April Associate of the Month: Plymouth Campus

Ron Westafer, RN

Ronald Westafer, RN, Emergency Department

“Ron Westafer is an excellent Nurse in the Emergency Department, is well like by his peers, and is highly recommended by the Physicians in the ED,” said Elaine Flemming, RN, Nursing Director at SJRMC/Plymouth. “He is very knowledgeable and well versed in Emergency Medicine and places patient satisfaction as a major goal.”

Ron has been a part of SJRMC since 1997 and is active on many committees. He frequently checks in with the Nurses on the Critical Care Unit and the Medical Surgical Unit to assist them with policy updates, changes, or implementation of different initiatives.

“Communication is vital to the success of any organization, especially in health care where the work we do affects so many,” said Westafer. “I am always glad to help however I can and am honored to have been selected as the Associate of the Month here in Plymouth.”

Ron receives many patient compliments, as well, and goes the extra mile to make sure his patients have outstanding care. He is friendly, caring and outgoing. Ron comes to work with a smile and keeps the smile during the entire 12-hour shift.

“We are very lucky to have Ron part of the Saint Joseph family,” said Flemming.

Congratulations to Ronald Westafer, the Plymouth Campus Associate of the Month for April!

March Associate of the Month: Plymouth Campus

Bruce Hite, Coordinator

Bruce Hite, Coordinator

Outpatient Rehab Therapy

Bruce Hite joined the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Family in 2004 as a Patient Care Provider (PCP) on the Medical Surgical Floor at Plymouth. He transitioned to Outpatient Rehab Therapy, where his duties include: registration of new patients; checking their benefit coverage; scheduling and reminder/follow-up phone calls; ordering office supplies; and managing the front desk.

“Bruce has a difficult job trying to keep scheduling on track with productivity,” said Raymond Canda, SJRMC’s Physical Therapy Rehab Administrator. “But he handles this with great efficiency and effectiveness and always with an upbeat personality.”

Bruce is described as an excellent team player who is thoughtful of patients and staff, alike, as well as being a dependable hard worker extremely focused on accommodating others.

“I try to remember each day that I am representing more than just myself but the entire organization whose goal is to deliver the best health care possible,” he said. “The best part of my job is the interaction with patients, knowing the position I work directly affects how that patient will see the rest of our department and, ultimately, the entire hospital.”

While Bruce feels honored to have been recognized as Associate of the Month, he is quick to note the award is a reflection on his entire department.

“I think this speaks volumes about the caliber of people working here at Saint Joseph,” he said. “I cannot say enough how much I appreciate everyone here. This is a feeling I will not soon forget.”

Congratulations to Bruce Hite, the Plymouth Campus Associate of the Month for March!

Plymouth Campus Receives $50,000 from Ounce of Prevention

John Oliver III of Oliver Ford and Ounce of Prevention; Mickey Hoffer, Mammogram Tech; Joan Hunt, RN; Timothy Smith, Jen Houin of Ounce of Prevention; and Jessica Oliver of Ounce of Prevention

Breast cancer treatment at our Plymouth Campus was enhanced even more with a $50,000 donation from Marshall County’s Ounce of Prevention Foundation.

Ounce of Prevention has provided funds to the Plymouth Cancer Institute to help in the treatment of the disease as well as raising awareness of breast cancer and its effects in the community.

“We’ve been able to get some professional training we wouldn’t have had a chance to get otherwise,” said Mickey Hoffer, Mammography Tech. “All of us have been doing this for a long time but it really helps to get new ideas and information on how to position everything and get better mammograms. So much of it has to do with positioning.”

With donations like this, the Cancer Institute has been able to purchase a special use mammography chair that enables radiographers to position patients better and more comfortably. The Institute has also purchased supplies and educational tools that would not otherwise be available.

“We are very grateful for the Ounce of Prevention Foundation and their constant support of our cancer treatment initiatives,” said Lori Price, President of SJRMC Plymouth. “This is another great example of two local institutions working together for the good of our communities.”

Certified Nurses Honored

On Friday, March 18, our Certified Nurses attended a ceremony to honor and bless them. They were recognized for their professionalism, leadership, and commitment to excellence in patient care. The ceremony was held on the Mishawaka Campus in the Chapel, with Marsha King and Sister Laureen Painter leading the ceremony.

At the Plymouth Campus, Elaine Flemming and Chaplain Les Johnson led the ceremony in their Chapel.  Certified nurses were given a small gift in appreciation for going the extra  mile in attaining their National Nursing Specialty Certifications. Watch for our certified nurses to be wearing their new blue Certified RN badges!

