Fogle Joins Victor Health Center

Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s clinic in Victor welcomes Cori Fogle, PA-C, who will become the primary provider there beginning June 1, 2014.

Fogle brings more than 13 years of experience to the clinic, most recently at GRMC’s Lynnville Medical Clinic. Before joining GRMC, she worked seven years at the Webster City Medical Clinic in Webster City, Iowa. She also worked at a rural health clinic in Keota for four years after completing her physician assistant master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center in Oklahoma City. Fogle also received her bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa before pursuing her PA degree at the University of Oklahoma.

For the past several months, Fogle has also been filling in at the Victor Health Center and found that she enjoys the community very much. The community has also appreciated her practice style.  

“We go to the Victor Health Center for our family care needs. I did see Cori once this year and am glad to have a provider. I think the clinic in Victor is really good,” says Peggy Hilligas, Brooklyn.

Fogle grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and her husband grew up in What Cheer. They have four children, ages 5, 9, 16, and 17. When she’s not practicing medicine, she spends her time at her children’s activities. She also enjoys cross stitching, gardening, and exercising. She’s known to support both ISU and U of I teams because she has family members who have attended both universities. She has been active in the communities where she has lived by serving on various boards and committees.

“I have been filling in at the Victor Health Center since November 2013 for one to three days a week. I have really enjoyed the patients and the staff here,” says Fogle. “This is a really nice clinic and the community is very supportive. Deb, Jo, and I work really well together and I think we will be able to provide excellent care to this community and all the surrounding communities.”

“We are very pleased Cori will be joining our team in Victor. She is an excellent healthcare professional and we know she will be quite successful,” said Todd Linden, GRMC president and CEO. “It has been such a pleasure to have our clinic in Victor and we appreciate very much the partnership we enjoy with the Victor Health Center Board.”

Beginning June 1, clinic hours will change slightly. The new hours will be:

§  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

§  Wednesday – 8 a.m. to noon.

To schedule an appointment with Fogle, call the Victor Health Center at 319-647-7511. 

Blue Jean Ball Nets National Award

GRMC’s second Blue Jean Ball has earned a bronze award from the Thirty-First Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards.

This year more than 3,700 entries were received. A national panel of judges reviewed entries based on creativity, quality, message effectiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design, and overall impact. Gold awards were given to 297 entries; silver awards to 279 entries; and bronze awards to 252 entries.

Other Iowa winners included the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, Unity Point, St. Luke’s Hospital, and Mary Greeley Medical Center. National winners included AARP, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Johns Hopkins HealthCare.

“This award is a testament to the volunteers who helped plan this event,” says Laura Nelson Lof, GRMC marketing specialist who helped coordinate the effort. “It is truly a labor of love.”

The Blue Jean Ball was held in September 2013 and had more than 400 people in attendance. The event raised just under $34,000 for the Moving at the Speed of Life campaign.

GRMC Foundation Board Elects New Officers

GRMC Foundation Board Elects New Officers

The Grinnell Regional Medical Center Foundation Board elected new officers at their regular meeting on April 16, 2014.

Sally Lang is now leading the board as chair. Serving as chair-elect is Dave Vander Linden. Susan Witt is the new secretary-treasurer for the Foundation Board.

These officers lead a 20-member board of directors in providing direction, vision, and strategic planning for the GRMC Foundation.

The GRMC Foundation Board includes the officers listed above as well as Sig Barber, Lorna Caulkins, Dr. David Cranston, Dennis Day, George Drake, Joanie Heimsoth, Sheila Latcham, Leila Maring, Chad Nath, Debby Pohlson, Sally Smith,  Nancy Walters Smith, Vic Wilson of Grinnell; Brian Manatt of Brooklyn; Pat Supple of Montezuma; and Leonard Seda, DVM of Victor.  Ex officio members of the board include Sheila Latcham, representative of the GRMC Auxiliary and Todd Linden, GRMC President and CEO.

Cutline: Pictured from left to right are Sally Lang, Susan Witt, and Dave Vander Linden.

New CT Installed at GRMC

 New CT Installed at GRMC

Grinnell Regional Medical Center installed a new 64-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner at the end of March. This new Hitachi unit provides excellent image quality across a wide range of routine and advanced diagnostic tests and uses dose reduction technology to maintain patient safety.

“GRMC has offered CT scanning as a diagnostic tool to physicians for many years. As with all medical technology, the advancements grow dramatically very quickly,” says Jaremy Douglas, RT(R) (CT). “Our patients will discover the benefits of faster scanning speed—especially those who are in distress.”

“For the staff performing the scans, the new unit offers improved software, which allows images to be read sooner by doctors. A faster scan time, along with our new dual injector, allows for reduced amounts of IV contrast to be given to CT patients while providing more detailed studies,” Douglas adds.

The CT is a noninvasive procedure that uses specialized x-ray equipment to produce cross-sectional images of the body. Each cross-sectional image represents a “slice” of the person being imaged, like the slices in a loaf of bread. These cross-sectional images are used for a variety of diagnostic purposes such as finding or identifying infections, masses or tumors, and disease or trauma to internal organs, brain, spine, and abdomen.

