Advanced Urologic Associates-Independence South

Saint Luke's Hospital In Your Home is making a significant impact on hospitalizations for adults aged 65 and older, with faster recoveries and reduced readmission rates.

Dr. Jill Huded, a Saint Luke's geriatric medicine specialist, shared how this unique program provides hospital-level care in the comfort of patients' own homes, leading to improved outcomes for this age group worldwide.

Watch the full KCTV5 News Kansas City segment here: https://bit.ly/3xTpARd

When Rachel became pregnant with her third child in March of 2023, doctors told her she would need more frequent testing than normal to make sure she and her baby remained healthy throughout the pregnancy.

Rachel lives in rural Brookfield, Missouri, about two hours away from Kansas City. Thankfully, instead of having to drive all the way into the city, Rachel was able to see Dr. Ankur Agrawal, an OB-GYN at Hedrick OB-GYN Associates in Chillicothe—just 30 minutes from Rachel's home.

Dr. Agrawal's clinic made it easier for Rachel to get the care she needed locally until it was time to deliver. When Rachel delivered at Saint Luke's North Hospital, Dr. Agrawal was right there with her.

"Saint Luke's had a great plan to care for moms like me. Being able to stay local with Dr. Agrawal saved me a lot of time and money driving to the city," said Rachel. "It was great to be able to stay with the same doctor from beginning to end. I had lots of questions leading up to the delivery, and everyone at Saint Luke's North was so helpful."

Colson was born in November 2023. Once Rachel and Colson were discharged from the hospital, they received their follow-up care close to home. Both mom and baby are doing well. ❤️

1994 was a year of notable events at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City:

🔹On Valentine's Day, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute completed its 100th heart transplant.

🔹The hospital's kidney program celebrated its 25th anniversary with more than 650 transplants performed.

🔹Quadruplets were born in the hospital, all in good health.

🔹Saint Luke's Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center, the first of its kind in the nation, held its grand opening and scheduled 275 appointments in its first three months.

30 years later, our flagship hospital remains the intersection of innovation and hope. 💙

Last week, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute became the first in the region to perform a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement using the FDA-approved EVOQUE valve.

The tricuspid valve is one of four valves in the heart. It opens and closes to ensure blood moves in the right direction. When it doesn't close and seal well, blood flows backward from one chamber to another, leading to heart failure. This condition was often difficult to treat—until now.

The EVOQUE valve replaces the tricuspid valve without open-heart surgery, a revolutionary procedure in cardiology. Drs. Adnan Chhatriwalla, Keith Allen, David Skolnick, and Elizabeth Grier along with their clinical teams, performed the first two tricuspid valve replacements in the region.

Congratulations, ! 💙

Sisters Courtney and Ashley have a lot in common: They are both NICU nurses at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City. They were both pregnant at the same time.

And they both delivered within 16 hours and 1 minute of each other!

“Going through all of the pregnancy things together and being NICU nurses together is really special,” said Ashley. She delivered her son first on March 25th, at 6 lbs. 6 oz. Just 16 hours and 1 minute later, Courtney delivered her daughter on March 26th at 6 lbs. 4 oz.

“Seeing how close our older daughters are is so fun, and I hope that these two will have a special bond as well,” said Courtney.

Watch their story from KSHB 41: https://bit.ly/3VZIyPz

Fred is half the man he was six months ago—in a good way.

By the time he turned 50, Fred was at his heaviest. He had type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea.

"I wasn't happy with who I was and knew the first change I needed to make was addressing the weight issue," said Fred.

Fred came to Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss in May 2023 and had bariatric surgery with Dr. Michael Arroyo in November. He has lost more than 200 pounds so far.

"It's like being reborn again," he said. "I'm a truck driver. Getting in and out of the truck, climbing the ladder, and walking on uneven surfaces are easier. Before I couldn't move, now I can't stop moving."

Learn more about bariatric surgery: https://bit.ly/3Sq54gw

Fireworks are a fun and exciting way to celebrate the Fourth of July, but they can also be hazardous when used incorrectly. Hospitals frequently see an influx of patients with firework-related injuries at this time of year.