According to the Certified Nurses Day Coalition, Certified Nurses Day is an annual day of recognition for and by healthcare leaders dedicated to nursing professionalism, excellence, recognition, and service.  Every year, on March 19th, Certified Nurses are recognized in healthcare organizations across the country.

Maggie Erickson, RNC; Susan Goble, RNC; Linda Gleitz, CRNFA; and Linda Hissong, CNOR

Athletic Trainers Keep Area Athletes Healthy

Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center is helping to keep athletes on the playing field as eight of its Associates are Certified Athletic Trainers by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). Founded in 1950, NATA has grown to more than 30,000 members worldwide today.

Throughout Northern Indiana, SJRMC Certified Athletic Trainers support Plymouth, John Glenn, Culver, Penn, Mishawaka Marian, and South Bend St. Joseph High Schools, as well as Ancilla College.

“I think our presence on the bench is just as critical as any member of the coaching staff,” said Ryan Carroll, a Certified Athletic Trainer at our Plymouth Campus. “I would encourage parents to find out who is taking care of their young athlete so they will know they are in good hands in the event of an injury.”

The situation has been played out thousands of times before.  Many young athletes are injured during an athletic event.  Except this time it is your child lying on the court or field in pain.  Are you comfortable and knowledgeable with what happens next? And exactly who is taking care of your child immediately after the injury? 

Certified Athletic Trainers are educated and trained for this exact scenario.  Through a 4-year college degree they are taught to handle any type of athletic injury.  Certified Athletic Trainers are not only taught to handle the immediate care of an injury, they are able to continue throughout the whole process up to deciding when the athlete can return to play.  This includes the prevention, evaluation, first aid, referral, treatment and rehabilitation of any athletic injury.

Like many other health professions in Indiana there is a license that needs to be issued to practice athletic training.  The profession is governed by the Indiana Athletic Trainers Board.  There is also a national certification that requires students to pass a 3-part examination to become a Certified Athletic Trainer.  Professionals in this setting need to complete mandatory education hours each year (25 per year) to continue as an Indiana licensed and nationally certified athletic trainer.  Certified athletic trainers also need to renew CPR/AED certifications every year to keep certification.

“It’s work but it’s fun work knowing that we are a valuable part of whatever team we’re working with,” Carroll said. “And, with last month being National Athletic Trainers Month, it is nice to receive recognition for what we do and the time we have put in to keep our young athletes healthy and in the game.”

Mishawaka Certified Athletic Trainers: Carl Landis, Gayle Thomas, Trish Irvin, Ann Micinski and Dr. Stephen Simons 

Plymouth Certified Athletic Trainers: Ryan Carroll, Tom Bolze, Adam Rippy and Kim Richey

February Associate of the Month: Plymouth Campus

Diana Soike

Plymouth Campus

Diana Soike, Environment of Care Coordinator, Facilities Department

The go-to girl. The paperwork junkie. The person to call to get things fixed. What kind of title do you give to someone with that kind of job description?

That would be the Environment of Care Coordinator, and at the Saint Joseph Plymouth Campus, Diana Soike is known for all of the above.

With previous experience as a legal secretary, Diana joined the Saint Joe Team working at the front desk of the Cancer Institute in 1999. In 2003, she applied for and was hired into her current position. And 7 years later, Diana swears she still learns something new every day.

“I never thought I’d know so much about healthcare,” she laughed. “I always thought Saint Joseph was a wonderful hospital and would be a great place to work – and I was right.”

Diana works to help the hospital maintain its credentialing, regularly working closely with a wide variety of hospital staff and The Joint Commission. Recently, she helped to coordinate the community-wide disaster drill. If there is any type of renovation going on across the campus, you can bet she knows every detail.

“There are new challenges every day,” she said. “I’m always working with new people and committees, and our staff is always so kind. When I have to learn new things about the individual departments, they are so patient and willing to help.”

Diana maintains a close relationship with all of the ancillary departments – specifically maintenance, environmental, dietary and materials management.

“Aside from her outstanding efforts in her given position, she has also committed much time and energy to help the clinical departments with their policies to be Joint Commission compliant,” said Safa Saddawi, SJRMC/Plymouth’s Manager of Plant Operations. “She is always available to help others even if they are in a different department and she always does so with a smile.”

A Plymouth native who remembers the former hospital location across from Centennial Park, Diana is proud to work for an organization that provides for her family, friends and neighbors.

“People in Plymouth are fortunate to have this,” she said. “We have excellent physicians and staff and I’ve heard on more than one occasion it’s nice to receive the care you need close to home. Our hospital is like a little family, and I love it.”

Congratulations to Diana Soike, the Plymouth Campus Associate of the Month for February!

