News

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to our clinics: 

Victoria Buescher, MD Munson Healthcare Petoskey Community Health Center - Primary Care 

“I listen to my patients and strive to understand their goals for their health, while practicing evidence-based medicine to deliver...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Julie Sidelinger, PA-C to the orthopedic clinical team. 

Julie began her career in medicine as a paramedic. Since becoming a physician assistant, she has worked in a variety of surgical settings.  She earned her graduate degree from Western Michigan University...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Holly Hinds, NP, to the Kidney & Hypertension Specialists clinical team. 

Holly became interested in nephrology after accompanying her grandfather to the Munson Dialysis Center and experiencing the care and compassion from staff. 

She completed her graduate...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Tika Mitchell-Cowie, MSN, FNP-C, to the Mio Primary Care team. 

Tika has more than two decades of experience in healthcare and has worked in specialty areas such as acute and intensive care, obstetrics, neonatal care, pediatrics, homecare/hospice, and...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Matthew Ayres, MD, to the Urology team at OMH Medical Group. 

Dr. Ayres is trained in general urology and has special interests in robotic surgery, stone disease, outlet procedures, male sexual health, and female pelvic medicine. He is focused on providing...

Donated by Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital to Support Injury Prevention and Emergency Preparedness

The City of Charlevoix has taken a significant step forward in community safety thanks to a generous donation from Munson Healthcare (MHC) Charlevoix Hospital. The hospital has provided Stop the...

New service is expected to benefit approximately 6,000 patients across the region. 

Munson Healthcare’s (MHC) High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic at the Cowell Family Cancer Center in Traverse City is bringing a new resource to Northern Michigan focused on earlier detection and intervention for those with...

Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club meets at Presbyterian Church on October 8

The Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club will host a meeting from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, at the Presbyterian Church, located at 701 Westminster Rd. in Traverse City. The event will highlight the many...

The project is part of a $40 million investment in women’s and children’s services.

Munson Healthcare is excited to announce board approval for construction of a new 22,000 square-foot, 24-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Munson Medical Center (MMC) to begin this coming spring.

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Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Elizabeth Moore, MD, to the family medicine team at Frankfort Medical Group.   

Prior to becoming a physician, Dr. Moore worked in Anchorage, Alaska as a geophysicist interpreting seismic data. A passion for caring for people inspired her to move back to...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to our clinics: 

Matthew Ayres, MD OMH Medical Group - Urology

“I enjoy helping patients navigate new health conditions by providing information and care.”

Dr. Ayres is trained in general urology and has special interests in robotic...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Charlie Whittaker, DO, to the family medicine team at Grayling Community Health Center. 

Dr. Whittaker chose family medicine because it allows him to care for the whole person across every stage of life, from newborns to older adults.   

Dr. Whittaker has...

This morning, Otsego Memorial Hospital received a call suggesting a potential threat on campus. We immediately initiated a lockdown and worked closely with law enforcement to ensure the safety of everyone in our facility.

Following a thorough search, the threat was determined to be unfounded. No one...

Munson Healthcare is proud to announce a $20,000 contribution to Kiersten’s Ride, a Northern Michigan nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention and mental health awareness. As September marks Suicide Prevention Month, this partnership carries even greater significance—underscoring a shared...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Rachel Cleminson, MD, to the Otsego Memorial Health (OMH) Medical Group Family Medicine team. 

Dr. Cleminson chose to practice family medicine because she loves building long-term relationships with her patients, as well as the variety a family medicine clinic...

Munson Healthcare Otsego Memorial Hospital marked a milestone today with a heartwarming Time Capsule and Beam Signing event, bringing together current and former employees, donors, patients, and community members to celebrate the hospital’s past, present, and future. 

Over the past few weeks...

Gaylord, MI - Munson Healthcare is proud to announce a $5,000 donation to the Otsego County Food Pantry, reinforcing its commitment to improving economic security and food access across northern Michigan. This contribution aligns with the priorities identified in Munson’s most recent Community...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Angela Keough, DO, to the OMH Medical Group – Family Practice team. 

