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FHN Announces Finalists for Provider of the Year Awards

FHN is proud to announce the finalists for this year’s FHN Physician of the Year and the FHN Advanced Practice Professional of the Year awards.

These finalists were chosen from nominations submitted by patients, families, caregivers, and FHN team members throughout northwest Illinois.

The FHN Physician of the Year and the FHN Advanced Practice Professional of the Year will be announced at the FHN Festival of Trees Gala on Friday, Nov. 15.

The FHN Physician of the Year finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
• Family Medicine Physician Brian Bennett, MD, who sees patients at the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Highland View Drive in Freeport
• Nephrologist Farhan Khan, MD, who sees patients at FHN Specialty Care – Stephenson Street and FHN Memorial Hospital, both in Freeport
• Family Medicine Physician Rebecca Pedersen MD, CPE, FAAFP, who sees patients at the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Highland View Drive in Freeport

The FHN Advanced Practice Professional of the Year finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
• Family Medicine Nurse Practitioner Tamisha Bonvillain FNP-BC, IBCLC, who sees patients at the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Burchard Hills in Freeport
• Family Medicine Nurse Practitioner Tiffany Kuhlmeyer FNP-BC, who sees patients at the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Highland View Drive in Freeport
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Danielle Siedschlag WHNP-BC, who sees patients at the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Burchard Hills in Freeport

Information packets have been compiled for each of the nominees and the Provider Development Committee of the FHN Board of Trustees will meet to make the decision as to who wins each award. Learn more about each provider – and see some of their nominations – at www.fhn.org.

The public is invited to the award presentation at the 2024 FHN Festival of Trees Gala – All That Jazz. This year’s Gala will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at the Masonic Temple Ballroom, 305 W. Stephenson Street in Freeport.

Tickets are available online at www.fhn.org/gala2024 or at the FHN Foundation office through Friday, Nov. 8. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Walk-Up Flu Shot Clinics Scheduled for Fall 2024

FHN is offering a full schedule of walk-up flu shot clinics at locations throughout northwest Illinois.

All events are open to the public. Adults under 65 years of age will get a trivalent vaccine that protects against 3 strains of influenza for $35. Adults 65 and over will receive a high-dose version of the vaccine ($85). There is no out-of-pocket expense for those covered by Medicare Part B (please present Medicare card) or a Medicare HMO accepted by FHN (list available at each location – covered persons MUST present the Medicare HMO card instead of the Medicare card for the billing process).

Immunizations may be paid for by cash or check payable to FHN (no credit or debit cards will be accepted). Please note that these prices are only available at these flu shot clinics; other rates may apply in FHN offices. No other insurance coverage can be accepted at these flu shot clinics, and per government regulations, no Medicaid cards can be accepted at these locations.

Because of federal guidelines to prevent identity theft, everyone must present a photo ID to receive an immunization.

For their own safety, children should be immunized at their regular healthcare provider’s office. Persons with allergy to eggs or the flu vaccine, those with an illness accompanied by a fever or depressed immune system should not receive the flu immunization at these locations. For more information, call FHN Community Services at 815-599-7437.

This year’s clinics include:
October 17 • 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Liberty Village Estates, 2080 Navajo Drive, Freeport (free blood pressure screening also available to the public)
October 20 • 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. at Faith United Methodist Church, 1440 S. Walnut Avenue, Freeport
October 22 • 10 a.m. – noon at Bethel United Methodist Church, 217 S. Hickory Street, Shannon
October 25 • 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Golden Meals, 524 W. Stephenson St. (lower level) Freeport (free blood pressure screening also available to the public)
October 25 • 3 – 5:30 p.m. at State Bank of Pearl City, 215 S. Main Street, Pearl City
October 28 • 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois, 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport
November 1 • 1 – 3 p.m. at Sullivan’s Foods, 201 Dodds Drive, Lena
November 1 • 4 – 6 p.m. at Sullivan’s Foods, 103 W. North Avenue, Stockton
November 2 • 9 a.m. – noon at Sullivan’s Foods, 217 Chicago Avenue, Savanna
November 3 • 10 a.m. – noon at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 229 S. First Street, Pearl City
November 5 • 9 a.m. – noon at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 625 Country Lane, Lena (free blood pressure screening also available to the public)
November 6 • 9 – 11:30 a.m. at Lake Summerset Office, 1202 Lake Summerset Road, Davis (free blood pressure screening also available to the public)
November 7 • 3 – 6 p.m. at Sullivan’s Foods, 2002 W. Galena Avenue, Freeport
November 8 • 9 a.m. – noon at Carroll County Senior Center, 17612 Benton Street, Mount Carroll (free blood pressure screening also available to the public)
November 11 • 1 – 3 p.m. at Sullivan’s Foods, 101 E. IL Route 64, Mount Morris
November 13 • 9 a.m. – noon at Fitness Lifestyles, 641 W. Stephenson Street, Freeport

Visit www.fhn.org/flu2024 for the most up-to-date information on flu shot clinics and drive-through flu shot clinics.

