Reaching residents THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE OF …“Doctors and sleep technicians work together to...

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Reaching residents THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE OF MICHIGAN N O V E M B E R

D E C E M B E R

J A N U A R Y

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6 COMMUNITY BENEFITS MIDMICHIGAN MAKES A DIFFERENCE WWW.MIDMICHIGAN.ORG MIDMICHIGAN MAKES A DIFFERENCE

MidMichigan Health among top 50 health systems in U.S. MIDMICHIGAN HEALTH was recently named to the list of the top 50 health sys-tems in the United States in the fi rst-ever such recognition by Th omson Reuters in its “100 Top Hospitals: Health Systems Quality/ Effi ciency” study. Th e study eval-uated 252 health systems on measures of clinical quality and effi ciency from Medi-care and CMS databases in 2007. Th ese measures rank MidMichigan Health in the top 20 percent of all health systems

nationwide.Five measures of

performance were used to evaluate he a lt h systems: morta l ity, com-plications, patient safety, length of stay and use of ev-idence-based prac-tices. To be part of

the study, systems needed at least two acute care hospitals with a minimum of 25 beds each.

“Delivering excellent patient care is our number one priority,” said Richard M. Reynolds, president of MidMichigan Health. “We provide that care both eff ectively and effi ciently. At each of our affi liates, quality starts from the ground up. To be recog-nized as one of the best health systems in the country is a tribute to our physicians, clinical staff and support personnel.”

MidMichigan Health participates in several quality improvement initiatives,

night in the sleep lab can be an eye-opener. ✦ Sleep may seem to be more or less the same for us all,

but MidMichigan experts who diagnose and treat sleep disorders see things diff erently, even when you’re asleep. —Continued on page

During sleep, our breathing, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, eye movement, and brain and muscle activity can indicate a sleep disorder. Sleep experts identify these problems using a sleep test.

Th e noninvasive test, called a polysom-nogram, helps doctors identify sleep apnea and other respiratory disturbances, such as snoring and restless legs syndrome, that can interrupt sleep during the night. Restorative sleep is crucial for mental and physical well-

being. Excessively interrupted sleep can increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, depression, relationship diffi culties, accidents, and other serious and even life-threatening problems.

A similar technique, multiple sleep latency testing, is used to diagnose narcolepsy.

SEEING SLEEP For a sleep study, a pa-tient spends the night at a sleep disorders lab in a comfortable, private, hotel-like room with a full-size bed.

Before the test, a trained sleep techni-cian carefully explains what will happen, answers questions and creates a comfort-able atmosphere for the patient—all to help him or her reproduce typical sleep.

You might think watching someone sleep is as exciting as watching paint dry, but to a sleep expert, it’s fascinating! When monitoring a patient’s sleep, technicians

Quality and effi ciency

sleepMidMichigan doctors see

differentlyA

—Continued on page

Richard M. Reynolds

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Reaching residents

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can “see” activity from sensors placed on the skin of the legs, face, chest and scalp on a specialized computer located in an-other room. Another sensor fi ts over the fi nger to monitor blood oxygen levels.

Aft er the test, the sleep lab keeps the

A sleep lab is near youMidMichigan Health has fi ve sleep disor-ders labs conveniently located to serve people in communities throughout the middle of the state:

Gratiot Medical Center in Alma■

MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare■

MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin■

MidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Midland, ■

fourth fl oorMt. Pleasant Medical Center, Bellows ■

StreetAll labs are equipped with advanced

technology, staffed by knowledgeable and caring sleep technicians and manag-ers, and supported by MidMichigan’s excellence in neurosciences.

patient’s physician informed about results and progress.

“Doctors and sleep technicians work together to recommend treatment plans that best fi t the patient’s needs,” said Erik Robinette, C.R.T., R.P.S.G.T., B.S., sleep manager at the MidMichigan Medical Centers in Clare and Gladwin.

LISTENING FOR SIGNS OF TROUBLE Most people think snoring is just an an-noyance, but MidMichigan sleep experts

see things diff erently on that point too. In fact, snoring may signifi cantly disrupt your sleep and be a sign of sleep apnea, as it was for Michael Yule, of Farwell.

“Over the past eight years, my wife complained of my snoring, and I gained weight,” said Yule. “Th en, about four to six months ago, I was feeling really ex-hausted. I wasn’t getting any deep sleep. I would sit down in a chair and fall asleep during the day. During the night, I got up every hour.”

—Continued from page

Sleep Yule’s family physician recommended a sleep test, and Yule chose the Sleep Disor-ders Lab in MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare because it was close to his home, and he did not need to drive very far.

When Yule was diagnosed with sleep apnea, Surendra Kaul, M.D., a specialist board-certifi ed in neurology and sleep disorders, prescribed a continuous posi-tive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Th e CPAP machine keeps Yule’s airway open at night so that he can get more restful sleep. MidMichigan Home Care provided the machine, instructed Yule on its use, and provides continuing support with advice and supplies.

“Once I started using the CPAP ma-chine, the snoring was gone right away,” said Yule. “I’m not rattling the house any-more. I was totally shocked at how much the CPAP machine did for me. Th ere’s a defi nite benefi t. I feel a lot more rested and much more relaxed as I go about my day.”

NEXT STEPS TO SLEEP If you are con-cerned that you are not getting enough sleep, talk to your family physician about a referral to a sleep lab for a sleep study.

For referral to a family physician, call MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 83-9090 or toll-free at (800) 999-3199. Most health

care insurance plans provide coverage for all or part of sleep testing and treatments for sleep disorders.

—Continued from page

Qualityincluding fi ve years with the Michigan Health & Hospital Association’s Keystone Center for Patient Safety and Quality.

“We continually search out best practices

and compare ourselves to the best,” said Reynolds. “Recognition like this means that others are now comparing themselves to us, attempting to match our performance. It’s great to be among the best, but to maintain this position we must be relentless in our focus on quality and effi ciency. We owe our patients nothing less.”

Th is is the fi rst Th omson Reuters study to measure health systems as entities unto

themselves and what they stand for in terms of the quality of the care that they are providing to the communities they serve. Th e announcement was made in Modern Healthcare magazine’s August 10, 2009 edition.

“We’re concerned about quality right down to our education programs and communication with the residents in the regions we serve,” said Reynolds. “Th at’s

For referral to a family physician, call

care insurance plans provide coverage for

W E L L N E S S

why we have included a readership survey card inside this issue and ask you to share your feedback with us to ensure we are providing you excellence in health care education and information.”

More information about MidMichigan Health’s leadership in mea-surable quality is available at www.midmichigan.org/quality.

Take the sleep quizHave you been told that you snore? Do you feel sleepy or fall asleep during the day even though you slept through the night? Does your heart pound or beat irregularly during the night? Have you ever fallen asleep while driving?

These are just a few of the 50 questions included in Tired of Not Getting a Good Night’s

Sleep? This sleep disorders quiz can help alert you to some of the potential problems of poor-quality sleep.

While it doesn’t contain medical advice and

shouldn’t be used for diagnosis or treatment, the sleep disorders quiz does ask about symptoms that are common to individuals with sleep disor-ders. If you show symptoms of any of the disorders described, you can use the quiz results as a guide to discuss your concerns with your primary care physician.

It’s easy to take the quiz online or request for it to be mailed to you in booklet form. To take the quiz online, go to www.midmichigan.org/sleep, or request the booklet by calling MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 837-9090 or toll-free at (800) 999-3199.

N o v . / D e c . / J a N . 2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 0 2 t o y o u r h e a l t h

Take the sleep quizHave you been told that you snore? Do you feel sleepy or fall asleep during the day even though you slept through the night? Does your heart pound or beat irregularly during the night? Have you ever fallen asleep while driving?

selves available to run errands. By helping Lou, they also helped

Maria. “Caregivers tend to focus on the pa-

tient and forget about themselves,” said Lou, who works for The Dow Chemical Company. “But if caregivers are not taking care of themselves, ultimately the patient suffers.”

With a goal of helping others receive the kind of support that he and Maria experi-enced during her illness, Lou established the Maria M. Mencia Cancer Caregiver Support Network this past summer.

Trained coaches stay in touch Based at the Infusion Center on the campus of MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland, the network offers caregivers emotional

and logistical support and resources. So-cial Worker Agnes Williams, M.S.W., and a group of trained volunteer coaches stay in touch with caregivers by phone and in person, often meeting with them while their loved one receives chemotherapy at the infusion center.

“A cancer caregiver may not be up to doing the ordinary things of everyday life,” said Volunteer Coach Carolyn Cole, L.P.N., of Midland. “We can help them set up their own resources to help with things like laundry, groceries, cleaning or transportation. We are there if they have questions or need to know what services are out there for them.”

Cole became a volunteer after retiring from 26 years as a nurse with the Midland Surgical Group. “The best advice for care-

Lou Mencia, of Midland, remembers well the six months of intense care he provided his wife, Maria, before she died of cancer in 2007.

“Like most men, I thought at first that I could do it all myself,” he said. “But the needs were overwhelming.”

Fortunately, family friends were ready to help Lou and Maria. Organizing them-selves into three groups, they provided meals for the family, helped care for Maria for a few hours each day and made them-

AFFAIRS OF THE HEART: Cardiovascular specialists affiliated with MidMichigan Health now see patients in eight locations. Pictured here is cardiologist Rodney Diehl, D.O., who sees patients in Midland, Mt. Pleasant and Gladwin.

Caregiver network provides support, education

Three wishesFundraising continues for key equipment

The $115 million expansion and renovation project at MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland is under way. The Medical Center has embarked on a fundraising campaign to support the purchase of three key pieces of equipment that will play a crucial role when construction is complete. Donations are being sought for the following:

The ● Philips Central Patient Moni-toring System allows for point-of-care monitoring while also sending critical information to a central location in the nurse’s station, facilitating close observa-tion of patients throughout their surgery prep and recovery.

The ● TotalCare Connect Bed has fea-tures that help to promote healthy skin, prevent pressure ulcers and heal wounds. Simple controls and a large, colorful touch screen on the side rails make this bed easy to use for both caregivers and patients.

The ● Skytron Equipment Boom Sys-tem permits a nearly 360-degree rotation of equipment around the entire surgical field, enhancing staff and patient safety. It allows for optimal placement of surgical equipment and monitors.

Together, these three pieces of equip-ment will complement the newly enlarged Surgical Services Department and pre- procedure and recovery areas of the Invasive Imaging Department, as well as the new patient rooms in the Critical Care Unit.

To contribute, please mail your dona-tion to MidMichigan Medical Center– Midland in care of the Fund Develop-ment Department, 4005 Orchard Drive, Midland, MI 48670, or donate online at www.midmichigan.org/ourjourney.

Heart program delivers more each yearIn the past twelve months, your heart has beaten about 30 or 40 million times. In that same time, the heart program at MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland has launched many new options for keep-ing your heart healthy.

Close, high-quality care The program is exceeding expectations, both in the number of patients served and in clinical outcomes. Approximately 700 interven-tional heart procedures and more than 300 heart surgeries were performed in Midland during fiscal year 2008–2009. This means that patients who previously traveled up to 100 miles for heart care are now accessing experienced physicians and advanced procedures closer to home.

Clinical outcomes also show that the

program is delivering high-quality care. For example, according to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, MidMichigan’s risk-adjusted mortality rate for heart surger-ies was better than the national average in all categories of procedures that were tracked and reported. This translates to more local residents surviving life-threatening heart conditions and living productive lives.

Electrophysiology lab completes the picture MidMichigan opened a new electrophysiology (EP) lab in Midland in August. The EP lab enables doctors to diagnose, treat and even cure abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrilla-tion, with procedures like radiofrequency ablation and implantable devices. Among the new technology in the EP lab is a Ve-locity 3-D mapping system from St. Jude Medical, the first of its kind in Michigan. It provides essential information about the electrical activity of the heart, en-abling precise guidance during ablation procedures. Local community members donated $70,000 toward its purchase.

