CHA ACO, LLC, improves care for Medicare patients, saves Medicare $4.3 million

CHA Accountable Care Organization (ACO), LLC, operated by Beacon Health System, improved care for nearly 12,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana and southwest Michigan in 2022, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. As part of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, accountable care organizations that meet quality and cost goals...

What your Beacon doctor wants you to know about prediabetes to prevent health complications

The sooner you find out your blood sugars are higher than they should be, the more you are able to curb those levels and halt their progression into something much more serious. When gone unchecked, elevated blood sugars or glucose can develop into Type 2 diabetes and lead to heart...

Five years after heart-saving TAVR procedure, Beacon patient still lives life to fullest

What does your heart tell you? He’s got real heart. Her story comes from the heart. Though we know that the heart is the organ that pumps blood throughout our body, we can’t help but associate it with emotions. So when there’s a problem with our heart, it somehow seems to...

Is it allergies, a cold or COVID? Beacon doctor offers guidance if you’re not feeling well

If you’ve got a cough, runny nose, itchy eyes or sore throat right now, you’re not alone. And with COVID cases slowly ticking upward across the country, although nowhere near pandemic levels, many people are wondering if they should be worried. “There are so many things that can cause those symptoms,” said...

Embracing motherhood: Beacon midwife shares personal, enriching journey to becoming a mom

Certified nurse midwife Audrey Katz has supported and cared for many expectant moms during pregnancy, labor and the birth of their babies at Beacon. While she has always been passionate about her role, Audrey describes in this special essay below for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, how motherhood has profoundly changed...

5 reasons doctors say back-to-school physicals provide “healthy start” to school year

Many parents are breathing a sigh of relief as we flip our calendars to September, now that the seemingly endless number of back-to-school meetings and activities are about finished. One of the activities you may have already checked off your list is the annual physical for your child. Some schools require...

Beacon aims to improve infant, maternal health with CareSource grant

As part of an effort to improve the maternal and infant health outcomes in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Beacon Health System has been awarded $100,000 from the nonprofit managed care entity CareSource. The grant from the CareSource Foundation will support a multi-disciplinary approach to provide targeted and personalized care...

Minimally invasive procedure helps patient with tendon pain avoid surgery and return to active lifestyle

Larry Koepfle and his wife, Mary Ellen, have been happily married for many years. They’re both retired and dote on their grandchildren. And several times a week, they go for a run together in their South Bend neighborhood. “Just being together is an enjoyment. That’s why we’ve been married 42 years,”...

For the love of the game: IU South Bend basketball center is back on court thanks to Beacon team

For the love of the game and as an investment in his future health, Indiana University South Bend basketball center Dejon Barney is taking his health very seriously after multiple knee injuries – with the firm support of a team of Beacon Health System athletic trainers. An unfortunate landing It was early...