The Illini Times
A publication of Illini Community Hospital
Winter 2014-2015
For lifelong Pike
County resident George
Halpin, the thought of
having to utilize Oncology
services was something that
had never crossed his mind.
“You never really
know in your life what the
next day holds for you,”
Halpin said. “I had no idea
that I would need to visit the
Oncology Department in my
lifetime. But here we are and
we’re seeing progress with
my condition.”
George has been
receiving treatment at the
Illini Community Hospital
Outpatient Oncology
Department for
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
(MDS). He and his wife,
Virginia, frequently visit
Illini for George to receive
the care he requires.
“The staff is
excellent,” George said.
“They know what they’re
doing and they really make
you feel at ease. I feel that
they are meeting my needs
100 percent.”
George Halpin retired
several years ago from a
career at Harris Corporation
in Quincy, IL. He says that
he used to drive to Quincy
and back each day and never
thought much about it. Now
that George needs Oncology
treatments, he’s glad to be
able to stay close to home.
“I’ve found that time
has passed and I’m a little
older now,” George said.
“To have an institution that
can meet my needs close to
home – it’s just wonderful.”
Virginia, who
always comes with George
for his treatments, agrees
that having the ability to
receive high-quality care
at Illini has been vital to
George’s health.
“We’ve talked about
Page 2 - A Note From Our CEO
what if we had to drive five
days a week to Quincy,”
Virginia said. “It’s almost an
hour there and an hour back
and George is already sick. I
would hate to think that we
would have to do that.”
Illini began offering
Oncology treatment services
in 2006 and has since seen
a major increase in need for
the services. So much so,
in fact, that building a new
space for the Oncology
Department is a major piece
of Illini’s current
construction project.
“We want our
patients who need
Oncology services to know
that many times, they can
receive that care right here,
Inside this edition
close to home,” said Kathy
Hull, President and CEO of
Illini. “The new area allows
for a larger, more patientfriendly space for our
patients to receive their care.
The new space also has
several private rooms for
those patients who aren’t
feeling well that day or need
to be in a more private
setting.”
For George and
Virginia, the new area will
only add to what they feel is
the biggest asset of the
Oncology Department: the
providers and nurses.
“You just feel
better after you’ve been
there,” Virginia said. “They
are very friendly. They are
very positive. They laugh.
They even hug you once in a
while.”
George says that the
type of care he is receiving
now is something that he’s
come to expect at Illini.
“They pay attention
to the needs of their patients,” George said. “And
they call me by name, not
Mr. Halpin. Here, I’m just
George and I like that.”
Page 6 - Healthy Holiday Eating
Page 3 - Growing Our Care
Page 7 - Employee Spotlight
Page 4 - A Brighter Future
Page 7 - Illini Gives Back
Page 5 - Illini Surgical Services
Page 8 - Blessing Foundation
A Message From Kathy Hull
President/CEO
Kathy Hull
Board of Trustees
Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare
Laura Kent Donahue
Maureen Kahn
Jan M. Bleich
J. Cris Del Rosario, MD
James C. Gay
Patrick M. Gerveler
Kathy Hull
Eric Miller
The Blessing Health System
Mission Statement:
To improve the health of the community.
The Illini Community Hospital
Vision Statement:
Illini Community Hospital’s vision is to
partner with our community to identify
and meet patient-centered health care
needs and exceed service expectation.
Published four times a year by the Public
Relations and Marketing staff of Illini
Community Hospital, the Illini Times
provides general information on health
related topics. It is not intended to be
a substitute for professional medical
advice, which should always be obtained
from your physician.
For more information, contact:
Illini Community Hospital
640 W. Washington St.
Pittsfield, IL 62363
(217) 285-2113, extension 3810
www.illinihospital.org
Illini Times - 2
It is a privilege to write to you as president and
CEO of Illini Community Hospital. I am pleased to
report that Illini successfully achieved new benchmarks
in quality and safety and exceeded financial targets for
operating income, while preserving our dedication to
compassionate patient care in fiscal year 2014. Despite
significant challenges and a tough, competitive health
care environment, the hospital ended the year stronger
and safer than ever before.
