Eaton Rapids Medical Center

ERMC first and only hospital in Greater Lansing area to receive CMS five-star rating

Eaton Rapids Medical Center (ERMC) recently received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS' Hospital Compare website reports quality measures for 4,573 hospitals in the nation. Patients and families are able to access and compare quality metrics, patients’ experiences, payment and value of care, unexpected complications, and more. ERMC was one of 293 hospitals to earn the highest possible rating.

A five-star rating demonstrates that an organization has a deep commitment to quality and safety, and reflects a high standard of care provided by all staff in a hospital.

“It’s an honor to have this validation,” said Tim Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eaton Rapids Medical Center. “We have a great team here, and I can’t thank our staff enough for making us a five-star hospital.”

This rating is based on as many as 57 different quality measures. The measures are grouped into seven outcome categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, effectiveness of care, timeliness of care, and efficient use of medical imaging. Together, these categories form an overall hospital rating, which is ranked on a scale of one to five stars. To view ratings and learn more, visit medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.

Eaton Rapids Medical Center has been an independent, not-for-profit community hospital since 1957. The hospital provides emergency, surgical, inpatient, outpatient, and primary care for patients of all ages. For ERMC, this ranking is one more step toward their vision of becoming the hospital that patients trust, physicians prefer and staff members love.

To learn more about Eaton Rapids Medical Center, click here.

Article posted on March 13th, 2019. - Article Permalink

BEDHD urges Eaton County residents to make informed diet choices during National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, alongside the Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) are joining with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to remind Eaton County residents about the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases and improve your overall health. Even for people at a healthy weight, a poor diet is associated with major health risks that can cause illness and even death. These include heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. By making smart food choices, you can help protect yourself from these health problems.

Eaton County residents are urged to follow these healthy eating tips throughout National Nutrition Month and the rest of the year:

1. Get into a wellness state of mind. Balance your diet with food from all food groups. Get active every day with enjoyable movement.
2. Eat right with MyPlate. Make small changes to make healthier choices you can enjoy.
3. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. They add color, flavor and texture plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Focus on whole fruits. Vary your veggies.
4. Make half your grains, whole grains. Vary your protein routine, include seafood, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, soy products, eggs and lean meats and poultry.
5. Become a smart shopper by reading food labels to find out more about the foods you eat.
6. Reduce food waste by transforming leftovers into meals, using the foods already on hand, and practicing good food safety.
7. Change to low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt to cut back on saturated fat.
8. Drink and eat less sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

For more information about healthy eating and lifestyle, visit Eatright.org.

For more information about providing children with a healthy start to life, call (517)541-2630 to connect with Eaton County’s WIC program. WIC is a program that serves eligible women, infants and children up to age 5, by providing nutritious food, nutrition education from registered dieticians, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and other services. WIC foods are selected to meet nutrient needs such as calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamins A & C. Call today to see if you qualify!

-From the Barry-Eaton District Health Department

Article posted on March 12th, 2019. - Article Permalink

Children's Special Health Care Services

Residents who have children with special chronic health care needs may find financial help for medical expenses through Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS). CSHCS, a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) program, coordinates and pays for specialty health care for children and some adults with special health care needs. It helps pay for specialty medical bills and can cover co-pays and deductibles if you have insurance or Medicaid. If you don’t have insurance, it can provide specialty coverage. Help may also be available for travel expenses related to a child’s specialty medical care.

Your child’s medical condition, not your income, determines if they qualify for CSHCS. More than 2,700 chronic medical conditions are eligible for CSHCS coverage, including asthma, cancer, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, liver disease, limb abnormalities, certain vision disorders, paralysis or spinal injuries, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, insulin-dependent diabetes, muscular dystrophy, certain heart conditions, epilepsy, and kidney disease. Your child must also live in Michigan and be 20 years old or under (exception: there is no age restriction for cystic fibrosis and hemophilia). Families of all incomes can enroll their child, including those with other health insurance. This means that any eligible child with an accepted medical condition can use CSHCS, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. There is a sliding-scale fee to join CSHCS that is based on family income and family size. If the client has Medicaid or MIChild insurance or has a court-appointed guardian or is in foster care, this fee is waived.

The Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) is an advocate for CSHCS and provides services to eligible residents in Barry and Eaton counties. BEDHD works with local families to help them get needed medical-related services to ensure the very best care. “BEDHD CSHCS serves as the link between the MDHHS, CSHCS, the family, and the local community to assist clients in receiving services they need,” said program nurse Kindra Reeser-Smith. “I’m happy to connect with families to develop a proactive plan of care and community-based care coordination.”

For more information, call (269) 798-4115 (Barry County) or (517) 541-2696 (Eaton County). Join the program’s Facebook support group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BarryEatonCSHCS/. For more information visit www.michigan.gov/cshcs.

-From the Barry-Eaton District Health Department

Article posted on February 26th, 2019. - Article Permalink