Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon was recently notified of its 5-Star Rating for Patient Care Transitions, making them one of the 189 top hospitals for Care Transitions in the United States. This is awarded according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) results from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). HCAHPS is a national, standardized survey used by most hospitals, including Veterans Memorial Hospital, for hospital patients to rate their experiences during a recent inpatient hospital stay.

The primary CMS measurement for Care Transitions in hospitals assesses how well patients feel prepared for discharge from the hospital. This includes these three key areas: whether patient and family’s preferences were accounted for in the care plan, whether patients understood their role in self-management after discharge, and whether appropriate medication education was provided.

January is Radon Awareness Month in Iowa. Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that causes no immediate health symptoms, but long-term exposures can cause lung cancer.  It comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil. Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building.

All of Iowa is considered to have unsafe levels of radon, however, Allamakee County is prone to have even higher numbers due to the fractured bedrock and karst topography under our feet. Fractures in the bedrock create small cracks and fissures that allow radon to move easier through the stone and soils and make entry into homes.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately six million children in the United States have asthma, making it one of the most common chronic conditions in childhood. During the winter, parents are reminded to be vigilant about asthma management in children.
Eric Schauberger, DO, pediatric allergy specialist at Emplify Health by Gundersen, highlights the importance of recognizing asthma triggers during the colder months.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, January 16, at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of the hospital in Waukon.

This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or who has a friend or loved one with diabetes.  For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call  Angie Mettille, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

Swing bed skilled care is available for many patients following hospitalizations. With the growing number of Medicare patients electing to have total joint replacement surgery, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) is seeing more Medicare patients choose the swing bed skilled care option with great results. This is an especially helpful way to stay safe during the snow and ice of the winter months.

Patients can chose to remain hospitalized on a swing bed/skilled level of care instead of being discharged directly to their home and needing 24 hour a day care. The patient can choose to stay and receive that type of care right in the hospital without wearing out their spouse or caregiver.

The number of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in this area has dwindled over the years as licensed EMTs have retired. Allamakee and northern Clayton Counties are fortunate to have many emergency response services, but nearly all of them are in need of more EMTs on their service to share the call time, ensuring local emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) will be offering a face-to-face EMT Class in Waukon beginning January 13. Enthusiastic, willing volunteers wanting to truly help people are needed to fill this class. The class will meet two nights per week, Mondays and Wednesdays, from 6-10 p.m. and clinicals will be held in person.  Students who successfully complete this class and the certification examination will be able to volunteer on their own community’s ambulance service or rescue squad, as well as be prepared for careers in emergency services.

The local Grief Support Group will be holding their monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Tuesday, January 14, at 4 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital.  (Note the 4 p.m. start time. This will continue for the January and February Grief Support Group meetings, then will return to 5 p.m. in the spring.)

This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support meets the second Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, January 16, at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of the hospital.

This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or has a friend or loved one with diabetes.  For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, feel free to call  Angie Mettille, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

After completing roughly 40 hours of coursework and exams, Amy Robinson, MS, PT, CWCP, has become a Certified Wound Care Professional. Having treated wounds for several years, Robinson felt it was time to advance her degree and go the extra mile to receive the certification.

“I started this process in June and soon realized the material was very in-depth and took much longer than expected to get through all of it,” states Robinson. “In November, I had a free weekend and spent the final hours pouring through the material and taking exams.”  Robinson successfully completed the wound care certification process and now feels confident in her ability to treat most wounds.

Spots are still available for the face-to-face Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Class in Waukon beginning in January. This class is not offered locally each year, so the fact it will be held in Waukon is an advantage and convenience. This 138-hour course will conclude in May. Registration for the class must be completed prior to the orientation night on January 13.

The number of EMTs in this area has dwindled over the years as licensed EMTs have retired. Allamakee and northern Clayton Counties are fortunate to have many emergency response services, but nearly all of them are in need of more EMTs on their service to share the call time, ensuring local emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.