Atlantic, IA—Cass Health will begin administering flu shots on Monday, October 2nd and continue throughout the flu season. 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 and Saturday 8 am to 11:30 am.
In Atlantic, drive-thru appointments are available on Monday and Friday mornings from 8 am to noon and on Wednesday afternoons from 2 to 6 pm. The annual Ayzlee’s Family Flu Clinic will be held on October 11th. The drive-thru will once again be in the curved driveway on 10th street, at the top of the staff parking lot (Lot D). Appointments are required — please call 712-243-2850.
Cass Health will also be administering flu vaccines, via injection or FluMist, at local schools. A clinic will be held at the Griswold school on October 18 and Atlantic schools on October 19. For more information, please contact your school nurse for details. Required paperwork can be found here.
At Cass Health clinics in Anita, Griswold, and Massena, patients can receive their annual flu vaccine on a walk-in basis during normal business hours. Calling ahead is recommended, but not required.
Atlantic, IA— Andy Niemann, MS, LAT, ATC was selected as one of the Iowa Hospital Association’s Hospital Heroes for demonstrating exceptional commitment to care and service. He is one of 10 employees of Iowa hospitals to receive the 2023 recognition and will be formally recognized in October in Des Moines.
Niemann was nominated for a multitude of reasons, one of which is his role in protecting athletes during competition. During emergencies, we often think of doctors, nurses, and paramedics answering the call and rushing in to help. Often overlooked, athletic trainers are right there on the front lines of protecting athletes on and off the field. Niemann is no exception — his quick reflexes, extensive training and skill, and leadership abilities were all put on display during a particularly scary moment on the football field — the kind of moment every parent prays will never happen. Even though there were paramedics and physicians standing by, he is the expert in these situations. Andy took charge, called the shots, directed the team around him, and ensured the player was safely cared for, transferred, and monitored for weeks to come.
Off the field, Niemann is a valuable utility player for Cass Health. His versatile role sees him in the operating room collaborating with orthopedic surgeons, providing patient care in clinic, and managing the athletic training room at Atlantic High School.
Beyond his professional duties, his passion for sports and wellness is evident. Having played football, basketball, baseball, and golf during his youth, he internalized valuable life lessons from his coach, including the motto “It’s a great day to get better.” A personal injury ignited his interest in sports medicine, leading him to pursue a career that blends health care and sports.
Niemann’s impact extends beyond the hospital as he engages in community service. He spends quality time with his family, participating in outdoor activities, and contributes to his church and local youth sports organizations. His focus is on imparting fundamental skills and fostering a love for sports among children and coaches.
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 – more than 30 nominations were submitted this year – 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. 117 community hospitals are association members.
Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team is hosting a free community walk in support of National Suicide Prevention Month on Saturday, September 23, 2023 beginning at 6:30 pm at the Rotary Shelter at Schildberg Recreation Area. The event is being co-hosted by Healthy Cass County, Cass County Iowa State University Extension, and Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services.
The event will kick-off at 6:30 pm with a local speaker who will share their story on how suicide has touched their lives. The walk portion of the evening will begin around 7:00 pm. Participants will walk the trail loop at the Schildberg Recreation Area. Information about mental health services and community resources as well as light refreshments will be available at the Rotary Shelter.
“Suicide Prevention Month is a chance to take time to stop and assess yourself and those around you to ensure those who need help have access to it and aren’t living at risk. By raising awareness and educating people about the signs that can indicate someone is having suicidal thoughts or are possibly in danger of attempting suicide, we can help to 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.
For more information about the walk, call 712-250-8100.
Atlantic, IA – Cass Health and Adair County Health System are pleased to jointly announce that Dr. Marcela Pineda will be offering an obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) clinic at Adair County Health System in Greenfield, Iowa. Dr. Pineda will provide care to patients on the first Wednesday morning of every month.
“Cass Health continues to grow as the regional center for obstetrics care, and Dr. Pineda is one of the primary reasons behind that growth. With her outreach clinics in Red Oak, Corning, and now Greenfield, more women in southwest Iowa can receive obstetrics and gynecology care at a location that’s convenient for them. Being able to deliver care close to home increases the safety and health of our rural communities. We are proud to contribute to the well-being of our family, friends and neighbors,” said Chief Operating Officer Amanda Bireline.