More services in more locations Your options for heart care are expanding not just in Midland but also across the region. Cardiovascular specialists affiliated with MidMichigan Health now see patients in eight locations, including Midland, Freeland and Mt. Pleasant. Advanced di-agnostic testing and emergency treatment are available at all four of MidMichigan’s Medical Centers—in Alma, Clare, Glad-win and Midland. MidMichigan also has five convenient locations for cardiac rehabilitation and a specialized cardiac home care program for residents in twelve counties.

MidMichigan Medical Offices–Freeland now offers electrocardiogram (EKG), among other outpatient services, such as laboratory and imaging. Patients who are scheduled for surgery can now get all of their preoperative testing done in Freeland instead of going to the hospital. MidMichigan also provides these services at the Medical Center in Midland, at 555 Wackerly Road in Midland and at MidMichigan Health Park–Mt. Pleasant, plus other locations throughout the region.

Data connections mean faster service MidMichigan has been busy connecting all four of its Medical Centers and Michi-gan CardioVascular Institute’s offices with an electronic link to move EKG images more efficiently. When complete, these connections will give physicians secure, remote access to results of echocardio-gram and cardiac catheterization studies, meaning that patients receive vital treat-ment, advice and reassurance as quickly as possible.

Find the right place for your heart To request a free directory of MidMichigan’s cardiovascular services, call MidMichigan Health Line toll-free (800) 999-3199 or visit www.midmichigan.org/heart.

givers is to recognize that there are people out there who want to help,” she said. “If a caregiver needs help, they should not be afraid to ask for it.”

The network is operated jointly by Cancer Services and MidMichigan Medi-cal Center–Midland and is sponsored by the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, The Dow Chemical Company Foundation, The Dow Corning Corporation Employee Assistance

Program and Mid-Michigan Medical Center–Midland.

To connect a caregiver with a coach or to vol-unteer as a coach, contact Williams at (989) 839-1364 or [email protected].

Agnes Williams, M.S.W.


DIABETES EDUCATION

Pre-Diabetes Class Being overweight, inactive or having a

family history of diabetes increases your

risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which

now affects 24 million Americans. “Steps

to Healthy Living” is a three-week weight

management and activity program for

people who want to decrease this risk.

Participants will work each week with a

certifi ed diabetes educator to help them

make lifestyle changes. Sign up today to

reduce your risk! $35

■ Tuesdays, Nov. 10, 17, 24,

4–5:30 p.m., Gratiot Medical Center,

Patient Tower Conference Room

■ Tuesdays, Jan. 5, 12, 19, 6–7:30 p.m.,

MidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Midland,

Towsley Conference Room

Diabetes Education Classes(Alma, Clare, Gladwin, Midland)

Learn how to better manage your diabetes

care during an upcoming diabetes class

series. Diabetes training is covered by

most insurance providers. Contact your

insurance carrier for specifi c information.

FAMILY HEALTH EDUCATION

Preparation for ChildbirthThis class series prepares expectant

mothers and their labor partners for ac-

tive participation in the birth experience.

Classes cover relaxation, breathing aware-

ness, hospital practices, the most up-to-

date techniques, and options for labor

and delivery, including the unexpected and

cesarean birth.

Nov.Dec.Jan.HEALTH

Paths to good

Call MidMichigan Health Line for assistance in finding a physician, for directions to any of our affili-ate locations or to report duplicate mailings of To Your Health. If you require special arrangements to attend any of our classes, please let us know ahead of time and we will try to accommodate your needs.

To register for any program or to learn more:

Call MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 837-9090 or toll-free at (800) 999-3199.

Visit our Web site at www.midmichigan.org/classes.

Unless otherwise noted, programs are free.

www.midmichigan.org/classes

■ Wednesdays, Nov. 11, 18, Dec. 2, 9,

6:30 p.m., MidMichigan Medical Center–

Midland, Center for Women’s Health

■ Saturdays, Nov. 14, Dec. 12, 9 a.m.,

Gratiot Medical Center, Patient Tower

Conference Room

■ Saturdays, Dec. 5, 12, Jan. 16, 23,

8:30 a.m., MidMichigan Medical Center–

Midland, Center for Women’s Health

■ Tuesdays, Jan. 5–26, 6:30 p.m.,

MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland,

Center for Women’s Health

■ Thursdays, Jan. 7–28, 6:30 p.m.,



■ Wednesdays, Jan. 13–Feb. 3, 6 p.m.,



Older Brother/Older Sister The goal of this class is to prepare chil-

dren to welcome the new baby into the

family. Activities concerning feelings,

the expected newcomer and a hospital

tour of the maternity unit are included.

All children attending this class must be

accompanied by an adult. Recommended

ages are 2½ to 8 years. Call for costs and

additional locations and dates.

■ Saturday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m.,


Orchard Auditorium

■ Wednesday, Dec. 2, 6 p.m., Gratiot

Medical Center, OB Conference Room

■ Saturday, Jan. 30, 9 a.m., MidMichigan

Medical Center–Midland, Orchard

Auditorium

Infant and Child CPR This course teaches lay rescuers skills

in CPR and relief of foreign-body airway

obstruction for infants (birth to 1 year)

and children (1 to 8 years). This course

also provides information about the Ameri-

can Heart Association Pediatric Chain of

Survival, signs of choking in infants and

children, prevention of the most common

fatal pediatric injuries, and reducing the

risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Call

for costs, program time, and additional

locations and dates.

Mondays, Nov. 16 or Jan. 18,


Orchard Auditorium

Breastfeeding: Healthy Beginnings Topics discussed include breast changes,

milk production, positioning and feeding

frequency, and problem solving. Partici-

pants will also learn hints for adjusting

to time away from baby, returning to work

and weaning options. Call for costs and

additional locations and dates.

6:30 p.m.

■ Wednesday, Nov. 18, Gratiot Medical

Center, OB Conference Room

■ Monday, Nov. 30, MidMichigan

Medical Center–Midland, Center for

Women’s Health, Community Education

Room

■ Monday, Jan. 11, MidMichigan Medical

Center–Midland, Center for Women’s

Health, Community Education Room

Refresher Childbirth Having a baby is challenging work. This

special two-hour refresher course and tour

for couples reviews the childbirth experi-

ence and offers practice with breathing

techniques. Call for costs and additional

dates.

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m., Gratiot Medical

Center, OB Conference Room


Health Care ScreeningsCall MidMichigan Health Line for loca-

tions, dates, times and more informa-

tion on the following free or low-cost

screenings offered in the MidMichigan

Health service areas: ■ Blood pres-

sure ■ Blood sugar ■ Cholesterol

■ Diabetic foot ■ Mammogram

■ Peripheral vascular ■ Stroke

START THE NEW YEAR HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER

Am I Hungry? Weight Management WorkshopThe Am I Hungry? mindful eating approach teaches intuitive eating by empowering

you to relearn to use your natural ability to eat just the right amount of food and

meet other needs in more productive ways than eating.

The Am I Hungry? program combines the benefi ts of this

innovative non-diet approach with the interaction, motivation

and support of a group. Facilitator Jennifer Morse, M.D., family

medicine physician at MidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Clare,

struggled for years with her weight. The hectic lifestyle of medi-

cal school training left her feeling out of control, and only when

she was 100 pounds overweight and facing the health conse-

quences of obesity did she realize she had to make a change.

Dr. Morse has since lost the 100 pounds and is excited

to share all she has learned, both in her medical training and in life. She will guide

you through eight weekly workshops with important topics like how to handle head

hunger, strategies for intuitive eating, getting more pleasure from less food, critical

steps to take when you have eaten too much—and so much more. Participants will

receive a copy of the book Am I Hungry? and the Stop Dieting, Start Living Workbook

and Journal and will also get password access to a private participant Web portal

in order to discuss challenges and share successes with classmates and write in a

private online journal. $250

Saturdays, Jan. 9–Feb. 27, 2010, 1:30–3 p.m.

MidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Clare, Kindel Conference Room

Paths to goodHEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Facing the HolidaysCelebrating the holidays after the loss

of a special person can be stressful

and emotionally painful. In a program

designed to help grieving people prepare

for the holidays, MidMichigan Home Care

professionals and volunteers will provide

information to help handle the season

this year. Simultaneous programs will be

offered for adults, teens, and children

5 years and older. Registration closes one

week prior to session date so that class

materials can be provided.

■ Wednesday, Nov. 4, 3–5 p.m.,

MidMichigan Home Care, Midland,

Conference Room A


MidMichigan Home Care, Midland,

Conference Room A

■ Saturday, Nov. 7, 1–4 p.m.,

Montcalm Community College


MidMichigan Home Care, Gladwin


MidMichigan Home Care, Gladwin

■ Saturday, Nov. 14, 1–4 p.m.,

Gratiot Medical Center, Alma, Patient

Tower Conference Room

■ Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1–4 p.m., Browns

Corners United Brethren in Christ

Church, 5540 S. Clare Ave., Clare

Rate Your Holiday PlateHoliday gatherings with friends and fam-

ily often include foods laden with fat and

calories. Yet, with just a few changes,

many of these foods can be made healthy

without losing a lot of taste. Join

MidMichigan dietitians to learn what

changes need to be made so that holiday

foods are nutritious as well as delicious.

You will also enjoy a sampling of holiday

favorites and receive a free fi ve-star

holiday cookbook just for attending this

program.

6 p.m.

■ Thursday, Nov. 5, Gratiot Medical

Center, Wilcox Auditorium

■ Monday, Nov. 9, MidMichigan Medical

Offi ces–Gladwin, Community Education

Room

■ Tuesday, Nov. 10, Firstbank, 125 W.

Saginaw St., Merrill

■ Wednesday, Nov. 11, MidMichigan

Health Park–Houghton Lake, Lower Level

Conference Room

■ Thursday, Nov. 12, Freeland

SportsZone

■ Tuesday, Nov. 17, Harrison Community

Library

■ Wednesday, Nov. 18, MidMichigan

Medical Offi ces–Midland, Towsley

Auditorium

■ Wednesday, Nov. 18, Doherty Hotel in

Clare, Banquet Room

■ Thursday, Nov. 19, MidMichigan Health

Park–Mt. Pleasant, Community Room

Bariatric Surgery OptionsLearn about laparoscopic weight-loss sur-

gery and how it can improve your health

and your life. MidMichigan surgeons spe-

cializing in bariatric surgery will highlight

laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric banding

and sleeve gastrectomy surgical options.

6 p.m.

■ Thursday, Nov. 12, MidMichigan

Medical Center–Midland, Center for

Women’s Health

■ Thursdays, Nov. 19, Dec. 17,

Gratiot Medical Center, Wilcox

Auditorium

■ Thursday, Dec. 3, Freeland SportsZone

■ Thursday, Dec. 10, MidMichigan Health

Park–Mt. Pleasant, Community Room

Facing Forward: Coping With Cancer TogetherThis series of programs is designed to

help cancer survivors by providing practi-

cal tips for coping with common problems

and guidelines for managing physical,

social, fi nancial and emotional health. Any-

one who has been diagnosed with cancer

from the time of diagnosis through the

rest of his or her life is welcome to attend

one or all of the programs.

Tuesdays, 6–7:30 p.m.

Cancer Services, 220 West Main St.,

Suite 105, Midland

■ Nov. 24—The Value of Self Care: Ways

to Manage Physical Changes. Experts

and resources for wellness, nutrition and

exercise will help survivors learn how

to deal with physical changes they may

experience.

■ Jan. 26—Your Health Depends on

Body, Mind and Spiritual Wellness:

Your Feelings. This is a forum in a

comfortable, relaxed setting with health

care and clerical providers about the many

feelings faced by cancer survivors. Topics

will include coping with depression and

anxiety, fear of recurrence, future health

concerns, and fi nding comfort. Time will

be provided to share about coping with

anxieties and fears.

