Story County Medical Center announced today that a new laboratory service is being offered to the community. Streamline Wellness Health Monitoring provides low-cost laboratory screenings without a healthcare provider's order. All results are completely confidential and sent directly to the individual.

“There are many reasons that someone may want to know their lab results,” said Barb Cohen, Story Medical’s Laboratory Director. “If prostate cancer runs in the family, a man may want to check his PSA levels regularly. Or if a woman is working hard to lower her cholesterol before her next doctor’s appointment, she may want to get it tested ahead of time to check her progress.”

Story County Medical Center was honored to receive a first place ADDY^®  Award at the 2012 American Advertising Federation Cedar Valley Chapter awards ceremony on February 23, 2012. The ADDY^® Awards are the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting over 50,000 entries every year in local ADDY^® competitions.

Story County Medical Center won a Gold ADDY^® in the newspaper campaign category for its Change Your Story nursery rhyme advertising campaign. The award was won in conjunction with Story Medical’s marketing agency, Hellman Associates, which is based in Waterloo, Iowa.

“It is a huge honor for Story Medical to win an ADDY^®,” said Samantha Boyd, Story County Medical Center Communications Director. “I couldn’t be more proud of my team, both at Story Medical and at Hellman.”

Story County Medical Center generates 187 full-time jobs in five communities throughout Story County. Those jobs create a $16,054,858 impact on Story County’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). This number includes $12.5 million in payroll and proprietor income, $3.4 million in Story County retail sales and just over $200,000 in sales tax.

"Story Medical’s economic impact number is up by over $1.2 million dollars since last year. IHA’s annual study shows that the medical center is continuously contributing to a successful Story County economy," said Todd Willert, Story Medical Administrator.

In 2012, for the first time in 22 years, Story County Medical Center’s Beat the Street race will be conducted as a function of the Story County Medical Center Endowment Foundation. The Story Medical Foundation strives to champion health in our community. Assuming hosting responsibilities for Beat the Street allows the foundation to meet that goal, while at the same time providing charitable deductibility for the sponsors of the event.

In conjunction with the new era of planning, the logo was redesigned to give the historic race a new feel. Committee members wanted the logo to embrace the streetscape of Nevada, and local graphic designer, Jen Jeffrey, designed the new logo to do just that.

Story County Medical Center is pleased to welcome Stephanie Baker, RN, BSN, to the Story County Medical Center team as the new outpatient clinic & surgical services director.

“I’m very excited to be leading a team that is so enthusiastic about providing exceptional patient care,” said Baker, after her first day on the job. “From the longevity of the surgical nursing staff to the new procedures that we are offering, I know Story Medical is going to be a great fit for me!”

Story Medical Clinic is proud to announce the hire of its first health coach, Meagan Ausborn-Henderson, RN. Ausborn-Henderson is certified through the Iowa Board of Nursing as a registered nurse and has had specialized training in health coaching to become a Physician Office Health Coach.

“I became a nurse because I genuinely care for the patients I serve. The best part of being an R.N./Health Coach is the fact that I have the resources to sit down and spend the time with patients that they so desperately deserve.” says Ausborn-Henderson. “As the old cliché’ goes, ‘If you do what you love you will never work a day in your life.’ I am so lucky to have found my calling.”

Finish reading about Meagan
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Story Medical is pleased to announce that consultation, testing, treatment and continuing care for neurological conditions is now available through its Outpatient Clinic. Neurologist and sleep medicine specialist, Selden Spencer, MD, joined the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic team in July. Dr. Spencer is a physician in the neurology department at McFarland Clinic in Ames and is qualified to care for both children and adults. 

Windsor Manor Assisted Living Community and Story County Medical Center announced today that local neurologist, Dr. Selden Spencer, will be January’s featured speaker for the newly-formed Alzheimer’s Hope caregivers support group in Nevada.

Dr. Spencer is a board-certified neurologist and has extensive knowledge in the areas of memory loss and the effects it has on both the patient and caregiver. He will speak January 23 at 6pm on Memory Loss: The Challenges & The Solutions. The presentation will be held in the dining room of Windsor Manor, located at 1642 South G Avenue in Nevada, and is open to the public.

Due to a the cancelation of a large corporate flu shot clinic, Story County Medical Center will be offering ADULT flu vaccinations for 1/2 price the reminder of the flu shot season.

The cost of the vaccination will be $12.50; they will be given at Story Medical's South Campus, located at 640 S. 19^th Street in Nevada, Iowa, on a walk-in, no-appointment basis from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. If you are unable to make it during those hours, call 382-7119 to schedule an after-hours appointment.

A Waterloo based nonprofit organization brings a new twist to holiday lights. The youth baseball diamond in Slater, Iowa, is proudly sporting new, state-of-the-art electronic scoreboards donated by Build Our Ballpark. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of youth by providing the opportunity to play baseball and softball on quality fields.

