UH Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Roberts, has taken a position as CFO at BJC HealthCare in St. Louis.

David Hart, MD, Director, Neurosurgery Spine Center at UHCMC, became the first spine surgeon in Ohio to implant a new cervical artificial disc called the Synthes ProDisc-C earlier this month. The ProDisc-C is a new implant designed to replace an entire degenerated disc in the upper part of the spine for select patients.

One of the key advantages of the new implant is that it helps maintain range of motion in the spine, Dr. Hart explains. It was developed using the same ball-and-socket design used in hip and other joint replacement implants for over 40 years.

In most cases, patients can be discharged from the hospital after an overnight stay. Most patients will be able to return to work within a couple of weeks, unless their job requires heavy physical labor.

When a loved one experiences a stroke, the entire family is affected. Recognizing the need for increased support and education for our patients and families, the staff at University Hospitals Case Medical Center has developed a new program called “Living for Independence with the Freedoms of Equality,” or LIFE. The primary goal of the LIFE program is to assist recent stroke patients and their families in moving forward in the recovery process. LIFE will provide information about resources for adaptive equipment and community assistance opportunities, as well as provide opportunities for stroke patients to socialize in a therapeutic recreational environment.

University Hospitals Heart & Vascular Institute has partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) as the local sponsor of the Go Red for Women campaign. We have truly valued our campaign involvement in the past, and look forward to further collaboration with the AHA.

As part of this exciting partnership, we engage in many community programs to raise the awareness
of the risks of and treatment options for cardiovascular disease in women and men. In addition, Michael Szubski, Chief Operating Officer of UH Acute Care Hospitals, is on the executive leadership team for another AHA initiative, the Start! program. Start! is the AHA's groundbreaking national campaign that calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health to live longer, heart-healthy lives through walking. The Start! program complements the Go Red for Women campaign.

The Start! program includes the summer “Heart Walk” taking place on Sunday, Aug. 10. Mr. Szubski asks for your support in this important event. Bring your family, friends and coworkers. Start your own walk team and raise funds for heart research.

To register as a Team Captain for the Heart Walk, please contact Tiffany Sibel at (216) 619-5151 or Tiffany.Sibel@heart.org. You can also register online at www.heartwalk.kintera.org/clevelandoh. Click on ‘Register Here’ and select ‘Start a New Team.’ Prompts will ask you if you want to start a new team under an existing company. Select ‘University Hospitals.’

Sign up now to join the first employee golf outing of the summer. Join us Saturday, June 7, at Cherokee Hills Golf Club in Valley City. Cost per player is $70, payable by check or credit card. Click here to access the UH Athletics intranet page and print the registration form. Contact Jeanie Overholt at (216) 767-8390 or Jeanie.Overholt@UHhospitals.org for more information.

University Hospitals is proud to be a sponsor of The Diversity Center's 6th Annual Walk, Rock and Run, to be held Saturday, May 3, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Attendees can participate in a three-mile walk or 5K run. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Participants will have free entry into both the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. For more information or to register, visit www.diversitycenterneo.org or call (216) 752-3000.

There is no better time than now to have LASIK surgery. The surgery is quick (30 seconds per eye), affordable (payroll deduction, credit card and 12-month financing available) and recovery time is short; most patients resume their everyday activities the following day.

As a UH employee or immediate family member, you will receive a $200 per eye discount (must present your UH ID badge at the new patient screening) for LASIK surgery performed between now and May 30. In addition, our new patient screenings are free and without obligation and there are no hidden fees or postsurgical costs for follow-up exams.

All surgeries are performed by Stefan Trocme, MD, Director of Refractive Surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Professor of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University.

To schedule a LASIK screening or for more information, please call our Laser Vision Center at (440) 720-0331 or visit us online at www.UHhospitals.org/laservision.

All employees are invited to participate in a Chinese auction and basket raffle on the Atrium bridge tomorrow, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Over 40 baskets will be raffled off and all proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® organization and National Philanthropic Trust. Some of the generous prize baskets include Cleveland Indians tickets, a teeth whitening kit, and an autographed football from Antwan Peek, a member of the Cleveland Browns. Click on the “Read More” link below to view a more detailed list of prizes. Raffle tickets are $2 each or three for $5. A few select prizes will cost $5 per ticket. Questions? Contact Amy Kogovsek at (440) 285-4040.

Thursday, May 1:

W.O. Walker Building (1st and 3rd Floors), intermittent network disruptions and network hardware maintenance, 6 – 10 p.m.