You can keep yourself, your friends, and your family safe by following these tips:

🔹Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
🔹Never use fireworks under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
🔹Never point fireworks at another person, even as a joke.
🔹Never light fireworks indoors.
🔹Never try to re-light malfunctioning fireworks.
🔹Never use illegal fireworks or try to make your own.
🔹Always keep a bucket of water nearby to extinguish fireworks.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend! 🎆

This spring, Ben celebrated his graduation from Liberty High School. But his earliest graduation happened at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City.

When Ben was born, he was admitted to the NICU and stayed there for 44 days. After his NICU graduation, his family stayed in touch with his care team.

"Our nurses were all incredible—we adored each and every one of them," said Kristen, Ben's mom. "I continued to volunteer with the March of Dimes Family Support program for several years. It felt good to be able to pay it forward to the current families and support the NICU staff that took such great care of Ben."

Ben plans to attend Pittsburg State University in the fall to complete a program in automotive technology. He is an avid golfer and hopes to continue playing in college. Congratulations, Ben! 🎓

Louie Pancakes is a therapy dog who visits Saint Luke's Hospice House weekly as part of the Dogs On Call (DOC) program. He and other four-legged volunteers like him provide patients and families meaningful comfort during difficult times. 🐾

Watch the full KMBC 9 story and find out how you can make your pet a therapy animal: https://bit.ly/45B6JHb

KMBC: Therapy Poodle Brings Comfort to Hospice Patients at Saint Luke's Hospice House Louie Pancake's owner, Frank, and the Community Events Coordinator at Saint Luke’s Hospice House talk with KMBC about the special program.

Introducing the Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City Child Care Center Class of 2024! 🎓

Months of hard work and play paid off when the preschool class received their diplomas in the hospital cafeteria. Just like that, they're off to kindergarten. Congratulations, graduates!

Saint Luke's East Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) kept the party going by hosting a reunion of their own over the weekend! 👶🎉

More than 200 guests from Harrisonville, Topeka, and everywhere in between—including four NICU nurses who became NICU moms themselves—enjoyed the hospital's first in-person NICU reunion since 2020.

See more from the party from KCTV5 News Kansas City: https://bit.ly/4eGyRwv

Arch E. Spelman, MD, was a renowned physician and surgeon who inspired an entire community to invest in his dream of bringing a much-needed hospital to the Kansas City Northland.

Dr. Spelman came to Smithville, Missouri, in 1934—a time when the city had no local hospital and was suffering from the Great Depression. He made it his mission to help Smithville and rallied the community to raise $11,000 to build an 11-bed community hospital, which opened in 1938.

The hospital grew and relocated to a prominent hilltop, eventually becoming Saint Luke's North Hospital–Smithville. In 1983, the hospital proposed opening a second location on Barry Road near the busy highway. After lots of work to secure funding, the first hospital in Platte County opened in 1989 and became Saint Luke's North Hospital–Barry Road.

Thank you, Dr. Spelman, for your legacy.

Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, a department of Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, today announced the formation of a new Comprehensive Cancer Program on the campus of Saint Luke's North Hospital.

The expansion of Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute will provide the growing Northland community with access to advanced, personalized cancer treatments close to home.

“With the Northland’s significant growth over the past decade, the community has a need for easily accessible, comprehensive cancer care.” said Darren Bass, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Luke’s North Region. “With all services provided on one campus, patients will benefit from the full range of Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute’s services and experts without having to travel to multiple locations.”

Expected to open in Spring 2025, the Comprehensive Cancer Program will include radiation therapy services and expanded medical oncology and infusion services in the Barry Medical Park Office Building adjacent to the main hospital.

Susie Krug, chief nursing executive for BJC Health System West Region, began her nursing career with Saint Luke’s as a nurse in the Emergency Department in 1999.

Early in her career, Susie took part in Saint Luke’s Career Advancement Program for Nurses (CAP), where she discovered a passion for process and protocol improvement. She also took advantage of Saint Luke's tuition reimbursement to obtain her master's degree, which opened even more opportunities for her.

