Twenty-five St. Marys’ Clinicians Receive Kudos
Twenty-five St. Mary’s clinicians recently received kudos for providing exceptional care, including a special shout-out from a fellow clinician. We’re proud to recognize them by posting the comments we’ve received on their behalf in Pulse.
ED Team Steps Up During Mass Casualty Incident
Kaia Knutson, MD, acknowledged the St. Mary's ED team for delivering exceptional care during a recent mass casualty incident (MCI) involving six trauma patients.She mentioned the following members of the medical staff, who either arrived at the ED within minutes to assist or were already present:
Eric Frankel, MD
Stephanie Lewis, PA
Aaron Mauner, MD
Edward Maurin, MD
Darren Nisly, DO
Kristen Ohe, MD
Louis-Bassett Porter, MD
Keri Selwyn, NP
James Steerman, PA
Teyen Shiao, MD
Tanner Spees, MD
Truc Ta, MD
Ellana Williams, PA
Dr. Kutson added, “I have never in 10 years here felt so prepared or supported in an MCI! We literally had trauma surgeons asking which patients they could go see to help with initial assessments, anesthesia making sure all airway needs were covered, CareFlight helping with IV access, care management/chaplain figuring out all the complex social situations, and so many others working on all the moving parts and pieces of the trauma workups. THIS is what makes St. Mary's a special place to work.”
Care That Rivals a World-Renowned Medical Center
(Letter edited for length)
“Earlier this month, my wife, son and I were visiting friends in Crested Butte, when I started experiencing chest pains. I went to the Gunnison Valley Healthcare ER, and that team confirmed that I was having a heart attack and arranged for transportation to St. Mary’s in Grand Junction. I want to acknowledge/highlight the amazing care that I received at St. Mary’s between my arrival and my discharge. I have had two major inpatient surgeries at the "world-renowned" Texas Medical Center in Houston, and the care that I received at St. Mary’s was exponentially better than what I received in Houston. … and I am telling everyone I know about the special level of healthcare that is being provided at St. Mary’s in Grand Junction. I’m confident that it requires constant vigilance to maintain such a high level of care, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate what your team did for me and my family.”
I credit the following members of the medical staff for making a difference in my care and for saving my life:
Bradley Ceremuga, DO, and his team, especially Erik Nasby, NP
I feel very lucky to have been under the care of Dr. Ceremuga. He is a truly amazing surgeon, and I would put my life in his hands any time.
Maureen Maher, MD - she gave me the nickname of Tex
Carl Rouch, MD
Mitchell Gershten, MD - took a great deal of time to visit with me and my wife about my situation and what to expect.
Calm, Caring Presence
"I (a pastor) was visiting a patient in St. Mary’s ER late Thursday night for a potential heart attack. Rebecca Wilson, MD, was fantastic - she gave excellent care, was attentive, and asked great questions. Her fun personality, sprinkled with just the right amount of humor, made a scary ER visit feel positive.”
Twice the Care, Twice the Gratitude
“I have been meaning to write a note and to make a donation to the St. Mary's/IH Foundation for some time, in recognition of the excellent care which William Hilty, MD, gave to my loved one when he was in the ER with a very concerning nosebleed/AFIB event. His unique capability to address such a situation — not only once, but twice — made us feel very fortunate he was on duty those two nights. Thank you again. Words cannot express our appreciation. His professionalism was "impressive" indeed, but the deep and sincere care he exhibited to our family was something that can only come from the heart.”
Compassionate Support Through a Difficult Journey
“Many, many thanks to Keith Dickerson, MD, and resident Julianne McGough, DO, Megan Huemoller, NP, and Erin Reynolds, DO, who were involved in the care of my daughter during her recent hospitalization. Her case was certainly complex, and we (and she) felt confident in your assistance with end-of-life decisions regarding her cancer journey. Your patient, never-rushed approach helped immensely as we all grappled with various eventualities. Thank you for your caring and concern.”