Atlantic, IA – The October session of Healthy U will be held Thursday, October 17, at Cass County Health System. The program, What is Medical Cannabis? will be presented by CCHS Pharmacy Director Crystal Starlin, PharmD. She will be discussing several areas of medical marijuana, how it works, therapeutic uses, and Iowa’s law for medical cannabis.
Crystal has served as the Pharmacy Director since joining CCHS in 2006; she along with her staff provide pharmacy oversight for all medications issued in the hospital for inpatients and patients receiving outpatient treatments.
Healthy U will be offered at noon on Thursday, October 17. Healthy U is a free educational series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as a meal is provided for all attendees. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.
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Atlantic, IA – The September session of Healthy U will be held Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at Cass County Health System. The program, Eye Health will be presented by Jesse Himebaugh, MD.
Dr. Himebaugh is a specialist in cataract surgery, corneal transplantation, external eye and corneal disease, LASIK and PRK surgery, and the medical and surgical treatment of eye disease.
A native of Utah, Dr. Himebaugh received his bachelor’s degree in micro-biology from Brigham Young University and his medical degree from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Himebaugh completed a one-year internship in internal medicine at the University of Utah and a three-year residency in ophthalmology at West Virginia University. He completed his formal medical training with a fellowship in cornea, external disease and refractive surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Himebaugh is board-certified through the American Board of Ophthalmology. American Board of Ophthalmology.
Healthy U will be offered at noon on Wednesday, September 25th. Healthy U is a free educational series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as a meal is provided for all attendees.
Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.
The August session of Healthy U will be held Monday, August 26, 2019, at Cass County Health System. The program, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery will be presented by Keith Lodhia, MD, MS.
Dr. Lodhia offers neurological care at the CCHS Specialty Clinic and is affiliated with MD West ONE. He practices general neurosurgery encompassing the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves with an emphasis in spinal surgery, having particular expertise in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. Dr. Lodhia is board certified by The American Board of Neurological Surgery, and his areas of research include spinal surgery, tumors of the spine, and brain hemorrhages.
Healthy U will be offered at noon on Monday, August 26th. Healthy U is a free educational series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as a meal is provided for all attendees.
Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.
Dr. Chang to Start at CCHS in November
ATLANTIC- Cass County Health System (CCHS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Emily Chang, OB/GYN, will join the medical team at CCHS on Monday, November 11, 2019.
“In just a limited time at Atlantic and the hospital, I can tell that there is a strong sense of community, and people are proud to work there,” said Dr. Chang. “I like to be in a work environment that values open communication, teamwork, and empathy.”
CCHS CEO Brett Altman said, “We believe that Dr. Chang is an excellent fit for our community’s needs. She will provide the full spectrum of obstetric and gynecological care including gynecological surgeries. We are impressed by both her extensive knowledge and compassion for patients, and we are thrilled to bring her onboard full-time to provide women’s health care in our community.”
Dr. Chang has worked in both Illinois and Iowa and brings more than a decade of experience to CCHS, most recently having practiced the past six years at Obstetrical & Gynecological Associates next to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Dr. Chang is certified through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as a Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Chang received her BA degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in Mathematics and Natural Sciences and a Bachelor of Medical Sciences from Midwestern University in Illinois. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2003. She completed her residency at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago.
Dr. Chang will work closely with Dr. James Brown in transitioning his practice before his retirement in May 2020. She will care for patients at Atlantic Medical Center and Cass County Memorial Hospital.
ATLANTIC- Cass County Public Health recently delivered more than one hundred Stop the Bleed Kits to Southwest Iowa Transit Agency thanks to funding from the Southwest Iowa Preparedness Partners (SWIPP).
Bleeding from a traumatic injury can lead to death in just a few minutes, well before medical help can arrive, which is why bleeding control kits and training is vital. To date, Cass County Public Health has trained more than 700 people on the Stop the Bleed Program and distributed more than 450 bleeding control kits for use in emergencies. Cass County Public Health trained more than 70 SWITA drivers and staff in April on the Stop the Bleed curriculum, which includes recognizing and controlling life-threatening bleeding through wound packing techniques and the use of tourniquets.
“We truly appreciate the training and the donation of the Stop the Bleed Kits. SWITA operates more than 100 vehicles in 8 counties in Southwest Iowa and by placing one of these in each of our vehicles and training our drivers in their use, we are not only helping our passengers, but anyone near a SWITA bus should a need for the kits arise. No one ever wants to come upon the scene of an accident, but this donation puts many more tools out in the community where they can be of the most use,” said John McCurdy, Executive Director of Southwest Iowa Planning Council.
The kits were made available through SWIPP, which is a 12-county coalition that meets monthly with the purpose to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents that affect the health of the population in the service area to decrease mortality and morbidity.
