Welcome to the Latest
News Archives
Here you will find all articles that
have been posted on the Open Forum Website over the last couple
of years. Please be patient as the content loads.
TMH “Salute I I” a Major
Success
Wine tasting raised money for The Heart Hospital
Nearly
300 smartly-dressed people came out to enjoy an elegant evening
at Trumbull County Club on Saturday, October 18th. "Salute
II" An Evening of Wine Tasting to benefit The Heart Hospital at
Trumbull Memorial Hospital, was all the advanced billing said it
would be; a social event for charity unlike any other in the
valley.
Guests enjoyed visiting 10 different wine distributor tables and
had the opportunity to sample as many different varieties as
they wished. Programs helped the uninitiated understand
the etiquette involved with swirling, sniffing, and sipping fine
wines. Guests also had several gourmet food and dessert
options to choose from, including dishes prepared by TMH's Chef
Jim Cimino and NMC's Chef Steve Surack.
You Have the Ability
to Change and Improve the Lives of Individuals in the Mahoning
Valley - Please Help Your Neighbor!
What Is
United Way?
In
existence since 1919, the United Way of Youngstown and the
Mahoning Valley s a local, non-profit, volunteer-driven
organization that focuses community resources to provide
solutions for the most important needs in our community.
United Way's goal is to crate long-lasting changes by addressing
the underlying causes of community problems.
ODDS ARE YOU KNOW SOMEONE OUR UNITED WAY HAS HELPED.
Our United Way funds over 70 programs of 28 local non-profit
agencies that help approximately 70,000 people, or one out of
every four people in our community.
The
Childbirth Center at Northside Medical Center Welcomes its
1,000th baby of 2008
On
Friday, September 26, 2008, The Childbirth Center at Northside
Medical Center welcomed the 1,000th baby born in 2008.
Joni Canby, DO, FACOG delivered Sadie Marie Tringhese, a baby girl
at 9:33 p.m. to parents Patricia and Jason Tringhese, who also
have a 12-year-old daughter Ashley and a 6-year-old son Ryan.
The birth
represents a milestone for the newly remodeled Childbirth
Center, which reopened on December 28, 2007. At that time,
it wasn't thought that 1,000 births would be achieved until much
closer to the end of 2008. While every birth at Childbirth
Center is an event to be celebrated, Sadie's welcoming was a
little extra special for physicians and staff. A car seat
filled with an array of gifts was presented to Sadie and her
parents in celebration of the 1,000th birth. NMC had
planned....
Walter J. Pishkur Hired as
Chief Executive Officer of Forum Health Unanimous choice of Board of Trustees will
leave his longtime post at the helm of Aqua Ohio
(YOUNGSTOWN, OH – SEPTEMBER
12, 208) After an extensive, nationwide search, the Board of
Trustees of Forum Health has unanimously selected Mahoning
Valley native Walter J. “Buzz” Pishkur to be the permanent
President and CEO of Forum Health.
Current Forum Health interim
President CEO Lowell Johnson will continue his service during
the transition period as Chief Operating Officer of Northside
Medical Center. Michael Seelman is the interim Chief Operating
Officer of Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
Pishkur joins Forum Health
after a 39-year career in the water industry. He has been
President and CEO of Aqua Ohio, Inc. since 1992 and has held the
same position with Aqua Pennsylvania- Shenango Division since
1999. He has also served on the Forum Health Board of Trustees
since June of 2005, and was named chairman of the Board in May
of 2008.
MR. PISHKUR’S VISION FOR
FORUM HEALTH
In accepting the position,
Pishkur said “Forum Health faces a number of challenges in its
immediate future, but I am positively energized as I prepare to
work with our Board and healthcare professionals to meet these
challenges...
(read full press release)
Forum Health
ONA/YGDNA Ratify 3 Year Contract
MEDIA
STATEMENT
On Wednesday,
September 3, 2008 the Ohio Nurses Association/Youngstown General
Duty Nurses Association Nurses at Western Reserve Care System
voted to ratify a new three year contract.
