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Marshfield Adolescent Medicine, Lake Hallie complete Adolescent Champion Model

Adolescents face unique health care needs that often go unmet. Adolescent Medicine at Marshfield Medical Center (medical offices) and Family Medicine at Marshfield Clinic Lake Hallie Center recently completed the Adolescent Champion Model to better meet these unique needs.

The two groups worked with the University of Michigan Adolescent Health Institute over the last year to complete training on adolescent-centered care, create interdisciplinary collaboration to drive organizational change and make improvements to waiting areas. Funding for the project was provided by Family Health Center and Project Shine.

Adolescent Medicine received a gold certification, while Family Medicine received a bronze certification for their efforts. “The Adolescent Champion Model will help us better meet the needs of adolescents and empower them to establish lifelong healthy behaviors," said Penny Funk, pediatric clinical quality nurse specialist.

Over the last year, both teams have used survey results from patients, providers and support staff to drive changes in how they provide adolescent health care.

This approach has been shown to improve well-visit participation, depression screening rates, chlamydia screening rates, immunization completion rates, risk screening rates and patient satisfaction.

Pictured from left to right, are Mary Frederick (MA), Dr. Jeff Shepich, Pa Solis (Care Team Coordinator). Not pictured: Melissa Jordan (Clinical Quality Coordinator).

Pictured from left to right, front row: Linda Curtin (MA), Dr. Jim Meyer, Jen Esker, NP; Sharon Wilke (LPN). Back Row: Vicky Foltz (Assistant Manager), Penny Funk (Pediatric Clinical Quality Nurse Specialist), Lisa Lynn (manager).

Meet the Miracle Kids series: Introducing Lucas Willemon

Editor's note: This story is one of a five-part series that features children from northern and central Wisconsin who have been chosen to represent children treated at Marshfield Children's Hospital.

Lucas Willemon lives for sports and spending time outside. He has dreams of playing baseball in the big leagues. At just 7 years old, life has thrown Willemon plenty of curveballs, and he has hit them all out of the park – including cancer.

When Willemon was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, his family was overwhelmed and scared. During the week they spent at Marshfield Children's Hospital to confirm the diagnosis, their care team worked to find answers and helped Willemon feel more comfortable. Support for Children's Miracle Networks Hospitals at Marshfield Children's Hospital provided Willemon's family with meal tickets and gave Willemon access to Child Life Specialists, who played with him and helped calm his nerves.

Child Life Specialists, pediatric oncologists and the entire care team stayed with Willemon throughout his treatment. They became like family. And when Willemon rang the bell to signify the end of treatment, they were all there with him to celebrate.

Willemon never lost sight of his dreams during his cancer journey. And now that he's on the other side, he's more determined than ever to make them come true.

Watch Willemon's story.

Dr. Onitilo to serve on two cancer research committees

Adedayo Onitilo, M.D., Ph.D., the medical director for Cancer Care & Research, was recently appointed to the American Society of Clinic Oncology (ASCO) Cancer Research Committee for a 3-year term and to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Ad Hoc Working Group on Clinical Trials Enrollment and Retention.

Dr. Onitilo is a leader in the Wisconsin National Community Oncology Research Program (WiNCORP), a Wisconsin cancer clinical trial network that was awarded $15.6 million in 2019 by the National Cancer Institute.

Under Dr. Onitilo's leadership, accruals rose sharply in the last years of the previous 5-year grant, more than quadrupling numbers in previous years. These accruals caused WiNCORP to receive Platinum status as a NCORP. Dr. Onitilo and his team also were recognized for having the highest number of treatment enrollments for a single clinician in the national program over the last two years.

“The team at Cancer Care & Research has made amazing strides in recent years, which have included increasing access to important clinical trials for our cancer patients," Dr. Onitilo said. “Through my work with these committees, I hope to contribute my quota in improving clinical trial programs across the nation while also bringing valuable information back to our patients here at the Health System."

Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology is the world's leading professional organization for physicians and oncology professionals caring for people with cancer. The Cancer Research Committee develops, promotes and implements ASCO's activities related to cancer research and serves as a primary resource to ASCO in the development of research-related public policy and issue analysis.

“Over the last few years, Dr. Onitilo has taken cancer clinical trials to the next level for the Health System," said Amit Acharya, Ph.D., B.D.S., executive director of the Research Institute. “We are proud to have him represent our organization on this committee."

Security Health Plan invests in mentoring program for children in foster care

Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc., along with Marshfield Clinic Health System, invested $2,000 in Central Wisconsin Royal Family Kids to help children in the foster care system in Central Wisconsin and provide them with positive experiences and one-on-one mentoring.

Cole Peckham, director of Central Wisconsin Royal Family Kids said the organization seeks to empower, encourage and uplift children in the foster care system in Central Wisconsin. He said Central Wisconsin Royal Family Kids is a resource aimed at interrupting the cycle of abuse.

“We are advocates for foster children in the community. We provide opportunities to help the affected children in our community to grow and be in a safe environment," Peckham said.

The funds will be used to help support a week-long, residential summer experience and mentoring program. The camp is specially-programmed to serve children of trauma and abuse and is staffed by volunteers who work to encourage the children's hopes and dreams and foster kindness.

“We want them to see that they have an inherent value and that, regardless of what has happened in their lives, they are worth something," Peckham said. “We want to help them grow and develop into healthy and well-adjusted young men and women."

Peckham said the funds from Security and Health System are earmarked for healthy eating, promoting physical activity and developing appropriate hygiene for the camp participants.

“We are pleased to invest in Royal Family Kids," said Jay Shrader, Community Health and Wellness vice president for the Health System. “The kids that attend this camp have been missing out on so much – not only a loving, safe home environment, but also things like healthy meals.

“We know healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for proper growth and development, so helping to get healthy food options in front of children is beneficial to their physical well-being. Studies have also shown that children with healthy eating habits have better self-esteem and fewer emotional problems. We're glad to contribute to that as part of this positive experience for these kids."

To learn more about the organization, camp or how to donate or get involved visit their website at marshfield.royalfamilykids.org or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/centralwirfk.

In memoriam: Dr. Phiroze Hansotia

Phiroze "Phil" Lovji Hansotia, M.D., former neurologist with Marshfield Clinic Health System, died June 23 at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay. He was 82. During his 35-year career with the Health System, Dr. Hansotia lead through innovation and his work continues to impact countless providers and patients today.

Dr. Hansotia came to Marshfield in 1970 for an opportunity to practice medicine and build the neurosciences department. He created the first sleep laboratory in the Health System in 1978. It was the first sleep center in the Midwest offering clinical services and one of the first in the nation. The original sleep lab, still located in the hospital, allows for inpatient care of more complex patients with chronic conditions and needing respiratory support.

Because of the establishment of the sleep lab, dozens of technologists have been trained and thousands of patients treated every year since 1978. In 2010, Marshfield Clinic Board of Directors dedicated the “Phiroze L. Hansotia, M.D. Institute for Sleep Medicine and Research," to recognize Dr. Hansotia for his contributions to the field. It also was intended to support the ongoing research in sleep medicine by serving as a place where clinicians attend to patients daily and interact with scientists to gain new insights into sleep disorders. The sleep center is now located in the medical offices in Marshfield and provides care to over 8,000 patients with sleep disorders each year.

Academic approach to medicine

Dr. Hansotia's work and the sleep center have changed the way providers evaluate the neurological causes for patients with sleep disorders today. Dr. Hansotia led the effort to have patients receive full EEG monitoring as part of a sleep study. This helped providers look for a cause for sleeping problems, such as seizures.

“Phil believed in an 'academic approach to medicine', that excellence in medicine requires the knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of the disease in order to provide and at times find new treatments," said Dr. Jaime Boero, director of the Phiroze L Hansotia Sleep Medicine Center.

