Summer 2015
Health Beat
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unitypoint.org
Anamosa | Cedar Rapids | Dubuque | Waterloo
HIGH-TECH HYSTERECTOMY
Robotic surgery improves quality of life PAGE 6
Weight loss goal? Ask your UnityPoint Clinic provider for help PAGE 2
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Emergency care close to home PAGE 4
Surgery for neck pain Learn signs of a more serious problem PAGE 8
What’s
Health news you can use.
2 - 3 Weight loss goal? A Cedar Falls woman achieves
Now Offering Virtual Care
Health clips
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Inside
weight loss success thanks to her UnityPoint Clinic care team.
Introducing LiveWell With the wealth of content available online, it can be hard for people to know where to turn when looking for health-related information. UnityPoint Health has launched LiveWell, which is an online blog that provides answers to questions people frequently have about their personal health and the health of their family.
6 - 7 High-tech hysterectomy
A Bettendorf woman credits the robotic hysterectomy she had for greatly improving her quality of life.
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Diabetes care
Visit UnityPoint Health’s LiveWell today by going to unitypoint.org/livewell.
Care coordinator helps educate patients with diabetes.
Online parenting community
Safety net for rural communities
How coordinated care among eastern Iowa hospitals is helping premature babies.
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Ask the expert
What makes UnityPoint Health heart care unique?
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For your health
Timely health and medical news.
Health Beat Vol. 20 No. 3 l Summer 2015 Health Beat magazine is produced by UnityPoint Health®.
You can expect to find a wide variety of topics covered including everything from heart care to women’s health and even diabetes care, LiveWell is available as a go-to resource for health and wellness content.
of a more serious problem.
8 - 9 Surgery relieves pain in the neck Weakness and numbness can be a sign
For more information about virtual care from UnityPoint Clinic and MDLIVE and to activate an account, visit unitypoint.org/virtualcare.
An Anamosa man survives a life-threatening emergency thanks to rural care close to his home.
UnityPoint Clinic® is now offering people the option to receive care for minor health conditions virtually – by phone or secure video via computer, tablet or smartphone 24 hours a day. Virtual visits are provided by UnityPoint Clinic and MDLIVE providers and cost $49 or less depending on insurance coverage.
4 - 5 Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Headlines & Happenings
The Real Moms of Eastern Iowa blog is an interactive online community for moms and moms-to-be. The pregnancy and parenting blog follows the day-to-day experiences of local women and covers anything and everything relating to motherhood. Real Moms welcomes Dr. Marie DeAlwis, UnityPoint Clinic pediatrician and Drs. Beth Bussewitz and Debra Piehl from OB-Gyn Associates, P.C. for their expert opinions on pregnancy and pediatrics.
Get social and join our community at unitypoint.org/realmoms.
Are you on Facebook? All UnityPoint Health hospitals are active users of social media and provide health information and tips. While you’re online, please write a review of your most recent hospital stay or clinic visit. We look forward to hearing from you.
Connect with us at unitypoint.org
P.O. Box 3026 | Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3026 (319) 369-7395 | unitypoint.org 000448a-3 07/15 CS
Health Clips HOSPITALS RECEIVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION UnityPoint Health hospitals have been recognized as national and regional leaders in providing quality coordinated care. More than 30,000 employees continuously work to achieve our vision of delivering the “best outcome for every patient every time.” We achieve it every day by working closely together to coordinate patient care.
NURSES HONORED FOR OUTSTANDING WORK Ten UnityPoint Health nurses in eastern Iowa were recently named to the Iowa Nurses’ Association list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses for 2015.
Below are highlights of our recent national recognition:
ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL For the sixth time, UnityPoint Health St. Luke’s Hospital was named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® by Truven Health Analytics,TM a leading provider of data-driven analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care.
FINLEY HOSPITAL
These nurses were selected based on their concern for humanity and contributions to the community and the nursing profession. The nurses were selected from a pool of individuals nominated by colleagues, patients, providers, friends and family members. The 100 Great Nurses program is in its 11th year.