■ March 23—People Who Care About

You Are Affected Too: Social and Work

Relationships and Intimacy. Professionals

will set the tone for a comfortable,

safe and open discussion of the social,

intimate and work relationships of

cancer survivors. Resource materials for

professional assistance will be provided.

Topics will include handling problems at

work, relating to friends and co-workers,

learning to relax, partner and dating

issues, and intimacy.

■ May 25—Giving Back After Cancer:

Volunteer Opportunities. The American

Cancer Society, cancer services,

MidMichigan Home Care and Hospice

and other representatives will make

participants aware of the variety of

opportunities for survivors who wish to

become volunteers, help other cancer

survivors and assist in the fi ght to fi nd a

cure for cancer.

Spiritual Health Seminar: “Keeping the Ethics in Healthcare Reform”Susan Dorr Goold, M.D., M.H.S.A., M.A.,

Director of the University of Michigan

Medical School’s Bioethics Program, will

provide a highly interactive program on

the allocation and consumption of scarce

health care resources in this time of

health care reform. She will use the CHAT

(Choosing Healthplans All Together) alloca-

tion game to help participants determine

priorities for themselves and for the

community.

■ Wednesday, Jan. 27, 9 a.m.–noon,


Towsley Auditorium

■ Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2–5 p.m.,


Towsley Auditorium

Look Good…Feel Better (Alma, Gladwin, Midland)

A cosmetologist specially trained in skin

and hair changes due to cancer treatment

leads these free sessions, sponsored

by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Participants learn how to manage skin

changes and/or hair loss and use cosmet-

ics and skin care products. Registration

required. Call the ACS at (800) 728-2323

to register or for more information.

To find out more, come to a free introductory session on Saturday,

Nov. 21, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Jennifer Morse, M.D.


Unfunded patient care, free or low-cost community education classes and screenings, scholarships for students in health care fi elds, and sponsorships that support needs in the communities we serve are examples of how MidMichigan Health moves beyond the walls of our Medical Centers to demonstrate a deep and ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of individuals and communities in our region.

Th ese benefi ts are over and above the provision of excellent medical care that our physicians, physi-cian assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, technologists and other professionals provide at four Medical Centers, home care and hospice, nursing homes, dialysis centers, and other affi liates of Mid-Michigan Health.

In 2009, MidMichigan Health provided more than $60 million in community benefi ts in 12 counties. Th is signifi cant fi nancial contribu-tion shows our mission-driven ded-ication to improve the quality of life for people in our communities.

Serving the community has been MidMichigan’s tradition for more than 50 years. We’re proud to share our contributions with you as we continue to provide trusted care and service to our communities. You can download a copy of our

Community Ben-efi ts Report by going to www.midmichigan.org/communitybenefi ts.

MidMichigan makes a diff erence in the communitySnapshot of MidMichigan’s 2009 contributions to the community Charity careCharity care (unreimbursed costs for providing free or discounted care to patients who cannot afford health care services) $2,691,128

Medicaid-subsidized health care services (difference between actual costs to deliver care and government reimbursement) $6,649,217

Other government-sponsored health care services (difference between actual costs to deliver care and government reimbursement) $43,546

TOTAL CHARITY CARE $9,383,891

Other community benefits (activities designed to improve community health, such as general health education and self-help programs; support groups and health care screenings; actual costs of providing health education and training; services provided based on community need, such as hospice, obstetrics, pediatrics and women’s health; clinical research; cash donations; and in-kind support to improve community health status)

Community health improvement services $1,296,292

Health professional education and training $4,057,055

Subsidized health services $374,646

Research $43,913

Cash and in-kind contributions to community groups $363,207

TOTAL OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS $6,135,113

Community-building activities(programs and services that—while not directly related to health care—address the root causes of health problems, such as poverty, crime and environmental issues. These activities support other community organizations and assets by providing expertise and re-sources of the health care organization.)

TOTAL COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES $103,968

Medicare and bad debt Medicare at cost (cost of providing services to beneficiaries of the Medicare program in excess of government reimbursement) $32,862,550

Bad debt expense (cost of services provided for which a patient’s bill is not rendered or for which a fee has been assessed that recovers only a portion of the cost of the service) $12,435,654

TOTAL MEDICARE AND BAD DEBT $45,298,204

Total net value to community based on costs $60,921,176

Total number of community outreach programs 4,654

Total number of people served 291,531

Community Ben-efi ts Reportefi ts Reportwww.midmichigan.org/communitybenefi ts

efi ts Reportwww.midmichigan.org/communitybenefi ts

www.midmichigan.org/billing

Save time and skip the stamp by paying your medical bills online.

www.midmichigan.org/e-cardSend a greeting to a hospital in-patient or nursing home resident.

www.midmichigan.org/donationsMake donations in honor of a loved one or a special occasion.

www.midmichigan.org/carepagesIn the hospital? Update family and friends on how you are doing—saving dozens of phone calls or e-mails.

Does your dinner need a makeover? Food is fuel, and your body needs a variety of this life-sustaining fuel every day. A mod-erately active person needs to eat 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day. To meet your body’s daily nutritional needs, adults should get 45 to 65 percent of those calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fat and 10 to 35 percent from protein. You don’t need an accountant to help you cre-ate the right mix of foods. Here’s what you need to eat over the course of a day to fuel your body and meet your daily nutritional needs.

To build a fi ve-star lunch or dinner, start with a nine-inch plate. Fill half the plate with vegetables and fruits, fi ll a quar-ter of the plate with lean protein, and fi ll the other quarter with whole grains.

Try these tips to improve your plate’s rating:

Pick whole foods more oft en, like an ●apple or orange instead of juice.

Opt for less-refi ned grains. Pick brown ●rice (not white) and whole-grain bread and pasta.

Choose lower-fat dairy and protein ●sources like skinless chicken, lean beef, fi sh, and lower-fat milk and cheese.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. Double ●up the amount of vegetables you have at dinner. Pack two fruits for lunch. Snack

Rate your plate Daily nutrition your body needs2 cups fruits, 3 cups vegetables, 6 servings grains

Carbohydrates supply energy, vitamins, vegetables minerals and fiber.

3 servings low-fat dairy Low-fat dairy is an excellent source of calcium and other minerals and supplies protein.

6 to 9 ounces protein Protein is essential for many physiological functions, from building muscle and bone to keeping cells in good working order.

5 to 6 teaspoons oils and fats

Good fats, like omega-6 and omega-3, play a vital role in brain function and are necessary for good health.

on a dozen baby carrots.

Go easy on fat. ●Most people get plenty of fat in the foods they eat. Use friendly fats—olive and canola—when cooking.

Turn to page 5 to fi nd a “Rate Your Holiday Plate” education program in your area.

Don’t have time? Try it online


Obesity is a serious, debilitating disease that aff ects a third of the U.S. adult population. With the associated health risks, carrying extra weight is a matter of life and death.

“Bariatric surgery is much more than weight loss,” said Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., a fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon at Gratiot Medical Center. “According to the National Institutes of Health, bariat-ric surgery is the only proven method of long-term weight loss for people who are severely obese.”

Qualifying for surgery Th e best candidates

Ask a patient who is receiving radiation treatments, and they’ll tell you faster is better. Th at’s why MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland will soon be using ad-vanced treatment planning soft ware that makes treatment up to eight times faster.

With RapidArc radiotherapy technol-ogy, a treatment that used to take 20 minutes will take less than fi ve. What

Radiation Oncologist Rajnikant H. Mehta, M.D., and the treatment team at MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland are using new treatment planning software to shorten treatment times for intensity modulated radiation therapy.

Kotecha grateful for Bailey scholarship

Midland native and H. H. Dow High School a lumnus R i te sh Kote c h a attends medical school at Albany Medical College in Albany, N.Y. He is one of 101 area stu-dents who received a scholarship from

Th e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund.

Kotecha earned his undergraduate de-gree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., as part of a unique, acceler-ated biomedical program that leads to a bachelor of science from Rensselaer and a doctor of medicine degree from Albany Medical College. Th rough this program, both degrees can be obtained within seven calendar years, including attending some summer sessions.

“While in high school, I volunteered at MidMichigan Medical Center–Mid-land, and I was fortunate to be able to job shadow some internal medicine and emergency room professionals at another hospital,” Kotecha said. “I had opportunities to learn about health care and found that I was both interested in medicine and capable of helping people and contributing.”

Th e dual-degree program at Rensselaer will enable Kotecha to develop skills at the laboratory bench and the patient’s bedside. “I’m learning to be both a physician and a scientist,” he said. “I can understand and help develop technical advances through research, then use the information and tech-nology to treat patients who need help.”

“I feel honored to be a recipient of the Bailey scholarship,” Kotecha said. “People are investing in me, and by doing so they are telling me they have faith in my abilities.”

Th e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund is a student scholarship program administered by MidMichigan Health. Funded through a bequest left by Bernard Bailey to MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland, scholarships are given annually to area students studying in an accredited health care career program.

To review the eligibility guidelines and fi ll out a scholarship application, visit www.midmichigan.org/bailey or call (989) 839-316. To learn more about ad-ditional scholarship opportunities, visit www.midmichigan.org/scholarships.

O N C O L O G Y

Radiation therapy up to eight times faster

for bariatric surgery are those with a body mass index greater than 35 in addition to medical conditions or greater than 40 without a medical condition.

“Bariatric surgery is going to dramati-cally improve your health,” said Dr. Cudjoe. “To have the procedure, you generally have to be at least 100 pounds overweight and have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight with other methods.”

Small stomachs Th ree types of laparo-scopic bariatric surgery are performed at Gratiot Medical Center: Roux-en-Y

Ritesh Kotecha

Meet the bariatric surgery expertsFor more infomation about the bariatric surgeons associated with Gratiot Medical Center, call MidMichigan Health Line at (800) 999-3199.

Jeffrey Bonacci, M.D.

Ernest Cudjoe, M.D.

Jeffrey Smith, M.D.

James Pilkington, M.D.

gastric bypass, gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy. On average, patients who have bariatric surgery lose about 50 to 75 percent of their excess body weight. In addition, weight-reduction surgery may improve medical problems caused or made worse by obesity, such as car-diovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

A supportive environment Deciding if bariatric surgery is right for you is a personal choice. Our program has a support group, which helps you learn from others and provides the lifelong encouragement needed to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Center of Excellence Gratiot Medical Center; Great Lakes Surgical Associates; and Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., have collectively been named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Surgical Review Corporation. Th e Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated

track record of positive patient outcomes. To learn more, visit www.midmichigan.org/bariatrics.

B A R IAT R I C S U R G E RY

More benefi ts than just losing weight

track record of positive patient outcomes. To learn more, visit bariatricsvisit bariatrics

tion therapy (IMRT), already a top-level method for treating cancer.

At the Medical Center, IMRT and Rapid- Arc are used with BodyArray. Th is optically guided radiosurgery system from Varian Medical Systems lets a patient recline in a custom-made body mold, with a soft plastic cover vacuum-molded over them to keep them immobile during treatment.

These capabilities, combined with Gamma Knife Perfexion for brain radiosur-gery, give MidMichigan the technology and expertise to treat tumors from head to toe.

More time for compassionate care Shorter treatment times also give the treatment team more opportunity to focus on their patient’s needs. “It’s great to off er our patients a high-end technology that also gives us more time to provide them compassionate care,” Dr. Mehta said.

To learn more about MidMichigan’s capability to diagnose and treat cancer, visit www.midmichigan.org/cancer. For a physi-cian referral, visit www.midmichigan.org/doctors.