We started the renovation of the “shell” space
built originally in 2005. We anticipate this space
opening in winter 2014 to house the Consulting Physician Clinic, Infusion
Services, and Oncology as well as a combined waiting area for these services
plus Surgery and Cardiac Rehabilitation. The Strauss Wing also began to
undergo renovation. When completed (in the spring of 2015), this area will
house the Illini Rural Health Clinic.
The upgrade of the hospital’s physical plant, along with improvements
in quality, safety, efficiency and information technology, will continue to
surround our central focus on the patient experience.
Quality and Safety. Illini invested both time and resources placing
the authority to make changes in the hands of our employees by implementing
Lean Daily Management. This targets people at the Gemba (where the work
happens) who really know and understand processes, problems and solutions.
This process improvement tool has gleaned many wins for us including:
reducing medication errors, reducing overtime, minimizing the door to EKG
time in ED, and other “wins” in quality, safety, service and finance.
Information Technology. We continue to automate the process of safe
medication delivery and improve decision support and documentation through
the use of our electronic health record.
Patient Satisfaction. Teams in all care settings are actively involved to
make the patient experience more safe, efficient and friendly.
Beyond Our Doors: Health Care Reform. All of the careful planning
we undertake is happening against a backdrop of significant change at all
levels. National health care legislation continues to unfold and introduce new
initiatives each year. Not surprisingly, much of the current discussion is about
federal spending on health care and the overall cost of care. We anticipate
significant changes in the way people choose and obtain approval for health
care, as well as limits on the reimbursement to hospitals and physicians. Also,
we expect to see the further consolidation in the market of both health care
institutions and insurers.
Relative to the impact of health care reform and the cost of care, the
future is unclear. In the face of uncertainty, Illini Community Hospital
continues to look to our mission – to improve the health of our community for guidance. As the anticipated challenges become realities and the things we
know today become things of the past, Illini is committed to be an essential
part of the Pike County and surrounding areas, providing stable employment
for 170+ individuals and providing health care throughout the continuum from
primary care to ED to Inpatient Services. Illini Community Hospital, Illini
Rural Health Clinic, Illini Fitness and Advance-Illini Therapy continue to work
to be your choice for healthcare in our community.
Growing Our Care
Illini is in the midst of a two-phase, $4.5 million construction project which will include bringing the
Illini Rural Health Clinic to the hospital’s main campus, as well as creating new spaces for the Consulting
Physician Clinic, Outpatient Services and Oncology. The need for these services has grown and will continue to
grow, making the new areas a must in order to provide the level of care the community has come to expect.
Illini Rural Health Clinic
Since opening in 2005, the Illini Rural Health Clinic has grown to provide healthcare to more than 4,000
members of our community with services for the entire family. Dr. Cris Del Rosario, Dr. Chris Wagoner, and
Certified Nurse Practitioners, Jill Miller and Rebecca Sharpe-Whitaker, along with the nurses and staff, will be
able to better serve their patients with larger, more up-to-date facilities, extended walk-in clinic opportunities
and an overall higher level of care.
Outpatient infusion
Outpatient Services & Oncology have seen a major growth in patients seeking care over the past decade.
Annually, nearly 2,500 outpatients are seen in the Outpatient Services and Oncology Departments.
Patients who would otherwise have to travel to receive these services get the high quality of care they need and
deserve right here at home. The new space will provide greater privacy for the patients in an area specifically
designed to offer the best care to those who need it.
Consulting Physician Clinic
With over 20 specialists who see patients at Illini Community Hospital, the Consulting Physician Clinic (CPC)
is a vital service offered to the community. On average, nearly 4,500 patients are seen each year in the CPC.
Specialties offered include Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Obstetrics, Orthopedics, Oncology, Pulmonology,
Podiatry, Rheumatology, Surgery and Urology. These providers come to the patients in our community, rather
than the patients having to travel great distances to get the care they need. With the renovation of the currently
unused space, the CPC will be able to better serve patients with larger, state-of-the-art facilities which will give
Illini the ability to add specialties to continue to meet the needs of the community.
Illini Times - 3
An artistic rendering of the new addition that will serve as the entry-point for the
Illini Rural Health Clinic
A Brighter
Future
Driving is something that Charles Hendricker of rural
Arenzville, IL has been doing for as long as he can
remember.
“He’s been driving since he was nine years old,” said
Dr. Krishnasamy peforms a cataract surgery at Illini.
