SVH Staff Is Top Notch: No Ego, Just Teamwork
“I am so proud of this hospital. The people who work here all came together as a team to care for Bob. There was no ego on our care team, just teamwork." -Sue Brotherton...
Letter to Our Community
I would like to sincerely thank the staff of St. Vincent Health, the residents of Lake County, and our partners....
Human Trafficking Education
Many law enforcement, medical and human services responders attended Human Trafficking education at St. Vincent on October 25th. The training was presented by BV Hope and Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking. The training explored root causes of trafficking and the myriad of intersecting identities, vulnerabilities, and social and systemic inequalities that can lead to trafficking. Understanding root causes and complex trauma is key to recognizing the crime in its many forms. Attendees...
The Pumpkin Project: Increasing Inclusion for All Children
We all have fond memories of trick-or-treating as a child and the joy it brought us. But for some kiddos, this night can also bring lots of anxiety due to a disability. To help bring awareness to some of the differences we have, you might notice kids carrying a different colored pumpkin....
Outstanding Team Members at St. Vincent Health
St. Vincent Health teamwork and excellence in action! Employees of the quarter recognized....
Rehabilitation, Encouragement and Compassionate Care
After stroke, injury, illness or surgery, rehabilitation is often essential. This is when a person might turn to Swing Bed care also known as inpatient rehabilitation. It’s a funny name—but basically means a person “swings” from acute care to rehab care in an inpatient setting....
The People Behind the Care: Imaging
With just one visit to St. Vincent Health’s imaging department you’ll discover how professional and personable our team is. ...
Practicing Safe Fun in the Sun
July is UV Safety Awareness Month; a time to educate ourselves on the harmful effects of the sun and skin cancer prevention....
New Administrator to Join SVH
SVGHD Board Chooses Top Leader Bringing Interim Status to a Close Andrew (Andy) Dreesen, BSW, MPA, CPHQ has accepted the position of the permanent administrator at St. Vincent General Hospital District (SVGHD) and St. Vincent Health (SVH). He will begin his role by September 1, 2023. As an employee of Cypress Healthcare, LLC, the hospital’s management company, Dreesen will take over for Interim CEO John Gardner who came out of retirement to...
Spotlight on Brent Ford, MT(ASCP)
Quality and safety go hand in hand with customer service in Brent’s book. He has been a lab professional for 37 years and a lab director for 23 years. Brent’s management style involves listening to patients needs to discover how he can be helpful. “My role at St. Vincent is important to me. I want to help this community continue to receive quality health care from our COLA certified Laboratory,”...
Celebrating Men’s Health Week June 12-18
June 12–18 is Men’s Health Week, which is a time to encourage men to take charge of their health and turn those statistics around. It’s crucial to be aware of your family history as well as the risks for your age, ethnicity, and lifestyle. Here and now there are some simple steps to prioritize your health. After all, if you are not well, who will care for your loved ones?...
Let’s Talk About Women’s Health
It is common that women ignore their well-being while caring for those around them. When it comes to handing out advice, the cheeky old saying, “do as I say, not as I do,” is hereby retired Let’s talk about Woman’s Healthlike avocado green appliances from the 1970’s. Here and now there are some simple steps to prioritize your health. After all, if you are not well, who will care for your...
Explore Ways to Live Your Life with Less Stress and More Joy!
Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? Consider this amazing fact. Up to 90 percent of doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints!...
The People Behind the Care: Materials Management
Our Materials Management Supervisor, Luis Gastelum, is integral to keepingSt. Vincent Health afloat. Every material purchased for all of our services and facilities is channeled through Luis....
The Health Fair Is Coming Back to Leadville!
The 365 Health Fair—formerly called 9Health Fair—is coming back to Leadville on Saturday, April 29th from 8am to 1pm at Lake County Elementary School....
Eating Right on a Budget
Getting the most nutrition for your food budget starts with a little extra planning before you shop. There are many ways to save money on the foods that you eat. Here are some budget friendly tips for eating right....