Created in 2008, Build Our Ballpark was the vision of Bob Hellman Sr., the founder and chairman of the board at Hellman, a marketing and advertising agency in Waterloo, Iowa. Although Hellman works with companies all over the county, the agency also has local ties to Story County Medical Center.

“Story Medical and Hellman have worked together since 2008,” said Samantha Boyd, Story Medical Communications Director. “We have built a close relationship with the Hellman team, and it’s very encouraging to see their founder’s generosity coming back to our community.”

Story County Medical Center Endowment Foundation announced today that the final fundraising numbers are in from October 29’s  “Some Like It Hot PINK!” gala. $20,950 was raised at the biennial gala, fundraising dinner and auction, which featured a Roaring 20’s theme with live dueling pianos.

Mary Maxwell, breast cancer survivor and Story Medical patient, served as honorary chairperson of the event. Funds raised at the “Some Like It Hot PINK!” gala will be used for the growth and sustainability of women's health services within the Story Medical system.

Story County Medical Center Endowment Foundation is proud to announce the donation of a new piece of radiology equipment to Story County Medical Center. The mobile C-Arm donation is an imaging scanner intensifier, so named because of its “C” configuration.

C-arms have radiographic capabilities, though they are used primarily for fluoroscopic imaging during surgical, orthopedic, critical care, and emergency care procedures. The use of C-arms over the years has helped lead to the increase of more cost-effective outpatient care.

Story Medical participated in a culture-changing, groundbreaking, world-record-attempt walk on October 7. To kick off Iowa’s goal of becoming the healthiest state in the nation by 2016, Iowans from all 99 counties participated in simultaneous 1k walks at noon that day.

In addition to changing the lifestyles of millions of Iowans, Story Medical also participated in competing for the world record for the largest simultaneous 1k walk ever. With 231,635 walkers, the reigning champion was Canada. To unseat them, more than 290,000 Iowans logged their walk and broke the record!

To help achieve that goal, Story Medical held our own 1k walks at Story Medical over the lunch break. The walk itself only took about 12 minutes, but it was a fun 12 minutes! Over 50 employees and friends of Story Medical walked together.

Story Medical is pleased to announce Iowa Heart Center physician Dr. Matthew McCormick will be joining the Story Medical team this September. Dr. McCormick will begin seeing patients in the outpatient clinic at Story Medical on September 28, 2011.

There are a number of reasons a patient may need to see a cardiologist, including:

• Chest pain or discomfort and/or shortness of breath
• Cardiac testing including exercise or nuclear stress testing and echocardiograms
• Rhythm disturbances including palpitations or missed heartbeats
• A cardiac event, such as a heart attack, which requires ongoing cardiology monitoring
• High blood pressure and/or cholesterol
• Evaluation of coronary artery disease or other diseases of the heart

To make an appointment with Dr. McCormick at Story Medical, patients may call the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic at 515-382-7738.

Story Medical Clinic announced three “exciting” changes to its clinics on September 1. This announcement comes on the heels of a month-long “teaser campaign.” Teaser promotions ranged from traditional advertising to four Iowa State University gymnasts “exciting the crowd” in the Lincoln Highway Days parade.

The clinics will begin offering a new and exciting chapter in its delivery of patient care. The Today Care program is a new policy that allows patients to be seen the same day they call for an appointment if they need care immediately. Learn

In addition, every Story Medical Clinic has adjusted its hours to better meet patients’ needs. In Nevada, the clinic will open Monday through Friday at 7am for those needing appointments before work or school and will be open on Saturdays from 8am to Noon.

Finally, patients will now be able to book their next appointment online!

Story County Medical Center has successfully completed the categorization and re-verification process to be re-certified as a Community (Level IV) trauma care facility. 

Hospitals must re-apply every three years to participate in Iowa's trauma system, and based on availability of resources, they are classified into four areas including: resource trauma care facilities, regional trauma care facilities, area trauma care facilities and community trauma care facilities. Story Medical is classified as a community trauma care facility.

Leading the Story County Medical Centercategorization and re-verification process was Dr. Arthur P. Check, Trauma Service Medical Director, and Lisa Whitaker, RN, Trauma Nurse Coordinator and Director of Emergency Services at Story Medical.

“It takes a lot of dedication by many different team members to meet all of the equipment regulation and staff training requirements, so we are very proud that we didn’t receive any deficiencies on this re-certification,” said Whitaker.

Story County Medical Center generates 193 full-time jobs that add $14,832,424 to Story County’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association. This includes $3,216,556 in retail sales and $192,993 in sales tax.

“This year we contributed approximately $400,000 more in job related revenue than in 2010,” said Todd Willert, Story Medical Administrator. “This study shows that the medical center has a continuously growing impact on the Story County economy, and we are proud of that contribution.”