Charles’ wife, Juanita. “Back then, country kids would drive as
(Photo courtesy of Studio on the Square)
soon as they could reach the peddles, so for him not to be able
to drive is a big deal.”
It wasn’t an accident or poor driving record that was preventing Charles from driving, but instead a cataract that
was limiting his ability to see clearly.
“For quite a while when I would go to get my eyes tested for my driver’s license, I would just close one eye and do
the test. They didn’t know I did that for quite some time,” Charles said. “Then, one day, they tested me one eye at a time
and I couldn’t see at all out of my one eye.”
For Charles, the decision of who to see to get the problem corrected was an easy one as Juanita had just had
cataract surgery on both eyes a few months prior.
“We went to Dr. Leahy at International Eyecare (IEC) in Pittsfield and he was just wonderful,” Juanita said. “Some
younger doctors aren’t always like that with older people, but Dr. Leahy treated us very well.”
International Eyecare and Illini Community Hospital have been working together to help members of the
community who suffer from cataract issues to have them corrected close to home.
“A patient first sees a physician at IEC in Pittsfield or Jacksonville,” said Cindy Hoover, RN in the Surgical
Services Department at Illini. “If it is determined they need cataract surgery, we collaborate together to have their surgery
done here. We do cataract surgeries the second Wednesday of every month.”
Hoover says Illini has been performing cataract surgeries for the entire 17 years she has worked at the hospital.
The surgeries are performed by Dr. Senthil Krishnasamy from the St. Louis area.
“The doctor who did our surgery was very nice,” Juanita Hendricker said.
“You could tell he knew what he was doing and that he cared. The nurses in
surgery, you could not ask for kinder, gentler people.”
A cataract is a hardening or thickening of the lens. They can form slowly over time from sun exposure or from the
normal aging of the eye. For the Hendrickers, it happened so gradually that it was difficult to notice the difference.
“I didn’t even notice I had a problem with my vision until I went to the doctor and they examined my eyes,” Juanita
said. “For Charles, the first time I noticed it was when he kept holding the newspaper over to the right side to look at it and
I thought, ‘That’s not right.’”
Most of the patients who have the procedure performed at Illini are 65 or older, but there have been several patients
in their 50s who’ve had the surgery done. According to Hoover, cataracts in Pike County have quite the reputation.
“The doctors tell us that Pike County has some of the worst cataracts that they see,” Hoover said. “I don’t know if
it’s the farming community or the fact that we have a large elderly population, but they say these are some of the toughest
cataracts around.”
Continued on Page 5
Illini Times - 4
The entire procedure is fairly quick and painless, with most patients
opting to not be sedated. Patients usually notice the difference in vision
quality as soon as a few days after the procedure.
“The entire process was very simple and I never
experienced any pain,” Juanita said. “The first
thing I noticed after the procedure was how bright
and colorful everything was. I had forgotten how
beautiful all of the colors were.”
Hoover says cataracts are very common and that most people have
both eyes done when they have the procedure.
“They’ll have one eye done one month and then come back the next
month to get the other done as well,” Hoover said. “Most people are able to
get their glasses readjusted following the procedure and, in some cases,
people don’t even have to wear their glasses all the time anymore.”
For the Hendrickers, they say they couldn’t be more pleased with the
Charles and Juanita Hendricker
entire process.
“If you’re someone who’s older and are experiencing eye trouble, get checked out so you don’t lose that
vision,” Juanita said. “Go see Dr. Leahy, he will tell you if you need cataract surgery. And then if you do, have it
done at Illini. The doctors and nurses there are just wonderful.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Surgical Services at Illini
Illini’s Surgical Services
Department offers a wide variety of
surgical procedures that patients can
have done here instead of having to
travel to another facility.
“We basically do surgeries
that can be done on an outpatient or
same day surgery basis,” said Sandy
Farrell, Director of Illini Surgery.
“We’re not going to do anything that
requires an overnight stay for the
patient, but we still offer a broad
scope of procedures.”
Illini’s GI Lab is equipped to
do upper and lower scopes and has
surgeons who perform procedures at
least two Tuesdays and two
Thursdays of each month.
“We have Dr. Barbagiovanni
and Dr. Harsha who perform these
procedures,” Farrell said. “They are
both highly skilled and have had great
results with our patients.”
