Atlantic, IA—Cass Health is now administering seasonal vaccines for influenza and COVID.

Flu shots and FluMist are both available, as well as high-dose flu shots for patients over the age of 65. FluMist is an option for patients ages 2 through 49.

Patients wanting a COVID booster can receive the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine 2024-2025 Formula.

Walk-ins are welcome during normal Immunization Room hours; all patients should check-in at Registration first. The Immunization Room is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm.

In Atlantic, drive-thru appointments will be available on Saturday, October 5^th from 10 am to 2 pm. The drive-thru will once again be in the curved driveway on 10^th street, at the top of the staff parking lot (Lot D). Appointments are required for the drive-thru clinic.

The annual Ayzlee’s Family Flu Clinic will be held on Tuesday, October 8^th from 5 to 7 pm. This clinic is specifically for young families and will include children’s activities and snacks. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. The event will be held inside the Cass Health Main Entrance.

Cass Health will also be administering flu vaccines, via injection or FluMist, at local schools. A clinic will be held at the Atlantic schools on October 15^th and at the Griswold school on October 16^th. Parents who wish to have their child immunized at school must return the consent form to the school by September 30^th. For more information, please contact your school nurse for details and required paperwork or visit casshealth.org/vaccines.

Patients can also make an appointment to receive seasonal vaccines at Cass Health clinics in Anita, Griswold, and Massena.

For more information or to schedule any appointments for seasonal vaccines, please call Cass Health at 712-243-2850.

Atlantic, Iowa — Cass Health has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2024 honor by Iowa Top Workplaces. Achieving this award is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, to name a few.  

“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.” 

Located in Atlantic, Iowa, Cass Health’s mission is to provide a superior experience to everyone that they are privileged to serve, while working towards the vision of becoming the best rural hospital in the country. The team at Cass Health cares for patients with medical needs ranging from minor aches and pains to life-threatening emergencies, and everything in between. Cass Health is the largest employer in Cass County and a huge economic engine for the region. Cass Health has been recognized as an Iowa Top Workplace, a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, and as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital in the country. 

Cass Health proudly announces that Sara Beth Jones, RN, BSN was selected to receive the Hospital Hero award from the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). Jones is one of 11 recipients this year and will be formally recognized in October at the IHA Annual Meeting in Des Moines.

Jones was nominated by her coworkers primarily due to her role as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and work with a particular patient. Jones was helping provide care to a patient in the Emergency Department when she recognized warning signs that the patient was a victim of sexual assault and trafficking. Jones helped the patient connect with resources to secure her safety, even going so far as to provide a meal and new clothing and personally escort the patient to another city where she was connected with a human trafficking advocate. The patient has since said, “She turned my life around. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here.”

Beyond this one act, Jones has been a model of compassionate care and nursing leadership. In her primary role, Jones serves as the Director of Nursing Supervision. She also took on the role of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Coordinator, ensuring that Cass Health staff are trained and ready to provide 24/7 coverage for sexual violence victims in our community. She is known around the state as a leader in developing and sustaining one of the most robust SANE programs in Iowa.

Additionally, Jones is a Clinical Instructor, working with nursing students of all levels. She also volunteers her time to help parents impacted by miscarriage and infant loss, and she recently began a chapter of the Nurses Honor Guard, a volunteer group that pays tribute to a nurse’s legacy at their funeral or celebration of life with a simple ceremony.

“I became a nurse simply because I find joy in helping others. Being recognized as a Hospital Hero means so much to me that someone felt I deserved it. There is no magic here in what I do, I just love making others feel safe and cared for,” said Jones.

Jones became an RN in 2013. She earned her BSN in 2020, and she is currently working on her Masters in Nursing Education from Chamberlain University.

Since 2007, the Hospital Heroes program has celebrated employees who have acted courageously in a moment’s crisis or who have selflessly served their hospitals and communities throughout their careers. Hospital Heroes are nominated by their peers and award recipients are selected by other state hospital associations.

The Iowa Hospital Association is a voluntary membership organization representing hospital and health system interests to business, government, and consumer audiences.

Atlantic, IA—Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team is hosting a free community walk in support of National Suicide Prevention Month on Thursday, September 19, 2024 beginning at 6:30 pm at City Park in Atlantic. The event will begin after Produce in the Park has concluded for the evening.