“Story Medical employees live and shop throughout Story County thus contributing to the economy of the entire Story County area,” said LaVon Schiltz, Nevada Economic Development Director. “Having multiple quality medical health care facilities and clinics operated by Story Medical throughout the county area, also impacts the ability for recruitment of industries and businesses to Story County communities.”

Story County Medical Center orthopaedic surgeon, Margaret Fehrle, MD, will host a free joint replacement seminar on Monday, August 22^nd at 5:30pm to help answer that question. The event will be held at Story Medical’s South Campus cafeteria, 640 S. 19^th Street in Nevada, Iowa.

The public is invited to attend the seminar at no charge. A complimentary light dinner will be provided to those who RSVP. Reservations will be taken by Marcia Engler at 515-382-7736 until August 17^th.

For more information on the event

For more information on Dr. Margaret Fehrle and orthopaedic surgery

Story County Medical Center was recently featured in eHealthcare: Strategy & Trends newsletter. The newsletter provides web management, marketing, communications, and business development information for healthcare organizations.It also focuses on the ways in which leading-edge healthcare organizations use the Internet and technology to achieve their business objectives.

“We are so excited to be recognized as having a user-friendly website,” said Samantha Boyd, communications director at Story Medical.  “We are constantly thinking of our website users and making it as easy as possible to find exactly what they need.”

Dr. Matt Pyfferoen, pediatric dentist with Pyfferoen Pediatric Dentistry, began seeing patients at the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic this May. “Dr. Matt,” as he prefers to be called, sees patients from infancy up to age 18, including children with special health care needs. Pyfferoen sees the majority of his patients in his Downtown Ames clinic; however the pediatric dentist needed an operating room to complete some of his patients’ dental procedures.

“Story Medical allows me to see patients that need general anesthesia. That’s something that I can’t do in my office, and Story Medical is a great fit for those patients,” said Pyfferoen.

It took two engineers from Availon North America a matter of hours to repair and bring on-line the Vestas V27 225 KW wind turbine that belongs to the Story County Medical Center in Nevada, Iowa.

The turbine was commissioned at the end of 1994 but stopped working in April of 2011. The Medical Center’s former service provider proposed a high-cost solution. While searching for an alternative, Jim Miller, Project Coordinator for the Medical Center, came across the article, “Green Job Takes Wind Technicians to Dizzying Heights,” (May 19, 2011) by Des Moines Register business writer Dan Piller. The article highlighted Availon North America’s extensive experience servicing wind turbines in the Midwest, which prompted Jim Miller to investigate Availon further.

As our largest organ, it makes sense that taking care of our skin would enhance our overall health. But all too often, our skin gets short shrift. To ensure you have ready access to an array of essential skin care services, Story Medical is now offering dermatology services in the Outpatient Clinic in Nevada.

Anne Nelson, PA-C, joined Story Medical this May and has advanced training in treating conditions ranging from rashes and warts to eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and more. Nelson is skilled in skin cancer and pre-cancer treatment and performs annual skin cancer checkups. She provides continuing care for those with acne, suspicious moles, or other conditions requiring regular monitoring as well.

Story Medical is pleased to announce that consultation, testing, treatment and continuing care for allergies and allergic conditions, as well as testing and treatment for disorders of the immune system are now available through its Outpatient Clinic. Allergist and immunologist, Dr. John Wheeler, MD, joined the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic team in July. He is affiliated with McFarland Allergy Department in Ames and is qualified to care for both children and adults. 

Conditions Dr. Wheeler will follow include: asthma, hay fever and chronic nasal problems, chronic cough, drug allergy, food allergy, insect venom allergy, allergic skin conditions including eczema, recurrent and chronic sinusitis, acute and chronic hives, swelling disorders and primary immune deficiency.

Story County Medical Center congratulates Jordan Heath, CDM, CFPP, and Lena Logsdon, CDM, CFPP, on their graduation from DMACC’s dietary manager’s program.  Both Heath and Logsdon finished the 15-credit course by taking the State accredited credentialing examination for dietary managers.  Passing the examination qualified Heath and Logsdon to become a Certified Dietary Manager and Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM,CFPP).  This is the highest level of professional competence for dietary managers.

All around the globe there are millions of people with disabilities that dream of a life that includes the simple joy of mobility.  Paving the front for this cause is Joni and Friends: Wheels for the World, an international organization that provides people with wheelchairs.  Story County Medical Center recently donated up to a dozen wheelchairs, a few folding walkers and wheelchair accessories to this international organization. 

“Story County Medical Center thought this would be a great opportunity to give to this good cause,” said Julie Schreitmueller, chief operating and compliance officer.  

Story Medical Clinic - Nevada has announced that it will provide medical care to those who are feeling under the weather on Memorial Day this year.

