Category Archives: Family Medicine

Family Medicine

County appoints new hospital board Silvercity Daily Press – Silver City Daily Press and Independent

By JO LUTZDaily Press StaffThursdays meeting of the Grant County commissioners opened with a loan approval for the long-awaited Dos Griegos fire station, and closed with the appointment of the long-awaited Gila Regional Medical Center board of trustees.During the public hearing for an ordinance authorizing the loan agreement, attorney Luis Carrasco acted as the countys loan counsel. He explained that the New Mexico Finance Authority would loan $1,084,911 in principal to pay for a metal building to serve as the Dos Griegos Fire Station for the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department, which has long faced challenges responding to calls in the Dos Griegos area. The county would repay this loan plus about 3.3 percent interest over 30 years using money received from the State Fire Protection Fund.Carrasco said that the loan agreement authorizes the state treasurer to pay the fire protection funds directly to the Finance Authority to service the debt.If, down the road, state funding gets lower or stops, how responsible would Grant County be to pay this? asked Commission Chair Chris Ponce.Youre pledging only the dollars you get from those funds, Carrasco said, adding that the Finance Authority had done its own analysis and wouldnt move forward if it didnt find the pledged amount sufficient. The contract also allows for renegotiation in case of unforeseen circumstances.Last but far from least and postponed on the agenda until after a lengthy executive session commissioners passed the baton of hospital governance to an independent board of trustees. The five County Commission members have directly served as the hospitals Governing Board since a mass resignation of the last board of trustees in May 2020.They appointed seven new voting board members and three ex officio nonvoting members specifically the county manager and the hospitals CEO and chief of staff.The appointment did not pass unanimously, with District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards casting a no vote.Id like to thank everyone who applied as a trustee, she said. My challenge with the no vote isnt with who were appointing, its with who were not appointing. The hospital board has a long history of being overwhelmingly Anglo and underwhelmingly female. I believe we missed an opportunity to make more progress than we did.Other commissioners, though they cast yes votes, echoed similar sentiments of compromise.I dont think any one of us got exactly the board we would have individually handpicked, observed District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings.District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he also did not get the board he wanted, but he respected the process they went through.We gave full consideration to everyones perspective, he said. Hopefully it will only get better in terms of diversity. The way we staggered the terms was intentional, to help us get to that.Beginning in July, the seven voting members of the hospital board will be former District 2 County Commissioner Javier Salas, nurse practitioner Patricia McIntire, Silver Schools Superintendent William Hawkins, Freeport-McMoRan supply chain superintendent Seth Traeger, internal medicine Dr. Michael Smith, family medicine Dr. Fred Fox and retired economic developer Betty Vega.We took this seriously, Ponce concluded. This is probably one of the most important things that we do as commissioners.Thursdays public comment period saw the return of county resident James Baldwin with an update on his pursuit of reconciliation between the names Bear Mountain Road and Cottage San. He presented as evidence this time an atlas called the Gazetteer, which lists the road as Bear Mountain. He mentioned that he attempted to speak to county staff regarding this issue, and had not received a return phone call.He also weighed in on the increase in international migration expected this week accompanying the lifting of Title 42, the COVID-era emergency measure allowing Border Patrol agents to easily deport most migrants back to Mexico as a public safety measure.Remember on 9/11/2001, we had the Twin Towers? Baldwin said. Now we have 5/11/2023. The two events are similarly destructive to the United States of America. I hope the county will not permit any of the illegals, the migrants, to go through.He reported that two white buses had been seen but not photographed going west on U.S. 180, probably carrying people someplace.Next, Debbie Gray of accounting firm Kriegel, Gray, and Shaw presented the countys annual audit. The written opinion says the governments financial statements were fairly presented in accordance with accounting principles in other words, a passing grade on a pass/fail assessment.Gray reported total assets of $153 million and a net position, or equity, of $98 million. She said that although there were no noncompliance issues that impacted the financial statement, there was a deficiency in one component unit Gila Regional Medical Center related to the tracking of fixed asset values.The report for the hospital was also late, which Edwards clarified was due to the critical access cost report, for which the hospital had to wait on from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.Both Gila Regional Medical Centers chief financial officer and interim CEO were absent Thursday, leaving interim Chief Nursing Officer Cynthia Lewis to deliver a brief update on the March financials, deferring questions about a five-year facilities plan to her colleagues upon their return.Treasurer Patrick Cohn reported that the county had collected 94.2 percent of taxes due over the last decade, and that of the $7,024,806.69 uncollected, his office had begun to make progress with past-due mobile home owners, a topic which had come up in a previous meeting.The preliminary county budget for FY 2024 passed with minimal discussion, having been covered in Tuesdays work session. Browne did bring up that requested raises for elected officials such as the treasurer and assessor were not granted. County Manager Charlene Webb clarified that this was because the statute barred raises for elected officials in the middle of their terms.The county also approved Mountain Ridge Ace Hardwares lease on their part of the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center building. The lease was renewed for two terms for a total of 10 years, with an increase of $1 per square foot. Webb recalled that the square footage was about 19,000.Jo Lutz may be reached at [emailprotected]

