McLaren Health Care names Mark O'Halla as Chief Operating Officer

Mark O’Halla has been promoted to executive vice president/chief operating officer of McLaren Health Care from president and CEO of McLaren Macomb.

In his new role, O’Halla will oversee all hospital and related subsidiary operations across the organization, including McLaren Medical Group, the employed physician network. He will work to establish systemwide goals with regard to quality outcomes, patient experience initiatives and financial performance. Additionally, he will develop and implement plans and policies in collaboration with McLaren leadership and serve as a liaison between McLaren Health Care and various community, public and governmental organizations.

Gallbladder surgery: Now possible with only a one-inch incision

Minimally invasive surgery continues to evolve and specialists at McLaren Macomb are leading the way.

A surgical team at McLaren Macomb was the first in Macomb County to offer a new type of laparoscopic procedure for gallbladder removal.

While the surgery once required up to four incisions, it can now be done using Single-Site™ instruments on a da Vinci® System. With this advanced robotic equipment, surgeons are able to remove a patient’s gallbladder through one tiny incision in the belly button, leaving virtually no scar.

That’s good news, since More than 1 million people in the U.S. have their gallbladder removed each year. Most are performed with traditional laparoscopy requiring several incisions.

Smart Snacking

Go ahead and eat between meals, just think healthy.

Dinner is hours away. Can you kill the hunger pains without filling up on empty calories?

A healthy snack is actually a good idea, said Yvonne Thigpen, a Registered Dietitian and manager of Integrated Health at McLaren Macomb.

“It can give you the energy you need, plus it can keep you from eating too much at dinner because you’re starved.”

In honor of National Nutrition Month®, McLaren Macomb wants to offer a few helpful ideas.

Constant headache and congestion?

It could be sinusitis.

Other symptoms of this condition include:

• Severe sinus pressure that causes your face, head and even your teeth to hurt
• Thick mucus that irritates the back of the throat
• Losing your sense of smell and taste
• Irritability and fatigue

In the past, this was a tough condition to treat, with up to 60 percent of chronic sinusitis patients showing no relief from medications.

Do you sleep with a snorer?

It could be a sign that something’s wrong.

Heavy snoring is one of the most common symptoms of a sleep disorder, including a condition called sleep apnea.

People with sleep apnea actually stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. Often, the sleeper will wake up abruptly and draw breath, perhaps with a gasp.