The clinic will be open from 8am to Noon on Monday, May 30^th. It is located at 519 F. Avenue in Nevada. Patients can call 515-382-5413 for an appointment. Click here for directions to the clinic or more information on the healthcare providers at Story Medical Clinic - Nevada.

Story Medical Clinics in Zearing, Slater and Maxwell will be closed for the holiday.

StoryCounty Medical Center’s annual Beat the Street Run/Walk drew participants young and old to Nevada last weekend. Fifty-eight individuals traversed the course near Story Medical’s South Campus.

Seventy-seven year old Al Ravenscroft of Ames and Frank Amos of Ames were the oldest runners in the event. Ravenscroft told race volunteers that he’s been running for over 60 years!

Wayne Miller, 86, of Nevada, walked the 2-mile course. The youngest runner was Kyle Kingsbury, 5, of Nevada.

“We were fortunate this year to have perfect conditions for an event; sunny skies, a slight breeze and support from our corporations, community, running /walking friends, Story Medical employees and volunteers,” said Nancy Willert, Race Director and Director of Wellness & Cardiac Rehabilitation at Story Medical.

David Anderson, Chairman of the Story County Medical Center Board of Trustees, is one of 20 Iowa hospital trustees who have become the first “graduates” of the Iowa Hospital Association’s Trustee Education Certification Program. The trustees were recognized on May 4 at the IHA Governance Forum held at the Holiday Inn-Jordan Creek in West Des Moines.

“I have been a hospital trustee for over twenty years, and there is always more to learn,” said Anderson, who was first elected to the Story Medical Board of Trustees in 1990. “Healthcare regulations are very intricate and always changing. We must be doing everything we can to thrive within the industry.”

Story County Medical Center is proud to announce that marriage and family counseling services are now available to patients through the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic in Nevada. Doris Whiddon with Whiddon Counseling Services will join the outpatient clinic team as the thirteenth outpatient clinic provider seeing patients at Story Medical.

Counseling sessions may be held with an individual, a couple or a family. Whiddon sees clients age three and older for a variety of needs including:

• Adoption and blended family issues
• Grief and loss (divorce, death, separation, removal)
• Divorce and adjustment matters
• Marital and family discord
• Traumatic stress reactions (PTSD) including military and combat trauma
• Stress management
• Effective coping mechanisms
• Self confidence/esteem concerns
• Depression and mood disorders
• Reactive attachment
• Anger management
• Chronic mental illness

Appointments for marriage and family counseling services can be made by calling Story Medical’s Outpatient Clinic at 515-382-7738. For more information, visitwww.StoryMedical.org.

Across the nation, thousands of Donate Life flags will be displayed as part of an organ and tissue donor awareness initiative. Dubbed “Flags Across America," the campaign is the brainchild of the Donate Life America coalition.

The goal of this effort is to honor and celebrate the hundreds of thousands of donors and recipients whose lives have been affected by organ, eye and tissue donation. Story Medical is proud to be part of the campaign.

“Story Medical plays a crucial role in the successful recovery and transplantation of tissue. When a donor arrives in our emergency room, we immediately notify the Iowa Donor Network so they can evaluate the medical situation,” says Lisa Whitaker, Director of Emergency Services at Story Medical.

Story County Medical Center’s mission is to deliver healthcare excellence by listening to, partnering with and caring for the communities of Story County – one person, one experience, one story at a time.

This April, Story Medical has collaborated with various organizations to do just that!

*Photo courtesy of KCCI News

The Story County Medical Center Endowment Foundation announced today that a date has been set for the biennial fundraising gala. ‘Some Like It Hot PINK!’ will be held on October 29, 2011, at Gates Memorial Hall in Nevada. The fundraising dinner and auction will feature a Roaring 20’s theme with live dueling pianos.

The Story County Medical Center Endowment Foundation is now accepting applications for up to $1000 in scholarships to be awarded in May to local graduating seniors interested in post-secondary education in a health-related field.

Applicants must be graduating this year from Ballard-Huxley, Collins-Maxwell, Colo-NESCO, or Nevada High Schools and plan on attending a state-accredited post-secondary school that provides training in a health-related school. Applicants should state their intended major or area of concentration in a health-related area on their application.

Nevada's Annual Bike Rodeo is this Saturday from 10am to 12pm. Story County Medical Center is sponsoring the event, along with the Nevada Police Department, Jaycees and Kiwanis. Youth 4th grade and under are invited to come test out the obstacle courses and get a free bike license. Free helmets are also availalbe while supplies last. Skunk River Cycles will be sponsoring free bike tune-ups as well. Join us at the Nevada City Hall this weekend!

In celebration of National Doctor’s Day, the Story Medical Clinic staff sounded the trumpets for their healthcare providers! National Doctors' Day is held every year on March 30th in the United States. It is a day to celebrate the contribution of the healthcare providers who serve our country by caring for its citizens. “Our Docs Rock,” was the chosen theme for the Story Medical Clinic celebration this year.

