When Akron Children’s leadership first rolled out its voluntary paid program called Helping Hands in fall 2021 to address critical patient needs, no one really knew what to expect. Staffing shortages organization-wide needed to be addressed, and who better to turn to for help than the hospital’s own workforce. “We were overwhelmed by the response […]
Archives for January 2022
No Surprises Act protects patients from unexpected medical bills
On Jan. 1, 2022, the No Surprises Act (NSA) went into effect to offer patient families new billing protections when getting emergency care, scheduled visits from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities and all scheduled visits for uninsured patient families. Specifically, the NSA protects out-of-network patient families from getting surprise medical bills for emergency services and […]
Has COVID-19 become the new modern-day cooties?
COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and has disrupted our lives as we knew it. For kids, their activities being cancelled or severely modified, mask wearing and social distancing has left some feeling scared, anxious or at the very least unhappy. Stress and uncertainty can lead to unpleasant effects, such as stigma about certain […]
Emergency medicine physician Dr. Jessica Barnes plays medical detective when treating patients
Growing up, Dr. Jessica Barnes gravitated toward games that required solving puzzles. She enjoyed the challenge and, of course, the reward that often came with hard work: winning the game! So it’s no surprise as an adult she’d choose a career path she equates to a puzzle, where you have to employ good investigation skills […]
Why sports specialization for young athletes might not be best
More young athletes these days are specializing in a single sport, often training year-round and playing in multiple leagues with a goal of achieving elite status. Dr. Christopher Liebig and other sports medicine doctors are seeing negative effects from this adult-driven trend: More overuse injuries, more psychological stress and burnout. They are especially concerned that […]
Pediatrician Dr. Maria Komer is thrilled to treat kids and families in her hometown
From an early age, Dr. Maria Komer always knew she wanted to work in medicine. Though not the traditional path you might think: Caring for animals as a veterinarian was what she envisioned for herself. She has always had a strong affection for animals, but her love for helping and nurturing people, specifically tiny humans, […]