The Dubuque hospital received an “A” rating in The LeapFrog Group’s Hospital Safety Score. This report rates hospitals on an “A” through “F” scale based on their ability to prevent errors, injuries and infections.
Honorees include:
JONES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (JRMC)
Alana Berger, St. Luke’s Hospital Kay Froehner, Allen College Mary Greif, St. Luke’s Hospital Whitney Grimm, St. Luke’s Hospital Jennifer Houlihan, St. Luke’s Hospital Ellen Hunt, Finley Hospital Deb O’Neil, St. Luke’s Hospital Mary Springsteen, St. Luke’s Hospital Kelsi Taggart, St. Luke’s Hospital Jessica Thomas, St. Luke’s Hospital
100 Top Hospitals®
“A”
rating
ALLEN HOSPITAL Allen was named one of the Becker’s Hospital Review “100 Great Community Hospitals” in the United States. This list is based on a hospital’s quality, accolades and service to its community.
JRMC was named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States by iVantage. The hospital was measured across 62 different performance metrics, including quality, outcomes, patient perspective, affordability, population risk and efficiency.
100 Great Community Hospitals
Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals
GUTTENBERG MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL (GMH) The affiliate hospital of UnityPoint Health was ranked as one of Iowa’s Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals during a recent study organized by the National Rural Health Association. Financial stability, patient satisfaction, care outcomes, as well as service quality and cost were the focal points of this study.
Iowa’s Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals
Health Beat | Summer 2015 | 1
That’s when they said it was possible if I lose some weight.” “I remember seeing Kristine and talking to her a lot about the relationship between obesity and high blood pressure,” said Sue Gettman, ARNP, UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Cedarloo in Cedar Falls. “I explained to her we had a care coordinator she could work with and suggested we connect her with this individual. She was very receptive to the idea.”
Kristine Grummitt at a Cedar Falls park.
CARE COORDINATOR
Weight loss goal?
Ask your UnityPoint Clinic provider for help
Less than a year ago Kristine Grummitt was drinking a 12 pack of Mountain Dew every day. At the time she was considered obese and lacked energy. The 49-year-old knew she had to make some changes.
“I was the queen of fry,” joked Grummitt. “I fried green beans, brussel sprouts, you name it. I knew it wasn’t good for me but no one told me my health was bad so I kept doing it.” A trip to see her provider at UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Cedarloo in 2
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Cedar Falls last fall was just the wake-up call she needed. “I learned I had high blood pressure and cholesterol,” said Grummitt. “I was put on three medications for these issues. I remember asking how I could get off of this medication.
“A UnityPoint Clinic care coordinator is a registered nurse who works alongside your primary care provider as a member of your care team,” said Monica Burgett, DO, UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Cedarloo. “They are basically an extension of the provider and they provide resources for patients to help them achieve and maintain their health goals for weight loss, diabetes management and other chronic diseases. They help remove barriers for the patient and set them up for success. It’s a great program and it’s available at no additional cost to the patient.” “My job as a care coordinator is to meet with the patient and find out what motivates them to make positive changes in their health,” said Emily Swartley, RN, UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Cedarloo care coordinator. “I do a lot of listening, supporting and coaching. What motivates many people is the desire to be around for their kids or grandkids and wanting to avoid chronic illnesses.”
UnityPoint Clinic care coordination
“ This care model means we are in a partnership with our patients and work to coordinate the care they need whether it’s from us, a specialist or from one of our care coordinators.”
Sue Gettman, ARNP UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Cedarloo
“UnityPoint Clinic uses the medical home model of care,” said Gettman. “This care model means we are in a partnership with our patients and work to coordinate the care they need whether it’s from us, a specialist or from one of our care coordinators.” “When I first met Kristine, she was very stressed out,” said Swartley. “She wasn’t eating right, not exercising and overall not taking care of herself. We immediately talked about her goals for weight loss and exercise. Then we looked at how we could improve her diet.”
