One Year Anniversary at Salem Family Care

I can’t believe that it’s been one year since the opening of Salem Family Care! Thinking back over the past 12 months, there are definitely a lot of great memories. However, like any other startup business, we went through our initial struggles.

I mean, I’ve never opened a business before. I really had no expectations, except the continued commitment for the best patient care possible, while still trying to grow a new business from the ground up. No one can take on a project like this by themselves. One of the many things I’m thankful for is the great team that we have assembled at Salem Family Care. And, not only the people who work for us, but also our friends and family who have helped Salem Family Care become successful!

And, if people didn’t already know, today is also my birthday. A year ago, my birthday was very stressful. I was definitely filled with hope, but who really knew what was going to happen with the opening of Salem Family Care. The support of the community was/is a key to our success, and I’m very thankful for that as well.

So, now begins Year Two! What will this year bring? I know one thing that will not change, and that is daring to dream what may seem impossible, with the continued goal of delivering the best patient care that Salem Family Care can!

National Family Medicine Week

National Family Medicine Week #FamilyMedicineWeek is from September 29-October 5, 2024. This was announced last week at the American Academy of Family Physicians FMX conference last week in Phoenix. I’d like to recognize and thank all Family Physicians, residents, and medical students for their commitment to improving access to primary care for all.

There is still an urgent need for continued primary care access for Ohioans and for those around the county. Did you know that in Ohio, we will need an additional 618 primary care physicians by the year 2030 in order to maintain the current healthcare needs of the state of Ohio? This data is from our friends at the Robert Graham Center.

Policy makers in Ohio should consider strategies to bolster the primary care workforce including payment reform for primary care, dedicated funding for primary care Graduate Medical Education, and increased funding for primary care training and medical school debt relief.

As leaders in their communities, Family Physicians have an important role in raising awareness about health disparities, managing chronic and acute conditions, and improving health outcomes while lowering costs. Amid a shifting healthcare landscape and increasing practice challenges, Family Physicians have continually risen to meet the healthcare needs of their patients and communities. It’s more important than ever for sustained investment in primary care.

For more information, I encourage you to explore more with our friends from the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. Sevilla Receives Family Medicine Leadership Award

On August 17, 2024, the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) presented the prestigious Torchlight Leadership Award to Mike Sevilla, MD, FAAFP, during its Family Medicine Celebration at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio.

Presented at the discretion of the OAFP Board of Directors, this award honors an Academy leader who best champions the mission and vision of the OAFP: to improve the health of patients by advocating for and advancing the specialty of Family Medicine and providing valuable solutions to the diverse needs of members.

The OAFP Board of Directors selected Dr. Sevilla for this recognition in response to his steadfast involvement and leadership while directing the OAFP’s 2023-26 Strategic Plan, his re-imaging of the OAFP’s annual membership meeting, and for being a true advocate for Family Medicine at the state and national levels through his vast social media presence and expertise, as well as his network of personal and professional relationships.

“I’m honored and humbled by this recognition. As a Family Physician, all I have ever wanted to do is to promote health and wellness to my patients and to my community, while helping my patients navigate our challenging healthcare system,” shared Dr. Sevilla. “In addition, the OAFP has taught me how I can be the best advocate for my patients and for my community.”

Dr. Sevilla has served the OAFP in numerous leadership positions on the Board of Directors, including President from 2020-21, guiding the Academy through the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and hosting the virtual Bite-Sized Learning series. He holds many OAFP committee appointments including being a member of the Meaningful Engagement Experiences Workgroup & Family Medicine Celebration, the CME & Performance Improvement Resource Team, the Family Medicine Workshop Workgroup, and the Communications Resource Team.

He has lead on a national level for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) throughout his career, but most recently served as a member of the AAFP Nominating Committee, and previously served as Chair for both the AAFP Commission on Membership and Member Services, as well as the Credentials Committee for the AAFP Congress of Delegates.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Sevilla has served his community of Salem, Ohio, presently practicing at Salem Family Care, LLC. and previously at the Family Practice Center of Salem. He is also on the medical staff of the Salem Regional Medical Center, where is is Chair for both the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the Utilization Management & Medical Records Committee. He holds the appointment of Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).

Dr. Sevilla is well known for his media presence, both online and via social media platforms and on local news broadcasts. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Dr. Sevilla has more than 26,000 followers and regularly contributes to health related articles by the AAFP. You can view Dr. Sevilla’s interviews and media exposure at DrMikeSevilla.com, including his TED talk at TEDxYoungstown, “Media Professionals and Social Media,” from 2015, which has over 14,000 views.

Dr. Sevilla earned his medical degree from NEOMED and completed his Family Medicine residency at the Barberton Citizens Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Barberton, Ohio, and holds his Board Certification from the American Board of Family Medicine.

