Eaton Rapids Medical Center

ERMC acquires Philips EPIQ Ultrasound System to advance patient care

Eaton Rapids Medical Center (ERMC) is now offering enhanced imaging capabilities with the Philips EPIQ Ultrasound System.

“We’re very pleased to be able to offer referring physicians and patients this important service,” said Tina Brandt, RDCS, RVT supervisor of cardiovascular testing at ERMC. “Philips EPIQ ultrasound demonstrates our hospital’s dedication to providing the latest innovative ultrasound solutions to care for patients. The superb image quality allows us to acquire an extremely high level of diagnostic information that can be used to help provide answers for our patients more quickly and easily. In addition, results from the ultrasound exam may reduce the need for more invasive procedures.”

With this new equipment, the ERMC Heart Station can offer more in-depth vascular ultrasounds, such as renal artery and superior mesentery artery scans. Cardiologists Mohan Madala and MD Ibrahim Shah, MD and their team perform a variety of tests and procedures at the ERMC Heart Station, including electrocardiograms (ECGs), echocardiography, exercise and chemical nuclear stress testing, multigated acquisition (MUGA) scans, Holter monitor placement and evaluation, pacemaker and defibrillator interrogation, and elective cardioversions. For additional information or to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist at Eaton Rapids Medical Center, please call (517) 663-9403.

Photo Tina Brandt, registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer (RDCS) and registered vascular technologist (RVT) with the new Philips EPIQ Ultrasound System at ERMC

Article posted on November 7th, 2019. - Article Permalink

ERMC nurse receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Sandy Stallard, registered nurse (RN) at Eaton Rapids Medical Center (ERMC), was presented with the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award during a surprise ceremony on Wednesday, October 23, 2019. Stallard, who is retiring after 32 years of service to the hospital, is the first recipient of the award.

Fifty of her peers were in attendance at the event, along with officials from District 1 Regional Medical Response Coalition. The award was created to recognize nurses who have devoted their lives to the compassionate care of others. Recipients of this award are nominated for their dedication to nursing through active mentoring, role modeling, advocating for their patients, and promoting the positive image of nursing. They serve as a beacon of inspiration at all stages of their career.

In the nominations, Stallard's co-workers described her as "calm and collected, a very skilled nurse, and a true joy to work with." In addition to her nursing duties, Stallard coordinated the emergency preparedness program at Eaton Rapids Medical Center for more than a dozen years.

Stallard is very humble and requested no retirement party. In her acceptance speech, she remarked, "I've learned a lot and met a lot of good people along the way. I have decided to stay on as a casual employee so I can stay part of this facility."

The DAISY Foundation was formed in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died of complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) at the age of 33. This prompted the name of the organization, which is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. During the time Pat was in the hospital, his family was amazed by not only the clinical skill nurses brought to his condition, but by the way they delivered his care. When he died, the family wanted to say thank you to nurses everywhere for what they do for patients and families each day, and they are reaching that goal through the DAISY Foundation.

Photo (left to right): ERMC chief executive officer Timothy Johnson; award recipient Sandy Stallard, RN; medical/surgical manager Scott Piper, RN; and chief operating officer Kris Allen, RN.

Article posted on October 30th, 2019. - Article Permalink

Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment begins Nov. 1st

Open enrollment for health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace runs November 1 - December 15, 2019. Consumers have until December 15 to renew their coverage or enroll in a plan in order for their health insurance coverage to begin on January 1, 2020.

If you are planning to enroll in health insurance using the Health Insurance Marketplace, here is what you need to know:

• 2020 Open Enrollment runs from November 1 through December 15, 2019. Plans sold during this time period will start January 1, 2020.
• The Health Insurance Marketplace is for people who don’t have health coverage. If you don't have health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source that provides qualifying health coverage, the Marketplace can help you get covered.
• What you pay for insurance depends on your income. Based on your income, you may qualify for a premium tax credit that lowers your monthly insurance bill, and for extra savings on out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copayments
• You can apply for coverage several ways. You can apply online, by phone, with in-person help, through an agent or broker, through certified enrollment partner websites, or with a paper application.

The Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) would also like to remind residents about the following:

• Anyone who already has coverage through the Healthy Michigan Plan, Medicaid, or MIChild must renew every year; they can look for information in the mail from the Michigan Department of Human Services about renewal.
• Anyone with coverage through the Marketplace can keep their plan or shop for a new one.
• Renewal must take place between November 1, 2019 and December 15, 2019, so it's important to not delay. Individuals who do not log in and update their applications may be automatically enrolled in a 2020 plan. Anyone with insurance through Marketplace should log in, update their plan information, and view all plan options for 2020 to find the plan that fits best.
• Those who are uninsured should review options, check to see how much financial help is available, and choose the coverage that meets their needs and fits their budget.

BEDHD has Certified Application Counselors available who can help you fill out an application and enroll. If you would like in-person assistance, call (269) 945-9516 (Barry) or (517) 543-2430 (Eaton) to make an appointment. For more information on plan options, or to see if you qualify for savings based on your income, visit healthcare.gov.

-From the Barry-Eaton District Health Department

Article posted on October 30th, 2019. - Article Permalink