Specialty Healthcare Operator Commons Clinic Raises $26 Million
Funds will support an expansion of its specialty medical clinic with the launch of Wholebody by Commons Clinic, a multi-specialty suite connecting all of the organization's advanced preventative care offerings.
'Specialty healthcare too often begins after prevention fails. Patients lack timely access to specialized clinical expertise, leaving conditions to worsen over time before they receive treatment,' said Nick Aubin, chief executive and co-founder of Commons Clinic, in a statement.
Board-certified cardiologist Dr. Jenica Ortega will lead the Wholebody program, with a specific focus on building its cardiac, metabolic, bariatric and women's health service lines. Additionally, Brad Hively, the former chief executive of The Oncology Institute, recently joined Commons' board.
Information for this article was sourced from Common Clinics.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
9 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Business news: Merrillville job fair, Purdue Northwest dean's list, new hospital leadership
Businesses will have more time to register as vendors for Merrillville's upcoming job fair, according to a release. Employers have until Tuesday to secure their vendor space for the job fair that's scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 30 at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center, 6600 Broadway in Merrillville. Interested businesses can visit for more information and to register, the release said. The Purdue University Northwest 2025 spring semester Dean's List recognizes 1,746 undergraduate students for their academic achievements. Qualifying students sustained an overall grade point average of at least 3.5 and a semester grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students from 19 different states and international students from 34 different countries were recognized on the PNW 2025 spring semester Dean's List. For a full listing of recognized students, visit Franciscan Alliance recently welcomed several new leaders to key roles in its healthcare ministry following recent retirements, according to a release. The Mishawaka-based nonprofit Catholic healthcare ministry appointed the following four experienced healthcare professionals to senior vice president, vice president and chief medical officer positions: Dr. Gerald Maloney, chief medical officer Michael Englehart, senior vice president for Franciscan Physician Network/Specialty Physicians of Illinois LLC and Franciscan Post-Acute Services Dr. Joseph Schnecker, chief medical information officer Tim Murphy, vice president of strategy Maloney is taking on the Franciscan CMO position following decades at Geisenger Health in Danville, Pennsylvania, where he spent the last 19 years as a physician executive and his last eight as chief medical officer. Englehart assumes the senior vice president for Franciscan Physician Network/Specialty Physicians of Illinois LLC and Franciscan Post-Acute Services role after more than two decades in healthcare. Schnecker is taking on the position of Franciscan's CMIO from his current role as Franciscan's medical director of information services, which he has held since 2019. Murphy is assuming the role of vice president of strategy following his role as Franciscan's COO/CFO for Franciscan Physician Network, Specialty Physicians of Illinois LLC and Franciscan Post-Acute Services. Valparaiso Parks Department Recreation Superintendent Madison Bell recently achieved the National Parks and Recreation Association's Certified Park and Recreation Professional certification, a release said. The Certified Park and Recreation Professional certification is the national standard for all parks and recreation professionals who want to be at the forefront of their profession, the release said. Valparaiso University will launch its new major in religious studies, a program that encourages students to explore and engage with religion as a lived, cross-cultural and comparative discipline, according to a release. One of the primary goals of Valpo's religious studies program is to spark curiosity about global religious practices and equip students with the knowledge and experience to connect with their neighbors, both nearby and around the world, the release said. The religious studies program will work with other faith-based organizations on campus, including the University's Division of Calling and Spiritual Life and its Christian Formation and Leadership Program, the release said. Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Superior Construction Co. is expected to close U.S. 12 under Indiana 249 beginning on or after Monday, according to a release. U.S. 12 will first be closed in the eastbound direction for approximately three days, the release said. Traffic going eastbound on U.S. 12 will be diverted to southbound Ind. 249 and can use the official detour of U.S. 20 and Indiana 149. Traffic will have access to eastbound U.S. 12 from northbound Ind. 249. U.S. 12 will then be closed in the westbound direction for approximately three days on or after July 17, the release said. The official detour will follow Ind. 149 and U.S. 20. Westbound U.S. 12 will have access to northbound Ind. 249 (Port of Indiana) but not southbound Ind. 249. Dr. Jeremy Luedtke, a general surgeon, recently returned to Northwest Medical Group, according to a release. Luedkte practiced at the Northwest Medical Group in LaPorte for several years before relocating to Wisconsin and has now returned to the organization, the release said. He is accepting new patients at the Northwest Medical Group – General Surgery office located in the Medical Plaza at 85 E. U.S. 6, Suite 240, in Valparaiso. After completing his surgical critical care fellowship at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Luedtke served as a general surgeon and critical care physician at Prevea Allouez Health Center in Wisconsin, general and robotic surgeon at Northwest Health – La Porte, St. Clair Hospital in Wisconsin and general minimally invasive robotic surgeon, critical care intensivist and endoscopist at Surgical Associates of Neenah. Call 219-983-6240.