In March of 2006, the Story County Medical Center Board of Trustees assured the public that the tax levy rate would not increase with the building of a replacement facility on the southwest side of Nevada.

Five years later, on Monday, February 28^th the elected Board of Trustees once again voted to keep the tax levy the same as it had been the past five year. By a unanimous vote, the Board members chose to keep the tax levy rate at $.42/$1000, of which $.32/$1000 is used toward funding the paramedic-level ambulance service.

“The Board of Trustees is very cognizant about the use of tax payer money and has done everything possible to reduce reliance on county funding,” said Dave Anderson, Chairman of the Board. “We are proud of the financial stability of the medical center and look forward to a solid financial future.”

Story County Medical Center announced today they have partnered with Press Ganey Associates, Inc. to help measure and improve patient satisfaction. The hospital began working with Press Ganey, a recognized leader in performance improvement, this month.

“Story County Medical Center is committed to each patient’s story,” said Julie Schreitmueller, Story Medical’s Chief Operating and Compliance Officer. “The knowledge gained through working with Press Ganey will help us understand how we can best meet patients’ expectations and continually improve experiences with our organization.”

Story County Medical Center announced today that the Story Medical Auxiliary has donated $4000 toward the purchase of a whirlpool tub for Story Medical Senior Care residents.

“The Auxiliary manages both the North and South Campus gift shops and does many other fundraisers throughout the year,” said Jan Krausman, Auxiliary President. “We care a great deal about the residents living in Senior Care and knew that the whirlpool tub would be a great addition to their home.

Story Medical Clinic – Nevada congratulates Art Check, DO, FAAFP, on his recent designation as a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The Degree of Fellow recognizes physicians who have distinguished themselves among their colleagues as well as in their communities. Being a Fellow signifies not only his tenure, but also his work in his community, within organized medicine, within teaching, and a greater commitment to continuing professional development and/or research.

Story Medical Clinics is pleased to announce their recent partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative. The program is designed to bridge public and private health care systems in an effort to improve early detection of social–emotional delays and prevention of mental health problems among young children and their families.

Iowa's 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative promotes healthy child development during the first five years of life by building partnerships such as these between healthcare providers and public service organization to enhance high quality well-child care.

1st Five Brochure

Aaron Tonderum, CNA, at Story Medical Senior Care, and Iowa National Guardsman with Company D out of Sioux City, Iowa, was transported into the Story Medical activities room full of residents waiting to see him.

He was half way around the world in Bagram, Afghanistan. It was 7:30pm where he was, but he was sitting in their living room with them that morning.

Story County Medical Center’s employees celebrated Hawaiian Day last Friday in an effort to have some fun at work and beat the winter blues! The day was sponsored by the Story Medical employee engagement program, Kailo, and included a Hawaiian themed cafeteria menu and décor.

The Rotary Club of Nevada's Literacy Committee recently donated over fifteen books to Story County Medical Center’s Children’s Waiting Areas. The books were purchased by the club in lieu of speakers gifts and are donated to local medical facilities in the speaker’s name.

The donation is especially rewarding to The Rotary Club of Nevada, as the group secured a grant through the Rotary Foundation in 2010 that provided furniture, wall games, a bookshelf and library books that established the children’s waiting areas throughout the medical center.

Literacy Committee members, Ros Dunblazier and Sara Clausen, presented the books to Story Medical Communications Director, Samantha Boyd, after the weekly Rotary meeting.

“It’s touching to receive additional books for the library and know that the club members are committed to the mental wellbeing of our youngest patients and visitors,” said Boyd.

Story County Medical Center was recently presented with an award from United Way of Story County for increasing its fundraising campaign from the prior year.

This year’s campaign was chaired by ancillary services assistant, Mark Swenson. Swenson worked with a small committee to create an exciting environment during United Way week.

“The committee really appreciated the award as it shows that hard work and creative new ideas really do inspire more employees to donate,” said Swenson. “However, it’s really the staff that deserves the praise. They are the ones who make the financial contributions that continue to grow our campaign.”

Candy Schainker, director of activities for Story Medical Senior Care in Nevada, has been elected president of the Iowa Association of Activity Professionals. The organization brings together activity professionals from across the state for the biannual conferences, providing education from experts across the nation. Schainker will serve a two-year term on the statewide organization.

Julia Armato has been elected as the president of the Central District of the Iowa Association of Activity Professionals. Julia has been the activity director assistant at Story Medical Senior Care for the last five years. The organization provides support and continuing education for activity professionals in the district.

