For Sammie Wikel, a 29-year-old first-grade teacher at Osage Elementary School in Pryor, life was good. She lived on the family farm with her husband Derek and his 6-year-old daughter, surrounded by four generations. As they raised horses, cows, goats and even a couple of tortoises on the farm, Wikel also wanted to raise a…

After being dismissed by other doctors about her health concerns, Casey Chitwood just wanted to be heard. It was not until she arrived at Hillcrest Medical Center (HMC) that the Collinsville resident finally felt she had a voice.  “I had been to other hospitals, and they were not listening to me,” Chitwood said. “The Hillcrest…

Our Hillcrest Medical Center NICU nursing team dressed up these tiny turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday! These photoshoots are a team effort. The NICU staff starts planning these months in advance and spends about 10 to 15 minutes with each baby during their photo shoot. Our nurses work to get the babies dressed, posed and photographed.   Every tutu…

RSV is a respiratory virus that is often confused with the common cold because it has very similar symptoms. The virus is most dangerous to young children, and it is spreading earlier than usual this season. Theresa Horton, M.D., pediatrician at Utica Park Clinic Owasso, has some tips about what you should do if your…

When Valerie Kemp’s severe headaches returned after three years, she knew exactly where she needed to go for help: somewhere she felt heard and seen. In 2019, just two months after she moved to Tulsa, Kemp spent weeks in and out of emergency rooms, trying to find someone who could treat a tremendous headache. “I…

Hillcrest HealthCare System hosted the first Black Men in White Coats youth summit in Tulsa on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Around 200 Tulsa Public Schools students participated in the event on the University of Tulsa campus, where they went through clinical rounds, networked with providers and learned about the importance of minorities in the health care…

A device used for the first time in the world by cardiologists at Oklahoma Heart Institute, part of Hillcrest Medical Center, has now received authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Edwards PASCAL Precision system is used in the treatment of severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) in patients who are high-risk for…

Jennifer Haught gained a new perspective and appreciation for her work family, albeit in less-than ideal circumstances. In July 2022, Haught, Utica Park Clinic (UPC) practice manager for gastroenterology and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, had her regularly scheduled 3D mammogram inside the Leta M. Chapman Breast Center located at Hillcrest Medical Center (HMC). Just a few days…

Early detection is important when it comes to breast cancer. Clint Merritt, M.D., co-medical director of breast care with Utica Park Clinic, answers some common mammogram questions. • What is the recommended age for annual mammogram screenings in Oklahoma? Patients are recommended to begin annual screening mammography at the age of 40. Patients with known…