HEALTHY FOOD
The Food Farmacy: An “Rx” for Food
There’s a lot more to raising healthy children than annual well child visits and immunizations. Today, pediatricians ask parents about issues like safety in the home, mental health concerns, and food insecurity. For the latter, Akron Children’s has recently rolled out a pilot project so pediatricians can write parents in need an “Rx” for food.
Located on the hospital’s Akron campus, the Food Farmacy is stocked with fresh produce, frozen foods and shelf-stable items. The program is funded through an Ohio Department of Medicaid grant to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and will be expanded and available to more and more patients over time.
TeamBirth Aims to Improve Outcomes in Labor and Delivery
Cleveland Clinic Akron General has begun using a new model of care called TeamBirth to improve labor and delivery outcomes by focusing on communication and teamwork. In TeamBirth, all members of the care team have “huddles” with the pregnant person and their support person at regular intervals so that everyone understands the patient’s current condition and preferences. Planning boards on the wall list all caregivers who are on the team and outline care plans as well as document the progress for the patient and the baby. This helps everyone be on the same page and sets clear expectations.
Akron General is one of only four hospitals in the United States to pilot TeamBirth as part of the first wave of the March of Dimes and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Maternal HealthCARE initiative. This initiative works to improve maternal health outcomes and advance equity in labor and delivery, which is needed because minorities experience birth complications at much higher rates than their white counterparts.
Summa Health Comprehensive Stroke Center
In 2022, Summa Health System— Akron Campus was awarded the Comprehensive Stroke Center certifi cation, the highest level of certifi cation that can be obtained. Summa Health can treat the most complex stroke cases eff ectively and effi ciently. As the fi rst health system between Columbus and Cleveland to have this certifi cation, Summa Health is proud to provide the highest quality stroke care close to home.
Healthgrades also recognized Summa Health as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care for the fourth year in a row a fi vestar recipient for the treatment of stroke for the sixth year in a row, and ranked second in Ohio for stroke care. Additionally, the Summa Health Neurosurgery team was ranked number one in Ohio for Cranial Neurosurgical care.
Strokes are very common, with one occurring every 40 seconds United States. A stroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention. The longer symptoms are left untreated, the more damage a stroke can cause. Since fast care is necessary, knowing the signs and symptoms is essential so you can help someone get the care they need right away.
Again, time is critical when treating a person suff ering from a stroke. The sooner a person arrives at the emergency department (ED), the sooner treatment can begin to better their chances for recovery. When a patient arrives, the care team must act quickly. Using innovative technology, the patient receives advanced CT stroke imaging and other tests to locate any medical issues found in the brain, blood vessels and blood flow.
To learn more about Summa Health’s award-winning stroke care, visit summahealth.org/brain or call 330.375.7055.
