August 2022: Kaitlyn Hite, M.D., joins Oaklawn

During August 2022, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn. 

~ Family medicine with obstetrics physician Kaitlyn Hite, M.D., joins Oaklawn ~ 

MARSHALL — One day when Kaitlyn Hite was 6 years old, she drew a picture of herself as a doctor. That youthful artistic exercise turned out to have been insightful — even prophetic.

Today Hite is a physician, focusing on family medicine with obstetrics. In that role, she has joined the Oaklawn Medical Group, and is working at Oaklawn Medical Group-Marshall Primary Care as well as at Oaklawn Medical Group-Tekonsha. 

Marshall Primary Care is based in Suite 1E of the Wright Medical Building at 215 E. Mansion St. Appointments there may be made by calling (269) 781-3938. The Tekonsha office is at 2218 Old US 27 North. Appointments there may be made by calling (517) 767-4038

Hite admitted that her early interest in medicine must have come as something out of the blue as she grew up in rural Birmingham, Alabama.

"No one in my family was in medicine, and I really didn’t think about going to medical school until about halfway through college, but I always wanted to go into a field with a caring capacity to it. In fact, in high school I thought I would become a veterinarian or a medical examiner.”

While studying biology and chemistry in college, Hite’s long-standing interest in science and corresponding drive to help people led her to volunteer at a community hospital in rural Florida. There, she saw firsthand the widespread need for professionalism in health care.

"There never were enough clinicians for the number of people sitting in the emergency room,” she said. “I just thought that I wanted to help fill that void.”

Once she’d made up her mind, Hite got plenty of encouragement from her father, an information-technology specialist, and her mother, a financial planner.

“They’ve always been my cheerleaders,” she said. 

Hite earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Saint Leo University in St. Leo, Florida, in 2015. She received her degree as a doctor of medicine from the Orlando-based University of Central Florida College of Medicine in 2019.

In 2016, Hite also participated in a medical student mission to Myanmar with a team of 20-member team. There, the group provided medical care at three clinic locations in Yangon and the Chin Hills.

Earlier this year, Hite completed St. Michael Medical Center’s residency program in family medicine in Bremerton, Washington. Hite is certified in basic life support, advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advanced life support and neonatal resuscitation. 

During her studies, Hite settled on family medicine as her specialty because “that gives you the best platform in medicine.”

The goal of that approach is “to care for a whole family holistically, considering the patient’s socio-economic situation and interactions at home,” she said. “Family medicine gives you a chance to look at all those components to better care for people.”

As a physician, Hite’s focus on obstetrics is another reason why Marshall’s Oaklawn Medical Group was attractive to her.

“It’s not something that’s done everywhere,” she said. “I was very impressed by the staff, and I felt that I would be supported well as a new provider coming out of residency.”

In her spare time, Hite — a former competitive swimmer — enjoys scuba diving and camping. She is proficient in playing the oboe and enjoys gardening, reading “anything and everything” including the Harry Potter books and other works of fantasy, 

Hite is engaged to be married to Mac Lowry of Ann Arbor, who has other family in Michigan. The couple now are living in Marshall with her female cat, Ted.

“I like living in a small town,” Hite said. “I see us being here for quite some time. While we were being taken around the town during a visit, three people on Main Street waved at us for no reason. That struck me as very friendly. I’m excited to meet more of the people.”

August 2022: Rick Arias joins Oaklawn

During August 2022, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn. 

~ Family medicine physician Rick Arias joins Oaklawn’s Michigan Avenue Primary Care ~

MARSHALL, Michigan – Even at an early age, Rick Arias seemed surrounded by the world of science and medicine. It’s really no wonder that, when the time came to select a career, he found himself already on a path toward becoming a physician. 

“My maternal grandparents are both physicians and I enjoyed hanging out with them,” he said. “Both worked with the National Institutes of Health as clinicians and researchers, and I would spend my summers in their laboratory.”

Following in such family footsteps, the Milford native is joining Oaklawn as a family medicine physician.

Arias will be based at the Oaklawn Medical Group’s Michigan Avenue Primary Care, where he will work alongside Melissa Gates, D.O. and other Oaklawn providers and staff. The office is in Suite A at 1174 W. Michigan Ave., and appointments may be made by calling (269) 558-0700. 

“I remember being 8 years old and looking at cell structures,” Arias recalled. “It was over my head then and probably still is over my head. But I was learning about the beauty of nature and about what we’re capable of doing with our medical technology.”