RapidArc and Varian Clinac are registered trademarks of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

used to be a 10- to 12-minute treatment for prostate cancer will typically be less than two minutes. With RapidArc, some complex treatments that were as long as 90 minutes will take less than 12.

When programmed using the RapidArc soft ware, the Medical Center’s Varian Cli-nac linear accelerator moves around the patient in one continuous motion, deliv-ering the carefully planned radiation dose from start to fi nish without stopping. As the machine moves, continuous adjust-ments sculpt the 3-D radiation dose to the shape of the tumor, delivering maximum radiation to the targeted area and mini-mum radiation to the surrounding healthy tissue. Prostate cancer will typically require less than two minutes.

More precision for targeting tumors “Th e shorter treatment times also help us target tumors with more precision,” said Radiation Oncologist Rajnikant H. Mehta, M.D.

RapidArc, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in early 2008, further raises MidMichigan’s capabilities for intensity-modulated radia-


ourourTO YOUR HEALTH is published as a community service by MIDMICHIGAN HEALTH, 4005 Orchard Drive, Midland, MI 48670, (989) 839-3000.

Information in TO YOUR HEALTH comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specifi c content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. Copyright © 2009 Coffey Communications, Inc. HST24263h

2009 MIDMICHIGAN HEALTH BOARD OF DIRECTORS W. Lynn Weimer, Chair • William Henderson, Vice Chair • Jeff Allen, M.D. • Eric Blackhurst • Nancy Gallagher • Lori Gwizdala • William Heinze • Karen Langeland • Mary Neely • Richard M. Reynolds, President • Ed Rogers • William Schmidt • Carl Schwind • Jerry Skocelas • Daniel Sorenson, M.D. • Robert Stafford • Ron Verch

EDITORIAL BOARD Donna Rapp, Senior Vice President • Millie Jezior, Editor • Angela Nader, Production Assistant • Caroline Kramer, M.D., Ph.D., Physician Advisor • Carrie Breault • Penny Daniels • Warren Johnson • Christie Kanitz • Stephanie Leibfritz, R.N. • Carlene Skorczewski • Bernadette Stocking • Matt Streitmatter • Megan Yezak

This issue of To Your Health was printed on 100 percent recycled paper.

THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS brings out the giving spirit in all of us. One example is the generous sup-port the community has shown for MidMichigan’s holiday giving programs. If you are looking for a unique gift this holiday season, consider a donation to the Love Light Trees/Lights of Love programs at one of MidMichigan’s four Medical Centers.

Th ese programs not only provide much-needed equip-ment and support services to enhance patient care in your community, but they can also enable you to honor family and friends or to commemorate a special occa-sion. Recipients are notifi ed of your tribute, and donors play a special role in the holiday celebrations associated with these programs. Following is more information on this year’s events.

MIDMICHIGAN MEDICAL CENTER–MIDLAND Th is year the Medical Center will be celebrating the 28th an-niversary of its Love Light Trees with donations directed toward a new Spiritual Care Center as part of the Medi-cal Center’s building expansion project. Th e project will enhance the care of patients, families and caregivers with an added dimension of spirituality. Th e Rev. Wallace H. Mayton III and Andrea Muladore are co-chairing the cam-paign. Th e lighting ceremony is set for Th ursday, Decem-ber 10, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Medical Center’s Plane Tree Café. For more information, call (989) 839-334.

MIDMICHIGAN MEDICAL CENTER–GLADWIN Under the guidance of program chairs Connie Buswell and

Share your light this holiday season

Larry Mowry, proceeds from this year’s Love Light Trees program will support the purchase of an EKG machine. Th is piece of equipment provides important information to help evaluate a patient’s general heart health. Monday, December 7, will mark the tree-lighting ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. in the dining room of MidMichigan Gladwin Pines. For more information, call (989) 46-601.

MIDMICHIGAN MEDICAL CENTER–CLARE Co-chairing this year’s Love Light Trees are Jerry Witbeck and Wendy Bicknell. Money raised from the program will be applied toward the purchase of a PADnet. This device will provide early detec-tion of peripheral artery disease (PAD) by finding blockages in arteries and determining the quality of blood flow. The Love Light Trees campaign will culminate with a lighting ceremony on Tuesday, December 8, at 7 p.m. at the entrance of the Medical Center. For more information, call (989) 80-099.

GRATIOT MEDICAL CENTER Th e Gratiot Medical Center Auxiliary is pleased to announce that their rich tradition of off ering the Lights of Love celebration will continue for the 22nd consecutive year. Th is year’s event is Th ursday, December 10, at the Medical Center. Th e Lights of Love will begin with a gathering in Wilcox Auditorium and then move outside for the annual tree-lighting ceremony at 7 p.m., aft er which all will return to the auditorium to view the pictorial slide scroll of those for whom tributes were made. Money raised from the event will be used to help Gratiot Medical Center with priority projects. For more information, call the Gift Boutique at (989) 463-1101, ext. 43.

GIVING MADE EASY To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.midmichigan.org/donations and designate it to the program of your choice.

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS aft er the loss of a loved one can be diffi cult whether the loss was recent or years ago. MidMichigan Home Care and Dow Gardens recognize these challenges and are working together to off er holiday memorial events designed especially for remembering loved ones.

MidMichigan Home Care’s Stars in the Gardens fund-raising event and the Dow Gardens Christmas Walk will take place Th ursday, December 10, through Saturday, December 12, and Friday, December 18, through Saturday, December 19, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. each evening at the Dow Gardens, 1809 Eastman Ave. in Midland.

ENJOY HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS December 10 through December 12, choirs will be singing through-out Dow Gardens during special events each evening. Visitors can enjoy hot chocolate and cookies and see the Stars in the Gardens tributes that list donors and their honorees in the Dow Gardens barn. Th ey may also view the sparkling hillside of luminarias, which provides a peaceful time to remember loved ones.

December 18 and 19, the Dow Gardens Christmas Walk off ers Silent Nights. As the name implies, choirs will not be performing, which may appeal more to people griev-ing a recent loss.

REMEMBER LOVED ONES MidMichigan Home Care will off er An Evening of Remembrance both Saturday,

December 12 and 19, at 4:30 p.m. in the Dow Gardens barn. Wheelchairs and shuttles are available to transport those requiring assistance from the Visitor’s Center. Th e ceremony is for family members of former hospice pa-tients and community members who have experienced a loss.

Th e commemoration program for those being remem-bered includes musical selections, recitations and read-ings of the names of the deceased. Attendees may bring a special ornament and place it on a tree in memory of their loved ones.

CREATE A NEW TRADITION While everyone who has experienced a loss handles the holidays diff erently, creating new traditions can sometimes help to ease the pain. MidMichigan Home Care’s Stars in the Gardens fundraiser allows people to honor and remember friends and relatives with the purchase of a star or butterfl y or-nament as a tribute to someone special. By purchasing the ornaments, donors are listed with their honoree on a placard during the holiday events. Proceeds from this event are used to provide home care services for those who could not otherwise aff ord to pay for them.

For more information regarding Stars in the Gardens and the holiday events, call MidMichigan Home Care at (989) 633-1400 or toll-free at (800) 8-930 or visit www.midmichigan.org/homecare.

Events honor loved ones

H O L I D A Y

GIVING MADE EASY donation, visit donationsyour choice.

donation, visit donationsyour choice.

and the holiday events, call MidMichigan Home Care at Home Care at (800) 8-930homecare

Home Care at (800) 8-930homecare

InSide 3 PRIMARY CARE A DOCTOR FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY 4 CALENDAR NEW YEAR, NEW YOU





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Health news from MIDMICHIGAN MEDICAL CENTER–CLARE N O V E M B E R

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MidMichigan Health among top 50 health systems in U.S. MIDMICHIGAN HEALTH was recently named to the list of the top 50 health sys-tems in the United States in the � rst-ever such recognition by � omson Reuters in its “100 Top Hospitals: Health Systems Quality/ E� ciency” study. � e study eval-uated 252 health systems on measures of clinical quality and e� ciency from Medi-care and CMS databases in 2007. � ese measures rank MidMichigan Health in the top 20 percent of all health systems




“Delivering excellent patient care is our number one priority,” said Richard M. Reynolds, president of MidMichigan Health. “We provide that care both e� ectively and e� ciently. At each of our a� liates, quality starts from the ground up. To be recog-nized as one of the best health systems in the country is a tribute to our physicians, clinical sta� and support personnel.”



but MidMichigan experts who diagnose and treat sleep disorders see things di� erently, even when you’re asleep. —Continued on page 2


� e noninvasive test, called a polysom-nogram, helps doctors identify sleep apnea and other respiratory disturbances, such as snoring and restless legs syndrome, that can interrupt sleep during the night. Restorative sleep is crucial for mental and physical well-

being. Excessively interrupted sleep can increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, depression, relationship di� culties, accidents, and other serious and even life-threatening problems.







differentlyA

—Continued on page 2

Richard M. Reynolds


survey for your

chance to win a

$25 gas card.

4005 Orchard Drive

Health news from

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MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare

Primary Care Providers Associated with MidMichigan

Rowena Achin, M.D.Internal Medicine

Maria-Eloisa Bernas, M.D.Pediatrics

David Bremer, D.O.Family Medicine

Reden Delgado, M.D.Family Medicine

Abid Khan, M.D.Internal Medicine

Rajani Mallick, M.D.Family Medicine

Douglas Mienk, M.D.Internal Medicine

Jennifer Morse, M.D.Family Medicine

Anjali Pawar, M.D.Pediatrics

Anthony Santini, P.A.-C.Family Medicine

Robert Vanderbrook, M.D.Family Medicine

Diane Grove, P.A.-C.Internal Medicine

Carrie Nicholson, M.D.Family Medicine

Michael Wertheimer, M.D.Family Medicine

Christina Weasel Brege, P.A.-C.Family Medicine

For more information about any of these providers and to learn which physicians are welcoming patients, call MidMichigan Health Line toll free at (800) 999-3199.

MMH-3241 To Your Health Ad (Full Page) 9.875" x 12.75"MMH-3241 THY-ClarePhysicianAd V5.indd 1 9/18/09 4:23:46 PM

UNLIKE PHYSICIANS WHO treat certain diseases, conditions or age groups, a family medicine specialist will treat and care for the entire family—infants, children and adults of all ages.

“Caring for families is one reason many family practi-tioners choose the family medicine specialty,” said Robert

FAMILY MEDICINE SPECIALISTS

Caring for the health of the entire family

F A M I L Y M E D I C I N E

Vanderbrook, M.D., of MidMichigan Physicians Group in Clare. “We follow our patients from infancy through adulthood.”

A DOCTOR FOR LIFE Family medicine physicians diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases. � ey

provide routine checkups and well-child checks. � ey also perform preventive health care, such as health risk assessments, health screenings and immunizations, and provide counseling to help their patients maintain healthy lifestyles. Many family medicine specialists have subspecialties in obstetrics or pediatrics.

INTENSIVE TRAINING Dr. Vanderbrook is one of many board-certi� ed family medicine physicians who care for families in Clare and Isabella counties. To be certi� ed, a physician has to complete a three-year resi-dency program in family medi-cine and pass an examination.

During their residency, they receive intense training in a broad range of issues, including caring for the speci� c needs at each stage of life, treating chronic conditions such as heart disease, emergency care, minor surgi-cal procedures, and more. To maintain certification, family medicine physicians are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of continuing medical edu-cation every three years.

“While our unique training equips us to treat nearly any issue, we refer our patients to a specialist when necessary,” Dr. Vanderbrook said. “Even when our patients are being treated by a specialist, we stay involved and coordinate the patient’s care.”

Let us help you � nd a doc-tor who meets your needs.

Call MidMichigan Health Line toll-free at (800) 999-3199.

tor who meets your needs.

