WELCOME TO OUR NEW PROVIDERS

GME – INTERNAL MEDICINE

McLaren Bay Region welcomes Dr. Parul Sud as Program Director for the new Internal Medicine Residency Program and Assistant Designated Institutional Official (ADIO).

Parul Sud, MD, joined McLaren Health Care in 1992 as a core faculty of the Internal Medicine (IM) residency program at McLaren Flint. She served as the director of ambulatory education and associate program director until 2017, when she was promoted to program director.

Dr. Sud spent over six years leading the program to the many achievements we have come to recognize as our “reputation” amongst candidates, including outstanding scholarly work, quality improvement, and inter-professional collaboration. Her leadership led the IM teams through the Covid pandemic and fundamentally changed how we trained our residents academically as well as how we trained and cared for our patients clinically.

In addition, she was critical in the development of fellowship programs in cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, and pulmonary and critical care medicine at Flint.

Dr. Sud is excited to build a new internal medicine residency program at McLaren Bay Region and create strong inter-professional working relationships with our providers and

staff. In her dual roles as program director (PD) and associate designated institutional officer (ADIO) at Bay, she hopes to expand the organization’s academic footprint in the Great Lakes Bay region.

The Internal Medicine Residency Program at McLaren Bay Region has Successfully Received Initial Accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). 

Our Internal Medicine Residency will launch 7/1/2024!

Applicants should visit our website for more information. Applications will be accepted through ERAS and interviews will be conducted following an objective criterion-based review.

We hope to recruit six residents in time for onboarding and orientation, which will begin in June.

We thank our corporate Graduate Medical Education team, as well as the physicians and staff at McLaren Bay Region for their support of this academic venture.

Please call (989) 894-3950 with any questions.

GME – FAMILY MEDICINE

From the desk of Parul Sud, MD, Program Director for IM and ADIO for GME at McLaren Bay Region

It gives me immense pleasure to announce that Lisa Wade, DO, has accepted the position of Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency at McLaren Bay Region effective April 2024.

Dr. Wade is an alum of Michigan State University (MSU) College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, MI and completed her residency in Family Medicine (FM) at McLaren Bay Region. She worked at Covenant HealthCare prior to joining the FM Residency at McLaren Bay Region, serving as the Associate Program Director (APD) and continuity clinic director for the past four years. Dr. Wade has completed a formal faculty development fellowship through MSU which makes her exceptionally qualified for this role. She has many accomplishments, including serving as the site lead for the Lifestyle Medicine program, and implementing structured clinic protocols. Her leadership roles within GME included assisting the program director in the ACGME and program related tasks, and in the recruitment of future residents, medical students, and much more.

Furthermore, I am delighted to report that Everett Kalcec, DO, MM, accepted the role of Associate Program Director.



Dr. Kalcec is also an alum of MSU and completed his residency in Family Medicine (FM) at Henry Ford Allegiance Health, Jackson, MI. He served as the Senior Associate Consultant Physician, Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic, in Waseca, MN, before joining as a core faculty physician for the McLaren Bay Region Family Medicine Residency. He has done an exceptional job constructing a curriculum for the residency and participating in numerous administrative, teaching, and clinical roles within the FM residency.

Drs. Wade and Kalcec worked closely under the guidance of the outgoing Program Director, Michelle “Mickey” Scharnott, DO, who held the reins of this program for the past seven years.

Dr. Scharnott navigated the program skillfully and was instrumental in the success of the program and in recruiting a solid team of faculty, residents, and staff including her successors. She is vested in McLaren Bay Region (MBR) and is known to many of you through her clinical and administrative interactions. Her departure will indeed be a loss to MBR. Please join me in wishing her the best as she embarks on a new path at the Veteran Affairs, while also pursuing her love for hospice and palliative care. Dr. Scharnott’s commitment to Family Medicine at MBR has been unwavering, and we have the privilege of retaining her for a small proportion of her time for the Bay residencies.



Please join me in wishing these outstanding physician leaders the best in their new roles!

For application issues and usage challenges, McLaren has a number of support options for providers and their staff.

McLAREN BAY REGION CLINICAL INFORMATION SPECIALIST

• Jessica Mroz: (989) 770-0489

McLAREN BAY REGION PROVIDER IT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS

• Greg Callaghan: (989) 321-0706
• Kelly Fischer: (810) 218-0862
• Kathryn Montgomery: (989) 770-0509

McLAREN INTERNET LINKS:

• Cerner Link: one.mclaren.org
• Password Reset (Cerner, Email and PerfectServe): resetme.mclaren.org
• PromisePoint (Training Modules): www.promisepoint.com/mclarenlogin
• Kronos (Time Clock/PTO Requests for employees): mclaren.kronos.net

SELF HELP:

• McLaren Service Desk phone number (844) MHC-TECH / (844) 642-8324
• Generate your own IT ticket at the McLaren IT Self-Service Portal
• Reset your password or unlock your account at McLaren Password Self-Service
• PerfectServe Help Desk (877) 844-7727

TIPS FOR PROVIDERS:

• Regularly review the Message Center tab in Cerner for any communications regarding delinquent charting or coding inquiries

April is national Occupational Therapy Month!

