System News: July 2026
Impactful, Collaborative, Community-focused
The following are informational updates from across Premier Health that you might find of interest:
Foundations
The four Premier Health hospital foundations hosted the Care in the Air Gala at the Wright Bros. Aero Hangar in Vandalia, drawing nearly 800 guests for an evening focused on impact and support. The event raised more than $700,000 to benefit a new CareFlight helicopter, bringing the campaign total to nearly $9 million toward a $13 million goal.
The 2026 Premier Health Caregiver Giving Campaign, held April 27 through May 10, embraced the theme “Be Someone’s Hero.” Conducted through the four foundations, the campaign is the system’s only employee fundraising initiative that directly supports caregivers, patients, and community programs.
Atrium Medical Center Foundation, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Middletown, hosted the 37th Annual James A. Combs Memorial Golf Tournament at Wildwood Golf Club. Proceeds through Kiwanis support eyeglasses and scholarships for those in need, while funds benefiting the foundation support the Dr. E. Ronald Oches Endowment and the James A. Combs Family Endowment to address children’s health care needs.
Scholarship opportunities supported by donors to the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation and Good Samaritan Foundation are now open, including nursing and youth scholarships, as well as a limited number of grants for caregivers and their children.
Upper Valley Medical Center welcomed the Troy Chamber of Commerce Leadership Troy Class of 2026 for Health Care Day. Participants explored hospital services, learned about foundation-supported initiatives, and took part in an emergency department simulation that provided insight into the daily work of ED nurses.
Partnerships
The annual University of Dayton and Miami Valley Hospital Healthcare Symposium was held on the UD campus. With the theme “Pulling Back the Legal Curtain on Modern Healthcare,” the event featured a keynote by Cara Powers, chief legal officer at Premier Health, along with a panel of clinical and legal experts. Nearly 200 attendees participated.
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine and Premier Health received a $2.5 million federal grant to expand Dayton Street Medicine, a program that delivers primary care to individuals experiencing homelessness. The first grant of its kind in Ohio, this investment expands patient access while strengthening training opportunities for medical learners.
During EMS Week, Premier Health hospitals hosted appreciation events and food trucks for local EMS partners, recognizing their essential contributions to patient care.
Premier Health also delivered school partnership checks to Springboro, Chaminade Julienne, the University of Dayton, Wright State University, and Greenview Local Schools.
Community Relations
Premier Health leaders attended Ohio’s Hospice Hour of Impact luncheon, supporting awareness and engagement around hospice care.
The system also sponsored the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance’s annual Everest Awards, which recognize regional business leadership and economic growth.
Several Premier Health employees received recognition at the local and state levels. The Dayton Business Journal named Mandi Arnett, director of anesthesia operations, and Barbara O’Dell, Breast and Cervical Cancer Project of Southwest Ohio manager and Premier Community Health clinical lead, to its Forty Under 40 list.
At the Ohio Hospital Association Annual Recognition Dinner in Columbus, Premier Health honored its Health Care Worker of the Year nominees: Rayna Harris, critical care nurse at Atrium Medical Center; Jonathon Prater, nurse manager of the transitional care unit at Miami Valley Hospital; and Mark Messaro, associate nurse manager in the intensive care unit at Upper Valley Medical Center. Each was recognized for demonstrating exceptional dedication and reflecting Premier Health’s mission and values.
Back to the July 2026 Premier Pulse