Forum Health and
ONA/YGDNA reached an agreement on August 23, 2008. The Forum
Health Board of Trustees approved the agreement on August 26,
2008.
Lisa Johnson,
Forum Health Vice President of Human Resources said:
“Forum Health is
pleased that the nurses of Western Reserve Care System have
demonstrated their commitment to continue to provide the best in
patient care and this shows that they are equally committed to
Northside Medical Center and its future success.”
Eric
Williams, President of the Ohio Nurses Association / Youngstown
General Duty Nurses Association said:
“The mission of
the Ohio Nurses Association/Youngstown General Duty Nurses
Association is to advance professional nursing practice in Ohio
in service of quality health care,” said Williams. “We are
pleased that the parties have reached an agreement that will
allow ONA/YGDNA to maintain that mission and continue to provide
the Mahoning Valley with five-star healthcare – close to home.”
Welcome
David Weimer, M.D.
Youngstown
native, David Weimer, MD, has returned home to practice with
Youngstown Orthopaedic Associated, Ltd. Dr. Weimer received his
Medical Degree from the University of Cincinnati College of
Medicine. He completed his residency at Wayne State
University/Detroit Medical Center in Michigan. In July of
2008, he successfully finished a fellowship in Adult
Reconstructive/Joint Hip Replacement Surgery at Rush University
Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. The WRCS Medical Staff is
pleased to have him join their ranks with privileges in
Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Weimer brings additional
expertise as he also has his Master of Science/Bachelor of
Science in Physical Therapy from D’Youville College in Buffalo,
New York where he received the Physical Therapy Academic
Excellence Award. Dr. Weimer is a member of the Academy of
Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association,
the American Medical Association and the Mahoning County Medical
Society. He is Board Eligible by the American Board of
Orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Weimer and his wife, Shannon Marie (Sculli)
Weimer, have two children, Luke David and Grace Katherine
Weimer. They live in Poland, Ohio.
Seelman appointed interim Chief Operating Officer
of Trumbull Memorial Hospital
(YOUNGSTOWN –
AUGUST 14, 2008) Michael
Seelman, BSN, MS, has been appointed interim Chief Operating
Officer of Trumbull Memorial Hospital, effective August 16,
2008. Currently, Seelman serves as Senior Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer of Forum Health Services. Seelman
will maintain his role as Sr. VP and COO of Forum Health
Services in addition to his appointment.
Recently, Forum Health announced that Todd Hickey, who currently
serves as Trumbull’s interim President and Chief Executive
Officer, accepted a leadership position in Greenville, North
Carolina.
Michael began his employment with Forum Health in 2002 as the
Corporate Director of Forum Health at Home. In 2006 he accepted
the role of Vice President of Operations for Forum Health
Services before being appointed the entities Senior Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer in the beginning of 2008.
“Throughout his career at Forum Health, Michael has brought
great vision and leadership to our hospital system,” said Lowell
Johnson, President and CEO of Forum Health. “He has been
instrumental in developing and implementing plans for
operational and financial improvements in addition to his strong
focus towards quality patient care and successful clinical
outcomes. I am confident that Michael’s proven leadership will
allow Trumbull Memorial Hospital to further its tradition of
providing exemplary healthcare to our community.”
Seelman is an active member of many professional organizations
and civic affiliations in the region and has also served on many
local and state-wide boards. He is a 2008 graduate of Leadership
Mahoning Valley and was a finalist for the Ohio Hospital
Association, Hospital Employee of the year in 2007.
“As I learned in Leadership Mahoning Valley, it is important to
have passion about where you live and become involved in the
community,” said Seelman. “My goal is to make a difference for
physicians, employees, the hospital and the community by
continuing the high level, quality care delivered at
Trumbull Memorial Hospital and by retaining our work force
through high paying, quality jobs.”
ODOT Awards Grant
to
Hillside for New Minivan
Receiving therapy treatment can be
challenging, but sometimes just getting to a therapy center can be even
more difficult if you don’t have a way to get there. The need for
transportation of therapy patients continues to grow, recognizing that
Hillside is expanding its services, thanks in part to a grant by the
Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).