Michael Nusbaum was recently thanked for his service to the residents of Story County as a Story County Medical Center Board of Trustee. Chairman of the Board, David Anderson, presented Nusbaum with an award to commemorate six years of contribution to Story County Medical Center at the December Board meeting.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Story Medical employees donated over two boxes of hats, mittens, boots and other warm weather gear to help local children in need. Although the donations were generous, even more good came from the winter clothing drive.

The employees’ contributions inspired a Story Medical skilled care patient and former Story Medical employee, Joy Murray of Nevada, to get in the spirit. During her stay in the hospital, Joy has knit more than twenty hats and leg warmers in a variety of sizes and colors for children in need!

Thanks Joy, for catching the Story Medical spirit of giving and helping out our cause!

To celebrate the birth of Story County’s first baby born in the New Year, Story County Medical Center presented Nico Dodge Fredregill, with a $50 savings bond in Nico’s name and a gift from Story Medical’s gift shop, Clocktower Gifts & Coffee. Thank you, Heather, Jeff and Nico, for letting Story Medical be part of your exciting birth story!

Photo: Julie Accola, RN, who helped with post-delivery, and Todd Willert, Story Medical Administrator, with Jeff and Nico Dodge Fredregill and Heather Bell, of Collins.

The story of baby boy Nico Dodge Fredregill’s birth will be one that’s told many times.

Not only will Nico celebrate that he was the first baby born in Story County in 2011, but he will also be told the tale of his quick birth, in a Dodge pickup on Highway 30 headed toward Story County Medical Center.

Born around 12:45pm, Nico and his parents, Heather Bell and Jeff Fredregill, of Collins, Iowa, arrived in front of Story County Medical Center’s Emergency Room at 12:49pm after Heather delivered the baby on the highway in route to the nearest hospital.

Elected in November by the residents of Story County, James Wright Jr. of Collins will begin his term as a Story County Medical Center Board of Trustees in January.

“My father has whole-hearted supported Story County Medical Center and its Foundation for many years,” said James Wright Jr. “I value his passion for the medical center and am excited to become involved myself.”

Rick Hugdahl of Ames was appointed to the Board of Trustees at December’s Board meeting to fill the vacant spot left by Meg Tait’s November resignation.

“I truly value the contribution that Story County Medical Center has to the healthcare community in Story County,” said Hugdahl. “As Story Medical Foundation president, I have become more familiar with the medical center, and I was honored when asked to join the Board of Trustees. I am eager to help lead both organizations.”

Story County Medical Center is excited to announce that Lisa Pratt, RN, BSN, has been promoted to Acute & Skilled Care Services Director at Story Medical. Pratt had been assisting the director of the department for several years as the inpatient services and projects coordinator for the unit. She is extremely qualified for the position, previously managing Story Medical’s outpatient clinic & surgical service department.   

Lisa Whitaker, RN, most recently was director over both acute/skilled care and the emergency services department. In her newly modified role as Emergency Services Director, she will oversee the emergency services department, which includes the hospital emergency department, 24-hour paramedic-level ambulance service and Story Medical’s disaster planning.

Meg Tait of Ames has announced her retirement from the Story County Medical Center Board of Trustees. Having served the residents of Story County as a trustee of Story Medical for 12 years, Tait led the Board through many projects including the opening of Story Medical Clinic – Slater, the building of a new clinic for Story Medical Clinic – Nevada in 1999 and most recently the South Campus replacement hospital project.

Between work, school and family, everyone’s time is precious these days. Story Medical Clinics in Slater and Zearing now offer extended hours to better serve their patients, at their convenience.

Story County Medical Center is pleased to welcome Missy Kauzlarich to the Story County Medical Center team as the new environmental services director.

As environmental services director, Kauzlarich will manage both the housekeeping and laundry departments. She is looking forward to implementing quality assurance measures, developing the environmental services team, and meeting with other departments to ensure the needs of all patients and residents are met. Kauzlarich will oversee environmental services at both Story Medical’s North and South Campuses.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, employees of Story County Medical Center recently celebrated its fifth annual “Wear Pink Day.”

“Wear Pink Day” was observed throughout the hospital and clinics and is a way for Story Medical employees to increase awareness about breast cancer. Many employees choose to wear their “Fight Like a Girl” apparel, which has been sold as a fundraiser throughout the medical center.

“We have so many employees who are directly affected by breast cancer,” said Samantha Boyd, Director of Communications for Story County Medical Center. “Wear Pink Day is not only a way for the medical center to bring awareness to early detection methods, but also a great way for us to support our co-workers.”

Story County Medical Center South Campus has been named an official sponsor for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, a service of the State of Iowa. SHIIP and its volunteers provide free-of-charge counseling and information to people with questions about Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance, long term care insurance, and other health insurance.

SHIIP volunteer counselors complete an extensive 6-day training program. Rose Hess of Colo, Iowa, has completed the SHIIP training and is ready to assist individuals. People can make an appointment to meet with a SHIIP counselor by calling 515-382-7751.

