Newsroom

Brush up on stroke risk factors and symptoms to protect your health In the midst of all the gifts and good times, the holidays also come with a higher risk for medical emergencies, including stroke. Celebrations often include rich foods and alcohol, and busier social calendars can leave less time for exercise and sleep. Added stress from holiday preparations, shopping for gifts, increased expenses or traveling, along with millions of other holiday activities can affect the body. Cold weather can, too. T... ... Read More

“It takes a village” is a saying many of us have heard, but for Kristyn Kitchell, this phrase took on a deeply personal meaning during her birth journey. On Easter, the 30-year-old Westville resident noticed significant swelling in her feet, but at nearly 34 weeks pregnant, she assumed it was from her busy day of going to church and multiple family holiday celebrations. She made a mental note to address the swelling with her doctor, Dr. Julius Ellis, at her next scheduled OB-GYN appointment the followin... ... Read More

Early detection is key to saving lives in pancreatic cancer cases Area Gastroenterologist says risk factors for deadly disease include age, family history Hidden in plain sight, pancreatic cancer can go undetected for months, revealing itself only after it has dangerously grown or spread to other organs. Diagnosed in more than 66,000 U.S. patients each year, pancreatic cancer often does not cause any signs or symptoms. An estimated 51,750 people will die of the disease this year, according to the Americ... ... Read More

Last week, the Northwest Health hospitals kicked-off the holiday season by thanking their employees by gifting them with a holiday turkey to enjoy with their families. Leaders from the health system greeted employees as they drove through to receive one of the more than 2,500 turkeys from the health system. In addition, some staff members chose to pay it forward. “More than 600 employees from across our health system asked us to donate their turkeys to those in need,” said James Leonard, D.O., FACEP, Ch... ... Read More

Northwest Health – La Porte earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. “Recognition from nationally recognized review organizations, like the Leapfrog Group, provides affi... ... Read More

Today Northwest Health announced a collaboration with inHealth Integrated Care to ensure optimal emergency services in Porter County./p> Northwest Health holds the county contract for EMS services, responding to 911 calls from four stations within Porter County. To best meet the needs of the community, Northwest Health and inHealth have agreed to collaborate for stronger utilization of limited resources. Beginning at the end of November, inHealth will assume coverage of one of the County EMS stations... ... Read More

Northwest Health announced the new chief financial officer for its hospitals in La Porte and Starke this week. Brandon C. Cosby will oversee finances at both hospitals and their affiliated medical group. Brandon brings years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the organization to this role. He has served as interim chief financial officer for the past four months. Brandon has both a Bachelor of Science in business administration/accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Trine University. ... Read More

In an instant, everything changed for Felisha Starnes. Her baby boy Bennett made his grand entrance into the world eight weeks early, turning an ordinary day into a race against time that included a little luck and a lot of expert medical care. While at home, Felisha began experiencing lower abdominal pain that quickly moved into her back. The pain became more frequent and in rapid succession. Her partner, Wyatt, rushed home from work, and within a few minutes, they were on the road to Northwest Health ... ... Read More

Northwest Health continues expansion with the addition of husband and wife obstetrician/gynecologist Erika Pettis, M.D., and general surgeon Jaron Pettis, M.D., to Northwest Medical Group. Dr. Erika Pettis, obstetrician/gynecologists is seeing patients at Northwest Medical Group - Women’s Health, 1509 State St., La Porte. Dr. Pettis received her medical degree from University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina. She completed her residency at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in... ... Read More

Northwest Health is welcoming clinical cardiac electrophysiologist, Jamario Skeete, M.D., to Northwest Medical Group. Dr. Skeete will see patients at Northwest Medical Group - Cardiology, 1331 State Street, Suite 140 in La Porte. Dr. Skeete, who comes to La Porte from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, received his medical degree from The University of the West Indies and completed a residency in internal medicine at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in St. Michael, Barbados and at the University of ... ... Read More