St. Elizabeth has been named an InterStim™ Center of Excellence, making it the first and only facility in the state and one of 10 in the nation to earn this prestigious designation for treating overactive bladder and urinary and fecal incontinence.
Awarded by Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device manufacturer, the designation illustrates St. Elizabeth’s high level of expertise and dedicated approach to its patients.
Center of Excellence designation was awarded based on several criteria, including:
• Exemplary use of the InterStim™ system
• Commitment to patient care for those suffering from symptoms associated with overactive bladder and fecal incontinence who have not received relief with other treatments
• Established care plan that outlines treatment
• Board-certified physicians certified in urology, obstetrics, gynecology or urogynecology
“The associates at the Edgewood Women’s Center and Ft. Thomas hospital share this honor,” said Dr. Susan Oakley, urogynecologist at St. Elizabeth Physicians who oversees the InterStim™ program. “It has been a six-year journey to meet all the criteria to be named a Center of Excellence. I cannot imagine performing these procedures for women with urinary and fecal incontinence at any other facility.”
Treatment with the InterStim™ system provides symptom relief by gently stimulating the sacral nerves just within your tailbone through a small device implanted in your lower back. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and does not require general anesthesia. Once implanted, the device sends mild electric currents that help control symptoms like fecal leaking, urinary incontinence and overactive bladder. Treatment is reversible and may be discontinued at any time.
“We are incredibly proud to be chosen by Medtronic for this recognition,” said Dr. Oakley. “InterStim™ is a simple, effective and well-researched, FDA approved incontinence therapy. It’s really a game changer. How wonderful it is that patients can undergo this simple two-step procedure and no longer need to take multiple medications or undergo invasive surgeries for their pelvic issues.”
St Elizabeth Urogynecology Edgewood and Ft. Thomas were also the first locations in the country to have cases using Medtronic’s new Basic Evaluation lead for InterStim™ trials.
In addition to the program’s designation, Kristen Kreinest, a Nurse Practitioner on the St. Elizabeth Urogynecology team, was honored by Medtronic. She became not only the first nurse practitioner in the Greater Cincinnati area with the ability to serve on the clinical staff, but also the first nurse practitioner in the United States to administer the updated InterStim™ Basic Evaluation lead office procedure.
Learn more about how the InterStim™ device may help you or make an appointment with our friendly staff by calling (859) 757-2132 or visiting St. Elizabeth Urogynecology.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare operates five facilities throughout Northern Kentucky and more than 115 primary care and specialty office locations in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. A member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, St. Elizabeth is a mission-based organization committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, providing more than $116 million in uncompensated care and benefit to the community in 2018.
