Hospital News

While it wasn’t the Thanksgiving she would have preferred, Gale Smay nonetheless came out of the holiday weekend with plenty of warm feelings about Alton Memorial Hospital. The Dow, Ill., resident was so thankful about the treatment she received while battling the COVID-19 virus that she brought bags of treats back to the ER and Intermediate Care Unit staffs recently.

For Trish Oberweis, the fact that Dr. John Felder successfully treated her melanoma was the main thing. But the way in which Dr. Felder and his office treated her along the way was just as important.

The New Year is when we start making resolutions to lose weight. The main reason we need to do that is because we ate too much over the holidays. Stepping on the scale the first week of January doesn’t necessarily need to be a dreadful experience. Karen Arensmann, a registered dietitian at Alton Memorial Hospital, has a few tips to make sure we’re maintaining a healthy diet amidst all the holiday festivities.

Sherri Enlow has had more than her share of surgeries in her life, but the procedure she had done at Alton Memorial Hospital in September was the smoothest one yet. Enlow, 62, of Wood River, Ill., underwent a partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma on Sept. 22, with Dr. Arjun Sivaraman doing the procedure using the robotic da Vinci X Surgical System that AMH began using in January 2020. “It was wonderful,” said Enlow.

Alton Memorial Hospital is expanding its partnership with Books for Newborns, a nonprofit organization that provides book bags to low-income new mothers and children at no cost. AMH is now using other books for older children undergoing therapy in its Human Motion Institute. In late October, Books for Newborns delivered its 10,000^th book bag, and it went to a therapy patient at AMH.

If you’re one of the many people struggling with excess weight or obesity, a new bariatrics program at Alton Memorial Hospital offers renewed hope so you can achieve your long-term health goals and live a healthy, active life. Dr. Matt Musielak, a general surgeon on staff at AMH, is offering sleeve gastrectomies for patients who meet certain guidelines, such as a Body Mass Index of more than 40. But the surgical procedure is just part of a lengthy process that also include visits with a dietitian as well as a mental health professional to make sure all the patient’s needs are met.

Daniel Berg, MD, is an experienced, board-certified Family Medicine physician who has started practice at Family Physicians of Bethalto, 163 E. Bethalto Drive. Dr. Berg is accepting new patients, so schedule an appointment today by calling 618-433-6490.

Four Alton Memorial Hospital departments were recognized with top 2020 awards from national health care research leader Professional Research Consultants Inc. (PRC).The Digestive Health Center, which earned a 5-Star Award last year, earned a Top Performer award for 2020. The Human Motion Institute, Women's Health and Childbirth Center, and the Emergency Department were also honored.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation (AMHSF) to cancel the 12^th annual Duck Pluckers, Deer Skinners & Fish Hookers Ball, originally scheduled for June and then August. Even without an event, however, $67,299 has been raised for the Duck Pluckers Ball fund.

Dr. David Sumoza is returning to Alton Memorial Hospital as the full-time medical oncologist. He oversees the Outpatient Cancer and Infusion Center, located in Suite 132 of Medical Office Building B on the AMH campus. Dr. Sumoza is now a member of the Department of Medical Oncology at Washington University. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact the Outpatient Cancer and Infusion Center at Alton Memorial Hospital at 618-463-7323.