis StarTribune reports.
Suffer from varicose veins?
WCCO 4, 3/19/18
Dr. Michael Hu is a vascular surgeon at Hennepin County Medical Center.
“I think the value of the research is that there is probably a stronger association between varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis than we previously thoughT,” Dr. Hu said.
Hennepin Healthcare opens new downtown clinic
Star Tribune, 3/17/18
“We’ve needed this for about 20-plus years, so it has been a long time coming,” said Dr. Jon Pryor, chief executive of Hennepin Healthcare, the new name for Hennepin County Medical Center.
HCMC rebrands as Hennepin Healthcare
Msp/StPaul Business Journal, 3/12/18
Hennepin County Medical Center has changed its name to Hennepin Healthcare, a rebranding the organization said will better promote its widening array of services.
“We provide a breadth of quality health care services in our clinics and hospital, along with medical education, research and innovation that touches almost every person in every corner of the state, but our identity as a single hospital limited consumers’ understanding of all that we offer,” said CEO Dr. Jon Pryor in a news release.
Central Minn. woman is first patient in clinical trial to help people with spinal cord injuries
Duluth News Tribune, 3/8/18
Since a sleepwalking accident 11 years ago at her Crosslake home, Kathy Allen has lived life paralyzed from the waist down. But she never gave up hope that her condition would improve one day.
After all those years, Allen recently shared groundbreaking results as the first patient in the E-STAND (Epidural Stimulation After Neurologic Damage) clinical trial.
Allen is one of three people at Hennepin County Medical Center in the trial group so far.
Star Tribune, 3/6/18
The scientific evidence that it works against the flu is not a slam dunk, according to Dr. David Hilden, an internal medicine physician at HCMC.
HCMC prints 3-D implant to repair fractured skull bone
Star Tribune, 3/3/18
Hennepin County Medical Center has marked a new era in medicine: One in which 3-D printers are used not just for anatomical models and surgical practice, but to create real implants in real patients.
And it came just in time for construction worker Justin Siltala, who was injured last fall when a shovel handle snapped, driving a long wooden shard through his eye socket and into his brain.
With Siltala’s case and a handful of others, the Minneapolis hospital has become one of the first in the United States to use a Swedish technology known as OssDsign to create craniofacial bone replacements made of calcium phosphate and 3D-printed titanium that fit precisely in patients.
The shard “stuck into his brain by a good 4 or 5 inches,” said Dr. Uzma Samadani, the HCMC neurosurgeon who operated on Siltala. “It was really deep in there, and it broke the bone in two different places.”
Meth seizures up 281 percent as opioids steal spotlight
Fox 9, 3/1/18
“In 2007 or so there was a transformation in the way Mexican drug cartels manufacture,” said Dr. Tyler Winkelman of Hennepin County Medical Center. “So they were able to double production without sacrificing quantity.”
How do you measure pain?
MPR, 2/28/18
MPR News Host Marianne Combs spoke with two guests about the psychology of pain: Dr. Charles Reznikoff, an addiction specialist at Hennepin County Medical Center, and Dominik Mischkowski, visiting assistant professor in Psychology at Ohio University.
Kidney donor, recipient with unique connection
KARE 11, 2/18/18
The day before Valentine’s Day, a kidney donor and recipient walked into the Hennepin County Medical Center to meet with their doctors.
On that same day 55 years ago, doctors at HCMC performed the first ever organ transplant in the Midwest.
Inside Your Health: A hopeful accident recovery tale
KSTP 5, 2/18/18
A little girl who survived an awful accident in an elevator in Alexandria is thriving now. KSTP medical expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou has a look at how the girl’s doctors aided her recovery starting at day one.
Minnesota pursues opioid solutions while Trump administration dithers
Star Tribune Editorial Board, 2/16/18
This month, Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) and UCare, a Minnesota health plan, announced an innovative partnership. Among its chief aims: treating opioid addicts sooner with anti-addiction medication and helping patients more reliably connect with follow-up treatment.
