• The Fishel Foundation has committed $1.5 million to support the OhioHealth Women’s Health Navigation Hub.
• The hub will provide dedicated care coordination to help women and their families better understand care options, connect with clinicians and access resources.
• The navigation hub will be part of the new OhioHealth Women’s Center, expected to open in 2027 at Riverside Methodist Hospital.
• OhioHealth says the program reflects its commitment to compassionate, individualized and coordinated care for women at every stage of life.

OhioHealth is grateful to announce a $1.5 million gift from the Fishel Foundation. This generous commitment will support the development of the OhioHealth Women's Health Navigation Hub, a dedicated care coordination service set to launch at the OhioHealth Women's Center. The navigation hub will serve as a central point of support for patients, helping women and their families more easily understand care options, connect with the right caregivers and clinicians, and access vital women’s health resources throughout their experience at the Women’s Center.

By integrating dedicated navigators into the daily operations of the new Women’s Center, the program is designed to provide individualized, high-touch support during every step of a woman’s care journey. The generous gift from the Fishel Foundation will help bring this vision to life, ensuring the expanded services offered through the Women’s Center continue to reflect OhioHealth’s commitment to excellence, compassion and coordinated care.

The OhioHealth Women's Center is set to open in 2027 on the southeast corner of the OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital campus. The standalone center will become one of the leading facilities of its type in the country and is designed to meet the complex and changing healthcare needs of women throughout the different stages of life.

"This gift will be key to our efforts to help to transform the way care is coordinated and delivered to women and their families across the communities OhioHealth serves," said Jason Melillo, MD, senior vice president of service lines for OhioHealth. "Navigating a health journey can be overwhelming, and we want to help ensure no woman has to figure it out alone."

Care navigation has become an increasingly important part of the patient experience, especially for women who often manage not only their own health, but the health of their families. By pairing patients with a dedicated navigator, the hub aims to remove common barriers to care, from scheduling confusion to a lack of clarity around next steps or specialists.

"We are deeply grateful for the Fishel Foundation's generosity and for a donor whose personal experience has inspired such a meaningful investment in women's health," said Karen Morrison, president, OhioHealth Foundation and senior vice president, OhioHealth. "This commitment reflects exactly the kind of individualized, compassionate care we envision for every woman who walks through our doors.”

The OhioHealth Women's Health Navigation Hub represents one of several innovative features planned for the Women's Center, which will bring together a wide range of services designed around the needs of women and their families.  

If you would like to support exceptional care in women’s health, please click here

OhioHealth Grant Medical Center

"This new lactation clinic is a direct reflection of our core mission: to improve the health of those we serve,” Jean Halpin, president of OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, said. “We are dedicated to ensuring every mother and child has the resources they need to thrive, and this clinic is a proud new chapter in that commitment."

The clinic is located across the street from Grant at the William W. Wilkins Professional Building. The address is 285 E State St, Columbus, OH 43215.

“This clinic is a testament to OhioHealth's commitment to serving all members of our community, particularly those who might not have easy access to vital healthcare services,” Vice President of Women’s Health Clinical Service Line, Jason Melillo, MD, said. "We believe these services will greatly enhance health outcomes for mothers and their children.”

Breastfeeding services help those who are: 
• Expecting a baby and want to learn breastfeeding techniques early. 
• Learning how to breastfeed a newborn baby. 
• Struggling with pain, latching issues or infant weight gain/loss. 
• The mother of a premature baby or a baby with other special needs. 
• The mother of multiple infants (such as twins and triplets). 
• Questioning how to go back to work while continuing to breastfeed.

Services offered at the clinic include private consultations, prenatal breast assessments, and breastfeeding classes, all designed to ensure successful breastfeeding experiences for new mothers.

“Our dedicated team of international board-certified lactation consultants are here to offer compassionate support and guidance to ensure the health and well-being of both mother and baby,” Director of Nursing at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, Erika Beck, said.

Administrative Nurse Manager at Grant, Bethany Kravitz, added, "Our goal is to provide a supportive environment where mothers feel empowered and informed during their breastfeeding journey. We are proud to offer these essential services right here in Columbus."

Services are available by appointment. Interested individuals can schedule by calling (614) 566-9008.

Photo courtesy: OhioHealth 

OhioHealth

Healing grafts made from a placenta donation are used in a wide range of procedures, including eye, oral and spine surgeries, as well as treatments for difficult-to-heal wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure ulcers and burns.

OhioHealth has introduced the program at nine hospitals since 2022, including OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Berger Hospital, OhioHealth Southeastern Medical Center and OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital. In the past year, OhioHealth Pickerington Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center and OhioHealth Doctors Hospital have joined the initiative. OhioHealth Marion General Hospital is expected to launch soon. Once this takes place, placenta donation will be available at all OhioHealth delivery hospitals.

In 2024, OhioHealth sites facilitated 179 placenta donations (creating approximately 4,475 healing grafts). Of these, 102 were generously donated by OhioHealth Physician Group OB/GYN patients.

“The Placenta Donation Program allows women to make a meaningful impact on their community,” said Jason Melillo, MD, vice president of women’s and reproductive health clinical service line. “By partnering with Lifeline of Ohio, we extend compassionate care to both mothers and patients in need of critical healing, and we are honored to be a part of this meaningful process.”

At its core, Lifeline of Ohio’s Placenta Donation Program allows expectant mothers with scheduled C-section deliveries to donate the placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic membrane. These tissues, which are typically discarded, have the potential to create, on average, 25 healing grafts per placenta to help patients in need.

Placenta donation is entirely voluntary, involves no costs and does not alter the delivery process or the care provided to mother and baby. It is also distinct from cord blood donation.

