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ORTHOPEDIC SURGERYWMH Orthopedics *J. Brow, NP *A. McPhilamy, MD *S.M. Woolever, DO (906) 632-4740PAIN MANAGEMENTWMH Pain Management - Kinross *A. Alshab, MD (906) 632-5849WMH Pain Management - Sault *A. Daha, MD (906) 253-0113PATHOLOGY C. Liu, MD (906) 635-4434PEDIATRICSWMH Pediatrics *R. Beckman, DO *J. MacMaster, FNP-C *P. Newhouse, MD (906) 253-2605PODIATRY *R. Sehgal, DPM (906) 253-0113PULMONARY/CRITICAL CAREWMH Pulmonology *E. Al-Ghandour, MD (906) 253-2652RADIOLOGYCedar Straits Medical Assoc., PC G. Bowman, MD R.J. Duman, MD M. Jacoby, MD B. VanAssche, MD (906) 635-4438SLEEP MEDICINEWMH Sleep Medicine *P. Nichols, CFNP *J. Sand, DO *F. Siddiqui, MD (906) 253-2788UROLOGYWMH Urology *M. Cotant, MD (906) 632-5808

War Memorial

HospitalWar

Memorial

Hospitalwarmemorialhospital.org JUNE 2020

Gone Too SoonHelping families through the loss of a baby – see page 3

For YourConsideration

A message from President and CEO David Jahn

The health-care world has changed drastically in

the past few months because of the Coronavirus. Our hospital has seen significant decreases in our volumes, which is putting a lot of financial strain on our organization. We have had to lay off around 140 employees

so far since our volumes have dropped by over 50 percent.

This is not an easy time for any of us, but we remain steadfast in being here for our community and provid-ing services in a safe environment for the patients and our employees. We have implemented multiple pro-cesses to ensure that patients coming to WMH will be safe and that our employees who are caring for these patients will remain safe.

There are many people who have delayed healthcare which is essential for them because of this pandemic and at this time we are trying to ramp up the number of patients that our providers can see safely on a daily basis. This will be our

new “safe” normal until a vaccine is developed to cure this virus.

The real heroes are the front-line staff at WMH who put themselves at risk each and every day to provide care to our community. The physi-cians, nurses, certified nurse aides, housekeepers, food & nutritional service, lab, respiratory therapists, registration personnel and all of the other employees should be recog-nized for the excellent job that they are all doing to keep patients safe when coming into our facility and continuing to provide care during this crisis.

Thank you to all of our Care Team for the great work that they are do-ing under very trying circumstances.

A SPECIAL NOTE: Due to the lengthy timetable for publishing Healthbeat, this publication does not address Covid-19. For more timely information, visit warmemorialhospital.org

Theresa Holladay, D.O.

Holladay joins WMH Women’s Health“To be in the moment when a fam-ily grows is phenomenal.”

It is those moments and others where she provides critical support to women that motivate Theresa Holladay, D.O., the newest member of War Memorial Hospital’s OB/GYN team.

This Michigan native got her degree in osteopathic medicine from Michigan State University and has worked both in private practice and in locums (temporary) assignments. By taking on a permanent position at WMH, Holladay will get to help people on an on-going basis.

“I think the body has the innate ability to heal itself and to help people learn how to support the natural functions of their body and celebrate their good health is a gratifying part of being a doctor,” she explained.

In addition to delivering babies, Holladay performs gynecological surgery, provides vaginal repair, helps treat women with psychiatric issues like peri-partum mood disorders, and assists those with chronic pain. As an osteopath, she is skilled in the practice of physical

manipulation and says “it is very beneficial to have the musculoskel-etal system as functional as possible for carrying a baby, childbirth and recovery.”

In recent years, Holladay has practiced in Hancock, Michigan. Seeing WMH’s commitment toward incorporating best practices was one of the things that inspired her move to the Soo.

“In obstetrics, 99 percent of the time things go great and you are there for support and to build patient and family confidence. But in that one percent when something goes wrong, you have to have a team that is ready to handle it in a minute and there is a national collaborative that has outlined best practices for dealing with those emergencies,” she explained.

She was also excited to join what she describes as “a really good team” with Dr. Amo, Dr. Cristof, and Nurse Midwife Donmyer.

