Earlier today, Munson Healthcare was among five hospitals from across the nation that were presented the American Hospital Association (AHA) Dick Davidson NOVA Award for hospital-led collaborative efforts to improve community health. “This year’s Dick Davidson NOVA Award winners have demonstrated dedication and commitment to improving community health by forging strong partnerships with other community organizations,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “These hospitals and health systems offer exemplary and essential services and programs that have adapted and evolved to effectively meet

Munson Medical Center’s Karen Zimmerman named Editor-in-Chief of medical journal A Munson Medical Center sonographer recently added the title “Editor-in-Chief” of a national medical journal to her name. She is a partner in that role with a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist. Karen Zimmerman, BS, ACS, RDCS, RVT, FASE, spends a lot of her nights, weekends and days off helping launch the new American Society of Echocardiography online journal CASE. She is co-editor with L. Leonardo Rodriguez, M.D., FASE, FACC of the Heart and Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Echocardiography uses sound

Munson Medical Center cardiologists offer ‘WATCHMAN’ device to reduce risks New heart care technology at Munson Medical Center is helping reduce the risk of strokes for certain heart patients with atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeats. Joe Batteiger, 72, of Traverse City became the first to receive the WATCHMAN device delivered to an appendage in his heart where clots could form and then travel outside the heart and cause a stroke. He had previously suffered a stroke in March 2014 and while in the hospital his atrial fibrillation was discovered. His cardiologist, Brian Jaffe, M.D., FACC

Clinical Guidance Regarding 3rd Dose of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine The FDA modified the EUA and the CDC supported to allow for the administration of 3 rd dose of an mRNA (i.e., Moderna, Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine for moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals. Current EUA only allows for the administration of 3 rd dose of an mRNA (i.e., Moderna, Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine for moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals. It is recommended that the patient receive the same vaccine (i.e., Moderna, Pfizer) as their first 2 doses, if it is available. There is no booster (i.e., 2 nd dose)