McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation Summer 2022 Newsletter

Friends

Our Mission:

To receive and administer funds to support the mission of McLaren Northern Michigan and support programs that enhance the well-being of the community.

O F T H E F O U N D AT I O N

SUM M ER 2022

Inside 2

Letter from Leadership

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Scholarships Impact Patient Care

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Residency - Growing Our Team

Education for Success Scholarships Help Colleagues Care for Patients

How Your Gifts Help Your a difference Yourgifts giftsmake to the McLarenin patients’ lives. Your gifts provide support for staff Northern Michigan Foundation and patients every day.

are making a difference in the Your generosity supports: ongoing fight against COVID-19, Medical technology as•well as in all our programs.

• Medical equipment

•Your Patient assistance generosity provides: •• F Pacility upgrades ersonal Protective

• PEquipment ediatric rehabilitation for staff programs • Preventative care and • Medical technology wellness initiatives

•• H Mospice edicalcare equipment

Dear Friends, Your support continues to amaze us. As health care across the country and locally faces countless challenges, we are blessed with a community that rises to the challenge and provides generous contributions to benefit our team at McLaren Northern Michigan.

In this issue, you’ll find stories about several of our colleagues and how scholarships have helped them grow in their careers to better serve patients.

We also share about our new Family Medicine Medical Residency program.

Thank you for helping to support these important programs.

We are grateful for you.

Patient assistance •• Physician recruitment and retention Facility upgrades •• Behavioral health

• Education Pediatric rehabilitation

programs • Innovation

Julie Jarema

Elise Fisher

• Medical excellence Preventative care and

Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation

Board Chair McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation

• Areas of greatest need wellness initiatives

The team at McLaren Northern • Pentire rogrammatic support Michigan appreciates your support—as • Hospice care does every patient who relies on McLaren Northern Michigan for their care.

The entire team at McLaren Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and Northern Michigan appreciates your share our stories with your friends and family support—as does every patient who to encourage them to give back as well! relies on the hospital for their care.

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360 360 Connable Connable Avenue Avenue Petoskey, Petoskey, MI MI 49770 49770 231-487-3500 231-487-3500 Friends of of the the Foundation Foundation Newsletter Newsletter is is aa Friends publication publication of of the the McLaren McLaren Northern Northern Michigan Michigan Foundation Foundation and and is is produced produced three three times times aa year for for contributors contributors to to the the Foundation.

Foundation. year Find Find out out more more about about our our work work by by visiting visiting mclaren.org/NorthernMichiganFoundation.

McLaren.org/NorthernMichiganFoundation.

On the Cover Abby Blaskowski, MSN-ED, RN, Clinical Manager of the Intensive Care Unit, has been an employee at McLaren Northern Michigan for nine years. Abby is always seeking to expand her skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on patient care. She has received several scholarships from generous donors since 2014. Abby was awarded scholarships to finish her Master of Science in Nursing and to attend conferences. She recently attended the Oncology Nursing Society Signature Conference where she learned about developments in Oncology care, which she was able to share with her colleagues here. Her continued education helps improve patient care. Thank you for supporting Abby!

“The scholarship I received means that I can continue to provide my best for MNM and the amazing patients we care for. I was able to broaden my knowledge and came home with plenty of new skills. Your support to MNM is appreciated more that words can express. Without the support and help from donors, I would not be where I am today. Thank you!” said Abby.

2022 McLAREN NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Elise Fisher, Chair | Robert (Ham) Schirmer, Vice Chair | Matthew J. Frentz, CPA, Treasurer | Miriam Hollar, Secretary | Kal Attie, MD | Robbie Buhl Todd Burch, President & CEO, McLaren Northern Michigan | Katie Coleman | Steven C. Cross | Courtney Font, CFP® | Arthur G. Hailand, III | Ellen Hatch Matthew Krieger | Patrick Leavy | Rogan L. Saal | James Schroeder, PhD | Tracy Souder, MA, CCC-SLP | Pamela L. Wyett

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McLaren.org/NorthernMichiganFoundation | 231-487-3500

Scholarships Impact Patient Care A commitment to our caregivers’ education is also a commitment to quality patient care.

We believe McLaren Northern Michigan colleagues should have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through education. Scholarships are an exciting way to provide this opportunity. In 2021, the Foundation awarded scholarships for certifications, conferences, and higher education amounting to $160,808, and in 2022 we plan to match or exceed that amount. Ninety-one of our team members received these scholarships.

