Health and Wellness

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced 121 new participants – representing 49 states and the District of Columbia – in an innovative initiative – Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) – designed to improve the care patients receive in the health care system and lowers costs.Three Rivers Health was selected as one of 100 new Medicare Shared …

Tampons would be exempt from the state sales tax under legislation introduced in the Michigan House.  State Representative Sarah Roberts is sponsoring the measure and says feminine hygiene products are necessary items for women – and other necessary items such as prescriptions are exempt – so why not add tampons to the list. She says, on average, a woman will …

Three Rivers Health is proud to announce the addition of Anil Patel, M.D., to the Three Rivers Health Family Medicine team. Dr. Patel will begin seeing patients March 1 at the Three Rivers Health Center for Family Medicine, located at 850 S. Health Parkway. Dr. Patel earned his medical degree from Smt. N.H.L. Municipal Medical College. He completed his internship at …

A group of 11 people have appealed their firings by the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital over the treatment of a patient. State of Michigan Freedom of Information Act assistant coordinator Rick Hamm tells the Kalamazoo Gazette in a FOIA request that the ex-employees are waiting to have their cases heard. An investigation found dozens of staff members either abused the patient …

About 700 letters for patients of a Kalamazoo hospital have been sent to the wrong addresses. MLive.com reports Friday that the letters were meant for Borgess Rheumatology patients. They were mailed Dec. 9. The mistake was discovered the following day. Hospital officials said steps were taken to contact patients and retrieve the letters. The information in the letters was limited …

A former Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital worker who was among those fired last year following an investigation into abuse of a patient is getting his job back. George White is scheduled to return to work Feb. 16 after he completes training that gives more guidance about how to handle violent patients. White appealed his firing, saying he was wrongfully discharged. He …

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been collaborating with local health departments on a multistate foodborne outbreak of listeriosis. Rebecca Burns, director of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, said listeriosis is a bacterial infection that causes fever and muscle aches, often preceded by gastrointestinal symptoms. Twelve people in six states have been infected with the outbreak …

The Three Rivers Public Library Earlier this month launched a program called “Born to Read in Three Rivers.” Babies born at Three Rivers Health will receive a sturdy board book, growth chart and informative materials on the importance of talking, singing, reading, writing and playing for the development of a child’s early literacy skills. Caryn Wilson, the library’s children’s librarian, said …

St. Joseph County’s newest residents – the first born in 2016 at Three Rivers Health and at Sturgis Hospital – were born Jan. 2. Damian Paul Bucher made his arrival at 5:33 a.m. Saturday. He weighed more than five pounds and was more than 18 inches long. Damian joins three sisters; his parents are Three Rivers residents Ryan Bucher and …

Three Rivers Health Board of Trustees reported a net income of more than $145,000 for October and net income in excess of $314,000 for the year to date. The financial update was provided during the hospital’s recent board meeting. In addition, preparation continues for the 2016 operating and capital budgets, and the Studer Groups Leadership Evaluation Manager program continues on …