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Community Resources

A Partner in Health: How Patient Navigators Empower and Support Patients

Posted August 19, 2024

 
Imagine navigating a health system during a stressful time, like a new diagnosis or chronic illness. That’s where patient navigators come in—they act as personal guides to help patients receive the best possible care at Summa Health.  Patient navigators bridge the gap between our patients and the medical system. Although their backgrounds vary, they all deeply understand the healthcare landscape and are passionate about patient advocacy. Patient navigators have especially...

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Revolutionizing Healthcare: Inside Summa Health's Epic Implementation and Game-Changing Patient Portal [Podcast]

Posted June 12, 2023 by Elbridge Locklear, MBA, CHCIO, CDH-E & Justin Catlett, MD

 
Unveiling Summa Health's Epic implementation and MyChart portal. Get exclusive insights on the game-changing impact for patients and providers from Elbridge Locklear, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, and Dr. Justin Catlett, Vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer.

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Unleash the Power of Volunteering with Summa Health

Posted May 30, 2023 by Jessica Goff, Manager, Volunteer Services

 
Ever wondered how you can truly make a meaningful impact in the world? Look no further. Volunteering isn't just a way to give back; its a transformative experience that touches lives, uplifts communities and fuels the spirit of compassion. In this blog, we'll explore the opportunities waiting for you at Summa Health — where your desire to make a difference meets boundless possibilities. Let's embark on a journey of purpose, connection and positive change together....

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Celebrating Women in Healthcare [Podcast]

Posted February 14, 2023 by Cheryl Johnson, MD, FACOG and Jacqueline Tulodzieski-Ahlstrom, DPM

 
In this episode, we are celebrating women physicians. Dr. Cheryl Johnson and Dr. Jacqueline Tulodzieski-Ahlstrom lead an interactive discussion focusing on what brought them to their careers in medicine, and what they love about working at Summa Health.

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Securing the Safety for Healthcare Employees [Podcast]

Posted January 03, 2023 by Keith Blough, Robin Brown and Tracy Carter

 
Violence is rising in the healthcare setting. According to the American Hospital Association, 44% of nurses reported experiencing physical violence, and 68% reported experiencing verbal abuse nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic as of June 2022. Unfortunately, we know this reality to also be true at Summa Health. It is estimated that 3% of patients are considered violent on a daily basis. Violent situations make it more challenging for nurses and other staff to provide quality patient care, especially when they fear for their safety. We have asked our nurses and frontline staff to share the stories of their experiences with patients being violent or abusive. Their stories deserve to be heard. The policy needs to change.

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Grief Counseling: A Personal Experience That Fueled a Passion for Helping Others [Podcast]

Posted August 03, 2022 by Shannon Blower, MA Director of Spiritual Care

 
Shannon Blower, Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care Services, shares his personal experience with grief and provides tips and resources for anyone coping with grief.

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Nurses Week: Celebrating Nurses and Their Commitment to Our Community [Podcast]

Posted May 09, 2022 by Tiffany Collins, BSN, RN

 
Tiffany Collins discusses her journey and passion for nursing.

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Summa Health opens new Joint Replacement Center of Excellence

Posted March 21, 2022

 
Summa Health is pleased to bring to Barberton and the greater Akron community a brand new, state-of-the-art Joint Replacement Center of Excellence. The new center is dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive care, all the while enhancing the patient experience throughout every phase of treatment. Patients can expect a high concentration of expertise and resources centered on providing exceptional orthopedic care for hip and knee replacement. Summa Health is proud to...

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5 surprising health benefits of volunteering

Posted August 16, 2021 by Angela Smith System Director, Volunteer Services

 
Volunteering makes a huge difference in the lives of others. From dishing out meals in a soup kitchen to cleaning up trash in a park to holding babies in the NICU, volunteering gives tremendous help to people in need, worthy causes and the community. Simply put, it helps make the world a better place.  But, did you know that volunteering also has benefits for you? Researchers have found that volunteering can give you a positive attitude, increased social interaction and...