Marshall County OB/GYN Expands Services to Rochester

As part of the Rural Health Network, SJRMC-Plymouth is committed to providing quality, convenient care to members of our population who have to drive a little farther to reach access to healthcare services.

Physicians from our Marshall County OB/GYN practice are available to provide gynecological services in Rochester, at Woodlawn Medical Professionals, located at 1400 East 9th Street.

Services include evaluation and treatment of female incontinence, abnormal uterine bleeding and pelvic pain, as well as performing advanced laparoscopic surgery.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 574.935.2220.

About Our Physicians

Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Michael Eifrid is a graduate of the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. His internship and residency were completed at the University of Tennessee and he has been in practice at Marshall County OB/GYN for the past 16 years.

Dr. Elizabeth Rutherford is Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her Bachelor’s Degree at Indiana University and her medical education at the I.U. School of Medicine. She served her internship at York Hospital in Pennsylvania and continued at the same institution for her residency. Dr. Rutherford is now in her seventh year at Marshall County OB/GYN.

Dr. Noreen Faulkner received her Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Michigan and also graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed residencies in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Virginia Hospitals and the University of Washington Hospitals. Board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faulkner comes to Marshall County OB/GYN following nearly 20 years of service at the Seattle Women’s Clinic.

January Associate of the Month: Plymouth Campus

Maggie Erickson

Plymouth Campus

Maggie Erickson, RNC, BSN, Obstetrics

Twenty-one years ago, Maggie Erickson joined the Critical Care Unit staff at the former Saint Joseph Hospital in downtown Mishawaka. In 1995, she transferred to the Plymouth Campus and its Obstetrics (OB) Unit. No matter where she has been, Maggie has consistently been one of SJRMC’s greatest ambassadors.

“You have to be, no matter where you work in a hospital,” she said. “And on OB, what a tremendous opportunity that is to establish relationships between the hospital and the community! These patients are people who are very open to the education aspect of health care because, we all know who have children; babies do not come with a set of instructions.”

Maggie enjoys and thrives on that teaching part of health care. The OB Unit allows for one-on-one interaction that comforts and eases her patients.

“Maggie is a very skilled OB nurse,” said Michele Seese, Plymouth’s OB Nursing Manager. “Her patients love her for her knowledge and the caring, fun way that she delivers her teaching to them.”

She is instrumental in providing education to not only her unit but to the community as well. Within the last year, Maggie completed her Evidence-Based project on Shaken Baby Syndrome. Maggie was then asked to present at the Northwest Indiana Research Consortium in Merrillville.

“Everything we do, whether it is on our unit or out in the community is a reflection of our hospital,” Maggie said. “It is an honor to work here and I appreciate the fact that my co-workers and patients value my opinion. This is a wonderful place to work.”

Congratulations to Maggie Erickson, SJRMC/Plymouth’s Associate of the Month for January!

Plymouth Hospital to Celebrate 100-Year Anniversary

The former Parkview Hospital

In 1910, two physicians built a three-story facility at 310 North Michigan Street in downtown Plymouth, establishing a foundation for quality health care in Marshall County that would continue for the next 100 years.

While the name and location of the community hospital has changed over the years, what remain are a dedication to medical advancements, outstanding community support, an ambition to grow and a commitment to increase access to quality health care.

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, past and present employees of SJRMC and their families are invited the Marshall County Historical Museum in downtown Plymouth to view a special exhibit about the hospital.

The Celebration of 100 Years exhibit will be on display at the newly renovated museum from 11 am – 1 pm. Bring the little ones – the trains will be running!

Starting on Monday, November 1, the exhibit will continue to be on display for the general public. Special thanks to the Marshall County Historical Museum for partnering with us to celebrate this milestone.

Thanks to all of our past and present employees, physicians and patients for 100 years of continued community support.

The Museum is located at 123 North Michigan Street in Plymouth. For more information call 574.936.2306.

Spotlight on Plymouth: Diane Meister, Medical Lab Technician

Diane Meister, Lab Tech

As a Medical Lab Technician at SJRMC - Plymouth for the past 15 years, Diane Meister truly believes she has the best of both worlds.

Every day she has the chance to talk with patients, ease their fears and help put them on the road to recovery.

“My job is to turn your negative event into a positive one. Nobody wants to be in a hospital,” she said. “And after that? I get to use all types of really cool technology and equipment.”

It’s not a surprising comment coming from someone who built lawn and garden tractors for 12 years before getting the itch to go to nursing school. But Diane was never meant to be a nurse.

“I jumped into the lab tech program, and I’m so glad I did,” she said. “There is so much diversity in my job. I get to work with every department and move between a lot of different areas.”