New York Post
12 hours ago
- New York Post
Exploding Nutribullet left NYC man with severed artery, ‘trauma that will last a lifetime': lawsuit
A New York City man who used a Nutribullet blender to make a protein smoothie claims he was permanently injured when the device exploded, sending 'shrapnel' into his hand. Joseph Sanchez put celery, milk and protein powder into the high-powered device in July 2022 and was shocked when 'the [plastic] cup exploded, deeply lacerating' his right hand and fingers, 'and leaving him terrified as he saw his blood gushing onto the floor all around him,' he alleged in court papers. In shock, the quick-thinking 46-year-old hairdresser was able to grab a necktie to use as a tourniquet and slow the bleeding before rushing to the hospital, where medical staff diagnosed him with a severed artery in his dominant right hand, he said in a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit against Nutribullet. 3 Joseph Sanchez claims the device exploded and sent 'shrapnel' into him, injuring his hand. Obtained by the New York Post The Inwood resident now struggles with numbness in his hand, 'severe pain, and trauma that will last a lifetime,' he said in the litigation. Operating the blender, which can range in price from about $45 to $150 or more, creates heat and pressure which causes the device to 'over-pressurize' and explode, he alleged. Nutribullet is well aware of its product's tendency to explode, Sanchez alleged, noting the company first learned of the issue in 2011 when a consumer was injured. The lawsuit did not detail the earlier complaint. The incident was 'very frightening and disturbing,' said Sanchez' attorney, Daniel Ecker. 3 Obtained by the New York Post 3 Nutribullet has faced more than 140 personal injury and liability lawsuits in federal court over its product. Future via Getty Images At least 140 personal injury or product liability lawsuits have been filed against the company in federal court since 2014, according to court records, and in 2022 Nutribullet agreed to pay a $10 million settlement in a class action case claiming people had been hurt by its product. The company did not admit wrongdoing in the hefty settlement. Still, the Los Angeles-based company has 'never warned' customers and 'failed to take any action,' including issuing a recall or redesigning its blender, contended Sanchez, who is seeking unspecified damages. A New Jersey federal judge tossed a similar case last month from a woman who claimed she was hurt after her Nutribullet exploded while she used it for less than 10 seconds. Lori Lynne Hoff of Hunterdon was using her blender to make celery juice in 2020 when it blew, slicing her finger, leaving her burned — and causing her to briefly collapse, she said in court papers which sought unspecified damages. She sued in 2021 claiming the Nutribullet featured a defective design, but the judge dismissed the case June 30 contending that the engineering expert Hoff had testify on her behalf failed to support her claims. The company, which touts itself as the top 'personal blending brand' with more than 80 million customers worldwide. Nutribullet did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Buzz Feed
12 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Celebs Reveal Dangers Of Illegal Cosmetic Surgery
Getting a little work done is totally your call — but make sure you do your homework first. Seeing an unlicensed provider or trying a treatment that isn't FDA-approved (or even FDA-cleared) can come with major risks. In some cases, it can be downright dangerous. Here are 13 celebrities who shared the shocking consequences of their illegal cosmetic procedures: When Cardi B was 22, she got illegal biopolymer butt injections, but at 30, she had 95 percent of them surgically removed and warned her fans to never get the procedure done. In an Instagram Live, she said, "All I'm going to say is that if you're young, if you're 19, 20, 21, and sometimes you're too skinny, and you be like, 'OMG, I don't have enough fat to put in my ass,' so you result to ass shots, don't!" In 2017, the FDA issued a warning against using injectable silicone for body contouring, citing possible side effects such as "ongoing pain and serious injuries, such as scarring, tissue death, and permanent disfigurement; if the silicone migrates beyond the injection site, it could cause an embolism (blockage of a blood vessel), stroke, infections and death." FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. said, "We have significant concerns with unsafe injectable silicone that's being marketed for body contouring by unlicensed providers. We've seen serious adverse events result from