Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1526584
2 | Health Matters: Providence Saint John's Health Center Letter to the Community E ach time I hear about a new innovation or offering available here at Providence Saint John's Health Center, I'm both amazed and incredibly proud. Every nurse, physician and member of our staff works so diligently to ensure that our care is both compassionate and effective— continuing our tradition of providing breakthrough medicine in an environment of inspired healing. We outline several new breakthroughs in this issue of Health Matters, in fact. For example, on page 6 you'll read about our new Women's Center, which opens in October as part of our Women's Health & Wellness Institute. It's a 7,000-square-foot facility with an even larger aim: to transform women's health care from a frustrating, disconnected approach into a "one-stop" comprehensive model that addresses all facets of a female patient's well-being. On page 4 you'll learn about Rob Sears, the first patient in Los Angeles and Providence Saint John's to receive a recently FDA-approved treatment for atrial fibrillation called pulsed field ablation. Cardiac electrophysiologist Shephal Doshi, MD, performed this new procedure on Rob. It offers several benefits over traditional thermal ablation, including greater safety and a faster recovery. You'll also read about an exciting new treatment on page 8 that could finally bring restorative sleep for those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh, an otolaryngology and head and neck surgeon, explains how the Inspire implantable device works, who is a candidate for it, and the other ways OSA can be treated. And finally, you'll find a heartwarming story on page 10 about how our Adult and Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program enabled Father Timothy McGowan to fully engage again with life—and his parishioners—after losing his hearing. We hope you'll enjoy this edition and be as inspired as I am by the level of care we continue to offer the community. We're honored to be part of your life. Take care and stay well, Stephanie Nolan, RN, Chief Nursing Officer Providence Saint John's Health Center