Top 10 health articles on LaPorteCounty.Life in 2021

If there is anything that the previous year taught us, it’s the importance of prioritizing both personal and community health and wellbeing. Those many lessons of 2020 helped to foster a ton of growth and development in regards to the health of the Region throughout 2021. 

We summarized the best of health articles from 2021 for you to look through, commemorate, or maybe learn something you hadn’t already known about your own community. Whether it was the development of life-saving vaccines, the opening of new clinics, sharing of knowledge to better one another, or spotlighting the incredible employees who put others before themselves time and time again, there was plenty of good to share.

In no particular order, here are the top 10 health articles from LaPorteCounty.Life in 2021:

UnitedHealthcare’s hospitality initiatives offer quality healthcare options to hospitality workers

With public dependency on hospitality services, protecting frontline workers is an investment that affects everyone. Having teenagers of his own who work in hospitality, Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association President and CEO Patrick Tamm believes that providing as many resources as possible to hospitality workers helps to keep both the people and the services up and running. 

Franciscan Health’s community health and wellness fund invests in community to help others succeed

Franciscan Health’s Community Health and Wellness Fund continues to impact the Region, helping more and more families each year. 

“We try to remove barriers to healthcare,” said Rick Peltier, Executive Director of the Franciscan Health Foundation, Northern Indiana Division. 

La Porte’s dedication to improving its parks shows commitment to public health and happiness

Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) and the City of La Porte partnered together to improve the City’s parks and lakes. On Thursday, HFL, city, and La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership staff gathered at Stone Lake for a celebration of the work so far and a dedication of the trail to the foundation.

GIS and Michigan City Chamber praise UnitedHealthcare for employee benefits package options

Finding a good health plan for you and your family or finding a quality and budget friendly employee benefits package for employees is a difficult, multi-faceted decision. Keeping the complexity of these decisions in mind, General Insurance Services (GIS) and The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce are proud to be partners with UnitedHealthcare to help their members find the right plan for them. 

Franciscan Health Michigan City blesses and dedicates Homer Street Building in progress to serve behavioral medicine, expectant mothers, and senior living

On July 22, Franciscan Health Michigan City and The Most Reverend Robert J. McClory, bishop of the Diocese of Gary blessed and dedicated the revitalized campus of the Homer Street Building. 

Franciscan Health welcomed Michigan City residents to view the 14-bed behavioral medicine unit, which will relocate and open for operations later this summer. President and CEO of Franciscan Health Dean Mazzoni opened up the blessing and dedication by emphasizing the hospital’s strong ties to the Michigan City community.

With pandemic waning, regular health check-ups are more important than ever, says NorthShore Health Centers

As the COVID-19 Pandemic starts to wane in the US, it is more important than ever for families to continue or get back on track with their regular health check-ups. NorthShore Health Centers offer locations across Northwest Indiana, staffed with expert providers who are equipped to help any patient’s physical and mental health needs – regardless of their ability to pay.

Local heroes at Home Team of La Porte County and Unity Foundation of La Porte County respond to needs of homeless population with testing, vaccinations, recovery housing, and more

Though the COVID-19 pandemic caused nearly every vulnerability to surface across populations, it was likely the homeless population that felt the pressure more than most. With their increased vulnerability, disproportionate lack of access to essential services and resources, and particular susceptibility to viral spread, homeless individuals were in need of help back in March of 2020.

Nurses and frontline healthcare workers rally through pandemic drawing support, strength, and smiles from each other

When the COVID-19 pandemic anchored in the USA last March, nurses and frontline healthcare workers found themselves dealing with new precautions, procedures, exhaustion, and fear of the unknown. As the rest of the nation, Community Healthcare System nurses and healthcare professionals came together with a common goal: to save as many lives as possible. To get through it all, they found that they could count on one another.

Surgeons Young, Martin, and Coleman join the skilled team at Northwest Health

To add to the already incredible team of doctors that makes up Northwest Medical Group, the Northwest Health team recently welcomed Dr. Taylor Coleman, Dr. Andrew Martin, and Dr. Owen Young to continue to carry out the mission of serving its communities. 

Healthcare Foundation of La Porte partners for healthier babies initiative combats high infant mortality rate

For every 1,000 live births in La Porte County, approximately nine infants die before reaching their first birthday. In 2018, the Northern Region (Elkhart, La Porte, Marshall, and St. Joseph Counties) saw five out of every 1,000 white babies and six out of every 1,000 Hispanic babies die before their first birthday. In the Northern Region’s black population, the rate is 18 out of every 1,000 babies born.