Health

Free sport physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Clinic-Waukon beginning next week for all junior high and high school students who need the physical exam for participating in school sporting events. These will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Clinic the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 9 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 23 5:30-8:30 p.m.

These clinics will include all necessary documentation, including a concussion screening, for participation in all school activities.  Physicals are scheduled in one-hour segments. The clinic staff will not be administering vaccines during this time.  If those are needed for students, call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule an appointment.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) transitioned to the new EPIC Electronic Health Record two weeks ago after an entire year of preparation by hospital staff, with the help of the University of Iowa Health Care team. Patients and visitors are already seeing the advantages of this new system, especially the MyChart patient portal.

Patients may now sign-up for a MyChart account at their next appointment to either of the clinics or the hospital. Staff are available to help with the set-up process, or patients are invited to sign-up on their own, after receiving the link that is sent by the hospital and clinics.

Summer is a time of high blood demand in all communities. Donating blood is easy and one single blood donation can save the lives of up to three sick or injured hospital patients.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, July 7.  The drive will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. 

by Sheryl Darling Mooney, RN, Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care
Public Health Supervisor

It’s great to get out and enjoy the outdoors here in Allamakee and Clayton counties, but remember to be vigilant about checking yourself and others with you for ticks. Examine your skin as best you can and use a hand held mirror if available. Fine-toothed combs can also be used in helping to check your scalp. “I’d Like to Check You for Ticks”, isn’t just the catchy title to a country song, but a good idea to have someone else check the areas you can’t easily see.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Jean Gander by Don and Bonnie Cunningham, Frank and Patty Goltz and James and Jill Kiesau. Memorials were also received in memory of Pat Dougherty by Dave and Brenda Dougherty and Janie Dougherty.

Memorials were also received in memory of Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg by Ken and Rose Ann Mark; in memory of Lois Aldrich by Donald Aldrich; in memory of Ted Benda by Holly Benda; and in memory of Ralph Dougherty by Janice Dougherty.

In addition, a donation was made to the Foundation in honor of Joan Leiran’s 90th birthday by Linda Siegrist.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation. The Foundation is a 501C3 organization. All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Memorials and donations can be sent to Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.

The 32nd annual Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation Golf Tournament was held Monday, June 16, at the Waukon Golf and Country Club. A full tournament of 33 teams of three participated, each enjoying 18 holes of golf plus lunch and dinner prepared by Rich Schulte, Kris Cote’, and the Foundation Directors.

The Foundation gives credit for the success of this tournament to the many local businesses that provide great prizes so everyone participating wins. Plus, many businesses serving this area contribute as hole sponsors to the tournament making it an enjoyable, community-wide event.

Free sport physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Clinic-Waukon in July for all junior high and high school students who need the physical for participating in school sporting events. These exams will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Clinic the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 9 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 23 5:30-8:30 p.m.

These clinics will include all necessary documentation, including a concussion screening, for participation in all school activities.  Physicals are scheduled in one-hour segments. The clinic staff will not be administering vaccines during this time. If those are needed for students, call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule an appointment.

The new EPIC Electronic Health Record has been live for one week, after an entire year of preparation by the hospital and clinic staff, with the help of the University of Iowa Health Care team. 

One of the biggest advantages of transitioning to the EPIC system is the availability of the MyChart patient portal. Many individuals in the area already have a MyChart account from other health care facilities. Veterans Memorial Hospital is now linked with this portal. 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Dave Duncklee by Jim and Jill Kiesau, Meg Schaller and Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

Memorials were also received in memory of Lawrence and Pat Powell by Ken and Gloria Krambeer, Kevin and Ann Quillin and Mary Beth Regan. 

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Raymond Riek by Carl and Betty Christianson and Bob and Karen Fossum; and in memory of Carol Wieland by Ken and Gloria Krambeer, Allan and Fern Rissman and Wayne Rissman.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation.  The Foundation is a 501C3 organization. All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Memorials and donations can be sent to 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.

For questions about donating to the Foundation, contact Beth Shafer, Growth and Development Coordinator, at 563-568-3411.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) hosted its biannual Safety Day Camp Wednesday, June 4 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. This day camp drew a record crowd of nearly 170 children ages seven to 14 from area communities for a day-long session on how to take responsibility for their own safety, respect parents’ safety rules and share safety tips with their family and friends.