Park Nicollet Clinic

The close connection between Dr. Levi Downs’s grandmother and her physician during a terminal illness is what drew Dr. Downs to medicine.

A gynecologic oncologist at Park Nicollet, Dr. Downs is a 2024 Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Top Doctor and featured on cover on the magazine’s 2024 Top Doctors issue.

“Years ago, when my grandmother was dying of cancer, I was moved by the close connection between her, my mother – her caregiver – and my grandmother’s physician. This left an impression on me and showed how important establishing connections with patients is while also providing their care,” Downs said.

“I’m often treating patients who are frightened so to be able to support them through the ups and downs is rewarding.”

Read more about Dr. Downs in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine: https://shorturl.at/4Hb65

While a hat or umbrella will provide shade, wearing sunglasses provides your eyes with additional protection from UV rays, which can contribute to cataracts. Learn more about keeping your eyes and skin safe during the summer months. https://bit.ly/4bHnD8v

Congratulations to more than 175 HealthPartners and Park Nicollet physicians who were named to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s 2024 Top Doctors list.

This includes 59 Rising Stars – physicians who have made significant contributions to medicine during the first decade of their careers. Physicians on the list were recognized for the impact they’ve made on their patients, colleagues and community.

You can find the full list here: https://shorturl.at/J7TCL

Workplaces should foster and support both personal and professional development. And for Mark, Levan, Kakieta and Katie, this is what they appreciate most about working at the HealthPartners care group. https://shorturl.at/NcZaQ

Minneapolis is home to one of the largest celebrations of Somali culture in the U.S., and our partners for good were among the 10,000 people gathered to celebrate the rich heritage, traditions and contributions of the Somali community.

At this year’s Somali Independence Day Festival, event organizers partnered with health care systems to highlight the importance of health and wellness. Our volunteers at the HealthPartners booth spoke with community members about needs and concerns including mental health, reproductive health, immunizations, access to care and language services.

“It was a meaningful opportunity for HealthPartners to listen, learn and align their services with the community’s priorities,” says Munira Maalimlsaq, nurse practitioner at Park Nicollet and part of our event organizing committee. “Together, we can continue to make a positive impact and empower communities to thrive.”

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Minneapolis waxay hoy u tahay mid ka mid ah dabaaldegyada ugu waaweyn ee dhaqanka Soomaaliyeed ee Maraykanka. waxaana ka qaybgalay saaxiibbadeen wanaagsan (partners for good) oo katirsanaa ka qaybgalayaashii toban kun oo qof oo isugu yimid inay u dabaal dega dhaqanka hodan ka ah iyo waxqabadka bulshada Soomaaliyeed.

Munaasabadda Maalinta Xorriyadda Soomaaliya ee sannadkan, qabanqaabiyeyaasha dhacdada ayaa iska kaashaday hoggaamiyeyaasha daryeelka caafimaadka si ay u muujiyaan muhiimadda caafimaadka iyo fayoqabka. Mutadawiciinta goobta HealthPartners waxay la hadleen xubnaha bulshada oo ka wadahadlay baahidooda iyo welwelkooda oo ay ku jiraan caafimaadka maskaxda, caafimaadka taranka, tallaalka, helitaanka adeegyada caafimaadka iyo adeegyada luqadda.

"Waa fursad macno leh oo loogu talagalay HealthPartners iyo hoggaamiyeyaasha kale ee daryeelka caafimaadka inay dhegeystaan, bartaan, oo ay adeegyadooda la jaanqaadaan mudnaanta bulshada," ayay tiri Munira Maalimlsaq, dhakhtarad caafimaad oo ka shaqaysa Park Nicollet isla markaana qayb ka ah guddiga qabanqaabada dhacdada. "Wadajir ahaan, waxaan sii wadi karnaa inaan sameyno saameyn xoogan oo aan awoodno bulshooyinka inay kobcaan."

Work isn’t everything. Trust Hannah: HealthPartners understands the importance of your personal life.

Apply today: https://shorturl.at/lL5BF

To help kids get ready for high school sports, our partners at TRIA Orthopedics are offering free sports physicals for high school athletes.

Our goal is to make health care more accessible for families and their young athletes.

High school athletes need sports physicals to play, and Jonah Fields, a teacher and coach at Como Park Senior High School, says TRIA's free sports physical program has been a tremendous help for his athletes.

“Every summer, we get the players who still need physicals, we organize drivers and we carpool to TRIA,” Jonah explains.

Thanks to a partnership with TRIA, which includes Lindsay Knight as the TRIA athletic trainer at Como Park High School, a once difficult process has been simplified.

“Playing high school sports gives our students an identity, it creates a friend group. It teaches them so much beyond just competition. Partnerships like this one with TRIA helps make all of this possible.”

To learn more about the free sports physicals for high school athletes or to make an appointment, visit: https://shorturl.at/6h1wK

Summer is in full bloom. Take a minute to learn about how to protect your skin from the sun, and don’t forget to pack your sunscreen.

