System News: August 2023
Atrium Medical Center
Atrium Medical Center and Hilltop Obstetrics and Gynecology have been honored by Cincy Magazine in the publication’s 2023 Family Choice Awards. The practice was named Best OB/GYN group; Charissa Newton, CNM, was named Best Midwife; and Atrium’s Family Birth Center received Best Place to Have a Baby recognition.
Atrium honored several Middletown firefighters and EMS professionals for helping to deliver premature twins in the field. Rich Morrett, emergency medical services director, Atrium, honored the team of Middletown firefighters after they helped a woman successfully deliver the babies. Cincinnati television and print media covered the story.
Atrium showcased its emergency and trauma services at National Night Out events in Middletown, Franklin, Lebanon, and Carlisle. These popular community events, which the local police department organizes to build community relationships, draw thousands of residents each year. Atrium’s Level III Trauma Center distributed information at each event.
Save the date for Saturday, Sept. 9, for the American Heart Association’s Butler/Warren County Heart Walk presented by Atrium Medical Center. The walk will take place along Atrium’s Turner Trail and feature a health expo. Atrium is recruiting teams to fundraise and participate in the event. Join a team to participate.
In other community relations activities: Atrium sponsored the City of Middletown’s Fourth of July concert and fireworks and the Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival in Middletown; the hospital’s employee engagement committee hosted a luau attended by 350 employees, offering fun games, free snacks, and a chance to win prizes; Atrium’s Department of Public Safety participated in the City of Franklin’s Wettest Parade in Ohio during the Fourth of July weekend; Atrium participated in the business expo organized by the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance; and a Community Blood Center blood drive at Atrium collected 45 donations to meet 125 percent of its goal.
Miami Valley Hospital
Premier Health Hospital Foundations’ annual report, Because of You: Inspiring Better Health, was distributed to nearly 6,000 donors and community supporters in July. The 32-page annual report highlights 2022 initiatives and programs funded by the health system’s four hospital Foundations.
Miami Valley Hospital Foundation hosted its 34th Annual Valley Classic golf tournament at NCR Country Club in Kettering. The tournament raises funds for diabetes education through the Bull Family Diabetes Center, and new this year, the tournament included a Drone Golf Ball Drop.
The Premier Health Hospital Foundations welcomed world-renowned designer Shravan Kummar to Miami Valley Hospital South as part of preparations for the system-wide Threads of Strength oncology fashion show. Kummar visited Dayton from India, where he provided fittings for more than 20 models participating in the fashion show on Nov. 17 at the Dayton Arcade. Proceeds from Threads of Strength will directly support cancer and wellness care across Premier Health through the continuance of integrative therapies, new nutritional clinics, and inspirational cancer care boutiques.
Premier Health was a sponsor of the CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show. CareFlight Air and Mobile Services was the official medical provider for this event. Employees from Miami Valley Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital North, and System Support represented Premier Health by walking in the Air Show parade. Joseph Allen, MD, represented the system on the grandstand, welcoming the grand marshal for the parade.
Mike Riordan continued his community leader updates meeting with State Representative Tom Young, Montgomery County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman, Dayton Mayor Jeff Mims and Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein.
Upper Valley Medical Center
The UVMC trauma team recognized four Piqua Fire Department first responders in July for exceptional care of a trauma patient. The recognition, which stemmed from outstanding efforts that resulted in the successful life-saving field resuscitation of a cardiac arrest patient this past spring, included the presentation of an Excellence in Trauma Care certificate, challenge coin, and pin in recognition of outstanding actions above and beyond normal duties to assist the UVMC trauma team.
UVMC recently hosted the Troy Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Leadership Troy class for a program focused on local health care. Trish Wackler, chief nursing and operating officer, UVMC, presented an overview of UVMC services, and Teri Gulker, nursing director, UVMC, provided a tour featuring several UVMC departments. Leadership Troy is a 10-month educational program for business leaders who serve the Troy community. Each month a day-long session is dedicated to a specific topic in Troy and/or Miami County.
Stephen Liptak, PsyD, a clinical psychologist with Upper Valley Outpatient Behavioral Health, was interviewed on Troy and Piqua radio stations on July 31, highlighting programs focused on helping families prepare for children returning to school.
The Troy Police Department recently upgraded its wellness/fitness facility through a UVMC Community Benefits Fund grant awarded by the UVMC parent board of directors. The upgrade included repairs to the wellness/fitness and new workout equipment to replace aged and damaged units. In addition, Lincoln Community Center in Troy is adding a curve treadmill and curve trainer to expand their rehabilitation and training programs, and TCN Behavioral Health Services received funding for a Community Care Liaison and Hope House recovery residence – also through grants from the UVMC Community Benefits Fund awarded by the UVMC parent board of directors.
In other community engagement, UVMC sponsored the West Milton Fourth of July Parade and Celebration on July 4, the annual Bob Mikolajewski Memorial Piqua Optimist 5k Run/Walk in downtown Piqua on July 15, the Edison Community College Drive for Scholarships on July 24, and the RT Industries Silent Auction event July 24 to Aug. 5.
Premier Physician Network
Premier Health and Premier Orthopedics held a week-long orthopedic medicine externship and one-day workshop for area high school and college students from Monday, July 17, to Friday, July 21. The program launched in 2021 to introduce students to the medical field at an early age. The program aims to address the disparity in gender and race within orthopedics by encouraging female and minority students to explore the possibilities of a career in the field. During the externship, students gain hands-on experience, including surgery instrument demonstrations; lab work; and educational talks from orthopedic surgeons, spine surgeons, and sports medicine doctors.
Please welcome those who attended PPN’s New Physician and APP Orientation on Wednesday, July 12, 2023: (L-R) Lisa Staley, CNP, Trotwood Physician Center; Leticia DeBrill-Richardson, CNP, Clinical Neuroscience Institute; Jessica Davis, FNP, Premier Orthopedic Spine Center; Amy Whitaker, DO, Associated Specialists of Internal Medicine; Joshua Imwalle, PA, Premier Weight Loss Solutions; and Nicole Spencer, CNP, Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates.
After practicing for years as a primary care physician at several PPN practices, Ratna Palakodeti, MD, is now an emeritus assistant clinical professor at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine, where he shares his years of primary care knowledge and experience. It was announced at the June 2023 Wright State University Family Medicine Residency Program graduation that Dr. Palakodeti was awarded both the Dean's Voluntary Faculty Award for Teaching and was voted the winner of the Residents’ Best Teacher Award! It is an unusual honor to bestow both awards to someone in the same year. Congratulations to Dr. Palakodeti!
Back to the August 2023 issue of Premier Pulse
