Male Call: More men in NMC’s nursing program and in the workforce

Father and son Jerry and Ted Stevenson at Munson. Jerry works in oncology, while Ted works in the Intensive Care Unit. Photo courtesy of Munson Medical Center.

The nursing program at Northwestern Michigan College is turning out male nurses at a greater rate than the national average. The associate’s …

The Specialists

Traverse City’s reputation as a center for innovative health care continues to grow, thanks in large part to Munson Medical Center, which employs more than 400 physicians across 50 specialties. Procedures that were once cutting edge in the nation’s foremost medical centers are now routinely done here. The area is …

Cultivating Nutrition

Benzie Co. debuts fruit-and-vegetable prescription program on peels of successful TC pilot

Last year, some 170 individuals with chronic diseases or conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes took a step in Traverse City toward better health.

They did so via a new type of prescription: fruits and …

The Bachelor's: Munson wants more nurses with bachelor’s degrees, challenges colleges to provide them

Munson Medical Center, like many large hospitals across the country, is striving to boost the educational attainment of its 1,100 nurses.

But its efforts are moving slowly and are complicated by a variety of factors, including limited opportunities for registered nurses with associate's degrees to obtain the coveted bachelor’s of …

Health Care Breakdown: What’s available, who pays for it, who’s covered?

America has been discussing health care, insurance, taxpayer-funded plans and out-of-pocket costs for months. Actually, we've been talking about it for decades and the conversation is nowhere near the end. I believe it is our right and responsibility to know how, where and why our tax dollars are spent. Let’s …

Credit Unions Experience Growth, But See Issues

Executives worry about rising interest rates, regulations and more

Local credit unions continue to prosper in a strong economy, but face a variety of challenges that include burdensome regulations, rising interest rates and adjusting to changes in the market for financial services.

Credit union executives also are keeping a close …

One Size Does Not Fit All

By Kent Wood

Most every consumer has cast a wary eye toward a product or service labeled as “One Size Fits All.” Life experience tells us there are few things that work well in all situations. More often than not a solution for one situation can produce far different results …