Drug Take-Back Day is Oct. 26

FHN and the Freeport Police Department are partnering with the State of Illinois and local and national law enforcement agencies to give the public a chance to help prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring pills for disposal between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 to the Freeport Police Department, 320 W. Exchange Street in Freeport. (The site cannot accept liquids or needles/sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Unused prescription medications thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. Dumping or flushing unused medications down the drain or toilet can contaminate the groundwater supply. The best way to dispose of old medications is to bring them to a take-back event.

For more information on National Drug Take Back Day, including safe disposal instructions, year-round sites and resources to prevent prescription medication misuse, visit www.fhn.org/sup.

Password Tips

Length trumps complexity. Strong passwords are at least 12 characters long and include letters, numbers and symbols. Ideally, your password is not recognizable as a word or phrase. And, yes, you should have a unique password for each account. If remembering complex passwords is hard then use a “passphrase,” that is, a sentence that is at least 12 characters long. Focus on positive sentences or phrases that you like to think about and are easy to remember, such as ILov3StayingSafeOnl1ne! (but don’t use that one).

More resources about passwords.
Use Strong Passwords | CISA
Tips for Stronger Passwords - Consumer Reports

FHN Employee Discounts

Help Spread the News: We’re Here, For You!

We have a lot to be proud of at FHN, from our talented, dedicated staff to the many advanced capabilities we offer our patients. We’re working hard every day to be sure we provide excellent care to our patients.

Each week, look to the Focus for good news to share about FHN in the form of downloadable flyers you can print and post or hand out to patients who may be interested. Also look for links to our most recent radio interviews and past interviews to listen to and recommend to others. Don’t forget to Like us on Facebook! Please encourage patients, friends, and family to also take advantage of these FHN information resources. Thanks for your help in promoting FHN!

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health

October is …
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Health Literacy Month
Healthy Lung Month
Home Eye Safety Month
Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
National ADHD Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Physical Therapy Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month

Weeks to Note:
October 12 – 20 is Bone and Joint Health Action Week   
October 13 – 19 is International Infection Prevention Week
October 20 – 26 is National Healthcare Quality Week
October 20 – 26 is Respiratory Care Week            
October 21 – 25 is National Health Education Week        
October 21 – 27 is National Pharmacy Week       

Days to Note:
October 18 is National Mammography Day
October 19 is World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day
October 20 is World Osteoporosis Day
October 21 is National Check Your Meds Day

October 22 is International Stuttering Awareness Day

The United States observes Disability Employment Awareness Month in October. In 1945, in an effort to assist disabled veterans, Congress designated the first week of October as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. In the 1970s, a historic shift in disability public policy occurred. For the first time, the exclusion of people with disabilities was viewed as discrimination. The efforts of disability activists led to significant changes in laws, such as the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990 and the designation of a full month to recognize the potential of America’s millions of working-age people with disabilities.

Canada observes Women’s History Month in October. Established in 1992 by the Government of Canada, this special month provides an opportunity to learn more about women’s historic accomplishments and their contributions to Canadian society.

In the United Kingdom, October is Black History Month. In Britain, Black History Month was first celebrated in October 1987 as part of African Jubilee Year. The decision to make this an annual event each October was endorsed by the Association of London Authorities. It has since grown to recognize and embrace the contributions and traditions of other Black communities.

Canada observes Latin American Heritage Month in October. Proclaimed by the Parliament of Canada on June 21, 2018, this month is an opportunity for Canadians to recognize the valuable contributions of members of the Latin American community to the country’s social, economic, political, and cultural fabric.

Buddhists celebrate Kathina on October 17. New robes and necessities are given to ordained monks and nuns.

October 17 – 23 is Sukkot for people of the Jewish faith. The Feast of Booths is a joyful harvest festival lasting nine days. A little hut called sukkah is built outdoors where families eat to remember the time Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, sleeping and eating under the stars.

People of the Hindu faith observe Karva Chauth on October 20. It is a one-day fast for married Hindu women for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. The husbands feed the first bite to their wives only after they see the moon.

In Egypt, October 22 is the Abu Simbel Festival. Built by Ramses II, his temple is angled so that the inner sanctum lights up twice a year; on the anniversary of his rise to the throne, and once again on his birthday. Crowds pack the temple before sunrise to watch the shafts of light illuminate the statues of Ramses, Ra, and Amon. The other date for this event is February 22.

Classified Ads

Chicago Day of Shopping … AND FUN! Saturday, 12/7/24 - Bus is over HALF FULL: Enjoy the downtown Chicago atmosphere and holiday lights, holiday shopping or explore the city! Charter bus departs at 8:30 a.m. from Pecatonica High School, 1300 Main Street, Pecatonica, IL, and drops off near Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The day is yours to do as you choose! Bus returns to Pecatonica at approximately 8 p.m. $45 per person payment reserves your seat. If interested, please contact Kristin Kloepping at 815-990-6373 or Tammy Wichman at 815-275-7346. *No refunds given 2 weeks prior to the trip date, unless the trip is cancelled due to weather. Thank you!

The deadline to submit ads for each Focus is 10 a.m. the Thursday before publication. Please submit your classified ad information to Tammy Edler, and send your donation to the Foundation.

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