The above press release is from the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, a statewide professional association with more than 5,000 members including practicing physicians, Family Medicine residents, and medical students. The scope of Family Medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, and every disease entity. Family Physicians provide comprehensive, continuing care to all members of the family. For more information about OAFP, please visit www.OhioAFP.org.

Salem Family Care

I’m excited to share that I will be joining a new Primary Care office in Salem, Ohio called Salem Family Care. My current patients will have nothing to worry about, since I will not be leaving Salem, and my patients will not need to find a new doctor. Salem Family Care is located at 718 East Third Street in Salem, Ohio.

Salem Family Care was created with the partnership of Dr. Brianne Bagwell, Dr. Joseph Rousher, and myself. Salem Family Care is a shared vision to create a space where our patients and their families will receive high quality medical care in a compassionate and comfortable atmosphere.

As our name describes, Salem Family Care is centered around the health and wellness of our patients and their families. As you can see in our logo, the interconnected hearts represent how our patient care is enhanced through our heartfelt partnership with patients. Family Medicine is the medical specialty which provides continuing, comprehensive health care for the individual and family. It is a specialty that integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of Family Medicine encompasses all ages, each organ, and every disease entity.

Salem Family Care is an independently owned small business and not owned by any hospital or health care system. The location of Salem Family Care is in the heart of Salem, and part of the restoration and rejuvenation of the downtown Salem area.

I invite you to keep up with updates about Salem Family Care at our website SalemFamilyCare.com and also at the Salem Family Care Facebook page. Welcome to Salem Family Care, where you will feel the difference!

What to know about getting COVID again in 2023

Over the past three years, we have learned a lot about getting COVID infections, and being re-infected with the COVID virus. Looking back, there is a lot that we know now that we did not know previously.

Thanks to CNET for reaching out to me to comment on this for their story “What to know about getting COVID again (and again) in 2023.” I encourage you to click on the article and to check out my comments. Have a great weekend everyone!

Healthy Cheeseburger?

A cheeseburger really is not healthy, right? Well, in a recent news report, a survey claimed that the food chain Whataburger (we have no restaurants around here) has the “healthiest” cheeseburger in America.

The wildly popular food website called Mashed (they have 25 monthly readers worldwide) reached out for my comment on this. You can probably guess what I said about it. But, I invite you to click on the full article entitled “Expert Claims Whataburger Cheese Burger Isn’t Actually That Healthy” on the Mashed website. Enjoy!

Happy New Year

Another year has started, and it’s always a time for me to reflect. Every time at the beginning of the year, I tell myself that it’s a great time to try to get back to writing, and I’m going to try that again this year. We’ll see what happens….

Carrying Loss During The Holidays

What a beautiful day here in northeastern Ohio. It was a crisp 39 degrees at Beaver Creek State Park today as we hiked close to sunset. This hike really reminded me of the time when my father was sick two years ago. 

In the past few weeks, I’ve seen on by feed that there are many of my Facebook friends have experienced loss with the passing of a family member recently. And, for others, they are remembering family members who have passed away during holiday time.

For all those Carrying Loss during this holiday season, I just wanted to let you know that there is a huge community out here who grieves with you, and who feel similar to where you are at these days. I’m sending positive thoughts to you and your family during this tough time.

For everyone else, I hope that you remember those friends and family members who could be having a tough time this holiday season. During this hectic holiday season, I hope that you are able to get out and enjoy nature and/or find some kind of self-care these days. Have a great week everyone!

Thanksgiving Memories

My father passed away in 2020 right before Thanksgiving, and I admit that holiday time is a difficult time for me. But, what continues to bring be joy are the memories of him carving the turkey every year. For those, who don’t know he was a surgeon who practiced in the Youngstown, Ohio area for years. So, every Thanksgiving, I was impressed by his precision of his turkey carving.

Every year, I have many friends ask me to share his turkey carving videos. I started recording these a few years ago, just as a joke, because my facebook friends would enjoy them. But, now that my father has passed away, these videos bring back so many memories.

For all those who are suffering grief and loss this holiday season (whether it's 2 years or 20 years, or longer or shorter), I feel for you, and I am there with you. If I am emotionally strong enough, I plan to share more of my grieving story with you, because I have a lot to say about it. I do not claim to be an expert in grief and loss. I only share my story to try to find a connection with others who are suffering. I am only an expert in my own grief and loss…..

Election Day 2022

Just wanted to encourage everyone to get out there and vote today. I know that the news usually says that it’s always, “The most important election in our lifetime,” at least until the next election. I just read a local news article saying that the local board of elections is only expecting about 60% turnout today. We have got to do better than that.

A few years ago, I was frustrated that I was sometimes unable to attend elections due to my work schedule. And, actually a patient reminded me and turned me onto the idea of absentee voting, and I’ve been doing that ever since. I’ve even had some patients say that they did the “early voting” thing in the weeks before election day. There are fewer and fewer excuses for citizens to not vote. So, get out there today and let your voice be heard!