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County appoints new hospital board Silvercity Daily Press - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

Family Medicine

It’s Always Construction Season for the Body The Hamburg Reporter – Hamburg Reporter

Prairie Doc Perspective Andrew Ellsworth, MD

Like a car racing along the interstate, exiting onto a highway, and finally reaching the family farm along a dusty gravel road, our blood circulates inside our bodies. There are the major blood vessels, such as the aorta running out of the heart, and there are the tiny capillaries allowing blood cells one at a time to carry oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in our bodies. The network of capillaries is so complex it is estimated there are over 40 billion in one person, and if stretched out in a single line they would cover over 100,000 miles.

Our blood is made up of a mix of liquids and solids. The liquid, plasma, is composed of water, salts, and proteins. The solids include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In general, the red blood cells deliver oxygen and carry away carbon dioxide, the white blood cells help fight infections, and the platelets help form clots if you get a cut.

Bone marrow is the spongy material inside our bones that helps make new blood cells, which only last so long. Red blood cells last about 120 days, platelets last 6 days, and white blood cells may last less than a day or much longer.

As with any stretch of road, accidents happen. The blood cells can become clogged, causing a stroke in the brain or a heart attack in the heart. Sometimes what goes wrong is a problem of overproduction causing a cancer of the blood. Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, lymphoma is a cancer of the tissues that produce and carry white blood cells, and multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma proteins. A cancer of too many red blood cells is called polycythemia vera.

While some cancers often cause the growth of a solid tumor, the overproduction of blood cells may be harder to detect. Symptoms are often vague, including fatigue, weakness, night sweats, bone pain, weight loss, frequent infections, enlarged lymph nodes, and other nonspecific symptoms.

Advancements in cancer therapies have made large strides in the treatment of blood cancers. Besides chemotherapy and radiation therapies, treatments can include stem cell transplants, immunotherapies, and targeted therapies which are more specific on the molecular level to what is being overproduced. Immunotherapies include modifying T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells.

The complexities of the human body are endless and amazing. Part of the wonder is how the cells in our bodies are constantly growing and being replaced. Just like our highway system, there is always construction.

Andrew Ellsworth, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc at http://www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc a medical Q&A show based on science, built on trust for 21 seasons, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

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It's Always Construction Season for the Body The Hamburg Reporter - Hamburg Reporter

Family Medicine

Peter F. Bidey, DO, Named Dean of the PCOM Osteopathic … – PR Newswire

PHILADELPHIA, May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After an extensive national search, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has named Peter F. Bidey, DO '08, MSEd, FACOFP, dean of the osteopathic medicine program in Philadelphia effective June 1, 2023.

"I plan to continue to advance this great institution further into the forefront of medicine." Peter F. Bidey, DO

"Dr. Bidey represents the best of our osteopathic tradition: providing holistic care for the communities he serves while upholding a deep commitment to the highest standards of medical education," said Kenneth J. Veit, DO '76, MBA, FACOFP, who held the position for 30 years and now serves as PCOM's provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. "His passion and pride for PCOM, combined with the relationships he has built across the college, will serve us all at a time of great complexity and promise."

A Philadelphia native and physician at Family Medicine at PCOM, Bidey is an alumnus of the college. "I owe my career to PCOM," he said. "I trained here, I was mentored here, and I even met my wife here. It is truly an honor to serve the PCOM community, and my duty now is to repay all that PCOM has done for me."

Since 2012, Bidey has served on the PCOM faculty and acted as vice chair of the Department of Family Medicine since 2018. Previously, he was the medical director of Family Medicine, and most recently, assistant dean of clinical curricular integration. He is a clerkship director and co-course director for various ambulatory, family medicine, and primary care skills courses.

Bidey holds a bachelor's degree from Duquesne University, a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from PCOM, and a master of science in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

"In this new role, I plan to continue to advance this great institution further into the forefront of medicine," Bidey said. "We serve communities from every walk of life, and I will ensure that we continue to train the most competent and compassionate osteopathic physicians of the future."

Founded in 1899, PCOM has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a "whole person" approach to caretreating people, not just symptoms.PCOM operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral and graduate degrees in the healthcare professions. For more information, visit pcom.edu.

SOURCE Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

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Family Medicine

Heartfelt support for family of E. Patchogue mother and baby killed in … – Greater Long Island

A Long Island family is feeling the love and support of a community deeply affected by the tragic deaths of an East Patchogue mother and her 14-month-old baby in a car wreck last week.

Hundreds of donors have given to two separate fundraisers to offset the medical expenses for little Joelaya Smoljan-Davenport and the funeral costs for both her and her mother Jacklyn Smoljan, 31.

Smoljan died at the scene of the May 4 accident in Yaphank; Joelaya was pronounced dead later, after attempts to save her life at Long Island Community Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital.