Dr.Hansotia also reported the first cases of idiopathic hypersomnia, a condition that affects patients that have excessive daytime sleepiness but do not have narcolepsy. Idiopathic hypersomnia is now a different medical entity that is distinguished from narcolepsy.

His interest in neurology wasn't limited to sleep medicine. Dr. Hansotia wrote the definitive paper on history of neurology in Wisconsin from 1907 through 1957. He also

took on different neurological research and looked to his colleagues for collaboration opportunities.

Dr. Hansotia helped with research that led to current guidelines that allow people with epilepsy to return to driving if their seizures are controlled. “He was an early pioneer looking at the true risks of a person with well-controlled epilepsy driving and was an early advocate for allowing people to drive when their epilepsy was well-controlled," said Dr. Evan Sandok, neurologist.

Approaching life with a smile

In addition to practicing medicine, conducting and publishing research

and giving presentations, Dr. Hansotia provided medical care in under-developed countries outside the United States. He served as an adjunct clinical professor of neurology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1989-1998. Dr. Hansotia and his wife Marilyn retired to Door County in 2004 and made their home in Ellison Bay.

His colleagues remember him as an exceptional man who always had a passion for learning and believing every problem had a solution. “My fondest memory of him was his optimistic outlook of life, no matter how difficult the situation," Dr. Boero said. “He was a man of great imagination, intelligence and hope."

Arrangements are pending to honor Phil's life at a later date. For more information visit www.caspersonfuneralhome.com.

Dr. Phiroze Hansotia in 1992 at Marshfield Clinic.

Latest DAISY award recipient at

Marshfield Medical Center

Registered Nurse Cassie Neidlein is the June 2020 DAISY recipient for Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield.

Neidlein has an associate's degree in nursing from Midstate Technical College. Neidlein has two young boys, ages 3 and 5, and she loves spending all of her free time with her family. Neidlein has been employed with Marshfield Clinic Health System on 6 North at the Marshfield hospital since 2013. She s so proud to be part of the 6 North team.

Here is what the thankful patient shared:

While on sixth floor Neidlein was an “exceptional nurse," not only did she provide excellent professional care, her personality shined and she is the ultimate caregiver.

After her shift ended and the patient went to third floor, Neidlein came to visit with the patient and talk a few minutes.

“What a wonderful person and nurse, you are lucky to have her in your employ," said the patient. “Thanks to everyone who cared for me."

Health System continues re-starting centers and services

Editor's note: This article will be updated weekly to reflect hours for centers and services that have restarted this week.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have continually put patient and staff safety, health and well-being at the forefront of every decision we make. Ongoing changes to hours of operation, service openings, outreach and workflows for locations across the Health System to allow for more in-person services.

The Health System will continue to focus on scheduling telehealth and phone appointments during closures as much as possible. Our emergency departments and urgent care locations were generally available for those immediate needs.

With safety in mind, in-person appointments are available at many Health System locations. For a full list, view marshfieldclinic.org/location-changes. As of July 9, these changes were made, including:

Chetek Center: Primary Care is

open with radiology services, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Wednesday, and 7 a.m.

to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Lab services are available 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-

Wednesday and 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays.

Clairemont Center: Primary care is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday. Lab

services are available 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday, with radiology services 1-6

p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesdays.

Cumberland Center: Primary care is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday

and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Lab services are available 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

Monday-Wednesday and 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.

Hayward Center: Primary care is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday-

Friday. Pediatrics is available 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday; 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on

Wednesday-Thursday. Lab services are available 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday and

Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday. Radiology is available 7 a.m. to

4 p.m., Monday and Wednesday-Friday.

Marshfield Medical Center-Rice Lake (medical offices) walk-in care is open 8 a.m. to

6 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on

weekends and holidays.

Rice Lake Medical Arts Building and Pediatric Therapy Clubhouse is open for in-

person appointments 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday.