Lake Health | Press Releases

CONCORD TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 21, 2011 -- Lake Health has received the Get With The Guidelines® Heart Failure Silver Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. The recognition signifies that Lake Health has reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients to core standard levels of care outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients.

Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations. According to Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure treatment guidelines, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk-reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics, and anticoagulants in the hospital. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.

"The full implementation of national heart failure guideline recommended care is a critical step in preventing recurrent hospitalizations and prolonging the lives of heart failure patients," said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., chair of the Get With The Guidelines National Steering Committee and director of the TeleStroke and Acute Stroke Services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass. "The goal of the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals like Lake Health implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce disability and the number of deaths in these patients. Published scientific studies are providing us with more and more evidence that Get With The Guidelines works.  Patients are getting the right care they need when they need it.  That's resulting in improved survival."

Read more: Lake Health Receives American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Silver Quality Achievement Award

CONCORD TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 20, 2011 - Lake Health has appointed Michael E. Kittoe, senior vice president of Finance and chief financial officer. In this position, Mr. Kittoe will have overall responsibility for Fiscal Services, Patient Accounting, Material Management, and Health Information Management (medical records). He will be responsible for establishing initiatives to optimize the financial performance of Lake Health, including maintaining a long-term capital plan in support of strategic initiatives and assessing ways to optimize reimbursement.

Mr. Kittoe comes to Lake Health from Delnor Health Care System in Geneva, IL, where he has been employed since 1994. There, he served in various financial management roles, including vice president and CFO, a position he has held since 2000.

Mr. Kittoe holds a bachelor of arts degree in health service management from Ottawa University in Kansas City, KS; a master’s of business administration degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University in De Kalb; and a Certificate for Respiratory Therapist from the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics in Chicago. He is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. 

Read more: Lake Health Appoints Michael Kittoe, Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer

CONCORD TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 17, 2011 – At their annual organizational meeting, the Lake Health Board of Trustees announced that Susan McGuinness, RN has been re-elected Chair. The other officers elected were Vice Chair Bruce M. Kephart, Treasurer Michael E. Mayher and Secretary Daniel B. Cudnik, MD.

They also welcomed new Board member Paul C. Sirko, corporate compensation manager for the Parker Hannifin Corporation. Mr. Sirko received his bachelor of science degree in Industrial Management from The University of Akron and is past president of the Wickliffe Chamber of Commerce/Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce and past board member of the Lake County United Way.

Other members of the Lake Health Board of Trustees include John F. Platz; Timothy P. Doyle, MD; Lillie Mae Wilson; Thomas P. Jubeck; I. James Hackenberg, Esq; and Robert G. Schiebli.

Read more: Lake Health Board of Trustees Elect Officers

Sandal season is here. For people with diabetes, the summer months require extra diligence in order to maintain foot health. Proper foot care may reduce and help prevent foot-related complications, such as diabetic neuropathy, decreased blood flow, and nerve damage. According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 15 percent of diabetic patients will develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime. More than half of all foot ulcers will become infected, requiring hospitalization and one in five will require an amputation.

Tips To Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcers

• Maintain good blood sugar control.
• Inspect your feet daily.

Thoroughly examine both feet. Be on the lookout for any calluses, blisters, cuts or signs of infection such as redness or swelling. See your doctor or a podiatrist if you have any concerns.

• Keep your feet clean and moisturized.

Wash and thoroughly dry your feet every day. Also, it's important to avoid dry skin to prevent calluses and skin cracks. Use lotion on the top and bottom of the feet but not between the toes, where it could create a moist environment for fungus to grow.  

Read more: Diabetes & Summer Feet