Over more than two decades, Susie has steadily grown and added to her Saint Luke's career, culminating in her recent promotion to chief nursing executive earlier this year.

“I love working at Saint Luke’s because we are authentic in our care,” Susie said. “Saint Luke’s produces the best nurses, and its success is a sum of each one of them. We see this repeatedly day in and day out.”

Saint Luke’s offers many opportunities to advance your nursing career. Find out what opportunities are available to you: https://bit.ly/3V6bEfO

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When Ashley and Jack arrived at Saint Luke's East Hospital's maternity center, they were nervous, but excited.

"This was our first baby—we were filled with uncertainty," said Ashley. "My nurse was pregnant herself, but that did not stop her from being on her feet for many hours, encouraging me and making sure I had everything I needed."

After many hours of labor, Henry was born. During delivery, Henry swallowed meconium fluid, which made breathing difficult. Thankfully, the NICU team was on hand and gave him the care he needed instantly.

"The night he was born was scary for us as new parents, but the NICU team was there for us every step of the way," said Ashley. "They taught me how to nurse Henry and showed my husband how to change a diaper. They even gave us tips on newborn care we still use today!"

Thanks to the expert care provided by the Saint Luke's NICU team, Henry is celebrating his first birthday this June. 🎂

"Even though the NICU was not part of 'our plan,' we fully believe the NICU was part of God's plan," said Ashley. "Words do not accurately describe how thankful we are for the incredible medical care and personal care each nurse and doctor provided us with during this experience."

Since childhood, Mark has tried many different weight loss strategies and programs that only provided short-term results. He was on a constant cycle of losing weight and gaining it back.

"I went on another program and lost 80 pounds, but gained it all back," said Mark. "That was the final straw."

Mark, 49, met with Dr. Michael Arroyo at Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss and had gastric bypass surgery in April 2023. He says he was nervous on surgery day, but the nurse told him she was a patient herself once, and the program changed her life. He has since lost 140 pounds and 51 inches off his waist, and now wears a size he says he hasn't worn since high school.

"You don't realize how much you adjust your lifestyle to accommodate your size," he said. "Things such as not tying my shoes because it was hard to breathe bending over, avoiding sitting in patio chairs on a nice day because the arms squeezed you, or being afraid on an airplane about whether I'd have to use the seatbelt extender."

Bariatric surgery has given Mark the confidence and ability to achieve the goals he's been reaching for his whole life. His message for others is not to wait to prioritize your health—life is worth being healthy.

Learn more about bariatric surgery: https://bit.ly/3Sq54gw

Bubbles, snow cones, and lots of smiling kiddos! 🍧

Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) celebrated graduates at its annual reunion earlier this month. More than 250 guests enjoyed the beach-themed reunion—see more from the party from KCTV5 News Kansas City: https://bit.ly/3xfrEmf

Did you attend the event, or do you have your own story? We'd love to hear about it and see your photos—share them in the comments below! ⬇️

The Saint Luke's baby boom has made its way to Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City: 11 registered nurses in the NICU were all pregnant at the same time! 😲

Their due dates range from January to August 2024, with eight already born and three more on the way. We love spoiling these moms and babies just like we do with every special delivery at Saint Luke's. 👶 💙

The skills of go beyond health care.

For more than 15 years, this group of Saint Luke's East Hospital volunteers and staff has gathered quarterly to make quilts for palliative care patients that families can take home.

Quilts bring comfort, warmth, and color to end-of-life care. Our hospital chaplain, Sue, once met the daughter of a dying patient who said her mother loved nature, flowers, and the color yellow. Sue went and found a quilt with many yellow blocks bordering delicate flowers. She brought it back to the patient’s daughter, who was stunned and deeply touched by the quilt’s beauty. She draped it over her mother and said it was a treasure to her after she passed.

Thank you to Linda, Rachel, Teri, Lorelei, Brenda, and Debbie, for your loving use of your gifts and talents! 💙

Today is Juneteenth—a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

After the Civil War, many freed slaves relocated to the Steptoe neighborhood just south of Westport to start new chapters of their lives. A number of Steptoe residents worked at Saint Luke’s through the years, making countless positive contributions to the health of our city.