The event will kick-off with local speakers. After the program, the walk will take place around the City Park, and the Christmas lights will be on.

“We are so thankful that the city has agreed to turn on the Christmas lights in the park for this event. We hope that it helps catch people’s attention, and that it helps shed light on suicide prevention. Our goal is to raise awareness about signs that can indicate someone is having suicidal thoughts or is possibly in danger of attempting suicide, so that friends, family, and loved ones can intervene and ultimately help prevent suicide from happening,” said Karmen Roland, RN, Program Director of Senior Life Solutions.

If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 911 immediately. If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, call, text, or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

The walk is co-hosted by Healthy Cass County and Cass County Iowa State University Extension. For more information about the walk, call 712-250-8100.

Atlantic, IA – Cass Health is excited to welcome Dr. Jill Pollpeter and Dr. Jeals Brines to the Family Medicine team.

Dr. Pollpeter, an Omaha native, is a board-certified family medicine physician who received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Creighton University, and her Doctorate of Medicine from the Creighton University in May of 2021. She completed her Family Medicine Residency at Unity Point Health Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines in June. Dr. Pollpeter provides the full scope of family medicine care, and her special interests include women’s health, procedures, and preventative medicine, with her main goal being to treat each patient as an individual and provide the care that will help them reach their health-related goals.

Dr. Brines is a board-certified family medicine physician who grew up in Leon, Iowa and received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Northwest Missouri State University, and her Doctorate of Medicine from the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in May of 2021. She completed her Family Medicine Residency at Unity Point Health Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines in June. Dr. Brines provides the full scope of family medicine care, and her special interests include women’s health, rural health, and nursing home & geriatric care.

Both Dr. Pollpeter and Dr. Brines will begin seeing patients in mid-September in Atlantic. To make an appointment, please call 712-243-2850.

Atlantic, IA – Cass Health is hosting “Glow & Grow: A Women’s Health Retreat” during the first week of September at Bluebird Hill Event Venue in Atlantic.

The goal of this retreat is to empower women to prioritize their well-being, embrace self-care, and create healthy futures by connecting them to local professionals from Cass Health. Held over three days, each evening’s focus will be geared to a different age group.

On Tuesday, September 3, the content will be specific to women in their 20s and 30s. The keynote will be given by Dr. Autumn Keiser, who will focus on understanding cycles and hormones.

On Wednesday, September 4, Dr. Marcela Pineda, OB/GYN will talk about perimenopause. This evening’s content will be focused on women in their late 30s and 40s.

On the final evening, Thursday, September 5, a recorded presentation by Dr. Emily Chang, OB/GYN will be focused on Lifestyle Medicine. This evening is for women 50 and over.

Each evening is scheduled from 5 pm to approximately 9 pm, and the agenda includes keynote speakers, dinner and dessert, vendor booths, information on skincare, nutrition, pelvic floor health, and postural strength training.

Vendors include Homebody, Meadow & Charm, Revel Salon & Boutique, Nishna Valley YMCA, and Cass Health Med Spa.

Free childcare is available for Tuesday and Wednesday evening thanks to a partnership with the YMCA and the Ann W. Wickman Childcare Center. Attendees needing childcare must register by August 28th.

Tickets for each evening are only $15 and available online at casshealth.org/glowandgrow. Tickets can also be purchased at the Cass Health Gift Shop. A limited number of discounted tickets are available through Cass County Public Health; call 712-243-7546 for details. Questions about the event can be directed to the Marketing & Communications Department at 712-243-7405.

Atlantic, IA – The August session of Healthy U will focus on planning for the future, presented by Cass Health Care Coordinators Megan Bierbaum, LMSW and Tiara Zemanek. The session will be on Thursday, August 15 at noon in Conference Room 2.  

The Care Coordination team will touch on topics common amongst older adults as they plan for their futures, such as home health services, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, Power of Attorney, living wills, and outlining the Iowa Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment. This session’s goal is to equip older adults with this important information, so they can make decisions that are best for their health, their family, and their future. 

Space is limited! A free boxed lunch is provided for all attendees, so reservations are required. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat. For more information about Healthy U, visit casshealth.org/healthyu. 