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
“I started walking and watching what I ate,” said Grummitt. “I overhauled my eating habits. Emily was there to support me and tell me I was doing the right thing as far as my diet was concerned. She also taught me about the importance of portion control.” One of the first things Grummitt ditched from her diet was Mountain Dew. Now her “go-to” drink of choice is water. Lots of water.
“I’m drinking four big bottles of water a day,” said Grummitt. “All told it’s about 80 ounces. I had to wean myself off of pop. It was a really hard habit to quit but I’m glad I did it. I’m also walking four miles a day, six days a week.” Since Grummitt committed to a lifestyle change, she’s lost about 30 pounds and has only about 15 more to go to reach her goal. “She just sparkles now and has made so many positive changes,” said Swartley. “It’s exciting to witness. She has worked very hard.” “If you start to have health problems and you are overweight it’s really important to take control,” said Grummitt. “It can be hard at times but it is doable and you feel so much better. I don’t run out of breath walking up the stairs anymore.” “Kristine’s overall health is greatly improved,” said Dr. Burgett. “She is taking better care of herself because she is now connected through our care
Monica Burgett, DO UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Cedarloo
coordinator with the right information and tools she needs to make positive changes in her life.” “I don’t think I’d have had this success without their support,” said Grummitt. They have been so encouraging to me. I’m also proud to share I am off two of the three blood pressure and cholesterol medications and I’m pretty pleased about that.”
At UnityPoint Clinics, the care coordinator is part of your health care team. All assistance and coordination is available as part of the services offered to our patients. To find a UnityPoint Clinic near you go to unitypoint.org/clinics. Health Beat | Summer 2015 |
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Sudden cardiac arrest On the morning of August 17, 2014 an Anamosa police officer arrived at the door of Joe and Mary Jo Wagner’s home.
“The police officer told me to sit down,” recalled Mary Jo. “Once I heard that – I knew the news wasn’t going to be good. She told me they took my husband, Joe, to Jones Regional Medical Center after he collapsed on the Anamosa High School’s track.” “Joe Wagner was jogging on the track when witnesses saw him go down,” said Michael Riley, MD, Jones Regional Medical Center Emergency Department (ED). “Bystanders initially could not find a pulse on him, started CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and an AED (automated external defibrillator) was used to deliver a shock to his heart. EMS (emergency medical services) arrived and gave him two additional shocks and intubated him with a temporary airway because he wasn’t breathing on his own.”
RURAL CARE CLOSE TO HOME
When Joe arrived at Jones Regional Dr. Riley and the ED team worked to provide lifesaving care. The temporary airway the EMS crew created had to be made into a definitive airway so Joe could be hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe. He was sedated and started on IV (intravenous) medications to prevent him from going back into the irregular heart rhythm. “Joe had what we call sudden cardiac death,” said Dr. Riley. “You are walking and talking and doing fine and all of a sudden you are dead. You collapse. It’s because his heart went into a rhythm, which would not pump blood to the brain and the brain shuts down and within a few minutes you die. This is what he experienced. The AED probably saved his life. If that had happened at home he might not have been so lucky.”
Joe was also fortunate because Jones Regional Medical Center was close to his home. “If the hospital wasn’t close by he would have been in serious trouble,” said Dr. Riley. “We were able to stabilize and get him the medications he needed to keep his heart in a more normal rhythm. Joe was then transported to St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids because we don’t have an Intensive Care Unit.”