If you notice any concerning changes to your skin, talk to your primary care doctor or one of our dermatologists. https://bit.ly/4eEH58G

Thinking about applying to join the Park Nicollet team? Follow Ali, Joe, Munira and Mark’s advice and take the leap. https://shorturl.at/IwM4O

We were overjoyed to celebrate nearly three decades of participating in the Pride festival and parade this past weekend!

We offer compassionate, inclusive care to all our LGBTQ+ patients, members, community, and colleagues because everyone deserves access to quality health care without discrimination.

“Every June, my husband and I look forward to marching in the Pride parade with HealthPartners, and we have for nearly a decade,” said Sokun, HIV medical social worker. “Participating in the Pride parade isn’t just about celebration; it’s a powerful affirmation of HealthPartners’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity. It means the world to me to march alongside my friends, colleagues, and community members, standing proud and united in support of equality for all.”

During Pride month and every month, we’re proud to be your LGBTQ+ partner for good. 🏳️‍🌈

Dr. Deb Thorp is a trailblazer in gender health services and LGBTQ+ care.

She recently retired from direct patient care after nearly 35 years, but she will continue as the medical director at our gender services clinic.

As an OB-GYN, Dr. Thorp's career is filled with numerous honors and awards, but she told Lavender Magazine her biggest accomplishment was “meeting my patients where they are so that I can give them the best and safe medical options.”

Thank you, Dr. Thorp, for your tireless dedication and making sure every patient feels welcome, included and valued.

To read Lavender’s feature story on Dr. Thorp, visit this link: https://shorturl.at/nKtR9

Welcome to some of our new clinicians here at Park Nicollet! Get to know them and schedule an appointment too!

Pictured from L to R:
Samuel Dardick, MD, Internal Medicine at Golden Valley (https://bit.ly/45KU9Ft)

Morgan Russek, MD, Family Medicine in St. Louis Park (https://bit.ly/45G6z1f)

Alex Krona, PA-C, Family Medicine in Eden Prairie (https://bit.ly/3S9M8Ev)

Rebecca Schugel, DNP-WH, Sexual Medicine in Maple Grove and St. Louis Park (https://bit.ly/3RNMMXP)

For a complete list of our clinicians and their specialties, visit ➡️ https://bit.ly/3HsoprC

We’re proud to once again be named a Top Workplace by the Star Tribune!

Thank you to our incredible team of 28,000 for making this possible. Your dedication and commitment to being partners for good truly makes us one of the best places to work. Here’s to our amazing team!

Growing Through Grief, supported by our Park Nicollet Foundation, helps children cope with loss through school-based peer support, counseling, and crisis response.

In this episode of “Off the Charts,” Nicole Barnes, the program manager, and Judy Brown, Minneapolis Public Schools' mental health manager, discuss the impact of childhood bereavement and the benefits of collaboration between health care and education systems.

Listen to “Off the Charts” on your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe today!

Minneapolis Schools Heal and Transform Through Grief and Trauma | Off the Charts: Examining the Health Equity Emergency Growing Through Grief is a school-based grief support and crisis management program supported by the Park Nicollet Foundation that provides children with peer support groups, individual counseling, and death-related crisis response after they’ve experienced the loss of a loved one. Nicole Barnes, ...

Every patient that comes to Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital has unique needs, and we want to provide great experiences for everyone in our care.

We’re now offering a new range of hair and skin care products for patients who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Products include 3-in-1 combs, coconut and olive oils and other items for textured hair.

The team of Tamyka Carr, nurse educator at Regions Hospital; Heather Walters, health equity program project manager at Regions; Lily J., registered nurse at Regions; and Montreena Medlock, patient financial services manager at Methodist (not pictured), devised a two-part solution: getting the right supplies and providing education.

“I have relatives and friends who have been patients and expressed how their hair was damaged due to a lack of good products available,” says Tamika Smith, staffing coordinator at Regions. “These products are a phenomenal addition, and a great help to our patients of color.”

Patients coming to Methodist will now have access to a wider range of products, and an educated team, thanks to the teamwork of our dedicated colleagues. This effort ensures that we can provide better care for everyone.

Summer is flying by, but no need to fear. If you still need to schedule your child’s back-to-school health checkups we have convenient appointment scheduling options to help you check this off your summer to-do list. https://bit.ly/4es1L3j

Men are 22% more likely than women to neglect their cholesterol checks, and that’s a key reason why men in their 50s suffer more heart attacks than women. Take a moment today to learn more about what you need to look for in your 20s to 40s and beyond. https://bit.ly/4aSyU5r

We’re staying green and winning gold at Methodist Hospital!

We recently earned our sixth Top 25 Environmental Excellence award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental stewardship in health care. This award is Practice Greenhealth’s highest honor, accounting for a range of sustainability programs, including waste, chemicals, energy, water and climate.