“We are so excited to continue growing our partnership with OhioHealth,” said Andrew Mullins, Lifeline of Ohio CEO. “Together with these incredible hospitals and OB/GYN offices, and generous placenta donors, we will continue providing hope and healing to those who need it most.”

The Lifeline of Ohio Placenta Donation Program currently includes 28 partnering hospitals and approximately 120 OB/GYN offices throughout Central and Southeast Ohio, as well as Wood and Hancock counties in West Virginia.

To learn more about Lifeline of Ohio’s Placenta Donation program, visit www.lifelineofohio.org/placenta 

OhioHealth

“We want women of all ages and in every stage of their lives to feel seen, heard and understood,” Jason Melillo, MD, vice president Women’s and Reproductive Health Clinical Service Line, said. “However, we know that this stage of life is often overlooked and underserved, and we want to be the ones that change that.”

The experts within the new Menopause and Midlife Clinic specialize in a variety of services and are there to provide midlife care and beyond for women ranging from mid to late 30s to 65.

“We also will care for women who are unexpectedly placed into menopause at a younger age,” Pragna Patel, MD, FACOG, Menopause and Midlife clinic, said, “For example, chemo or surgery for cancer patients, young women who had surgical menopause, young women with primary ovarian insufficiency, etc.”

The clinic offers services for premenopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptom management, hormone therapy, sexual health/sexual dysfunction, mental health and wellness, cancer survivorship, dry skin and hair loss, vaginal and vulvar concerns and lifestyle management.

Services and treatments include: 
• Collaboration with OhioHealth’s Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care program 
• Dry skin and hair loss 
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) 
• Mental health and wellness 
• Pelvic health 
• Sexual health/sexual dysfunction 
• Vaginal and vulvar concerns 

“Women in this stage of life are incredibly busy and fulfill multiple roles: partner, mother, daughter, employee, and many other titles. We tend to care for ourselves last,” Dr. Patel said. “There is a sort of void in seeing an OBGYN once done having children. Also, historically women have been told this is a phase of life that happens, and you just need to deal with the symptoms, but there are so many options that can improve your overall health and quality of life.”

“Providing these services will lead to women leading longer more productive lives and being the best version of themselves for all the people in their life that count on them,” Dr. Patel said.

The clinic, led by Dr. Tucker and Byrum, is not meant to take the place of routine postpartum appointments with your OB-GYN. 

“We gratefully receive referrals from primary care, obstetric, pediatric and family medicine providers as well as lactation consultants, occupational and speech therapists,” Dr. Tucker said. “We do not replace the necessary care from our referring partners but work alongside them to help support infant feeding.” 

“At OhioHealth, we want to continue being at the forefront of expanding and advancing care for women’s and reproductive health because women and our patients matter,” Jason Melillo, vice president Women’s and Reproductive Health Clinical Service Line, said “We are honored to continue providing a variety of services by opening new doors for the patients we serve to feel even more seen, heard, and taken care.” 
 

The almost 590,000 square feet inpatient and outpatient facility will be designed to care for women and their families by not only providing advanced maternity and neonatal intensive care services with a fourth trimester clinic, obstetric and gynecological services, but will also feature mid-life and bone health, urogynecology and female urology, and mammography services. 

“At OhioHealth, the health and wellness of our patients and of all women in our community matter. We are honored to continue providing a variety of services by opening new doors for those we serve to be healed, to be sheltered, to be fed, to be seen, heard and to be cared for,” Vice President of the OhioHealth Women’s Health Clinical Service Line, Jason Melillo, MD, said, “This space will allow our clinicians and associates to build more and even stronger life-long relationships with their patients and families.” 

For more than ten years, Riverside Methodist has been the busiest maternity hospital in the state of Ohio and delivered nearly 7,000 babies in 2022. As maternity volume at Riverside Methodist continues to grow, building a designated comprehensive women’s center is as much an opportunity as it is a necessity. 

“Serving our patients at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital with the best care and most welcoming, convenient, and comfortable experience is important for every person who walks through the doors,” Riverside Methodist president Rob Cercek said. “Our hope with the expansion of women’s care is to inspire staff, providers, and the community as a beacon of health, hope, and healing for women.” 

The over $600-million capital investment for the OhioHealth Women’s Center project includes: 
• Inpatient and outpatient care (185 inpatient beds) 
• Labor, Delivery, Recovery rooms 
• C-Section 
• High Risk Obstetrics 
• GYN/Breast Surgery 
• NICU 
• Post-Partum 
• Over 150,000 square feet of comprehensive and complementary ambulatory programming that brings together primary care, specialty care and support services to promote care coordination. 

“When it comes to the structure of the building, both externally and internally, our intention is to bring in women’s voices, experiences and insights into the design and planning of the comprehensive center,” said Kristina Stuecher, OhioHealth Vice President and project executive of the OhioHealth Women’s Health Center. “We will be steadfast in our commitment to create spaces and experiences that are welcoming for all.” 

In 2022, nearly 15,000 babies were delivered across the OhioHealth system. The goal of the center is to dedicate the diverse knowledge, backgrounds, and life experiences of our associates to the patients we serve. OhioHealth wants those who are delivering to know our associates have the expertise to support them and their loved ones through their birthing journey with the highest level of care with compassion, understanding and empathy. 

About OhioHealth  
Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.  

Serving its communities since 1891, OhioHealth is a family of 35,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 14 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health and other health services spanning a 47-county area. It has been recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” 15 times since 2007. For more information, visit ohiohealth.com. 

Renderings Courtesy: Cannon Design. Permission to Publish.