Atlantic, Iowa – The Cass Health Med Spa is hosting an open house on Thursday, August 8 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Visitors will be treated to Med Spa tours, exclusive discounts, raffle drawings, and refreshments. 

Dermatology provider Lace Sindt, ARNP provides care at the Med Spa and will be on hand to answer questions and showcase the newly renovated space. Lace has worked in aesthetic dermatology since 2009, including the management of two medical spas. Maddy Peppers, RN and Brenna Irlmeier, RN will be doing live demonstrations of the SkinPen and VI Peel treatments. 

The Med Spa offers services such as Botox, dermal fillers, chemical peels, and facial resurfacing treatments. The Med Spa also carries a wide range of medical grade skin care products from Skin Medica and EltaMD. For patients interested in the treatments and services, the Med Spa offers free consultations. 

The Med Spa is open the second and fourth Thursday of each month, and appointments are required. Appointments can be made anytime online through the patient portal found at casshealth.org/medspa or by calling 712-243-7500. 

The public is invited and welcome to attend; all attendees are asked to enter through the Main Entrance, and either take the main staircase or elevator to the second floor to access the Med Spa. 

Atlantic, IA— Cass Health is excited to announce the founding of the Cass Health Nurses Honor Guard. Cass County is now the fifteenth county in Iowa with a local chapter. 

Founded in 2003, this national organization has more than 250 groups across the United States. The Nurses Honor Guard is a volunteer program made up of current and former nurses that attend the services of nurses who have passed away, as well as parades, honor walks, living tributes, and more. The Nurses Honor Guard dresses in the traditional white uniform, complete with a cap and cape. During a funeral service, the ceremony is brief; it takes about 5 minutes and consists of reciting the Nightingale Tribute and laying of a white rose, symbolizing the nurse’s dedication to the profession. After the Nightingale Tribute is recited, a triangle is rung after a roll call for the nurse. The nurse’s name is called three times, and the triangle is rung after each call of the name. After the roll call, the words are spoken that the nurse is officially released from their nursing duties. A lit Nightingale lamp is carried up at the beginning of the ceremony and is then extinguished and presented to the family. 

Cass Health’s Director of Nursing Supervision, Sara Beth Jones, RN, BSN started the local chapter after hearing about it through social media. 

“After seeing a service being held, I did a deep dive into searching for what chapters we have in Cass County, only to discover we did not have one,” Jones said. “I was immediately touched and felt moved to be a part of something to honor both living nurses and those who have passed on. Being a part of this is very rewarding.” 

Current or former nurses interested in joining this volunteer organization can call 712-243-7575 for more information.

Cass Health is excited to announce that General and Weight Loss Surgeon Dr. William Rizk will be providing care to patients starting in July. 

Dr. Rizk is a board-certified general and bariatric surgeon who specializes in weight loss surgery, and he has been performing laparoscopic weight loss surgeries since 2002. Dr. Rizk is a graduate of the University of South Dakota, and he completed his surgery residency at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center. He is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons (ASMBS) and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

“People with obesity, particularly severe obesity, face a number of medical concerns that can be improved with weight loss surgery. It’s not an easy decision to make, and it takes commitment and lifestyle change to see long-term success. Weight loss surgery is a great tool, and I’m very excited to offer this surgery to patients in southwest Iowa,” said Dr. Rizk. 

Iowa ranks 12th in states impacted by obesity, with more than 37% of the state’s adult population being impacted by obesity. According to Iowa Health and Human Services, 42.5% of adults in Cass County have an unhealthy body weight, which is classified as a BMI of 30 or higher. 

Dr. Rizk will perform sleeve gastrectomies, also known as gastric sleeve surgeries, at Cass Health beginning this fall. 

“Our program will utilize a multidisciplinary approach,” said Dr. Rizk. “This will include several clinic appointments, nutritional counseling and behavior modification classes.  This education will help ensure the most successful outcome for patients.”

Patients interested in learning more are invited to come to a free educational class on the surgery on Tuesday, July 9th at 6:00 at Cass Health. Reservations are required; sign up online at casshealth.org/weightloss. Questions can be directed to our Program Coordinator at 712-243-7535; patients are also encouraged to talk with their primary care provider about the surgery and referrals.