Newsroom

Northwest Health – Starke recently named Julie Hazelton, RN, as its Team Member of the Year and honored her with the prestigious Daisy Award for extraordinary nursing. These achievements both pay tribute to Hazelton’s outstanding performance for delivering quality care and a great experience for each patient. “I’d like to congratulate Julie and thank her for her ongoing dedication to compassionate care,” said Keith Nichols, Chief Executive Officer for Northwest Health – La Porte and Starke. “We value he... ... Read More

May 21 marked the start of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week - a tradition of honoring a critical segment of first responders in the U.S. for nearly 50 years. This year’s celebration theme is “Where Emergency Care Begins,” which reflects the partnership between EMS teams and area hospitals. Emergency medical professionals are the first to arrive in an emergency. These highly trained professionals work in ambulance services, fire departments, police force, and hospitals. Roles vary from para... ... Read More

Over 30 million Americans have Type-2 diabetes. If left untreated or unmanaged, the disease can damage all aspects of the cardiovascular system, cause blindness, heart disease, loss of limbs and other serious conditions. While Type-2 diabetes is most often diagnosed in adults 45 and older with a family history of the disease or in those who are overweight or obese, the condition is now becoming more prevalent in children, teens and young adults. Fortunately, there are small lifestyle changes and habits ... ... Read More

Northwest Health – La Porte now offers a screening to detect peripheral artery disease (PAD) and it is available for community members who are most at risk for the disease. PAD is a circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to a person’s limbs, which in turn raises their risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD, but its symptoms are often mistaken for something else and... ... Read More

Northwest Health – Starke honored two caregivers in April. Penny Mitchell, R.N., was the recipient of the DAISY award for exceptional nursing and Cheryl Runkle, CNA, was the recipient of the PETALS award for outstanding support professionals. Mitchell was nominated by a patient who thanked her for her compassionate care during her recent stay. The patient shared that she has “trouble” with needles or injections, and that Mitchell did a wonderful job comforting her. She wrote, “Penny did an amazing job k... ... Read More

Two Northwest Health hospitals received high marks for quality of care today from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. Northwest Health – Porter received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2023 and Northwest Health – La Porte received a “B”. This national distinction celebrates Northwest Health’s achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. The n... ... Read More

On April 28, 2023, Northwest Health – Starke celebrated National Doctor’s Day by honoring the physicians on its medical staff with a significant and long-lasting gift to the community. Each year, National Doctors’ Day is celebrated on March 30 and Northwest Health – Starke, like many hospitals, has always provided physicians with a gift to show their appreciation. This year, the medical staff partnered with the hospital, asking it to forgo the gift and instead donate to the Knox Parks instead. “I’m prou... ... Read More

On April 26, 2023 Northwest Health – La Porte celebrated National Doctor’s Day by honoring the physicians on its medical staff in a significant and long-lasting way. The medical staff opted to forgo the Doctors Day gifts they typically receive from the hospital in lieu of a donation to a local project of their choosing. The physicians chose the City of La Porte’s Chessie Trail extension as it fits well with the hospital’s purpose of helping people get well and live healthier lives. “This is a special pr... ... Read More

Northwest Medical Group recently welcomed Jennifer Aversano, FNP-C, a family nurse practitioner with a special interest in cancer care. Aversano joined the practice of Tareq Braik, M.D., and Mary Klein, M.D., at Northwest Health – Hematology & Oncology in the Medical Plaza adjacent to Northwest Health – Porter at 85 E. US Highway 6 in Valparaiso. Aversano received both her master and her bachelor of science in nursing from Chamberlain College of Nursing in Downers Grove, Illinois. As an advanced pra... ... Read More

Are you exhausted after waking, or keeping your bed partner up at night with your loud snoring? You may have undiagnosed sleep apnea. According to the National Institutes of Health, people with sleep apnea are unable to get the oxygen their bodies require, which prevents them from getting a restful night’s sleep. Untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes, strokes, weight gain and headaches. To learn more about sleep apnea and how it may be putting your ... ... Read More