System News: February 2022

Atrium Medical Center

Twenty Ohio National Guard members deployed to Atrium Medical Center on Jan. 24 to help with non-clinical duties. Gov. Mike DeWine announced in December the deployment of the Ohio National Guard to hospitals throughout the state to assist with critical staffing challenges worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, 10 Ohio National Guard paramedics were deployed to help in Atrium’s Emergency Department and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. Atrium hosted a lunch for the Guard and presented the unit with a banner signed by employees, along with Atrium-branded gifts.

Middletown Division of Fire presented a $1,600 donation to Atrium to help women who are uninsured or otherwise cannot afford the cost of mammograms. For several years, Middletown Fire’s Local 336 has supported this effort through the sale of “Fighting for a Cure” breast cancer awareness apparel. Sale proceeds benefit the Middletown Area Federation of Women’s Club Endowment for women’s health. The endowment, part of Atrium Medical Center Foundation, makes it easier for busy women to get their annual mammogram screening with Atrium’s mobile mammography coach that travels to businesses, public venues, and events throughout Southwest Ohio.

Atrium’s Level III Trauma Center recently honored five members of the Monroe Fire Department for going above and beyond to help a patient. The firefighters/paramedics were the first recipients of Premier Health Challenge Coins that are part of a new recognition program by our EMS Center of Excellence. Atrium recognized these EMS partners for the vital role they have in stabilizing some of our most critical patients before they arrive at our hospital.

Keith Bricking, MD, and Roberto Colón, MD, shared with the community the latest information about the Omicron variant, COVID-19 boosters, and the impact the current COVID-19 surge has had on our region and at Atrium. Their virtual update received local media coverage and was also shared with residents of Otterbein Lebanon SeniorLife Community via the campus internal television system.

Miami Valley Hospital Campuses

Approximately 80 members of the Ohio National Guard were deployed to Miami Valley Hospital and the OnMain COVID-19 testing site to assist in non-clinical operations, i.e., environmental services, food service, and patient transport.

The Premier Health Flyin’ to the Hoop Basketball Invitational was held Jan. 14 – 17 at Trent Arena in Kettering. Physicians and athletic trainers from Miami Valley Hospital North and Miami Valley Hospital South were available throughout the tournament to provide athletic training services to athletes. Premier Health had booth space in the lobby of the arena promoting the Premier Health brand and services. Mary Garman, chief operating officer of Miami Valley Hospital North, participated in the River Valley Credit Union scholarship presentation awarded during halftime of one of the games.

New campus banners were installed at all Miami Valley Hospital campuses promoting services and awards.

Throughout the month of January, now Chief Executive Officer Emeritus Mary Boosalis rounded with staff across the Miami Valley Hospital campuses.

Members from the National Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc. presented the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation with a $15,000 donation. Funds from this gift will support Promise to Hope, a comprehensive program that provides care and assistance to addicted mothers and their babies through medication-assisted treatment and withdrawal treatment during the fetal period. Promise to Hope also assists mothers from the initial identification of addiction to several months post-partum – with a goal of keeping mother and child together in a stable home environment. To date, the program has supported nearly 700 families.

The Breast Cancer Fund of Ohio granted $2,500 in support of the Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund at Good Samaritan Foundation – Dayton. This donation will support breast cancer patients in paying for living expenses such as rent, utilities, or medication. The Breast Cancer Fund of Ohio provides critical services to women and men in need, including transportation to treatment; co-pays for prescriptions and doctor visits; and emergency assistance to pay for housing, utilities, and food.

Cox Media Group and WHIO-TV donated television advertisements to the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation through mid-January to highlight the importance of our health care workers. Through collaboration with the Premier Health system marketing team, the commercial directed viewers to a donation website where they could give to one or more of our foundations. The commercial also included a text-to-give option for immediate contributions.

Miami Valley Hospital campuses continue to get employee support from community partners. Lock 27 Brewing in Dayton and Centerville donated $10 restaurant gift cards to first responders and emergency personnel at Miami Valley Hospital as a thank you for their hard work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations from customers and the brewery totaled more than $5,100. Lock 27 and its customers donated 516 gift cards to 12 health care and emergency agencies.

