Recent News

Debunking COVID-19 vaccine myths

A tidal wave of information has circulated social media for the last few months regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

But what parcels of information can be trusted?

Hillcrest HealthCare System Chief Medical Officer Guy Sneed, M.D., and Utica Park Clinic Chief Medical Officer Jeffrey Galles, D.O., addressed 10 common concerns surrounding the vaccine.

Here are their answers to those concerns:

Concern: The vaccines are unsafe because their development was rushed.

Sneed: While the current COVID-19 vaccines available were developed over a very tight timeline, their... Read More »

Nurse shares how a COVID-19 patient impacted his life

What a wonderful story about one of our nurses, Micah Neuenschwander, and a patient he forever made an impact in a story on Ch. 2.

Neurologist Says Severe Headaches Can Be Long-Lasting COVID-19 Symptom

Jaclyn Duvall, M.D., of Utica Park Clinic shares with News on 6 how severe headaches can impact COVID-19 patients. See story here.

Restarting Safely

As elective surgeries restart across the U.S., including Oklahoma, it’s important for patients to know what health care facilities are doing to ensure their safety. The good news is hospitals and clinics within Hillcrest HealthCare System have always been safe, following rigorous protocols and policies every day. With the addition of COVID-19, existing policies have been enhanced and additional safety protocols are being observed.

“We are committed to observing safety practices that keep our health care workers and patients safe at all times during the COVID pandemic,” said Guy... Read More »

Hillcrest Hospital South Receives ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Hillcrest Hospital South for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. Hillcrest Hospital South was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI in April based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. The most common symptom of a heart attack for both men and women is chest... Read More »

Is flu season over? Not yet, according to local doctors.

TULSA, Okla. (April 4, 2018) – Is the flu season over? Not quite, according to doctors. This flu season has been especially brutal, resulting in more than 4,500 hospitalizations and, tragically, 253 deaths from Sept. 1, 2017 – March 20, 2018 according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). OSDH reported no new deaths resulting from influenza from March 21 – March 27, 2018, though during the same time period 27 Oklahomans were hospitalized due to flu complications. “Influenza generally has one or two peak times during the year,” explained Jeffrey Galles, D.O., chief medical... Read More »

Welcome AllianceHealth Pryor to the Hillcrest family

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hillcrest HealthCare System enters into

long-term operating agreement with Mayes County Hospital Authority

Tulsa, Okla. (April 10, 2017) – Hillcrest HealthCare System (HHS) has signed a long-term management agreement to assume operations and associated assets of AllianceHealth Pryor in Pryor, Oklahoma. The seven-year agreement between HHS and the Mayes County Hospital Authority is effective May 1, 2017.

HHS will take on the day-to-day operations of the hospital, which will be renamed Hillcrest... Read More »

Hillcrest Medical Center Receives Excellence Through Insight Award from National Health Care Organization

Hillcrest Medical Center (HMC) was recently recognized with an Excellence Through Insight award from HealthStream, Inc, a national health care organization focused on improving patient outcomes through the development of the health care workforce. The awards are given annually to HealthStream clients who perform above industry and peer benchmark levels in a variety of categories. HMC was recognized for Most Improved Outpatient Satisfaction in the large hospital category (250+ beds) based on 2015 HealthStream data primarily collected from patient telephone surveys. “We applaud Hillcrest... Read More »

Oklahoma Heart Institute implants first-of-its-kind naturally dissolving heart stent in patient with coronary artery disease

Tulsa, OK (August 23, 2016) Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI) recently became one of the first hospitals in Oklahoma to offer patients with coronary artery disease a new treatment option that literally disappears over time. Mary Seago of Liberty Mounds, OK, was the first OHI patient to be implanted with the world's first FDA-approved dissolving heart stent. The Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold is a major advancement in the treatment of coronary artery disease, which affects 15 million people in the United States and remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Seago began experiencing... Read More »

Fitness Trackers Can Help Keep Healthful Resolutions

Nat Torkelson, MS, RN, Administrative Director of Cardiovascular Services at Oklahoma Heart Institute tries not to miss her water aerobics class three times a week. But that’s not the only time she’s logging physical activity. Every thirty minutes she gets a reminder if she’s been sitting at her desk without getting up.

“There may be days that I have a lot of meeting time or in-office time, so my steps may be 3,000 or 4,000, and of course you aim for 10,000,” Nat explains. “The days that I greet in the lobby of the hospital, I have plenty of steps and I get more than 10,000.”