System Hospital News: June 2019

Atrium Medical Center

Atrium Medical Center held its inaugural Honoring Survivors Banquet on May 29 in recognition of nine people who experienced near-death situations and came back stronger than before. The event was also an opportunity to thank the doctors, nurses, and all other skilled experts who cared for these patients. The event was attended by hospital and Premier Health executives, community officials, and hospital staff.

NBA player Luke Kennard held a press conference May 23 at Atrium to announce an expanded second year of the Luke Kennard Overnight Basketball Camp presented by Premier Health. The press conference drew television media from both the Cincinnati and Dayton markets and featured Michael Griesser, MD, and Keith Bricking, MD. Kennard also spoke at the press conference, thanking Premier Health for its continued support of the camp.

The Center for Women’s Health and Wellness in Mason and Premier Family Care of Mason were highlighted during the Mason Deerfield Chamber of Commerce’s annual luncheon. Yonathan Kebede, Premier Health vice president of urgent care, spoke on behalf of Atrium at the event and shared information about these practices and the Mason urgent care location with more than 250 attendees.

Liberty Family Medicine, which opened in November 2018 in Liberty Twp., was recognized during the annual Everest Awards hosted by the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance. The event honors business leaders from the Dayton and Cincinnati areas.

Atrium and its services were promoted during recent community events, including the Middletown Memorial Day parade; Hospice Care of Middletown Mother’s Day 5K; RiverCon, a 5-mile bicycle/walk/run in Middletown; Middletown Athletic Boosters Community Day; Women Wisdom Wellness in West Chester Twp.; Warren County Foundation Community Service Awards; Warren County Relay for Life; and Middie Special Olympics.

Miami Valley Hospital 

Staff members of Miami Valley Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) welcomed back their former patients Saturday, May 4. Billed this year as “May the 4th be with you,” the baby reunion reunited nurses, doctors, and other caregivers with premature babies they once cared for. The event, held every two years, draws parents and babies who recently were released from the NICU, as well as young adults who return to reunite with their caregivers.

The Premier Health EMS team participated in a “Touch-a-Truck” event hosted by the City of Springboro. In addition to the community being exposed to city vehicles and equipment, a Premier Health Mobile Intensive Care Unit was on hand.

Miami Valley Hospital South was the presenting sponsor of the Centerville mayor’s Business Appreciation Breakfast. This event is an opportunity for Centerville businesses to come together and hear economic development updates.  As part of the sponsorship, MVHS President Joann Ringer brought remarks, and the facility had a large display in the foyer of the Yankee Trace clubhouse.

Miami Valley Hospital North hosted an Employee Health and Wellness Fair. The event included health and wellness information, chair massages, and other health related activities for staff.

Centerville Noon Optimists and Miami Valley Hospital South hosted the annual Safety on Wheels Bike Rodeo event. This event featured helmet fittings, bicycle registration, interactive health and safety activities, bicycle maneuverability courses, and maintenance checks. The Mobile Education Lab and SimMan also were on hand.

Miami Valley Hospital participated in the Ohio Department of Health’s 2019 Med Surge Functional Exercise and Drill.

Good Samaritan Foundation-Dayton supported the Nurse’s Week celebration at Miami Valley Hospital North with gifts from donors. Foundation staff helped with planning the event and participated in festivities honoring nurses. The celebration, which included free massages, Winans chocolates, and a photo booth, saluted and thanked nurses for their hard work and dedication in caring for patients. Miami Valley Hospital Foundation also assisted Miami Valley Hospital nursing administration in celebrating Nurse’s Week, honoring nurses at the main campus and at Miami Valley Hospital South. Activities for the nurses were made possible by a generous gift in memory of Mary Jane (M.J.) Reynolds, RN, who received care at Miami Valley Hospital. Her daughter, Karen Andersen, RN, BSN, team leader on ME6, attended the celebration. The event was hosted by Christie Gray, MS, CNS, vice president of hospital operations and chief nursing officer.

The Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing hosted its annual banquet. Alumni were thrilled to view a video of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Chapel at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Throughout May, staff from all of the Premier Health foundations helped organize and participate in the 2019 Premier Health Employee Giving Campaign. The system-wide campaign encourages employees to donate to programs that benefit their co-workers, patients, and community projects. Dubbed “Be Someone’s Hero,” this year’s campaign included visits by costumed superhero characters at kickoff events at each Premier Health hospital. Last year’s campaign raised more than $300,000 in employee contributions.

Upper Valley Medical Center

A Premier Health flash mob made a huge splash at the Troy Strawberry Festival on June 1 in downtown Troy. More than 50 dancers comprised of staff from Upper Valley Medical Center and other Premier Health entities learned the flash mob dance moves via video and practiced together for three hours at UVMC that morning before gathering at the festival to perform to the pop song “Happy.” The flash mob appearance was featured in Strawberry Festival coverage by WHIO Channel 7 news, was the lead story on the front page of the Miami Valley Today newspaper, and went viral on Facebook with thousands of hits.

More than 300 runners/walkers took part in the inaugural UVMC 5K Run/Walk to Fight Hunger on May 4 at the hospital campus. Mark Casdorph, DO, championed the event, which included a fun run for all ages and a health and wellness fair with booths that featured UVMC departments, physician offices, and community partners. Net proceeds of just more than $6,400 were split between the major food pantries/soup kitchens in Miami County.

UVMC and Premier Health sponsored a Miami County Chiefs meeting May 15 at the Crystal Room in Troy. The dinner meeting was attended by fire chiefs and fire department/EMS members from throughout the county, along with elected officials and UVMC representatives. Troy Fire Chief Matt Simmons and Mike Bessler of the Miami County Recovery Council presented an overview of progress made by the Miami County Rapid Response Team in fighting the opioid epidemic. The program is supported by UVMC Community Benefit Grants funding.

UVMC hosted the Piqua Partnership (formerly Leadership Piqua) class for a health care overview May 14 at the hospital. The program featured a presentation on advanced technologies by Chief Medical Officer Scott Kanagy, DO, followed by a hospital highlights tour.

In community engagement/outreach, UVMC was presenting sponsor of the Miami County Health Partners Free Clinic’s 10th Annual Healing Jar Gala May 18 at the Orrmont Estate in Piqua, and UVMC staff participated in a Milton-Union Schools Career Day May 1 at Milton-Union High School in West Milton; the City of Piqua Employee Health Fair May 8 at the Piqua City Building; Miami County Senior Citizens Day May 10 at the Learning Place in Piqua; Taste of the Arts May 10 in downtown Piqua; and the Piqua Farmers Market launch May 30 in downtown Piqua.

Back to the June 2019 issue of Premier Pulse