Jackie was the light in everyones lives, her positivity, strength and courage were unmatched. Her laugh was contagious, her family meant everything to her, reads a heartfelt dedication on a GoFundMe page established by Smoljans employer for the past 12 years, Port Jefferson Family Medicine. Joelaya was the light in Jackies life, like Jackie said I wasnt ready for you but god knew I needed you.'

Funeral services for Smoljan and Joelaya will be held Wednesday, May 10, at Robertaccio Funeral Home, 85 Medford Ave. in Patchogue, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Closing prayers will be said at the funeral home at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, before the mother and daughter are laid to rest at Washington Memorial Park cemetery in Mount Sinai.

The tragic deaths came less than two years after Smoljans father Joe died from COVID-19. Joelaya nicknamed JoJo by relatives was named after her grandfather.

Jackie and Joelaya we all love you so much, it is so painful and heart breaking that god had other plans for you, the little bit of peace we can find with this is that you are now with your dad and grandpa, reads the GoFundMe page created by Smoljans employer.

Joelayas distraught paternal grandmother Sheila DelValle established a second GoFundMe page to provide financial support directly to the Smoljan family.

I know I am supposed to say how I feel and how this has affected her family but I simply cant, she wrote on the page. Jacky JoJos mom was not ready for her as she often said but she rose and exceeded any expectation of what being a mom looked like.

She leaves behind so many that just do not know how to go on, DelValle continued. These things do not have a reference point. There is no gauge on how long anything takes or if it ever will pass.

The two GoFundMe pages created in connection to the tragedy have raised $27,400. To contribute to the fundraisers, click on the links below.

In loving memory of Jackie and Joelaya

Baby Joelaya Smoljan-Davenports Funeral

Smoljan is survived by her mother and Joelayas grandmother Kathryn Smoljan; her sister and Joelayas aunt Stephanie Smoljan; and her niece and nephew (Joelayas cousins), Mikaela and Gibson Joseph. Joelaya is additionally survived by her father and Nana Sheila DelValle, according to information posted by the funeral home.

On May 4 about 7:35 a.m., Smoljan was driving a 2019 Nissan Sentra northbound on County Road 101 when she struck a southbound 2019 Thomas Built mini bus that was attempting to make a left turn onto Express Drive South.

Joelaya was in a car seat in the backseat of the Nissan.

The driver of the bus, Jose Ducos, 73, of Medford, and Aria Mingo, 61, of Bellport, a matron on the bus, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Top photo: GoFundMe

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Heartfelt support for family of E. Patchogue mother and baby killed in ... - Greater Long Island

Family Medicine

NEW EXHIBIT OFFERS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF NATIVE … – High Plains Reader

Culture | May 12th, 2023

By Bree Hocking

bhocking@nd.gov

From the first step inside On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers & the Land at the State Museum in Bismarck you get the sense this truly is another world, says Exhibitions Manager David Newell.

Produced by the North Dakota Council on the Arts in association with the State Historical Society, the new exhibition, which opens to the public Thursday, explores connections between cultural practices, regional landscapes, and tribal oral narratives.

Its the result of a 10-year project by State Folklorist Troyd Geist to photograph landscapes sacred to Native American tribal nations that share geography with North Dakota and to record Indigenous stories relayed by elders and knowledge keepers related to these significant and spiritually powerful places.

As audiences move through the Governors Gallery, they will encounter unique sensory experiences allowing them to immerse themselves in the featured stories, landscapes, and artifacts.

With that in mind, I asked Newell to give us a behind-the-scenes look at some of the elements that set this exhibit apart.

1. The Power of Plants

As you enter the exhibition, free-standing walls following the curve of the Missouri River guide you first to the flowers and plants section. This area inspires you to think differently about nature, Newell points out. Images of elders collecting botanicals to be used for medicinal and spiritual purposes can be seen along with Ojibway herbalist and artist Marvin Baldeagle Youngmans exquisite beaded medicine bags. (Baldeagle Youngman is also pictured in one of the photographs.)

The bags, adorned with realistic nature-inspired designs, depict traditional medicines such as wild rose and yarrow. At four smelling stations you can even lift a flap and take in the aromas of cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and mint.

An adjacent display of tobacco, pipes, and accessories speaks to that plants importance in connecting people to the spiritual realm. Pipes act as a communication device, Newell explains. Prior to the exhibit installation, an elder conducted an outdoor ceremony making an offering to the land and blessing the ND Heritage Center & State Museum.

Part of this involved the blessing of red tobacco ties (small pouches stuffed with tobacco), which were placed in the gallerys four cardinal directions. These will remain in the space for the duration of the exhibition.

2. Guided Imagery and the Medicine Wheel

Standing in the center of a Medicine Wheel representing the four cardinal directions, visitors look at screens showing the view in those directions from the summit of Butte St. Paul.

Eight earphones are available for individuals or groups to listen as Dr. Linda Gourneau, a family medicine physician, narrates a five-minute guided imagery experience of hiking the butte accompanied by flute music.

