System News: March 2025

Caregiver Scholarships, Emergency Preparedness, Employee Awards

Internal System News

Each spring, Atrium Medical Center Foundation and Atrium Auxiliary Middletown award scholarships to help invest in the education of our caregivers and their children. Thanks to the generous support from donors, this year, the Foundation can award our caregivers more than $100,000 in scholarships and continuing education opportunities. And the Atrium Auxiliary Middletown can grant nearly $20,000 to caregivers’ dependents or former junior volunteers pursuing a degree in health care. Applications are available to download on the Atrium Medical Center Foundation website. The application deadline is Friday, April 25, at 4 p.m. Both applications require completing a simple application with an essay, transcript, and 3.0 GPA. Caregiver scholarship applications should be sent to JAWoodard@PremierHealth.com. Dependents of caregivers pursuing a health care-related degree should submit their applications to the Auxiliary at AMCAuxiliary@PremierHealth.com. Please direct any questions to Jessica Woodard, (513) 974-4509(513) 974-4509

Miami Valley Hospitals South's customer service team recently implemented a new golf cart to help patients get to their appointments on time. The campus has parking lot signs that say, “Need Assistance? Call (937) 438-2400(937) 438-2400.” When a patient calls the number, a member of the customer service team answers and picks them up in the golf cart.

Congratulations to the Miami Valley Hospital North patient access team for exceeding their patient experience goal. This dedicated frontline team is vital in ensuring patients receive seamless care.

Caregiver teams at Miami Valley Hospital North celebrated Valentine's Day with a therapy dog visit. Lisa Reith, PT, made rounds in hospital departments accompanied by her therapy dog, Finn!

Miami Valley Hospital Practitioner Wellness Committee presented 2024 Physicians of the Year in December, including Fayez Abboud, MD; Walkens Desir, MD; Michelle Eakins, MJ. Ryan Hammock, MD; Joshua Klepinger, MD; Jonathan Lazzara, DO; Bryan Ludwig, MD; W. Randy Marriott, MD; John Muriithi, MD; Julia Paulet, MD; Manish Sheth, MD; Anna Squibb, MD; Anca Undrea, MD; and Mark Williams, MD

Congratulations to Katie Christian, RN, Upper Valley Medical Center Daisy Award honoree. Katie works in the cardiac telemetry unit. A patient’s family member nominated Katie, citing her professional and kind demeanor and her willingness to take the time to address his questions.

Amanda Reid, PCT, who works in the emergency department, received the UVMC Everyday HERO Award for February. Congratulations to Amanda!

Premier Physician Network welcomed several new team members at the February 19 PPN New Physician and APP Orientation! Please say hello to Kelly Welsh, CNM, Women’s Health Specialists and Midwives of Dayton – Piqua; Garrett Homan, NP, MVH Hospitalist; Jenny Zamor, MD, Premier OB/GYN – Sugar Camp; Van Thanh Dang, NP, MVH Hospitalist; Martin Fujimura, MD, Englewood Family Practice; Jodi Regan, MD, Perinatal Partners; David Dhanraj, MD, Premier OB/GYN – Sugar Camp; Abeth Baskar, PA, MVH Hospitalist; James Dunlap, MD, Premier Ortho – UVMC; Catherine Jepsen, PA, Clinical Neuroscience Institute – MVH; Danya Nunez, FNP, Beavercreek Family Medicine; and Malisa Blankenship, PA, Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates. Welcome!

In 2024, 25 PPN practices achieved the accomplishment of ranking in the top 10% of all eight NRC patient satisfaction survey questions. Those 25 PPN practices are: Associated Specialists of Internal Medicine, Beavercreek Family Physicians, Bull Family Diabetes Center, Centerville Family Medicine, Franklin Family Practice, Greater Dayton Cardiothoracic & Vascular - AMC, Hyatt Family Care, Miami County Internal Medicine, Monroe Medical Center, New Lebanon Family Care, Premier Blood and Cancer Center - Middletown, Premier Blood and Cancer Center - MVHS, Premier Health Internal Medicine of Englewood, Premier Health Pediatrics Huber Heights, Premier Health Primary Care Brown Street, ​Premier Health Primary Care Xenia, Premier Orthopedics - UVMC, Premier Plastic Surgeons, Premier Surgical Oncology - MVHN, Premier Weight Loss Solutions - MVHN, Roosevelt Surgical in Middletown, South Dayton Family Physicians, South Town Family Physicians, Stillwater Family Care, and SureCare Medical Center.

In addition to his work with patients at Premier Blood and Cancer Center, Satheesh Kathula, MD, is President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). In January 2025, AAPI hosted their first Indo-U.S. Scientific Convention at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Read more about the event in the February Inspire newsletter, page 14.

External System News

The Premier Health Hospital Foundations have publicly launched the “Care in the Air” campaign to support a new CareFlight aircraft. A media release announced the $13.5 million campaign to fund a Leonardo AW169, enhancing emergency air transport services for the community. The announcement received significant media coverage, including features on ABC 22/Fox 45, WHIO-TV, Fox19, Dayton Daily News, Warren County Post, Dayton Business Journal, and Miami Valley Today.

Promise to Hope, a program fully funded by the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation, was recently named a top finalist for the Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity by The Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente. Promise to Hope is the only initiative in Ohio to receive this prestigious recognition in 2024. Since its inception in 2015, the program has supported nearly 1,000 local moms battling addiction, providing them with the care, support, and resources needed to forge a new path for themselves and their babies.

Several heart month activities were organized throughout the system, including Premier Community Health providing free heart screenings across the region. Lindsey Neese, Congestive Heart Failure Clinical Nurse Specialist, led a community seminar on heart failure at the Springboro Performing Arts Center, providing attendees with insights on causes, diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle management. Kim Wilson, Chest Pain Coordinator, led Middletown’s Walk with a Doc program, engaging residents in heart health discussions before a one-hour group walk. Premier Health also was a major sponsor of the Dayton AHA Go Red For Women luncheon.  This provided an opportunity to include leaders from The Christ Hospital to attend.  MVH Nursing Director Michelle Adkins served as the event's honorary chair and Sharon White served as the moderator.

Premier Health caregivers organized a health expo during the Countryside YMCA’s Healthy Family Day event in Lebanon. About a dozen service lines were represented, and residents were educated about Premier Health services.

Premier Health representatives participated in a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Regional Exercise, simulating a chemical spill requiring a county-wide response. The exercise helped evaluate our emergency plans, strengthen communication among public health, health care coalitions, and emergency agencies, and improve decision-making under crisis conditions. Key takeaways included refining public communication strategies and enhancing healthcare surge response.

Premier Health collaborated with The Cincinnati Health Collaborative and the Greater Dayton Hospital Association to develop public messaging on how the local rise in influenza and respiratory illnesses could affect patient experiences at our facilities.

Premier Health leaders and the Department of Public Safety joined a regional call hosted by the Dayton Mayor’s Office to discuss the Dayton Violence Intervention Program.

Premier Health’s Learning Institute hosted MedQuest at Miami Valley Hospital, where nearly 60 Dayton Public Schools students engaged in hands-on activities in imaging, surgical technology, respiratory therapy, and nursing. Workforce development specialists also introduced students to career pathways within Premier Health.

Premier Health hosted the Dayton Public Schools Student Senate at Miami Valley Hospital. The Student Senate is composed of student leaders from each of the district's high schools. Allison Jordan, an Occupational Therapist in the MVH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, was the keynote speaker. The students also toured the Berry Women's Health Pavilion and Family Health Center.

Back to the March 2025 issue of Premier Pulse