he EMH Avon Health Campus debuted in 1999 when one of northeast Ohio’s first medically-based fitness centers – the EMH Center for Health & Fitness – opened its doors. The facility continued to expand along with the needs of the community, and in 2005 the first patients were treated in the Avon Emergency Care Center – an 18-bed, freestanding emergency department, which was again one of the first of its kind in our area.

Today, the 91,000 square-foot EMH Avon Health Campus consists of our state-of-the-art fitness center, along with physician offices, rehabilitation, diagnostic services and a full-service 24/7 ER. The EMH Center for Health & Fitness offers more than 125 group exercise classes, senior programs, a day spa, and more. It was named “Best of the West” in the fitness center category by readers of West Shore Magazine for two consecutive years and a “Top 100 Club” by Fitness Business Pro magazine. The center also offers “Enlighten,” a six-month, medically integrated weight management program. 

This personalized approach to weight loss utilizes the expertise of board-certified physicians, nurses, a certified diabetes educator, a dietician and other healthcare professionals to help clients reach their weight loss goals. Rehabilitation services are also available on site, including physical and occupational therapy, along with speech and sports therapy. The EMH Avon Health Campus also features comprehensive diagnostic services such as CT scans, Ultrasound, MRI, diagnostic radiology, screening mammograms, bone density screening and walk-in laboratory services. Under the same roof, you’ll also find physician offices, including Dr. Roland Reyes, who is board-certified in plastic & reconstructive surgery as well as hand surgery.

s the premier healthcare provider for Lorain County and western Cuyahoga County, EMH Regional Healthcare System offers an array of clinical services, from general medical, surgery and emergency services to our nationally-recognized cardiovascular program. 

In addition, EMH Regional Medical Center has received the prestigious Magnet designation for nursing excellence, ranking its nursing program among the best in the nation.

A state-of-the-art fitness center, along with physician offices, rehabilitation, outpatient testing and a full-service 24/7 ER are located within the EMH Health Campus in Avon. The EMH Center for Health & Fitness was one of Northeast Ohio’s first medically-based fitness centers, and today offers more than 125 group exercise classes, senior programs, a day spa, and more. It was named “Best of the West” in the fitness center category by readers of West Shore Magazine for two consecutive years and a “Top 100 Club” by Fitness Business Pro Magazine. 

For decades, residents of Amherst and Lorain County have trusted the physicians and staff of Amherst Hospital for all of their healthcare needs. The 60-bed facility offers a variety of medical services in addition to its nationally-recognized orthopedics program, including a full-service 24 hour, 7-day-a-week emergency department, on-site laboratory, gynecology, urology, podiatry and endoscopy. General adult and plastic surgeries along with ENT services are among the other offerings. EMH has continued to expand capabilities at Amherst Hospital, including the recent additions of an Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE) unit and a Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH). For more information about the EMH Regional Healthcare System visit www.emh-healthcare.org. 

There’s no vitamin D in sunshine itself, but sunshine activates molecules that become vitamin D. And vitamin D is the key to the body’s absorption of calcium and phosphate, nutrients that prevent diseases that weaken bones. In addition, studies have shown that vitamin D aids the body’s immune system and can reduce the risks of certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer.

Vitamin D deficiency, currently on the rise in this country, can lead to thin, soft, or misshapen bones, and skeletal diseases such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. And the older you get, the more vitamin D your body needs.

It’s tough to get enough vitamin D in Cleveland, with frequently overcast skies. Make the most of the sunlight we get by going outside between 1 – 2 pm, when exposure provides the greatest health benefits. Eating fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna or taking fish oils provide another great way to get your daily dose of the vitamin. Or add vitamin D-fortified milk or vitamin supplements to your daily diet.

For an appointment with a primary care physician at Cleveland Clinic Avon or Westlake Family Health Centers call 440-899-5555.

Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. 

In northeast Ohio, Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of approximately 140,000 members in a nine-county area. Services are provided by more than 180 Ohio Permanente Medical Group physicians, 3,000 network affiliated physicians, and more than 1,900 non-physician employees. In 2009, Kaiser Permanente of Ohio celebrated 45 years of providing care in Northeast Ohio. 

The Gathering Place, a Caring Community for those touched by cancer, provides a wide array of free programs and services designed for the person diagnosed with cancer and their family and friends. 

Many people feel a sense of peace, calm and comfort when receiving the support that works best for them from the caring staff and volunteers. Their free services, which include a medical librarian, support groups and one-to-one counseling, help those dealing with cancer to better cope with their emotions and feel “in control.” Whatever the need may be, The Gathering Place is available throughout the journey, for anyone touched by cancer, from children and teens to adults.

For detailed information on The Gathering Place visit www.touchedbycancer.org or call 216/595-9546. One organization with two locations, 800 Sharon Drive in Westlake and 23300 Commerce Park in Beachwood. In February of 2009, The Gathering Place published Someone I Love is Sick, a customizable tool to help very young children cope with a parent or grandparent’s cancer. For more information, visit www.someoneiloveissick.com.

e all lead busy lives. With sports and other activities, our schedules can be packed from morning into the evening. What happens when you’re sick and you need to see the doctor? Does your doctor have office hours that meet your needs? 

Avon Physicians, William A. Damm, M.D., Jose E. Mendoza III, M.D., and Raquel Grant-Venable, PA-C, have extended their office hours. The new expanded hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

“When you’re sick, you want to get in to see your doctor,” said Dr. Jose Mendoza. “We are responding to our patients needs for office hours that better meet their schedules.” 

Drs. Damm and Mendoza and Raquel Grant-Venable, PA-C of Avon Physicians are affiliated with Community Physicians Inc., a network of physicians representing a broad range of medical specialties with offices located in Avon and many nearby communities such as Amherst, Elyria, LaGrange, Lorain, Norwalk, Oberlin, Vermillion and Wellington. Our talented physicians include pediatricians and family practitioners as well as specialists in internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pain management and orthopedics. 

As members of the Community Health Partners family, our physicians are affiliated with the hospitals you trust, Community Regional Medical Center in Lorain and Allen Community Hospital in Oberlin. As a result, they have the support of a comprehensive health system capable of meeting your entire family’s health care needs. 

If you are looking for a physician and would like a referral to Avon Physicians, please call 1-877-CHP-6161. Our referral specialists can connect you with the doctors at Avon Physicians. You can also learn more about other physicians and specialists affiliated with Community Physicians, Inc. at
www.TurnToCHP.com.