By linking the trail walk with the Native American concept of the Medicine Wheel and its role in promoting well-being and balance, the space imparts a sense of calm and transports you to someplace else, Newell says.

3. Northern Lights Experience

This sense of calm continues seamlessly in a nearby space featuring a projection of the northern lights and the sounds of night animals interspersed with flute music by Mandan/Hidatsa storyteller Keith Bear. (Fittingly, Bears Native name OMashi! Ryu Ta translates to Bright Light That Waves in the North Sky.)

Here, visitors can sit on benches while immersing themselves in a visual and aural experience. Newell dubs this space a contemplation zone. Quotes from storytellers remind the viewer of the interconnectivity of life and the spiritual power of the natural world.

4. Story Spaces

The heart of the exhibit is the story spaces, where visitors can watch short videos of the elders and knowledge keepers recounting their narratives about significant landscapes. (As variations of the same story may exist, those on display here represent the individual storytellers version.) Interpretive panels provide an overview of each story along with comments and quotes from the elders.

Surrounding the kiosks are Geist and Swiss photographer Barbara Hausers stunning digital photographs on aluminum panels, as well as associated objects and artifacts, most of which are part of the North Dakota Council on the Arts collection.

Newell stops in front of a case containing a large cottonwood disk showing the star-shaped pith at its core. This is my favorite story in the whole exhibit, he says, referencing the Dakotah account of a little star that wants to come down to the earth and live amongst the people because they make it so happy. When the other stars tell him he can only do so if he hides himself, the star hides inside a tree. And hes still there.

The spaces surrounding the story kiosks are meant to immerse the visitor in the narration on the screens, allowing the words on the panels to recede and the experience to take over, says Newell.

Twenty offering stations, interpolated throughout the exhibition, contain an abalone shell smudge bowl filled with sage accompanied by a small red pouch of tobacco as a sign of respect and gratitude.

In some instances, elements from the narratives have been incorporated into this standard offering. For example, Hunkpapa Lakota elder Anna Littleghost told of the importance of keeping the supernatural Little People (said to inhabit the area around Spirit Lake) happy and noted their yen for red jellybeans, which she includes in her offerings to them. Newell sifted through six bags of jellybeans to procure the necessary amount of spicy cinnamon and red cherry jellybeans for the offering station in this area.

The exhibit concludes with a wall of prayers from the storytellers as they give thanks for the Earth's power and energy (Mary Louise Defender Wilson, Dakotah/Hidatsa) and meditate on the importance of stories to provide the connection, the ancestral lineage all the way back to Creator (Debbie Gourneau, Ojibway).

The sacred and contemplative nature of the landscapes and stories influenced all aspects of the exhibitions design and organization, from its low-lighting and tonal qualities to the decision not to include the locations of referenced sites.

Weve made a conscious effort to respect the sacred nature of the sites, says Newell. We are deeply appreciative of the trust these elders granted us.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers & the Land runs from April 27 through October 2024 in the Governor's Gallery at the ND Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck.

Editors note: Bree Hocking, Ph.D., is assistant editor for the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Her background in journalism and academia includes stints at U.S. News & World Report, Roll Call, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and The Open University in Belfast. The author of The Great Reimagining: Public Art, Urban Space, and the Symbolic Landscapes of a New Northern Ireland, she has published numerous articles on the intersection of spatial politics, art, and identity. When her nose isnt in a book, youll find Bree dancing and road-tripping her way through life.

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NEW EXHIBIT OFFERS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF NATIVE ... - High Plains Reader

Family Medicine

UPDATE: Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Releases Information on their … – Wgnsradio

MURFREESBORO, TN - Murfreesboro Medical Clinic continues to recover from the criminal cyber-attack on their computer systems that started on April 22nd and rapidly grew all encompassing on Sunday, April 30, 2023. What was described as a highly sophisticated attack led to the complete shutdown of the practice to avoid any further damage to their system, but more importantly to further protect patient and staff information. For patients or staff worried about their banking information being stolen, Murfreesboro Medical CEO Joey Peay told WGNS...One week after the initial shut-down of MMC, many facets of the clinic remain closed.

On Monday evening, MMC announced that laboratory and radiology services at all locations will remain closed at this time. However, medical offices in the Gateway district to include their Garrison Drive and The Fountains address, will be open on Tuesday (May 9). According to an email WGNS received on Monday evening, their newest South Church Street office will also be open on Tuesday. All other location will remain closed.

Most surgeries and Gastroenterology procedures in the MMC SurgiCenter at Garrison Drive will resume as normally scheduled on Tuesday and patients have been contacted. The Pediatric and Family Medicine walk-in clinics at Garrison Drive will be open between the hours of 8 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday, along with the MMC Now Family Walk-In Clinic at the South Church Street location (also known as HWY 231 S). The Walk-In Clinic on South Church Street will be open from 7:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night. All other MMC Now locations will remain closed.