products, which are sometimes industrial-grade silicone, being used for these unapproved medical purposes." Several years after getting illegal silicone butt injections, K. Michelle had to have four surgeries and two blood transfusions to remove them. She told People, "[The injector] wasn't a doctor — it was black market, it was these 'hydrogel' injections — that's what they were being called. When I found out my favorite rapper did it, that's when I decided, 'I'm getting it done.'" Five years later, she started experiencing pain in her legs and back, migraines, fatigue, and other unexplainable symptoms. Eventually, her doctors found out that the silicone was spreading down her legs, so one suggested she get liposuction. She said, "He thought that you could go and suck it out, but it spread it. It's definitely a new procedure, so he didn't know... I went on tour about a week and a half later … but after a few performances, I was rushed to the emergency room." Removing the affected tissue required three additional surgeries. She said, "I had these lumps, and I was very disfigured." She planned to get reconstructive surgery. According to Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon Dr. J. Timothy Katzen, cosmetic hydrogel injections aren't FDA-approved, and he recommends removing them before symptoms develop. At 19, Angela White (aka Blac Chyna) got illegal silicone butt injections from someone who wasn't a real doctor. At 35, she got them removed. In an Instagram video, she said, "I just want all the ladies out there to know: Do not get silicone shots. You can get sick, you can die, have complications, and all this other crazy stuff. Normally, my procedure would've taken four hours tops. My procedure took over 8.5 hours, y'all. Whatever that silicone mass — whatever that was that was in my buttocks — it kept clogging the machine, and breaking it." In 2022, Nicki Minaj told Joe Budden, "Social media was just beginning when I started, so I was a lot of people's guinea pig. I was one of the first people to be shitted on on the internet, on social media, like, non-fucking-stop. Every day I would go on, and there was some new story, made-up story, or bad picture. It wasn't acceptable to have surgery at all or anything. At that time, I had never had surgery. I had ass shots, which till this day, I realize, even what I did, and even with me not consulting with anyone to do something like that, how insane that was. Like, it's not that you go to a doctor, a professional person. No, it's some random person." She felt pressured to change her body because of the other people around her. She said, "I was in Atlanta at the time and… I kept on being around [Lil] Wayne and them. At that time Wayne, he talking about big booties. Wayne would have a new chick in the studio every session, so it was always a new big booty there. They were his muses. But I just was around them all the time, and I was like the little sister with Wayne and Mack [Maine]. … All I would hear them talking about is big butts, and I didn't feel complete or good enough — good as those girls because I'm like, 'Oh my God, this is what you're supposed to look like in the rap culture,' and I don't look like that..." She added, "I think they said stuff sometimes jokingly. But to a young girl or up-and-coming rapper … when it's from someone like Lil Wayne, it matters. So even if they're joking, they don't know that the person … is not finding it funny... They're just joking. They didn''t mean any harm. But it wasn't a joke to me." Later, she felt responsible for perpetuating the idea that female rappers needed to look a certain way. She said, "I don't think it's the men really anymore, especially. I think it's the women. I think it's the girls, what their perception of a female rapper is. And they think this is what I have to look like. You know, like, I remember I would never see any female rapper wearing pink hair. Pink hair became a part of that 'starter kit.' Every female rapper will put on a pink wig at some point. And I remember that was just the Nicki Minaj thing. That's why when I said, 'Pink wig, thick ass,' it was, 'Oh that's an iconic Nicki Minaj line because that's what she wears.' Now it's everybody — pink wig, thick ass, right?" When Joe asked if she held herself accountable, she answered, "Yes, yes, and I used to say — well, I was one of the first people saying, 'Oh, I'm not these people's parents.' But now I get it. I look at it from a different perspective now because superstars inadvertently become role models, no matter what. You can be the weirdest druggie in the world. If they like your music, they're listening to it over and over and over. It's