Dr. Todd Petty, General
Surgeon, also visits Illini every other
Thursday to offer procedures such as
hernia repair, gallbladder,
hemorrhoidectomies and port
placements.
Illini also has specialists who
perform knee scopes, carpal tunnel,
bunionectomies and hammer toe
repair.
“Our surgeons are very good
about screening patients and if there’s
anyone at high risk, they will take
them to another facility,” said Cindy
Hoover, RN in Illini Surgery. “But,
for many patients, there’s really no
need to go anywhere else for these
types of procedures.”
The surgery department at
Illini consists of Rose Ann Hamilton,
Supervisor; Susie Dunnaway, RN;
Cindy Hoover, RN; Julia Harris, RN;
Cathy Hart, Surgical Technologist;
Tasha Voga, RN and Bob Rowles,
Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetist.
“Our staff is made up of
people who are not only very skilled
and qualified, but they also truly care
about our patients,” Farrell said. “I
know people often have anxiety when
they have any type of surgical
procedure, but with the surgeons,
nurses, support staff and state-of-theart equipment that we offer at Illini,
they really have nothing to be worried
about.”
For more information on the
Surgical Services Department at
Illini, call 217-285-2113 extension
3930.
Illini Times - 5
Healthy Holiday Eating
By Rebecca Sharpe-Whitaker, CNP
Hello to everyone and shall a grand holiday be upon us all. With the wonderful blessings that are coming our
way, we want to be in best shape to handle those blessings. For those of you anticipating the gourmet meals this holiday
season, may the fork be in good position and yet your stomach maintain a lovely position as well.
There are several common questions when it comes to making good food choices and maintaining good health
during the holidays. Health has many definitions, but in general, it is a condition of mind and body that is free of illness,
injury, or pain. It furthermore is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Being with family, friends,
and just celebrating life is what stimulates us to question what we should do during the holidays.
So, back to the food. What about that piece of pie/desert? It is sugar and that has to be bad for you, right? You
will find that you can have almost anything in moderation. Sometimes having a large scoop of mashed potatoes with
noodles piled high can carry as many calories as that smaller piece of pie. The biggest thing to take into consideration is
MODERATION. An average portion is about the size of the palm of your hand. Although not all palms are created equal,
it will give you a pretty good idea on an appropriate portion size. Try to keep the amount you place on your plate small as
well, so you can enjoy a little of a larger variety and not feel like you have to choose one over the other.
Furthermore, if you can try to add vegetables to the plate, they have more healthy benefits without a lot of calories.
We’ve all asked this question, is the turkey really going to make you tired? Turkey contains a natural sedative
which is an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid your body cannot manufacture so we get
it from the foods we eat. Tryptophan helps your body produce serotonin which is chemical that acts as a calming agent
in the brain, which plays a key role in sleep. But most nutritionists say turkey does not trigger the body to sleep more
because it works better on an empty stomach. We all know that an empty stomach isn’t something we experience during
the holidays! What usually causes that afternoon lethargy are the heavy meal and the high carbohydrates intake.
Well, last but not least, that New Year’s drink. Once again MODERATION. You do want to enjoy the holiday and those
around you. Some like to have a glass of wine with their meals. If you’re counting calories, realize that adding 4 ounces
of Martini adds 295 calories to that lovely total, or perhaps Merlot gives you 152 calories in just 5 ounces. But for you
beer lovers, Miller Light is 96 calories in 12 ounces and Coors Light contains 102 calories in 12 ounces. Of course, if
you chose not to go light you could get 155 calories in 12 ounces of Budweiser.
Enjoy the holidays with your friends and family, but remember some of these very easy actions you can take to fight
those added holiday pounds. To everyone, have a wonderful holiday season.
Merry
Christmas from
your friends
at Illini Rural
Health Clinic
Illini Times - 6
Employee Spotlight
Rebecca Sharpe-Whitaker, CNP
Rebecca Sharpe-Whitaker, Certified Nurse Practitioner at the
Illini Rural Health Clinic, is a native of Northeast Missouri. Rebecca
grew up on a family farm and she shares many of the same beliefs and core values
of many of the people in our community.
“My heart loves the rural area and the special people whom live and grow from good
roots,” she said.
Rebecca began at the Illini Rural Health Clinic in the Spring of 2014 and
currently sees patients as part of the Illini XPress walk-in clinic. She says that helping
people is something that has always been a passion.