At last report, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic continues to work with authorities to investigate the criminal cyber-attack and to upgrade their systems to ward off any future attacks. The CEO stated...Again, not all MMC offices will be open on Tuesday. For additional information, CLICK HERE or scroll down to see more individual office location information from MMC. To read more and hear additional details from the WGNS interview with MMC CEO Joey Peay, please visit our previous news story HERE.

MMC Update for Tuesday, May 9, 2023:

Additional WGNS News Headlines:

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UPDATE: Murfreesboro Medical Clinic Releases Information on their ... - Wgnsradio

Family Medicine

NBA on TNT reporter Allie LaForce and MLB Joe Smith’s special … – Akron Beacon Journal

TNT sports reporter Allie LaForce is celebrating not only her first Mother's Day, but also the special way she became a mother.

Her younger sister, Dr. AuBree LaForce, who is a Cleveland Clinic Akron General family medicine resident doctor in training, delivered Allie's first baby last fall.

But the journey to birth for Jacob Michael Smith on Nov. 10, 2022, in Akron was one filled with peaks and valleys.

Allie, who is the lead NBA sideline reporter for TNT, and her husband, Joe Smith,a veteran Major League Baseball pitcher, spent many years grappling with the possibility that Joe had a 50-50 chance of passing on a gene to his children for Huntingtons disease, a fatal genetic disorder.

He lost his mother to the disease in 2020.

Allie, 34,graduated from Ohio University and started her career at Fox 8 News Cleveland and SportsTime Ohio. She then took a national job with CBS Sports Network covering the Southeastern Conference (SEC) football and NCAA March Madness basketball. A few years ago, she joined TNT as an NBA sideline reporter.

Joe, 38, played for Wright State University before playing in the Major Leagues for 16 years. He is currently not on a roster but is also not officially retired, Allie said.

Right now, hes Daddy day care, she joked during a recent call while at home with Jacob and Joe.

Guardians news for subscribers: Payroll the root of Cleveland's hitting woes; faith in front office tested

The two Ohio natives have been together since 2011, meeting while Joe was pitching for Cleveland and she was at Fox 8. Joe was with Cleveland from 2008 to 2013.

They married in 2015 and have moved a total of 29 times, bouncing between Ohio in the offseasons and the cities where Joe went for spring training and baseball seasons.

And then if you get traded, you have to move to another city, which has happened to us multiple times,she said.

Allie and Joe knew they wanted to have a baby, but they didn't want to potentially pass along a fatal disease to their child.

Joes mom, Lee, was diagnosed in 2012 with Huntingtons disease, an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. People living with the disease develop uncontrollable dance-like movements and abnormal body postures, as well as problems with behavior, emotion, thinking and personality, according to the National Institutes of Health.

There are more than 41,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 at risk of inheriting the disease, according to the Huntingtons Disease Society of America.

Lee Smith died in 2020, just shy of turning 62.

Allie and Joe have founded The Help Cure HD Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life for those affected by the disease.

Joe has opted not to get tested for Huntingtons disease, but he and Allie used in-vitro fertilization treatments and services through Cleveland Clinic to test their embryos. They first learned about the pre-implantation genetic testing, called PGT-IVF, to screen embryos for Huntingtons disease in 2015 and began researching it.

They started their own IVF journey in 2019 to have embryos without the gene, therefore guaranteeing that our children wouldn't have it and also their children, and it's eliminated from the family line forever now, Allie said.

Their foundation has awarded more than 136 grants to other couples for PGT-IVF procedure and testing. One round of IVF treatments, testing, egg retrieval and implantation can cost as much as $37,000, Allie said. The couple went through two rounds.

The LaForce family grew up on the west side of Cleveland. Allie is the oldest, followed by their brother and AuBree, who is six years younger than Allie.

AuBree was in seventh grade when she decided to be a doctor. She was inspired by a family member who died from cancer at a young age.

That was the first time the sisters talked about AuBree potentially delivering Allies babies.

It was kind of just like a nonchalant comment we would say to each other, like, Youre going to deliver my babies, AuBree recalled.

The future physician graduated from the University of Mount Union and Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown Township and then began her medical residency at Akron General in 2021.

The sisters, who are best friends, say it was Gods timing that allowed them to be in the same state to coordinate the birth.

But it took a lot of planning and heartaches.

The journey to parenthood was delayed by moves and a miscarriage in late 2021.

Allie blogged about their experience on their foundations website, http://www.helpcurehd.org.

Allie found out she was pregnant again in March 2022. When she was in her third trimester, she suddenly had to find a new obstetrician after Joe was released from the Minnesota Twins and the couple returned to Ohio

AuBree met with Dr. Natalie Bowersox, the residency director of obstetrics and gynecology at Akron General, for a physician recommendation.

AuBree also asked if she could be the one to deliver her sister's baby. AuBree, a second-year resident, had completed the ob/gyn rotation months earlier with Bowersox and had delivered many babies.

Bowersox quickly embraced the idea.

