Barrow Pituitary Blog

Barrow Patient Travels to Phoenix from North Dakota for Treatment June 11, 2013

Watch Barrow patient Mark Johnson talk about his journey to wellness after he was diagnosed with a pituitary macroadenoma.

Patient testimony: Transsphenoidal surgery to remove a pituitary adenoma.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

Chaos is Opportunity May 30, 2013

Please enjoy this talk from Dr. Alan Pitt, renowned Neuroradiologist at the Barrow Neurological Institute.

His thought-provoking discussion concerning trends in delivery of treatment and value centered innovation in this time of healthcare reform may raise awareness of the little things we can all do to make a difference. Dr. Pitt has taken a considerable interest in looking outside the box in developing systems to improve delivery of healthcare.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

Join Us for a Free Educational Webinar May 24, 2013

Dr. Laura Knecht will be discussing Post Operative Medical Management of Functional Pituitary Tumors: Realistic Expectations for Patients and Families on the Pituitary Network Association webinar, August 21, 2013 from 9:00am-10:00am PST. This talk will cover the typical hospital experience and recovery process.  This webinar will be available to anyone for the first week and then limited to members of the Pituitary Network Association indefinitely.

Details to the link will be available in July.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

Nonsurgical Management of Pituitary Disorders Talk – Video Now Available May 8, 2013

Dr. Laura Knecht gave a wonderful overview of alternative to surgery for pituitary disorders at the Barrow Pituitary Center Support Group Meeting.The discussion that followed was engaging and inspired many patients to share their personal stories. The audience made several suggestions of topics for future meetings including management of psychiatric issues with pituitary disorders.

Please continue to follow this blog for information regarding upcoming support group meetings. Watch Dr. Knecht’s talk here.

Please post any questions to this blog.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
Margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

Transitioning from the Hospital to Home? April 29, 2013

Health care professionals often are concerned about discharging elderly patients from the hospital without being certain they will receive the proper assistance once they get home. Caregivers and family members can be just as concerned.

If you or someone you know has experienced this apprehension, or if you have a loved one scheduled for a hospital admission in the near future, please visit the ACTIVATE Community Resource Room at St. Joseph’s Hospital for assistance. The hospital concierge desk (located inside the main entrance of the hospital) can direct you to the ACTIVATE room. They can also be reached by phone at (602) 406-2374.

The ACTIVATE Community Resource Room can offer assistance with the following:

• Behavioral and Mental Health Resources
• Caregiver Services
• Community Resources
• Food, Clothing, and Medical
• Equipment
• Government Subsidized Care
• Housing Options
• In-Home Care Options
• Palliative Care, Hospice Care

Please post any questions or comments you have to this blog.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

Strong Support Group Interest Demonstrates Hunger for Information April 19, 2013

Thanks to Laura Knecht, MD for providing an engaging presentation concerning medical management of pituitary disorders. Clearly the need for this information is high with over 90 patients and family members in attendance this week. We will put the link to this recorded talk on this blog as soon as the editing is complete.

Feel free to post requests for future topics here.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
Margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

**Don’t Forget to RSVP**Barrow Pituitary Center Support Group Meeting April 16, 2013 April 12, 2013

Please join us on April 16^th from 4:00pm-6:00pm for our 2nd Barrow Pituitary Center Support Group Meeting.

Dr. Laura Knecht will discuss nonsurgical treatment of pituitary disorders. Following her presentation, patients and caregivers will have plenty of time to mingle with each other and share similar experiences. This meeting will be held in the Sonntag Academic Pavilion at Barrow Neurological Institute. View event details.

Regards, Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA

Neuroscience Program Coordinator

Barrow Pituitary Center

margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

Expertise at the Bedside! April 1, 2013

Receiving care from a multidisciplinary team isn’t limited to physicians. Expertise at the bedside is crucial for the successful recovery of patients with pituitary disorders.  Nurses at Barrow have more experience and advanced education that any other neurological facility in Arizona. Physician assistants & nurse practitioners add another level of expertise to assist the patient’s nurse in resolving a patient’s symptom or unexpected events.

Deborah Shepherd, ACNP, is a nurse practitioner specializing in disorders of the pituitary gland at the Barrow Pituitary Center. She started at Barrow working as a nurse practitioner in the department of neurosurgery. Her interest in neurological disorders began while working in the trauma intensive care unit at University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
Margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org

The 2nd Barrow Pituitary Center Educational Conference for Medical Professionals March 20, 2013

The Barrow Pituitary Center will host a conference on acromegaly and Cushing’s disease on November 2, 2013. This event will be geared toward medical professionals and is not intended for the general public.

If you are currently suffering from acromegaly or Cushing’s disease, we recommend that you tell your physicians (primary care doctor, neurologist, endocrinologist, gynecologist, and their office staff) about this opportunity to learn about effective diagnostic tests and the most advanced treatment options. Speakers at this event will include Barrow experts Dr. Andrew Little, Dr. William White, and Dr. Laura Knecht, and invited lecturers Lynette Neiman, MD, from the National Institutes of Health and Mary Lee Vance, MD, from the University of Virginia. Details about registration and online access after the event will be available on this blog in the coming weeks, so keep checking back!

Regards,

Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center

“Medical Home” Concept for Patients with Pituitary Conditions March 15, 2013

The theory of a medical home is not a new concept to medicine but, unfortunately, it is one that is not used by many medical facilities or medical practices. A medical home is a team-based health care delivery model led by a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner that provides comprehensive and continuous medical care to patients with the goal of obtaining maximized health outcomes.

Subspecialties within medical fields are crucial in treating rare neurological and endocrine disorders. Everyone seeks out the most experienced physicians for their condition. At times, however, patients feel they are being managed by a multitude of physicians that are addressing a small piece of their care without addressing their body as a whole.

The Barrow Pituitary Center is the oldest and most experienced facility in the Southwest offering patient-centered care to individuals requiring multidisciplinary treatment for complex pituitary disorders. The range of symptoms that patients with pituitary disorders suffer from is broad and the consequence of hormonal and neurological complications can severely diminish your quality of life. Our physicians, including Drs. William White, Andrew Little, and Laura Knecht, understand the value of a “medical home” for patients and provide ongoing neurological and endocrine care throughout one’s lifetime.

Regards, Maggie Bobrowitz, RN, MBA
Neuroscience Program Coordinator
Barrow Pituitary Center
margaret.bobrowitz@dignityhealth.org