Imaging Services : St. David's HealthCare

St. David's Medical Center Only Hospital in Central Texas to Acquire Robotic Fluorescence Imaging Technology With da Vinci� SiT Surgical System

reedsmith — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:48:34 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas-Recently, St. David's Medical Center became the first hospital in Central Texas to acquire fluorescence imaging technology with the da Vinci� SiT Surgical System. This technology offers the capability of providing real-time, image-guided identification of key anatomical landmarks using near-infrared technology. Fluorescence imaging allows surgeons to see and assess anatomy better than the naked eye, further enhancing the unmatched vision, precision and control of minimally invasive da Vinci surgery.

"This revolutionary fluorescence technology has the ability to illuminate healthy tissue, allowing for improved surgical precision," John Marietta, M.D., chief medical officer at St. David's Medical Center, said. "When performing a tumor removal procedure, for example, there is a fine line between the areas requiring removal and the healthy portions of an organ. This technology allows us to more precisely differentiate those areas with the flip of a switch, often sparing healthy tissues by leaving them intact."

The fluorescence imaging technology provides real-time identification of a patient's anatomy. The specially designed endoscopes and camera allow physicians to visualize tissue and surrounding blood vessels by injecting a green-colored dye called IndoCyanine Green (ICG), which is activated by near-infrared light. This technology allows surgeons to identify malignant and healthy tissue as the procedure is performed.

The fluorescence imaging technology with da Vinci robotic surgery will be used to perform minimally invasive surgery across a wide array of specialties. Currently, it is primarily used in urologic and colorectal procedures.

The da Vinci Si Surgical System is developed by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Intuitive Surgical, Inc., is the global technology leader in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. The company's da Vinci Surgical System offers surgeons superior visualization, enhanced dexterity and greater precision compared to traditional surgical approaches.

St. David's Medical Center

St. David's Medical Center is part of St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized in January 2012 as one of the top 15 health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. Founded in 1924, St. David's Medical Center is a full-service medical center offering comprehensive medical care at three locations-St. David's Medical Center, located at 919 East 32nd Street in Austin; Heart Hospital of Austin, located at 3801 North Lamar Blvd.; and St. David's Georgetown Hospital, located in Georgetown at 2000 Scenic Drive. The three campuses offer a full range of medical specialties, as well as many other innovative health care services.

St. David's Medical Center in central Austin includes a 350-bed acute care hospital and a freestanding, 64-bed rehabilitation hospital providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. St. David's Medical Center provides a complete range of women's services, including its acclaimed maternity unit, maternal fetal medicine, a high-risk maternal and neonatal transport team, the region's largest and most sophisticated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, The Breast Center, and a fertility center; is home to the internationally acclaimed Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute; NeuroTexas Institute (including the TIA Center for Stroke Prevention and designation as a Primary Stroke Center); complex surgical services; a comprehensive Bariatric Surgery Center; and a 24-hour emergency department.

Thomson Reuters named St. David's Medical Center to the list of 100 Top Hospitals in 2010, 2011 and 2012. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's South Austin Medical Center Earns American College of Radiology Accreditation

reedsmith — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:11:38 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas-St. David's South Austin Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). MRI is a noninvasive medical test that utilizes magnetic fields to produce anatomical images of internal body parts to help physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.

The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 34,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology, as well as the delivery of comprehensive health care services.

St. David's South Austin Medical Center
St. David's South Austin Medical Center, located at 901 West Ben White Boulevard, is part of St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized as one of the top 15 health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters in January 2012. St. David's South Austin Medical Center is an acute care facility with 292 beds, offering a range of complex specialties and sub-specialties, including a comprehensive and nationally recognized cardiac program, full-service maternity and newborn care with Level I and II nurseries, and a thriving 24-hour emergency department, among others. In 2010, the medical center launched a comprehensive $72-million renovation and expansion effort, to be completed in 2012. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's HealthCare Launches Online Preregistration for Patients

korr — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:10:51 GMT

On July 15, 2011, St. David's HealthCare launched an online preregistration feature for all patients, providing greater convenience and enhancing the efficiency of the registration process. The program, originally launched in December 2010 for labor and delivery patients, was so successful that St. David's HealthCare expanded the option to include all hospital patients.

"St. David's HealthCare strives to provide an unmatched level of service to all patients," Mark Clayton, senior vice president of St. David's HealthCare, said. "With this online preregistration feature, our service begins before patients arrive at the hospital, allowing for a smooth check-in process."

