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.
Atlantic, IA— Becker’s Hospital Review released their 2024 editions of the “100 Great Community Hospitals” and “27 Critical Access Hospitals to Know” lists – both of which featured Cass Health in Atlantic, Iowa. Cass Health was the only Iowa hospital named to both lists.
The announcement from Becker’s states: “These hospitals are known for providing expert care, positively impacting local economies, making innovative changes with limited resources, and more. Many of these community hospitals have been recognized by rankings and ratings organizations for their excellent clinical care, outstanding patient outcomes, and high performance in specialty services. The hospitals named on this list are committed to uplifting their communities, as well as providing affordable, convenient care access to patients.”
Becker’s Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research; organizations do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Becker’s Healthcare is the go-to source for healthcare decision-makers and one of the fastest growing media platforms in the industry.
ATLANTIC, IA – Cass County Public Health will host a new session of A Matter of Balance beginning Monday, June 10. This free class is designed to help decrease falls and help older adults manage their fears about falling.
A Matter of Balance is an award-winning program to help older adults learn to manage their concerns about falling, make changes to reduce the risk of falling, and increase their physical activity. It includes 8 weekly two-hour sessions for a small group of 8-12 participants led by trained facilitators.
Cass County Public Health has been offering this program since 2018 because falls among adults aged 65 and older are common, costly, and preventable. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older, with 1 in 4 older adults reporting falling every year. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults ages 65 and older. The age-adjusted fall death rate increased by 41% from 2012 to 2021. Over 30% of older adult Iowans reported a fall in the past year, totaling over 157,000 individual older adult falls.
For more information, or to sign up, call Cass County Public Health at 712-243-7443.
Atlantic, IA—Cass Health is proud to announce that Michele Williams, RN is the newest recipient of the Cass Health Spirit of Volunteerism Award. Williams began working at Cass Health in July 1997, and many patients know her for her work in obstetrics and the emergency department.
Williams was nominated specifically for her volunteer work for the Massena ambulance. Her nominator wrote: “Michele Williams volunteers for her hometown emergency ambulance services in Massena and even though she is a registered nurse, she is also a registered advanced emergency medical technician. She has been doing this for about 7 years. She took over managing the ambulance, making sure the ambulance service adheres to regulations for the emergency services which includes having the medications they need when responding to emergencies and complying with those rules. EMS volunteers have to be ready to go at any time and are often called on at nights, weekends, during family get-togethers, and holidays. We don’t appreciate them enough and only think about them if and when we need them. I feel privileged to know that if I need to call 911 for help, that Michele may be in that ambulance that comes to help me or my family.”
With her own family in attendance, Williams was surprised at work with this award. “My husband kept a huge secret! I was very surprised when I won this award! I was also honored. It is nice to be recognized. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes things that people don’t see, and it makes me feel good to know that it matters,” said Williams.
Williams commented that she does it because she likes to help people. “I know the people in Massena and Cumberland and want to make sure if they are sick or hurt someone will be there to help them,” she said.
As part of the Spirit of Volunteerism Award, the winner receives a $250 check to donate to the non-profit organization of their choosing.
“I chose the Cass County Fair because there are a lot of young people in the surrounding communities that participate. I know things are getting expensive and we need to help keep our fair free so everyone can come out and enjoy it,” she said.
Atlantic, IA – Cass Health is excited to announce that Megan Roberts is now serving as the new Director of Cass County Public Health.
“The past ten years allowed me to help a lot of families, and it was a beautiful chapter in my life. The experience I gained managing a larger team and working within a larger organization really prepared me for my new role at Cass County Public Health. I look forward to contributing to the Cass Health team and continuing to make an impact in the region,” she said.
Roberts is well known in the community from her previous work at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and State Farm; both career experiences that helped her develop talents that will enhance the mission of public health.
“I have felt called to make a shift back to a role that supports rural Iowa. We are good people, and we take care of each other. I feel that this position will allow me to partner with others who believe that as well. The values at Cass Health, and the people who work here, align with mine,” said Roberts.
“We are thrilled to have Megan leading the public health efforts for Cass County. Her community connections, civic-minded vision, and enthusiasm for Cass County all make her well suited to partner with our community partners and lead the important work that our public health team carries out each day,” stated Cass Health Chief Financial and HR Officer Kolton Hewlett.
Cass County Public Health manages a number of initiatives including programs for adults like A Matter of Balance, Care for Yourself, CPR and First Aid classes, and Stop the Bleed training. For children and families, they provide car seat installations and checks, Parents as Teachers, and more. Cass County Public Health also provides leadership and guidance on the Community Health Assessment, Community Health Improvement Planning, emergency preparedness, and other community-wide health projects. For more information, visit casshealth.org/publichealth.
The Cass Health Emergency & Rapid Care Entrance will be temporarily closed on Thursday, May 16 and Friday, May 17. All Emergency and Rapid Care patients should use the Rehab Services entrance instead. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.