GRMC Takes Reins at Deer Creek

Following six months of planning and transition work, the Deer Creek Family Care clinic will begin operation under the management of Grinnell Regional Medical Center on Wednesday, June 1.

“Through this transition we have focused on the patients’ experience and our employees,” explains Dave Ness, GRMC vice-president. “We’re maintaining services and hours to make the transition seamless to our patients. For example, in the future a patient’s statement will come from Deer Creek instead of the University of Iowa Community Medical Services Professional Office Services.”

The majority of employees decided to join GRMC in the transition. GRMC welcomes Tracey Bradley, RN; Julie Breya, LPN; Donna Fish, LPN; Sherry Parks, PA; and Cindy Steuhm. Emil Pecholt, DO, and Kenne Hoskey will not continue with GRMC. Sherry Parks will serve as the primary provider and GRMC will make available medical staff support to meet the needs of patients.

To complete the conversion, the Deer Creek Family Care office will need to close for one day – Wednesday, June 1 – for computer and records transfers. The clinic hours will remain the same for the summer, Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The Deer Creek Family Care clinic will continue as a primary care clinic addressing general medicine, women’s health, preventive healthcare and screenings for adults, health promotion, and wellness services. The staff provides care such as an annual physical, well-baby check, broken bones, cuts, pneumonia, or managing a chronic illness. The clinic accepts same-day appointments for urgent care needs and provides vaccinations including flu vaccines.

GRMC also announces that Sheryl Rutledge, a Tama resident who has worked for GRMC for 14 years, has been selected to serve as the Rural Health Clinics director. She will oversee Deer Creek Health Center and GRMC’s other three rural clinics.

The Deer Creek Family Care is located at the Deer Creek Health Center, 401 First Ave., Toledo. The Deer Creek Health Center also houses Deer Creek Specialty Clinic with visiting specialists, Deer Creek Dental, and Deer Creek Wellness and Rehab.  For more information on Deer Creek Health Center or any of the health services call 641-484-2602.

22nd Annual GRMC Golf Outing on July 22

Grinnell Regional Medical Center will host its 22nd annual golf outing on Friday, July 22, at the Grinnell Golf and Country Club. This annual event brings together supporters from both the community and GRMC business partners. Participants in the four-person best ball scramble will enjoy raffle prizes, flight prizes, lunch, and beverages on the course as well as hole contests.

For 2011, GRMC will introduce new activities, return to a few traditions, and build a little friendly competition. The GRMC golf outing will return with two tee-off times. Beginning at 8:30 a.m., golfers will play 9 holes for a reduced price. The afternoon game will tee off at noon for 18 holes. GRMC will also offer a $500 cash prize to the first golfer to get a hole-in-one on Hole # 2 and #11, thanks to a sponsorship by Bernie Lowe and Associates. New for the outing, golfers will play Beat the Pro on Hole #2 with Golf Pro Mitch Burr, Move Up on Hole #6, and a new fashion judging contest for both the best dressed golfer and the most obnoxiously dressed golfer.

This year local golfers from Poweshiek County will compete for a best local team award. Area businesses will be able to compete for bragging rights and an award to prove their skills.

Golfers and teams may register by calling GRMC’s office of communications and development at 641-236-2946 or by going online at http://tinyurl.com/grmcgolf. Registration fees are $40 for 9 holes in the morning and $85 for 18-holes in the afternoon. Carts are $15 in the morning and $30 in the afternoon. Deadline for registration is July 15 or until the golf slots are filled.

Sponsors making this event possible include Associated Computer Systems, Bernie Lowe and Associates, Grinnell State Bank, and JELD-WEN at the Eagle level; Baldwin White Architects, Grinnell College, Grinnell Golf and Country Club, Great Western Bank, Health Enterprise, Mercy Health Network, and Todd Linden at the Birdie level; Electronic Engineering, HyVee, and Jensen Optometrists at the 19th Hole Sponsorship level; as well as flight and hole prizes by Ahrens Park Foundation, ASI, Cirks Financial, Gronwold Bell and Kyhnn & Co., HyVee, Julin Printing, KJWW Engineering Consultants, and Poweshiek Publications.

A group of community members are helping plan this year’s event including Scott Collings, OD; Mary Duke; Becky Froias; Scott Gilbert; Jeff Knobloch, DO; and Darcy Swick along with GRMC’s office of communications and development staff Jeanette Budding, Denise Lamphier, and Jan Veach.

Three Join GRMC Foundation Board

Leonard Seda, Victor; Jan Hansen, Montezuma; and Carol Jordan, Grinnell; are new members of the GRMC Foundation Board.

Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Foundation Board added three new members at their May 12 meeting. Jan Hansen, Carol Jordan, and Leonard Seda joined the board that makes decisions about the hospital endowment and fund-raising efforts.

Hansen retired after working at Brownells for more than 25 years. She and her husband, Jim, are long-time Montezuma farmers. Jordan is the past-president of Grinnell Regional Auxiliary and is serving as an ex-officio member of the board for a two-year term. Jordan retired as the director of network services for the company formerly known as GTE. Seda is a retired veterinarian from Victor. He is a member of the Victor Community Development Association and was instrumental in helping GRMC establish the Victor Health Center.

“Every member of the GRMC foundation board provides valuable guidance and leadership for GRMC’s fundraising efforts and management of the foundation’s endowment,” says Denise Lamphier, director of communications and development. “They serve as a liaison within their communities on behalf of GRMC as well.”

The 2011 officers for the foundation board are George Drake, chair; Sally Lang, chair-elect; and Julie Gosselink, secretary/treasurer.

