Annual GRMC Auxiliary Fund Raiser Set

Yellow tags will flutter everywhere on Friday, Sept. 19, when the Grinnell Regional Medical Center Auxiliary hosts its annual Tag Day. This event has been a GRMC Auxiliary tradition for 90 years where area residents are asked to make a donation in exchange for the bright yellow tags.

“We are so proud of the strong support our auxiliary and the hospital receive from the communities we serve,” says Shannon Reding, president, GRMC Auxiliary. “Tag Day is such a wonderful tradition and along with other fundraisers, it allows us to make significant contributions to GRMC. We continue to work toward our pledge of $150,000 for the Moving at the Speed of Life campaign and we hope the community will support this year’s Tag Day.”

Area residents from all the communities in the GRMC service area are encouraged to stop at participating businesses or collection places to make a donation. Tables will be set up in Brooklyn, Grinnell, Montezuma, Toledo, and Victor. Tags will be sold at GRMC clinics in Lynnville, in Toledo at Deer Creek Health Center, and in Victor. Patriot Bank in Brooklyn will have volunteers selling tags. In Grinnell, look for auxiliary members at GRMC, Casa Margaritas,  Fareway, HyVee, Lonnski’s, McNally’s, Medicap Pharmacy, Pioneer Bookstore, Pizza Ranch, Post Office, Saints Rest, Walmart.

Tag Day supports the auxiliary’s projects every year as they have for generations. Funding for the Grinnell Regional Babies Room program for new mothers, hospital tours with area first-graders, and an extensive healthcare scholarship program are among the ongoing projects supported by the auxiliary. This is all done in addition to their goal to be a positive influence on the patient experience at GRMC through patient and volunteer services.

For more information or to be an auxiliary Tag Day volunteer, call 641-236-2588.

GRMC's 2013 Annual Report Available

Grinnell Regional Medical Center released its annual report, “Transformation,” that summarizes the hospital’s activities and finances during 2013. The annual report can be found online at www.grmc.us.

This year’s report focuses on the transformation of healthcare both nationally and locally through landmark changes such as the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, advances in medical technology, improvements in standards of care, and the notable concept of keeping people healthy and out of the hospital as much as possible. The report also takes a glance back at 2003 to compare the changes seen at GRMC over the past ten years.

In 2013, GRMC welcomed four new medical staff members: Lauren Graham, MD, internal medicine; Monica Brito, MD, FACOG, obstetrics/gynecology; Lacey Nicol, CRNA, anesthesia provider; Melisa Coaker, MD, sleep medicine specialist, which allowed GRMC to re-open the sleep lab at GRMC for sleep disorder diagnosis.

Additionally, GRMC welcomed George Papineau, PharmD, as pharmacy director. Lisa Hart, PharmD, also joined the pharmacy staff.

New clinics and services offered included Grinnell Regional Mental Health, Manatt Family Urgent Care, and GRMC Auxiliary and Infusion Suite.

 “Area residents want and deserve modern diagnostic and treatment equipment to feel confident that they receive the best care. GRMC chose to invest in these technologies for the benefit of area residents,” says Bill Menner, chair of the GRMC Board of Directors. “With significant lead gifts to the Moving at the Speed of Life comprehensive campaign, we were able to move forward with several projects that GRMC would otherwise not be able to fund without community financial support.”

GRMC admitted 1,604 inpatients and 144,790 outpatients in 2013, including laboratory procedures, radiology procedures, chemotherapy procedures, sleep studies, and surgical procedures.

Total operating revenue from all sources totaled more than $42,814,657 – this includes patient charges, grants, and other revenue. However, the medical center is not able to collect all the patient charges, primarily due to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policy and commercial insurance deductions. Because of the size and location of the medical center, GRMC is severely disadvantaged compared to other rural hospitals in Medicare payments. In 2013, GRMC had total expenses of $44,920,894, which brought GRMC to end the year with a loss of $2.1 million.

 “Despite the financial challenges GRMC faced in 2013, the organization continued to provide high quality, safe, and efficient care,” says Todd Linden, GRMC President and CEO. “GRMC was again recognized by The Leapfrog Group and by AARP magazine as one of the nation’s safest hospitals. We are very proud of these distinctions.”

For the complete financial report, the lists of donors, and successes in 2013, go to www.grmc.us. Click on the “About Us” link, then the “Annual Reports” link.

For a printed copy of our donors or more information, please contact Jan Veach, GRMC office of communications and development, at jveach@grmc.us or 641-236-2946.

ENT Physician Added to Visiting Specialty Clinic

Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Visiting Specialty Clinic welcomes Michael J. Reed, MD, otolaryngologist with ENT Medical Service, based in Iowa City. He recently joined the practice that includes Jeremy D. Vos, MD, who provides ENT services in Grinnell weekly. 

Reed began seeing patients in Grinnell in early August. Initially, he will see patients two times a month but will increase clinic hours if needed. He also plans to perform surgical procedures in Grinnell. 

Reed recently completed an otolaryngology residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, La. For his bachelor’s degree, he graduated Manga Cum Laude from Louisiana State University A&M, Baton Rouge, La.

“We’re glad to welcome Dr. Reed to Grinnell and expand the availability of an ENT doctor to meet area needs,” says Dave Ness, GRMC vice-president.

For an appointment, speak with your primary care provider or call ENT Medical Services at 319-351-5680. 

Giving Gardens Supply MICA

The bountiful Giving Garden at Grinnell Regional Medical Center supplies fresh, locally grown produce to the Mid-Iowa Community Action food pantry. The Giving Gardens, one of the many Community Transformation Grant projects, encourages county residents to improve their health by eating more fresh produce.

Community Transformation Grant funds helped purchase the refrigerator at MICA as well as gardening tools for three different gardens. The GRMC and St. John’s Lutheran Church garden have been harvesting excess produce that has been shared with MICA. Area gardeners are also welcome to drop off excess produce at MICA.

The goal is to sustain Giving Gardens after the grant ends in September 2014. By purchasing the refrigerator and gardening tools, area organizations such as GRMC and churches will be able to continue supplying fresh produce for many years and MICA will be better able to store and distribute fresh produce.

“We are very appreciative of the Community Transformation Grant and the generosity of those that helped make the purchase of this glass front refrigerator possible,” says Paula Arkema, MICA county director. “We have already had many local residents donate items from their gardens. This is a great opportunity to help individuals and families have access to fresh produce and promote healthy eating.”

The Poweshiek County Transformation Grant funds the promotion of system level and community design changes, worksite wellness, community complete-street initiatives, community-based food environment projects, and smoke-free multi-unit housing initiatives to improve the health of residents in the county. It is administered locally through GRMC.

#1 Photo cutline: GRMC’s Daycamp participants harvested tomatoes, zucchini, beans, peppers, and beets from GRMC’s Giving Garden.

#2 Photo cutline: GRMC Daycamp youth delivered 72 pounds of fresh produce to MICA on August 12, as one of the final projects for the summer.

#3 Photo cutline: Harvesting jumbo beans as well as green and yellow beans proved fun for the GRMC Daycamp youth.

#4 Photo cutline: Handfuls of hot peppers were harvested from GRMC’s Giving Garden by the GRMC Daycamp youth.

GRMC Launches Online Patient Portals

Grinnell Regional Medical Center has launched two online patient portals that allow patients fast and easy access to their hospital and clinic records from any computer or device that connects to the internet.

“The new patient portals signify an important step toward improving the healthcare experiences of our patients,” says Heidi Thompson, GRMC information technology director.

“We are encouraging patients to sign up now,” she adds. “The sites offer a personalized, safe, and secure communication link that gives patients the ability to view portions of their medical records, including lab results, immunizations, and more.”

Patient information beginning July 1, 2014, is available on the hospital portal. Historical patient information on the clinic side goes back several years. GRMC affiliated clinics consist of:

§  Grinnell Regional Family Practice

§  Grinnell Regional Internal Medicine

§  Grinnell Regional Orthopedics

§  Grinnell Regional Pain Clinic

§  Grinnell Regional Women’s Health Clinic

§  Manatt Family Urgent Care

§  Deer Creek Family Care

§  Lynnville Medical Clinic

§  Victor Health Center

The national emphasis on patient portals arises from the healthcare reform act, which encourages and gives financial incentives to hospitals and clinics to adopt electronic medical records and provide online patient access to health records.

“By viewing and using their health records on the patient portals, patients can help GRMC and their physicians earn stimulus payments and meet ‘meaningful use’ requirements. We are required to meet benchmarks in order to receive certain financial incentives. Most importantly, we want patients to become comfortable with accessing their own health information,” Thompson says.

The patient portals allow patients to:

§  Access their personal health information online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

§  View medical history from patient visits. On the hospital portal, information is available for appointments beginning July 1, 2014. On the clinic side, information dates back several years.

§  Contact hospital and clinic staff through a secure messaging system.

§  Read medical education and news and more.