Catherine Hillestad. CEO of Adair County Health System stated “We are extremely excited to have Dr. Pineda come to ACHS. We know she will be an amazing asset to our community.”
Dr. Pineda currently provides comprehensive obstetrics and gynecology care for women of all ages at the Atlantic Medical Center, Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, and Corning Medical Clinic. She completed her residency at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York, and she obtained her medical degree at Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She was the recipient of the Striving for Excellence Award and Recognition by Hospital Centro Medico Guatemala for outstanding performance as a Medical Resident. Dr. Pineda is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Appointments with Dr. Pineda for all clinic locations can be scheduled by calling 712-243-2850.
Atlantic, IA – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced this week that Cass Health was awarded a rural hospital “Center of Excellence” designation. As part of that designation, grant funding to support and improve healthcare delivery in rural Iowa will provide $250,000 in funding each year for three years, totaling $750,000.
Centers of excellence increase access to multi-disciplinary specialty care and are devoted to tackling major health needs and disparities confronting rural Iowans. Cass Health plans to use the grant to focus on fetal and maternal health services in southwest Iowa. According to the Governor’s office, the awarded funds will help regional and local health systems build and enhance systems to ensure rural Iowans have the same access to specialized care as those living in metro areas.
Over the last twenty years in Iowa, there has been a major decline in the number of hospitals that provide labor and delivery services, most often in rural areas. The Cass Health Centers of Excellence program aims to improve rural maternal health services in southwest Iowa.
“Over the last three years, Cass Health has developed collaborative partnerships with Montgomery County Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa, and CHI Corning Hospital in Corning, Iowa, to continue to provide maternal health services in Montgomery County and Adams County. Cass Health has also collaborated with Adair County Health System in Greenfield, Iowa, to initiate a maternal health outreach clinic in Adair County,” stated Cass Health Chief Executive Officer Brett Altman.
This regional partnership will provide women in these communities with maternal health services, including prenatal and postnatal care, that they would not have access to otherwise. Sustaining and growing OB outreach clinics in this rural region aim to reduce transportation and financial resource barriers. This will increase routine access to prenatal and postnatal care.
“Cass Health is fortunate to be in a position where we can grow as a regional leader in obstetrics care, notably because of the outstanding team of physicians and nurses here and because of our partnerships with healthcare organizations in our region,” said Chief Human Resources Officer Kolton Hewlett.
As counties around Cass have ceased deliveries, Cass Health has increased deliveries as women and families travel to Atlantic for healthcare services. In 2022, Cass Health delivered 144 babies from 34 unique zip codes, representing fifteen counties across three states.
“Over the next three years, Cass Health will use this grant funding to continue OB outreach services in Adair County, Adams County, and Montgomery County. We have also established an OB Navigator position which will be instrumental in expanding access to care. This role will navigate expecting parents through the health system, help coordinate care, and remove any barriers the patient may encounter by identifying critical resources,” stated Hewlett.
Atlantic, IA – The August session of Healthy U — Cass Health’s monthly lunch-and-learn series — will feature a presentation on “Older Adult Nutrition” by Beth Olsen, MS, RD, LD. The presentation will be on Thursday, August 17 at noon in Conference Room 2.
Olsen graduated from Iowa State University with her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics in 2012 and Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences in 2013. She went on to complete her Dietetic Internship in 2014 and has been working as a Registered Dietitian ever since. Beth joined Cass Health in 2106 as the Director of Public Health, where she manages several community health initiatives and programs. In a unique dual role, she also serves as the Clinical Dietitian for Cass Health.
Healthy U is a free educational series held every month at Cass Health that the public is encouraged to attend. During Healthy U, Cass Health providers and staff share health information on a different topic each month. Upcoming presenters include Dr. Matt Weresh and Lace Sindt, ARNP.
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 – Cass Health is pleased to announce that Lace Sindt, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, will be providing medical dermatology care to patients beginning this month.
“I love dermatology. I love being able to look at someone’s skin, recognize their diagnosis, and fix it so they can live a healthier, more confident life. Whether it’s psoriasis, acne, skin cancer checks, or something else, I like being able to offer solutions. I’m extremely passionate about what I do because I am determined to help my patients feel confident in their own skin,” said Sindt.
