The survey tool will produce reports that provide hospitals with board data break-outs and comparative averages against other similarly sized hospitals statewide.

“It is a very easy to use program where the hospital designates a program coordinator who does initial survey set-up and any customization.  The survey is then initiated when the hospital is ready,” said Perry Meyer IHA senior vice president of information services.  “The survey program is available 365 days a year and can be administered as often as the hospital would like.  Obviously, the more hospitals that use the program the better for benchmarking.”

Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa has been using a similar online board assessment over the past few years, but is excited about moving toward a system that can benchmark against peers.

Kristin Kaiser, planning and marketing specialist with Mercy-North Iowa said the hospital uses the tool to ensure its board is functioning effectively.

“We use this to show the board what they’re doing well and what they need improvement on,” she said.  “This tool helps stimulate discussion at the board level and clarify performance expectations.”

Kaiser said that the response rate increased when the survey was put online as people are getting more and more reliant on technology and online communications.

The program is now live and hospital boards can begin using the system at any time.

Montgomery County Memorial Hospital (MCMH) in Red Oak will officially open a major addition and remodeling project today. The project is a good example of how Iowa hospitals are responding not only to a growing need for health care, but also to the changing health care environment that focuses on patient-centered care as well as the move from inpatient to outpatient care.

To fully understand the need for the project, take a look at what has happened since the hospital opened its doors at its current location in 1989.

Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, as seen in an artist's depiction with its new addition

Outreach and outpatient clinic visits have tripled from 15,000 visits in 1989 to more than 45,000 today; nearly two-thirds of total hospital business is now outpatient.  This translates into 97 percent of total patient encounters.  Outpatient services have been offered in four different areas of the hospital, which is very confusing for patients.  As specialty clinics were added, space was provided in any location that was available.

Emergency department volume has doubled since 1989, creating workflow issues.  There was inadequate patient privacy, rooms were too small and the admission process was inconvenient for the patient.  Hazmat decontamination facilities were inadequate and there was no separate family waiting and consultation area.

A dedicated scope room was included to improve workflow in surgery.  Once again, there was lack of patient privacy and inadequate storage for equipment and supplies.

Space needs and compliance issues in other areas of the hospital were creating a situation where additional room needed to be added.  The pharmacy needed space to meet compliance issues in air quality and respiratory therapy also needed space for to meet regulations.  Radiology needed additional space for privacy issues and physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy all outgrew their locations.  Health information management, laboratory and other departments also needed additional space. The Women’s Health Center, formerly located off campus, is now part of the main campus.

It’s clear that the improvements at the Red Oak hospital were well past due. Like hospitals all over Iowa, MCMH has responded to the needs of its community. In turn, the community, recognizing the economic and quality-of-life value of a modern facility, has supported the hospital, its growth and its expansion.

Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton

IHA staff members are in New Hampton today, celebrating the employees of Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton. 

Founded more than 90 years ago, the New Hampton hospital is one of the state’s oldest small community hospitals, many of which were built in the 1950s and 1960s in response to the nation’s growth in the wake of World War II (and the birth of the Baby Boom generation). Mercy-New Hampton, on the other hand, was planned just before the U.S. entered World War I at the behest of the Servant Sisters of the Holy Ghost and Nicholas Schilling, a local physician.  

It took less than a year to raise the $16,000 needed to build the hospital, which opened its doors as St. Joseph Community Hospital on February 6, 1917. That name remained until 1999, when the hospital joined the Mercy Health Network in northern Iowa. 

Today, Mercy-New Hampton is a powerful part of the Delaware County economy, with 270 employees and an economic impact exceeding $12 million.  Over the last six years, the hospital has done major renovations that gave it improved spaces for the emergency department, operating rooms and outpatient services and created a brand new family practice clinic. Those improvements were critical in helping the hospital land six new physicians who will serve the community for years to come. 

At today’s celebration, IHA will share a specially made video about the hospital and the community and treat the entire hospital staff to commemorative T-shirts and ice cream sundaes.

Regional Medical Center

The staff and leaders of Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Manchester and the people of Delaware County recently celebrated the hospital’s 60^th anniversary.  In August of 1950, the hospital opened its doors as Delaware County Memorial Hospital. 

At a reception commemorating the anniversary, Beverly Preussner, RN, MSN, secretary of the RMC Governing Board of Trustees and a former RMC employee, spoke of her memories as a nurse in years past. Preussner recalled when the ambulance was a vehicle from one of the funeral homes that arrived unannounced until the emergency room “doorbell” rang. She remembered the days when all nurses wore caps and skirts; when babies were carried from the nursery through the halls and past lobbies to their mother’s room in another wing of the facility. She noted the four, five, and six-day hospital stays that are now one or two days – at most.  

Delaware County Memorial Hospital in 1957

“Throughout the 60-year history, our leadership and employees have been dedicated to providing quality health care to our patients and for our communities,” said Preussner.  ”On behalf of the Governing Board of Trustees, I want to thank all of you for making Regional Medical Center the fine health care facility that it is today.” 