N O V . / D E C . / J A N . 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 3 T O Y O U R H E A L T H

Doherty grateful for Bailey family support

James Doherty is working hard to ensure he will be a valuable nurse and volunteer. Doherty, who attends Mid Michigan C om-munity College, is studying to become a licensed practical

nurse. He is one of 101 area students who received a scholarship from � e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund.

Doherty holds a bachelor of science degree in the hospitality industry and has spent years working in the family business. He currently manages the Doherty Hotel in Clare. A few years ago, he began thinking about other interests. “I have always been interested in medicine, but never pursued it, so I started taking classes,” said Doherty. “Soon, I’ll be � nished with my course work and just have to take the boards.”

Giving back Doherty plans to put his new degree to work as soon as possible a� er graduation. “Initially, I plan to help out with organizations like the Red Cross while still working at the hotel,” said Doherty. “I also hope to do some mission work.”

� e Bailey Scholarship is particularly helpful to students like Doherty who have an established career and a family. “I’m very thankful for the assistance,” he said. “In our household, we have four individu-als in college. � at’s a lot of tuition. � e scholarship is immensely helpful.”

� e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bai-ley Family Fund is a student scholarship program administered by MidMichigan Health. Funded through a bequest le� by Bernard Bailey to MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland, scholarships are given annually to area residents studying in an accredited health care career program.

To review the eligibility guidelines and � ll out a schol-arship application, visit www.midmichigan.org/bailey or call(989) 839-3126. To learn more

about additional scholarship opportunities, visit www.midmichigan.org/scholarships.

Whether they strut, saunter, stroll or stride, people heading into the “third half ” of life need to be aware of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and the risk it poses, especially to those over age 50.

PAD occurs when cholesterol and plaque build up in the arteries of the lower extremities, decreasing blood � ow to the legs and feet. Lifestyle changes, medication and special procedures and surgeries are treatments for PAD.

“Early detection of PAD allows for the broadest range of treatment options,” said Interventional Cardiologist William R. Felten, M.D., of Michigan CardioVascular Institute, who heads the interventional car-diology program at MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland. “It can help people keep their independence and mobility, and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation and even death.”

Pulse and pressure tell the story � is fall, MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare began using BioMedix PADnet Lab™ to detect PAD. PADnet Lab measures pulse waves and blood pressure at various points in the body to study a patient’s arteries. � e noninvasive test provides de-

Find and treat PAD to stay mobile and healthy New device � nds peripheral artery disease early

tailed information on blockages in arteries and the quality of blood � ow.

During a 15-minute test, pressure cu� s are wrapped around the patient’s arms and above the knees, calves and ankles. � e technician in� ates the cu� s, and sensors in the cu� s record pulse waves that cor-respond to each heartbeat.

� e machine also calculates the ankle-brachial index, which is the ratio of blood pressures in the arm and ankle.

A� er a trained and certi� ed technician conducts the test, the results are read and interpreted by vascular specialists and shared with the patient’s physician. An important feature of PADnet is a secure BioMedix Web site that lets the techni-cian combine test data with other relevant information speci� c to the patient for a better, faster diagnosis.

Symptoms: Maybe yes, maybe no Most people with PAD do not have symp-toms, but symptoms can include:

Fatigue, heaviness, tiredness and ●cramping in leg muscles during activities such as walking or climbing stairs that go away once you stop the activity

Leg and foot pain that disturbs sleep●

Slow or poor healing of sores on toes, ●feet or legs

Color changes in the skin of the feet●A lower temperature in one leg than in ●

than the otherPoor nail growth and decreased hair ●

growth on toes and legsIf you have symptoms of PAD, or if you

have several risk factors, ask your family medicine physician about being tested for PAD at MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare. For a referral to a family medi-cine physician, call MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 837-9090 or toll-free at (800) 999-3199. PADnet is a trademark of BioMedix, Inc.

James Doherty

Obesity is a serious, debilitating disease that a� ects a third of the U.S. adult population. With the associated health risks, carrying extra weight is a matter of life and death.


Qualifying for surgery � e best candidates

for bariatric surgery are those with a body mass index greater than 35 in addition to medical conditions or greater than 40 without a medical condition.


Small stomachs � ree types of laparo-scopic bariatric surgery are performed at Gratiot Medical Center: Roux-en-Y



Ernest Cudjoe, M.D.

Jeffrey Smith, M.D.




Center of Excellence Gratiot Medical Center; Great Lakes Surgical Associates; and Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., have collectively been named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Surgical Review Corporation. � e Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated



More bene� ts than just losing weight

track record of positive patient outcomes. To learn more, outcomes. To learn more, visit bariatrics

outcomes. To learn more, visit bariatrics

guidelines and � ll out a schol-guidelines and � ll out a schol-arship application, visit midmichigan.org/bailey(989) 839-3126

guidelines and � ll out a schol-arship application, visit midmichigan.org/bailey





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Health news for residents of GLADWIN COUNTY

InSide 3 SLEEP LAB ONE MAN’S JOURNEY TO BETTER SLEEP 4 CALENDAR NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

6 COMMUNITY BENEFITS MIDMICHIGAN MAKES A DIFFERENCE WWW.MIDMICHIGAN.ORG

N O V E M B E R

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differentlyA


Richard M. Reynolds


survey for your

chance to win a

$25 gas card.

4005 Orchard Drive

Health news for residents of

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Alzheimer’s Support GroupA new caregiver support group has been established at MidMichigan Medical Cen-

ter–Gladwin to help connect those currently caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s

disease. The group is designed to provide encouragement, and ongoing education,

as well as support and fellowship with other caregivers.

To learn more about the support group, call the Medical Center’s Community

Education Department at (989) 246-6291.

Third Wednesday of every month, 4 p.m.

MidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Gladwin, Community Education Room

A L Z H E I M E R’ S

How to know when memory is a problem According to the Alzheimer’s Association, signs of Alzheimer’s disease include:

Memory loss—forgetting recently learned ●information or entire experiences.

Di� culty with routine tasks. ●Language problems. People with Al-●

zheimer’s may regularly forget simple words or substitute unusual words in place of a forgotten word.

Larry Peterson, of Gladwin, is getting to the bottom of a sleep problem that has troubled him for at least nine years. Larry, 51, is working with his MidMichigan physicians and the Sleep Disorders Lab at MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin to control his complex sleep apnea.

“Sleep apnea a� ected everything in my life,” said Larry, who is a body repair tech-nician at a car dealership in West Branch. “Every day was hard. Almost every week-end was spent trying to catch up on sleep, instead of spending time with my wife and our family and doing what I enjoyed.”

With the latest in care from the sleep lab in Gladwin, Larry’s sleep has improved remarkably. “I have started feeling better and doing more,” he said.

People with sleep apnea stop breathing for periods of two to three minutes and up to hundreds of times every night. It not only leaves them exhausted, it is linked to other conditions, such as diabetes, hy-pertension, stroke and heart disease, that pose serious health risks.

Larry’s condition combines obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, with his larger problem of central sleep apnea, which is more rare and challenging to treat. In spring 2009, Larry’s sleep apnea worsened, and his family physician, Mar-celino Barreto, M.D., referred him to the sleep lab in Gladwin.

“� e Sleep Disorders Lab at MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin had just opened, and it was only 11 miles away, much closer than where we went before,” said Larry’s wife, Linda. “Dr. Barreto’s o� ce is located right next door to the Medical Center, so he can easily stay involved with Larry’s ongoing treatment. Larry’s heart special-ist is there, too.”

Comfort, compassion and results Larry and Linda found a trusted source of help in MidMichigan Sleep Lab Manager

Erik Robinette, C.R.T, R.P.S.G.T., B.S., and the skilled technicians who conducted his sleep studies.

“I could tell Larry felt comfortable about the sleep tests,” said Linda. “� e technicians explained everything to him, which made a big di� erence, and had not been done during his previous experiences at other labs.”

Larry has reduced his episodes of apnea from eight or nine an hour to nine for the whole night, but di� erent aspects of his therapy continue to be adjusted for even better results.

“Technology for treating sleep apnea patients has improved since Larry’s initial diagnosis several years ago and contin-ues to improve,” said Robinette. “With a variety of approaches, including newer technologies, the sleep lab is equipped to treat patients with even more complex sleep disorders.”

For more information about MidMichi-gan’s Sleep Disorders Labs or to take an online sleep quiz, visit www.midmichigan.org/sleep.

Sleep lab helps Gladwin man manage complex sleep apnea

BACK TO LIFE: With his sleep apnea under better control, Larry Peterson has more energy for daily living, such as taking time to relax with his wife, Linda, at the Riverwalk Grill in Gladwin.

Volunteers neededShare your time and talents

Want to do something good for your health and for the community? Would you like to meet new people and learn new skills? � en consider joining the MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin Auxiliary.

We are always looking for dedicated people of all ages who want to share their time and talents with others.

“� e Auxiliary members are an inte-gral part of the Medical Center’s health care team,” said Ray Stover, president of MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin. “� eir ongoing contributions are invalu-able to both the Medical Center and the Gladwin community.”

Volunteer opportunities include:Greeting visitors at our information ●

deskHelping with elementary school ●

Tot ToursParticipating in local community ●

health screenings and health fairsWorking in our gi� shop●Guiding patients and visitors around ●

the Medical Center Participating in community disaster ●

drills In addition to volunteering, the

Auxiliary also raises money for patient care equipment and Medical Center im-provements. During the past 40 years, the Auxiliary has donated more than $600,000 through a variety of fund-raisers, including golf tournaments, rummage sales, quilt raffles, book sales, uniform sales and the annual Love Light Trees program.

We o� er a comprehensive training program for all of our new volunteers. Plus, we go out of our way to � nd the right position to match your interests and abilities.

Research shows that volunteers have greater longevity, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease than people who don’t volunteer.

To learn more about becoming a vol-unteer, call Connie Buswell at (989) 246-6283 or visit www.midmichigan.org/volunteers.

HERE TO HELP: Larry Thompson greets a visitor at the MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin information desk. Larry has been serving as a volunteer, sharing both his time and talents, for the past eight years. In addition to assisting visitors at the information desk, Larry also serves as co-manager of the Medical Center’s Gift Shop.

unteer, call Connie Buswell at (989) 246-6283(989) 246-6283midmichigan.org/volunteers(989) 246-6283midmichigan.org/volunteers

Mood and personality changes. ●Disorientation. People with Alzheimer’s ●

may get lost in their own neighborhoods or forget where they are and how to get home.

Misplacing things or putting things in ●unusual places.

If you are concerned about memory problems for yourself or a loved one, talk with your doctor. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, it’s important to detect it early. Some medications can help maintain thinking skills and memory during the be-ginning stages of the disease.

gan’s Sleep Disorders Labs or to take an online sleep quiz, visit take an online sleep quiz, visit www.midmichigan.org/sleeptake an online sleep quiz, visit www.midmichigan.org/sleep


Gladwin providers currently accepting new patientsMidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Gladwin, 609 Quarter St.

Evangeline Ancheta, M.D.—Family medicine, ■ (989) 246-6371Marcelino Barreto, M.D.—Family medicine, ■ (989) 246-6490Nicole Clark, P.A.C.—Family medicine, ■ (989) 246-6471Shaun Clarke, P.A.C.—Family medicine, ■ (989) 246-6425

673 E. Cedar Ave.Kandarp Vora, M.D.—Family medicine, ■ (989) 426-9259

Bratton Clinic, 112 W. Cedar Ave., Suite 2Richard Bratton, D.O.—General medicine, ■ (989) 426-3689

Would-be vet � nds a place caring for humans

Jessie Swan, of Gladwin, always wanted to be a doc-tor. However, she initially wanted to treat patients with four legs. “As a child, I wanted to be a veterinarian; it combined my love for all things furry

with my interest in science,” said Swan. “My interest evolved into human medi-cine during high school when I had the opportunity to participate in a program that replaced one class with time learning in a hospital. I shadowed several nurses at MidMichigan Medical Center–Gladwin who worked with cardiac patients. I was able to observe everything from stress tests to rehabilitation; that’s when I started thinking about pursuing human health care.”