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How to recognize alcoholism and the need for help

Posted May 24, 2021

 
For many, alcohol is used occasionally as a way to celebrate, relax, bond and socialize with friends and loved ones. It’s a toast to wedding nuptials or an anniversary, or a shared drink with a loved one to kick off the weekend. When drinking is done in moderation, it is generally not considered to be dangerous to your health or mental wellbeing. The problem for some is it can be difficult to tell when their alcoholic intake has crossed the line from casual or moderate...

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Top 5 Health Concerns in Northeast Ohio

Posted April 05, 2021 by Bitan Ghosh, M.D.

 
COVID-19 remains one of our region’s top health concerns as we navigate this pandemic. Community spread leading to new cases and unfortunate deaths have affected every one of us. It’s important, however, that we don’t ignore other health concerns. Resuming care for regular health checkups, health screenings and management of chronic illness is critical to the overall health of our community. Here are 5 major health concerns in Northeast Ohio that cannot be ignored:...

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Battling Drug Addiction in our Community: All About First Step [Podcast]

Posted February 02, 2021

 
Listen to this episode of the Healthy Vitals Podcast featuring Jason Kolb, MD.

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How virtual visits are changing healthcare

Posted May 26, 2020

 
In this day and age, nearly everything is readily available at our fingertips. We can grocery shop, pay our bills, get merchandise shipped directly to our door and even virtually consult with medical providers all from the palm of our hands.  Now with much of the country shut down and under stay-at-home orders due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth is perhaps more important than ever before.  Telehealth enables patients to conveniently connect with providers using...

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SummaCare Medicare Annual Enrollment Period

Posted December 02, 2019

 
October 15 marked the beginning of the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, sometimes referred to as the Annual Election Period or AEP. Most Medicare beneficiaries have only 10 weeks, from October 15 to December 7, to make changes to their existing plan. With more than 60 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from in such a short time, it’s no wonder selecting the right plan for some Medicare beneficiaries can be confusing and overwhelming. Anne Armao, Vice President of Medicare...

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Trauma Center Levels - Explained

Posted September 13, 2019

 
While many hospitals have emergency departments, some hospitals are equipped to treat the most severely injured patients. Such hospitals are verified by the American College of Surgeons as Trauma Centers with highly trained doctors who specialize in treating traumatic injuries. These trauma centers are staffed 24/7 and are always prepared to treat patients with any injury. Trauma Centers across the United States go through a verification process to receive their designation...

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Take the First Step to Treat Opiate Addiction

Posted August 21, 2019

 
With the opiate crisis in the United States growing annually, it has become essential for community organizations and those on the front lines to make resources for recovery easily accessible. Too often, those affected end up in an emergency room where providers administer a quick fix, hand over an informational pamphlet and send them on their way. When you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, it can be difficult to know where to turn for help. Online resources can be...

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8 Technologies That Have Impacted Healthcare

Posted July 16, 2019

 
The healthcare industry has had an explosion of innovation over the past few decades. These innovations continue to improve quality of life for millions of people. Let’s take a look at some of the latest and greatest in technological innovation and what impact and importance they have on the field of healthcare. Electronic Health Records at Your Doctor’s Fingertips Before medical records became electronic, your medical information from visits to various doctors, dentists and...

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Founder's Day: The Birthplace of AA

Posted June 07, 2019

 
Akron is fortunate to be the birthplace of AA, which has saved and continues to save the lives of millions of people struggling with their addictions. To this day, the 12 step program is by far the most effective support system to help stabilize one’s recovery. This is where it all began! A struggling salesman named Bill W, and a physician, Dr. Bob, came together to establish a lifeline for the struggling alcoholic. Furthermore, St. Thomas Hospital is the “legendary” place...

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Healthy Spring Break Staycations

Posted March 26, 2019

 
While the idea of slipping away for a tropical island vacation sounds dreamy right about now, a staycation can actually be a healthier alternative to a big trip. We’re not talking about a week on the sofa, movie-binge-style spring break. This staycation keeps you local but is also packed with outdoor activities and the arts. These types of activities can prevent: Processed food binge, especially on longer road trips. Kitchens and fresh produce aren’t usually close at-...

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Compassion-and-the-Opioid-Epidemic

Posted March 01, 2018 by Jaimie A. McKinnon

As many of you know, our community has been struggling to effectively manage the addiction epidemic, which is now widely considered to be a public health crisis. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. While much of the scientific and medical community...

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