Bowersox knew how special being in the delivery room for a sibling can be for a doctor. She was in the delivery room for her sister but did not deliver the baby. Bowersox has also seen husbands deliver their babies.

It was nice to take her experiences and allow her to participate in something that theyll be able to talk about forever," said Bowersox.Its not very often you can say Oh, I was in the room when you were born and I delivered you.

Allie was induced at 7 a.m. Nov. 9.

Throughout the day, AuBree came in to check on her sister while tending to other patients. As the day turned into night, AuBree sent their extended family home while Allie's labor slowly progressed.

When it became clear Allie was ready to push, AuBree called in the troops. The family is very close, the sisters said, and their parents, their aunt and their brother and his wife were all in the delivery room with Allie, Joe and AuBree.

Nobody wanted to leave and she didnt want anybody to leave, and so we just had some bleacher seating with the couch, said AuBree.

Because AuBree knows Allie so well, she knew her sister did well with positive reinforcement.

I also knew she is an athlete and shes competitive and so am I, so I had our nurse do a tug-of-war method, in which Allie is holding one end of a sheet while pushing and the nurse held the other end, AuBree explained.

Allie was a rock star, said AuBree.

AuBree said though the preparation leading up to the delivery felt different because it was her sister, she was in the zone during the actual delivery.

I went full-on like its Game Time mode, so I kind of compartmentalized all those emotions, AuBree said. Lets get him out, have him be healthy, have her be healthy and then I can celebrate after.

It took an hour after that it really hit me, like Oh my gosh, what just happened once I knew she was safe and baby was safe, said AuBree.

Allie said she knew everything was going to be OK and that it was all meant to be.

I knew that AuBree was extremely educated and prepared and had worked so hard to be in this position that God led her to as well, Allie said. I was completely at peace, and I loved having my family in there.

It was so fun to watch her in her element, Allie said.

Another physician was in the delivery room and there were other doctors on standby, if needed.

They had my back the whole time, but her delivery was really overall completely unremarkable and everything went as planned, which was awesome, AuBree said.

Jacob Michael Smith, named because the couple met at then-Jacobs Field, was born at 1:51 a.m. and was 6 pounds, 15 ounces and 21 inches long.

One of the first things Allie said to AuBree was, "You have to deliver my next kid."

"Probably not because Im going to be a family medicine doctor," AuBree replied.

Im going to have to find another doctor to deliver my next child even though if it could be AuBree, thats what I would prefer," Allie said.

The couple have three more embryos that dont have Huntingtons disease. Allie said that's an amazing blessing.

I would like to have them all. Well just see with my job and with Joes job what kind of help we can get, said Allie. Well take each day as it comes.

AuBree said this was a one-time deal because the timing worked out. She has plans to complete a sports medicine fellowship, so Ill be taking care of the kiddos when they start T-ball instead, she said.

The sisters brother and his wife are also expecting a baby, but there are no plans for AuBree to deliver the baby; her sister-in-law will deliver at a hospital closer to their home.

Allie took 12 weeks off from work and has been back on the road for the NBA post-season.

She often flies or drives home in between games just to be with the baby.

Weve lived in every big city and Joe has pitched in a World Series and Ive covered championships, so weve done all that stuff, " she said. "Having a kid just gave us a sense of completion that all the hard work and travel and everything came full circle and is worth it because were now home with the greatest love of our life.

Beacon Journal staff reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or http://www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ. To see her most recent stories and columns, go to http://www.tinyurl.com/bettylinfisher.

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NBA on TNT reporter Allie LaForce and MLB Joe Smith's special ... - Akron Beacon Journal

Family Medicine

Quebec to give regional health authorities more leeway to recruit family doctors – Montreal Gazette

Quebec health minister Christian Dub on Monday announced that regional medical staffing programs (PREM) would be adjusted to allow local authorities more independence in an effort to help them attract family doctors to their territories.

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Speaking to reporters at the Universit du Qubec Rimouski, Dub said the health ministry would also do its part to determine what medical services those doctors must commit to providing once they are hired in a region.

These PREMs impose a form of quota on the regions in order to distribute new physicians fairly, according to need. However, while the objective remains good in Dubs eyes, he conceded that the process has gotten bogged down over time.

The minister acknowledged it was important to change the way we work to make family medicine more attractive. To do this, Dub said he listened extensively to medical student associations as well as the Fdration des mdecins omnipraticiens du Qubec (FMOQ).

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Along with their clinical practices, family doctors must work on-call shifts in emergency rooms and long-term care centres. At the moment, those duties are assigned once the doctor arrives in a region. Henceforth, those tasks would be determined by prior agreement.

This new approach should allow new doctors to choose the region where they want to establish themselves according to their interests.

Furthermore, a new online tool is on the verge of being launched that will allow job offers in the regions for family doctors to be found in one place. The tool will eventually be made available for medical specialists.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, the president of the Fdration des mdecins rsidents du Qubec (FMRQ), Dr. Jessica Ruel-Lalibert, welcomed the ministers desire to simplify the process, which has become very cumbersome for a candidate aspiring to a career in family medicine.

