Newsroom

The holidays are upon us! Northwest Health – Starke is bringing holiday cheer to area families with a Coloring Contest for area children ages 14 and younger. Children are invited to grab some crayons, markers or pencils and have fun! Between December 1 and December 15, families can pick up the holiday-themed coloring sheets at one of these locations: Northwest Medical Group – Primary Care, 104 E. Culver Road in Knox and Northwest Health – Starke, 102 E. Culver Road in Knox Prizes will be awarded for the... ... Read More

Two Northwest Health hospitals received high marks for quality of care today. Northwest Health – Porter received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2021 and Northwest Health – La Porte received a “B” grade. This national distinction recognizes their achievements in protecting patients from harm and error while in the hospital. “At Northwest Health, our teams diligently strive to keep patients safe from harm and medical errors,” said Ashley Dickinson, CEO for Northwest Health. “Their conscien... ... Read More

Ashley Dickinson, chief executive officer for Northwest Health, has named Keith Nichols as the new chief executive officer for Northwest Health – Starke and Northwest Health – La Porte. Nichols will provide operational leadership and support efforts to enhance services locally. Nichols comes to Northwest Indiana from Prescott Arizona where he served as the chief operating officer for Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center and was responsible for two acute care hospitals and multiple outpatient ... ... Read More

Today, cardiologists at Northwest Health – Porter performed the hospital’s 250th left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) procedure on a patient with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and at high risk of stroke and other complications caused by long term use of blood thinners. The cardiologists who performed this milestone case were Drs. Sandeep Sehgal, Mark Dixon, Anshuman Das, and Andrew Putnam. The hospital is one of the only hospitals in Northern Indiana to offer the procedure. Up to 6 million Americans are es... ... Read More

Although commonly thought of as a respiratory illness, COVID-19 can affect multiple organs, including the heart and vascular system, according to cardiologists with Northwest Medical Group. Mild COVID-19 illness is typically recognized by upper respiratory tract symptoms, loss of taste and smell and gastrointestinal symptoms. Moderate illness occurs in about 15 percent of people who may have fever, shortness of breath, cough and lower respiratory tract infection. Severe illness occurs in about five perc... ... Read More

Northwest Health – La Porte is now offering a cardiac assessment for adults aged 45 or older who have not yet been diagnosed with heart disease. The assessment includes abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, an ankle brachial index test, CT Calcium scoring, and a heart rhythm check all for only $65. “Our community has requested we resume the heart care screenings provided in the past,” said Chris Atherton, R.N., cardiovascular service line director for Northwest Health. “This new Heart Smart Assessment pr... ... Read More

Northwest Health was recognized on October 20 by the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA), in partnership with Governor Eric J. Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, for their commitment to infant and maternal health at the second annual INspire Hospital of Distinction recognition program. INspire, funded by the Indiana Department of Health’s Safety PIN grant, was developed to implement the delivery of best practice care for Hoosier moms and babies and recognize hospitals for excell... ... Read More

A brand new program and a first in Northwest Indiana pairs the expertise of cardiologists and oncologists at Northwest Health – Porter. Cancer treatments can be complex and involve a number of treatment modalities that have contributed to improved cancer survival rates. However, some of the new forms of cancer treatment can cause cardiac disease or worsen preexisting heart issues. Common side effects of cancer treatments include high blood pressure, heart failure, or arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)... ... Read More

Northwest Health – Porter is the first hospital in Indiana to offer patients receiving a colonoscopy an enhanced screening with the aid of artificial intelligence built into a new endoscopy module. This new module employs artificial intelligence (AI) to help physicians detect polyps—a powerful new ally in the fight against colorectal cancer. The advanced AI software highlights suspicious polyps with a visual marker in real time—serving as the gastroenterologist’s ever-vigilant second observer with a sen... ... Read More

Early detection and treatment supports the best possible outcomes Breast cancer and other medical illnesses remain a risk for women - even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, due to concerns about the virus, many women have postponed their annual screening mammograms, increasing their risk of undetected cancer. Northwest Health is encouraging women who may have delayed their mammograms to schedule the screening now, because when breast cancer is detected early, life-saving treatment ca... ... Read More