At the Plymouth Cancer Institute, Diane is proud to be able to provide her patients point of care testing. The ability to do draws and run tests in one location provides patients with even more convenience.

Every month when rounding with Lab Associates, Diane is the number one person recognized by the staff for going above and beyond.

“Diane staffs the Oncology Laboratory, where her compassion for our sickest and most complicated patients is truly a gift,” said Barb Holcomb, Lab Manager. “Patients and her co-workers often request her abilities and assistance – and she is always there with a smile on her face.”

In addition, Diane is the Lead Tech for Coagulation, where her responsibilities include maintaining The Joint Commission standards. She also serves as a lead person for Chemistry and assists with reporting proficiency testing to the College of American Pathologists.

Diane is proud to work for an organization that works to improve the health of the community.

“I feel like I have a vested interested. Every patient who comes in could be my neighbor, or my mechanic or someone I will end up seeing at the grocery store. I don’t want them to remember me at the one who stuck them,” she laughed. “I want them to remember having a good experience.”

Spotlight on Plymouth: Diane Soike, Environment of Care Coordinator

Diana Soike, Environment of Care Coordinator

The go-to girl. The paperwork junkie. The person to call to get things fixed. What kind of title do you give to someone with that kind of job description?

That would be the Environment of Care Coordinator, and at the SJRMC- Plymouth Campus, Diana Soike is known for all of the above.

With previous experience as a legal secretary, Diana joined the Saint Joe Team working at the front desk of the Cancer Institute in 1999. In 2003, she applied for and was hired into her current position. And 7 years later, Diana swears she still learns something new every day.

"I never thought I'd know so much about healthcare,"she laughed. "I always thought Saint Joseph was a wonderful hospital and would be a great place to work – and I was right."

Diana works to help the hospital maintain its credentialing, regularly working closely with a wide variety of hospital staff and The Joint Commission. Recently, she helped to coordinate the community-wide disaster drill. If there is any type of renovation going on across the campus,you can bet she knows every detail.

"There are new challenges every day," she said. "I'm always working with new people and committees, and our staff is always so kind. When I have to learn new things about the individual departments, they are so patient and willing to help."

Diana maintains a close relationship with allof the ancillary departments – specifically maintenance, environmental, dietary and materials management.

"Those Associates really keep our hospital running," she said. "All of our Associates are so wonderful and [President] Lori Price is just a terrific leader. And I love my boss. I really do."

From the adjoining office her manager Safa Saddawi lets out a laugh. "I didn't even pay her to say that!"

After overhearing part of the conversation, Saddawi has something to add.

"Diana is an asset to this hospital," he said. "She's too good. People have confidence in her because she gets things done. It's not always easy to have that reputation. Sometimes you never get a break."

A Plymouth native who remembers the former hospital location across from Centennial Park, Diana is proud to work for an organization that provides for her family, friends and neighbors.

"People in Plymouth are fortunate to have this," she said. "We have excellent physicians and staff and I've heard on more than one occasion it's nice to receive the care you need close to home.Our hospital is like a little family and I love it."

Welcome to SJRMC, Dr. Piazza!

Saint Joseph is excited to welcome Plymouth native Brian L. Piazza, MD to the Medical Staff.

Dr. Piazza specializes in general surgery as well as upper and lower Endoscopy. He has been in practice for 15 years and will be joining the staff at Marshall County Surgery Associates.

After graduating from Plymouth High School in 1982, Dr. Piazza attended Valparaiso University and then Indiana University School of Medicine. In addition, one of his professional highlights included a teaching stint at Michigan State University’s Department of Surgery, where he worked with an expert office and hospital staff and had the opportunity to touch the lives of many patients.

Dr. Piazza takes a team approach to patient care – for the physician, the patient and the patient’s loves ones.

“We are all on the same team,” he said. “The patient is the coach and the doctor serves as the quarterback, acting in the coach’s best interests.

Most patients are apprehensive when they are coming in for a surgery or procedure, no matter how invasive it may be. While many patients ask about the benefits, risks and possible outcomes, it can be a lot of remember. Dr. Piazza encourages his patients to bring a family member or trusted friend to appointment.

“I also truly believe each person is created in God’s image,” he said. “It’s my personal philosophy to treat every patient with the utmost dignity and respect.”

Dr. Piazza enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, all while trying to keep in touch with his six brothers. In his spare moments he enjoys staying active in his church, photography and downhill and cross-country skiing.

For more information on services offered by Dr. Piazza, contact:
Marshall County Surgery Associates
1919 Lake Ave Suite 102
Plymouth, IN 46563
(574) 941-2967