And it’s not just us! HealthPartners earned 18 awards organization-wide, including its 10th consecutive Systems for Change award, and all eight hospitals received awards for showing dedication to sustainable practices.

“A clean environment is an important foundation for health and well-being,” says Allison Egan, HealthPartners sustainability program manager. “These awards reflect the dedication, passion and support we have at our organization as we work to keep sustainability at the forefront of our efforts to move the health care industry forward.”

Visit our news release to learn more: https://shorturl.at/rif0M

Suzanne Herberg is a familiar face at our St. Louis Park clinic and specialty center. She has volunteered for 18 years, working as a concierge and helping people find their way.

This year, she received the Park Nicollet Foundation’s Earl Dresser Quality of Volunteer Service Award.

The award is named after Earl Dresser, who spent over 20 years in leadership at Methodist Hospital. He recognized the invaluable contributions volunteers make to the success of the organization and to serving the community.

Congratulations and thank you, Suzanne!

We know that it can be tricky to plan care for more than one child at a time. If you need health checkups or other appointments for multiple kids, find a clinic near you and give us a call. We’ll help you get your kids ready for school and sports in a way that works for your schedule. View locations: https://bit.ly/3KDxl0v

It’s important to know that the development of cataracts in your eyes can cause blur, double vision, glare and difficulty seeing at night. Understand more about what cataracts are, how they develop and what you can do if you think you have one. https://bit.ly/3VwbDla

The fountains at Methodist Hospital flowed purple in May as the Park Nicollet Foundation honored women and kicked off our Women's Health + Be Pink Initiative.

The initiative raises funds year-round to provide exceptional, comprehensive care for women's health. The team from Park Nicollet Women's Center gathered at the fountain to celebrate both the kickoff and the center’s 10th anniversary.

The community was also invited to honor the women in their lives. Check out our "Women of Honor" wall to see the incredible women who were recognized: https://shorturl.at/NgCtW

With 50+ locations offering back-to-school health checkups, including evening and weekend appointments, we make getting your kids ready for the new school year easy and convenient.

Choose an appointment that works best for you: https://bit.ly/3RbkC8N

Sabrina is known for providing exceptional patient care as a nurse at the Frauenshuh Cancer Center at Methodist Hospital.

They also have a knack for making people laugh.

Sabrina’s vibrant personality often surprises people when they open up about their personal struggles.

“I live with depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, ADHD, and have a history of self-injurious behavior,” Sabrina shares.

Sabrina's journey with mental health began at 16, leading to years of therapy and self-discovery. Amid these challenges, Sabrina realized they were gay, adding another layer of complexity.

Their passion for helping others led them into health care, but self-care became a priority.

With support from a caring manager, Sabrina took a leave for treatment, a decision they cherish.

Finding balance, Sabrina embraced comedy to share their story, connecting with others through humor. “Fighting mental health stigma starts with openly talking about it,” Sabrina says.

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, we invite you to join Sabrina by breaking through stigma with a punchline or just a conversation. Get more resources on helping yourself or others with Make It OK.

Dr. Joy Maharaj has been a leader in quality improvement in our Family Birth Center, including implementing two major projects that led to improvements in patient outcomes.

The obstetrics & gynecology physician, who cares for patients at Methodist Hospital and Park Nicollet Women’s Center, was recently named the recipient of our Park Nicollet Foundation’s 2024 Bill Richards, MD Young Physician Leadership Award.

The award recognizes young physicians for innovations that improve clinic or hospital efficiency, patient treatment or outcomes, patient and family experiences, or community health benefits. Named after Dr. Bill Richards, a family medicine physician and leader who died suddenly, the award is given to individuals who have been in practice for less than 10 years and have demonstrated leadership.

Congratulations and thank you, Dr. Maharaj!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At Park Nicollet, we care about and prioritize both mental and physical health – for you and your kids. Conveniently schedule your child’s annual well-child visit today to start the school year off right. https://shorturl.at/YX7Lt

It’s National Stroke Awareness Month, so don’t forget the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T can help remind you of the signs of a stroke – balance problems, eyesight issues, face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and terrible headache. If you're experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it's time to call 911.

The sweet sound of harmonica music recently filled the lobby of Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital.

The music was thanks to a collaboration from the music therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation teams.

The holiday open rehearsal, featuring patients with underlying lung conditions performing holiday classics and other modern tunes, returned to the hospital for the first time since 2019. Unlike other wind instruments, harmonicas make sound on inhales in addition to exhales, and patients have found playing harmonica is beneficial to their everyday breathing.

The group, which was established in 2017 in partnership with the COPD Foundation’s Harmonicas for Health and supported by a grant from the Park Nicollet Foundation.

It's great to have their music back at our hospital!

Park Nicollet Clinic updated their business hours.

Park Nicollet Clinic updated their information in their About section.

Park Nicollet Clinic updated their phone number.