December 12, 2023

Mark Randell Named AMG Vice President - Primary Care

Mark Randell has accepted the role of AMG Vice President - Primary Care effective January 7, 2024. In this role, Mark will report to Jenny Redman-Schell and will operate in a dyad relationship with Susan Schneider, MD, Senior System Physician Executive - Primary Care. Together, they will be responsible for the strategic vision, leadership, direction and high-level oversight of Primary Care Clinics leadership across the system. Mark will also serve as a member of the AMG Executive Team.

Mark joined Aspirus in April 2021 as Director of Aspirus Medical Group for Aspirus Keweenaw and Aspirus Ontonagon Clinics. Prior to joining Aspirus, Mark was the Director of Outpatient Operations and Post Acute Care for UP Health System-Portage.

Please join us in congratulating Mark into this role as the Vice President of Primary Care for Aspirus Medical Group.

Ironwood's Jack Frost Parade

Thank you to everyone who embraced the holiday spirit and participated in Ironwood's Jack Frost Parade this past weekend! Thanks for living our Aspirus value of JOY out and about in the community.

Emergency Preparedness Question of the Week

What is a Mutual Aid (MOU) agreement? 

The Mutual Aid Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a voluntary agreement among the hospital members, (name of hospital association or council) or (list hospitals party to MOU), for the purpose of providing mutual aid at the time of a medical disaster. For purposes of this MOU, a disaster is defined as an overwhelming incident that exceeds the effective response capability of the impacted health care facility or facilities. An incident of this magnitude will almost always involve (name of local) emergency management agency and (name of local) public health department. The disaster may be an “external” or “internal” event for hospitals and assumes that each affected hospital’s emergency management plans have been fully implemented.

This document addresses the relationships between and among hospitals and is intended to augment, not replace, each facility’s disaster plan. The MOU also provides the framework for hospitals to coordinate as a single H-MAS community in actions with (name of local).

Holiday Cheer at Aspirus Ironwood

On December 5, Aspirus Ironwood held a holiday meal for employees and a food drive for those in need. A wonderful time was had by all.

A special thanks to the Ironwood Dietary Department led by Michelle Sandri, Ironwood People Committee and the Environmental Services staff for all their efforts to create a meaningful time to celebrate.

Aspirus in the News

How to find joy amidst the chaos: An Aspirus psychiatrist's tips for mentally healthy holidays (On Focus)

Elevated rates of colon cancer in three Michigan counties (WXPR-FM)

Welcome to Aspirus

Robert Mohn

Registration Coordinator ll

Aspirus Keweenaw

Kendra Eskola

Pharmacy Clerk

Aspirus Keweenaw

Joleen Beebe

Registration Coordinator

Aspirus Iron River

Lisa Shaw

Medical Assistant

Aspirus Ironwood

Cheryl Bjork

Dietary Cook

Aspirus Ironwood

Paige Outinen

Talent Representative

Aspirus Keweenaw

Aspirus Ironwood Donates to Santa's Headquarters

Aspirus Ironwood Clinic staff participated in Santa's Headquarters. Santa's Headquarters is a Gogebic County Project to support those in need of Christmas gifts for their children. More than 200 families in the area will benefit from this program this year. Santa's Headquarters started in 2006 and has garnered continued support from area businesses and organizations.

Families supported by Santa's Headquarters are given one large toy per child and one game per family. Families can also receive other items, such as toiletries, stocking stuffers, jackets, hats and mittens.

Thank you to Aspirus Ironwood Clinic for your amazing contribution to our community!

Help Our Team Grow

You can help our team grow by reviewing your personal and professional networks for prospective team members and refer candidates to our organization.

You could earn a referral bonus of $500 for any new employee that is hired. You can earn a referral bonus of $2500 for any new employee hired into one of the following positions: RNs, EMTs/Paramedics, Med Techs/MLTs, Phlebotomists, CNAs & CMAs, Respiratory Therapists and Surg Techs.

See the Employee Referral Bonus Program policy in PolicyStat for full details and the referral form. Visit aspirus.org/careers to view current career opportunities at Aspirus. If you know someone right for a position, let them know we'd love for them to join our team.

Visit careers.aspirus.org to view current career opportunities at Aspirus. If you know someone right for a position, let them know we'd love for them to join our team.

Fitness Tip

Everyday wellness

The concept of “wellness” has two main problems:

1. It is too vague and often perceived to be a separate, segregated part of your day.
2. There is too much focus on the “packaging” of wellness.

Defining and Integrating Wellness

Wellness can be defined as any behavior, large or small, that contributes to health and vitality. Exercise and healthy eating are wellness, but so is taking a walk with someone, doing an exercise that challenges balance or performing familiar actions in different ways. Additionally, these behaviors might be done for a few moments or a few minutes; in other words, you don’t have to do something for a long period of time for it to be considered wellness.

