Health briefs:
Hospital lauded for newborn feeding practices support programs
Wood County Hospital achieved exceptional performance in the 2024 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This nationwide survey evaluates hospitals on newborn feeding practices and maternity care to support breastfeeding.
Wood County Hospital achieved a total score of 82, surpassing national and regional averages. Highlights of the hospital’s performance include:
• 100% adherence to immediate postpartum care standards, such as skin-to-skin contact and continuous monitoring.
• High scores in breastfeeding education, with all breastfeeding mothers receiving hands-on guidance.
• Strong emphasis on rooming-in, ensuring over 90% of newborns remain with their mothers for 24 hours a day.
• Comprehensive discharge support, including scheduled follow-ups and access to lactation resources.
“These scores reflect our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care for mothers and newborns,” said Lisa Barndt, director of the Birthing Center at Wood County Hospital. “We’re dedicated to empowering families with the knowledge and support they need for a healthy start.”
For more information, visit WoodCountyHospital.org.
About Wood County Hospital
Founded in 1951, Wood County Hospital is a private, not-for-profit general acute care facility, licensed for 196 beds, that serves a population of over 85,000 in Wood, Henry, Seneca, Sandusky and Hancock counties. Wood County Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.
Blood donation opportunities set
January is recognized as National Blood Donor Month, and the American Red Cross is urging donors to make an appointment to give lifesaving blood or platelets now to help keep the blood supply strong.
The start of the New Year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood products as the threat of severe winter weather builds and can often lead to widespread blood drive cancellations. Additionally, an active cold and flu season may prevent people from keeping donation appointments as they rest and recover from illness.
As a special thank-you to donors, those who come to give through Jan. 26, will be entered for a chance to win a Super Bowl LIX giveaway. For full details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities include:
• American Red Cross Toledo Blood Donation Center, 3510 Executive Parkway, Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
• Oregon: Jan. 14, 12-6 p.m., Hope Community Church, 5650 Starr Ave.; Jan. 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 212 Stadium Rd.; Jan. 31, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Mercy Health – St. Charles Hospital, 2600 Navarre Ave.
• Curtice: Jan. 15, 12-5 p.m., Jerusalem Township Fire Department, 9501 Jerusalem Rd.
• Oak Harbor: Jan. 17, 12-5 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, 122 W. Ottawa.
• Fremont: Jan. 14, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Fremont Ross High School, 1100 North St.; Jan. 28, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Terra State Community College, 2830 Napoleon Rd.; Jan. 28, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Fremont Memorial Hospital, 715 Taft Ave.
• Lindsey: Jan. 13, 12-6 p.m., Ole Zim’s Wagon Shed, 1375 S. SR 590.
• Pemberville: Jan. 25, 9 .m.-3 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 220 Cedar St.
• Perrysburg: Jan. 16, 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Saint John XXIII Catholic Community, 24250 Dixie Highway; Jan. 22, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m., Owens Community College, 7315 Championship Dr.
How to donate blood
Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information.
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
Community Lab Screening
Magruder Hospital offers Monthly Community Lab Screenings the second Thursday of the month between 8 and 11:30 a.m. in the Magruder Conference Center at 615 Fulton St., Port Clinton.
Participants can enter through the Main Entrance at the front of the hospital and take the Conference Center Elevator up to 1.
The main lab test includes a CBC, CMP and lipid profile, which includes liver and kidney function, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, HDL/LDL, triglycerides and a complete blood count (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood) for $50.
Add-on tests are also available, including:
• Lipid profile: $20
• Hemoglobin A1C: $20
• PSA (prostate specific antigen): $30
• TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone): $25
• Vitamin D: $35
Appointments are required and can be made by calling 419-301-4304. Participants are asked to fast for 12 hours prior to their appointment time but can have water. No insurance accepted – payment may be made by cash, check or credit card (no American Express).
Ask the Expert
After a successful year bringing health and wellness information to the community, Mercy Health will continue its monthly Ask the Expert zoom series in January.
This year’s series kicks off on Jan. 16 focusing on eye health, with specific emphasis on glaucoma – a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the U.S. Dr. Farah Kahn, Mercy Health Family Medicine doctor, will share information on the warning signs of glaucoma, symptoms of the disease and the importance of regular eye checkups.