Dr. Keough attended medical school at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board certified in Family Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy by the American Osteopathic Board of...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome John Fanta, MD, to the Neurology team in Traverse City and Manistee. 

Dr. Fanta attended medical school at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine and completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine. ...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to our clinics: 

John Fanta, MD  Munson Healthcare Neurology

“The brain serves as the essence of who we are, and helping those recovering from medical conditions affecting the brain is especially rewarding. I hope to lead my patients to a...

Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club meets at Presbyterian Church on September 10

The Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club will host a meeting from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10, at the Presbyterian Church, located at 701 Westminster Rd. in Traverse City. The event will highlight the...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Brent L. Flusty, DO, to the Neurosurgery team. 

Dr. Flusty chose to pursue a career in neuroscience due to the rewarding nature of stroke and neuro-intervention. He takes pride in treating stroke patients and giving them the best opportunity at continuing to...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Emily Stevens, MD, to the urology clinical team.  

Dr. Stevens has been interested in pursuing a career in medicine since she was a young child. As a urologist, her special interests include treating male incontinence, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to announce the appointment of James Pavetto as the new Executive Director of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, effective August 18, 2025. Pavetto will lead the daily operations of the two new Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Cadillac and Gaylord, with both clinical and...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Brandon Ahlgren, MD, to the Rheumatology team. 

Dr. Ahlgren comes from a family of physicians. He is the oldest of five siblings, two of whom are also doctors. He became interested in joint and bone pathology from his father, an orthopedic spine surgeon. This...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Caleb Alley, DO, to the general surgery team in Gaylord.

Dr. Alley earned his bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University and his master’s in science from Purdue University Fort Wayne. Dr. Alley attended medical school at Liberty University and completed a...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to our clinics: 

Brandon Ahlgren, MD  Munson Healthcare Rheumatology

“My favorite part of practicing medicine is meeting new people, taking the time to listen to them and form a relationship, and working hard to give them the care they...

Public Open House Scheduled for September 25

To celebrate, the public is invited to an Open House on Thursday, September 25 from 5 – 7 p.m. This is a unique opportunity to explore the new facility before it officially opens.

Open House Highlights include:

Guided tours of the new spaceRefreshments and...

At Munson Healthcare, the security, privacy, and accuracy of patient information is of the utmost importance. We have recently identified and addressed an issue that may have resulted in one or more of your Munson patient bills being sent to the wrong person.

What Happened
On January 25, 2025, as part...

Munson Healthcare is thrilled to announce the expansion of its state-of-the-art Simulation Lab (Sim Lab) from Munson Medical Center to Cadillac Hospital, marking a significant investment in clinical education, hospital preparedness, and patient safety across the region.

The Munson Simulation Lab is...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Brett Walker, DO, to the orthopedic and neurosurgical clinical teams.

Dr. Walker will see patients in Gaylord and Harbor Springs and perform spine surgeries at Otsego Memorial Hospital and Charlevoix Hospital.

Dr. Walker attended medical school at Michigan...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Ashlyn Muntin, NP, to the OMH Medical Group Internal Medicine team.

Ashlyn earned her graduate degree at Michigan State University College of Nursing. She chose a career in medicine driven by a deep passion for healthcare with a focus on internal medicine. She...

Munson Healthcare has donated $5,000 to support Club Cadillac, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals recover from mental illness and rebuild their lives. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Club Cadillac relies on donations like this to meet essential member needs — including transportation...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Laura Kitzmiller, MD, to the Charlevoix Pediatrics team. 

Dr. Kitzmiller enjoys developing relationships with her patients and helping kids live a healthy life. A passion for taking care of children and their ability to always make her smile drew Dr...

from Ed Ness, President and CEO, Munson Healthcare

This message finds us on the other side of one of the most difficult times in the history of Munson Healthcare.

As you know by now, a little before 5 pm on July 26, the first calls started coming in: A violent incident had occurred at the Traverse...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Megan VanderKaay, PA-C, to the Great Lakes Plastic Surgery and Skin Center team. 

Megan earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Colorado. Before joining Munson, she spent two years as a hospitalist PA on the surgical co...

Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club meets at Civic Center on August 13 for annual potluck

The Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club meeting for August will be the annual picnic potluck at its meeting 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13, at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center located at 1213 W...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Jami Grosberg, FNP-C, to the clinical team at Prudenville Community Health Center. 

Jami chose the nursing field because she was able to use her big heart to care for and help others. She loves to educate her patients on how they can control their health and...

We want to provide a final update regarding the patients brought to Munson Medical Center following the recent tragic incident at Walmart in Traverse City on July 26. Of the eleven individuals who received care at Munson Medical Center:

9 patients were treated and released2 patients were treated and...

Munson Healthcare today issued the following statement regarding citizen involvement during Saturday's incident:

"We want to confirm that Derrick Perry, an off-duty Munson Healthcare employee, was part of the citizen apprehension of the suspect in the Walmart incident last Saturday. We recognize his...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to our clinics: 

Laura Kitzmiller, MD Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Pediatrics

“I'm truly looking forward to meeting your child and family! My goal is to provide care that is both compassionate and collaborative. I see each child as a...

Thirteenth Update – Tragic Incident – Munson Healthcare Media Statement – 8/05

As of today, Tuesday, August 5, Munson Medical Center has shared the latest information regarding the eleven individuals affected by the Traverse City Walmart incident:

1 patient is in good condition8 patients have been...

Funds to aid in the program’s mission to address basic health needs across 31 Northern Michigan counties.

Munson Healthcare (MHC) has announced that over the next two years it is committing $120,000 to Community Connections, a free program helping to ensure families across the region have access to...

Today marks another milestone for the Grand Traverse Mental Health Crisis and Access Center as it officially moves to 24/7 operations and begins to offer Psychiatric Urgent Care services on weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm.

“Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can now has access care at The Center...

In a heartfelt ceremony attended by more than 50 people, Otsego Memorial Hospital (OMH) opened a time capsule believed to have been sealed in 1973, offering a rare glimpse into the hospital’s storied past. The event, held on June 26, 2025, brought together current and former staff, physicians...

Munson Healthcare (MHC) announced today that it has made a commitment to donate $150,000 to Goodwill Northern Michigan (GWNMI), as part of a broad effort to support the needs of those in the community who struggle with food access and chronic homelessness.

“As a community-owned nonprofit, we rely...

Emergency Departments prep for surge of summer guests to Northern Michigan.

As a nationally recognized tourist destination, Northern Michigan’s population can increase as much as 75 percent with the arrival of summer guests and Munson Healthcare is preparing for a comparable increase in demand on...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Ryan Urbonas, DO, to the Neurosurgery team. 

Dr. Urbonas was born in Flint, Michigan, and raised in Flushing, Michigan, where his passion for practicing neurosurgery began at a young age. During his middle school years, Dr. Urbonas’ mother, an oncology nurse...

Magnetom Sola MRI Provides more Efficient, Comfortable, State-of-the-Art Technology

A new Magnetom Sola MRI machine was installed earlier this month at Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital and is ready for patient use. This $2.7 million investment is part of Munson Healthcare’s Regional Care...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to announce a generous $25,000 gift to Grayling Hospital from the Arlo Steel Foundation, headquartered in Jackson, MI.

The Alro Steel Group of Grayling have been community partners of Grayling Hospital since 2021. With their continued support, a request was made of the...

Access to care, economic security, and mental health identified as top focus areas – system to build on momentum of last three years. 

After 18 months of data research and gathering input from communities across 31 Northern Michigan counties, Munson Healthcare, in partnership with MiThrive, is...

 

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to our clinics:
 

Ryan Urbonas, DO Munson Healthcare Neurosurgery

“I encourage open and honest communication with my patients, asking them to share what they’re experiencing, what they want to work on, and how I can be helpful in this...

Munson Healthcare among seven employers across the state to be chosen for the pilot initiative.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) has announced that it has approved and awarded a $500,000 Employer-Assisted Housing Fund (EAH) matching grant to Munson Healthcare.

The EAH Fund is...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Daniel F. Ladd, PA-C, DFAAPA, to the clinical team at Munson Healthcare Rheumatology.