We asked some Forum Health nurses why
they decided to become a nurse and here is what they had to say...
"At the time I decided to become a nurse
there were not as many options for women as there are today. It was a
nurse or a teacher. I have never regretted my decision to become a
nurse. Everyday as a nurse, I feel I have been able to touch a life in a
small way and at certain times in a more major way.”
Pat Kalas, BSN – Elm Road Immediate Care
"In high school I was a candy striper and after became a
ward clerk at NMC, while studying to be a teacher. I was impressed by
the caring atmosphere and professionalism of the staff. At one point my
mother had to have surgery and I had to spend the night in the hospital.
I was sitting on the floor by a night light reading when a nurse came
into my room and provided me with a chair, a pillow, a blanket and a
flashlight. She even took the time to ease my fears about my mom. It was
at that point, I realized nursing was caring for the whole family and
not just for the patient. Since then I have had a career devoted to
making a difference in people’s lives and have never regretted going
into nursing, I actually encourage others to do so.”
Norma Snyder, RN, BSN – NMC
rgan
and Tissue Donation is often referred to as the “Gift of Life”. We hear
this frequently, but rarely do we sit down to think about what this
phrase really means. To one Trumbull Memorial Hospital family, the “Gift
of Life”, organ donation, means more than words can even begin to
describe. This is the story of Braden Michael Phipps, a miracle of organ
donation. At 12 weeks pregnant, Dr. Phipps, TMH’s Traumatologist, and
his wife found out their son would be born with a bowel condition. At 28
weeks, Braden Michael was born in a STAT delivery on December 2, 2006.
During Braden’s first day, he endured an emergency bowel resection
surgery to save his life. After a successful surgery... (finish
reading here)
Orthopedic surgeons Paul J. Pagono, M.D. and
Douglas Musser, D.O., performed Mahoning Valley's first cervical
artificial disc implant on a 39 year old Canfield resident at Northside
Medical Center on Thursday morning January 24. Unlike traditional
fusion surgery, the new surgical technique allows patients with cervical
disc disorders to maintain motion in their neck following surgery. ...more
Forum Health Northside Medical Center
received the American Heart Association's Get With The
Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG-CAD) Silver Performance
Achievement Award. The award recognizes the medical center's
commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care
that effectively improves treatment of patients hospitalized with
coronary artery disease. ..
more
As I begin my term as Chairman of
the Forum Health Board of Trustees, I want to express my appreciation
for the great work and can-do attitude I and my fellow Board members
have seen at Forum over the past few years.
The hospital industry is under intense
pressure these days and healthcare professionals do the work of heroes
every day. We continue our work to make each of our hospitals
stronger, better equipped and able to meet their mission to this
community.
It has now been more than
two years since I arrived in Youngstown to take on what has been one of
the most challenging and engaging projects of my professional career.
At the time, many believed that high debts and mounting losses would
force the closure of Northside Medical Center and limit choice and
access to health care in the Mahoning Valley. We made many tough
decisions and asked much of Forum’s employees and physicians over the
ensuing months. But our accomplishments were also many.. ...
more
In recognition of the
significant progress we have made in our turnaround initiative, the
Forum Health Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted to suspend the sales
process and focus its efforts on continuing to enhance our
facilities and secure Forum's role in providing high quality care
for the residents of the Mahoning Valley. ...
more
Forum Health is pleased to play a role
in bringing Akron Children’s Hospital and its nationally-recognized
pediatric care to the Mahoning Valley.
Akron Children’s Hospital plans significant investments in the
Beeghly Medical Park facility with the goal of creating a
state-of-the-art facility that is family-friendly, child-focused and
offers the latest medical technology and pediatric healthcare
services. ...
more
On Friday November 16, Forum Health finalized the sale of Beeghly
Oaks, a long-term care facility, to Vrable Healthcare of Columbus.