HYPOTHERMIA PROTOCOL
Once Joe arrived at St. Luke’s he went directly to the heart catheterization lab where a team of specialists immediately put the hypothermia protocol into action in an attempt to save his life. “This is a therapy, which quickly cools the body temperature to 90°- 93° F,”
“ We were able to stabilize and get him the medications he needed to keep his heart in a more normal rhythm.” Michael Riley, MD, Jones Regional Medical Center Emergency Department
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Emergency care at UnityPoint Health Hospitals
said Subhi Halawa, MD, UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology. “The idea is to cool the body down to essentially decrease the metabolism to protect the brain and the rest of the organs from lack of oxygen, which causes damage. The police officer, bystanders, EMT and medical team at Jones Regional did an excellent job of restoring Joe’s circulation.” Ideally cooling should begin within four hours of cardiac arrest. Specialists, which include cardiologists, intensivists and neurologists cool the body using a cooling catheter, which is inserted into the patient’s central venous system. Therapeutic hypothermia is induced for 24 hours, and then the patient is slowly rewarmed to the body’s normal temperature. “Then we wait and see how they respond,” said Dr. Halawa. “It can be as long as three to five days before you can assess the patient. You have to give them some time to see if they will recover. It’s very heart-wrenching for families because we just don’t know how the individual will respond and if they will regain consciousness.”
“A MIRACLE” “It wasn’t looking good,” recalled Mary Jo. “On the third day I had gone to bed at the hospital thinking the next day we may be saying goodbye. Then at 1:30 a.m. one of the nurses came running into my room and said, ‘somebody wants to see you.’
Mary Jo and Joe Wagner outside their Anamosa home.
I thought I was dreaming. We went running to Joe’s room where his eyes were open. He couldn’t talk because he still had tubes in his throat but he was awake and I took his hand and didn’t let go until 5:30 a.m. when our son arrived.” “I don’t remember much of anything,” said Joe. “Everyone had to explain to me what happened. I lost about a week of memory otherwise I have no long-term effects.” “I feel like we got our miracle,” said Mary Jo. “One night after we returned home we were lying in bed and I remember Joe said to me, ‘why am I still here?’ Evidently his work is not done. We are beyond grateful to everyone for the care they gave to Joe. From the bystanders who saw
him go down on the track and started CPR, to the police officer with the AED, the team at Jones Regional who stabilized him and sent him to St. Luke’s. And to the providers at St. Luke’s - they were tremendous. The kindness of all the people we met was overwhelming and if I had one word to describe your staff it is vocation – because it seemed to be more than a job, more than a profession.” “Every day is a good day for me,” said Joe. “Whether it is snowing or raining – they are all good days.”
Learn more about heart and emergency services at a UnityPoint Health hospital near you at unitypoint.org. Health Beat | Summer 2015 |
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Amanda Olderog back on the job in Bettendorf.
High-tech hysterectomy Amanda Olderog, 39, is in a much better place than she was earlier this year. The Bettendorf woman credits the robotic hysterectomy she had in February for greatly improving her quality of life. Having surgery wasn’t an easy choice to make.
“After my third child was born, I had some complications and it was the start of abnormal bleeding for me,” said Olderog. “I tried multiple treatments to address the issue and after coping with it for four years I felt I needed a solution.”
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“Amanda had done extensive research and knew she wanted to pursue a robotic hysterectomy,” said Jerry Rozeboom, MD, OB-GYN Associates, P.C. “She was pretty certain surgery was the way she
wanted to go. We did discuss some conservative options she hadn’t tried but together we decided a robotic hysterectomy was the best option for her. After struggling with abnormal bleeding for four years she was looking for assurance that whatever we did was going to work and she wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore because it was becoming a quality of life issue.”
ROBOTIC SURGERY A robot-assisted hysterectomy is the surgical removal of a woman’s uterus using the da Vinci® surgical robot. The da Vinci uses a small 3D camera and dime-sized surgical instruments are placed inside the patient through tiny incisions. The camera gives the surgeon a magnified 360 degree view
Robotic surgery at UnityPoint Health hospitals
of the operative field. Using the console’s hand and foot controls, the surgeon remotely moves robotic arms attached to surgical instruments to perform the operation. A second surgeon is positioned at the operating table to assist with the surgery. “Robotic surgery has undergone some criticism due to the high cost of the equipment involved. I feel it’s critical that health care truly evaluate the cost of providing necessary care and determine how it can be done in the most effective way,” said Olderog. “But in the end, part of the cost of care is the time it takes to recover. Women who have robotic hysterectomies many times have less pain, go home right away and return to work and their regular lives much more quickly.” “Once we made the decision to pursue a hysterectomy – then it became what is the best way to do it and the minimally invasive surgical approaches are still the best way,” said Dr. Rozeboom. “The visualization for robotic surgery is far superior to the two-dimensional optics of laparoscopic surgery and the tiny instruments used on the robot are like little hands and allow us to do more from a surgical standpoint than we can do with two-dimensional surgery.”