Lace is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Iowa in 2019, after previously working as an LPN and RN for 10 years. “I’ve worked alongside dermatologists and facial surgeons, and I’m excited to provide this care for the community that I call home,” said Sindt.
With more than a decade of dermatology and facial aesthetics experience, Sindt can offer a variety of dermatology care including skin checks, skin cancer screenings, acne, rashes, psoriasis, rosacea, toenail fungus, moles, warts, and other skin conditions.
To make an appointment, please call 712-243-2850.
Atlantic, IA – Cass Health is happy to announce that the popular Healthy U lunch-and-learn series is returning in July.
Healthy U is a free educational series held monthly at Cass Health that the public is encouraged to attend. During Healthy U, Cass Health providers and staff share health information on a different topic each month. Upcoming presenters include Dr. Adam Verhoef, Beth Olsen, MS, RD, LD, and Dr. Matt Weresh.
The series will kick off on Thursday, July 20 at noon in Conference Room 2. Family Medicine Specialist Dr. Adam Verhoef will talk about osteoporosis.
Dr. Verhoef is a board-certified Family Medicine physician who provides the full spectrum of care including obstetrics and c-sections. He completed his undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He then attended the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, and he completed his Family Medicine Residency in June of 2021 at Prisma Health Richland/University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. He also completed the Advanced OB Fellowship at Swedish Health First Hill Family Medicine in Seattle, Washington.
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 proudly announces that Brenna Irlmeier, RN was honored with the DAISY Award during Nurses Week.
Irlmeier has had her sights set on becoming a nurse since she was in kindergarten. Brenna was inspired by her dad, who was a volunteer EMT and firefighter in the Elk Horn community. She became a nurse in January of 2019, and after working in Omaha at a large hospital, she returned to the area and began working in the Cass Health Surgery Department in August 2021.
“It is an honor to receive the DAISY award. The hard work you put in going to school, the hard work you put in each day, it’s just awesome to have someone remember what you did for them,” said Irlmeier.
This case in particular was special. “I was shocked, because of the nature of our job most people don’t remember us. This was an on-call case, and knowing it was a pediatric case, it pulls at the heart strings more. As a mom, it’s hard to put your child in someone else’s care,” she said.
She says being in surgery is a great fit for her, and she loves the team she works with. “It takes all of us a whole to do what we do, and it’s something new every day. I love it,” she said.
Irlmeier’s nominator wrote: “Rising above all the amazing caregivers we encountered that day, was Brenna Irlmeier. Brenna was the surgery nurse that took my daughter down for her appendectomy. She came to the room, gathered a quick report, did the time out, the whole nine yards. She made sure to explain to my daughter what was going to happen and addressed her directly making sure she didn’t have any questions. Although my daughter is stoic and brave, it was then that the tears began to well and reality hit her. I looked into her eyes and could tell that she was scared, nervous, and crying. As her mother, I had to say goodbye and release her into Brenna’s care trusting that she would be in good hands. In that moment, I could see Brenna making it her highest priority to make my little girl feel safe. Although I couldn’t be present with her in the OR, I am confident that Brenna gave her best to my little girl. The first thing my daughter said to me when she woke up after surgery was, “that nurse was so nice mommy, she held my hand the whole time.” That is when the tears started welling in my own eyes because I knew in my heart that my baby felt safe and was well cared for. I’ve been to larger organizations with my children before and I never felt that they were cared for with the same compassion and empathy as was shown to us here at Cass Health and especially shown to my daughter by Brenna.”
Nurses at Cass Health are honored twice annually with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.® The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate care nurses provide to patients and families every day. The DAISY Award committee at Cass Health thanks all nominators for their submissions. Each nurse who was nominated will be presented with a special pin and a copy of the nomination.
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org. An online nomination form is available at https://www.casshealth.org/daisy.
Cass Health will host a health fair in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The fair will be held on Tuesday, May 23 from 1 to 5 pm in Conference Room 2, and the public is encouraged to attend. Everyone in the community is also encouraged to wear green that day; green is the official color for Mental Health Awareness.
Vendors at the fair include Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team, Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center, Therapy Place, Family Connections, Cass County Public Health, Veterans Affairs, Cass County Extension, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
National Mental Health Awareness Month was created by Congress in 1949 as part of an effort to help address the mental health struggles of WWII veterans.