The primary benefits of the new CT at GRMC include:

·        Rapid table movement

·        Faster positioning time

·        A wider and more comfortable bed

The ultra-wide tabletop moves laterally as well as up/down to comfortably accommodate disabled and elderly patients. The enlarged opening allows for easier scanning of obese patients. And the slim depth provides openness, comfort, and peace-of-mind to anxious and young patients. All the features together provide enhanced patient access for clinical staff.

Richard Heishman, of rural Grinnell, was one of the first GRMC patients to use the new scanner. Due to a health condition, he has experienced two CTs at GRMC – one on the old CT scanner several years ago and another on the new scanner.

After the recent scan, Heishman says, “It was better. I thought it was faster and more quiet compared to the previous scan.”

 “The unit we just replaced was almost 10 years old and was a 16-slice scanner. A 64-slice unit is the industry gold standard now. A 128-slice unit is already in use at a few teaching institutions in the country; however, the data doesn’t support the diagnostic benefit for the cost,” Douglas says.

GRMC was able to proceed with the purchase of this unit because of a generous $100,000 gift by a Grinnell couple to Moving at the Speed of Life: A Comprehensive Campaign for GRMC. Additional donations are being sought to fully fund this important diagnostic tool at GRMC.

“We’re so fortunate to have donors who have supported the purchase of equipment like the new 64-slice CT that will improve patient comfort, speed of exams, and reduce exposure during the test. Our patients will appreciate this addition to GRMC,” says Douglas.

The fund-raising effort has raised $2.61 million toward the $7.5 million goal. Gifts to Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Moving at the Speed of Life comprehensive campaign will fund: emergency department renovations; the new urgent care clinic; new chemotherapy and infusion department; new surgical robotic system; new CT scanner; wellness department’s move to Postels Community Health Park, the endowment for the mental health center; and replacement of equipment in obstetrics, radiology, patient rooms, and nutrition services.

For more information about the fund-raising effort, please contact Denise Lamphier, director of communications and development, at 641-236-2589 or dlamphier@grmc.us.

Morrison Complete Clinical Pastoral Education

Morrison Completes Clinical Pastoral Education

Keith Morrison, Grinnell Regional Medical Center chaplain, completed an intensive Clinical Pastoral Education course that will expand the depth of the spiritual wellness program at GRMC.

The 15-week course taught participants ways to structure spiritual services within a hospital setting. Spiritual care can be a vital component of the care of patients and their families. The course include training in crisis, breaking bad news, grief, behavioral health, understanding conflict, diversity, love languages, and hospice, and caring for pediatric patients.

Morrison, as part of the class, provided on-call chaplaincy services to Iowa Methodist patients for 24 hours each month during the five-month program. In this role he responded to traumas, deaths, and any other call for a chaplain.

As the GRMC chaplain, Morrison splits his time between Grinnell Regional Hospice and inpatients at GRMC. Morrison will use this training to further expand the spiritual care services at GRMC to help create pastoral plans for patients. GRMC also uses volunteer chaplains from various faith institutions in Grinnell who rotated through an on-call schedule so patients have 24 hour access to pastoral care.

 For more information on the Spiritual Care services at GRMC, call 641-236-2418. 

Spring Cleaning Your Medicine Cabinet

Spring Cleaning Your Medicine Cabinet

On April 26 Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Pharmacy department and the Grinnell Police Department will offer the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

As part of a national campaign, GRMC and the Grinnell Police Department are partnering to help dispose of prescription pills safely and correctly. This community initiative hopes to make homes safer by preventing prescription medication abuse. It also helps prevent the consumption of expired or inappropriate drugs. Anyone may bring medications for safe, proper disposal between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Spring Street side of the Grinnell Public Safety Building, 1020 Spring St.

 “This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” says Lisa Hart, PharmD, GRMC pharmacist. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Our goal is to reduce the risk of drug misuse and protect the environment.”

GRMC’s pharmacy staff will give away a tote or cooler to individuals who dispose of medications at the Take Back event. 

The medications that are brought in during this one-day national blitz will be incinerated. This is considered the safest manner to dispose of medications.  The collection site will accept all medications – pill, powder, or liquid form. They cannot accept “sharps,” which are needles, syringes, and lancets.

GRMC will have a pharmacist available at the collection as well as Grinnell PD officer Fred Foreman. This program is free.

Grief Support Program Scheduled

Grief Support Program Scheduled

Grinnell Regional Hospice is offering a new grief support group session this spring. This group is designed for individuals who have experienced the loss of a loved one or friend. It provides a safe place for people to accept and move through the grieving process.

Gatherings will be held on Wednesdays, beginning April 30 through May 28.  They will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Drake Community Library, 930 Park Street, Grinnell.

This group is open to anyone who has lost a loved one. It supports participants through the emotions, reactions, and experiences that follow the death of someone close.  The group will provide a place for individuals to explore their grief and gain support from others who are also in the grieving process. 

This group will be facilitated by Beth Gallegos, social worker with Grinnell Regional Hospice. There is no fee to participate, but interested persons must pre-register by calling Grinnell Regional Hospice at 641-236-2418.