programming. And they might try some of those things they hear you talk about." Gigi Gorgeous first opened up about her experience with illegal silicone injections in her 2023 book The T Guide. Later, in a YouTube video, she said, "I experimented with silicone injections in probably, like, 2014, 2015, and I was introduced to them by a friend of mine in New York." She explained that her friend recommended "Lisa," who would administer the illegal injections in hotel rooms at "pumping parties." Her clients referred to her as their "trainer" and code-named their procedures as "workouts." Gigi said, "It's something that I seriously, seriously regret. They can have major health effects. They can kill you. There are just so many scary things that can happen with them, and thank God that I'm alive and able to tell my story and warn people." She traveled from Canada to NYC, where she and her friend met Lisa in a hotel room. Gigi regretted not saying something when things started to feel shady — particularly when her friend brought her own silicone. Lisa brought Gigi's silicone in a water bottle, and there was "no rhyme or reason" to the way she injected. Gigi described the process as a "weird pain" she'd never felt before. Lisa closed the holes with Super Glue and Band-Aids. Gigi continued, "We went to a cafeteria, and I remember we were at a table with a bunch of friends. And I went to the bathroom... I remember pulling up my skirt and going pee, and I was like, 'What did I just do?' I think the reality had kinda set in, and I was like, 'This is so weird. This is crazy.' I was like, 'I am not this girl. Like, I think I just made a huge mistake.' So then, I proceeded to take all the Band-Aids off, rub all the Krazy Glue off of my skin, and start squeezing the silicone out. And it's going all down the seat, all down the toilet, on the floor...I could see the product coming out of me on the floor." Later that night, Gigi noticed she had a lot of scabs and feared she'd be left with scars because of her "mistake." However, the scabs fell off the next morning "as if nothing ever even happened." She said, "I literally swore to myself that morning that I would never ever ever dabble in any of that again." However, when work took her back to New York, she "fell back into" attending Lisa's pumping parties. She ended up with a "fucking huge" lump on her right thigh, which is when she finally decided to stop going to Lisa. She said, "I think the risks overweigh the benefits tenfold." When DreamDoll was 20, she traveled to Colombia for her first BBL. However, it later wore off. In 2023, she told NPR, "So I went the illegal route, and it was not the best decision. I do not recommend getting butt shots. Please don't ever do it. It is so painful. It feels like you got ran off by a truck." She ended up in the hospital. She continued, "[The pain was] a hundred. Whatever the highest number you could put, it's the highest number. Like, during the pain, I couldn't take the pain. And I was, like, getting fevers, and I'd be in a hospital. And nobody didn't know what was wrong with me, you know, 'cause I was — I didn't feel comfortable telling them I did that... So I just tried to find somebody to take it out, and they were like, that was the problem. You know, it's a foreign object, so you got to remove it one day." To help other young women, she vlogged the entire process of getting her illegal injections removed and replacing them with a new BBL. In 2024, reality star Lauren Wood told Truly, "I got illegal injections when I was 18, and I regret it so much... I would like to reverse my illegal butt shots. I'm starting to have complications. When I first got the illegal butt shots, I was nervous because this isn't a doctor. You know, it's, like, very much black market, hush hush. You lay down on the table, and they start injecting your butt. At the end of the day, we don't know what it is that they're truly injecting. The side effects of my illegal injections is some slight discoloration, pain, and random tingling in my legs, numbness. I'm worried that, if I don't get the injections removed that they'll continue to deteriorate. You just don't know what will happen. My message to girls who are looking to do the same procedure is don't do it. It's illegal for a reason, and it's just not worth it." In 2023, Christina Ashten Gourkani, who gained fame as a Kim Kardashian lookalike and OnlyFans creator, hired unlicensed cosmetologist Vivian Gomez to fly across the country and administer illegal butt injection in a California hotel room. Sadly, as a result of the procedure, Christina died the next day. Vivian was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter. She