Patients can now enter their registration information online. Then, when they arrive at a St. David's HealthCare hospital, all they have to do is sign and verify the information, as well as provide a copy of their driver's license and insurance card. Preregistration staff members enter the data into St. David's HealthCare's system. Patients can visit StDavids.com/register to preregister.

St. David's HealthCare
With more than 60 sites across Central Texas, St. David's HealthCare includes seven of the area's leading hospitals and is one of the largest health systems in Texas. Known for compassionate, high-quality care, the organization has been recognized with the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the State of Texas based upon world-class quality measures. Ranked as one of the Top Workplaces in 2010 by the Austin American-Statesman-as well as the top Austin-area employer among large companies at the Austin Business Journal's annual "Best Places to Work" event in 2007, 2008 and 2009-St. David's HealthCare is the third-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 7,100 employees. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's Women's Center of Texas, at St. David's North Austin Medical Center, Provides Free Mammograms to Uninsured and Underinsured Patients

reedsmith — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 07:20:44 GMT

St. David's Women's Center of Texas, located at St. David's North Austin Medical Center, is currently providing mammograms to uninsured and underinsured patients through a national grant awarded to the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas (BCRC), which has an office located at this St. David's North Austin Medical Center and at additional locations in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties.

Because of this generous grant from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, women 40 to 65 years of age, with qualifying incomes, will have access to these benefits.

St. David's Women's Center of Texas will work with the BCRC to provide these services to women who are least likely to be screened-low income, underinsured or completely uninsured women.

"This grant allows us to help women in North Austin who are in tough financial situations maintain a healthy, cancer-free life," Ken Mitchell, M.D., chief medical officer at St. David's North Austin Medical Center, said. "By providing mammograms to these patients, we greatly improve the chances that breast cancer will be detected early and successfully treated."

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in Texas. This year there will be approximately 200,000 new cases of breast cancer in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute. BCRC offers women's services to more than 5,000 women in Central Texas, including Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Hays, Lee and other rural counties.

This is the third year the National Breast Cancer Foundation has awarded BCRC a $35,000 grant that allows the organization to work with area hospitals to continue providing free women's services.

"We are thrilled to partner with area medical facilities, such as St. David's Women's Center of Texas, to provide these services for women who otherwise may not be able to afford them," Dianna Petrick, the director of North Austin Services for the BCRC, said. "We're thankful for the continued support from the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Austin's health care community."

For more information on these services, and to see if you qualify, please call 512-901-6644.

St. David's North Austin Medical Center

St. David's North Austin Medical Center, located at 12221 North Mopac Expressway, is owned by St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas. The 332-bed multi-specialty, acute care facility is dedicated to the highest level of women's health services, including maternity and newborn care with Level I, II and III nurseries at the adjacent St. David's Women's Center of Texas, as well as a 24-hour emergency department, heart and vascular center, neurology and neurosurgery, a kidney transplant program, inpatient and outpatient surgery, and acute inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, among many others. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

About the Breast Cancer Resource Centers (BCRC) of Texas

As breast cancer survivors, the BCRC helps women of any age, culture, education, profession and financial status navigate from diagnosis through recovery, and all services are free of charge.

Founded in 1995, the BCRC now serves close to 5,000 clients each year from six locations and offers a helpline to provide immediate support; weekly orientations to clarify diagnosis and treatment options and provide information about available resources, a lending library including a special Children's Resource Collection to assist parents in explaining breast cancer to their children, peer-to-peer supports, a number of support groups and physical recovery information. The BCRC program for the medically underserved provides a multicultural, bilingual, multiracial team of staff and volunteers that work with the women being treated in the breast clinic of the Shivers Cancer Center at Brackenridge Hospital. The team assists patients by providing emotional support and by aiding with the practical matters of filling out forms and formulating questions for the physicians. The BCRC also has offices at St. David's Professional Building in Round Rock, The Women's Center at St. David's North Austin Medical Center, St. David's Georgetown Cancer Treatment Center and their newest location at the Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos. Learn more about the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas services and events at http://www.bcrc.org.

Mammo Mixers: Fun with a Healthy Twist!

JEA — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Breast Center at St. David's Medical Center is pleased to announce that Clear Channel/The River is continuing to sponsor Mammo Mixers on the Third Thursday evening of every month for 2010. Visit our Calender to view dates and learn more. St. David's Calendar of Events.