More Than Medicine: The Personal Touch of UH Samaritan Medical Center
Janet Bender’s smile lights her face as she remembers growing up as a “city girl” in Mansfield, Ohio. Things were simple and important destinations – church, school, the ballet studio – were walkable. Janet smiles again as she recounts falling in love in that same special place, when she met a young man, Chuck, who attended college with her older brother.
As Janet tells it, they had lots in common. “And it helped that he sure was cute,” she said with a laugh.
Long since married and living in Loudonville, Janet and Chuck have a full life focused on farming, family and community: they operate the farming and implement business founded by Chuck’s father 75 years ago, are involved in local historical efforts such as the restoration of Wolf Creek Mill, and are surrounded with the love of their children, grandchildren and friends.
An Unexpected Scare
One spring evening in 2023, Janet was working alone in their home office. She can recall getting up to go to the kitchen, but her next memory is of a hospital room in UH Samaritan Medical Center, nearly 20 miles away.
“I don’t remember it at all, but before I lost consciousness, I somehow managed to call Chuck, who thankfully dialed 911,” shared Janet. “I’m so thankful he was there, and that help was close by.”
Multiple scans and three days of care later, Janet’s team determined that a urinary tract infection (UTI) had triggered her severe symptoms. While this was unsettling news for Janet, side effects from UTIs can worsen with age.
Several specialists monitored Janet over the following months, including Luis Augusto Palma Dallan, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, UH Samaritan Medical Center. Since joining UH Samaritan as part of the UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute’s expansion of services, Dr. Dallan has helped introduce advanced cardiovascular procedures that are keeping Ashland County patients from more invasive interventions.
In 2023, UH Samaritan Medical Center was designated a Level 2 cardiac catheterization lab by the Ohio Department of Health.
The hospital offers intracoronary drug administration, left and right heart catheterization, coronary angiography, basic electrophysiology studies, intra-aortic balloon pumps, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and more.
"Dr. Dallan is not only professional but personable and caring,” said Janet. “I fell in love with him the first time I met him! He remembered so much about my family. It meant a lot to be seen as a person.”
For Janet, the hometown-approach of UH Samaritan is a comfort. When she dealt with months of difficulty and drastic weight loss due to another health challenge, Dale Thomae, DO, Chair, Department of Medicine, UH Samaritan Medical Center, wove compassion and reassurance into her care plan.
“There was so much going on, but Dr. Thomae stopped, put his hand on my shoulder, and told me it wasn’t my time to go,” she said. “And he was right!”
Today, Janet is back to doing what she loves: being active out on the farm and cherishing time with family and friends.
Delivering Community-Based Care, Because of You
With more people having experiences like Janet’s, access to a care team with an integrated approach can make all the difference in diagnosing and managing complex health issues.
“We are very glad to provide excellent care for our patients in Ashland – our beloved community,” said Dr. Dallan. “They don’t have to travel long distances to get top-quality, specialty care anymore.”
Because of you, UH’s network of medical centers brings the most trusted names in health care, such as UH Seidman Cancer Center, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s, and UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, into communities across the region, ensuring excellent treatment is always nearby.
Learn more about how you can support UH’s regional medical centers and community-based care at UHGiving.org/BecauseofYou.