Swan attends Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. She is one of 101 area students who received a schol-arship from � e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund. Swan said her experiences as an undergraduate student solidi� ed her choice to become a doctor. “I did volunteer work, job shadowed and was employed in health care settings. With each new experience, I became more con-vinced that being a medical doctor was a career that I would be happy with for the rest of my life.”

A financial lifeline Swan said that she is grateful for the Bailey scholarship, which will help reduce the number of loans she will need to take out. “As an undergrad, I couldn’t comprehend how expensive medical school would be,” admitted Swan. “� is scholarship means a great deal to me,” she said.


To review the eligibility guidelines and to � ll out a scholarship application, visit www.midmichigan.org/bailey or call (989) 839-3126. To learn more about ad-ditional scholarship opportunities, visit www.midmichigan.org/scholarships.

other: A doctor or physician assistant you see regularly will know more about you, including your personal health history, your family health history and personal

situations that a� ect your health. And that means they can provide better, more personalized care for you.

Plus, seeing your own doctor or phy-sician assistant on a regular basis for checkups—rather than waiting until you are already sick—can help you focus on preventing health problems and staying in optimum health.

Don’t wait until a serious health problem arises. Call MidMichigan Health Line toll-free at (800) 999-3199for more information about primary

care providers serving the Gladwin area. You may also visit www.midmichigan.org/doctors.

Why you need a primary care provider

Jessie Swan


“Bariatric surgery is much more than weight loss,” said Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., a fel-lowship-trained bariatric surgeon at Gratiot Medical Center. “According to the National Institutes of Health, bariatric surgery is the only proven method of long-term weight loss for people who are severely obese.”

Qualifying for surgery � e best candi-dates for bariatric surgery are those with a body mass index greater than 35 in addi-tion to medical conditions or greater than 40 without a medical condition.


Small stomachs � ree types of laparo-scopic bariatric surgery are performed at Gratiot Medical Center: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy. On average, patients who have bariatric surgery lose about 50 to 75 percent of their excess body weight.

In addition, weight-reduction surgery may improve medical problems caused or made worse by obesity, such as car-diovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.


Meet the expertsFor more information about the bariatric surgeons associated with Gratiot Medical Center, call MidMichigan Health Line at (800) 999-3199.


Ernest Cudjoe, M.D.

Jeffrey Smith, M.D.


Center of Excellence Gratiot Medical Center; Great Lakes Surgical Associates; and Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., have collectively been named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Surgical Review Corporation. � e Center of Excellence designation recog-nizes surgical programs with a demon-strated track record of positive patient

outcomes. To learn more, visit www.midmichigan.org/bariatrics.



outcomes. To learn more, visit visit bariatricsvisit bariatrics

for more information about primary care providers serving the Gladwin area. You may also Gladwin area. You may also visit doctors

Gladwin area. You may also visit doctors

You’re sni� ing and sneezing. � is cold—or whatever it is—has been hanging on far too long. It’s time to call... hmm... let’s see....

If you have a family doctor or primary care provider whom you see regularly, you won’t need to stop and wonder whom to call. And that’s just one advantage of hav-ing a provider whom you know and who knows you.

� ere are plenty of other reasons to have a primary care provider. Here’s an-

Nicole Clark, P.A.-C., meets with a patient in her office at MidMichigan Medical Offices–Gladwin.



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ourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourourHealth news for residents of GRATIOT AND MONTCALM COUNTIES N O V E M B E R

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Richard M. Reynolds

Obesity is a serious, debilitating disease that a� ects a third of the U.S. adult popu-lation. With the associated health risks, carrying extra weight is a matter of life and death.


Qualifying for surgery � e best candi-dates for bariatric surgery are those with

Meet the bariatric surgery expertsJeffrey Bonacci, M.D., general surgeon, earned his medical degree from Michi-gan State University in East Lansing, and completed a residency in general surgery at Michigan State University in Grand Rapids. Dr. Bonacci is accepting new patients in his offi ces in Alma and Mt. Pleasant.

Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., general surgeon, received his medical degree from East Carolina University School of Medicine in Greenville, N.C. He was fellowship-trained in laparoscopic surgery at North Shore–Long Island Jewish University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. Dr. Cudjoe is accepting new patients in his offi ces in Alma and Mt. Pleasant.

Jeffrey Smith, M.D., general surgeon, received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his residency at Saginaw Coop-erative Hospitals, Inc., in Saginaw. Dr. Smith is accepting new patients in his offi ces in Alma and Mt. Pleasant.

James D. Pilkington, M.D., earned his medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in East Lansing. He completed a resi-dency in general surgery at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. Dr. Pilkington is accepting new patients in his offi ce in Mt. Pleasant.

a body mass index greater than 35 in addi-tion to medical conditions or greater than 40 without a medical condition.


Small stomachs � ree types of laparo-scopic bariatric surgery are performed at Gratiot Medical Center: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy. On average, patients who have bariatric surgery lose about 50 to 75 percent of their excess body weight. In addition, weight-reduction surgery may improve medical problems caused or made worse by obesity, such as car-diovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.


Center of Excellence Gratiot Medical Center; Great Lakes Surgical Associates; and Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., have collectively been named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for


Ernest Cudjoe, M.D.

Jeffrey Smith, M.D.




Almost all babies are born with � at feet, also known as pes planus or fallen arches. In most children, the arch of the foot doesn’t develop fully until they are around 8 years old. But in about 20 percent of children, arches don’t develop at all. In this case, the children experience pain, walk “duck footed” and their feet appear to slap the ground.

Flat feet is a familiar phrase to Jenna Shaw, of St. Louis, mother of Will Howey, age 6.

“At 15 months old, Will was just begin-ning to walk,” Shaw said with a smile in her voice. “But we began noticing he was

Treatment optionsfor � at feet

Welcome, Dr. Nerbun

Sister Mary Rachel Nerbun, R.S.M., M . D . , i n t e r n a l medicine special-ist, earned a medi-cal degree from the George Washington School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.,

and completed a residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Conn. Dr. Nerbun sees adult patients in Alma.

two bones, and is speci� cally designed to � t securely without screws or pins. � e body tolerates the titanium without any side e� ects.

Standing tall A� er surgery, Will is happy and healthy.

“Will has no restrictions or limitations,” said Shaw. “He has had a few medical struggles in his young life, but his feet are no longer an issue for him. He is an active 6-year-old boy.”

Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Surgical Review Corporation. � e Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated


Meet the expertMichael Holland, D.P.M., earned a medical degree from the William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, and completed residencies at Botsford General Hospital in Farming-ton Hills and Milton Community Hospital in River Rouge, Mich. Dr. Holland is accepting new patients at his offi ce in Alma.

walking di� erently than the other children. He wasn’t as fast as the other children in the neighborhood. � en he began com-plaining that his feet hurt.”

Shaw went to Podiatrist Michael Holland, D.P.M., for help.

“Dr. Holland thoroughly examined Will and recommended we try nonsurgical options � rst to see if the foot would heal on its own,” continued Shaw. “We used customized arch supports for one year. However, it was inevitable—Will needed surgery.”

Building support “Historically, arch supports have been the gold standard in treating abnormal foot motion,” said Dr. Holland. “� is type of treatment has been very successful in preventing the abnormal motion, but sometimes does not address the underlying internal cause of the deformity to a� ord a permanent cure. Subtalar arthroeresis is a viable treatment option for the permanent correction for anyone over the age of 3 years.”

“� e procedure involves placing a small titanium implant in the sinus tarsi, a small opening between the talus and calcaneus bones in the ankle,” said Dr. Holland.

� e implant acts as internal arch sup-port, preventing the collapse between the


Scholarship helps Alma phlebotomist advance career

Longtime Alma res-ident Sara Oman is a full-time student at Baker College of Owosso. She is also one of 101 area stu-dents who received a scholarship from the Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund.

Oman, who is studying to earn an as-sociate’s degree in nursing, currently works as a phlebotomist for Gratiot Medical Center. It’s a job she loves, but she feels she has more to o� er.

“� e medical � eld has always interested me, and I enjoy taking care of people who are injured or sick,” said Oman. “I also love learning about di� erent diseases and ways to treat people, so the nursing � eld just � ts.”

Oman is very grateful to have been chosen as a scholarship recipient.

“� is scholarship is de� nitely helping me,” she said. “It pays for books and also some tuition.”

About the scholarship � e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund is a student scholarship program admin-istered by MidMichigan Health. Funded through a bequest le� by Bernard Bailey to MidMichigan Medical Center–Mid-land, scholarships are given annually to area residents studying in an accredited health care career program.

To review the eligibility guidelines, including a scholarship application, visit www.midmichigan.org/bailey or call (989) 839-3126. To learn more about ad-ditional scholarship opportunities, visit www.midmichigan.org/scholarships.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus au-reus (MRSA) is a bacterium that can cause infections in di� erent parts of the body. It is a form of staph infection.

“Though most MRSA infections aren’t serious, some can be life-threat-ening,” said Jose Raygada, M.D., in-ternal medicine and infectious disease specialist at Gratiot Medical Center. “Many public health

experts are alarmed by the spread of tough strains of MRSA. Because it’s hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a superbug.”

Besides skin infections, staph is a fre-quent cause of surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia.

Who gets MRSA Anyone can get a staph or MRSA infection, but some people are at increased risk, such as people living in con� ned areas or those who have close skin-to-skin contact with others. � at includes athletes involved in football and wrestling, soldiers kept in close quarters, inmates, childcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities.

“Staph o� en enters the body through a cut or scrape and can cause a skin in-fection that looks like a pimple or boil,” said Dr. Raygada. “� e infected site may be red, swollen and painful. For a mild

Parents learned the importance of laying their babies on their backs to sleep as a result of the 1992 American Academy of Pediatrics Back to Sleep campaign, initi-ated as a preventive measure to reduce the occurrence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

That recommendation has proven itself, as SIDS statistics have fallen sub-stantially. However, since that time, in-su� cient “tummy time” has resulted in other problems, including torticollis and plagiocephaly.

“Torticollis is a condition in which an infant’s neck muscle is shortened, caus-ing the infant’s head to tilt to one side and the chin to turn towards the opposite side,” said Kristin Andraka, P.T., D.P.T.,

or moderate skin infection, a doctor may simply drain the abscess. For others, an antibiotic may be needed, even though there are limited antibiotics that work against MRSA.”

Prevention To reduce risk of getting a staph or MRSA infection, the most im-portant thing you can do is practice good hygiene:

Keep hands clean by washing thor-●oughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Keep skin moisturized to avoid drying ●and cracking.

Keep cuts and scrapes clean and cov-●ered with a bandage until healed.

Avoid sharing personal items such as ●towels or razors.

Avoid contact with other people’s ●wounds or bandages.

Place clothing or a towel between your ●skin and shared exercise equipment.

Wipe surfaces of exercise equipment ●before and a� er you use them.

Shower a� er working out. ●For a physician referral,

call MidMichigan Health Line at (800) 999-3199 or visit www.midmichigan.org/doctors.

A superbad superbugProtect yourself from MRSA

Not enough tummy time? Physical therapy can help

pediatric physical therapist. “� is is the third most common pediatric orthopaedic diagnosis.”

Plagiocephaly is an asymmetrical dis-tortion of the head, typically involving � attening on one side of the skull that occurs as a result of babies sleeping on their backs. � ough easily treatable, these changes may go unrecognized by parents and health care practitioners alike.

“Successful treatment of this condition is directly related to early diagnosis and treatment, speci� cally within the � rst year of life,” said Andraka. “Physical therapy sessions consist primarily of stretching, strengthening, facilitation of symmetri-cal developmental play, and an emphasis on parent education and a home exercise

program. With proper positioning in con-junction with an e� ective stretching and strengthening program, physical therapy can prevent this problem or decrease the severity of it.”

