News

The idea of surgery is a fearful prospect for many. When that surgery is on the spine, it feels like the stakes are even higher. Fortunately, spinal surgery has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment option for many. “Spinal surgery is very safe,” says Brett Walker, DO, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery at McLaren Bay Region. “In the United States, over 1.2 million spinal surgeries are performed each year. Spinal surgery has the same risk profile as other types...

Many people want to get healthy and the New Year is often the ideal time to start. Overall wellness is important, regardless of your goals. Seeing a doctor regularly, taking your medications as prescribed, and making lifestyle changes like getting more exercise and eating healthier can all be great steps in the right direction to a healthier you in 2025. “We need to have a panoramic view of how we should take care of ourselves, including physically, spiritually, and mentally,” said Samar Mehyar, MD, int...

Lori Shaw, trauma registrar and EMS liaison, was honored as the newest recipient of McLaren Greater Lansing’s Extraordinary Employee of the Season Award. This award acknowledges any employee in the hospital system for the extraordinary work they do. Shaw’s nomination stated, “Lori had an immense impact on McLaren, the emergency department, and EMS during our recent downtime. Lori always goes above and beyond, but what she has done over the last several weeks is unmatched by anyone. She worked tirelessly...

McLaren Bay Region, part of statewide McLaren Health Care and leading provider of cardiovascular care in the Great Lakes Bay Region, has expanded and enhanced its care of heart patients with the opening of a dedicated Cardiovascular Surgery Intensive Care Unit (SICU). The 10-bed unit will be staffed by a care team specifically trained and experienced in the complex needs of critically ill patients recovering from a surgical procedure. “Surgical patients whose conditions may present added complications r...

The McLaren Stroke Network, Grand Blanc-based McLaren Health Care’s integrated structure in which to provide comprehensive stroke care, has expanded to provide critical access Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital (SMH) with an enhanced level of potentially lifesaving care. Through an agreement between the health care providers, patients arriving at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room suspected of having a stroke will be initially evaluated by a McLaren Stroke Network interventional neurologist in or...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute welcomes José Larios, M.D. , transplant hematologist. Dr. Larios is a member of the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant and Hematology Oncology Multidisciplinary Teams at Karmanos. He specializes in treating leukemia and lymphoma blood cancers, including Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. He began seeing patients at the Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit in August 2024. "Karmanos Cancer Institute is an NCI (National Cancer Institute)-Designated Comprehensive Can...

In today’s modern medicine, new minimally invasive procedures are making headway instead of the more conventional methods when it comes to treating the many forms of heart conditions and disease. These procedures can address quality-of-life limiting symptoms caused by heart disease with fewer risks and faster recovery time. Opened in March 2022, the McLaren Greater Lansing hospital campus utilizes its state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab and hybrid operating rooms to provide these more common pr...

The recently opened emergency department at McLaren Oakland – Oxford, the anchor of the McLaren Oakland medical center in the heart of downtown Oxford, has introduced online scheduling for patients seeking non-life-threatening emergency care. For patients looking to minimize their wait time in the ER, visiting mclaren.org/oxford will let them view all available upcoming treatment times and register for a time that fits their schedule, allowing them to wait at home until their time arrives. Online check-...

McLaren Port Huron, part of statewide McLaren Health Care and the leading regional health care provider, has again expanded its Graduate Medical Education department with the additional of a Transitional Year program upon accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. A one-year program, residents in the Transitional Year will be provided with experience in a range of clinical specialties to aid a resident in committing to a clinical discipline or serving a prerequisite pri...

    With a New Year just underway, many of us have our health top of mind. We want to lose weight, eat better and exercise more, all good intentions. If you have a new insurance carrier or are new to Medicare, you will also want to be on top of your coverage. It is important to pay attention to what is in-network and what is not, what is covered in full and what is not, what your co-pays will be, and that you understand your prescription plan. New insurance may also bring you the opportunity t...