Hospital News

"The Godfather"; Watergate; tragedy at the Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. 1972 seems like such a long time ago. But it was when Diane Mize began working at Alton Memorial Hospital -- and she's still here! Diane celebrated her 50th anniversary at AMH on June 12 and was honored by leadership, her co-workers and retired co-workers.

The White Cross Auxiliary (WCA) of Alton Memorial Hospital is again having a mail-in fund raiser in 2022. The deadline to donate is Aug. 1. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Irene McLaughlin at 618-530-8589 or Meg Dorris at 618-530-7006. The goal this year is to purchase more wheelchairs both for the hospital and also the medical office buildings on campus.

With hot temperatures here, area health care professionals are offering advice to stay safe. Andrew Miller, MD, Chief of Emergency Services and Medical Director at Alton Memorial Hospital, warns that the hot temperatures may result in an increased risk of heat-related illnesses ranging from mild illness, to heat exhaustion, or heat stroke (most severe).

Alton Memorial Hospital was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as “Gold Level” for its commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep.

After taking a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alton Memorial Hospital School of Nursing alumni are busy planning a much-anticipated return of their reunion. The reunion will be held Saturday, July 16, at Alton’s Best Western Premiere Hotel, with registration starting at 11 a.m. For more information on the event, call the Foundation Development Office at Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation at 618-433-6047.

The Women’s Health and Childbirth Center at Alton Memorial Hospital is always a friendly place for new parents and their babies. And now the department has officially been redesignated as “Baby Friendly.”

Matt Contarino of Alton is very happy with the support he has received from the Alton Memorial Hospital Diabetes Management Center since he was diagnosed in 2020.

Cathy Wagner, manager of Surgical Services and the Cardiac Cath Lab at Alton Memorial, won the 2021 AMH Leadership Award, as voted on by senior leaders recently and announced May 12 during Health Care Week.

Greg Lorsbach, a physical therapist with the AMH Human Motion Institute, has won the hospital's 2021 Employee of the Year in a selection by hospital leadership from among the 12 Employees of the Month.

Among the awards handed out during Health Care Week recently was the Virginia Ilch Team Quality Award. The ”Promoting Vaginal Births” team was the winner for its part in a 2021 quality initiative as a part of the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Their 2021 cesarean section rate dropped to 18.5 percent --well below the target rate.