Saint Luke's

Unsure of which career path to take after college, Gabrielle took the advice of a professor who suggested she look into Saint Luke’s School of Medical Laboratory Science. She took a tour of the lab, and knew she was on the right track. “I was blown away,” Gabrielle said. “The instrumentation and automation in the lab are top notch, and I could tell everyone really valued providing great patient care.” Throughout the program, Gabrielle cherished the support system she found in her classmates and instructors—creating an uplifting environment and unbreakable bond they used to motivate each other. “Our program leaders and teachers were amazing,” Gabrielle said. “I would not have been able to succeed the way I did if such amazing people had not surrounded me.” The program prepared Gabrielle for a career in the lab—wherever she ended up. After two years as a medical lab scientist at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, she moved home to St. Louis, and now works as the technical supervisor for immunology and special chemistry at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “Each lab has its own characteristics, but learning about quality assurance, competencies, policies, and lab stewardship at Saint Luke’s would have prepared me to work in any hospital lab,” she said. Gabrielle recommends anyone considering the program to reach out for a tour and speak with current and past students. “The Saint Luke’s program was an amazing intro to the world of lab science,” Gabrielle said. “You will learn about so many different subjects, tests, and analyzers that will prepare you for any lab you may want to work in.” Learn more about Saint Luke’s School of Medical Laboratory Science: https://heyor.ca/igUyff

Bayan is a proud alum of the Saint Luke’s Pharmacy residency program whose passion for patient-centered care and teamwork has shaped her career in clinical pharmacy. Bayan’s passion for pharmacy started early—fueled by a love of math and science. Shadowing a critical care pharmacist in college opened her eyes to the meaningful role pharmacists play throughout health care. When it came time to choose a residency program, Saint Luke’s was an obvious fit. “I grew fond of the supportive culture and saw meaningful professional growth with each rotation,” Bayan said. “The system’s commitment to high-quality care and the knowledgeable team members reinforced my desire to train here. The diverse rotational experiences align with my goal of becoming a well-rounded, competent pharmacist.” During her time in residency at Saint Luke’s, Bayan found that her favorite part was the people. The pharmacists, nurses, social workers, providers, other interdisciplinary team members, and even the friendly baristas helped make her experience great. The program’s diverse rotations strengthened her clinical judgement, communication skills, and confidence in caring for complex patients. Today, Bayan’s work spans several specialty clinics, from optimizing heart failure medications to supporting heart and lung transplant patients, and serving as a trusted medication expert across multiple teams. “Stay open-minded, ask questions, and take advantage of every rotation,” Bayan advised. “Saint Luke’s gives you space to grow while challenging you in the best ways.” Join us in-person or virtually on Friday, Dec. 12, to learn more about our residency programs. Learn more and register: https://heyor.ca/lOdgke

U.S. News and World Report has recognized Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Saint Luke's East Hospital, and Saint Luke's North Hospital-Barry Road as 2026 High Performing hospitals for Maternity Care! 🎉 All three hospitals that provide maternity care have again earned a High Performing designation—the highest possible award—in recognition of our excellence in care for expectant parents. Saint Luke’s North was also recognized as a 2026 Maternity Care Access Hospital—a designation recognizing essential hospitals serving communities that would be in danger of becoming maternity deserts if they were to stop providing crucial maternity care services. “We are proud to be recognized as a national leader in maternity care by U.S. News & World Report,” said Chris Miller, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at BJC Health. “This honor reflects the commitment and dedication from our BJC Health team to deliver the safest, highest-quality care for mothers and newborns.” Congratulations to all of our incredible team members who play a role in caring for our littlest patients—your expertise and compassion made this possible! Learn more about the recognition: https://heyor.ca/7kQQEk

BJC Health President and Chief Executive Officer Nick Barto, along with Chris Watts, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, recently sat down with Becker's Healthcare to discuss everything from clinical excellence to patient and employee satisfaction and community support. “From clinical quality, patient satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and financial perspectives, we like where we are,” said Barto. “We know we’ll face some headwinds, but having a strong foundation gives us confidence in our ability to thrive—not just survive—in the current health care environment.” Looking forward to 2026, they also shared their perspectives on the ongoing successful integration with Saint Luke’s, the importance of workforce culture, excelling in clinical excellence, and BJC Health’s recent brand update. “Rebranding to BJC Health during our integration with Saint Luke’s was intentionally timed,” said Watts. “Both organizations had a long history as mid-Missouri, nonprofit health systems that serve their communities and put people first. That alignment in values has made our integration successful. We wanted to emphasize that being part of BJC Health means being part of something bigger than any one of us or any one department.” Read their full conversation: https://heyor.ca/a0BSUv