SVH 360: Nursing
St. Vincent Health nurses believe in the importance of assisting patients and families as they navigate through the healthcare process. With steadfast dedication, our nurses are committed to providing the compassionate and expert care our patients and their families deserve each and every time they walk through our doors....
February Is American Heart Month: Check Out Tips on Hearth Healthy Living!
The next four minutes could add years to your life. That’s how long it will take you to read this article and discover four essentials for taking care of your heart. St. Vincent Health can guide you towards healthier living through lifestyle assessment, coaching, and recommending appropriate tests or treatments suitable to your specific needs. We are also happy to help with referrals when necessary....
St. Vincent Health Receives 2022 Press Ganey Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award®
St. Vincent Health has been named a 2022 Human Experience (HX) Guardian of Excellence Award® winner by Press Ganey, the global leader in healthcare experience solutions and services. This award is part of Press Ganey’s annual ranking of the top hospitals and health systems in the country, according to performance in patient experience....
SVH 360: Surgical Services
From pre-op to post-op, our surgeons, nurses and surgical tech specialists take a personal approach to comprehensive care throughout a patients’ surgical experience at St. Vincent Health....
January is Thyroid Awareness Month
Did you know that approximately 30 million Americans suffer from a thyroid condition? And it’s estimated that up to half of that population is undiagnosed. While thyroid conditions can happen to anyone, women are five times more likely to be affected. January is National Thyroid Awareness Month, and we are here to break down the basics for you....
Bouncing Back from Hip Replacement in Cloud City
“It was so nice to be in Leadville because you have clean mountain air up there, it’s quiet and peaceful, you have all those beautiful views of mountains. I mean, how much better of a place can you rehab?!" Penny exclaimed....
Celebrating Christmas Safely: A Toy Gifting Guide
The holidays are right around the corner, and it’s important to keep toy safety in mind. Opening gifts can be one of the most exciting parts of Christmas for children, but that excitement can quickly turn to danger with the wrong toys....
The Pumpkin Project: Increasing Inclusion for All Children
We all have fond memories of trick-or-treating as a child and the joy it brought us. But for some kiddos, this night can also bring lots of anxiety due to a disability. To help bring awareness to some of the differences we have, you might notice kids carrying a different colored pumpkin....
What Is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?
If you are experiencing discomfort or pain in your pelvic area, you could benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy. This type of therapy focuses on muscles that can affect bowel and bladder control, sexual activity and much more....
Cracking Down on Cholesterol
Cholesterol can be confusing. We break down everything you need to know about what cholesterol means, how to manage it, and debunk some common myths....
SVH Introduces Lymphedema and Edema Management
St. Vincent Health is now offering lymphedema and edema management with the addition of our newest occupational therapist, Amy Kuitse, OTR, CLT-LANA....
SVH 360: Environmental Services
The St. Vincent Health Environmental Services (EVS) team works diligently to maintain a clean and healthy hospital environment for patients and staff. They are highly trained in infection control, methods of cleaning for specific situations, PPE usage, and many other cleaning situations....
Randy Thompson Joins SVH as Chief Nursing Officer
Randy believes that it is incumbent on healthcare professionals to listen to patients with undivided attention, respect, without judgement and provide care as if they were family....
An extrovert finds his voice again
“Holly Kosanovich is very thoughtful and personable, and it’s a delight to meet with her. I recommend her highly!”...
Urologist Dr. Clay Pendleton Joins SVH as Visiting Specialist
Dr. Pendleton’s mission is to provide the highest evidence-based care with a focus on each patient’s individual needs. He stated, “I always strive to use minimally invasive surgical techniques if possible and am always open to non-surgical and holistic approaches when appropriate.”...
SVH 360: Patient Access
Meet Patient Access team members Annette Mascarenaz and Clarissa Workman...
St. Vincent 360: Rachel Griffin OTD, OTR/L, ATP
Rachel Griffin – OTD, OTR/L, ATP, works with patients of all ages, offering traditional and emerging occupational therapies....
Nursing team at St. Vincent Health is honored to care for Lake County
Meet some of St. Vincent Health's team of nursing pros. They embody our tagline, "Where caring and community meet."...
