Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions has received the 2024 Program Finalist of the Year Award from Psychiatric Medical Care, which manages the program.

Psychiatric Medical Care (PMC) partners with more than 250 hospitals and health systems across the country to provide behavioral healthcare services. Top-performing employees and Senior Life Solutions programs are recognized annually based on their excellence in demonstrating PMC’s values of care, compliance, and community. Award recipients were chosen for providing outstanding patient care, excellent comprehension and execution of compliance regulations, and strong community engagement.

“It was an unexpected surprise to have received this great honor,” said Program Director Karmen Roland, RN.  “I am truly humbled and grateful to see my team being acknowledged for all the hard work they have put into improving the lives of our community members.”

Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions program supports the unique needs of individuals, typically 65 and older, experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, grief and other mental health challenges that are often associated with aging. Senior Life Solutions program staff includes a board-certified psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, a licensed therapist, a registered nurse, and other trained professionals to ensure each patient receives the best possible care.

Families, friends, community members, physicians, self-referrals, or other health professionals can refer people to the program. For more information, education, or if you would like to discuss support, please call 712-250-8100.

ABOUT SENIOR LIFE SOLUTIONS

Senior Life Solutions is managed by Psychiatric Medical Care (PMC). Founded in 2003, PMC is a leading behavioral healthcare management company. Focused on addressing the needs of rural and underserved communities, PMC manages inpatient behavioral health units, intensive outpatient programs, and telehealth services in more than 35 states. The company’s services provide evaluation and treatment for patients suffering from depression, anxiety, mood disorders, memory problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other behavioral health problems. For more information, visit www.seniorlifesolutions.com

ATLANTIC—The Cass Health Foundation is hosting their annual gala on Saturday, March 29^th at the Atlantic Golf & Country Club. The gala is a fundraiser for the Cass Health Foundation, which is currently fundraising to support Cass Health workforce development and educational programs, including the Nursing Apprenticeship Program.

“The Foundation shifted gears a bit from past fundraisers that have focused on equipment purchases. This year we are dedicating the funds raised to support students in healthcare programs, because we believe it is important to invest in building, supporting, and training the next generation of nurses,” said Beth Spieker, Cass Health Director of Community & Guest Relations.

The fundraiser includes dinner, dessert auction, games, and a DJ. The Kentucky Derby is the inspiration for the theme this year, and attendees are encouraged to wear Derby-inspired outfits and hats.

Tickets to the event are limited and available through table sponsorships; RSVPs are due by March 1. For more information, please call Beth Spieker at 712-243-7545 or visit casshealth.org/donors/gala to view the details or pay online.

Atlantic, IA – Cass Health announced it has been named among the 2025 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®.

“The Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals award program elevates the very best performers and helps create a roadmap for those seeking to improve financial and operational performance while continuing to care for the communities they serve,” said Michael Topchik, Executive Director, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This is our 15th year recognizing the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate this milestone with this year’s winners.”

The INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is utilized nationwide by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

Atlantic, IA — Cass Health is proud to announce that Registered Nurse Kristin Meyer was selected as one of the 2025 Great Iowa Nurses. Great Iowa Nurses is a non-profit program that recognizes nurses in Iowa and spotlights qualities that demonstrate efforts beyond those expected of a nurse within their normal duties.

Meyer was nominated by her supervisor, Inpatient Services Nurse Manager Danielle Powers, RN, who wrote, “Kristin is the night shift nurse everyone wants to work with, and the one our hospitalists count on to keep them organized. She’s simultaneously caring for patients while mentoring nurses, collaborating with providers, and keeping on task. While she puts up a humorous front, she always prioritizes her patients while showing and teaching compassion and empathy; she creates a sense of security and trust that is rarely found.”

Meyer has worked in nursing since she earned her RN in 1998. She spent the first 24 years of her career in skilled nursing with older adults before transitioning to inpatient care at Cass Health.

“I have worked with some exceptional co-workers over the years and am truly grateful for all I have learned from them. My last four years at Cass Health have been great. I was nervous about changing to hospital nursing after spending the majority of my career in skilled nursing. However, I could not have chosen a better organization to work in hospital nursing. The staff here have been so welcoming and great to work with.”

Originally called 100 Great Iowa Nurses, the recognition was established in 2004 and hosted by the University of Iowa until 2020. In 2022, with the support of Mary Greeley Medical Center, the program, now called Great Iowa Nurses, returned to recognize Iowa nurses that routinely go above and beyond every day and take that extra step to ensure safe, compassionate care for their patients. These great nurses share their experience and knowledge to improve the health of their communities. They also take on leadership and mentoring responsibilities, serving as role models for everyone they work with, especially those just entering the profession.

The February session of Healthy U will be presented by Dr. Rick Rinehart. This session will be on Tuesday, February 25 at noon in Conference Room 2. Dr. Rinehart will be focusing on ear, nose, and throat concerns for older adults during this presentation. 

