News
-
UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Jamie Klotz
May 02, 2025What is your role at UPHS – Portage? I am the Infection Preventionist and Assistant Director of Nursing at our long-term care facility, PortagePointe. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? My grandma. She was in healthcare herself and always expressed that there were so many avenues and opportunities. I enjoyed relating...
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Earns an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group
May 01, 2025UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to general hospitals across the country based on...
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Achieves Acute Stroke Ready Hospital Certification
April 18, 2025HANCOCK, Mich (April 18, 2025) — UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Acute Stroke Ready Hospital Certification. UPHS – Portage underwent a rigorous onsite review on March 10 as part of the process to achieve…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Brad Lawton, PT
April 18, 2025What is your role at UPHS – Portage? I am a physical therapist and the rehab supervisor at UP Health System – Portage. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I love helping others, and this profession gives me the opportunity to do that daily. I also have a big interest in athletics, and this profession gives me opportunities to work closely…
Learn more -
UPHS – Portage Heroes | Dillon Velmer, RN
April 04, 2025What is your role at UPHS – Portage? I am a nursing supervisor at UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage). What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I enjoy working with people and healthcare seemed like a great job to do that. I also thought it would be a good career to be able to work anywhere, but most importantly to get a good job…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Implements Visitor Restrictions
March 04, 2025Due to the rising number of respiratory illnesses—COVID-19, influenza and RSV—and the increased rate of transmission in our communities, we will implement limited visitor restrictions effective Wednesday, March 5, for all inpatient units at our hospital. Visitor restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. As always, the safety of our…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Emergency Medicine Nurse Clara Pietila, RN, Honored with DAISY Award
February 27, 2025UP Health System – Portage is proud to honor Clara Pietila, RN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day. Clara has been a registered nurse for the past seven years, previously working as…
Learn more -
UPHS – Portage Heroes | Jacob Rastello
February 21, 2025What is your role at UPHS – Portage? My role at PortagePointe (connected to UP Health System – Portage) is an elder associate. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? My mother has worked here for many years and I remember her bringing me here for trick or treating or to visit when I was a little kid. Seeing the great work she does from such…
Learn more -
The Tom and Terry Show: A Journey through Cardiac Rehab
February 18, 2025Tom Beccia, left, and Terry Schaaf, right, at the Portage Fitness Center. Tom Beccia and Terry Schaaf met under unusual circumstances. Both residents of the Upper Peninsula crossed paths during cardiac rehabilitation at UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage), which quickly developed into a friendship sustained through regular visits to the Portage…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Nurse Evan Hyrkas, RN, Honored with DAISY Award
January 20, 2025UP Health System – Portage is proud to honor Evan Hyrkas, RN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day. Evan cares for patients in the Medical Surgical Unit, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Kelli Johnson
January 12, 2025What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am a Medical Staff Coordinator at UPHS – Portage. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I love to serve and help others—healthcare felt like the best place to make an impact. What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like working in this field? No two days are the same in…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Jennifer Sleeman, CST, CSFA
January 10, 2025What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am a surgical first assistant in the operating room (OR). What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I originally was going to be a nurse, and when I shadowed in OR I was hooked. I wanted to be one of the team members standing at the table. What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like…
Learn more -
UP Medical Group – Portage Welcomes New Express Care Provider, Justin Kleinschmidt, NP
December 16, 2024UP Health System – Portage is pleased to welcome Nurse Practitioner Justin Kleinschmidt to the UP Medical Group – Portage Express Care clinic in Houghton. A native of the Upper Peninsula, Justin completed his undergraduate studies in his hometown of Marquette at Northern Michigan University and started his healthcare career as a bedside nurse in the Intensive Care Unit…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Erik Maki
December 06, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am a cook/baker in the Cafeteria. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? Doing something meaningful for my community and having benefits as a result of employment. What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like working in this field? You're never doing just one thing—it's…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Earns 2024 Performance Leadership Award from The Chartis Center for Rural Health
November 21, 2024HANCOCK, MI | Nov. 21, 2024 | As part of National Rural Health Day, UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) today announced it has earned a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in patient Outcomes. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards recognize top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Ankit Chhillar, MBA, MS
November 15, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am the data and interface analyst at UPHS – Portage, responsible for local data integration, supporting business metrics and ensuring efficient data transfers within the organization and in coordination with vendors. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? The opportunity to improve patient…
Learn more -
UPHS – Portage Heroes | Steve Hermanson
November 01, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am the director of facilities. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? My past experiences in construction, mining and manufacturing management were challenging and provided many growth opportunities, but I often found myself looking for a deeper sense of purpose. I was drawn to the…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Welcomes Houghton Native Valerie Taglione, MD, to its Team of Hospitalists
October 15, 2024UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) is pleased to announce physician Valerie Taglione, MD, has joined its medical staff as a hospitalist. Board-certified in family medicine and specializing in hospital medicine, Dr. Taglione will manage the care of ill, injured and recovering patients throughout their hospital stay. A Houghton native, Dr. Taglione pursued her…
Learn more -
UP Health System – Portage Announces New Robotic-Assisted Surgical System
September 10, 2024Minimally invasive surgery improves patient outcomes and reduces recovery time.
Learn more -
UPHS – Portage Heroes | Kristin Vichich, RN
August 16, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am a nurse for the Internal Medicine and Nephrology Clinics. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? After working in insurance for five years, I realized that I really liked working with medical records but I wanted to be on the other side of the insurance claim, helping people. What’s a…
Learn more