Back-to-School & Occupational Therapy: Why They Go Together
Pediatric occupational therapy helps babies and children with cognitive and physical disabilities live full, functional lives. Early intervention is key....
Vaccination in Lake County: Success and Sustainability!
As Lake County approaches 25% of its population now vaccinated, Governor Polis has broadened the vaccine parameters this month....
New Commitment to Old-Fashioned Caring
As the new CEO of St. Vincent Health, I have seen firsthand that this community appreciates our long legacy of healthcare excellence....
Get your DAT tests STAT at SVH!
The annual 9 Health Fair, which routinely occurss in April, will not take place again this year. We enthusiastically anticipate 2022, when hopefully, it will be back....
Leadville’s Own Country Doc
Dr. Lisa Zwerdlinger is a board-certified, bilingual family practice physician with deep roots in Leadville and Lake County with her more than 20 years of service. ...
Rehabilitation, Encouragement & Compassionate Care
After a stroke, injury, illness, or surgery, rehabilitation is often essential. This is when a person might turn to Swing Bed care also known as inpatient rehabilitation....
Lake County a Success Story for Vaccinations of Prioritized Groups
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Under the leadership of Lake County Public Health Agency, Lake County has become an exemplary success story for Colorado, and the nation, with its COVID vaccination roll-out. This unprecedented community vaccination program was a model of coordination, communication and ingenuity from the teams responsible for its creation and implementation. Dr. Lisa Zwerdlinger was the first in Lake County, Colorado to proudly get her COVID-19 vaccination and since then many others have...
Meet Nick Tsipis, MD
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dr. Nick Tsipis is a board-certified emergency room physician at St. Vincent Health, treating acute illness, traumatic injuries and other health crises. He also serves the hospital as vice chief of staff. Dr. Tsipis comes to St. Vincent from CarePoint Health®, a multi-specialty physician group based in Denver. He splits his time between the Leadville ER and Swedish Medical Center in Denver. Dr. Tsipis earned his undergraduate degree in biology and...
St. Vincent Emergency Room Providers: Delivering Peace of Mind & Quality Care
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Promoting health and preventing illness are core work at St. Vincent Health. With that viewpoint, we hope you’ll never need an emergency room visit. But if you do, rest assured you’ll be treated by a highly trained, board-certified emergency medicine provider, available to deliver top-notch care to you or a loved one any minute of any day, all 365 days of the year. What is a board-certified ER doctor? And what...
Leadville and Lake County: Stay the Course with COVID Prevention
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] A year ago, coronavirus was not a household word. Face masks were for medical professionals. The Broncos played to a packed and cheering stadium full of people. Today, nearly a quarter million Coloradans have tested positive with COVID-19 and more than 3,000 have died. And many people around the world are experiencing what is known as Pandemic Fatigue, a complex set of emotions that may include boredom, loneliness, sadness, frustration, anxiety,...
Primary Care: Why it’s Primary
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Primary care focuses on big-picture, interrelated components of physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. At St. Vincent Medical Clinic, it involves healthy lifestyle promotion, disease prevention education and medical treatment for patients of all ages. These services are delivered by two highly experienced nurse practitioners. In February 2021, St. Vincent Medical Clinic’s Joette Eyser, NP-C, will be joined by Rick Hammack, NP-C, with clinical hours and patient appointments offered six...
Instructions for COVID-19 patients
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At St. Vincent Health, we acknowledge that protocols around COVID-19 and preventing its spread are often complex. These instructions clarify a variety of situations, including instructions for people awaiting test results, how to manage a positive result, what to do in the event of a negative test (but are still symptomatic), and how to manage exposure to a positive case. In all cases, continued social distancing, facial coverings and assiduous hand washing...
What is Speech Therapy?
Communication is a critical skill, vital to learning, working, and other daily interactions. When health conditions impact communication, a person called a speech-language pathologist or speech therapist can help....
What is Speech Therapy?