If you suspect that your child has ei-ther of these conditions, call MidMichi-gan Health Line at (800) 999-3199 for a pediatrician or primary care physician who can determine if a referral to physi-cal therapy for evaluation and treatment is necessary. Physical rehabilitation o� ces are located in Alma, Ithaca, Edmore and Mt. Pleasant.

call MidMichigan Health Line call MidMichigan Health Line at www.midmichigan.org/doctors

call MidMichigan Health Line at www.midmichigan.org/doctors

Sara Oman

Jose Raygada, M.D.



















differentlyA


Richard M. Reynolds


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InSide 3 MRSA STEER CLEAR OF THIS SUPERBUG 4 CALENDAR NEW YEAR, NEW YOU


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and can cause a skin infection that looks like a pimple or boil,” said Infectious Diseases Specialist Maria Shvab, M.D., M.P.H., of the Midland Infectious Disease Clinic. “� e infected site may be red, swollen and painful. For a mild or moderate skin infection, a doctor may simply drain the abscess. For others, an antibiotic may be needed,

even though there are limited anti-biotics that work against MRSA.”

PREVENTION To reduce risk of getting a staph or MRSA infection, follow these tips:

Practice good hand hygiene.●Keep skin moisturized to avoid ●

drying and cracking.Keep cuts and scrapes clean and ●

covered until healed. Avoid sharing personal items like towels or razors. ●Avoid contact with people’s wounds or bandages. ●Place clothing or a towel between your skin and shared ●

exercise equipment. Wipe exercise equipment surfaces before and a� er use. ●Shower a� er working out. ●For a physician referral, call MidMichigan Health Line at

(800) 999-3199 or visit www.midmichigan.org/doctors.

METHICILLIN-RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a form of staph infection. Staph is a frequent cause of pneumonia and of skin, surgical wound, and bloodstream infections.

“� ough most MRSA infections aren’t serious, some can be life-threatening,” said Jose Raygada, M.D., internal

medicine and infectious disease specialist at Gratiot Medical Cen-ter. “Many public health experts are alarmed by the spread of tough strains of MRSA. Because it’s hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a superbug.”

WHO GETS MRSA Anyone can get a staph or MRSA infection, but people living in con� ned areas or

those who have close skin-to-skin contact with others are at higher risk.

“Staph o� en enters the body through a cut or scrape

Maria Shvab, M.D., M.P.H.

UNLIKE OTHER PHYSICIANS who treat only cer-tain diseases, conditions or age groups, a family medicine specialist will treat and care for the health of the entire family—infants, children and adults of all ages.

A DOCTOR FOR LIFE “Caring for families is one reason many family practitioners choose the family medicine specialty,” said H. William Beebe, D.O., of MidMichigan Health Park–Mt. Pleasant. “We follow our patients from infancy through adulthood.”

Family medicine physicians diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases. � ey provide routine checkups and well-child checks. � ey also perform preventive health care, such as health risk assessments and health screen-ings and immunizations, and provide counseling to help their patients maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many family medicine specialists also have subspecialties in obstetrics or pediatrics.

EXTENSIVE TRAINING Dr. Beebe is one of many board-certi� ed family medicine physicians who care for families in Clare and Isabella counties. To be certi� ed, a physician has to complete a three-year residency program in family medicine and pass an examination.

During their residencies, they receive intensive train-ing in a broad range of issues including caring for the speci� c needs of each stage of life, treating chronic con-ditions such as heart disease, emergency care and minor surgical procedures, and more. To maintain certi� cation, family medicine physicians are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of continuing medical education every three years.

“While our unique training equips us to treat nearly any issue, we refer our patients to a specialist when necessary,” explained Family Medicine Physician Mary Slominis, M.D., who practices at Mt. Pleasant Medical Center. “Even when our patients are being treated by a specialist, we stay involved and coordinate the patient’s care.

Most family medicine physicians put a premium on listening well and getting to know and understand their patients. “As family medicine specialists, our primary role is to help patients and families achieve and maintain good health for a lifetime,” added Dr. Slominis. “We want to establish long-term partnerships.”

Let us help you � nd a doctor who meets your needs. Call MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 775-1650 in Mt. Pleasant or toll-free at (800) 999-3199.



Expert Specialty Care In Mt. Pleasant

MidMichigan Health Park–Mt. Pleasant Gratiot Medical Center

MidMichigan Health Park– Mt. Pleasant is located at 4851 E. Pickard Street. Physicians and services offered there are affiliated with MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland.

CardiologyRodney Diehl, D.O. EndocrinologyLavinia Boboc, M.D.Family MedicineH. William Beebe, D.O.Caroline Kramer, Ph.D., M.D.Jeffrey Striebel, D.O.GynecologyCheryl Dwyer, D.O.Lydia Watson, M.D.Medical Oncology/HematologyAhmed Abdel-Maksoud, M.D. Tannu Sahay, M.D.NephrologyJose Fuente, M.D.NeurologyMeihui Ma, Ph.D., M.D.NeurosurgeryBrian Copeland, M.D.Obstetrics/GynecologyJan Butler, N.P.-C.Ayodeji Joshua, M.D.John Lieberman, D.O.Nicole Powell, M.D.

CardiologyAbraham Krepostman, M.D.Sudeep Mohan, M.D.Family MedicineKurt Anderson, D.O. Terry Ball, D.O.Dan Dean, D.O.Annu Mohan, M.D.Mary Slominis, M.D.John Wegner, P.A.-C.General SurgeryJames Bonacci, M.D.Ernest Cudjoe, M.D. Jeffrey Pilkington, M.D.Jeffrey Smith, M.D.Internal MedicineLarry Bennett, M.D.Mohanad Fallouh, M.D.Pankaj Jandwani, M.D.Madhura Mansabdar, M.D.Mickki Templeman, N.P.Jose Raygada, M.D.Medical Oncology/HematologyTannu Sahay, M.D. NeurologyZubair Shaikh, M.D.Kristen Telfor, N.P.Obstetrics/GynecologyLeyla Moossavi, M.D.Diane Traenkle, D.O.

OrthopaedicsBrad Binsfeld, D.O.James Ware, D.O.Joseph Yacisen, D.O.OtolaryngologyJoe Chomchai, M.D.PediatricsFrancisco Lossio, M.D.Bhekumusa Msibi, D.O.Anuradha Pavuluri, M.D.Shobana Sundaram, M.D.Pulmonology, Sleep DisordersElie Obeid, M.D.RadiologyJon Buiteweg, M.D.Roger Hynes, M.D. Mohammad Naveed, M.D. David Petrella, M.D.Philip Trover, M.D.ServicesCTMammography Nuclear MedicineOccupational Therapy Physical Therapy Sleep Disorders LabUltrasoundX-rayDialysis • Great Lakes Renal Network 404 South Crapo StreetLaboratory • 211 South Crapo Street, Suite N • 411 West Broadway, Suite A • 1750 East Bellows, Suite B

Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryRichard Bartling, D.D.S.Richard Poupard, D.D.S.Larry Skoczylas, D.D.S., M.S.

Orthopaedic SurgeryJohn Murphy, D.O.Denise Stadelmaier, D.O.

OtolaryngologyHerbert Camp, M.D.

PodiatryTodd Laughner, D.P.M.David Snider, D.P.M.

PsychiatryMarina Bogdanovic, M.D. Kathleen Regan, M.D.

RheumatologyHarris Weaver, M.D.Thoracic and Cardiovascular SurgeryRobert Jones, M.D.ServicesBone Density Testing Echocardiogram EKGLaboratory ServicesMammography Massage TherapyOccupational TherapyPhysical TherapySpeech TherapyStress TestingX-ray

For more information about services offered in Mt. Pleasant by MidMichigan Health Park–Mt. Pleasant and Gratiot Medical Center in Alma, call MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 775-1650 or toll free (800) 999-3199.

MMH-3265 TYH Expert Care Ad 9.875” x 11.75”

W E L L N E S S

A superbad bugProtect yourself from MRSA

Jose Raygada, M.D.


Busy mom grateful for Bailey scholarshipJudy Fleming of Mt. Pleasant has been a licensed practical nurse for 17 years. For the last few semesters she has been attending Mid Michigan Community College full-time, studying to become a registered nurse. Fleming is one of 101 area students who received a scholarship from � e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund.

“I chose the � eld of nursing years ago,” said Fleming, who has worked for Gratiot Medical Center for 12 years. “Gratiot Medi-cal Center has been a great place to work. � ey o� ered � exibility, and it’s been won-derful to be able to practice nursing while raising a family. However, the health care � eld is changing and with an advanced degree, I can contribute more and have more opportunities. Now that my children are in school all day, it was a good time for me to go back to school as well.”

A leg-up for a busy mom � e Bailey Scholarship is particularly helpful to students like Fleming who have an es-tablished career and are not eligible for most � nancial aid. “� is is the only help I’ve received and I am very thankful to be a recipient,” she said. “Between caring for three active kids and doing my clinical rotations, I can only work part-time. So this scholarship really helps.”

� e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund is a student scholarship program administered by MidMichigan Health. Funded through a bequest le� by Bernard Bailey to MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland, scholarships are given annually to area residents studying in an accredited health care career program.

To review the eligibility guidelines and � ll out a scholarship application, visit www.midmichigan.org/bailey or call

(989) 839-3126. To learn more about scholarship opportuni-ties, visit www.midmichigan.org/scholarships.

(989) 839-3126about scholarship opportuni-about scholarship opportuni-ties, visit scholarships

about scholarship opportuni-ties, visit scholarships



Qualifying for surgery � e best candi-

Ask a patient who is receiving radiation treatments, and they’ll tell you faster is better. � at’s why MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland will soon be using ad-vanced treatment planning so� ware that makes treatment up to eight times faster.

With RapidArc radiotherapy technol-ogy, a treatment that used to take 20 minutes will take less than � ve. What

Radiation Oncologist Rajnikant H. Mehta, M.D., and the treatment team at MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland are using new treatment planning software to shorten treatment times for intensity modulated radiation therapy.

O N C O L O G Y

Radiation therapy up to eight times faster

dates for bariatric surgery are those with a body mass index greater than 35 in addi-tion to medical conditions or greater than 40 without a medical condition.


Small stomachs � ree types of laparo-scopic bariatric surgery are performed at Gratiot Medical Center: Roux-en-Y



Ernest Cudjoe, M.D.

Jeffrey Smith, M.D.




Center of Excellence Gratiot Medical Center; Great Lakes Surgical Associates; and Ernest Cudjoe, M.D., have collectively been named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Surgical Review Corporation. � e Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated




track record of positive patient outcomes. To learn more, visit bariatricsvisit bariatrics

tion therapy (IMRT), already a top-level method for treating cancer.

At the Medical Center, IMRT and Rapid- Arc are used with BodyArray. � is optically guided radiosurgery system from Varian Medical Systems lets a patient recline in a custom-made body mold, with a so� plastic cover vacuum-molded over them to keep them immobile during treatment.

These capabilities, combined with Gamma Knife Perfexion for brain radiosur-gery, give MidMichigan the technology and expertise to treat tumors from head to toe.

More time for compassionate care Shorter treatment times also give the treatment team more opportunity to focus on their patient’s needs. “It’s great to o� er our patients a high-end technology that also gives us more time to provide them compassionate care,” Dr. Mehta said.

To learn more about MidMichigan’s capability to diagnose and treat cancer, visit www.midmichigan.org/cancer. For a physi-cian referral, visit www.midmichigan.org/doctors.

RapidArc and Varian Clinac are registered trademarks of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

used to be a 10- to 12-minute treatment for prostate cancer will typically be less than two minutes. With RapidArc, some complex treatments that were as long as 90 minutes will take less than 12.

