Akron General Health System has formed a joint venture aimed at commercializing its outpatient health and wellness services to health systems, universities and municipalities.The move comes as hospitals across the nation, staring down the specter of declining reimbursements and more patients receiving less lucrative outpatient care, seek creative ways of securing new revenue streams.Akron General [...]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs for licensed practical nurses will “grow much faster than average” and that “overall job prospects are expected to be very good.” But it looks like a down economy and hiring strategies continue to douse this hiring wildfire: LPNs continue to get dumped for better-educated and better-paid registered [...]

Akron General Health System has hired a Cleveland Clinic doctor as its new chief medical officer.The appointment of Dr. Benito “Ben” Alvarez is effective July 1. With Cleveland Clinic, Alvarez currently holds the lengthy titles of co-director of the Eastern Division Section of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, and quality review officer for the Women’s Health [...]

Akron General Health System plans to create a neuroscience institute that will be phased in over several years. Initially, much of the patient care at the institute will focus on disorders of the brain, spine and peripheral nerves.

This is the latest in a series of leadership changes at the health system since new health system CEO Vincent McCorkle took over in April. For example, in late October an ex-PNC bank executive took over the development arm of the system, Akron General Development Foundation. Akron General still needs a chief financial officer and chief medical officer.

Akron General Development Foundation, which is charged with rounding up gifts and donations for the health system, has named a former PNC bank executive as its new president.

Five Cleveland-area cardiologists from North Ohio Heart Center recently agreed to join Akron General Partners Physician Group. The heart doctors now practice primarily in southwest Cuyahoga County and Medina and Lorain counties. On Nov. 22, Drs. Ismail Ahmed, Donald Cho, Atul Hulyalkar, Fernando Mundoz and Qarab Syed will be under a lease agreement to provide general and diagnostic cardiac services for Akron General.

The maternity unit at Akron General Medical Center is undergoing a rebirth. The hospital recently opened a postpartum floor in an area that used to serve as a short-term observation unit. For hospitals, labor days are big business.

The Akron General Development Foundation was founded in 1974 to provide support for the Akron General Medical Center and its related non-profit businesses.The foundation had net assets of about $14.3 million in 2008, the most recent year for which non-profit federal tax filings are available.”My goal to is grow the foundation, the assets of the foundation, utilizing the relationships that I’ve established over many years in this community and gain the support of the community again.” she said. ”That only makes the hospital better.”

Vincent J. McCorkle developed an appreciation for customer service and attention to details while working for a radiologist in his hometown as a teen.That doctor opened the door to McCorkle’s future career in health-care administration by inviting him to work inside the practice in Wilmington, Del., after being impressed with [...]