“I was ready to move forward with surgery,” said Olderog. “Dr. Rozeboom indicated my issues would likely get worse as I got older and I couldn’t imagine dealing with it for another 15 years. I chose to have my surgery at St. Luke’s because they have been a leader in robotic surgery and I have a lot of respect for the program and the number of cases Dr. Rozeboom has done – all of those items influenced my decision to have the procedure at St. Luke’s.”
ROBOTIC LEADER St. Luke’s robotic surgery program began in 2005. Dr. Rozeboom has performed nearly 2,000 robotic surgeries using the da Vinci surgical robot making him one of the most experienced robotic surgeons in the country.
“Overall it was a great experience,” said Olderog. “From the first person who took me to the ambulatory room for the assessment before surgery – everyone at St. Luke’s was terrific. The whole surgical team was compassionate, helpful and made me feel very comfortable.” Olderog had her surgery on February 9 and was able to go home later that day. She missed only one week of work and had very few restrictions. A runner, she was able to complete a 5K race only four weeks after her surgery. “I am glad I went forward with the procedure,” said Olderog. “I would definitely recommend it to others. I am grateful I am able to focus my attention on those things in life that truly matter the most.”
“...the tiny instruments used on the robot are like little hands and allow us to do more from a surgical standpoint than we can do with twodimensional surgery.” Jerry Rozeboom, MD OB-GYN Associates, P.C.
Learn more about da Vinci robotic surgery at a UnityPoint Health hospital near you. Cedar Rapids: (319) 369-8209 | Dubuque: (563) 582-1881 | Waterloo: (319) 235-3499 Health Beat | Summer 2015 | 7
Surgery relieves pain in the neck
Earlier this year Dave Weig, 43, noticed some numbness and pain in his hands. It was especially concerning because of his career in information technology (IT).
to lose the feeling in my hands, which can happen if nothing is done to correct the problem.” Weig set up an appointment to talk with Dara Parvin, MD, Finley Hospital orthopedic spine surgeon. “Dave’s numbness was below his previous level of surgery,” said Dr. Parvin. “His C6 and C7 vertebra were causing issues this time. It’s common to have several levels in your neck and spine that become involved eventually because it causes pressure on your nerves, which typically leads to additional surgery on the vertebra below the previous surgery.” Dave Weig is back riding his motorcycle after spine surgery.
“I had experienced this sensation and pain two years prior - so I knew it probably wasn’t good,” explained Weig. “I have spinal stenosis, which is basically the narrowing of the open spaces within your spine. It can put pressure on your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine.” This condition prompted Weig to have neck surgery two years ago. He had his C4 and C5 vertebra fused. 8
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“After that surgery the pain and numbness never totally went away in my left hand,” said Weig. “Unfortunately I had permanent damage because I let it go on too long before I sought help. This time I was having the pain and numbness in my right hand too. I knew what the answer was going to be: surgery again. I knew I shouldn’t put off the appointment because I didn’t want
“I was aware this could happen,” said Weig. “Whenever you fuse two vertebras together, the ones above and beneath work harder, so I knew this second surgery would be coming – I just didn’t realize it would be so soon.” “Once you start experiencing weakness in your limbs, it’s important you see a doctor,” said Dr. Parvin. “The weakness and numbness can cause permanent damage if the surgery or treatment is delayed beyond a couple of weeks. When I saw Dave he was having pain and numbness in his arm and it was
Spine surgery at UnityPoint Health Hospitals
becoming worse for him. He wasn’t able to use his keyboard as well and was starting to experience a loss of those fine motor skills.”