The Stop the Bleed campaign is a national initiative originating from the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, the White House, and other governmental and private agencies. The program is currently being championed by the American College of Surgeons-Committee on Trauma. The program is based on recommendations identified in the Hartford Consensus, which was a review of mass casualty and active shooter events. The program is designed to teach civilian bystanders basic hemorrhage control techniques.
Cass County Public Health offers free Stop the Bleed training for any interested groups, such as schools, churches, community groups, or businesses. Please call (712) 243-7551 for more information or to schedule your class today.
For Immediate Release
ATLANTIC- Officials at Cass County Health System announced today that Dr. Blanca Marky is now seeing patients at Atlantic Medical Center. Dr. Marky is a board-certified neurologist, and she will be providing care for patients in Atlantic every month on the first and third Tuesday.
She cares for patients with general neurology needs, headaches, numbness, multiple sclerosis, dementia, epilepsy, treatment following stroke, and more. She performs neurological treatments including electromyograms (EMG), electroencephalograms (EEG), and Botox injections.
In addition to her work in Atlantic, Dr. Marky works at St. Anthony Clinic in Carroll, Iowa. She has more than twenty years of experience and is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). She is a native of Mexico City, Mexico, and she is fluent in English, Spanish, and French.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Marky join the medical team at Cass County Health System,” said Brett Altman, CEO. “She comes with extremely positive recommendations from patients and her fellow physicians. As part of our commitment to provide more services locally, Dr. Marky helps meet the needs of our family, friends, and neighbors who need neurological care and we are one of few western Iowa hospitals that offer neurology services.”
To make an appointment with Dr. Marky, please call the Atlantic Medical Center at 712-243-2850.
For Immediate Release
Healthy U: Summer Food Safety Tips
Atlantic, IA – The June session of Healthy U will be held Thursday, June 20, 2019 at Cass County Health System. The program, Summer Food Safety Tips will be presented by James Baker, Food Services Director. James will cover tips on preparing and serving food at picnics and potlucks so that your family and friends stay healthy.
Healthy U will be offered at both 7:30 am and noon on June 20th. Healthy U is a free educational series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as a meal is provided for all attendees. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.
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Coming Home
Jill Leonard never envisioned herself working in health care, “It just kind of happened, but once it did I knew I found my place,” said Jill.
Jill studied psychology at Iowa State, and during her freshman year, she met a boy. That boy is her now husband of 23 years, Doug Leonard. “Doug and I knew each other in high school, but never dated. My mom always tells me I had to go clear to Ames to find an Atlantic boy.”
The couple married shortly after they both graduated and then moved to Vermillion, South Dakota, where Doug was planning to attend graduate school to become an audiologist. Jill wasn’t sure she wanted to work in psychology, and she started looking for jobs in Vermillion. “I just wasn’t sure what I wanted in a career yet,” she said.
Once they settled, Jill accepted a position at Sioux Valley Hospital – and this is where her love for healthcare began.
“I worked in home health care and was in charge of the durable medical equipment at what was Sioux Valley Hospital and was there about two years. But, we always knew heading back to Atlantic was the goal.” Upon their return to Atlantic, Jill started working for the Cass County Memorial Hospital Home Care/Hospice, which then became Unity Point at Home. “I knew someone who was working with them at the time and she gave me the inside scoop on an opening.” The Social Worker, Deb Lamb, was in need of an assistant and Jill fit the position perfectly. “Everything just fell into place.” Jill was in the position for about 17 years.
In 2017, Unity Point at Home closed, and Jill saw an opportunity to rejoin the CCHS family. She heard about a position with a new program called Senior Life Solutions and she immediately applied. “I knew I wanted to be back at CCHS, I just love the culture here. It feels like a family.”
Jill is now the Office and Patient Coordinator for the Senior Life Solutions program at Cass County Health System. Senior Life Solutions is a program dedicated to addressing the emotional and behavioral health of adults over the age of 65. “I take care of everything from patient scheduling, to answering phone calls, to escorting patients to their appointments with our therapists.” Jill has definitely found her calling, “I love working with our patients. I think my favorite part is watching the positive changes from when they start the program to when they are ready to move on. It’s amazing every time.”
In her spare time you can usually find Jill at an Atlantic High School athletic event watching one of her two children, Cooper who is a senior, and Reagan a freshman. If they are not rooting for the Trojans, they can be found cheering for the Iowa State Cyclones. “We love cheering on the Cyclones at football and basketball games. We are especially excited for Cooper to head to Iowa State in the fall and follow in our footsteps.”
Jill is also an avid repurposer, especially when it comes to home décor. “Give me a can of spray paint and watch out!” She loves to take something old and make it new again, and is always looking for new ideas on Pinterest.
The Honor of Nursing
Britni Olson, RN, loves birthdays – in fact, they are her favorite days at work.
