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facility called LifeStyles which, for the past 16 years, has been named the No. 1 hospital-owned medical fitness facility in the country by Club Industry magazine. "Akron General saw the vision and had the foresight and the entrepreneurial spirit to build not just one, but three Health & Wellness Centers — the first, in Montrose; the second, 10 years later, in Stow; and the third, just last year, in Green," says Dr. Stover. "So we've really been pushing the concept of well- ness and prevention in our community and beyond." Boasting hundreds of pieces of cardio- vascular and weight-lifting equipment, an indoor lap pool and warm water pool, steam room, sauna, whirlpool, gymnasium, indoor and outdoor track, youth fitness area, exercise studios and indoor rock climbing wall, LifeStyles' facilities are quite impressive. So, too, are the number of land and water aerobics classes and many other fitness and well- ness programs, all offered by a qualified degreed staff, for members of every age and fitness level. There's also integration of other Akron General departments, such as Clinical Rehabilitation, into LifeStyles' environ- ment. So on the floor at any given time there are physical therapists, exercise physiologists, athletic trainers, sports performance trainers and other highly credentialed staff to adequately address health-related questions and concerns. Statistics indicate that LifeStyles' mem- berships grew from 11,262 in 2011 to 15,257 in 2012, when the Health & Wellness Center in Green opened. That year, the number of member visits totaled 665,307. "Improving the health and lives of the people and communities we serve — that's our mission. That's what the Health & Wellness Centers and LifeStyles are all about — helping communities become healthier," emphasizes Dr. Stover, "and making access to services easier." Improving Access to Services Adjacent to each Health & Wellness Center is a satellite emergency depart- ment (ED) that is open 24/7/365. Also adjacent to each Center is a medical office building where primary care and specialty physicians, onsite lab testing, diagnostic imaging, and more are available. "It really has come down to what is the easiest way for our patients to access all the services that they need or want at some point in their life," says Dr. Stover. "So we were the first hospital in the nation to have a Health & Wellness Center and medical fitness program, and the first in the area to have freestanding EDs . . . to make access to services easy." Along those lines, Akron General recently opened an urgent care center in Tallmadge. Located at 33 North Avenue, it is the first of four urgent care centers to be strategically located in Akron General's service area which includes Summit, Medina and Portage Counties. Services offered at this new facility include care for minor illnesses and injuries; X-rays; lab testing; influenza and tetanus vac- cinations; occupational health services; and sports/school physicals for children. Urgent care centers are becoming an increasingly important option in managed care health plans, because they provide the right level of care at the right time, according to Dr. Stover. They also can be an attractive, lower cost alternative to EDs and offer immediate access to care at the patient's convenience. Taking that one step further, and to pro- mote wellness and prevention "on the road," Akron General recently launched a mobile unit – The Health & Wellness Express. The length of a full-size bus, the unit is customized with exam rooms and blood Adjacent to each of Akron General's three Health & Wellness Center is a satellite emergency department that is open 24/7/365. Also adjacent to each Center is a medical office building where primary care and specialty physicians, onsite lab testing, diagnostic imaging and more are offered. PHOTO COURTESY OF AKRON GENERAL HEALTH SYSTEM 2 0 1 4 M A R C H /A P R I L ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 9