NECK SURGERY
“I saw Dr. Parvin on a Friday and we scheduled surgery for the following Monday,” recalled Weig. “That’s how serious it was and I didn’t want it to get worse. We decided it was best to get it taken care of immediately.” “The most worrisome signs are the ones Dave experienced,” said Dr. Parvin. “Progressively losing the use of your hands is a major concern. If your handwriting is changing, you’re dropping things. Suddenly you are having a difficult time opening doors and can’t hold a milk jug. That’s not normal. Those are signs you should see a doctor who can get to the bottom of what is causing the weakness.” Weig’s surgery, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, went as planned with no complications. He stayed one night at Finley Hospital following his surgery.
RECOVERY
“My recovery this time around was so much easier than my first surgery,” said Weig. “I didn’t have as much pain after this surgery and would take ibuprofen
and be fine. Finley is a good hospital and the staff was great. Dr. Parvin was very good at explaining things in great detail and he wanted me to understand the surgery as much as he does. He let me know that as we age our spine can deteriorate so it sounds like a fair number of individuals will have some extent of spinal stenosis at some point in our lives.” Weig was off work for about a week after his surgery. He had to wear a protective hard collar around his neck for about a week and was back to riding his motorcycle not long after his procedure. “Dave did a great job of noting his symptoms and getting it checked out,” said Dr. Parvin. “I urge others to pay attention to their body. Don’t assume it’s related to aging. If you have pain, weakness and numbness in your arms or legs make sure you keep track of how long that has been occurring in case you need to have a diagnosis to know what your options are. It’s important to catch people who are in the phase where you can reverse problems. If you put it off too long it can lead to irreversible damage.” “The numbness in my right hand completely went away,” said Weig. “I feel good and I’m so glad I got on
“ If you have pain, weakness and numbness in your arms or legs make sure you keep track of how long that has been occurring in case you need to have a diagnosis to know what your options are.” Dara Parvin, MD Finley Hospital orthopedic spine surgeon
top of this sooner than I did last time. That’s the important piece – don’t put it off – you have a better chance of having the feeling come back if you address the issue right way. I’m thankful I am able to do my job and continue to do the things I enjoy like riding my motorcycle.”
Learn more about spine surgery at a UnityPoint Health hospital near you. Cedar Rapids: (319) 369-7085 | Dubuque: (563) 557-5999 | Waterloo: (319) 235-3499 Health Beat | Summer 2015 |
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Diabetes care After 53 years of marriage Marion, 90 and Virginia Moser, 76 of Garrison had a new hurdle to overcome together. Diabetes.
About twenty years ago Virginia was diagnosed with type two diabetes. “I always thought people who ate a lot of sugar are more apt to have diabetes,” said Virginia. “I don’t eat many sweets so it was initially confusing to me.” “Last fall during one of Virginia’s visits we noted a significant jump in her blood sugars,” said Amber Collum, PA, UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine Vinton. “That’s when we discovered she wasn’t checking her blood sugar and she wasn’t taking her medication.”
EMPOWERING PATIENTS
“I discovered one of the reasons Virginia was hesitant to take the medication was she had a few dizzy spells, which she attributed to the medication,” said Arnold. “The worst problems with unchecked diabetes are you could experience vision problems or have nerve and kidney damage,” said Collum. “It was important we get her diabetes under control. We met with her and her husband, Marion, to go over how to test blood sugar and what her medication needs were.”
UnityPoint Clinics added care coordinators to their medical home team to empower patients to be active participants in their health care. A care coordinator is a registered nurse who provides additional education on medication, nutrition, exercise and other topics important to a patient.
“We didn’t realize how serious her condition was,” said Marion. “I now help her and test Virginia’s blood sugar daily and remind her to take her medication twice a day.”