- continued on page 7

WMH HEALTHBEAT 3 JUNE 2020

Helping families navigate the loss of a babyAs families experience the heart-break of infant or fetal death, a team of compassionate individuals stands ready to support them in their griev-ing process. It’s the shared mission of the Perinatal Loss Committee (PLC) at WMH and the work of Silent Hearts, a Hospice of the EUP support group for families grieving the loss of a baby.

Shannon Warner, RN, has been an OB nurse at WMH for 12 years and, thanks to the inspiration of Margaret Swedene at Silent Hearts, became one of the charter members of the PLC when the group formed last August.

“We are opening our eyes more to every aspect of perinatal loss. From the ultrasound at the doctor appoint-ment to the delivery of their baby, we are able to help facilitate families more in their grieving process,” she said.

One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. “Those miscarriages are a lost life and we want to treat that

with respect and dignity,” Warner said, noting that specialized training is being planned hospital-wide to make sure all departments are deliv-ering the same compassionate care.

Swedene is single-handedly credited with heightening awareness of the needs of grieving families and she’s pleased about the working relation-ship Silent Hearts has formed with WMH. She said the PLC’s objective is “to increase awareness about perinatal loss and provide training for staff throughout WMH.”

There is, in fact, a whole community of people waiting to support those who experience this particular loss. Paula Jarosz is one of those people. After both of her daughters expe-rienced baby deaths, she became involved with Silent Hearts and is now part of the PLC. Together with her husband, Jarosz made a unique donation to the hospital for the ben-efit of grieving families: a cuddle cot.

The cuddle cot is a bassinette with a cooling mat hidden beneath that

helps preserve the body, allowing families more time to say goodbye.

“When my oldest daughter had our first grandson, he was born early in the third trimester. She didn’t get very much time with him and that was part of our grief. It made a big impression on my husband, Michael, and I,” she explained.

As an OB nurse, Warner is thrilled that parents can now decide when they are ready to part with their child.

“Some are ready to leave a few hours later and others want to be with the baby for days. With the cuddle cot, it allows our parents the precious gift of time and the chance to say goodbye. It’s irreplaceable and gives them the time to bond in the way that they choose,” the nurse shared.

Giving the gift of time to families means a lot to Jarosz. “In a perfect world, we would never have to use it, but I know that’s not reality. I’m glad it is there,” she said.

Amber Pietrangelo and her husband, Nick, know all too well about the realities of loss. In 2015, Pietrangelo had her first miscarriage and then had three more over the next four years. It was during that time that Silent Hearts made a lasting impres-sion on her.

“It was overwhelming to have that first loss and very unexpected, but when I was ready to reach out to this group, it was amazing to have peo-ple who understood. It feels lonely when it happens,” she said. Joining the Silent Hearts group on Facebook gave her the chance to connect with others with similar experiences.

- continued next page

WMH HEALTHBEAT 4 JUNE 2020

Lauren Tassier, FNP-C

WMH’s primary care team is growing!It isn’t just Dorothy who believes there’s no place like home. That’s how Lauren Tassier, FNP-C, feels about Cedarville, her hometown and the place where she now treats patients at WMH Family Care.

Since graduating from Cedarville High School, Tassier’s path has been an interesting and exciting one. Her first stop was Ann Arbor, where she earned a Bachelor of Art in psychol-ogy at the University of Michigan, followed by a Bachelor of Science in nursing, also from Michigan.

Her next stop was Washington D.C., where she worked for more than two years as a registered nurse in the emergency department at George Washington University Hospital.

“It was intense,” Tassier recalls. “I often had 12 to 15 patients at once. It was an intense environment and I loved it, but I knew it wasn’t a lifestyle that I could sustain.”

With a desire to build relationships with patients, Tassier returned to Ann Arbor, where she earned her

master’s degree in nursing.

“I want relationships because once a patient leaves the ER, you don’t know what happens to them and I didn’t like that very much,” she explains. “I wanted to provide more comprehensive care.”

Although it wasn’t meant to be her long-term calling, working in the emergency department as an RN

gave Tassier a head start in her pur-suit of an advanced degree.

“In the ER, you learn very quickly what kinds of things you need to fig-ure out as you’re trying to diagnose a patient and solve the mystery. It helped me when we would review case studies in class and it helps me now to prioritize what can wait and what can’t,” she noted.