Dan appreciates the privilege of participating in patients’ lives and providing guidance, effective treatment, and a plan helping to improve their quality of life. He chose...

Munson Healthcare is receiving reports from northern Michigan residents that they are getting phone calls from persons claiming to be Medicare benefits representatives who are spoofing Munson Healthcare numbers on caller ID.

These phone calls are not from Munson Healthcare.

These types of scams...

Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club meets at TC Senior Center on May 14

The Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club will host a session on the Traverse City Senior Center Network and tour the updated center during its meeting from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, at the TC Senior Center, located at...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Laryn Kenwabikise, PA-C, to the clinical team at Munson Healthcare Neurosurgery. 

Laryn was drawn to neurosurgery because of the complexity. The specialty allows her to be at the forefront of life-saving interventions, while supporting patients and families...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Emily Griffith, NP, to the General Surgery team at Munson Medical Center. 

Emily has worked in many different areas of medicine and has always gravitated back to the hospital as she enjoys taking care of surgical patients. 

“My favorite part of practicing...

Paul Bock becomes the first peer recovery coach to earn this statewide honor.

The Michigan Public Health Week Partnership (MPHWP) has named Munson Healthcare Peer Recovery Coach, Paul Bock, as one of six recipients of the 2025 Michigan Health Hero Award.

Each recipient is recognized for going above...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Nicholas Zender, DO, to the Munson Healthcare Neurology team. 

Dr. Zendler chose to specialize in neurology because of his interest in neurosciences, particularly epilepsy, and the challenges it provides. 

A diagnosis of epilepsy can be scary and difficult to...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Frye, MD, FACEP, as the new President of Munson Physician Network, effective June 11, 2025. Dr. Frye will oversee clinical and operational performance across all Munson Healthcare outpatient clinics.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Frye...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Jessica Duncan, PA-C, to the team at Manistee Primary Care. 

Jessica chose to practice in primary care because she enjoys educating and empowering patients to take an active role in their healthcare, helping them make informed decisions, and supporting them as...

Munson Healthcare today announced a $5,000 donation to the Cadillac Area YMCA’s Teen Impact program, an initiative that helps at-risk youth ages 13–15 prepare for real-world challenges through a mix of structured activities, mentorship, and positive peer engagement. The donation will fund program...

 

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome the following providers to the medical staff:
 

Nicholas Zendler, DO Munson Healthcare Neurology

“I believe in a holistic approach to patient care. Wellness is more than just routine medical care and encompasses physical, social, and emotional well-being. This...

Event will provide resources for individuals and families seeking pregnancy and newborn information

Munson Healthcare is thrilled to announce the Second Annual Charlevoix Baby Expo, scheduled to take place on April 10 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Charlevoix Hospital Birthing Center, located on the...

The Grand Traverse Bay Area Stroke Club will feature information on anxiety and depression following a stroke, and how to cope with these emotions, at its meeting 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, at the Presbyterian Church, located at 701 Westminster Rd. in Traverse City.

Kaitlyn Grangood...

Munson Healthcare today announced a contribution of $5,000 to the Lakeshore Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) to support the health, safety and wellbeing of kids and families in the Manistee area. This contribution will support and expand essential direct services, such as therapy and the prevention...

Munson Healthcare is pleased to welcome Nicole Kanomata, NP, to Munson Healthcare Manistee Cancer and Infusion Center. 

She chose to become a nurse practitioner because she strives to never stop learning and growing in her abilities to help others. Nicole puts her whole heart into caring for her...

Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital, Grayling Hospital, and Otsego Memorial Hospital remain open and providing patient care as power outages continue in those communities. 

Power has been restored to Grayling Hospital, but Charlevoix Hospital and Otsego Memorial Hospital continue to operate under...

Munson Healthcare urges the public to call 911 or seek care in an emergency but proceed with caution due to icy and obstructed roads.

Patient care continues at Otsego Memorial, Grayling, and Charlevoix Hospitals under generator power.

Munson Healthcare urges the public to call 911 or seek care in an...