Care Coordinator Trisha Arnold, RN, UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine in Vinton worked with Virginia’s provider, Amber Collum, to identify barriers, which may prevent Virginia from taking care of her diabetes.
Marion and Virginia Moser (left), with Amber Collum (back right) and Trisha Arnold (bottom right).
To find a UnityPoint Clinic primary care provider in your community, visit unitypoint.org/clinics. 10 | unitypoint.org
TEAM EFFORT
“To help her avoid dizzy spells we suggested Virginia take one of her medications before bedtime and that seems to help,” said Collum. “Virginia is really doing well. Her blood sugar is now under control and Marion reports that she seems to have more energy.” “Taking care of our patients is really a team effort,” said Arnold. “I am not a diabetes educator or a dietician but work in conjunction with those professionals to be a resource for some of our rural residents who are not able to travel to a bigger city for things like diabetes education.” Now Virginia reports more energy and she and Marion have more time to devote to gardening.
Safety net
for rural communities An ordinary trip to visit her dad and stepmom last spring was anything but routine for April Bircheat, 24. April Bircheat with Jax and her two other children.
The Charles City woman was a long way from home and 34 weeks pregnant. It was supposed to be a quick trip to check out a minivan. “I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions,” said Bircheat. “I had them for some time but during my visit they were more intense. My stepmom suggested I go to Guttenberg Municipal Hospital. When I checked into the hospital it was determined I was in labor.” “April’s condition was a little more concerning because this wasn’t her first baby,” said Nathan Shaw, MD, Cornerstone Family Practice in Guttenberg. “Labor generally progresses more quickly for women who’ve already given birth and it’s impossible to predict what will happen.”
Cornerstone Family Practice doctors follow low-risk obstetric patients and prefer to deliver full term babies, between 37 to 42 weeks gestation (40 weeks is full-term) at Guttenberg Municipal Hospital. Premature infants have greater potential to require specialized care after birth and are often delivered at a hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “April was 34 weeks pregnant and progressing quickly so we made the call to transfer her to Finley Hospital in Dubuque because they have a NICU,” said Dr. Shaw. “Even though it is rare for the doctor to ride along in the ambulance, I decided this was a case where it would be warranted. If we had to deliver the baby in enroute I knew the paramedic and nurse would appreciate an extra set of hands. There would then be two patients to care for and a premature infant may require more advanced medical care.”
HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIPS “We work with Guttenberg quite a bit,” said Rebecca Richardson, Finley Family Birthing Suites director. “We are happy to take patient referrals and provide staff education support. We are currently working to establish a neonatal nurse practitioner program. These providers will care for babies in our NICU and our newborn nursery around the clock. These nurse practitioners will have support from the Dubuque pediatricians as well as St. Luke’s neonatology team in Cedar Rapids.” “Everything went well and my daughter Jax, was in the NICU for three days to monitor some respiratory issues,” said Bircheat. Today Jax is growing like a weed, gaining weight and on track developmentally.
To learn more about delivering at a UnityPoint Health Hospital, schedule your tour at unitypoint.org or call: Cedar Rapids: (319) 369-8129 | Dubuque: (563) 589-2406 | Waterloo: (319) 235-3620 To contact Guttenberg Municipal Hospital call (563) 252-1121.
Health Beat | Summer 2015 | 11
Ask the Expert What makes UnityPoint Health heart care unique? Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Each year more than one million people lose their lives from some form of heart disease, some of which may be genetic, and some are the result of lifestyle choices. UnityPoint Health is a leader in heart care. People choose UnityPoint Health when they want the best possible health care team helping them prevent, manage — and overcome — heart or vascular disease.
This cardiovascular expertise provides individuals with access to heart care experts with advanced training and a wide range of specialties that focus on the following areas:
One example of this specialized heart care is at UnityPoint Health Cedar Rapids where St. Luke’s Hospital, UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology and the cardiovascular surgeons from Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa recently announced the formation of a Heart and Vascular Institute. This collaborative relationship puts all heart care services under a single organization with physician and administrative leadership.