After a two-year stint at Mackinac Straits Hospital, Tassier joined the WMH team. These days she enjoys helping patients of all ages and building relationships that will last a lifetime. She uses her psychology degree to help her primary care pa-tients and is particularly interested in adolescent mental health.

Tassier currently sees primary care patients two days a week in Cedarville and two days per week in Kinross at WMH Community Care. Her commitment to both primary care and preventative medicine is something patients really seem to appreciate.

“That group gives you the chance to immediately connect with other women who have had those losses. For me, I was sur-prised when I joined the group to see how many people I already knew who were in the group,” she said.

Silent Hearts also participates in an event every October called Wave of Light, a nation-ally-recognized day for people to remember lost babies. This candlelight vigil is held at the Ball Hospice House annually

on October 15. It was particularly meaningful for Pietrangelo.

“It was a chance to be in person with other people who have lost ba-bies and to light a candle for them. That was the first time I spoke my baby’s name to anyone. It was a really important thing for me, to go and say their names, and they be-come real for everybody else, too,” she shared.

Today, Amber and Nick Pietrangelo are the proud parents of Wendy Teresa, WMH’s New Year’s Baby of

Helping Families - continued from previous page

To learn more about Silent Hearts, contact Swedene at margaretswedene@gmail.com and to get involved in the Perinatal Loss Committee, con-tact the WMH OB department at (906) 635-4412.

2020. Amber refers to Wendy as her “rainbow baby” – the baby who came after a loss.

Helping those at risk of suicideFor someone contemplating an act of self-harm or a family member wor-ried about the suicidal mindset of a loved one, the hospital’s Emergency Department and Behavioral Health Center are available to help.

With suicide rates in Michigan (and in the U.S.) on the rise, providing this two-tiered system of support is critical to the wellbeing of our communities.

Care for those with suicidal thoughts often begins in the ER. That’s where pre-screening occurs for dozens of people each month. Pre-screening is the process where a specially-trained social worker or nurse is called in to devote their attention to the person at risk. First, however, the patient gets a medical assessment to make sure they are medically stable with no underlying health risks.

“After that, we contact the on-call screener for an evaluation. They will speak with the patient, perform a thorough interview about what’s going on in the person’s life, what resources they might have, deter-mine if they are taking medications, and generally just review everything in detail,” explained Emergency Department Director Joe Cohee, RN.

That screening also occurs when a family member petitions for mental health treatment. “Anyone over the age of 18 can petition for a psychiat-ric evaluation and that patient has to be screened, according to state law,” he added. After the petition is filed, the person must present themselves at the ER or may be picked up by police.

The State of Michigan’s Mental Health Code dictates much of what happens in these cases, regardless of whether the screening is voluntary or petitioned.

“If the screener believes there are no outside resources that could help this patient, then a psychiatric admission will be arranged. There are very strict guidelines for those admissions, with set criteria that has to be met, and it’s all set by mental

they refuse treatment, they will be held until an evaluation has been completed by a licensed psychiatrist and they are deemed safe to return home.

“If the psychiatrist believes admis-sion is warranted and the patient

FINDING HELP During these challenging times, help from individuals with behavioral health training can be a true lifesaver. For those seeking assistance with mental health challenges, WMH Outpatient Psychiatry services are available by appointment at (906) 253-0108. For those concerned about a loved one, these are some of the warning signs that a person may be in acute danger and may urgently need help: Talking about wanting to die Looking for a way to kill oneself Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose Talking about feeling trapped or in pain Talking about being a burden to others Increasing use of alcohol or drugs Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless Withdrawing or feeling isolated Displaying extreme mood swingsIf these warning signs are present, please visit the Emergency Room or consult with hospital or community behavioral health specialists.

health code with very little flexibility or interpretation,” Cohee said. That code is the reason why a loved one worried about the safety of a suicidal family member can inter-vene without a court order – at least in the short term. Regardless of whether the individ-ual voluntarily came for screening or was petitioned, if admission is recommended, the patient can either go voluntarily or be admitted involuntarily. “We normally try to talk to the patient and help them see the benefits of voluntary admission,” Cohee said, explaining that extra limitations are put on those who are admitted involuntarily. Even if

is still refusing, the court system weighs in. In the end, the judge has the final say.” Those early stages of treatment are why Corinna Haller, the BHC director of nursing, refers to the emergency department as “the gate-keeper.” Once ready for admission, Haller and her team are the next level of support. “Once the patient is transported to us, they would begin working with our provider team to come up with a medication plan and therapy. If, however, they are involuntary and awaiting the final decision of the court, they can choose to abstain from the program until things are settled,” she said.