The one-hour, monthly sessions will be the third Thursday of every month from 12:30-1:30 p.m. via Zoom. To join, participants can call 646-931-3860 or zoom meeting ID: 975 5220 8436. There is no need to pre-register.
Mercy Health kicked off the Ask the Expert series in 2024 with the goal of providing easy access to a variety of health and wellness experts at no cost. The monthly sessions will continue to be offered to all via Zoom as a way of supporting the community.
“After seeing how well the community responded to our inaugural year for this series, we decided to continue to make this valuable information available so that anyone can continue to benefit from our experts,” said Susan Zirkel, community health program coordinator, Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center. “There are so many factors that contribute to a healthy life, and we want to make sure our community has access to information that can help them live more fully.”
The series continues Feb. 20 when Mercy Health physician Dr. Farah Sharieh will speak on the topic of heart health.
Mercy Health Mobile Mammography Van
Mercy Health’s mobile mammography unit has several visits scheduled throughout the region.
The mobile mammography unit delivers mammograms to women age 40 and older. It is equipped with the newest 3D technology and offers the option of self-compression, meaning the patient will have the ability to control the compression once she is in position.
Among scheduled stops are:
• Monday, Jan. 20, Mercy Health – Perrysburg Primary Care, 1103 Village Square Dr.
• Wednesday, Jan. 22, Oak Street Health – Toledo Northside PCP, 553 E. Manhattan Blvd.
To view the full list of dates and locations, visit mercy.com/toledomobilemamm
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 their insurance carrier. Financial need-based assistance programs are available to help those who are uninsured or underinsured (have high deductibles). Call 1-800-929-6626 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.
Mercy Perrysburg Hospital names VP of Medical Affairs
Mercy Health announced that Heminder M. Singh, MD, FACC, FSCAI, has been named Vice President of Medical Affairs for Mercy Health – Perrysburg Hospital.
Dr. Singh is an interventional cardiologist who received his Internal Medicine Residency and Cardiology Fellowship from Mercy Health – St Vincent Medical Center. He joined the medical staff of Mercy Health in 2020 after completing his fellowship in interventional cardiology at Ascension St John’s, Detroit.
He specializes in complex coronary and peripheral arterial interventions. In 2023, he became and currently remains the chief of section of cardiology at Mercy Health - St. Vincent Medical Center and director of Cardiac Cath Lab at Mercy Health - Perrysburg Hospital. Dr. Singh also has represented the Toledo region at the board trustees of the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Cardiology since 2022.
In his new role, Dr. Singh will be charged with developing strong professional relationships to encourage physician engagement, alignment, and recruitment and to work collaboratively with other members of the executive team. He will seek to optimize processes, maximize the hospital’s operational efficiency, and look for growth opportunities to expand the footprint in the community of Perrysburg.
Perrysburg Hospital offers 46 private inpatient rooms and comprehensive services such as surgery, critical care, on-site lab, imaging and diagnostic services as well as a full-service, 24/7 emergency room.
Mercy Health – Perrysburg Hospital is a remote location of Mercy Healt5h – St. Vincent Medical Center LLC.
ProMedica welcomes new board chair
ProMedica announced that Kurt Darrow has been appointed as the new chairman of the nonprofit health system’s board of trustees, effective Jan. 1.
Darrow is a former chairman and retired president and CEO at La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), a global leader in residential furniture.
Darrow joined the ProMedica Board of Trustees in January 2015. He chaired ProMedica’s compensation committee from 2017-2024 and recently led the organization’s governance committee. Additionally, he has been a member of ProMedica’s finance committee since 2020. In 2024, he served as vice-chairman of the board.
Darrow succeeds Robert (Bob) LaClair as board chairman. LaClair served as board chairman from 2017-2024. While LaClair has concluded his board leadership role, he continues to serve as a member of the board.
“We greatly appreciate Bob's dedicated service as board chairman over the past eight years,” said Arturo Polizzi, president and CEO of ProMedica. “He has consistently shown exceptional leadership by providing the strategic guidance necessary to navigate major challenges.”
“By fostering strong collaboration among board members, Bob has created an environment that values diverse ideas and perspectives,” Polizzi added. “This collaborative spirit has strengthened the board and enabled the organization to adapt to change more effectively. We are excited to build upon that foundation with Kurt now leading the board. Kurt brings a wealth of experience, having led a publicly traded organization committed to high quality and consumer experience. His broad insights will be highly valued as we continue to focus our efforts on being the region’s leading health system.”