Last year, Saint Luke's joined community members to celebrate a new street sign that recognized the return of West 43rd Terrace—adjacent to Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City—to its original name of Steptoe Street.

While the landscape of this area has changed, Steptoe’s impact and memory live on. Saint Luke’s is proud to collaborate with the Steptoe Lives coalition to keep its legacy and memory alive and ensure that future generations may also know and honor the Steptoe legacy.

One year ago, Cindy was taking medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, while also using a BiPAP machine at night.

But not anymore! Since having bariatric surgery from Dr. Michael Arroyo at Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss in April 2023, Cindy has lost 100 pounds and counting.

"I had struggled with my weight for more than 40 years since having my daughter," said Cindy. "Through COVID, I was the heaviest I'd ever been. I had no energy to do anything, but there was so much I wanted to do."

Cindy was inspired to pursue bariatric surgery after two of her neighbors had the procedure, with great results. With more energy than ever, Cindy now leads a women's group at her church and cooks meals for the houseless community.

"If you've struggled with losing weight for so many years and haven't been able to do it on your own, this is a wonderful option. You have to make the choice and do your part, too."

Learn more about bariatric surgery at Saint Luke's: https://bit.ly/3Sq54gw

Celebrate Pride Month with Saint Luke's as we stand with the LGBTQ+ community! Our leaders and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council served sweet treats to our amazing staff at many Saint Luke's locations. 🌈

We believe in creating inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and respected. We celebrate the diversity and individuality of our patients, teams, and all members of our community. Join us in embracing diversity and inclusion. ❤️

Mikhail Kosiborod, MD, cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and vice president of research at Saint Luke's Health System, was named Luminary in Cardiometabolic Medicine at the 2024 Heart in Diabetes Conference in Philadelphia.

Dr. Kosiborod was honored for his innovative leadership and unique contributions to better understanding the link between diabetes, obesity and heart disease, generating knowledge about novel treatments, and improving the quality of care for patients living with cardiometabolic conditions.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Kosiborod has set the standard for excellence in academic medicine," Darren McGuire, MD, who presented the award, said. "As a result of his unwavering commitment to diabetes and cardiovascular disease research and clinical care, so many have benefitted from his successes and accomplishments, including ourselves, but most importantly patients living with diabetes."

Congratulations to Dr. Kosiborod on this prestigious recognition! 💙

Saint Luke's was honored to be the Premier Partner of the 2024 Future Stages Festival at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. This year's festival showcased a diverse group of 670 youth performers and offered family-friendly activities for all to enjoy.

We love supporting Kansas City's future artists! 💙

Henry was born at just 24 weeks and spent more than four months in the NICU at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City.

"Our daughter was also a preemie, so we got to see many of the same staff during our second stay, which was so cool," said Josi, Henry's mom. "We loved all of our incredible nurses and health care team."

After 143 days, Henry graduated from the NICU. This year, Henry celebrated another graduation: Kindergarten! 🎓🎉

Before they left the NICU, Josi had decided to get a copy of "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss and asked Henry's care team to sign it with a special message.

"I recently went back and read all the amazing messages everyone left and sobbed my eyes out," said Josi. "I felt so much love in everyone’s words for Henry and our family. Saint Luke’s NICU has such a special place in our family’s story, and grateful doesn’t even begin to describe how we feel about all the amazing people there." 💙

Saint Luke’s proudly participated in the Kansas City Pride Parade and Festival this past weekend! 🏳️‍🌈 💙

Our leadership, staff, and family members had a blast celebrating diversity, inclusion, and love alongside our amazing community. Thank you to the hundreds of people who came to the parade and shared the joy of this event. See you again next year!

At Saint Luke's, we love to celebrate big moments with our patients.

We got to celebrate Maggie's first graduation back in 2006: Born at 27 weeks, weighing just 2 lbs. 1 oz., Maggie graduated from the NICU after a two-month stay.

This year, we get to celebrate her high school graduation! Maggie plans to attend UMKC in the fall and study computer science.

Congratulations to Maggie and all of this year's graduates! 🎓 🎉