– continued next page

Suicide prevention is a community commitment

Educating students and community members on the appropriate actions to take when hearing or seeing suicidal leanings in a friend or family member has been the mission of the Chippewa County Suicide Prevention Coalition for more than 20 years.

Representatives from a variety of lo-cal mental health and social service agencies are joined by concerned citizens in their efforts to train individuals on how they might help prevent suicide.

Barbara Weber, of Weber and Devers Psychological Services, chairs this effort and explains that by educating people on how to intervene, they are actually sharing a message of hope.

“Currently we train people in QPR – question, persuade, refer. It’s a presentation that can be taken to schools or community gatherings,” Weber explained.

People who complete QPR training are referred to as gatekeepers. With training, they recognize the warning signs of suicide, know how to offer hope, and know how to get help to ultimately save a life.

“Sometimes just by staying with

someone, you might prevent a sui-cide. It’s rare that someone will take their life in front of someone else, so just staying with them helps,” the psychologist said.

Additionally, the coalition has brought in special guest speakers over the years, ranging from Kurt Cobain’s cousin, Beth, to Eric Hipple, a retired football player who lost his son to suicide.

“We try to get these folks into the schools and into the community so everyone can hear them speak,” said Weber. “It’s such an important mes-sage to get the word out that there is help. That this dark moment isn’t going to last forever.”

At any given time, at least half of the patients at BHC are there because they have contemplated harming themselves. The length of their stay will vary, according to Haller. “I’ve seen people leave the day after they were admitted, usually because they had had impulsive thoughts related to drinking but stabilized the next day and left with a plan for sobriety and rehab. I’ve also seen patient stay for months as we wait to get them into a state hospital with a higher degree of care. But on average, most people stay for about a week,” the director said. During that week, Haller says the staff and patients work on mind, body and spirit. Medications are uti-lized, treatment teams help patients discuss their stressors, and resources

are identified to help them overcome the obstacles. Coping skills, stress relief, and better understanding their particular disease or illness are also part of the program. In those instances where either a screener or psychiatrist determines that admission isn’t necessary, patients still get extra help just for presenting themselves at the ER. Cohee said that the ER likely av-erages between 60 and 80 patients per month in need of psychiatric pre-screening. “The number of people who end up as an inpatient is relatively low, but the pre-screener can set them up with resources, get them emergency appointments for treatment, and pull in a lot of help to keep them out of the inpatient unit,” he said.

If you have considered self-harm or have a family member with suicidal tendencies, please contact either the WMH emergency de-partment or Hiawatha Behavioral Health (HBH). Help can also be found by calling the national suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

If you would like to join the Chippewa County Suicide Prevention Coalition or would like someone to speak at an upcoming event, please contact Barbara Weber at 906-635-7270.

– continued from previous page

Your local health care providers

500 Osborn Blvd.Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783(906) 635-4460www.warmemorialhospital.org

WAR MEMORIALHOSPITAL

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EMERGENCY SERVICES *K. Lufkin, MD *J.M. Neri, DO *M. Panetta, MD *K. Raycraft, MD *B. Samuel, MD *A. Seidner, MDENDOCRINOLOGY WMH Endocrinology *K. Virgin, DO (906) 253-0113 GENERAL SURGERY K.L. Mc Cullough, MD (906) 635-1048WMH General Surgery *J. Adair, MD *P. Rechner, MD (906) 253-9770WMH Genetics *D. Tetzlaff, NP (906) 253-9770HOSPITALIST *G. Abraham, MD *R. Farha, MD *C. Murphy, MD *B. Samuel, MDNEPHROLOGYWMH Nephrology *M. Haider, MD (906) 632-5824OB/GYNECOLOGY WMH Women’s Health *S. Amo, MD *N. Cristof, MD *A. Donmyer RN, CNM *T. Holladay, DO (906) 635-3002ONCOLOGY WMH Oncology (906) 253-2685OPHTHALMOLOGY Grand Traverse Ophthalmology M. Madion, MD D. Thuente, MD P. von Kulajta, MD J. Wentzloff, MD (906) 635-9802