The benefits of continued education touch everyone at McLaren Northern Michigan: employees gain new skills and knowledge, and consequently our patients receive better care. Your gifts make a difference for employees and patients.

Taylor Alexandrowski, RN

Cassidy Hart, BS, MA

Taylor Alexandrowski, RN, is a new nurse on the Level 2 South Inpatient Unit. She began working at McLaren Northern Michigan as a Patient Care Tech prior to pursuing her Associate of Science in Nursing Degree.

Cassidy Hart, BS, MA began his career at McLaren Northern Michigan 10 years ago as a patient transporter. Today, he is the Staffing Supervisor for the Division of Nursing. He has aspirations of moving to a leadership position.

Taylor completed her core nursing classes at North Central Michigan College and has started classes at Eastern Michigan University. She balances working full time with school and has worked hard to develop time management skills to juggle all of her responsibilities.

Scholarships from McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation donors enable this committed young caregiver to pursue her education while focusing on patient care.

“Thank you so much for your generosity. I am very thankful for the opportunity to advance my education by pursuing my BSN. Thank you for investing in McLaren Northern Michigan, and students like me!” said Taylor.

A generous scholarship provided Cassidy with the opportunity to attend a four-day workshop and become certified as a Health Care Safety Professional. This certification is helping Cassidy attend to the safety needs of patients, visitors, and colleagues.

“Health care safety is a mindset that we must live every day. As a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional, it is my job to support all our staff and patients in the maintenance of our universal goal of doing no harm. Thanks to your assistance, we can continue to do what’s best for our patients here at McLaren Northern Michigan,” said Cassidy.

Thank you, Bob!

Scholarship donor Robert (Bob) Smith

Robert (Bob) Smith created his scholarship fund because of the extraordinary care he has always received at McLaren Northern Michigan.

During a hospital stay, on his last day before discharge, he decided that he wanted to give back to the staff that treated him with so much kindness and compassion. He created a scholarship fund and has supported four staff members to date. Bob often thinks about Alex Perry, NP, one of his favorite nurses and how much he did to ensure his comfort during his lengthy stay. Alex and others have benefited from Bob’s generosity.

Thank you, Bob!

Scholarship recipient Alexander Perry, MSN, FNP-BC

McLaren.org/NorthernMichiganFoundation | 231-487-3500

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Residency – Growing Our Team Family Medicine Medical Residency Program Launches A steady supply of future physicians is critical to the long-term success at McLaren Northern Michigan.

With that in mind, the hospital has established a donor-supported Family Medicine Medical Residency Program to build a pipeline of practitioners to serve our community.

Studies show that creating residencies is considered one of the best ways to get young physicians interested in rural practice and keep them there.

Furthermore, teaching hospitals attract higher-quality medical staff who promote the latest ideas and advances in evidence-based medicine.

Our vision is to provide the highest quality medical education for residents

in order to meet the challenges of rural medical care in northern Michigan.

The program will be led locally by Todd M. Sheperd, MD, CAQSM, Family Medicine who will work with community Family Physicians to provide oversight and teaching in residency clinics.

The first two Family Medicine Residents, Chipo Nyasvisvo, MD, and Kenneth Verbos, MD, started their first year at an urban hospital (McLaren Flint Family Medicine Residency) in July, and will complete their second and third year training at McLaren Northern Michigan, starting in July 2023.

Chipo Nyasvisvo, MD

Windsor University School of Medicine Saint Kitts and Nevis

Kenneth Verbos, MD

St. George’s University School of Medicine Grenada

“Our area is a perfect rural setting for these residents, and they will learn from some of the very best providers and specialists who are dedicated to caring for patients in our northern Michigan community.”

TO D D M . S H E P E R D, M D, C AQ S M MCLAREN NORTHERN M I C H I G A N S I T E D I R E C TO R , FA M I LY M E D I C I N E M E D I C A L R E S I D E N C Y

This program requires extensive funding to support the training of these physicians. If you would like to support this program, simply write “Physician Residency” on the envelope provided. We appreciate each and every gift!

Support Excellence through Education Programs that make up the Excellence through Education Fund will provide resources to help our team members grow in knowledge and skill and will help secure a promising career trajectory for them. A gift to this fund will support scholarships for advanced degrees, conferences, and professional trainings.

We respectfully ask that you consider a gift to support the Education Fund. Your gift will further these and other programs that support colleague education. Every gift counts and every gift is important.

Give online at McLaren.org/NorthernMichiganFoundation/giving, call 231-487-3500, or mail your gift in the envelope provided. Thank you!

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McLaren.org/NorthernMichiganFoundation | 231-487-3500