Page 10A | Saturday, May 23, 2020

HEALTH

269804

Faith Academics Service

PRESCHOOL - 8TH GRADE502 S. Franklin St., Greenville, MI, 48838

(616) 754-3416https://saintscjm.com/school/

269911

St. Charles Catholic School is enrolling students now!

Our dedicated teachers did not skip a beat in our instruction this spring while transitioning to “distance learning.” In the fall, we will continue to provide:

• A safe environment• Rigorous academics with quality lessons• Innovative instruction• Technology for all students

Our extensive planning and small class sizes have allowed us to be well prepared and nimble in our response to conditions during the current pandemic.

We continue to prepare creatively and solve problems relentlessly to provide the best educational experience possible for your child at St. Charles Catholic School.

Call (616) 754-3416 or email us at school@saintscjm.com to begin the easy enrollment process.

Mention this ad to receive half off registration fees for the 2020-2021 school year. New families only.

Submitted by Sheridan Community Hospital

SHERIDAN — The coronavirus pan-demic has effected a majority of health-care organizations, including Sheridan Community Hospital.

However, the rural hospital has planned and continues to plan for the continued impact of the pandemic. The hospital has a sufficient amount of per-sonal protective equipment (PPE) to en-sure the patients who visit or plan to vis-it the hospital or Sheridan Care Clinic feel safe with the implemented process-es. As a result of the virus, the hospital has only been performing urgent and emergent diagnostics and procedures. As soon as approval from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is received, the hospital will re-turn to its regular schedule of surgeries, procedures, and diagnostics.

Looking forward to the future and recovering from COVID-19, the hospi-tal is focusing on satisfying community needs by increasing medical services at the hospital and welcoming new phy-sicians who want to practice in rural hospital setting. The community has ex-pressed interest in having personalized healthcare services and access close to home. The hospital hopes to expand its current medical services of a sub-acute care unit, physical rehabilitation services, 24/7 diagnostic imaging, 24/7 walk-in clinic, 24/7 emergency depart-ment, 24/7 laboratory services, outpa-tient specialty, surgical services, and an affiliated family practice — Sheridan Care.

To provide additional services, Sher-idan Community Hospital has recent-ly welcomed the addition of Dr. Jenny Kipp to the medical staff at the hospital and Sheridan Care, where she joined the family practice as a doctorate prepared provider who will be seeing and treating patients.

Kipp received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Grand Valley State Uni-versity with a post graduate certificate in Palliative Care/Hospice. As a doctor-ally prepared nurse practitioner, she has a strong passion and is very involved in addiction medicine. In addition to practicing Family Medicine at Sheri-dan Care, she will provide hospitalist services in the inpatient setting at the

hospital and will medically manage pa-tients’ journeys through acute detoxifi-cation and a withdrawal management Substance Use Disorder (SUD) program. To schedule an appointment with Kipp at Sheridan Care, call (989) 291-5077.

In addition, the hospital is continu-ing to prepare and operationalize a SUD program. This comprehensive program focuses on opioid and alcohol disorder detoxification and acute withdrawal management with residential compo-nent that includes psychosocial support and successful transition back to com-munity. The need for a program as such is significant in Montcalm County and the surrounding communities, with a 2017 report stating over 2,000 deaths in Michigan as a result of drug overdose.

With new leadership in place, Sher-idan Community Hospital aims to strengthen its strategic plan for the fu-ture and sustain the long-term well-be-ing and viability of the hospital. They continue to focus on reviewing, improv-ing, and continually reassessing the ser-vices offered to serve the community. The hospital is dedicated to providing exceptional, individual care and serving the patients and families in their com-munity for years to come.

Sheridan Community Hospital expands its

services with new hire

In addition to family practice, Dr. Jenny Kipp will medically manage patients’ journeys through acute detoxification and a withdrawal manage-ment. — Submitted photo

Independent doctors’ offices under threat from coronavirus

TED ROELOFS | Bridge Magazine

Operating out of a small office in Mon-roe County, Dr. Stephen Bell could be con-sidered something of a vanishing species.

“It’s just me,” he said, describing his internal medicine practice, which consists of himself, an office manager and a couple medical assistants.

Like many physicians, Bell saw a plunge in patients and revenue in March, as fear of the coronavirus outbreak kept patients from coming in for care and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered hospitals and state-run outpatient clinics to stop “non-es-sential” medical services.

Bell said he would normally see 28 pa-tients a day at his Berlin Township office. That’s down to about half that due to the impact of COVID-19 — patients he now sees through telemedicine.

Bell is grateful to be afloat, thanks to a federal loan he got through a piece of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) act that will allow him — temporarily — to meet pay-roll and pay the bills. That turns into a grant if he keeps all the employees on the payroll for eight weeks.

After that?“It depends on how long this COVID-19

lasts and how long we get support. If I’m running on one engine, it’s better than if I had no engine. I guess my crash depends

on whether that second engine kicks in.”In less than two years, between 2016 and

2018, U.S. hospitals bought up 8,000 medical practices and 14,000 physicians left private practice and entered into employment con-tracts with hospitals, according to a 2019 health care consultant report.

Analysts say COVID-19 could further strain independent physician practices throughout Michigan, perhaps speeding their decline. How that affects medical

“If I’m running on one engine, it’s better than if I had no engine,” said Monroe County physician Stephen Bell. — Submitted photo

Continues on Page 12A