Newsworthy

Dear Community Partners,

Here are today’s updates:

• Stormont Vail Welcomes Samara Lewis, M.D., to General Surgery Team
• Topeka Campus Hospital Earns TeamBirth Recognition
• Marlene Eicher Featured in Baker Alumni Spotlight

Stormont Vail Welcomes Samara Lewis, M.D., to General Surgery Team

Stormont Vail Health proudly welcomes Dr. Samara Lewis, a general surgeon, to the Stormont Vail Surgical Care team. Dr. Lewis will provide elective surgery at the Cotton O’Neil Mulvane Clinic and coverage for surgeries needed through the Emergency Department and trauma activations at Stormont Vail’s Topeka hospital.

Dr. Lewis’s exposure to medicine started with her mother and grandmothers, who were all nurses. In high school, Dr. Lewis’s mother encouraged her to shadow at her local hospital to see if she’d enjoy it. Many medical professionals start exploring the medical field in high school healthcare career pathways. However, only some have an opportunity to help save lives in their program.

During Dr. Lewis’s first 24-hour shift, a tornado struck Amarillo, Texas, her hometown, unexpectedly throwing her into action to help care for victims. After this experience, she never looked back.

“When people are in the middle of a crisis and need help, you get to be that hand that they get to hold,” Dr. Lewis said. “That’s why I do this. I love the science and the surgery part, but you get to be there and help people. It’s immediately gratifying.”

While pursuing her medical degree at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Dr. Lewis’s training emphasized the importance of culturally competent care. This program and her general surgery residency at Oklahoma University Health Science Center have prepared her to serve increasingly diverse communities.

Dr. Lewis is eager to make a meaningful difference through her work, which includes emergency and elective surgeries and supporting the Trauma Services team with acute surgical needs. “I’m invested, excited, and love what I do. I went into medicine to make a difference in someone’s life and have a relationship with my patients moving forward.”

Topeka Hospital Earns TeamBirth Recognition

Thanks to our Mother & Baby team, Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka has earned TeamBirth Recognition. As one of only ten U.S. hospitals with this distinction, it sets us apart and proves our commitment to collaboration, communication, and respectful childbirth practices.

To earn TeamBirth Recognition, our hospital demonstrated adherence to key TeamBirth practices by sharing feedback from team meetings and actively engaging in initiatives to enhance families’ birthing experiences.

Stormont Vail launched the TeamBirth program at its Topeka hospital in March 2023. Since then, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of C-sections among first-time mothers, indicating that more women successfully give birth naturally. This encouraging trend reflects improvements in maternity care and support for safe vaginal deliveries, which often lead to faster recoveries.

We greatly appreciate our Mother & Baby team for helping Stormont Vail lead the way in exceptional prenatal care.

Marlene Eicher Featured in Baker Alumni Spotlight

Marlene Eicher, DNP, RN, APRN, FNP-BC, BSN, Baker School of Nursing, is featured in the Alumni Spotlight published by Baker University in December. Each month Baker connects with alumni who are making a difference in their careers and communities.

Marlene received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in May 2005 from Baker. After working as a staff nurse in postsurgical, she spent nine years as an APRN in urgent care and began as a clinical adjunct at Baker School of Nursing. She then advanced to instructor, assistant professor and tenured professor. She is currently associate dean of the graduate programs.

Marlene shared how Baker SON provided support for continued learning. “It is a privilege to be a faculty member and mentor for the next generation of nurses and advocate for local and global health care. Still today I see the passion for lifelong learning in the faculty and administration team that I work with.”

We together,
Dr. Kenagy