(From Dr. Bill Kose with Blanchard Valley Health System)

When you think of Blanchard Valley Health System, you may think of Blanchard Valley and Bluffton hospitals, but we are much more.

BVHS includes more than 50 physician offices, and we offer home health, hospice, imaging, laboratory, and rehabilitation services. But the organization is not simply the sum of all of those pieces – it is one integrated system in which the pieces seamlessly connect to one another.

After all, our mission is “Caring for a Lifetime.” We want residents of Northwest Ohio to feel confident that we will provide quality care throughout their lives.

Our obstetricians/gynecologists deliver babies after caring for their mothers throughout their pregnancies and can then connect those babies and their families with BVHS pediatricians. As the children reach adulthood, we have primary care providers available throughout the region, as well as specialists in fields ranging from endocrinology to surgery.

If an older person can no longer live in their own home, then Birchaven Village in Findlay or Independence House in Fostoria could be an ideal residence for them.

And our hospice program can help people through the end of their lives, just as our providers have supported infants through the beginning of theirs. While the end of life isn’t pleasant to think about, we are committed to helping our community through all these stages.

Technology makes it easier to be connected today than before. Electronic medical records are shared throughout our system, making it possible for a provider to quickly access a patient’s health history and order lab testing through electronic means.

But, while modern technology adds some efficiency, being a connected, integrated system has been a priority at BVHS for decades.

Throughout our existence, we’ve looked at the gaps in health care in this community and adjusted our services to ensure we meet those needs. For example, in the 1980s and 1990s, we added new services such as home health, hospice, and palliative care because we saw that our community needed them.

Becoming not merely a collection of offices and practices but one cohesive organization was a conscious decision by the organization’s leadership. We believe this allows us to provide the best in patient care throughout a person’s lifetime.

Additionally, we have strong partnerships with other organizations that offer services we do not, such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, among many others. Our membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network offers many additional benefits. One example is that our providers can get a second opinion from Mayo providers on the best treatment plan for their patient’s cancer.

We also recognize that we must offer various services and ensure our patients can easily move between them. BVHS employs care navigators, for example, who can guide patients dealing with complex health issues requiring many appointments.

Providing many types of care here in Northwest Ohio creates more convenience for patients, who might otherwise have to take time off work and spend money on gasoline to go to an appointment out of the area.

But it also can contribute to a sense of comfort and trust. Patients want someone nearby who they know to call if they have a question. We encourage patients to build a strong relationship with their primary care provider. Still, they can also feel assured that that provider, in turn, can easily contact specialists throughout BVHS. (If you need a primary care provider, call 419.422.APPT to set up an appointment.)

In short, BVHS includes much more than you may realize as an integrated system committed to addressing our community’s needs.

We’re here for you.

William Kose, MD, JD Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System