Ultrasound expertise at Veterans Memorial Hospital; Services available during COVID-19
Ultrasound services have resumed at VMH ... Pictured is Mike Larson, long-time ultrasound technician at Veterans Memorial Hospital, with Stephanie Iverson of Waukon, who has returned to the hospital for a fourth ultrasound experience since she is expecting her fourth child. Larson has performed all of Iverson’s ultrasounds with Larson’s specialty experience spanning over 40 years in that service. Submitted photo.
Ultrasounds are another one of the many outpatient services that have resumed at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Ultrasounds for maternity services as well as abdominal, vascular and cardiac screens are all performed routinely at the hospital with all COVID-19 precautions being taken each and every time.
Mike Larson of Postville has been performing ultrasounds at Veterans Memorial Hospital for over 40 years. He began his professional career at St. Francis Medical Center, now Mayo, in La Crosse, WI, where he worked for seven years. Following, he began working for Clinical Ultrasound Services, traveling northeast Iowa performing ultrasounds at many different health care facilities each week. Upon the retirement of the owner of that business, Larson chose to continue his career as a full-time technician at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
“I chose to become a full-time employee and continue my career at VMH because they have a wonderful, caring staff and I still really enjoy working in ultrasound,” states Larson. “I think it is the dedicated staff who have a passion for their work and for caring for people that make the care so great at Veterans Memorial Hospital.”
When Clinical Ultrasound Services ceased, the hospital added ultrasound as an in-house service, available five days a week. Rachel Wagner of Monona is the other full-time ultrasound provider on the hospital staff.
Amanda Leiran is the Radiology Supervisor at Veterans Memorial Hospital and was instrumental in bringing this service in-house. She states, “Mike is an extremely knowledgeable man when it comes to ultrasound. Our community is so blessed to have someone with so much experience right here at home. He is such a kind-hearted man and would honestly do anything for anyone. He is always striving to provide exceptional care for all of his patients.”
Over the years, Larson has performed ultrasounds on many of the same patients and even from one generation to the next. Stephanie Iverson of Waukon, pictured in the photo at right during an ultrasound procedure, has had Larson as her ultrasound technician for all four of her children, with number four coming this fall.
“I have had all of my ultrasounds with all my pregnancies at Veterans Memorial Hospital, this one included. All of them have been wonderful experiences,” states Iverson. “Mike has been my technician for all of them. He has always been very informative, calm and is very easy to talk with during the ultrasounds.”
“I have had lots of great experiences at the hospital with my deliveries, with a few ER visits with kids (of course), and my youngest had pneumonia several times making for a few overnight stays at VMH as well,” adds Iverson. “Every department we have had to deal with has always been very attentive to our needs and also has gone above and beyond what they needed to do to make us comfortable. The staff has done a great job with safety measures now too due to COVID-19, but it was still very easy to get what I needed done at the hospital.”
Dr. Dave Schwartz, one of the delivering physicians at Veterans Memorial Hospital, refers his patients for ultrasounds to the Radiology Department and has worked with Larson for years. He states, “Mike is, without question, the most experienced ultrasound tech I’ve ever worked with. He is capable of the entire spectrum of ultrasound use and on top of that is a genuinely kind, caring person to work with. I trust and rely on his input on patient care. He’s just a tremendous asset to our hospital and community.”
Larson fell in love with ultrasound when he was in x-ray school during a week rotation in that specialty. He has taken his career to great heights with over 40 years of clinical, hands-on experience. He is currently registered in four different ultrasound categories: OB/GYN, cardiac, abdominal and vascular, and his years of experience have made his skills very sharp.
“Having the opportunity to work at both large and small hospitals over the years, I have found I really enjoy the smaller hospitals,” adds Larson. “In small hospitals, I think both the staff and patients feel a much more personal touch.”
For inquiries on the ultrasound services offered at Veterans Memorial Hospital, call the Radiology Department at 563-568-3411 or visit with a local health care provider.
