Munson Medical Center Certified as Comprehensive Stroke Center

New Providers October 2025
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...
Julie Sidelinger, PA-C, Joins Munson Healthcare Orthopedic Institute – Gaylord
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...
Holly Hinds, NP, Joins Munson Healthcare Kidney & Hypertension Specialis
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...
Tika Mitchell-Cowie, FNP-C, Joins Munson Healthcare Mio Primary Care
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...
Matthew Ayres, MD, Joins Munson Healthcare OMH Medical Group Urology
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...
City of Charlevoix Enhances Public Safety with Lifesaving Stop The Bleed Stations
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...
Munson’s New High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic Takes a Proactive Approach and Provides Personalized Guidance
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...
October Stroke Club: Services for Seniors in Grand Traverse County
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...
Munson Healthcare Board Approves Construction of a New Neonatal Critical Care Unit in Traverse City
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.
figcaption{...Elizabeth Moore, MD, Joins Munson Healthcare Frankfort Medical Group
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...
New Providers September 2025
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...
Charlie Whittaker, DO, Joins Munson Healthcare Grayling Community Health Center
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...
Safety Update from Otsego Memorial Hospital
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 Deepens Commitment to Mental Health with Year-Round Support for Kiersten’s Ride
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...
Rachel Cleminson, MD, Joins Munson Healthcare OMH Medical Group Family Medicine
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 Celebrates Community and Legacy with Time Capsule and Beam Signing Event
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...
Munson Healthcare Donates $5,000 to Otsego County Food Pantry to Expand Healthy Food Access
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...
Angela Keough, DO, Joins Munson Healthcare OMH Medical Group – Family Practice
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...
John Fanta, MD, Joins Munson Healthcare Neurology
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. ...
New Providers September 2025
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...
September Stroke Club: Benefits of Balance Training and Aquatic Therapy Following a Stroke
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...
Brent L. Flusty, DO, Joins Munson Healthcare Neurosurgery
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...
Emily Stevens, MD, Joins Munson Healthcare
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 Announces New Executive Director of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
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...
Brandon Ahlgren, MD, Joins Munson Healthcare Rheumatology
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...
Caleb Alley, DO, Joins Munson Healthcare OMH Medical Group General Surgery
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...
New Providers August 2025
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...
Petoskey Community Health Center to Open September 29
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...Notice of Incorrect Billing Statements
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 Expands Simulation Lab to Cadillac Hospital, Enhancing Clinical Training and Patient Safety
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...