“In high school, I knew I wanted to help others,” she said. “God has opened doors for me and helped me climb the
clinical ladder in the nursing field.”
Working in the outdoors is another passion for Rebecca, and she still helps her mother, Mildred, taking care of
cattle on the family farm. She also enjoys spending time with her children, John and Jessica, gardening, hunting,
fishing, running, biking and swimming. For Rebecca, her family is a major part of her life.
“I also have three brothers and one sister,” she said. “My family is my
strength with God at the top.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illini Gives Back
At Illini, we embrace the opportunity to give back to organizations and events in our community
that are important to those people who have given so much to us. Here are some of the
organizations and events Illini supported in 2014.
Alzheimer’s Association
American Cancer Society
Blessing Hospice & Palliative Care
Free Community Sports Physicals
Griggsville Apple Festival
Griggsville/Perry High School
Illinois Rural Hospital Association
Pearl Festival
Pike County Abraham Lincoln Organization
Pike County Community Health Partnership
Pike County Economic Development Corporation
Pike County Endowment Fund
Pike County Fair
Pike County Health Fair
Pike County Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Pike County Little League
Pike County Pig Days
Pike County Rotary Club
Pike County Shriners
Pittsfield Fall Festival
Pittsfield High School
Pleasant Hill High School
Refreshment Services Pepsi
Golf Outing
Saukee Cheer Camp
Saukee Reading Club
Sturbie Bowl
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
The Blessing Foundation
Two Rivers Farm Bureau
Volley for the Cure
Western High School
Winchester Kiwanis Club
Illini Times - 7
Giving Society---------------------------------------------------Programs, services and new technology at Illini are made possible in part by donations to Illini
Community Hospital and The Blessing Foundation. The following list reflects gifts from June 1, 2011 to
September 30, 2014. Gifts below were received for the following services: Oncology Department,
Employee Crisis Fund, Illini- Unrestricted, Dining Room Renovation, Emergency Room, Therapy and
Fitness, Phase 2 Building Project, Cardiac Rehab Fund, and Growing Our Care Capital Campaign.
Donor Recognition Levels
June 1, 2011 to September 30, 2014
Associate ($10,000 - $49,000)
Melvina R. House Family Trust, CNB TTEE*
Partners ($1,000 - $9,999)
Les and Connie Allen
Bob and Phyllis Hofmeister
Kathy and Jack Hull
Mr. Mike Peters
Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Rhodes
Pittsfield High School Lady Saukee Volleyball
Friends – ($100 - $999)
Anonymous Donor
Pamela Baxter
William and Velma Christison
Friends – ($100 - $999)
Sandy and Brian Curless
Joe and Bev Davis
Angela K. Goewey
Donald and Lureta Hass
Hale and Mary Hass
Daniel and Judith Hausman
Jeff and Sheri Howland
Shelia K. Lacey
Linda Nesbitt
Earl and Vicky Phillips
Mary Lou Seagle
Jackie and Dick Skuta
Pittsfield South Elementary School
Illini Community Hospital Board of Trustees
Emory University
Kraybill Trust
*Designates deceased
To receive help from The Blessing Foundation individuals must meet the following criteria: be a patient of the Blessing
Health System, display medical necessity, financial disability, and all community resources must have been exhausted.
The following examples are patient cases in the Illini Community Hospital area where donor’s dollars have assisted.
What greater gift can a person receive than that of good health? You can give this gift through a donation to The
Blessing Foundation for Illini Community Hospital – with no shopping required! Your support helps Illini providers
reach everyone in need of high quality healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay.
Together we improve the health of our community, one person at a time. Support quality healthcare with your tax
deductible gift to The Blessing Foundation online at www.blessinghealthsystem.org/donate or call 217.223.8400,
extension 4800, for more information on opportunities to gift.
Here are a few ways your gifts to
The Blessing Foundation are improving lives:
- Gas money provided to parents whose child was flown to St.
Louis Children’s Hospital.
- Funds were used to purchase medication for a patient who had
lost medication coverage.
- A patient suffering from spine disease, arthritis and diabetes
needed funds to afford a wellness membership recommended by
the doctor. Funds were provided for a 3-month membership.
The Blessing Foundation
1121 Broadway Street
Quincy, IL 62305