Today, RMC bears little resemblance to its humble beginnings. Medical technology and consumer demand have brought unimaginable challenges and changes to health care since that time.  Numerous dedicated hospital trustees, medical staff members and caring, compassionate, skilled employees have contributed to the success and brought about excellence in health care, close to home. 

One of the hospital’s strengths has been its consistency of leadership under CEO Lon Butikofer, RN, PhD, who has been with the hospital since 1986 and is only the third CEO in RMC’s 60 years.  During his tenure, Dr. Butikofer has seen the 68-bed hospital and 37-bed nursing home facility evolve into the 25-bed Critical Access Hospital known today as Regional Medical Center. 

 “We recognize hard-earned patient trust, dedicated staff, state-of-the-art technology and facilities as essential parts of our past success and vital to our tomorrows,” said Dr. Burikofer. “We remain committed to providing excellence in health care, close to home for the next 60 years and beyond. The stage has been set for generation after generation to fulfill our mission: Dedicated to improving the health of our communities through professional and personalized care.”

The new boiler plant at Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids

When you’re in the business of healing, as community hospitals are, the concepts of hope, perseverance and recovery are always at the forefront. While the hospital mission and those important concepts are crucial to any one person’s physical and mental health, they also impact the health and spirit of entire communities.

In 2008, workers tried to protect Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids from rapidly rising flood waters

Such is the case this week in Cedar Rapids, where Mercy Medical Center is celebrating completion of its new boiler plant.

Now, with amazing medical technology providing everything from robotic surgery to high-definition scanning, the opening of a building used to heat water to produce steam for energy seems pretty mundane. But there is far more to this event than bricks, mortar and hot water.

It just so happens that the boiler plant is the final project in Mercy’s recovery from the 2008 flood that overwhelmed Cedar Rapids and, for a short time, shut down the hospital. It’s been a long haul for Mercy, which saw extensive water damage. And though it took less than a month after the flood for the hospital to become fully functional again, work toward complete recovery – including weaning the hospital off of three temporary generators – has been ongoing over the last two years.

The same can be said for all of Cedar Rapids, which has made great progress as it continues to recover from the flood.  The city is a symbol of hope – most certainly for those Iowa communities impacted by high waters in recent weeks – and Mercy’s efforts are an important part of that symbolism.

So it is more than bricks and mortar. It’s about a hospital leading a community and persevering. Yet, there is more to be done.  While the new plant offers some closure, Mercy, along with nearby St. Luke’s Hospital, will continue to do its part to bring the city to a full recovery.

The new boiler plant will just produce steam, but the hospitals will continue to emit a unique energy that helps drive a better future for Cedar Rapids.

A record number of participants turned out to support the only fundraiser held for the Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship Fund (IHERF).  More than $100,000 in scholarship funds were contributed by a number of Iowa hospitals and other businesses and individuals who are committed to helping educate health care professionals and keep those professionals practicing in Iowa.

This year, 31 scholarships were awarded totaling $93,000 with more than $500,000 having been awarded since the inception of the program.  Eight of the 31 scholarship recipients were present at the event to formally accept their award as well as to express their gratitude for what the scholarship will enable for their careers.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSayT4hJmDc

Residents remove belongings from a flooded home along the Skunk River in central Iowa.

The recent flooding has increased the health and safety risks for community residents. Public health officials have provided pecific recommendations for people to keep themselves and their families safe.

Terri Henkels, director of the Polk County Health Department in Des Moines, said, “Many people who have never had water in their basement have water in their basement. Many people who never thought they would have to evacuate, have had to leave their home. And they are not sure what they should do to stay safe.”

There is no guarantee that people who may have to evacuate their home will have a lot of advanced warning. Time will really be an issue. If an evacuation order is issued, whether voluntary or mandatory, people will need to act immediately. A home evacuation plan and shelter preparation checklist is available on the Polk County Health Department web page.

“Any delay could put you and your family at greater risk. Think about where you could go. Think about what you will need. Contact the health department if you have special health needs”, said Henkels.

Because it is difficult to know whether the water in your basement or on your property is contaminated or not, the assumption must be that it is contaminated. All residents should avoid entering any flood water without appropriate protective wear: rubber boots, gloves, N95 masks, etc. When it is safe to do so, remove all items that have water on them or in them so they can dry out before putting them back in the house. This will reduce the chances of mold developing.

“If you can’t remember when your last tetanus shot was and have been walking through floodwater, cleaning up flood debris, and have some scrapes and/or cuts then you should get a tetanus shot as soon as possible,” said Henkels.

The Senate’s final action came once leaders were able to garner support from Maine Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe pushing the vote tally to 61, one vote over the required 60. Pelosi said, “I am calling members of the House back to Washington at the beginning of the week (August 9) to pass this bill and send it to President Obama without further delay.” Pelosi also “tweeted” the announcement.

