Sturgis Hospital

In early 2016, the Hospital administration started looking for ways to improve access to cancer care locally and make sure that patients who do have to travel for it end up in the best possible hands. That search led to one of the region's top cancer care teams, and a few months later, an official partnership was announced. "We wanted to be connected to a cancer center that could do it all," says Rob LaBarge, President and CEO of Sturgis Hospital. "After talking to the team at West Michigan Cancer Center and touring their facility, it was clear we'd found the right fit." West Michigan Cancer Center offers the full gamut of cancer services. That includes radiation oncology, medical oncology, hematology, gynecological oncology, surgical oncology, genetic counseling, and support services. Hematologist/ oncologists Dustin Bivins, DO, and Muhammad Rafi, MD, provide oncology care at Sturgis. "Locally, we offer chemotherapy and infusions at our oncology center," says Melanie Mann, BSN, Director of Obstetrics and Outpatient Clinics at the Hospital. "West Michigan Cancer Center hematology and oncology specialists come in once or twice a week to see patients here, too. They can discuss test results, create care plans, and make sure treatment is on track. When patients visit providers here, it saves them from having to make a two-hour round trip car ride to Kalamazoo for specialty care. That means less stress and more time at home with loved ones, which is so important." Located inside the recently opened Meijer superstore at 408 West South St. in Sturgis, FastCare opened Oct. 1 to serve walk-in patients with a variety of minor illnesses and injuries. Hospital-employed nurse practitioners and physician assistants see patients at the clinic seven days a week. "Our AM&PM Care clinic in Sturgis is bursting at the seams during the back-to-school and cold and flu seasons," says Jo Hagood, Vice President of Practice Management at the Hospital. "For relatively easy- to-treat conditions, such as cold, flu, strep throat, and pink eye, patients can visit FastCare to get in and out quickly. They can still go to AM&PM Care for sprains, strains, DOT physical exams, and many other services. AM&PM Care and FastCare complement each other well." FastCare uses the same electronic medical records (EMR) system as many of the Hospital's physician practices, which makes coordination of care for many patients seamless. "If a patient's primary care provider is employed by the Hospital, he or she can quickly and easily see what FastCare services the patient received through the EMR," Hagood says. "FastCare staff fax patient records to non-employed providers." Dustin Bivins, DO Muhammad Rafi, MD Part of a Bigger Solution to Treat Cancer HEALTH CARE Now, it's easier than ever to find local access to cancer care—thanks to a strategic partnership between Sturgis Hospital and West Michigan Cancer Center. Michiana residents have another option to turn to when there's no time to make a doctor's appointment: Sturgis Hospital FastCare. ! ! Need minor medical care? Visit FastCare Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. FastCare is closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. in a Hurry Cover photo by Amy Frost, eStudio Design ! ! To learn more about the high quality care available at West Michigan Cancer Center, visit www.WMCC.org. 2 Sturgis Hospital www.SturgisHospital.com

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