News
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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UP Health System – Portage Announces New Robotic-Assisted Surgical System
September 10, 2024Minimally invasive surgery improves patient outcomes and reduces recovery time.
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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…
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UPHS – Portage Parking Lot Construction Slated to Begin July 29
July 25, 2024Construction on the UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) main entrance patient loading/unloading loop is slated to begin Monday, July 29. The work will be done in two phases, with half of the loop being closed off at a time, allowing for continuous access to the main entrance throughout the project. The perimeter of the loop will be extended,…
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Ring the Bell: Celebrating Milestones with a New Tradition in UPHS – Portage Cancer Care
July 01, 2024Surrounded by her family and medical team, Jessica marked an important milestone in her cancer treatment last week through a swift motion of the hand. The sound of UP Health System – Portage’s (UPHS – Portage) new symbolic bell in the Cancer Care unit rang out and the joy in the facility was palpable.She was among the first patients to have the…
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UP Health System – Portage Names Casey Baird, MBA, BSN, RN, CPPS, Chief Nursing Officer
June 26, 2024UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) is pleased to announce Casey Baird, MBA, BSN, RN, CPPS, has been appointed to serve as chief nursing officer (CNO), effective June 23, 2024. Baird brings nearly two decades of healthcare experience in both clinical settings and progressive leadership roles, half of which have been at UPHS – Portage. An Upper…
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UP Health System – Portage Emergency Department Nurse Josh Larson, RN, Honored with DAISY Award
June 07, 2024UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) is proud to honor Josh Larson, RN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is given out every quarter and is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day. Josh cares for patients in the…
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UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Jenae Meyette, RN
April 12, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am a registered nurse (RN) in Labor & Delivery and sometimes on MedSurg. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? When I was young, I always looked up to those in healthcare and knew I wanted to do something like that. Also, I was inspired by my mom and two of my brothers who are also in…
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UPHS – Portage Heroes | Caren Heath, PharmD
March 20, 2024What is your role at UPHS – Portage?I am a staff pharmacist in the Apothecary at UP Health System – Portage. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare?I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare and I do not actually know why. I specifically wanted to be a retail pharmacist because my first job was at a breakfast restaurant. I enjoyed…
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UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Brandy Kari, RN, BSN
March 15, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am the Employee Health Nurse and Clinical Educator, Daisy Program Coordinator, and Trumont RN Resident Program Coordinator. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I had surgery for a birth defect at Mott’s Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor as an infant and returned there frequently…
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UP Health System – Portage Welcomes Orthopedic & Total Joint Specialist, Andre Oulai, MD
March 13, 2024UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) is pleased to welcome Andre Oulai, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and fellowship-trained total joint specialist, to its orthopedics team. Dr. Oulai will provide treatment and surgical procedures for the posterior total hip, minimally invasive anterior total hip, total knee, total joint revisions and general…
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Certified Athletic Trainers | Helping Local Athletes Stay in the Game
March 04, 2024For many athletes in the Upper Peninsula, the winter and spring months mean spending more time in the gym, hockey rink, track, or ski hill—participating in the sport they enjoy. Regardless of proper preparation, like warm-up routines or well-fitting equipment, there’s always an inherent risk of injury when participating in sports. If an injury does occur,…
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UP Health System – Portage Offers Midwifery Services
February 20, 2024The birth of your child is a special moment in your life—you may be excited, anxious or nervous about your path ahead. At UP Health System – Portage, we partner with you to provide a compassionate and positive birthing experience for you, your family and your new bundle of joy. UP Health System – Portage offers midwifery services to women in the Upper…
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UP Health System – Portage Recognized as a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health
February 19, 2024UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) is pleased to announce it has been recognized as a 2024 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital for the second year in a row. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this annual recognition recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of…
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UP Health System – Portage Heroes | Ruth Harmala, MLS
February 09, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am a lead medical technologist in the hospital laboratory. I received my Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) certification through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I’ve always had a deep love for the sciences and learning new things. I…
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UP Health System - Portage Heroes | Douglas Hodges, CPT
January 19, 2024What is your role at UP Health System – Portage? I am an exercise specialist and certified personal trainer at the Portage Fitness Center. What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare? I’ve always been involved in physical fitness and really enjoy helping people achieve their goals and improving their self-confidence and quality of…
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