System News: June 2025

System News: Published Research, NATO Sponsorship, News Interviews

Employee Engagement

Three Premier Health employees were nominated for the Ohio Hospital Association’s Health Care Worker of the Year award: Angela Frary, associate nurse manager for Labor and Delivery at Atrium Medical Center (AMC); Teresa Kanthak, manager of Behavioral Health Administration at Miami Valley Hospital (MVH); and Teresa Hess, manager of the Quality and Safety Program at Upper Valley Medical Center (UVMC). All nominees attended the OHA Awards Gala in Columbus.

Academics & Research

Dr. Anna Murley Squibb, program director of substance use and addiction services at Premier Health, published a research article in the Journal of Addiction Medicine titled “My Recovery and My Work Are Separate: Perceptions of MOUD Among Certified Peer Recovery Supporters,” in collaboration with a professor and student from Wright State University. The study found that while many Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS) view medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) as an effective treatment, stigma and institutional mistrust continue to hinder both collaboration with medical providers and MOUD utilization.

Workforce Development

Premier Health hosted a media event, inviting all local television stations and the Dayton Daily News to interview Stacey Lawson, Chief Human Resources Officer, regarding recent news about nurses expressing interest in unionizing with the United Auto Workers (UAW). The event allowed Premier Health to share its perspective, reaffirm its commitment to open communication, and respond to media inquiries transparently and promptly.

Partnerships

Premier Health representatives joined partners from The Christ Hospital Health Network at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women event in Cincinnati. The event reinforced our shared commitment to advancing cardiovascular health and strengthening relationships with joint venture partners. Separately, Premier Health successfully pitched and secured media coverage highlighting the story of a Dayton heart transplant patient — a compelling example of the life-saving care made possible through the heart care joint venture. This media effort amplified public awareness of the partnership’s impact.

Premier Health Foundations

Atrium Medical Center Foundation hosted its 31st Annual James A. Combs Memorial Golf Tournament at Wildwood Golf Club. More than 130 golfers participated in support of both the Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Middletown. A portion of the proceeds benefited the James A. Combs Family Endowment and the Dr. E. Ronald Oches Endowment for Children’s Health. These funds support vital programs at Atrium, including the Maternal Health Center, Family Birth Center, emergency and trauma services, and the HEAL program.

During National Nurses Week, the four Foundations received many generous gifts in appreciation of our health system’s nurses. The Miami Valley Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (MVAPI) treated nursing teams at all five Premier Health hospitals with thousands of Bill’s Donuts. O’Keeffe’s Working Hands provided hand cream to nurses at Miami Valley Hospital, and Panera donated $5 gift cards to all nurses across the system.

The Miami Valley Hospital Foundation hosted its annual 1890 Society donor appreciation event at Miami Valley Hospital South. Donors enjoyed an inside look at the CareFlight program and the Foundation’s Care in the Air campaign. The event featured special remarks from Keith Bricking, MD, Chief Clinical Officer at Premier Health, on the 25th anniversary of the donor-supported Shaw Emergency and Trauma Center, and A. Peter Ekeh, MD, on Miami Valley Hospital’s award-winning Level I Trauma Center.

The Miami Valley Hospital Foundation and Good Samaritan Foundation-Dayton teams attended the May 17 Eldora Speedway event to promote the "Care in the Air" campaign. Amanda Graf, MD, a neonatologist at Miami Valley Hospital and former CareFlight patient, was recognized during pre-race ceremonies and shared the importance of the program for the community.

The Upper Valley Medical Center Foundation hosted a special donor gathering at the UVMC Cancer Center to highlight the Care in the Air campaign and its role in bringing a new CareFlight aircraft to the region. Nearly a dozen donors heard from the CareFlight team about the next-generation aircraft joining the fleet in 2026. Oncology leadership also shared expansion plans for the UVMC Cancer Center.

The four Premier Health Hospital Foundations presented their 2024 Inspiring Better Health annual report to donors and the community. The report features stories of donor-funded initiatives, including the arrival of the Burt Rehabilitation Arm at Atrium Medical Center, the opening of the Good Samaritan Chapel at Miami Valley Hospital North, the 35th anniversary of The Valley Classic golf tournament, and the expansion of six operating rooms at UVMC.

Community Relations

Leaders met with representatives from Congressman Mike Turner’s office regarding the NATO Parliamentary Assembly that took place in Dayton in late May. The system joined other corporate partners in becoming a sponsor of the event; the event was also heavily supported by the Department of Public Safety. System leaders attended several of the planned NATO events and receptions. 

Leaders from Upper Valley Medical Center toured the Family Abuse Shelter of Miami County. The visit provided an opportunity to learn more about the services offered to victims of domestic abuse and homelessness in the area.

Premier Health leaders attended the ribbon cutting and open house for Middletown’s new fire station, located near the Atrium Medical Center campus, and the city’s new fire headquarters. These facilities represent a significant enhancement in local emergency response capabilities.

Chad Whelan, MD, chief operating officer for Premier Health and Miami Valley Hospital president, was selected as president of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

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Back to the June 2025 issue of Premier Pulse