As a physician and the State’s chief medical executive, I spend a good deal of time speaking to residents about illnesses, diseases, and conditions. Much of those conversations center around prevention and treatment. But what if we take a step back even further and spend a moment talking about an advancement in biological science that is changing the way we treat diseases?

In 2016, nearly 5,000 patients were admitted to publicly funded Substance Use Disorder (SUD) providers in Genesee County. Of these, alcoholism and heroin addiction were the top two primary diagnoses and represented nearly the same proportion of admissions (29.6 and 29.5 percent, respectively), followed by cocaine (14.4%), marijuana (12.3%), prescription opiates (10.4%), methamphetamine (2.1%), benzodiazepines (1.1%), Ecstasy (0.3%), and others (0.3%).

FLINT, MI – A Public Health Symposium was held on March 15, sponsored by the University of Michigan-Flint and the Healthy Flint Research Coordinating Center. The event’s purpose was to highlight public health issues that affect Flint and Genesee County. The symposium was made possible through the Myron and Margaret Winegarden Endowed Visiting Professorship Fund.

As we approach the summer months, we revel in the outdoor activities we’ve been deprived of and missing all winter long. We have gone through the long season without much sunshine, and now is our chance to go outside every day during the long summer days to enjoy all the outdoor activities we love.

FLINT, MI – Cheryl Ellegood was named Corporate Director of Service Lines at McLaren Health Care, effective January 30, 2017. Ellegood is responsible for the collaborative development and implementation of system-wide operating plans for cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedic and telemedicine service lines. In addition to working with leadership at subsidiary hospitals, Ellegood works with service line medical directors and participating physicians to implement clinical best practices across the system.

“In my youth, I had no idea what I was going to be,” Dr. Marc Silver says. He spent most of his formative years in Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan with no plans to pursue medicine. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that not only did he want to go into medicine, he wanted to be a surgeon. He attended Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit for medical school and now has dual board certification in general and cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Silver has been affiliated with Genesys Regional Medical Center since 2002.

Alcohol addiction is a devastating disease that can destroy the lives of alcoholics and the people who love them — as well as have a negative effect on society, in general. Many people believe that alcoholics are people of weak moral character who could stop drinking if they just had a little more willpower. However, there is much research indicating that addiction is a brain disorder, and some believe there is a genetic link.

FLINT, MI – Hurley Medical Center Auxiliary members celebrated the organization’s 61st birthday at a luncheon on February 21, at Bethel United Methodist Church. During 2017, the group’s 140 members donated 30,000 hours of volunteer work in 19 separate services.

It’s happened to all of us: we become hoarse and “lose our voice.” For me, it’s usually during college football season – funny thing is, it happens to me whether my Wolverines win or lose; I still manage to find a reason to yell (too much) while watching them play!

One thing is for sure: volunteers at Heart to Heart Hospice have big hearts.