Doctor's Day

For patients who need robotic-assisted surgery, being able to receive care close to home makes a tremendous difference in their care experience. And now, patients at Parkview Noble Hospital can realize that incredible benefit. Thanks to donations from generous donors, the surgical department at Parkview Noble Hospital received the resources needed to implement da Vinci robotic equipment into their facility. This technology allows patients to receive minimally invasive surgery and follow-up care right at their local hospital — reducing travel time for the provider, the patient and their family, while helping ensure a better overall surgical experience.

Training the next generation of Parkview providers is an important part of ensuring excellent care for our patients. With funding from the Parkview Health Foundation, the Parkview Graduate Medical Education program was able to purchase four point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices and train internal medicine physician residents on how to use them. These handheld probes, which enable physicians to visualize internal anatomy and function, enhance diagnostic capability in real-time and showcase the frontier of the modern-day physical exam.

Dr. Joseph McCollom, DO, and Dr. Emily Powell, PhD, have been conducting research into the cognitive impairment colorectal cancer patients can experience when receiving chemotherapy. The goal of the research, which is being funded by a large donation to the Parkview Health Foundation, is to identify biomarkers that may help predict the onset of cognitive impairment in certain patients. Using their findings, Dr. McCollom and Dr. Powell would like to develop a blood test to predict “chemo brain” so they can establish parameters for earlier intervention and symptom management. They also hope to develop a new chemo brain treatment to help cancer patients everywhere.