Under the terms of Forum's sales agreement with Vrable, Vrable
contractually committed to hire "substantially all" of the employees
who worked at Beeghly Oaks ...
more
Effective Monday, Forum Health has agreed to temporarily suspend
construction and renovation on our new maternity unit at Northside
Medical at the request of the Attorney General. The Attorney
General's office said the request is intended to allow state
officials time to review...
more
This week, the Forum Health Board of
Trustees approved an agreement with Akron Children's Hospital (ACH)
for the purchase of Beeghly Medical Park in Boardman. ACH intends to
use the facility to create a specialty children's hospital to serve
the entire Mahoning Valley.
I am pleased to announce that we have
signed a purchase agreement for the sale of Beeghly Oaks, Forum's
long-term care facility, to Vrable Healthcare Companies, Inc., a
Columbus-based firm with five other long-term care locations in
Ohio.
Forum
Health, MHV Management and Valley Hospital Ventures jointly
announced today that they have reached an agreement resolving all
disputes between them and dissolving their joint venture.
Youngstown, OH - Forum Health Northside
Medical Center is proud to announce the opening of a seven-bed Fast
Track area within the hospital's Emergency Department.
am pleased to announce that Trumbull Memorial Hospital has reached
agreement with University Hospitals' highly regarded Ireland Cancer
Center in Cleveland to begin offering expanded cancer treatment at
TMH.
more
More
than 18 months have passed since we at
Forum began a turnaround initiative that
is critical to the long-term future of
our hospitals and businesses.
more
According to an article published in the
USA Today, Trumbull Memorial Hospital
was recognized for being “better than
the national average for patient
heart-attack mortality.” The Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
released this report to provide
consumers with the starkest measure of
hospital performance.
more
Moody’s Investor
Services, a firm that advises investors
on developments at Forum Health, issued
a report today that praises improvements
in our operating performance but
cautions about the lack of an agreement
so far with the Youngstown General Duty
Nurses/Ohio Nurses Association.
more
NEW YORK, Jun 20, 2007 --
Moody's Investors Service has placed the B1 bond rating for Forum Health
on Watchlist for potential downgrade, affecting $175 million of debt as
listed at the end of this report.
more
In a statement sent to the media
this morning, Humility of Mary
Health Partners and Akron
Children's Hospital announced
that, following months of
ongoing discussions, they have
decided not to proceed with a
proposed collaboration with
Forum Health to provide
pediatric health care services
in the Mahoning Valley.
more
As part of Tod Children’s
Hospital’s consolidation of
services with Akron Children’s
Hospital at St. Elizabeth Health
Center, Tod’s pediatric
emergency department will close
June 30.
After June 30,
children brought to Northside
Medical Center’s adult emergency
department will be treated and
released, or transferred (if
necessary) for admission at St.
Elizabeth’s - the area’s only
pediatric emergency department.
more
As announced last
week, we have begun the process
of redistributing corporate
positions to our health care
facilities in an effort to
better focus our resources and
personnel.
Effective this
week, we are establishing Human
Resource departments at
Northside Medical Center and
Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
We are still finalizing a plan
for the Forum Health Services
organizations and we will update
the staff on this later in the
week.
more
Over the course of the next several weeks, we
will be redeploying some corporate functions throughout the
Forum Health system.
This process was undertaken in an effort to
anchor service functions in more practical, productive
manner so that hospital resources are more readily and
immediately available to administrators, staff members and
employees, which ultimately benefits day-to-day operations
and overall hospital functions.
more
Nearly
300 smartly-dressed people came out to enjoy an elegant evening
at Trumbull County Club on Saturday, October 18th. "Salute
II" An Evening of Wine Tasting to benefit The Heart Hospital at
Trumbull Memorial Hospital, was all the advanced billing said it
would be; a social event for charity unlike any other in the
valley.
On
Friday, September 26, 2008, The Childbirth Center at Northside
Medical Center welcomed the 1,000th baby born in 2008.
Joni Canby, DO, FACOG delivered Sadie Marie Tringhese, a baby girl
at 9:33 p.m. to parents Patricia and Jason Tringhese, who also
have a 12-year-old daughter Ashley and a 6-year-old son Ryan.
Miracle
of Organ Donation
