United Bank & Trust Blog

First, we covered the U-M Cardiovascular Center, then the U-M Program for Neurology Research & Discovery, and finally let’s review the importance of C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital.

The leaders and best are about to get even better with the opening of the new University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital. This state-of-the-art facility will help us continue to evolve, transform and drive the future of children’s medicine and pregnancy and childbirth care. The goal is to deliver the best in patient and family-centered care for you and your family.

The new hospital, by the numbers:
• 12-story inpatient wing and a 9-story outpatient wing
• 1.1 million square feet
• 348 beds, including 50 private maternity rooms within the Women’s Hospital Birth Center and 46 private NICU rooms for families to celebrate the birth of their new babies
• 16 operating rooms and 2 interventional radiology rooms
• The new hospital features a breathtaking two-story lobby offering entertainment and other activities, opening into an outdoor garden park and reflection area
• In addition to the Ronald McDonald House located around the corner from the hospital, families will also be able to utilize a new in-hospital Ronald McDonald House offering 12 rooms with private baths for families needing short-term lodging to be near critically ill children
• The new facility has its own dining area with food available for both in-hospital dining as well as take-out for families and visitors to take home on busy days
• Families can take advantage of a peaceful meditation space, gift shop, family workout room and an indoor playground!
• Families and visitors will also find Welcome Assistants stationed just off the elevator on every floor to help visitors find their way to clinics and patient rooms

The existing facility will be used to benefit the entire Health System. The space will be used for additional faculty offices, clinic facilities, family space and much more to support the growing needs of UMHS patients.

And these are just a few more of the reasons why it’s important for United Bank & Trust to support Big House Big Heart and for the community to be part of making a difference!

Help raise more money for the Big House Big Heart run. Become a fan of United Bank & Trust on Facebook, and United will donate another $1 for every new fan!

Last month we covered the U-M Cardiovascular Center, as part of our series on United’s commitment to this year’s Big House Big Heart event, please click here to read our first installment.

Let’s now focus on the U-M Program for Neurology Research & Discovery. This program is led by Dr. Eva Feldman and is made up of a team of 30 scientists who collaborate to understand and find new treatments for a wide variety of neurological diseases, including ALS, diabetic neuropathy, Alzheimer’s disease and muscular dystrophies.

As the population ages, it is currently estimated that one out of two individuals will need to see a neurologist in his/her lifetime.

Neurological diseases are one of the most common causes of patient morbidity and loss of quality of life. These life-altering conditions result from the deterioration of the nervous system. Some commonly known neurological diseases include ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and Alzheimer’s Disease. Although there are currently no cures and few treatments, recent scientific advances provide us with hope for a better understanding of these diseases and potential treatments.

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
ALS accounts for 80 percent of motor neuron disease, and occurs in 3-5 people per 100,000. This disease of the late middle-age is progressive and results in death within five years of the first sign of symptoms. Although the causes of ALS are largely unknown, it probably arises through a combination of genetic factors and environmental stress.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)
AD is a neurological disorder characterized by slow and progressive impairment of cognitive function and affects up to four million Americans. This debilitating disease typically begins with symptoms include changes in language skills, decision-making ability, judgment, attention and memory loss, including signs of forgetfulness, untidiness, confusion, restlessness and lethargy, and deficiency in decision making.

These symptoms are followed by a second stage in which patients lose interest in their surroundings and are often confined to a wheelchair or a bed. The final stage includes emptiness of the mind, the loss of control of all body functions and severe brain damage leading to death.

Anyone who has had a loved one suffer from either of these diseases knows the pain and how important it is we support work that is going to find the cure.

Dr. Feldman is on the forefront of applying stem cell research to human disease; most notably she is the Principal Investigator of the first clinical trial of intraspinal transplantation of stem cells in patients with ALS. Dr. Feldman’s laboratory has begun the work of adapting this therapeutic approach for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

And these are just a few more of the reasons why it’s important for United Bank & Trust to support Big House Big Heart and for the community to be part of making a difference!