When programmed using the RapidArc so� ware, the Medical Center’s Varian Cli-nac linear accelerator moves around the patient in one continuous motion, deliv-ering the carefully planned radiation dose from start to � nish without stopping. As the machine moves, continuous adjust-ments sculpt the 3-D radiation dose to the shape of the tumor, delivering maximum radiation to the targeted area and mini-mum radiation to the surrounding healthy tissue. Prostate cancer will typically require less than two minutes.

More precision for targeting tumors “� e shorter treatment times also help us target tumors with more precision,” said Radiation Oncologist Rajnikant H. Mehta, M.D.

RapidArc, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in early 2008, further raises MidMichigan’s capabilities for intensity-modulated radia-



















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Richard M. Reynolds


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InSide 3 FAMILY HEALTH PHYSICIANS TO CARE FOR YOU 4 CALENDAR NEW YEAR, NEW YOU





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4005 Orchard Drive

ourourHealth news for residents of ROSCOMMON COUNTY N O V E M B E R

D E C E M B E R

J A N U A R Y

2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 0

UNLIKE PHYSICIANS WHO treat certain diseases, conditions or age groups, a family medicine specialist will treat and care for the entire family—infants, children and adults of all ages.

“Caring for families is one reason many family prac-titioners choose the family medicine specialty,” said



MIDMICHIGAN HEALTH SERVICES (MHS) is a community-based primary care center. � e mission of the organization is to provide high-quality, community-driven, patient-focused and easily accessible health care services for all.

In order to provide you with the best and highest-quality health care, our team of health care providers and support sta� have adopted the model of practice known as the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH).

� e PCMH is a primary care practice that serves as the “home” for coordination of all medical needs. � e model is based on an ongoing personal relationship with a regular primary care provider, who leads a team in providing or arranging needed services throughout the health care system.

Appointments. Our primary care providers see patients by appointment, which can be made in person or by call-ing the clinic numbers provided. Appointments are made as soon as is necessary based on the problem or reason for the visit. We strive to provide easy access, and most providers reserve time each day for acute needs. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify the o� ce as soon as possible so that we can use this time for another patient.

Transportation assistance. Arrangements have been made with the Roscommon County mini-bus system for patients who need assistance in getting to their appoint-ments. Transportation tokens for using the system are available at both clinic sites.

Practice locations and hours of operationMidMichigan Health Park–Houghton Lake9249 West Lake City RoadHoughton Lake, MI 48629

Primary care business hours: ■

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.Phone: (989) 422-5122

Urgent care business hours:■

Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.Phone: (989) 422-2181

MidMichigan Medical Offi ces–Roscommon135 Lake St.Roscommon, MI 48653

Business hours:■

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.Phone: (989) 275-8931

Urgent care. Urgent care extends access for both es-tablished and nonestablished patients. Open daily each evening and on weekends, urgent care provides services on a walk-in basis for patients with urgent needs that should not wait for an appointment. Urgent care should not be used for routine visits or medication re� lls.

Fees and insurance. Professional fees are reviewed annually and are set based on many criteria to ensure that they are fair and appropriate. Most major health insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid,

are accepted. Our o� ce will submit primary and second-ary insurance claims. Please bring your insurance card to every visit. Payments for deductibles, co-pays and o� ce services not covered by your insurance plan are expected at the time of your visit.

Medical care discount program. We believe that ev-eryone has a right to quality, a� ordable health care and have developed a medical care discount program. � is program provides a sliding fee scale where discounts are given based on � nancial ability. Financial ability is de� ned by federal guidelines. Based on these guidelines, no one will be denied service due to inability to pay.

Hospital care. Our providers do not currently pro-

vide inpatient services. Our priority is to provide the best possible access in the o� ce setting. If you do need hospital care, however, our providers will work with you to refer and arrange for those services. We are a� liated with MidMichigan Health hospitals in Clare, Midland, Gladwin and Alma. Our providers regularly communicate with hospital providers.

Specialty care. We have arrangements with a number of medical specialists to provide services locally. If you need specialty care, we will make a referral to assist you.

Robert Vanderbrook, M.D., of MidMichigan Medical O� ces–Clare. “We follow our patients from infancy through adulthood.”

A DOCTOR FOR LIFE Family medicine physicians diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases. � ey

PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME

A new way to care for you

provide routine checkups and well-child checks. � ey also perform preventive health care, such as health risk assessments, health screenings and immunizations, and provide counseling to help their patients maintain healthy lifestyles. Many family medicine specialists have subspecialties in obstetrics or pediatrics.

INTENSIVE TRAINING Dr. Vanderbrook is one of many board-certi� ed family medicine physicians who care for families in Clare and Isabella counties. To be certi� ed, a physician has to complete a three-year residency program in family medicine and pass an examination.

During their residency, they receive intense training in a broad range of issues, including caring for the speci� c needs at each stage of life, treating chronic conditions such as heart disease, emergency care, minor surgical procedures, and more. To maintain certi� cation, family medicine physi-cians are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of continuing medical education every three years.

“While our unique training equips us to treat nearly any issue, we refer our patients to a specialist when nec-essary,” Dr. Vanderbrook said. “Even when our patients are being treated by a specialist, we stay involved and coordinate the patient’s care.”

Most family medicine physicians put a premium on listening well and getting to know and understand their patients. “As family medicine specialists, our primary role is to help patients and families achieve and maintain good health for a lifetime,” Dr. Vanderbrook added. “We want to establish long-term partnerships.”

Let us help you � nd a doctor who meets your needs. Call MidMichigan Health Line toll-free at (800) 999-3199.

want to establish long-term partnerships.”

We strive to provide easy access to quality health care for

everyone in our community.

F A M I L Y H E A L T H


Doherty grateful for Bailey family support

James Doherty is working hard to ensure he will be a valuable nurse and volunteer. Doherty, who attends Mid Michigan C om-munity College, is studying to become a licensed practical

nurse. He is one of 101 area students who received a scholarship from � e Bernard F. and Melissa Anne Bailey Family Fund.

Doherty holds a bachelor of science degree in the hospitality industry and has spent years working in the family business. He currently manages the Doherty Hotel in Clare. A few years ago, he began thinking about other interests. “I have always been interested in medicine, but never pursued it, so I started taking classes,” said Doherty. “Soon, I’ll be � nished with my course work and just have to take the boards.”

Giving back Doherty plans to put his new degree to work as soon as possible a� er graduation. “Initially, I plan to help out with organizations like the Red Cross while still working at the hotel,” said Doherty. “I also hope to do some mission work.”

� e Bailey Scholarship is particularly helpful to students like Doherty who have an established career and a family. “I’m very thankful for the assistance,” he said. “In our household, we have four individu-als in college. � at’s a lot of tuition. � e scholarship is immensely helpful.”


To review the eligibility guidelines and � ll out a schol-arship application, visit www.midmichigan.org/bailey or call(989) 839-3126. To learn more

about additional scholarship opportunities, visit www.midmichigan.org/scholarships.

James Doherty

You can’t see it, smell it or taste it, but car-bon monoxide (CO), a gas released when fuel is burned, can be deadly.

Wood, oil, gasoline, natural gas, kero-sene and coal all produce CO. In your home, CO can come from a variety of things, such as a heating system, cooking appliance or � replace. It’s also present in fumes from vehicles, small engines and barbecues.

� ere’s little to worry about when ap-pliances and other devices are working right and fumes are properly vented. But when they’re not, CO levels can get high enough to cause illness and death. Hun-dreds of people in the U.S. die every year from CO poisoning.

Carbon monoxide can harm anyone, but certain people are at high risk. � ose especially prone to the e� ects of CO are infants; elderly people; and people with chronic heart disease, anemia or respira-tory problems.

At low levels, CO poisoning can mimic the � u, but without a fever. Common symp-toms include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness.

At higher levels, CO poisoning can cause severe headaches, confusion, loss of consciousness and death.

If you think you might have carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air at

once. Open windows, turn o� appliances or vehicles, and leave the area. Get to an emergency department and tell the medi-cal sta� you suspect CO poisoning.

Also, call the � re department and don’t re-enter the home until the � re department says it’s safe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others, there are several things you can do to protect yourself and your family from this threat:

Each year have an expert check your ●home heating system; water heater; and any appliances that burn gas, oil or coal.

Make sure all gas appliances are prop-●erly vented.

Have your chimney checked or cleaned ●every year.

Have a mechanic check your vehicle’s ●exhaust system once a year.

Install a battery-operated CO detector, ●

and check it at least twice a year. Follow the manufacturer’s advice on how and where to install it.

Never leave a vehicle running in the ga-●rage—even with the garage door open.

And never try to heat your home with a device not meant for the job, such as a gas range or oven, a barbecue grill or a por-table camp stove. Some people who have trouble paying their utility bills resort to using such devices for heat. But doing so can be deadly—the devices can cause CO to build up in a home.

Programs are available to help quali-� ed people with energy bills. For infor-mation on one such program, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

(LIHEAP), visit www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap. Your utility company may also be able to help.

Keep your family safe from carbon monoxide

Whether they strut, saunter, stroll or stride, people heading into the “third half ” of life need to be aware of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and the risk it poses, especially to those over age 50.

PAD occurs when cholesterol and plaque build up in the arteries of the lower extremities, decreasing blood � ow to the legs and feet. Lifestyle changes, medication and special procedures and surgeries are treatments for PAD.

“Early detection of PAD allows for the broadest range of treatment options,” said Interventional Cardiologist William R. Felten, M.D., of Michigan CardioVascular Institute, who heads the interventional car-diology program at MidMichigan Medical Center–Midland. “It can help people keep their independence and mobility, and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation and even death.”

Pulse and pressure tell the story � is fall, MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare began using BioMedix PADnet Lab™ to detect PAD. PADnet Lab measures pulse waves and blood pressure at various points in the body to study a patient’s arteries. � e noninvasive test provides de-

Find and treat PAD to stay mobile and healthy New device � nds peripheral artery disease early

tailed information on blockages in arteries and the quality of blood � ow.

During a 15-minute test, pressure cu� s are wrapped around the patient’s arms and above the knees, calves and ankles. � e technician in� ates the cu� s, and sensors in the cu� s record pulse waves that cor-respond to each heartbeat.

� e machine also calculates the ankle-brachial index, which is the ratio of blood pressures in the arm and ankle.

A� er a trained and certi� ed technician conducts the test, the results are read and interpreted by vascular specialists and shared with the patient’s physician. An important feature of PADnet is a secure BioMedix Web site that lets the techni-cian combine test data with other relevant information speci� c to the patient for a better, faster diagnosis.

Symptoms: Maybe yes, maybe no Most people with PAD do not have symp-toms, but symptoms can include:

Fatigue, heaviness, tiredness and ●cramping in leg muscles during activities such as walking or climbing stairs that go away once you stop the activity

Leg and foot pain that disturbs sleep●

Slow or poor healing of sores on toes, ●feet or legs

Color changes in the skin of the feet●A lower temperature in one leg than in ●

than the otherPoor nail growth and decreased hair ●

growth on toes and legsIf you have symptoms of PAD, or if you

have several risk factors, ask your family medicine physician about being tested for PAD at MidMichigan Medical Center–Clare. For a referral to a family medi-cine physician, call MidMichigan Health Line at (989) 837-9090 or toll-free at (800) 999-3199. PADnet is a trademark of BioMedix, Inc.

guidelines and � ll out a schol-guidelines and � ll out a schol-arship application, visit midmichigan.org/bailey(989) 839-3126

guidelines and � ll out a schol-arship application, visit midmichigan.org/bailey (LIHEAP), visit

gov/programs/ocs/liheapgov/programs/ocs/liheaputility company may also be able to help.

gov/programs/ocs/liheaputility company may also be able to help.


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