“No matter how bad of day I may be having, when I get the chance to see a father’s tears or watch as a mother holds her baby for the first time, it makes it all worth it,” said Britni. “I also love hearing the lullaby that we play overhead in celebration of each birth.”
Britni works as an obstetrics nurse at Cass County Health System, but years ago, she didn’t know what career was right for her. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after high school, but I was interested in a medical profession,” she said. “My older sister Randi was in nursing school at Grand View and talked me into going there. But she never got to finish nursing school and become a nurse as she was tragically hit by a car and died before her junior year.”
Britni took Randi’s advice and graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Grand View University in 2008. “I take pride in being a nurse in her honor,” said Britni.
She then began her nursing career at Mercy in Des Moines as a medical-surgical nurse. After five years there, she decided to move back home just before getting married. “I was looking for something closer to home and my good friend Lisa Burmeister mentioned an OB nurse opening in Atlantic. I thought I’d give it a try and applied!”
Britni has been working on the obstetrics unit now for six years, and she loves working with the families that she is privileged to care for. “I enjoy being able to spend one-on-one time with moms, helping them learn the skills they need for taking home a baby, or helping care for a first-time mom in labor who is nervous and scared.”
That one-on-one time with patients and families has allowed Britni to bond with families, and it’s also inspired her to further her education by becoming a Certified Lactation Counselor. “I provide breastfeeding and lactation support to new moms, and I currently lead the breastfeeding support group at CCHS,” said Britni. “Being a mom is hard work, and I hope that by offering these services, we’re making life a bit easier for families.”
Britni knows first-hand how rewarding and challenging raising children is. She and her husband Jesse have two children: daughter Kodi Jo (4) and son Porter (15 months). When she’s not working or chasing kids, Britni loves grilling, camping, shopping, relaxing with a glass of wine and Magnolia magazine, and spending her time with family at their acreage and soon-to-be home outside of Hamlin.
Spending time with her family is one of the most important things in Britni’s life, which is why she is so well suited to caring for new families in the obstetrics unit. “I am passionate about what nursing is all about—caring and helping others.”
CCHS’s Utility Player
On any given day, you’ll find Andy Niemann, MS, ATC, in a CCHS operating room, in an exam room at Southwest Iowa Surgery, in the athletic training room at Atlantic High School, and on the sidelines of the big game.
Simply put, he’s a utility player that’s constantly making great plays for his teams at CCHS and AHS.
“I technically have four main areas of responsibility. In the clinic at Southwest Iowa Surgery (SWIS), I function as an orthopedic tech by helping room patients, taking histories, providing patient education, teaching home exercise and therapy programs, referrals, as well as casting,” said Andy. “I also work in surgery as a second assistant to Dr. Matt Weresh during total joint replacements or other surgeries.”
Andy is also the durable medical equipment (DME) coordinator, so he oversees all of the fittings in SWIS, and manages the DME program that started in 2018 in partnership with Breg.
And then there’s his most visible role of all—as a licensed athletic trainer for AHS.
“I work in the afternoons at the high school, helping athletes from all sports and collaborating with coaches,” said Andy. “I also am on the sidelines for all home and away football games, home wrestling meets, home soccer games for boys and girls, as well as our home track and cross country meets.”
For Andy, sports have always been a big part of his life. Growing up in West Bend, Andy played football, basketball, baseball, and golf. During his football career, Andy played guard, tackle, and defensive tackle.
“Football was by far my favorite. As a player, there are a lot of life lessons that you learn on a football team. I learned a lot about work ethic, committing to tasks, hard work, being a team player, and how everyone’s role is important even if they aren’t in the spotlight.”
His team’s hard work paid off with a state championship in 2004 and state runner-up in 2005. But the lessons from his high school football coach Koy Goodchild are what still resonate the most with Andy.
“Every day he would say ‘It’s a great day to get better.’ I still use it and probably say it every day.”
His passion for athletic training was ignited when he suffered an injury. “I tore my meniscus sophomore year playing basketball, and that was my introduction to sports medicine. I realized that I wanted a career in healthcare. I originally wanted to study physical therapy, but when I found athletic training, I saw it as the perfect bridge between my desire to work in healthcare and my love of sports.”
Andy went to college at the University of Northern Iowa with his high school sweetheart, Kat. After graduating with his Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training, the two married and moved to Indiana for graduate school. At Indiana State, Andy earned his Master of Science in Athletic Training.
Outside of work, Andy loves to spend time with his wife and three-year-old son Owen. He keeps active by riding local trails on his bike, hunting and fishing, weightlifting, and in the summer, playing first base or pitching during the local slow-pitch softball league games.
“Playing sports will always be important to me,” said Andy. “But it’s never been just about the game. Especially now, my favorite part of what I do is building relationships with the kids, coaches, and their families.”