Story Medical’s 19^th Street Bistro, managed by the Food and Nutrition Services department at Story County Medical Center, began offering public breakfast from 7:15 until 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday in the South Campus cafeteria. 

Every day there will be assorted fresh fruit, cereals and pastries/breakfast bars and bread products available to community members and employees. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, hot breakfast items will be served from 7:15 until 8:15 a.m.

In addition, we will offer to-go entrée salads during lunch, Monday through Friday 11am until 1pm. The lunches will be assembled in to-go container and cost $3.50 each. This is addition to a full menu provided to the public and staff on a regular daily basis.

Central Iowa hospital trustees, including Story County Medical Center Board of Trustees Chairman, David Anderson, gained a primer on federal health care reform at the initial Iowa Hospital Association regional trustee meeting at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.  This marked the first of seven meetings focused on building Iowa hospital trustees understanding of health care reform and what it will mean for their individual hospital as well as for health care in Iowa.

“It was a great opportunity for us to hear from several experts on health care reform. It's certainly an evolving subject, and we were able to ask questions about the impact for our local hospitals and clinics. It was definitely well worth the time,” said Anderson, who has served as a Trustee for the medical center since 1990.

This year, Story County Medical Center Auxiliary celebrated its 30^th Anniversary. The commemoration was held during their annual meeting at Story County Medical Center’s South Campus in Nevada on June 10. Many of the members attending the meeting noted that they have been members of the Auxiliary since its inception in 1980.

“The Auxiliary manages both the North and South Campus gift shops and does many other fundraisers throughout the year,” says Todd Willert, Administrator of Story Medical. “In addition, they are our core group of volunteers. We appreciate everything they do for Story Medical, and they do a lot!”

For more information on the Story Medical Auxiliary or volunteer opportunities, visit our Auxiliary page or call Melissa Miller at 515-382-7711.

Windsor Manor Assisted Living facility, in conjunction with the Nevada Chamber of Commerce and Story County Medical Center, will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the public on Wednesday, August 25^th from 4-6pm. The groundbreaking ceremony will commence at 5:30pm.

The ceremony will be held at the future location of Windsor Manor on the Story Medical South Campus, 619 South G Avenue in Nevada, Iowa. The public is invited to help celebrate by attending the event and enjoying friends, light hors d’oeuvres and wine. Information on the assisted living property and renderings of the building will be available for viewing.

Story Medical’s cardiac rehabilitation program, wellness classes, the fitness facility and wellness offices made the move to the main level of Story County Medical Center’s North Campus on Friday. The new wellness center is located in the remodeled area that was previously the Story Medical surgical post-operation area.

Story County Medical Center is pleased to welcome MaryJane Applegate, RN, to the Story County Medical Center team as the new outpatient clinics coordinator.

In the newly created position, Applegate will be supporting the director of outpatient clinics & surgical services. She will assist in development and organization of the specialty clinics throughout the medical center. This includes recruitment of new specialists, meeting the needs of current specialists, management of new and existing contracts and the coordination between the surgeons’ staffs and Story Medical.

Story County Medical Center’s Outpatient Clinic is growing – and growing fast! In addition to a consistent increase in patient visits and operating room procedures, Story Medical welcomed two new physicians and on-site sleep studies to its outpatient clinic & surgical services department since its move to the South Campus.

On August 16^th, Story County Medical Center will celebrate its one-year anniversary of the South Campus opening. Since the outpatient clinic & surgical services department made the move to the new campus, patient visits have continually increased. At the end of the fiscal year, the clinic had 28,374 patient visits. That number is up 1,479 visits from last fiscal year. The operating room has been even busier than the clinic – a 14.3% increase in procedures was reported at the end of the fiscal year.

As a result of a new partnership with Dr. Courtney Whitney, board certified physician in internal medicine and sleep medicine, and Whitney Sleep Diagnostics & Consultants, patients can now receive diagnosis and treatment for sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, or any of the eighty-four known sleep disorders, at Story County Medical Center.

Dr. Dana Simon is both a board certified pain physician and anesthesiologist with Mercy' Medical Center's Center for Pain Medicine. He began seeing patients at Story Medical the first week in August.

Whether a patient suffers from temporary pain due to illness, injury, chronic cancer-related pain or end-of-life pain, Dr. Simon is available to help Story County residents in a location close to their home.

Those in pain sometimes find it difficult to focus on anything else in life. Dr. Simon is committed to pain management as a priority in maintaining basic human dignity. He is dedicated to helping deal with any type of pain a patient might have and achieving the greatest level of activity in their life.

To make an appointment with Dr. Simon, patients should call the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic & Surgical Services Department at 515-382-7738.

Dr. Ryan Schulte is a board eligible urologist with The Iowa Clinic. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the urinary tracts of males and females and the reproductive system of males.

