Health and Wellness

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is urging residents to follow simple steps to limit the spread of a new type of virus that hasn’t been confirmed in the state but could be eventually. She says people should wash their hands, not touch their face, replace handshakes with elbow or fist bumps and cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing. Whitmer activated …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Health Department has issued a media release regarding holiday health. It stated that Christmas Day results in more heart-related deaths than any other day of the year. Furthermore, the day after Christmas features the second-largest reports of heart-related deaths. The tri-county agency is offering advice for how not to be a statistic this week. Its tips include …

Michigan health authorities are reporting a 6th fatality linked to Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Berrien County Health Department officials said Monday the victim was one of two people who contracted the mosquito borne virus. The death occurred Saturday. Cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis first appeared in West Michigan at the end of August. The virus has been reported in Barry, Berrien, …

Fed-up doctors and health advocates want Michigan lawmakers to curb insurers’ cost-control methods they say are delaying care, frustrating patients, and creating unnecessary red tape and expense. Physicians say requirements to get pre-approval from insurance companies once were limited to newer, expensive services and medications. But now, they contend, it has been expanded to necessary, routine and lower-priced treatments — …

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services and 12 local health departments will be conducting aerial spraying in 14 counties to combat mosquito-borne disease. This action is due to the large geographic distribution and number of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) cases in humans and/or animals, coupled with warm weather projections. Spraying is scheduled to take place starting Sunday, September …

Officials in Kalamazoo County say a person who contracted a mosquito-borne virus called Eastern Equine Encephalitis has died. Mlive reports that the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services said in a statement on Friday that the person was one of two in the county to contract the virus. Another confirmed case has been reported in Berrien County and health officials are …

Sturgis Hospital has been working with Ascension Borgess to take over Sturgis Medical Group. Hospital officials said last week they hope to have an agreement finalized as quickly as possible, hospital board vice president Joe Haas told Sturgis city commissioners at their meeting Wednesday. Ascension Borgess would rent Medical Commons 1 and some of Medical Commons 2, and purchase the equipment. …

The Three Rivers Health Foundation announced its 2019 fundraising campaign. Hospital officials said the drive will target the purchase of two pieces of medical equipment in support of helping to advance Three Rivers Health – inclusive of a laparoscopic piece for surgeries and an echo cardio ultrasound system. David Casterline, Executive Director of the Three Rivers Health Foundation, points out …

Five area students are each getting a boost from the Three Rivers Health Auxiliary team. The medical scholarships, which are $1,000 each, were announced in a press release on Thursday. Being selected for the scholarships were Keri Doutlick and Tessa Hawkins of Glen Oaks Community College; Carley Morrill of Western Michigan University; Maegan Saunders of Grand Valley State University and …

Three Rivers Health has selected American Physician Partners (APP) to enhance the already high level of care it provides to the more than 20,000 patients who visit its Emergency Department annually. APP is one of the nation’s leading providers of emergency department management services to community hospitals nationwide, and they have a strong presence throughout Michigan. “In searching for the …