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The official position of our members is that they want a process that is simpler. (Right now) its a multi-step process thats arduous and difficult to understand, she explained. Ruel-Lalibert remains cautious all the same and says she hopes that the changes will be applied this fall.

The FMRQ would also like candidates to be able to submit applications in more than one region from the first round when the available positions are announced. No announcement has yet been made in this regard.

The FMOQ believes these reductions are far from sufficient to make family medicine attractive. Its president, Dr. Marc-Andr Amyot, recalls having sent around 20 possible solutions to the minister.

Moreover, the lack of interest shown by residents was once again manifested in the results of the second round recently revealed by the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CARMS).

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In the end, 67 training places in family medicine in Quebec remained vacant. Following the first round, there were 99 vacancies.

Its still catastrophic! Amyot protested. How much in specialties? Zero!, he continued, pointing out that this number is higher than all the other Canadian provinces combined. According to CARMS data, 27 places remain unfilled at other Canadian universities, plus six places at the Universit de Sherbrooke dedicated to the Moncton region in New Brunswick.

According to Amyot, the key remains promoting the profession and encouraging candidates from remote regions. The FMOQ pleaded for the granting of places in faculties of medicine to candidates from various regions, then to offer them internships in their region and finally to offer them scholarships accompanied by a commitment to return to practice in their hometown.

Health content in the Presse Canadienne is financed by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. Presse Canadienne is solely responsible for its editorial choices.

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Quebec to give regional health authorities more leeway to recruit family doctors - Montreal Gazette

Family Medicine

Opinion: Cutting funding to medical education would hurt Idaho families – Post Register

During the last legislative session, we heard vigorous debate on the House floor about tax dollars used for the purpose of funding medical education in our state. Idaho desperately needs new doctors to replace our retiring physicians and help increase access to medical care, especially in our rural communities. Some legislators are pushing to limit funding of medical training programs, citing concerns that funds are being used to train physicians to perform abortion procedures.

This move would not be consistent with Idaho law.

Idaho law currently endorses the No Public Funds for Abortion Act. This act prohibits public funding for training to provide or perform an abortion. This language means that tax dollars can only go towards medical training that complies with the law. I turned to Dr. Laramie Wheeler, my wife and a local physician and former Idaho medical resident, for her insight and experience. A short Q&A between us helps explain how the current system is in compliance with Idaho law.

Josh: Were you expected or required to learn how to perform abortions in your training?

Dr. Wheeler: No. My family medicine residency program heavily emphasized womens health and reproduction, but there was never a time when I was expected to perform an abortion.

Josh: So, is it possible to cut education for elective abortion procedures while leaving training for routine womens health intact?

Dr. Wheeler: No, its not. I think theres a lot of misunderstanding around this. In many cases, the procedures and medications to perform elective abortions are the very procedures and medications necessary for womens health care, both routine and emergency. Im sure that limiting funding for training could lead to a decrease in elective abortions, but it would also likely cause a catastrophic increase in female deaths, especially in young mothers who would be leaving behind husbands, kids and families.

Josh: Can you give examples?

Dr. Wheeler: Sure. One example is the dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure. It is used to terminate early pregnancies, but it also saves women from hemorrhaging to death after miscarriage, delivery or even an excessively heavy period. Another example is the use of misoprostol, a medication that can cause early pregnancy termination. It helps to both induce labor in a full-term pregnancy and reduce bleeding after delivery. It is very safe and effective, and there was a time when I used it frequently for those purposes. I needed to learn how to use this medication appropriately, regardless of its reason for use.

Josh: How does Idaho continue funding medical education while staying compliant with its anti-abortion laws?

Dr. Wheeler: Isnt that whats already happening? Medical schools and residencies are held to high standards of compliance and adherence to state laws. They dont get to just go rogue and do whatever they want. I would invite legislators to spend some time with the administrators of these programs so they can see for themselves. I think we all want to see a decrease in abortion rates. I personally would love a world where women are educated and empowered enough to not be in that position in the first place. Thats a conversation for another day, but for now, I just dont see how cutting funding for medical education will do anything other than hurt Idahos families in the long run.

Rep. Josh Wheeler serves District 35 (Teton, Bonneville, Caribou, Bannock, and Bear Lake counties) in the Idaho House of Representatives. Dr. Laramie Wheeler owns an integrative medical clinic in Idaho Falls.

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Opinion: Cutting funding to medical education would hurt Idaho families - Post Register

Family Medicine

Years of experience combine for outstanding patient care – The Freeman Journal

Submitted photoPictured, from left to right, are Dr. Caleb Glawe, Dr. Nikki Ehn, Dr. Elise Duwe, PhD, Dr. Subhash Sahai (all of the Webster City Clinic); Dr. Alan Nguyen and Dr. John Birkett (in the Fort Dodge Clinic).