The occupational therapy (OT) profession focuses on assisting patients to achieve independence in their daily lives following injury, illness or surgery. While a patient is recovering, their daily activities (or occupations) they value may be disrupted. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday occupations to promote health, well-being, and the ability to participate in the important activities in their patient’s lives. OT intervention focus on improving the cognitive and physical skills needed to allow patients to achieve their individualized goals through the use of, patient identified, occupations (work, student, athlete, parent, artist, cook, etc).

Each patient is an active participate in the evaluation process in order to develop individualized goals that will allow them to resume their valued occupations.  

Our OT team has additional abilities to provide specialized rehabilitation services for neurological rehabilitation, hand/upper extremity rehabilitation including splint fabrication, functional capacity evaluations, work conditioning, wheelchair/seating evaluation, lymphedema, driving evaluations and more.

Cynthia Gasta, OTR/L

McLaren Bay Region

Center for Rehabilitation Outpatient Therapy

Leslie Magee, COTA

McLaren West Branch

Outpatient Therapy

Staci Saunders, OTR/L, CLT

McLaren West Branch

Outpatient Therapy

ATTENTION: Please note the scheduling changes due to Medicaid & Managed Medicaid health Insurance plans monthly updates which allow members to change their health plan coverage monthly.

McLaren Patient Access Financial Clearance department requests that all Medicaid and Managed Medicaid HMO members scheduling high-tech diagnostic radiology and surgical procedures be scheduled after the 5th of the month to avoid any last-minute appointment cancellations or reschedules for no authorization that may be required from the updated Medicaid plan for the new month.

This will allow the Financial Clearance department time to verify the patient's Medicaid status for the new month and obtain any required referrals or authorization to ensure proper reimbursement.

Please contact, Patient Access manager, Ericka Smith, at (586) 493-8195 or Ericka.Smith@McLaren.org with any questions. 

Submitted by Donna Wiltfong-Wilson, RN, BSN, MSN, Director Patient Care Services – Surgical Services, OB & Trauma

April is National Donate Life Month – promoting donor registry and donation.

On April 15th, our Gift of Life partners were on site to meet with staff and visitors and provide cookies, photo opportunities with the Gift of Life frame and enter for raffle prizes. The first ever Gift of Life flag-raising ceremony was held at 12:00, noon.

Please see more photos of this event on the McLaren Bay Region Facebook page.

We would like to thank all of those who attended!

McLaren Health Plan announced its approval to offer health care benefits to Medicaid beneficiaries in every county in the lower peninsula of Michigan – the only health plan in Michigan selected for all regions in the lower peninsula by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

“I am delighted McLaren Health Plan has the opportunity to serve members – and prospective members – in every county in the lower peninsula of Michigan,” said Nancy Jenkins, president and CEO. “Our team has worked tirelessly to embrace the opportunity to shape the future of healthcare throughout our great state and to ensure Medicaid beneficiaries get the care and service they need and deserve. The awarding of this contract extends the 25-year commitment McLaren Health Plan has with MDHHS and enrollees in the State of Michigan.”

Bidding plans were scored based on established measures, including Access to Care and Provider Engagement; Population Health Management; Data Analysis and Quality Improvements; Partnerships and Community Collaboration and Payment Reform.

The contract is effective October 1st for a term of five years, with up to three, one-year extensions.

McLaren Health Care has updated the systemwide vendor credentialing policy in order to further ensure the safety and security of everyone in our facilities as well as track that we are using the most appropriate supplies, pharmaceuticals, and devices for our patients.

Effective April 15, 2024, the function that had allowed outside vendors and reps to check-in via their mobile device will be discontinued, and we ask for your support in ensuring reps follow the updated process:

1. Check in for the appointment at a kiosk.
2. Print a paper badge via the kiosk printer. (Badges cannot be reused for subsequent visits.)
3. Wear the paper badge for the duration of their appointment window.
4. Check out at a kiosk.

Any vendor found to be without a paper badge or reusing a badge from a previous appointment will be asked to leave and subject to disciplinary action.

Vendors were previously notified of this update via email, and we thank you for your assistance in ensuring their compliance with this process.

