Two Decades, One Big Step Toward Defining the Future of Virtual Patient Care
By Karin Fleming, Gary Zavoral and Liz Madison, Vitals contributors When Sutter Health in 2003 launched its groundbreaking electronic intensive care unit, or eICU, no one knew that 17 years later it would help save the lives of countless Northern Californians when a...
Get in the Game: Learn CPR
Eat leafy greens, exercise regularly, learn CPR. Wait, learn CPR? Yes, one cardiothoracic surgeon is recommending that along with taking good care of themselves, people should learn CPR so they’re prepared to help others in case of emergency. NFL safety Damar Hamlin’s...
Diabetes Drugs in Short Supply as People Discover Weight-Loss Benefits
By Melissa Fuson, Vitals contributor A Type 2 diabetes drug, Ozempic, has gone viral on TikTok. Millions of viewers have watched videos made by people taking the medication not for diabetes—but for significant weight loss. Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide, an...
Editor’s Picks
New Study Seeks More Treatment Answers for Alzheimer’s
A new clinical trial is underway for people with early pathological changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Its goal: Stop memory loss and cognitive decline before it starts. The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ3 study is taking place at Sutter’s California...
Quality Cancer Care Programs Transform Care, Lives of Patients
Cancer death rates in the U.S. dropped by more than 30% since 1991, according to a recent study by the American Cancer Society. Researchers state the decline is partly due to advances in treatment and early detection—some of the most important cornerstones of...
Research Connection Leads Patient to Enroll in ALS Trial
When Vladimir Diaz-Ochoa, Ph.D., a scientist specializing in microbiology and immunology was diagnosed last year with a progressive neurodegenerative disease, the importance of medical research became even more personal. Muscle spasms and weakness in his fingers...
Mom Reflects on Micro-Preemie Twins’ Tumultuous Beginning
Editor’s Note: Janine Kovac became pregnant with what she thought was her second child. Instead, it was twins. And not just any twins. The East Bay resident’s twin boys were high-risk, mono-chorionic/mono-amniotic twins, a rare condition where the babies share a...
Dive Deeper
Mystery Illnesses Uncovered by Persistent Physicians
Susan and Dave Howard recently honored two Bay Area physicians with a significant philanthropic gift in recognition of their excellent care and compassionate listening. By Kathy Engle, Vitals contributor Shortly after San Jose resident Dave Howard turned 79, he...
Healthgrades Recognizes Sutter Health for Critical Care—And More
The critical care unit of a hospital is often a quiet place. Hallway conversations are hushed, rooms are softly lit, and the intensity of the emergency department feels like a world away. But don’t let its subdued appearance fool you; the critical care or intensive...
Aspirin a Day Keeps Heart Attack Away? There May Be Safer Options
By Melissa Fuson, Vitals contributor Doctors have prescribed low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes for decades. But new recommendations released earlier this year by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force show little to no benefit to taking aspirin...
Clinical Trial Gives Lung Cancer Patient a Breath of Hope
When Bob Warren, 87, of Davis, Calif., was experiencing a sudden loss of speech, his wife feared he was having a stroke and called their family doctor. He was taken to the emergency department at Sutter Davis Hospital, where tests revealed a surprising diagnosis:...