Patients with a valid email address can begin to use the secure, web-based tools now by registering for a secure patient portal account during their next hospital admission process or their next clinic visit. Parents will also be able to enroll their minor children and access their accounts. Links to both portals are available on the GRMC website at www.grmc.us.

During a hospital admission, GRMC staff will ask patients for an email address and provide them with a PIN. Clinic patients can use the last four digits of their Social Security Number to get started. Clinic patients will also receive an instructional guide on how to set up and use their personal site.

For more information, patients contact their healthcare provider’s office staff or contact the GRMC patient portal resource desk at 641-236-2381 or email patientportal@grmc.us.

Ellestad Named to State Board

Stephen Ellestad, DO, a physician in Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s emergency department, has been elected to a two-year term as an at-large trustee of the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association Board. He was elected during the 116^th annual conference and scientific seminar in Des Moines. Ellestad joined GRMC’s emergency department in 2010.

Ellestad earned his bachelor’s degree from Coe College in Cedar Rapids. He attended the Des Moines University – Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences to earn his medical degree. His internship residency was at Womack Army Community Hospital in Ft. Bragg, N.C. Following his training, he took a position as the general medical officer in the outpatient and emergency room at Munson Army Community Hospital in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he also served as a flight surgeon.

GRMC has four full-time physicians who cover the emergency department 24/7.

GRMC Becomes First in State to Offer New daVinci® XI Robotically Assisted Surgeries

Grinnell Regional Medical Center announced today that it is now using the latest Intuitive daVinci^® Xi robotic surgical system – the only location in Iowa where this technology is available. In fact, GRMC is one of only 30 hospitals in the world to be using the newest robotic surgical system.

The new system offers three-dimensional, high definition visualization and allows for enhanced dexterity and greater precision and control for the surgeon.

“The daVinci manufacturer approached GRMC to be one of the first sites to have the new daVinci Xi because of the phenomenal work our surgeons are performing with the current daVinci,” says Todd C. Linden, GRMC president and CEO. “These surgeons have been far in front of other surgeons in the state with completing complex procedures while producing the excellent outcomes for patients.”

Surgeons performing procedures on the daVinci Xi robotic system include Monica Brito, MD, with Grinnell Regional Women’s Health Clinic; and David Coster, MD; Nicholas Kuiper, DO; Mathew Severidt, DO, and Aaron Smith, DO, all with Surgical Associates of Grinnell.

GRMC’s original daVinci, an SI unit, was installed in January 2013 thanks to a generous gift from Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company and its employees. Throughout its first year in use, GRMC surgeons completed about 200 robotically assisted surgeries at GRMC, including two highly complicated Whipple surgeries to remove or repair bile duct and pancreatic tumors. Surgeons also completed single-site incision surgeries to repair or remove disease in the abdomen.

The SI was named Razer in a naming contest for area elementary students.

From the patient perspective, the new daVinci continues to offer the benefits of less pain, less blood loss, and faster recovery times. The new Xi unit expands the number of procedures that can be performed on the robotic in the abdomen and improves access within the abdomen for the surgeons.
“We can move between all quadrants of the abdomen during a procedure with this new unit,” Kuiper says. “We are able to do larger and more complex operations, moving within the abdomen and not having to change the arms of the unit. The camera on this new unit is exceptional.”

According to Intuitive Surgical, by enabling efficient access throughout the abdomen, the daVinci Xi System expands upon core daVinci System features, including wristed instruments, 3D-HD visualization, intuitive motion, and an ergonomic design. As with all daVinci surgical systems, the surgeon is 100 percent in control of the robotic-assisted daVinci system, which translates his/her hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. The Xi system’s immersive 3D-HD vision system provides surgeons a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands into the patient.

“GRMC is delighted to expand our advanced surgical capabilities and best of all, at no additional costs,” Linden says. “We were leasing the daVinci, so we are able to upgrade to the new Xi and keep our cash flow the same. In fact, in the first few years of the lease, our costs are reduced – but we have the ability to do more procedures. It’s a win-win.

“With national healthcare focusing on value, we have demonstrated again GRMC’s operational philosophy to be a great value and keep costs in check,’ he adds.

For more information on the daVinci unit and surgical procedures, visit the Surgical Associates website at: http://www.grinnellsurgeons.com/ or GRMC’s website at www.grmc.us.

Photo: Nicholas Kuiper, DO, of Surgical Associates of Grinnell, and Deb Reding, RN, director of surgical services at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, greet the medical center’s newest surgical assistant, the Intuitive daVinci^® Xi robotic surgical system. GRMC is the only location in Iowa where this technology is available. In fact, GRMC is one of only 30 hospitals in the world to be using the newest robotic surgical system.