Remember, you can help raise more money for the Big House Big Heart run. If have yet to do so, click here and become a fan of United Bank & Trust by liking us on our Facebook page. We will donate another $1 for every new fan to the Big House Big Heart event!

United Bank & Trust is proud to be a presenting sponsor of this year’s Big House Big Heart event to be held Sunday, October 9, 2011. This exciting race starts at the University of Michigan Stadium, with the racers’ finish line being the 50 yard line!

There are two ways for you to raise money for local non-profits:
1. Runners and their teams can raise funds for the charity of their choice.
2. Champions for Charities (the event’s organizer) donates a portion of every participant’s entry fee to three U-M departments – the U-M Cardiovascular Center, C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital and ALS research at the U-M Program for Neurology Research & Discovery.

This month, let’s focus on the first one: The U-M Cardiovascular Center.

Did you know? Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of Americans today.

U. S. News and World Report ranked the U-M Hospital 14th best hospital overall in 2010 and the Cardiovascular Center 11th nationwide. How lucky are we to have such a great institution in our own backyard!

Since the early 1900’s, U-M has had faculty who have made discoveries that have influenced cardiovascular decisions worldwide which ultimately saves lives.

In fact, Ann Arbor is home to Dick Sarns, a local engineer, who worked with U-M surgeon Herbert Sloan, and developed what is today’s most noted heart lung machine, used in countless complex surgeries of the heart, vessels and brain.

U-M’s Cardiovascular Center strives to serve patients, push boundaries on research and train tomorrow’s health leaders. On an annual basis, the Cardiovascular Center:

1. Treats over 40,000 patients.
2. Performs 7,500 studies and procedures.
3. Completes 1,500 open heart and vascular operations on adults.
4. Does 600 open heart operations on children.

And these are just a few of the reasons why it’s important for United Bank & Trust to support Big House Big Heart and for the community to be part of making a difference!

Help raise more money for the Big House Big Heart run. Click here and like us on our Facebook page and we will donate another $1 per like!

At our latest Health Care Summit, we heard from our resident experts that one of the key ingredients in the success of health care reform is the engagement of the patient (us!). We must all take an active role in our physical well-being. In fact, some insurance companies will “reward” consumers who live a healthy lifestyle with lower out-of-pocket costs for co-pays, deductibles, etc.

Companies are following suit and are adopting wellness programs for their employees, realizing a healthier workforce is a more productive workforce.

Statistically speaking, the average person will catch 2 – 4 colds this season. This season starve a cold and stay well and out of the doctors’ offices!

Here are some tips from RealSimple.com to help:

1. Get enough sleep! Sleep helps with the release of cortisol, which stimulates cells that boost the immune system to defend the body against the cold virus.
2. Get off that couch! Exercise increases the immune function, too, to reduce the chance of catching a cold, and may even help you recover more quickly.
3. Shower using hot AND cold water. Temperature fluctuations can boost your immune system. While steam can help clear nasal passages, turning the temperature to hot then cold before you jump out is believed to help give a kick to your immune system.
4. Enjoy some oysters. Zinc is most prevalent in these mollusks and has been proven to enhance the immune system when taken at the first signs, and can help decrease the duration, of a cold.
5. Drink your milk! Vitamin D is another known tool in regulating the body’s immune system and, you got it, will help starve that cold.
6. Try a neti pot! A saltwater nasal irrigator helps rinse away the bugs in your respiratory tract – but be sure to clean it after every use to avoid sharing your germs

Taking ownership of your health pays off big dividends in the end for us as individuals and the health care industry as whole.

What tips can you share on maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

The country is nearly six months into health-care reform with the new law President Obama signed, called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

No matter your political affiliation, you may be asking yourself – what does this mean to our community?  What are the effects on the health care providers, the leadership teams that manage the health care organizations and on the business community, all of which are faced with changing resources?

We have assembled an exciting panel of key players in the Washtenaw County Health Systems who will address these questions and provide a place for business leaders to discuss these challenges with the health care professionals on September 17, 2010.

For details of the event, the panelists and for registration, please go to:  http://businessofhealthcare.eventbrite.com/