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"Suicidal thoughts are so real and powerful that we lose sight of everything: our goals, our spouses, even our children because our mind is going against everything we believe in and love,” said Denisse Padilla, JPS Health Network Peer Support Specialist, Behavioral Health. “When I had my manic episode, I didn't know about mental disorders, and I thought, 'How can medicine help? These thoughts are invisible. They aren't real things that you can physically touch and fix.' So, I thought seeking treatment was unrealistic."

Jake Tanner, 17, went through a life-changing experience. He went from having ideal health to being in the hospital working to recover from a procedure. Though the easiest response to his circumstance could have been to give up, Tanner worked hard to regain his strength and came out stronger than before.

Jamil Ahmad, a Registered Vascular Technologist, is known among his colleagues as a courageous and cheerful individual. Despite facing difficulties in his personal life, Ahmad draws inspiration from his experiences to positively impact the lives of his patients.

The JPS Health Network Medical Home True Worth is located in an area populated by many individuals who are experiencing homelessness. The medical home staff is committed to prioritizing the health of these patients. Jill Stafford, BSN, RN, Practice Manager of Medical Home True Worth, shared that women make up 30 percent of the individuals who are experiencing homelessness but face additional stressors, all reporting that they've experienced sexual, physical, or verbal assault.

The JPS Health Network Learning & Organizational Development team introduced the Accelerate Leadership Cohorts which provide current leaders with fundamental skills they can utilize with their teams. These cohorts are given the necessary leadership tools to introduce, sharpen, or refresh their skills to lead their team to success.

The Accelerate Leadership Cohort is divided into six sessions: Leadership Influence, Relationships, Performance, Teamwork & Execution, Team Dynamics, and Strategic Thinking.

JPS Health Network has been awarded in two areas of cardiology by the American Heart Association (AHA). The Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award, Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll and the Get With The Guidelines®- Heart Failure Gold Plus Award, and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.

The awards signify that JPS has met all guidelines provided by AHA to ensure that we provide consistent care to all patients with or without diabetes who have had a stroke or heart failure.

Matei Panturu, DO, a psychiatry resident, has had a long-standing connection to JPS Health Network since childhood. His mother was a medical surgical nurse on Tower 5 for 12 years. Dr. Panturu remembers coming with his dad to pick her up from work and sometimes grabbing McDonald's.

Dr. Panturu's parents immigrated to the United States on educational visas, and their sacrifices have shaped the person he is today.

JPS Health Network has been recognized as one of the first five hospitals in the country to be verified under the American College of Surgeons' Emergency General Surgery Verification Program (EGS-VP). The program, launched in September 2022, aims to help hospitals maintain the highest emergency general surgery standards.

Twin residents Kyle and Kendall Lewis, MD, matched in the JPS Health Network Family Medicine Residency program. Though wearing matching clothes as kids wasn't their preference, they said this was an opportunity worth matching for.

The doctors grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University. Going into medicine wasn't their initial goal, but they found a passion that fostered their commitment to helping others and mentoring young athletes.

Season 4: Episode 10 Show Notes