Health briefs

Mobile mammography
van visits area locations
        Mercy Health’s mobile mammography unit has visits scheduled throughout the region in December.
        The mobile mammography unit, customized for patient convenience, delivers 3D mammograms to women aged 40 and older. It is equipped with 3D technology and offers patients the option of self-compression, meaning the patient will have the ability to control the compression once they are in position.
        The December schedule includes:
        • Tuesday, Dec. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mercy Health - Oregon Clinic, 3841 Navarre Ave., Oregon.
        • Wednesday, Dec. 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Starbright Primary Care, 28555 Starbright Boulevard, Perrysburg.
        • Friday, Dec. 17, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mercy Health - Waterville Primary Care, 1222 Pray Boulevard.
        • Wednesday, Dec. 22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mercy Health - St. Vincent Heart & Vascular Institute, 2222 Cherry St., Toledo.
        • Tuesday, Dec. 28, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Halim Clinic / Mercy Health - Spring Valley OBGYN & Midwives, 6855 Spring Valley Dr., Holland.
        • Wednesday, Dec. 29, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Starbright Primary Care, 28555 Starbright Boulevard, Perrysburg.
        • Thursday, Dec. 30, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mercy Health - St. Vincent Heart & Vascular Institute, 2222 Cherry St., Toledo.
        While mammogram screenings may be covered by insurance, for best coverage, patients should verify if Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital is an in-network provider with your insurance carrier. Financial-based assistance programs are available to help those who are uninsured or underinsured (have high deductibles). Call 419-696-5839 for more information.
        Screenings at the Mercy Health Mobile Mammography unit are by appointment only. Call 833-MAMM-VAN to schedule a screening on the mobile unit.
        To view the full list of mammogram van dates and locations, visit mercy.com/toledomobilemamm.
        Certified radiologists read all mammograms, and because a second look can mean a second chance, all mammograms are double-checked with a computer-aided detection system that detects more breast cancer than mammography alone. The patient and her physician receive a copy of the results.
 
Members sought for
Patient Advisory Council
        Magruder Hospital is looking to add members to its Patient Advisory Council as part of the hospital’s continuous efforts to enhance the patient experience.
        This council will include patients and families, as well as members of the healthcare team, who will provide input on how to improve the overall healthcare experience.
        The hospital is looking for community members to serve on this council who are willing to collaborate and share their perspective as the council proposes service and quality improvements for the hospital.
        The Patient Advisory Council is a quarterly evening meeting held at Magruder Hospital, 615 Fulton St., Port Clinton.
        Contact Michele Mueller at 419-734-3131, ext. 3147 or mmueller@magruderhospital.com to learn more.
 
AARP Ohio responds
to H.B. 169 provisions
        AARP Ohio State Director Holly Holtzen, issued the following statement on Dec. 8 in response to H.B. 169 provisions directing funding to nursing homes:
        “We are pleased that the Ohio Senate passed H.B. 169 with funding to bolster long-term care services. However, we are disappointed that such a large allocation of public resources for nursing homes, and HCBS has zero transparency in how that funding will be used. Ohio nursing home residents, their families and Ohio taxpayers deserve better.
        “Accountability for public funding that goes to these facilities is critical to ensure that Ohio nursing homes adequately use these funds to improve the lives of nursing home residents and the staff who work to keep them safe. The pandemic exposed chronic, ongoing issues in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, emphasizing the urgent need for reform and the importance of providing high-quality, safe care for residents. Nationwide, 186,000 lives were lost in long-term care facilities, including more than 8,000 lives lost here in Ohio facilities.
        “AARP Ohio will continue to urge action to combat the national tragedy occurring in Ohio’s nursing homes, make sure it does not happen again, and ensure that public funds provided to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are going to direct patient care for the health and safety of residents. More than a year and a half into the pandemic, nursing homes continue to face chronic problems that leave residents and staff vulnerable to COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreaks.”
 
Grief Support Group
        Join Julie Beitelschees Thursday, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. at the Oregon Senior Center for grief, loneliness and loss support.
        Participants will explore the grieving process, thoughts, misperceptions, triggers, guilt, healing, finding meaning,
and so more. Everyone is welcome to learn more about all aspects of grief.
        The Oregon Senior Center is located at 4350 Navarre Ave. Call 419-698-7078 for more information.
 
Court utilizing 
Assisted Outpatient
Treatment practices
        Ottawa County Probate/Juvenile Courts Judge Frederick (Fritz) Hany II is pleased to have treatment tools to utilize when addressing the needs of the mentally ill.
        Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is the practice of delivering court-ordered outpatient treatment to adults with severe mental illness who meet specific criteria, such as a prior history of repeated hospitalizations or arrest. Studies have shown that AOT can dramatically improve treatment outcomes and substantially reduce the likelihood of repeat hospitalization and criminal justice involvement for its target population.
        “In my prior experience as a judge in the municipal court, I saw many individuals become involved in the criminal justice system when the underlying causes bringing them there are due to their mental health issues,” Judge Hany said.             To date, Ottawa County has seen six individuals graduate successfully from the program. “Many individuals we see repeatedly in our criminal justice system have significant mental illness that is oftentimes not being treated,” says Magistrate Danita Gilbert-Conway. “AOT allows us to hopefully stop the revolving door by creating a partnership between the individual and the mental health system. For those who participate, we see an increase in medication and therapy adherence and a reduction of criminal activity.”
        AOT is designed to equip the individual with the tools they need to successfully manage their mental illness. Those involved in AOT are expected to fully partner with the treatment plan including participation in discussing and developing goals, attending all regularly scheduled court appearances and treatment appointments and fully cooperate with psychological testing and therapy.
        Ottawa County hopes to grow the program over the next 12 months with the goal of helping even more by the end of 2022. Judge Hany added, “It is my sincere hope that by connecting those individuals suffering from mental illness with the medical care they sincerely need, they will avoid the criminal justice system altogether and not be criminally punished for what truly is a medical and healthcare concern.”
        Mircea Handru, the executive director of the local mental health and recovery services board said, “Judge Hany needs to be applauded for the AOT program in Ottawa County. We need to support program growth to ensure that within our mental health system, AOT is available to those who need it to live safely in the local community and not incarcerated in our local jail or the prison system.”