Cardiac and vascular surgery Cardiovascular imaging Electrophysiology Advanced heart failure treatment
The Institute treats the most complicated heart conditions and offers:
and care
Heart disease prevention Clinical trials and research Structural heart disease
(including nonsurgical cardiac valve implantation)
Coronary and vascular
therapeutics
Todd Langager, MD, Medical Director of UnityPoint Health Cedar Rapids Heart and Vascular Institute
“The creation of a Heart and Vascular Institute at UnityPoint Health Cedar Rapids provides an even higher level of specialty cardiovascular care and builds on our long history of being a leader and innovator in heart care excellence,” said Todd Langager, MD, Medical Director of UnityPoint Health Cedar Rapids Heart and Vascular Institute. “The Institute will lead to enhanced technology and additional physician training. Doctors will have the expertise to treat 95 percent of heart-related issues so patients are able to stay close to home. No longer will there be a need to seek treatment outside of Cedar Rapids for heart care because that specialized care is right here in our community.”
• Better patient experience • Better coordinated care • Reduced costs by avoiding duplication of services such as diagnostic testing • Clinical trials and research • Leading edge technology and cardiovascular care
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Learn more about UnityPoint Health Heart and Vascular Services at unitypoint.org or call: Cedar Rapids: (319) 364-7101 | Dubuque: (563) 589-2557 Waterloo: (319) 235-5045
For your Health St. Luke’s Albert G. and Helen Nassif
Radiation Center opening soon St. Luke’s Hospital and Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center patients will soon be able to receive all of their cancer treatment, including radiation therapy from one health care provider – completing the full continuum of care. Earlier this year the Iowa District Court granted St. Luke’s Hospital approval to add radiation therapy to its cancer services and treatments. More than half of patients with cancer are treated with radiation therapy. The new Radiation Center will house a TrueBeam™ Linear Accelerator, the most advanced radiation technology to treat cancers anywhere in the body. The Center will be located in a freestanding facility adjacent to Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Medical Pavilion and the Community Cancer Center. St. Luke’s freestanding radiation program will offer significantly lower costs for patients than those who receive radiation treatment within a hospital setting.
Learn more at unitypoint.org/radiation.
Expanding in Peosta to better serve you Finley Hospital is expanding with the opening of a UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine and Walk-In Care facility in Peosta this fall. The Clinic will provide a much needed family practice to the Peosta community as well as an immediate care for minor illnesses and injuries without having to schedule an appointment. The Clinic will be located on Peosta Street near the roundabout. A pharmacy will be located in the clinic, allowing patients to fill prescriptions immediately.
For the latest information on UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine and Walk-In Care in Peosta, visit unitypoint.org/Dubuque.
Urgent Care Clinic coming to Anamosa UnityPoint Clinc will open an Urgent Care Clinic this fall within Jones Regional Medical Center at 1795 Hwy. 64 East in Anamosa. “We are excited to be able to offer this new service to our community,” said Eric Briesemeister, Jones Regional Medical Center CEO.
“ This new service will be more affordable and convenient for patients than using the Emergency Room for non-life threatening urgent care.” The Urgent Care Clinic hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. No appointment will be necessary. The clinic is for treating minor illnesses and injuries.
Look for updates at unitypoint.org/Anamosa.
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Wait times online Visits to the Emergency Department happen unexpectedly and leave you wanting the best and fastest medical care. Because your time is valuable, our wait times are online so you know what to expect when you are on your way.
Why choose Allen ER?
And if your medical need isn’t an emergency – visit one of our Urgent Care clinics.
Designated Area Trauma Center by the
Allen Hospital cares for more emergency patients than any other Cedar Valley hospital
Iowa Department of Public Health
Certified Primary Stroke Center by
The Joint Commission
Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI
(percutaneous coronary intervention) by the Society of Chest Pain Centers
Check ER and Urgent Care wait times at unitypoint.org/waterloo.