IHA supports Congressional action on this measure, as the state’s budget relies on more than $120 million in federal Medicaid dollars. IHA will continue to monitor the progress through the House, though passage is expected. President Obama has also indicated his support of the measure.

Perhaps the most recognized event in Iowa, RAGBRAI is a huge undertaking for everyone involved, particularly in the towns and cities at the end of each day’s ride. Hospitals play several important roles in that preparation. 

RAGBRAI is driven by volunteers. As pools for talent and manpower, few entities match up to hospitals. Inevitably, hospital employees – from CEOs to nurses to materials managers – end up participating on (and often leading) organizing committees. This is in addition to handling their most important mission: making sure the hospital can respond to the medical needs of the community at all times. 

This is a real challenge when RAGBRAI comes to town. For instance, take Charles City,   which is served by Floyd County Medical Center.  With a population of less than 9,000, the city will more than double in size when RAGBRAI is in full swing later today.  

The hospital’s 200 employees must be prepared to serve that population, which today will be particularly susceptible to injury and illness. At the same time, those hospital employees have been called upon to volunteer at their churches, schools and other organizations that are also working to make sure RAGBRAI is a success. Those activities are uniformly supported by hospital leaders; they recognize that the community needs the manpower. But it’s a difficult balancing act for hospitals, which, unlike other businesses, cannot easily down-staff or close for the day (or any part of it). 

It’s no coincidence that on every RAGBRAI route, year after year, nearly every overnight community has at least one hospital. But the hospitals provide more than health and safety for RAGBRAI participants; hospitals are also a big part of the economic health of their communities. Along this year’s route, hospitals employ more than 13,000 people and have an economic impact of nearly $700 million. 

This means that in addition to providing some of the best health care in the nation, these towns and cities have the quality of life and overall vibrancy that attracts RAGBRAI organizers and delights RAGBRAI participants.

Jessica Mattioda (right) shows Terri Nobles (left), Third Floor Nurse Manager, and Jeannie Williams (center), Medical Records department, a few capabilities of the new Apple iPads recently purchased by Cherokee Regional Medical Center.

The idea seems as if it could be straight from an episode of Star Trek.  Nurses and physicians using tablet-sized computers at a patient’s bedside in lieu of typical paper charts.  Then again, how unreasonable can that seem when robots are already being used to assist with surgeries?

But as each new wave of technology comes around, the health care industry is quick to see how it can be utilized to improve patient treatment.  Innovations in modern medicine such as x-ray technology really made health care professionals aware the final frontier had not yet been realized.  Now a new question is coming to light: Could tablet computers be the next big chapter in health technology?

In Iowa, one hospital is already attempting to boldly go where no medical professional has gone before.  At Cherokee Regional Medical Center (CRMC,) the new Apple iPad is getting its debut on the medical floor.

The initiative has been led by Jessica Mattioda, nurse supervisor at CRMC, who felt that the new tablet computing device could have many applications within her hospital.

“After hearing of paramedics using iPhones in the field, and seeing doctors use applications on PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants or palm top computers) to look up medication information, I thought that Cherokee Regional Medical Center could definitely benefit from this cutting edge computer technology. After researching the possibilities, I was confident that the iPads would be a good fit for our needs,” Jessica said.

The Apple iPad is the first device in a whole new generation of what are being dubbed as tablet computers.  Roughly the size of a notepad, the user installs specialized programs (known as “apps” in pop culture).  These apps are controlled on the tablet by touching one’s fingers to the screen to type, tap and manipulate objects within the app.

When first rolled out, Apple and other tech sources on the internet touted high hopes for its potential use in the health care industry.  Hospitals such as CRMC are finding many uses for the iPad so far, including the use of a surprisingly large library of apps that can assist with administrative tasks, tracking vitals and research.  Hospitals will also want to keep their eye out for apps that are designed for handling and sending electronic health records.  However, it goes without saying that security is everything in health care tech.  CRMC extensively researches all apps it is considering and ultimately only uses apps that come from verified sources.

While the concept of the tablet device is not new, Apple has set the bar high by modeling the iPad off of the iPhone, which has already broken many barriers in how users utilize mobile computing technology.  Even in a few short months since the iPad’s release, the competition already have their hands full when trying to design and curtail their own products that may attempt to challenge the iPad. This is important to know because Apple is not the lone dog in the show.  Companies such as HP and Cisco have already announced their own tablet devices and tech industry reports already indicate that over 50 tablet device products will be unveiled in 2010 alone.

Hospitals interested in incorporating this new technology will be wise to keep up with what’s coming out because while Apple’s iPad is designed with everyone’s uses in mind, certain devices are rumored to be in development that will have industry-specific purposes.  It’s possible that the best tablet option for Iowa’s hospitals has yet to be revealed.