Dr. Rinehart is a board-certified Otolaryngologist Head and Neck Surgeon with more than 20 years of experience. He was born and raised in Iowa and did his undergraduate studies at Iowa State University. He then completed both medical school and his residency at the University of Iowa. He served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in ENT for the University of Iowa and instructed ENT residents in Des Moines for over a decade. In 2013 Des Moines Magazine presented him with the “Best Doc” award in his field as voted by his ENT peers. Dr. Rinehart provides clinical care in the Cass Health Surgery Clinic and performs surgeries locally as well. 

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, IA—Cass Health is excited to announce that Megan Frederiksen, ARNP, FNP-C is now seeing patients. Frederiksen is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). She provides family practice care for patients of all ages.

“I started at Luther College as a pre-med major. Throughout my experience, I learned I wanted a career with better work/life balance, which led me to bedside nursing. While I developed my nursing skills, I realized I wanted a greater say in patient care. Becoming a nurse practitioner allows me to experience the benefits of both work/life balance, and helping a patient determine a plan of care that’s best for them,” said Frederiksen.

Frederiksen earned a Bachelor of Science from Luther College in 2007 and then completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Nebraska Methodist in 2009. During her nursing career at Cass Health, Frederiksen primarily worked in the Emergency Department, Obstetrics, and most recently, Cardiac Rehab. After more than a decade in nursing, Frederiksen returned to school and completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Clarkson College, graduating in August 2024.

When asked about what it means to now provide care in the community she grew up in, she said, “Since I grew up here, I know a lot of the community, and over the course of my nursing career, I’ve met even more people. Small towns are big families, so it’s like taking care of family.”

To schedule an appointment, please call Cass Health at 712-243-2850.

ATLANTIC – Cass Health and its affiliate organizations have released their scholarship applications for the upcoming school year.
2025 Scholarships
• Cass Health offers a $500 scholarship to a southwest Iowa student who is enrolled or accepted into a nursing program. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health offers a $500 scholarship to a southwest Iowa student pursuing a degree in a health-related career. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health Auxiliary provides $1,000 scholarships for students pursuing a health-related career. Deadline is April 4, 2025.
• Cass Health Foundation offers $5,000 scholarships to a graduate from a Cass County High School with a goal of becoming a healthcare provider subject to licensure requirements in the State of Iowa, including testing to obtain certification and requires continuing education to maintain that licensure. The scholarship fund was established by a bequest from Louie and Elsie Hansen. Deadline is April 4, 2025.

Applications are available on casshealth.org/scholarships and can be turned in to Human Resources by the respective deadlines listed above. For more information, contact Kat Niemann, Human Resources Coordinator, at 712-250-8022 or nieka@casshealth.org.
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Atlantic, IA—Cass Health is excited to announce a new service: coronary calcium scoring tests. A buildup of calcium can narrow the arteries and reduce blood flow to the heart. By knowing if there is a significant buildup of calcium in your arteries, your healthcare provider can better predict your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, or heart attack.

“The test itself is a simple CT scan of the heart and chest, and it gives us a glimpse into the amount of build-up within your arteries,” said Radiology Director Jess Sandbothe. “After the test, a radiologist will review your scan and the results will be sent to your healthcare provider. Patients who have MyChart can also see their results as soon as they are available.”

The results of a coronary calcium can are usually given as a number, or a score. The higher the number, the more calcium was detected, and higher scores correlate to a higher risk of heart disease. Generally, a score under 100 means a low chance of developing heart disease, 100 to 300 is a moderate amount of calcium was found and indicates a higher risk of heart disease, while a score greater than 300 is at the top end of extensive disease and the greatest risk of heart attack or stroke.

The test is generally recommended for men 40 and older and women 45 and older, although it is not helpful for all patients including those with diabetes. Your healthcare provider might recommend and order this test for you if you have any risk factors such as a family history of heart disease, if you use tobacco, have high cholesterol or blood pressure, are overweight, or have a sedentary lifestyle.

Patients who are interested in the test are encouraged to talk with their primary care provider about it. It is also important to know that most insurance companies do not cover the cost of this test; patients will be expected to pay a $75 testing fee when they check in at Registration.

The January session of Healthy U will be presented by Cass Health’s Registered Dietitian Sarah Andersen. This session will be on Thursday, January 16 at noon in Conference Room 2.

“Many people think that understanding glucose is only important for people who have diabetes, but understanding glucose is important for everyone. Managing your glucose levels can have an incredible impact on your overall health, and we’ll talk about a number of easy strategies you can use at every meal to help you keep glucose levels from spiking,” said Andersen.

Andersen earned her Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University and completed her Iowa State Dietetic Internship in the 2018. She is a credentialed Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and is a State of Iowa Licensed Dietitian. She is a member of the Iowa Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.

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.

Rapid Care will close at 2 pm on Tuesday, December 31st and remain closed on Wednesday, January 1st.

It will reopen on Thursday, January 2nd.