Here are some practical ways to integrate wellness into your everyday moments. These are not methods you need to use every single day. Rather, they represent a shift in the way you interact with the world as you move through it. These are just a sampling of ideas that you can adapt to your specific spaces and places. Some will work for you, while others won’t. The point is to figure out what works best for you.

• Stand while putting on socks/shoes. Rather than sitting down, stand on one leg while taking off or putting on your shoes or socks. Stand close to a wall or other solid object to lean on or catch your balance, if necessary. Wellness benefit: Making this small change offers a quick dose of balance, mobility and coordination training.

• Put on pants/jackets with non-dominant leg/arm first. Without realizing it, we get into patterns of doing everyday actions the exact same way. Wellness benefit: Consciously doing activities differently creates a slight cognitive and coordination challenge that is beneficial to both your body and your brain.

• Use a visual marker in your house to perform an extra activity or movement throughout your day. Visual cues can remind or prompt us to take action. For example, picture four metal cocktail straws positioned on one side of a stairway. As you move through the day, the straws serve as a reminder to do a push-up (as just one example). Every time you do a push-up, move one straw to the other side of the stair. The goal is to move all the straws to the other side of the stair by the end of the day. Wellness benefit: These brief episodes of activity offer the opportunity to boost your strength without having to change your clothes or schedule workout time.

• Vary your gait when walking up or down stairs. Try walking stairs with a slightly wider gait than normal, take two stairs at one, go up the stairs sideways, or go slightly faster or slower than your normal pace. Wellness benefit: Changing up your movement can help improve balance, coordination, strength and confidence when walking on stairs.

• Try walking games that make walking more challenging and cognitively stimulating. Here are a few ways to make your walking more interesting:
• Path of More Resistance – Take the path of increased resistance by walking while balancing on the curb for a few steps, weaving around signs, utility poles, trees or benches or stepping on (or avoiding) cracks.
• Explicit Cognitive Challenge
• Mentally recite the alphabet while skipping every other letter or every third letter.
• Count backward from 100 by threes or sevens, for example.
• Count the number of various objects you see or things you hear.
• Mentally recite as many words as you can that start with a specific letter.
• Ball Toss – Toss a ball to yourself or a partner while walking and add the following variations to increase the challenge:
• Bounce every third toss in the air.
• Toss the ball quickly back and forth between your hands or with a partner.
• Toss the ball increasingly higher until you miss a catch.
• Toss the ball over tree branches, off walls, signs, etc.
• Make every toss unique (behind the back, under the legs, around torso, etc.).
• Wellness benefit: Walking is already good for you. These strategies make it better for your brain, your body, and your sense of enjoyment.

Marketing and Communications Request

Do you need help with graphic design, website update, print, intranet, video or communication needs? There is an ONLINE FORM AVAILABLE ON THE INTRANET TO REQUEST SUPPORT FROM MARCOM. This request form should be used to request ANY marketing support.



It is crucial everyone needing Marcom support complete the marketing request form available on the Aspirus intranet. This is the most efficient way for Marcom to prioritize and manage projects and leverage the skills and experience of team members. It also helps ensure Marcom provides you the best possible service. 

Look for the Marketing, Communications, Graphic/Print Support link under “Service Requests” within the Work Tools & Resources menu.

Every day, Aspirus staff do amazing things for our patients, visitors and each other. Here are just a few examples randomly selected from the Rewards & Recognition section on the intranet.

You can recognize employees who go above and beyond by visiting the Rewards & Recognition site.

Upcoming Blood Drives

The Upper Peninsula Blood Center will be hosting blood drives at the following Aspirus Upper Peninsula locations:

Aspirus Keweenaw

Thursday, December 21 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Aspirus Ontonagon (Held at the Eagles Hall)

Wednesday, December 20 | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Aspirus Ironwood

Wednesday, December 13 | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Grinch Punch

Ingredients

• 1 (0.13-oz.) packet Kool-Aid Lemon Lime mix 
• 4 c.  water
• 4 c. ice 
• 3 c. lemon-lime soda 
• 2 c. pineapple juice 
• 1 c. ginger ale 
• Lime wedges, for rimming 
• Red sanding sugar, for rimming 

Instructions

1. In a large pitcher combine Kool-Aid and water. 
2. Add ice, soda, pineapple juice, and ginger ale. 
3. Use a lime wedge to rim glasses and dip in sanding sugar to coat. Pour punch into glasses to serve.

Want to Include Something in the Newsletter?

Do you have an announcement, event recap, certification or important news you'd like to include in the Upper Peninsula Regional Newsletter?

Please send it to Regional Communications and Community Engagement Lead, Jenn Jenich Laplander (Jennifer.Jenich-Laplander@aspirus.org) Please provide any items for the newsletter by end-of-day Thursday for use the following week.

• Aspirus Ironwood Auxiliary Nut Sale | December 18 & 19
• SISU Ski Fest | January 5 & 6

Aspirus Health's employee assistance partner offers mental and emotional support services for employees and their families. Click here for information.

Submit newsletter contributions by noon Thursday to Jennifer.Jenich-Laplander@aspirus.org.