Blood test for concussions receives FDA approval
KARE 11, 2/16/18
The Food and Drug Administration approved a new blood test for concussions and head injuries this week.
Traditionally these injuries were diagnosed using a variety of other tests and tools, such as CT scans, cognitive tests and physical examinations.
The new test however, focuses on the patient’s blood, and looks for two unique proteins that can be found in high numbers after a traumatic brain injury.
“When your brain gets damaged, the neurons leak proteins. Those proteins cross the brain barrier and get into the blood stream and you can detect them,” HCMC Neurosurgeon Uzma Samadani explains.
HCMC calls new CPR system “game changer” for cardiac arrest
KSTP 5, 2/12/18
Hennepin County Medical Center is the first hospital in the country to use new CPR technology that greatly improves outcomes after cardiac arrest. It’s called the ResQCPR system.
“We know this device is better than standard CPR,” said Dr. Johanna Moore from the HCMC Department of Emergency Medicine.
How to avoid 2nd case of the flu
WCCO 4, 2/12/18
“This year is the worst flu season I’ve seen in nearly a decade,” Dr. David Hilden, an Internal Medicine physician at Hennepin County Medical Center said.
How can you lower your blood pressure?
WCCO 4, 2/12/18
“I was like no, no, it’ll go down! It’ll go down! Don’t worry, it’ll go down,” said Michelle Davenport.
For some people, when blood pressure goes up, so does denial. Sadly for Michelle, it was tragedy that put a common health problem into perspective.
“I lost my dad to a heart attack. I lost my baby brother Jason to a heart attack. He just was 35 years old, he just died May of 2016,” said Michelle.
HCMC doctors changing the way we treat frostbite
KARE 11, 2/9/18
“We get calls pretty much every night asking for, at least advice, if not a transfer of a patient,” Dr. Ryan Fey says.
Fey and his colleagues are putting out some of the most revolutionary frostbite research in the field.
How do you know if you’ve got the flu?
GoMN, 2/9/18
“In my memory, it’s the worst since the 2009-10 year, which was that awful year that we called it the ‘Swine flu,'” Hennepin County Medical Center’s internal medicine physician, Dr. David Hilden, told GoMN. “Easily the worst one in six, seven, eight years.”
Minnesota hospitals — surprise — have made new discoveries on frostbite
Star Tribune, 2/8/18
“The clock starts when they start to thaw out,” said Dr. Ryan Fey, director of the burn program at HCMC. “We want to restore the blood flow so there is at least a chance that those areas can heal.”
HCMC is also using its state-of-the-art hyperbaric chamber, which provides oxygen to the patient in a controlled-pressure environment, to see if it can restore damaged tissue, as some skin treatments for diabetics do already.
13th Annual Extremity War Injuries (EWI) and Hill Visits
AAOS Advocacy Now, 2/6/18
The 13th annual EWI symposium is the latest installment in the anual symposium series, which has served to define current knowledge and identify areas for future research regarding the management of extremity trauma for NIH, Congress, the Department of Defense, orthopaedic surgeons, researchers, industry, and other relevant government agencies since 2006. In addition to the symposium, Drs. Andrew Pollak, Robert O’Toole and Andrew Schmidt met with staff of senior appropriations members on January 24th to discuss defense health appropriations for FY2019.
Blown Away: The perils of compressed air
Fox 9, 2/5/18
Dr. Travis Olives is with HCMC’s Poison Control Center, where they get about 300 calls a year about inhalants.
“The classic description is a young person using inhalant – whether keyboard cleaner of something else – that’s caught in the act by mom and dad, and has a sudden rush of adrenaline which causes an arrhythmia and that can be fatal,” Olives told the Fox 9 Investigators.
How Minneapolis hospitals are preparing for Super Bowl LIIFrostbite danger real for Super Bowl crowds
KARE 11, 2/2/18
“In these conditions, it can take only 20 to 30 minutes for frostbite to set in,” Dr. Jon Gayken, a burn and trauma surgeon at HCMC, told KARE.