Experience counts, especially when considering who to select as your primary care physician.

With more than 125 years of family medicine experience, the physicians of Van Diest Family Health Clinics bring a wealth of knowledge, skill, and care to their patients.

Dr. Subhash Sahai is celebrating 47 years in practice this year, including six years with Van Diest Family Health Clinic (VDFHC). His wife, Dr. Sushma Sahai, will mark 45 years in pediatrics practice this year.

Subhash Sahai has cared for hundreds, and likely thousands of patients through the years. Often, there are multiple generations of families seeing him for their medical needs.

And in one family, there were five generations. There have been a lot of three-generation families and a few four generation families, he said.

Working in a rural setting has proven to be the ideal situation for Sahai.

Its just perfect. I wouldnt want to be anywhere else, he commented. In a rural setting, its much more personal, and the breadth of care that can be provided for patients is just amazing.

Sahai said not only are the clinic physicians top-notch, the nurses, aides and technicians all provide exceptional care.

The support staff here at the clinic and the hospital is superb. We are blessed to have such a fine staff, he said. The personal care, that continuity of care, really makes such a difference.

A love of science is what drew Dr. Nikki Ehn to pursue a career in medicine.

I decided to get into medicine because I loved the opportunity to work with people and to really apply the science to problems people face, Ehn said.

The Hamilton County native has been in practice for 10 years, the last six at VDFHC. The best part of her practice, according to Ehn, is building relationships with her patients and their families.

I love getting to know patients and their families, she said. Understanding generational relationships can help a lot with understanding individual patient stories.

Often, patients will refer family members or friends to Ehn when they need medical care.

I consider that to be the highest compliment, she commented.

The VDFHC doctors have a solid core of support from the clinic team, according to Ehn.

The staff is great. I feel like Im really supported by the crew that we have, she said.

From an early age, Dr. Elise Duwe knew she wanted to be a doctor.

When I was five, I knew I wanted to be a physician, she shared. I tried other things. I got a PhD in sociology. I studied religious studies. I did a lot of bench research. But the vocation that continued to call to me was medicine and family medicine is the best.

Duwe completed a three-year residency in Waterloo and in August 2021, she joined the staff of Van Diest Family Health Clinic. She is committed to providing quality care for patients in multiple contexts including seeing patients in the hospital and in the clinic.

That really provides the most continuity of care if I see you while you are an inpatient and then follow your care when you are well and at home, she explained.

She continues to build her practice at the Webster City Clinic. In January, Duwe and Ehn started a collaboration with three physicians at Boone County Family Medicine North to provide shared-care for obstetrical patients.

I think the greatest excitement for me is certainly meeting the moms and building that practice, but also getting to see more babies, Duwe said. The collaboration will also mean there will be a good relationship with a trusted provider offering support and care in labor and delivery.

Dr. Caleb Glawe has been practicing family medicine since 2009 and is beginning his third year at Van Diest Family Health Clinic.

Like Ehn, Glawe decided to pursue a career in medicine because of his love of science and a desire to help people.

Giving back and providing care to people who have taken care of me gives me great satisfaction, he commented.

The physician said he has enjoyed building trusted long-term patient-physician relationships.

I appreciate how over time, I am able to learn more about a patient, their family, what makes them who they are, and this often extends to other family members, he shared. The trust created through repeat visits, and the sharing of experiences with these families, makes family medicine very rewarding personally.

Glawe also gives credit to the support of his VDFHC team members.

I enjoy the team effort and atmosphere of Van Diest Family Health Clinic, he said. The staff members are very caring, both to the patients, and to their colleagues.

In addition to his patients at the Webster City clinic, Glawe also sees patients at the Stratford satellite clinic.

Two physicians provide care to patients at the VDFHC in Fort Dodge. Dr. John Birkett and Dr. Alan Nguyen joined the Van Diest team when the clinic opened in July 2020.

Both have had extensive careers in family medicine.

Birkett received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine.

He has been practicing since 1975. He said he decided on a career in family medicine as it was a field that always interested him.

Nguyen has been practicing family medicine for 27 years.

He is board certified in family medicine and received his education at Des Moines University, Youngstown Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the University of Nebraska College of Medicine.

Nguyen said he enjoys the family atmosphere at the VDFHC.

The staff is very easy to work with. They are very supportive and always address questions and needs promptly, he said.

Developing and maintaining long-term relationships with his patients is another rewarding aspect of his practice.

Its amazing to provide care for kids and then seeing how they have developed, and now they are bringing their children into the practice, he said. There is an unspoken trust, and oftentimes, they see me as part of their family.

Working alongside the physicians at the Webster City clinic are Darin Eklund, PA-C, Madeline Keane, PA-C, Giselle Allred, FNP-BC, and Amanda Langford, ARNP-C.

Tonia Odden, PA-C, practices at the Jewell Clinic and Tricia Widlund, ARNP, is on staff at the Fort Dodge Clinic.

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Years of experience combine for outstanding patient care - The Freeman Journal