To celebrate National Popcorn Day on Jan. 19, Double Good donated popcorn to units across Miami Valley Hospital. This gift was provided as a thank you to our health care heroes. Double Good has donated more than 9,000 bags of popcorn to our Premier Health hospital sites.

Sinclair Community College’s Culinary Arts program donated hundreds of boxed lunches to Miami Valley Hospital Foundation and Good Samaritan Foundation – Dayton. These donated lunches were provided to nursing staff at Miami Valley Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital North, and Miami Valley Hospital South. The college’s culinary students also provided handwritten notes of appreciation to our frontline workers. More boxed lunch donations from Sinclair are scheduled for February.

Upper Valley Medical Center

In preparation for UVMC’s Special Care Nursery renovation project, the Special Care Nursery has been temporarily relocated, and the Ohio Department of Health did a site inspection of the temporary nursery space on Jan. 3. ODH determined that all necessary requirements are met, and the renovation project could proceed. 

Cardiologist Ristenka Prnarova, DO, of the Premier Cardiovascular Institute Troy office joined UVMC Chief Medical Officer Scott Kanagy, DO, for a drive time interview with WPTW Radio on Jan. 31. The primary focus was heart health with February being National Heart Month. Dr. Kanagy also gave an update on the status of COVID-19 at the hospital. 

Media coverage in January included two advice columns contributed by UVMC professionals: “Seasonal Mental Health Challenges” with advice from psychiatrist Mark Casdorph, DO; and  “Fitness in the New Year” with tips from Jenny Jones, PT, manager of the UVMC Center for Sports Medicine.

The Village of Covington announced in January that the UVMC Parent Board donated $450,000 from its UVMC Community Benefit Fund toward the Village of Covington Schoolhouse Park project. Construction of the park, to be centrally located in the community, will begin in the spring.     

UVMC was a sponsor of the 2022 Piqua Arts Council Kickoff held at the Piqua Plaza on Jan. 13. UVMC also was set to be presenting sponsor of the Piqua Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner scheduled for Jan. 20, but the event was postponed due to COVID-19; a new date has yet to be set for that event.

Communications went out in January to announce that UVMC employees receive two months of free access to Lincoln Community Center in Troy in recognition of the longstanding partnership between our organizations. 

In other staff-focused activities, the UVMC Cardiopulmonary Services team was recognized with Department of the Quarter honors for the winter quarter. This recognition highlights outstanding quality service and educates fellow teams about the scope of work performed by the recipient department. 

Premier Physician Network

Premier Health Spine is a streamlined referral process for patients with back and neck pain. Help patients find the right care quickly with Premier Health Spine, a referral center where patients are placed with appropriate specialists throughout PPN, including orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain management, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. If a referred patient requires additional imaging or therapy, the Premier Health Spine team will coordinate to get it completed. Click here to ​meet the Premier Health Spine Team. It’s faster and easier than ever to refer to Premier Health Spine. Just search location/department “Premier Health Spine” in Epic. Or fax the referral to (937) 341-8991.

Providers need providers, too. Now is a great time to make a plan for better health, with the help of your Premier Physician Network (PPN) provider and an annual preventive physical and wellness visit. This visit is an opportunity to receive a head-to-toe exam from your provider, update your medical history, screen for health problems, and create a plan for better health going forward. Schedule an appointment with your PPN provider today. You can schedule with your MyChart account, or you can call your provider’s office. If you don’t have a provider yet, you can call (855) PREMIER (773-6437), or go to PremierHealth.com to schedule directly with a new PPN primary care provider online.

At their annual awards banquet on Feb. 15, the Vandalia-Butler Chamber of Commerce honored Joseph Allen, MD, with their Ambassador of the Year award. Dr. Allen was recognized for his work at the University of Dayton Arena testing clinic, caring for patients at Premier Health Family Care of Vandalia, providing countless news interviews, advising schools, and much more. According to his nomination: “Dr. Allen has helped guide our community through this pandemic, and he continues to guide us.”

Back to the February 2022 issue of Premier Pulse