Becker’s Hospital Review, 2/2/18
Preparation efforts began about a year and a half ago between all 32 metro area hospitals, the City of Minneapolis, emergency medical services, local public health, local emergency management and other healthcare facilities, according to Mark Lappe, emergency manager at Minneapolis-based Hennepin County Medical Center. He says planning has primarily focused on emergency rooms and the potential for any patient surge situations.
Experts warn of cold weather dangers ahead of Super Bowl
WCCO 4, 2/2/18
As out-of-towners continue to flood the Twin Cities for Super Bowl festivities, Hennepin County Medical Center is warning of the dangers of frost bite.
In town for the Super Bowl? Bundle up, avoid frostbite
WCCO 4, 2/1/18
As they enjoy the bright lights and frigid temps, Hennepin County Medical Center is actually worried out-of-towners could get frostbite if they’re not careful.
“Our concern is a bunch of folks from warmer climates come in and suffer injury due to the cold,” said Dr. Ryan Fey.
With onset of cold, host committee weighs safety vs. fun for outdoor events
KSTP 5, 1/31/18
John Hick is not looking forward to a cold snap. “It’s definitely something that is not an issue for most Super Bowl cities,” said Hick, with Hennepin County Medical Center.
Doctor warns of frostbite risk ahead of Super Bowl
WCCO 4, 1/30/18
“Our concern is a bunch of folks from warmer climes that come in and suffer injury related to the cold,” said Dr. Ryan Fey, from Hennepin County Medical Center’s burn unit.
Hospital sets up 1st mobile emergency unit in US to address flu epidemic
ABC World News, 1/29/18
Dr. David Hilden from Hennepin County Medical Center interviewed.
America’s most popular sport, football, takes on its toughest foe, brain trauma
Star Tribune, 1/29/18
Dr. Uzma Samadani, a neurosurgeon and parent to a high school football player, is more concerned with brain trauma and its myriad effects than CTE, which is a “very, very confusing condition,” she said.
Large glass work goes up at new Hennepin County Medical Center building
Star Tribune, 1/27/18
A four-story glass artwork has been installed in the entrance of the Hennepin County Medical Center’s (HCMC) new Clinic and Specialty Center, across from HCMC’s emergency department in downtown Minneapolis.
“Patients, families, visitors and staff will enter a space that embraces healing and wellness, with this magnificent sculpture at the heart of it all,” said Wenda Lyons Ballinger, HCMC’s arts coordinator, in a written statement.
Is the current legal blood alcohol limit too high?
WCCO 4, 1/22/18
“If you have a couple of drinks back to back in short order, you will raise your blood alcohol level to 0.08,” says HCMC Emergency Physician Dr. David Plummer. “It depends on the time between them and it depends on how rapidly it’s absorbed.”
MN flu season may have peaked
KARE 11, 1/18/18
“One of the things we were thinking about when we heard the Super Bowl was coming to downtown Minneapolis is, what if we’re already full from something else?” said Dr. David Hilden, an internal medicine physician at HCMC. “And that something else this year is influenza.”
How necessary are annual physical exams?
89.3 KPCC Air Talk, 1/17/18
Doctors recommend coming into their offices for a check-up and blood work once a year… but is the cost to insurers and patients worth the benefits? Guest Dr. David Hilden, assistant chief of medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.
The new HCMC clinic: From mockups to completed block
Finance & Commerce (subscription required), 1/16/18
How project team designed, built HCMC’s newest building
Do traveling football fans bring added risk for the flu?
KARE 11, 1/12/18
Dr. David Hilden is an internal medicine physician at the Hennepin County Medical Center.
How Minnesota is helping to solve the concussion epidemic through research and innovation
Huffington Post, 1/12/18
While Minneapolis is preparing to host Super Bowl 2018 in just a few short weeks, Twin Cities’ researchers are coming together to present their innovations to the public in an array of events.
NFL concussion spotter: Eye tracking could change game
KARE 11, 1/11/18
Dr. Uzma Samadani says eye tracking could seek FDA approval this year and holds promise for diagnosing concussions.