What is Speech Therapy? Communication is a critical skill, vital to learning, working, and other daily interactions. When health conditions impact communication, a person called a speech-language pathologist or speech therapist can help. In this evolving healthcare specialty, speech therapists can teach patients how to manage speech clarity, comprehension—and mechanical aspects that impact communication—as well as chewing and swallowing. Adults may need speech therapy after a stroke, traumatic accident, brain injury, Parkinson’s...
Gratitude and a Different Thanksgiving
Gratitude. For me, it’s often that contented and happy feeling when things go really well. But what if it could mean more than that? With our Thanksgiving holiday approaching, I reflect that gratitude is about awareness and acceptance of our world, how it changes and being grateful for belonging in it. I’m working on making gratitude become a perpetual thing that I feel multiple times per day, and not for just the big...
St. Vincent Health Joins Fight Against Opioid Addiction
Colorado is unfortunately at the forefront of the nation’s opioid epidemic, with the 12th highest rate of prescription opioid misuse and abuse in all 50 states. Opioids are drugs that are used to relieve acute pain. Their use carries significant risk of long-term abuse and dependence, even when taken exactly as prescribed. In the worst case, opioid use can lead to accidental poisoning or fatal overdose. Colorado hospitals, and particularly the...
Meet Dylan Luyten, MD
Dr. Dylan Luyten brings two decades of emergency medicine and leadership experience to St. Vincent. In addition to being an emergency room physician, Dr. Luyten serves as medical director of St. Vincent’s emergency medical services. Dr. Luyten, who attended medical school at Tufts University in Boston, brings humility, optimism and pragmatism to his practice. “The practice of emergency medicine is a privilege. It affords me the opportunity to make a real...
July progress drone footage posted
Check out the progress on St. Vincent's new hospital at this YouTube link....
July is UV Safety Month
It’s the Cancer You Can See, So Look for It: July is UV Safety Month If we were to give you a pop quiz right now about how to prevent sun damage, we think you'd score 100 percent! (The answers, of course: apply 30+ SPF sunscreen often and liberally, seek shade, stay out of midday sun and wear a hat and protective clothing.) You likely also know that at 10,000 feet...
DAD, Are You Protecting Your Health?
This month we’re celebrating dads and grads and reminding our community about the importance of the annual routine physical examination. Its role is to help men and women of all ages stay in tip-top health. Lots of people will see their physician or provider for acute or episodic medical issues but skip their annual exam. St. Vincent’s Joette Eyser – NP-C, has made it her goal to reinforce its importance. Your provider...
2019 Hospital Audit, Another Strong Year
As spring transitions to summer, and as June marks the halfway point in 2020, we have much to celebrate. Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our community and our organization, St. Vincent Health is steadily moving forward with new hospital construction, newly elected board members are seated, and we took delivery of our new ambulance. Not only that, last week our CPAs delivered their comprehensive annual audit report,...
New ambulance for Lake County
St. Vincent Health is grateful to have received our new ambulance in mid-May 2020! The new ambulance was made possible by 50% funding from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment EMTS provider grant. The project included an ambulance, safety equipment, Motorola and Kenwood communications equipment, a new Zoll heart rate monitor/defibrillator, a Stryker Power Load cot and stair chair. The total cost is $213,392.54. The new ambulance is a Ford...
Hospital Board Election
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It is with gratitude to all of our dedicated board members that we announce the 2020 SVGHD election results. The new directors for the SVGHD Board are: Aleta Bezzic -incumbent board chairman (Term, 2023) Jonathan Burk (Term, 2023) Saige Bertolas (Term, 2022) These results may change, we will accept UOCAVA ballots until May 13. Then the canvassing board will determine the official winners before the 22nd of May.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...
Coronavirus Testing and Antibody Testing Costs Covered
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Coronavirus Testing and Antibody Testing Costs Covered The Cares Act mandated that nearly all insurance companies cover 100% of testing related to COVID-19. This includes fees from the provider visit, the specimen collection, and laboratory test. Insured patients can expect that we will bill their insurance and that there will be no “out of pocket” expense related to testing. Additionally, St. Vincent Health and Rocky Mountain Family Practice are part of Federal...
