They also have a great rapport with the nurse Pat Franke. "Seeing her is like visiting an aunt," according to Mr. Sinars. "I can't say enough about her," Mrs. Sinars added. "She gets right to it, answers your questions, addresses the problem. If you need anything, all you have to do is make a call."

One of the best parts of the Hickory Hills clinic is that it saves the Sinars' from driving to Maywood to see their cardiologist, Keith McLean, MD. Both have seen Dr. McLean every two to three months for about five years.

Marge Sinars, who is 61, came to Loyola for heart care in 2000 after she was told at a community hospital that her coronary artery disease was too advanced to treat. At Loyola, she had open heart surgery to bypass six blockages in her heart and has seen Dr. McLean for follow-up care ever since.

"She turned into a new person after the surgery," said Dr. McLean. "She could do many things that she was unable to do before." Dr. McLean closely monitors Mrs. Sinars's condition, keeping tabs on her blood pressure and helping her get the best care for her other chronic problems including diabetes and kidney disease.

Edwin Sinars, who is 60, transferred his heart care to Loyola after his wife's successful surgery. He had already been diagnosed with a leaking heart valve and atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heart beat). He had angioplasty performed at Loyola in August to treat chest pain.

"They are a two-for-one deal," Dr. McLean said. "They come into the room together."

Dr. McLean enjoys working at the Hickory Hills center because it gives him the opportunity to see patients in the southwest suburbs who would not otherwise have access to Loyola's specialists.

"He's very concerned. He answers all your questions. He gives us excellent care," said Mrs. Sinars. Both Edwin and Marge love to see Dr. McLean teaching cardiology fellows during their appointments. "He's sharing his knowledge with his fellow doctors. I think that's great," Mrs. Sinars said.

Their visits with Dr. McLean are not all business. Over the years, they have developed a friendly relationship with him as well. They talk about sports, their dogs and their families. "It's good to have that kind of rapport," Mrs. Sinars said.

The friendly atmosphere at the Hickory Hills clinic is good for patient care, said Dr. McLean. "It's more of a cohesive group." It is the kind of environment in which staff members are more likely to go out of their way for the patients - to squeeze a patient in for an unscheduled test, for example, and save the patient an extra trip.  

Service at Loyola's satellite clinics is greatly enhanced by a state-of-the-art electronic medical record system that is used throughout the Loyola University Health System. Dr. McLean and the other physicians are able to view EKGs, chest X-rays, lab results and clinical notes on their computers with the click of a mouse.

A wide range of Loyola specialties - in addition to cardiology - are available at Loyola's Center for Health at Hickory Hills including endocrinology, orthopaedics, physiatry, urology, oncology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology and women's pelvic medicine.

"It's great to get Loyola expertise close to home," Mrs. Sinars said. "Now we only need to go to Maywood once in a while. Most of the time we see Dr. McLean here (at Hickory Hills)."

Soon the Sinars will have the choice to continue at Hickory Hills or see Dr. McLean at a new Loyola clinic near their home. The Loyola Center for Health in Homer Glen is scheduled to open in October, bringing even more Loyola specialists to the southwest suburbs. All of Loyola's health centers are easily accessible and have convenient parking. Most importantly, they have the experts from Loyola - the physicians.

"I owe my life to the doctors at Loyola," said Mrs. Sinars. "Dr. McLean has seen us through a lot. He's just a great doctor."

To make an appointment at Loyola's Center for Health at Hickory Hills, call (708) 233-5333. To find a facility in your area or a specialist, visit the Locations & Maps or Choose a Doctor areas of our web site.

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