was also charged with practicing medicine without a license, resulting in death. Her trial date is set for November 2025. Dr. Lisa Hwang, who's a licensed plastic surgeon, told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that there is no correct way to administer the free-floating gel used in such injections, making it risky. She also highlighted the importance of finding a certified practitioner and having a consultation. She said, "There are very specific boards, so a lot of times people will say board certified, but it's actually really important you look into which board." In 2015, Zonnique got her eye color surgically changed (like her mother, Tiny Harris, previously did). She got the procedure done in Tunisia because it hasn't been FDA-approved in the US. Zonnique told Mosaique FM, "After surgery, I couldn't see my eyes, but this morning, I got to, and I really loved them, and I thought they looked pretty." However, on a 2018 episode of T.I. & Tiny: Family & Friends Hustle, she revealed that she'd been experiencing eye pressure. She said, "It's been a week since I got my surgery, and I took the eye implants out so that I wouldn't have any permanent damage. When I first found out how serious the situation was, I was so emotional. It's really not something that I wanna go through again." Later, when an Instagram commenter asked her about the surgery, she reportedly said, "I've never liked to recommend anyone to do it. I can say that the experience wasn't the best in the long term but everyone is different." In 2024, the American Academy of Ophthalmology issued a warning against eye color-changing surgery. Complications could potentially include injury to the cornea, inflammation, light sensitivity, increased eye pressure leading to glaucoma, cataracts, reduced vision, and blindness. Priscilla Presley was a victim of Daniel Tomas Fuente Serrano, who wasn't licensed to practice in the US. According to the Guardian, he made himself a millionaire by promising to help his wealthy clients "permanently" erase their wrinkles. However, the injectables he used were actually industrial-grade silicone (the kind used to lubricate car parts) and medical silicone that was only approved for certain eye procedures. He smuggled the silicone from Argentina, used an unclean table and bottles, and didn't wear gloves. In 2006, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. In a 2008 statement, Priscilla's representative said, "Priscilla Presley was one of many documented victims of Dr. [Daniel] Serrano. An investigation which uncovered his misconduct ultimately lead to his imprisonment. Ms. Presley dealt with this matter years ago, and everything is well." Actor Shawn King, Larry King's wife at the time, was also a victim of Daniel Serrano. According to the LA Times, in 2003, she paid him $7,000 in cash for the injections, which he gave her at her house. However, her lower lip was damaged, and the injections left a "displeasing hard bump" behind. She had difficulties speaking and drinking liquids. In 2007, Shawn told the Washington Post, "I got a letter saying when he was going to be arraigned, and wish I would have gone back and just said, 'Daniel, tell me what you put in my face so I know what I'm living with the rest of my life.' I have two small children, and I'd like to know what I'm in for." According to the LA Times, Diane Richie, Lionel Richie's ex-wife, was another client and victim of Daniel Serrano. However, the Washington Post later reported that she was also his girlfriend, and she was arrested for allegedly referring clients to him and letting him administer the illegal injections in her bathroom. And finally, over the course of ten months in 2005, actor and activist Rajee Narinesingh paid Oneal Ron Morris — who was unlicensed — $3,000 for illegal injections that turned out to be a mixture of Fix-A-Flat and cement. She told Barcroft TV, "I got injections in my face, my breast, and my hips, and my buttocks... Initially, I was fine. But then the nightmare started... My message to anyone that would consider doing what I did is not to do it. Don't do it, because you could die from it, or you could end up like me, disfigured." However, on a friend's recommendation, she sought help from plastic surgeon Dr. John Martin, who worked with her to remove the injections. The process was documented on Botched Seasn 3. In 2013, Oneal Ron Morris was sentenced to 366 days in prison for practicing healthcare without a license. Then, in 2017, she was sentenced to another ten years in prison for administering illegal injections as well as a manslaughter charge for a procedure that led to a woman's death.