Which viruses are going around this time of year?
WCCO 4, 1/9/18
“There is a crud going around, which is winter,” said Dr. Meghan Walsh, an internal medicine physician with Hennepin County Medical Center.
HCMC is gearing up for the Super Bowl
MPR, 1/5/18
Hennepin County Medical Center will continue operations as normal while Super Bowl LII takes over much of downtown Minneapolis, HCMC officials said Friday.
“We’re going to continue to provide the same services we provide every day including our clinic services and all the other services,” emergency manager Mark Lappe said.
Location of Hennepin County Medical Center brings challenges during Super Bowl
KSTP 5, 1/5/18
Medical care facilities are preparing in case of any emergencies during the 10 days of festivities for the Super Bowl.
But the biggest hospital in Minneapolis faces some challenges because of its location right next to U.S. Bank Stadium.
With Super Bowl road closures, HCMC develops emergency plan
WCCO 4, 1/5/18
We are less than a month away from the Super Bowl, and preparations are underway across the Twin Cities.
That includes Hennepin County Medical Center. The Level One Trauma Center is across the street from U.S. Bank Stadium.
HCMC has Super Bowl plan and, yes, Vikings could change it
KARE 11, 1/5/18
When the Super Bowl moves in across the street from a major trauma hospital, there’s a lot to consider.
“A lot of stuff keeps me up at night,” said John Hick, Associate Medical Director for HCMC EMS. “Whether that’s weather, influenza, mass casualities, traffic, other things.”
“We worry about the frostbite,” said Jon Gayken MD, a burn and trauma surgeon at HCMC. “It’s our Super Bowl. That’s essentially how I would look at it.”
Hennepin County Medical Center prepares for Super Bowl
Fox 9, 1/5/18
Just as organizers prepare for Super Bowl LII, staff at the Hennepin County Medical Center are also getting ready for the big game.
Located just across the street from U.S. Bank Stadium, the Level 1 trauma center is gearing up for what is expected to be a very busy week.
HCMC plans for downtown gridlock during Super Bowl
Star Tribune, 1/6/18
Doctors and administrators at Hennepin County Medical Center have planned and role-played any number of scenarios that could occur when the Super Bowl comes to neighboring U.S. Bank Stadium next month.
Bitter cold keeping ER doctors busy this week
KARE 11, 1/2/18
At the Hennepin County Medical Center, doctors are seeing lots of people with carbon monoxide poisoning.
“We’ve had fatalities this year,” Hyperbaric Center Director Dr. Christopher Logue says.
Road closures for Super Bowl 52 begin Tuesday
KARE 11, 1/2/18
“I think this first couple weeks, things should be pretty normal,” said HCMC Emergency Manager Mark Lappe. “There will be loss of street parking and maybe some increased congestion. So, their normal commuting is probably OK. But starting Jan. 26, we’re really encouraging our staff to do carpooling and mass transit. For our patients and our clients, we’re communicating that to them so they understand what the delays might be.”
Meet the first Twin Cities babies of 2018
WCCO 4, 1/1/18
Hennepin County Medical Center welcomed its first baby of 2018 shortly before 1 a.m. Kalena Huynh Molina was born at about 12:58 a.m. Monday. She weighed about 6 pounds, 10 ounces at birth.
Hennepin County welcomes some of the first babies of 2018
Fox 9, 1/1/18
Hennepin County welcomed some of its first babies of 2018. Kalena Huynh Molina was born at 12:58 a.m., weighing 6lbs 10.3oz.
HCMC reports at least 12 frostbite cases in 48 hours
WCCO 4, 1/1/18
It was a bitterly cold weekend and some braved the extreme conditions to say goodbye to 2017 and ring in 2018.
Others spent at least part of the new year in the hospital. Hennepin County Medical Center says it has had about six cases of frostbite since Sunday and 12 or 13 over the last 48 hours. It serves as a good reminder that if you have to go outside, make sure to bundle up.
Hennepin Healthcare News 