Hurley launches new public health initiatives

Dwayne Parker, director of community marketing and diversity at Hurley Medical Center, announced several new programs that will be initiated as a result of an unfavorable report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation putting Genesee County residents at the bottom of the healthy living list at the Eastside Business Association meeting Aug. 31.

"This is unpleasant information to share," Parker said.

The survey was taken in 2010 and updated in 2011 with Michigan being one of the most unhealthy states and Genesee County raking 79th of 82 counties for morbidity — unhealthy behavior leading to death.

"Among behaviors that contributed to this unfavorable rating are smoking, drinking, unsafe sex, lack of exercise and a poor diet," Parker said.

"Michigan exceeds the national average of people who smoke. Where the national average is 15 percent, Michigan smokers' number 22 percent and Genesee County's are higher yet — at 25 percent. The same goes for adult obesity. Genesee County is 10 percent higher than the national average," Parker explained.

According to Parker, Hurley is adding four initiatives to combat some of these unhealthy behaviors.

"A men's health program is long overdue," Parker said. "We have health training for women and kids, but men have been neglected."

Hurley Medical Center is focusing on prostate and colon health, high blood pressure, bone and joint health, stroke and heart disease prevention and diabetes in their newly formed men's programs. Call (888) 611-4462 for more information.

Seniors will also benefit from new programming at Hurley with a new senior services coalition with a speaker's bureau for community groups to access physicians. Lastly, the medical center has a new Emergency Department that is triple the size of the one that was recently replaced.

"We saw 76,000 patients at the emergency room last year," Parker said.

Parker pointed out that the hospital has a relationship with Mott Community College and Baker College for their nursing programs, but all of the physicians for the emergency department are from the University of Michigan.

Parker said Hurley has submitted an application to the state to become a recognized children's hospital.

"That is something we already do very well," Parker said.

He also announced that a new medical school would be coming to Flint although the exact location has not yet been disclosed.

During the question and answer portion of the presentation members cited favorable experiences with the center and its burn unit and neonatal intensive care unit.

The 103-year-old Hurley Medical Center is a 443-bed, publicly owned, nonprofit teaching hospital governed by a volunteer community board of managers. The Flint mayor appoints members to the Hurley board of managers subject to the approval of the Flint City Council.

Visit www.hurleymc.com for more information on programs.