August 2012 Volume 127 • Number 8

Enabling Access to Medical
Services
The Care Coordination Department
at Shriners Hospital Twin Cities
provides support and assistance to
families who may qualify for benefits
under various state and federal health
programs. This service enables access to
medical services provided by other
qualified medical providers including
Shriners Hospitals.
And now, Shriners Hospitals for
Children® – Twin Cities has become a
participating provider for State
Medicaid programs that cover children
in our service area. The Hospital has
enrolled in the Minnesota, South
Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska,
Wisconsin and Michigan Medicaid
plans.
The Patient Application is
Eliminated
At the Imperial Session in July,
legislation was passed to eliminate the
Men’s Suits/Tuxes/Blazers/Sports Coats
Hospital Update
traditional patient
application for care at
Shriners Hospitals.
Families can now contact
any Shriners Hospital
directly and with very
basic information, we can immediately
schedule needed services.
While the application has been
eliminated, we encourage any form of
contact from families interested in
seeking care - telephone, email, fax or
personal visit. And we continue to
encourage all of our Shriner and
community friends to help us reach
those in need. Our goal remains to
provide easy and quick access to great
medical service.
Special Appointment:
Shriners Medical Director
At the recent Imperial Session, the
Board of Directors and Board of
Trustees announced the appointment of
Dr. Kenneth J. Guidera, Chief of Staff –
Twin Cities, to serve as the Interim
Medical Director for the entire Shriners
Hospital system. In this role, Dr.
Guidera, supported by a Physician
Executive Team, will provide guidance
and expertise to the future of the 22
Shriners Hospitals while continuing his
clinical practice at the Twin Cities
Hospital. The Joint Boards intend to
establish a permanent appointment in
the coming months. We congratulate
Dr. Guidera on his appointment and
the recognition it represents of all of his
previous successes.
Cross Country Biking at its
Finest
Jerry Smith, a Shriner from Newton,
Kansas and his wife, Shirley, embarked
upon a great adventure – a cross
country ride on a tandem bicycle to
raise money and awareness for their
favorite charity: Shriners Hospitals for
Children®.
Jerry, 72, and Shirley (ageless) are on
what cyclists have dubbed the “northern
tier” route through the United States
and are traveling from Anacortes,
Washington to the coast of Maine.
On June 19th they took a detour to
visit the Twin Cities hospital. The
mission of Shriners Hospitals for
Children is incredibly personal to Jerry,
as he is a former patient.
Born in 1939 in Savannah, Georgia,
Jerry and Shirley Smith took a detour on
their cross country bike trip to visit
Shriners Hospital for Children-Twin Cities.
They’re shown here with Admistrator
Charlie Lobeck and Chief of Staff Ken
Guidera.
Jerry was disabled from birth. He spent
the first half of his early life at the
Greenville hospital having eight
operations and going to school in his
bed or in a wheelchair. "Without
Shriners Hospitals for Children, I
would not be walking or cycling."
Follow Jerry & Shirley through their
training and on the journey on their
journal website: http://www.
crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc
_id=10192&v=24#278335
Information from “The Pulse”
P a g e 8 A u g u s t 2 0 1 2