Patients in need of care for the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and male reproductive organs including the prostate now have urological services in eastern Story County.

Those who may be suffering from incontinence, urological cancers, kidney or bladder stones, cystitis, male reproductive issues, enlarged prostate, or a variety of other conditions should call the Story Medical Outpatient Clinic & Surgical Services Department at 515-382-7738 to make an appointment.

Story Medical starts book clubs to keep safety at the forefront of patient care.

Gale Herrera leads a different kind of book club. Every four weeks, Herrera, the Chief Nursing Officer at Story County Medical Center, convenes her leadership team to discuss safety and quality at the hospital, with one agenda item being “book club.” 

The club is an innovative effort to increase attention by hospital leaders to patient safety efforts.

Beth Rehbein, RN, BSN, CCNC, Administrative Director of Senior Care Services, was awarded the Patriotic Employer Award on Wednesday, July 14, 2010, by the ESGR, Employer's Support of the Guard and Reserve, agency.

The surprise presentation was made by Brett McLain, Story County volunteer for ESGR. ESGR’s mission is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law and resolving conflicts.

The Patriotic Employer Award honors individual supervisors for their superior support to the Guard and Reserve employees. Rehbein was nominated for the award by Story Medical Senior Care employee Aaron Tonderum. Tonderum nominated her for the award for her support of his upcoming deployment. A military employee must initiate the award in order for it to be awarded to an employer/manager.

It’s been almost a year since Story County Medical Center opened its new south campus facility on 19th Street in Nevada.

 Since then, the change has been phenomenal, said Todd Willert, the medical center’s administrator.

When Candy Schainker, senior activities director at Story County Medical Center Senior Care, sits down for a moment to talk, it’s in a nursing home atmosphere with houseplants, comfortable armchairs and a cage of parakeets. A house cat makes the rounds of resident rooms.

It might seem like nothing noteworthy, but the backdrop for Schainker’s conversation reflects the major shift in nursing home care philosophy she’s seen since she started this job in 1979.

“When I first started here, the whole emphasis on senior care was much more the medical model, just like it was everywhere. It was about treating illnesses,” she said.

Since then, the turnabout has been to an environment where residents’ lives resemble as much as possible one they might have at home, with the benefit of an activities schedule that engages them socially.

“Now we concentrate on the quality of their life,” she said. “That is a huge cultural change. You don’t come here to die; you come here to live.”

Thanks to a gift from Nevada Rotary Club, waiting areas now have child sized furniture, a bookshelf, nearly one hundred children’s hard covered books and magazines and sustainable wall-mounted games to help distract them from upcoming procedures or waiting for a parent in distress. The main area is located in the central lobby of the South Campus. Additional areas are located in the visitor’s lounges of the emergency room and radiology department.

Patrick Sheets, a sales agent with Pioneer Hi-Bred and Story County Medical Center Board of Trustees member, designated Story Medical Endowment Foundation as the recipient of a recent $300 customer service award he recently won.

Sheets was recognized by Pioneer for providing value to his customers and thanked for his loyalty through a charitable contribution given in his name.

“The award was providing customer service, so I thought it appropriate to donate it to an organization who is continually striving to exceed expectations – Story Medical is doing that on a daily basis,” said Sheets.

            This summer Story Medical will sponsor a program that is dedicated to helping local children “turn on” their attention to nutrition, exercise and the pursuit of good health.

            Steve Van Dam, exercise physiologist at Story Medical and the overseer of Story Medical’s Youth Strength and Conditioning Camp, invites local parents to sign up their children for the eight-session program that will run June 15 through July 8 in Nevada.

The public is invited Story County Medical Center’s annual Soup/Chili Cook-Off Tuesday, May 11th from 11am – 1pm.

In celebration of Medical Center Week, employees will prepare a diverse array of themed soups and chilies. Each sample includes soup/chili, bread and a side dish. Sample all you can eat and vote for your favorite - only $5!

Story County Medical Center will host its 20th annual Beat the Street 5K Run/2 Mile Walk on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Both events will begin at 8:00 am at Story County Medical Center’s South Campus, 640 S. 19th Street. Race day registration and check in are from 7:00 am – 7:45 am. A non-competitive kids’ fun run will be held in conjunction with the run/walk.

Register by calling the race director at 515-382-7115 or download a registration form.  The entry fee is $20.00 or $22.00 if registering after April 26th or on the day of the race. The kids fun run fee is $8 or $10 after April 26th. All participants in the run/walk will receive a free race t-shirt along with post run/walk beverages, food, and free massages. Professionals from 21st Century Rehab, PC, will be on hand to answer sports injury questions also.

HR Green Company announced that it has selected Nevada, Iowa, for the location of its newest Windsor Manor Assisted Living Community. The Windsor Manor facility in Nevada will be located on the new Story County Medical Center South Campus, just west of the medical center.