Other foundation board members are: Dan Agnew; Sig Barber; Orville Bloethe; Warren Bower, MD; Pete Brownell; Jenny Erickson; Jack Gustafson; Ed Hatcher; Joanie Heimsoth; Clark Jensen, OD; Mark Kennett, Dianne Latimer; Todd C. Linden; Leila Maring; Nancy Walters Smith; Sally Smith; Pat Supple; Dave Vander Linden; and Victor Wilson, MD.

The medical center is currently engaged in a handful of fund-raising activities for which the board provides guidance, including the annual fund drive, the golf outing, this year’s Blue Jean Ball, and planned giving activities.

GRMC Auxiliary Announce Scholarship Recipients

From left, Marisa Bushong and Amanda Albertsen. 

Not pictured: Tilly Schmidt, Bailey Zegers, and Kali Montgomery.

The Grinnell Regional Medical Center Auxiliary introduced the five $1,000 scholarship winners at the annual membership spring luncheon on April 13. The GRMC auxiliary provides scholarships to new high school graduates as well as adults returning to advanced education in a healthcare field.

The 2011 GRMC Auxiliary Scholarship recipients are:

Amanda Albertsen, Tama. She will graduate from South Tama County High School in May.  She has been accepted to attend the University of Iowa where she plans to major in biology and pre-med. Her parents are David and Nancy Albertsen.

Tilly Schmidt, South English. Schmidt is in her third year at Mt. Mercy College where she is studying nursing. She is the daughter of Richard Schmidt.

Bailey Zegers, Sully.  She is a 2009 graduate of Lynnville-Sully High School and is currently a nursing student at Mt. Mercy College.  She is the daughter of Brad Zegers and Denise Williams.

Kali Montgomery, Brooklyn.  She will graduate from BGM High School in May, and will attend Luther College to study nursing.  She is the daughter of Kyle and Marna Montgomery.

Marisa Bushong, Montezuma.  Bushong will graduate from the Montezuma Community School in May, and will study nursing at DMACC and Allen College. She is the daughter of Rex and Kim Bushong.

Congratulations to these 2011 scholarship winners. For more information about the GRMC Auxiliary and scholarship program, call 641-236-2588.

GRMC Wins Gold in Competition

Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s 2010 Women’s Health Focus and Baby Fair earned a gold award with the Aster Awards. The GRMC Office of Communications and Development entered the special event category for the competition and received notice of its gold rating.

The Aster Awards, one of the largest national competitions of its kind, is hosted by Marketing Healthcare Today Magazine and Creative Images, Inc. This elite program recognizes outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their advertising/marketing efforts for the calendar year 2010.

 “Our Women’s Health Focus and Baby Fair was a huge success last fall and this award for the promotional materials supports that success. Our committee for this event includes GRMC staff and GRMC Auxiliary members working to produce an event that women of all ages will love,” explains Denise Lamphier, GRMC director of communications and development. “This is a great honor to be recognized nationally for this event.”

All entries for each category are placed together for judging by a panel of design and healthcare marketing professionals with decades of combined experience. Entries are judged on: creativity, layout/design, typography, production, quality & overall effectiveness. Participant’s entries competed against similar-sized organizations in their category. Entries must score at least in the top 16 percent to receive an award.

All winners are posted on the Aster Awards website (www.AsterAwards.com), as well as published in Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.

GRMC to Distribute Bike Helmets

Spring time brings out bicyclists and the annual bicycle helmet giveaway to more than 500 area third graders. Grinnell Regional Medical Center will once again lead the distribution of free helmets, provided by the GRMC medical staff along with GRMC, area businesses, and individuals.

Bicycling can be fun, healthy, and a great form of independence but it’s important to remember safety. GRMC and the area sponsors are commitment to avoiding head-injuries by teaming up to give a new bicycle helmet to each third grader in the GRMC service area. This year 520 helmets will be given away. Over the previous 15 years, 3,851 students in the GRMC service area have received a free bike helmet.

At each distribution an educational program is presented to emphasize the importance of wearing a helmet and to teach bicycle safety.  Children who use helmets as soon as they begin riding are more likely to continue that healthy behavior throughout their lifetime.

Helmets are given out in 12 school districts covering – BGM, Central Iowa Christian Academy, East Marshall, GMG, Grinnell/Newburg, Lynnville/Sully, Meskwaki Settlement, Montezuma, North Mahaska, Sully Christian, South Tama, and Victor (HLV).

Craig Cooper of Bikes to You, GRMC employees and medical staff, and in some communities like Grinnell, the Grinnell Police department staff, will visit the schools and fit a helmet to each third-grade student as well as discuss the importance of preventing head injury and safety rules.

Financial supporters of the bike helmet distribution in addition to GRMC and the GRMC Medical staff include Claude W. Ahrens Charitable Trust, Grinnell Bicycle Club, Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, Grinnell State Bank, Lion’s Club of Sully, State Bank of Toledo, Wes Finch Auto Plaza, and the Michael and Susan Witt Foundation.

Biking Safety Tips
Make bicycling safer for all by observing the following safety tips:

• Always wear a helmet
• Obey all traffic controls
• Ride your bicycle near the right-hand edge of the road
• Be seen so wear something that reflects light and avoid riding at night
• Never carry another person on your bicycle
• Always use hand signals when turning or stopping
• Look out for cars at cross street, driveways, and parking places
• Be careful when checking traffic and don’t swerve when looking over your shoulder
• Give pedestrians the right-of-way
• Keep your bicycle in good condition
• Always ride carefully

Remember a bicycle is a vehicle. Bicyclists share the road with other larger forms of transportation. Children under 10 years old should not ride on the street.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Adventuresports.com