News

McLaren Flint, part of statewide McLaren Health Care and its extensive Graduate Medical Education department, has expanded its hospital-based GME training program with the addition of an emergency medicine residency. The hospital received approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to add the specialty training program along with 24 resident physicians to its already robust roster of established training programs, which include family medicine, anesthesia, internal medicine, a...

Back and neck pain are extremely common. A stunning 80 percent of American adults will experience back pain, and nine percent suffer with it chronically.  Surgery is not the answer for everyone.  In fact, only about 10 percent of cases require it.  “Fortunately, the majority of back and neck pain cases respond well to physical therapy, pain medication, rest, or some combination of those three,” said McLaren Flint orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Satyajit Marawar . The McLaren Flint Spine Cent...

The Karmanos Cancer Network and the McLaren Center for Research and Innovation (MCRI) have officially partnered on their first collaborative research study spanning both oncology and non-oncology research sites. The project, Ask Questions About Clinical Trials (ASQ CT), marks a significant milestone in integrating research efforts across McLaren Health Care and reflects a shared commitment to improving patient-centered communication about clinical trials. Led by Lauren Hamel, Ph.D., MBA, co-leader of th...

Carri Martin found herself in a challenging situation. She didn’t have health insurance or a doctor for almost a decade. It was especially challenging because she needed to take her heart health seriously due to family history. Then, a routine eye exam in February 2024 changed everything. “They took my blood pressure, and it was elevated enough so that they told me it was serious and I should go see my doctor,” said Carri. “I started looking for someone to go to. I eventually found a primary care physic...

Congratulations to McLaren Flint’s January Outstanding Employee of the Month, Karlee Schmoak. Karlee is a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) in the OR. Her colleagues admire her attitude and helpfulness. “Karlee is the most positive ray of sunshine and always in the best mood,” said her nominator. “She does outstanding work and is always willing to lend a helping hand. We need more Karlees in this world.”  

During a routine visit, Jack Grossnickle’s dentist discovered a lump on the roof of Jack’s mouth. He referred Jack to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. “I also had a plugged-up nose, and it turned out that was because the lump my dentist found was pressing on a polyp in my nose,” said Jack. “The ENT said he wanted to do a biopsy to be on the safe side.” Jack had sinonasal adenocarcinoma, which is a rare form of cancer that develops in the nasal cavity and sinuses.   “It hadn’t spread, and ...

With the New Year here, getting a yearly checkup should be on your to-do list. It can sometimes feel overwhelming to schedule a doctor’s appointment, as you may not feel prepared, but it can be less stressful with a little pre-planning. It’s essential to provide your doctor with all the necessary information to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your health. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you get the most out of your next doctor’s appointment. “The best way to prepare for that appointme...

McLaren Flint has enhanced the cancer care options at Memorial Healthcare Cancer Center with an almost $6 million investment. This funding adds a new medical linear accelerator (LINAC) to the Owosso-based facility, an advanced technology commonly used in radiation therapy for treating cancer. The therapy unit — a Varian TrueBeam® — has been installed following five months of construction and is currently operational, making leading-edge cancer care available to Owosso and its surrounding communities. “M...

After 21 years in the Air Force, Herb Simpson retired.  He also started putting on weight. “I have always been a big, athletic guy,” Herb said. “I was accustomed to eating large quantities of food quickly when I was in the service- hurry up and get back to your job. When I retired, I kept that up, but I wasn’t as active. It caught up with me.” Over the next ten years, Herb’s weight inched up from 228 pounds at retirement to 314 pounds.  It was taking a huge toll on him. “My body was breaking d...

Thank you and congratulations to McLaren Flint's December Outstanding Employee of the Month, Dana McChristion. Dana is the front office coordinator at the Outpatient Wound Care specialty clinic. Her colleagues admire her work ethic, terrific attitude, and especially her empathy for patients, often going above and beyond to help them. "Dana goes out of her way to make sure patients are comfortable and feel taken care of," said her nominator. "One example- after recognizing the struggles a patient was hav...