McLaren Bay Region is now offering an outpatient clinical nutrition service led by Jayde-Ann May, Registered Dietitian, to manage your patients' chronic conditions and stay healthy.

Services offered:

• Weight loss/weight gain plan
• Education on label reading
• Menu planning based on health conditions such as:
• Celiac disease
• Food allergies
• GERD
• GI disorders
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease

A doctor’s referral is required to schedule an appointment. Please send an electronic referral in Cerner or fax a paper referral (click HERE for the form) to

(989) 772-6844. Once we receive the referral, a dietitian will call the patient to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment.

We are a participating provider with most insurance plans to cover Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) or the patient may choose to self-pay.

Sessions are scheduled for up to one hour in length and will be held in the McLaren Bay Region Anticoagulation Clinic wing of the West Campus at the following address:

McLaren Bay Region West Campus

3250 E. Midland Road

Bay City, MI 48706

Please call (989) 772-6781 with any questions.

The McLaren Health Care quarterly Compliance Newsletter for Q2 contains important guidance that affects providers and patients, as well as our staff. This includes an article on when texting is appropriate and another covering what McLaren is now required to release to the patient portal. There is also excellent information and screen shots about the new Field Services Remove Support Tool.

Please click HERE to view all articles referenced in the newsletter.

Any questions regarding this or other compliance issues can be directed to Heather McAllister at (989) 894-3849 or heather.mcallister@mclaren.org

From the desk of Varin Kule, MD, Gastroenterology

To Whom it May Concern;

This is a follow-up of my previous letter. I would like to just reiterate that I am not retiring, however, I am reducing the volume of my practice.

I will continue to perform colonoscopies and gastroscopies. Any diagnostic procedure results will be forwarded to your office for review and further care. I will not be following patients any longer, including medication refills, lab work, etc. This will be effective June 1, 2024. Some of your patients may require referrals to a new gastroenterologist and I have asked my patients to contact you to discuss their options. Some patients may only require medication refills if you are willing to take over those medications.

If you have any questions regarding this transition, please feel free to contact my office at (989) 893-3503.

On Thursday, April 18, we will be celebrating 20 years of providing primary medical care to the uninsured and underinsured of Bay County and surrounding areas. The celebration will take place at the Doubletree from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 pm. For more information, or to register, visit our website HERE.

The McLaren Bay Medical Foundation is hosting its 9th Annual 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in beautiful Uptown Bay City.

Register online HERE, or avoid processing fees by downloading the registration form HERE and return it to the Foundation office by interoffice mail (this is the option you want if you opt for payroll deduct!)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

Brought to you by Laura Love

April 23: Balance Screening; 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at McLaren Bay Region’s West Side Medical Mall, 4175 N. Euclid, Bay City, 48706; to register for a free appointment, click HERE or call toll-free 1-877-411-2762

April 24: Virtual Childbirth Crash Course; 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.; contact (989) 894-3020 or baychildbirth@mclaren.org for questions; to register, click HERE

April 26: American Red Cross Blood Drive; 10:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. at McLaren Bay Region Lincoln Center; 820 S. Lincoln Street, Bay City, 48708; for information or appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org (sponsor code: McLaren BC) or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

For more information on upcoming community health events, click HERE.

MEDICAL STAFF RULES – REMINDER

Leaving on vacation?

Out of Town CME?

Notify Medial Staff Services, 894-3806, either verbally or in writing, the beginning and ending dates of your vacation and who is covering your patients.

In addition, the Health Information Services Department uses this information when completing their list for suspensions. Any provider going on vacation will not be suspended for records that have been discharged 48 hours before their vacation; and they will then have 48 hours after returning to complete these records.

Please contact Medical Staff Services at (989) 894-3806 or medstaffservbay@mclaren.org with any questions regarding Medical Staff Bylaws.

Questions regarding suspension can be directed to HIM at (989) 894-9541 or teresa.ricupati@mclaren.org or heather.humphrey@mclaren.org.

We are asking all of our healthcare partners to inform us of any changes within your office, including provider status, address, phone number, fax number or other pertinent information. This is key to ensuring that offices are getting all necessary communications regarding patient care and hospital updates.

Please send any changes to Sheri Kelley, Patient Access Supervisor, at sheralee.kelley@mclaren.org or call (810) 600-7915.

For hospital credentialed provider offices, please ALSO send changes to Janet Matuszewski, Regional Manager of Medical Staff, at janet.matuszewski@mclaren.org.

Love working with McLaren?

Know someone who would be interested in joining our team?

McLaren is always on the lookout for dynamic people to add to the organization! There are openings across all positions — share them with your friends and family!



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McLaren Bay Region | mclaren.org/bayregion