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERYWMH Orthopedics *J. Brow, NP *A. McPhilamy, MD *S.M. Woolever, DO (906) 632-4740PAIN MANAGEMENTWMH Pain Management - Kinross *A. Alshab, MD (906) 632-5849WMH Pain Management - Sault *A. Daha, MD (906) 253-0113PATHOLOGY C. Liu, MD (906) 635-4434PEDIATRICSWMH Pediatrics *R. Beckman, DO *J. MacMaster, FNP-C *P. Newhouse, MD (906) 253-2605PODIATRY *R. Sehgal, DPM (906) 253-0113PULMONARY/CRITICAL CAREWMH Pulmonology *E. Al-Ghandour, MD (906) 253-2652RADIOLOGYCedar Straits Medical Assoc., PC G. Bowman, MD R.J. Duman, MD M. Jacoby, MD B. VanAssche, MD (906) 635-4438SLEEP MEDICINEWMH Sleep Medicine *P. Nichols, CFNP *J. Sand, DO *F. Siddiqui, MD (906) 253-2788UROLOGYWMH Urology *M. Cotant, MD (906) 632-5808

PRIMARY CARE (cont.)Drummond Island Family Health Care, PC C. Cordray, CFNP, MSN (906) 493-6644Drummond Island Medical Center *C. Richwine, NP (906) 493-5221 ALLERGIST/ASTHMA Great Lakes Allergy & Asthma Center, PC P. Ranta, MD (906) 253-0400ANESTHESIOLOGY *Joe Beccario, CRNA *J. Carlson, CRNA *N. Newhouse, CRNA *J. Slade, MD *F. Winkler, MD (906) 635-4589BARIATRIC (WEIGHT LOSS)Advanced Surgical Care *J. Adair, MD (906) 253-9770BEHAVIORAL HEALTHSERVICESWMH Outpatient Psychiatry *L. Armstrong, NP *Z. Masood, MD *D. Tetzlaff, JD, PsyD *D. Wilson, NP (906) 253-0108CARDIOLOGY Michigan Heart & Vascular K. Bobish, DO D. Miranda, MD N. Overton, MD (906) 253-0668DERMATOLOGYWMH Dermatology *K. Lawrence, MD (906) 253-0113

WALK-IN SERVICESWMH Community Care - Sault (906) 635-4401WMH Community Care - Kinross (906) 495-1344WMH FastCare at Meijer (906) 253-0137PRIMARY CAREBay Mills Health Center D. Furr, NP D. Maloney, MD A. Rivard, NP (906) 248-5527Bridgeview Family Medicine T.E. O’Connor, MD J. Peterman, MD (906) 253-9374Lakeview Internal Medicine T. Chander, MD (906) 635-9090 LSSU Health Care Center E. Meehan-Amo, PA (906) 635-2110E.J. Ranta, MD (906) 632-6823 Riverside Medical Associates M. Hanna, NP R.H. Mackie, MD T. Malloy, FNP-BC J.P. Ockenfels, DO T.N. Tetzlaff, DO (906) 632-1800 Sault Tribe Health Center C. Behling, CFNP R. Brand, FNP-BC J. Garlinghouse, MD C. Wilkerson, MD, MPH G. Maloney, MD V. Sherman, MD L. Styer, MD (906) 632-5200VA Community BasedOutpatient Clinic S. Aldridge, MD C. Burton, NP (906) 253-9383WMH Primary Care – Cedarville *K. Duman, PA *A. Korzecke, DO *T. Plummer, NP *J. Sawyer, MD, PharmD *A. Steele, PA *L. Tassier, FNP-C (906) 484-2295WMH Primary Care – Kinross *D. Koenig, PA (906) 495-1344WMH Primary Care – Sault *L. Land, NP *A. Korzecke, DO *J.M. Pahn, MD *K. Sawruk, NP *J. Sawyer, MD, PharmD (906) 253-2665

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