Congratulations to John Borsa, MD, and Karin Olds, MD, for being named to Ingram's Magazine's list of Top Doctors for 2025! 🎉  Two of only 16 honorees, Drs. Borsa and Olds were selected for their commitment to holistic care, focus on mentoring future providers, and dedication to research and the advancement of medical science. Dr. Borsa is board certified in interventional and diagnostic radiology and is the Radiology chair for Saint Luke’s Physician Group and Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. His colleagues describe him as a consistent, empathetic, strategic, and collaborative leader. “It’s truly an honor to be included in this year’s class of Ingram’s Top Doctors,” says Dr. Borsa. “I am privileged to work among our region’s most outstanding caregivers every day at Saint Luke’s, and this recognition is reflective of the work we do together to make sure our patients receive the very best care.” Dr. Olds, board-certified in vascular neurology and general neurology, is the vice chair of Neurosciences at Saint Luke’s Physicians Group and the stroke medical director of the Saint Luke's Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute. Colleagues and patients have praised her leadership, kindness, clinical expertise, and focus on physician training and mentoring. “Being named one of Ingram’s Top Doctors is a meaningful recognition to me—and it reflects the great work of an entire team,” says Dr. Olds. “As a director, I get a wide view of the incredible impact Saint Luke’s has in our community, and I am so proud that our friends, families, and neighbors in Kansas City have access to world-class treatment from Saint Luke’s very own ‘top doctors.’” See the full list: https://heyor.ca/shVhed

The third annual Heartland Gala raised more than $1.3 million for Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and its valve program! Hosted by former local news anchor Carolyn Long at the beautiful Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, more than 700 guests enjoyed a live auction and live music performed by Lost Wax Band. Thank you to each and every donor for supporting extraordinary cardiovascular care in the heartland. 💙  Platinum Sponsor: Kemper Family Foundations, UMB Bank n.a., Trustee (Reception Sponsor) Gold Sponsors: Kristin and Kenneth Huber, MD JE Dunn Construction The Leigh and Tyler Nottberg Family Foundation P1 Construction, LLC VanTrust Real Estate (Committee Sponsor) World Wide Technology Silver Sponsors: ACI Boland Architects Burns & McDonnell Commerce Bank David E. Ross Construction Haverty Family Foundation Sandy and Roger Jackson, MD John A. Marshall Company Michael Main, MD Fred and Jami Pryor Foundation Julie Quirin and Teri Miller Sheri and Bob Reymond Saint Luke's Hospital Auxiliary Saint Luke's South Hospital Medical Staff Mary Beth and Grover Simpson Soli Printing —Mary Lynn and Kamal Mikhail Fund-A-Need Lead Donors: Earl Benner Sandi and Allen Dillingham Shirley Bush Helzberg and Barnett C. Helzberg Jr.

The neurosurgery team at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City treated a 28-year-old patient this year who had three rare medical conditions at once. A spine tumor was affecting his mobility, an autoimmune disorder was destroying the platelets in his blood, and a problem with his kidneys irregulated his bodily fluids. The Saint Luke's team successfully helped the patient through neurosurgery and radiation therapy. "This is the first such case of all three conditions combined," said Dr. Gurpreet S. Gandhoke, a Saint Luke's neurosurgeon. "Even though we don't yet know the relationship between them, it could contribute to the development of evidence-based medicine and promote future investigations into this combination of rare medical conditions." Read the full case in the Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery journal: https://heyor.ca/PoeoUc.

Lung cancer is the top cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., yet a majority of eligible patients don't get screened. Dr. Timothy Saettele, a Saint Luke’s interventional pulmonologist, appeared on Health News You Can Use to walk through who should get screened, low-dose CT scans, and next steps. #LungCancerAwarenessMonth

There were so many smiles, hugs, and a few tears of joy when we presented Regina, an orthopedics information associate at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, with the Saint Luke's Sunshine Award. The Sunshine Award honors Saint Luke's employees who display kindness and character while ensuring patients receive the best possible care. ☀️ “When I needed help, Regina was there to take care of me like my own personal angel,” the nominator wrote. “Every time I saw Regina, I was so impressed that she knew my name and gave me a big smile and cheerful conversation. This cheerful, humorous, thoughtful lady was like a lifeline to me.” Thank you for being so wonderful, Regina! #TeamSaintLukes 💙

Originally from Chicago, Dr. Susan Duyar-Ayerdi came to Kansas City for one thing: Saint Luke’s. A gynecologic oncologist with Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, she quickly experienced the welcoming community she had heard so much about. For Dr. Duyar-Ayerdi, caring for women with gynecologic cancers is more than just treatment—it’s about walking alongside each patient through every step of their journey. Dr. Duyar-Ayerdi believes in caring for the whole patient, ensuring that their physical, mental, emotional, and social health is supported every step of the way. She is committed to open communication from the time of diagnosis through treatment and beyond. “We get to take care of our patients both as surgeons and through managing chemotherapy, which means that we get to really walk with our patients through their cancer journey,” Dr. Duyar-Ayerdi said. “I’ve always valued the long-term relationships that I build with my patients, and gynecologic oncology really allows for that. My happiest moments are when I hear from a patient that they feel supported and cared for, especially when things are really hard.” That sense of connection extends to her team as well. “I have an incredible team of coworkers who are not only wonderful, compassionate people, but are also excellent at what they do—it makes all the difference,” Dr. Duyar-Ayerdi said. Learn more about Dr. Duyar-Ayerdi, her approach to patient care, and the services she provides: https://heyor.ca/xEFtP0