Arias attended Milford High School, where his favorite classes focused on biology, chemistry and anatomy. While volunteering at local hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts, Arias earned a bachelor of science degree in 2015 from Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation at Boston University, majoring in human physiology. 

He went on to earn his degree as a doctor of medicine in 2019 from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, West Indies. Earlier this year, Arias completed his residency in family medicine with Winter Park, Florida-based AdventHealth Winter Park Family Medicine and Phoenix, Arizona-based Abrazo Family Medicine. 

Arias now comes to Marshall after gaining volunteer and professional medical experience in a variety of settings overseas as well as in the United States, most recently in the regional of Orlando, Florida, where he worked as a sports medicine consultant and as a clinic provider. 

“I've enjoyed working with patients from every walk of life and every aspect of human physiology,” Arias observed. As a result, instead of choosing a medical specialty, he has preferred to find ways to apply a broad array of skills and knowledge.

“Family medicine gives you the chance to build relationships and be part of a community,” he said. “There’s a greater focus on preventative care, and through that process we can make our community healthier and happier.”

Arias is certified in basic life support, pediatrics advanced life support, advanced cardiovascular life support and neonatal resuscitation. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. 

Arias said his relationship with partner of five years, Heidi Lentz, initially brought him back to Michigan. She is an emergency medicine resident at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, where the couple reside. 

In addition to a love for cooking, Arias is an avid exerciser, working with weights, Pilates, running, hiking and cycling. Often he is accompanied by his dog Nya, an Australian shepherd. 

Arias also describes himself as “an adventurous traveler” who enjoys scuba diving, skiing and singling out remote places to visit. Past travels have taken him to Europe, southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America, frequently involving volunteer medical work. He even hopes to join an expedition on Mt. Everest in the near future.

“I like to get to know the local people and get a taste of their culture,” he said of such excursions. “It gives you perspective and understanding. Getting lost in a new city is a dream, not a nightmare.” 

It’s a view of life that extends to his career as well.

“My favorite part of medicine is working with people at moments when they need help the most — connecting with people and being part of their lives,” he said. He hopes to extend that attitude to his experience with patients in the communities Oaklawn serves. 

“I’ve been living in cities for a long time,” he said. “I wanted the chance to life in a smaller community and apply the skills I have to help the community and to be in a position where I can use my knowledge to help people.” 

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August 2022: Oaklawn earns top federal ranking

                                     

During August 2022, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn. 

~ Oaklawn among 21 Michigan hospitals to receive highest federal ranking ~ 

MARSHALL, Michigan – Oaklawn is one of 21 hospitals and health systems in Michigan and 455 suh institutions nationwide to earn five stars – the highest possible – in the latest ranking from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). 

This is the second year in a row that Oaklawn has received the distinction, which was first awarded to Oaklawn in 2016 when the federal agency initiated the star-rating system.  

Under the current ranking system, the single composite grade reflects a broad range of measures of quality in five categories – patient experience, readmission rates, safety of care, mortality and timely and effective care, said Irene Johnston, Oaklawn's director of quality, safety and risk. 

The new ranking is the first star-ratings update since January 2020, showing results for 3,355 hospitals and health systems nationwide, she said. 

Of those, 455 received a five-star rating, 988 received a four-star rating, 1,018 received a three-star rating, 690 received a two-star rating and 204 received a one-star rating. More than 4,500 U.S. hospitals were examined in all, and many did not receive star ratings. 

Hospitals report data to the agency through the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Hospital Readmission Reduction Program, Hospital-Acquired Condition (Reduction Program and Hospital Value-Based Purchasing  Program, Johnston said.

 

The public may view overall hospital ratings at Medicare's Hospital Compare website, found at www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare. 

“Receiving this ranking is a validation of our work over a long period of time,” said Oaklawn President and CEO Gregg Beeg. “It's very gratifying that those efforts are noticed in this way, because every day we do whatever is necessary to make things even better.” 

“Oaklawn employees have pride and every one of them does what he or she can to help our mission come to fruition – that is, striving for perfect care every time,” Johnston said.

“Throughout the past year, we have had challenges as many others also experienced,” she added, “but our community helped hold us up and keep us strong to keep fighting the pandemic and challenges head-on. 

“As a result, we can continue to be here and exceed our mission to provide personal, accessible and high-quality care to improve the health and well being of the communities we serve,” Johnston said.

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