Clinic, new helipad highlight progress in health care

david swanson

 

Otoe County health care facilities took strides in improving and expanding services in 2006.

Major projects included opening of a new medical clinic, an Alzheimer’s unit, respite room and a helipad.

 

Syracuse

A new medical clinic opened adjacent to Syracuse Community Memorial Hospital. The Syracuse hospital staff also welcomed a new physician assistant, new director of nursing and a new administrator during the past year.

The new Syracuse Medical Clinic opened Monday, May 1. The open house drew standing room only attendance at the clinic’s multipurpose room Sunday, May 7. Various officials praised all who made the project possible. It took about four years — two and one-half years of planning and 14 months of construction.

The 5,500 square foot clinic and a 4,600 square foot hospital addition link the clinic to the Syracuse hospital. U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Community Facility Direct Loan program financed the project with a 30-year loan at 4.375 percent interest. The project included the clinic, link, maintenance building and additional parking.

The clinic contains four doctors’ offices, 12 examination rooms, business offices, nurses’ station, reception area, laboratory, storage and future office space. The linking addition contains an expanded laboratory to include radiology, three specialty clinic rooms, administration offices and a mechanical room. The maintenance building houses the ambulance, maintenance vehicle and equipment.

Fred Meis, administrator at the Syracuse hospital since November, said that hospital officials are looking at a new computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner for the Syracuse hospital. Previously, a mobile service has been used. The scanner would be hospital-based and enable hospital officials to do CTs in the community. That would be more convenient for patients, Meis said.

Melissa Tompkins started in January as a physical assistant at Syracuse Medical Center and Syracuse Community Memorial Hospital.

Sara Turpel, former Syracuse resident, returned to the city in October as new director of nursing at the Syracuse hospital.

Also in Syracuse, Dr. Nancy Davis, began a chiropractic practice at Syracuse Chiropractic Center in February.

 

Morton House

A respite room for short-term stay opened in 2006 at Morton House Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. in Nebraska City, said Candy Herzog, residence director.

Herzog said that the respite room has become increasingly popular.

“A lot of people are using it, especially if someone goes on vacation who’s caring for elderly parents or someone has left the hospital and is not quite ready to go home,” she said.

Also at Morton House in 2006 was: a new common area carpet; a new vinyl floor in the dining room and van service two days per week, allowing transporting residents to shopping or appointments.

Tracy Johnston is a new community sales manager, a full-time position, who does the majority of marketing for the facility.

Morton House received the Residence of Excellence Award at the 2006 National Assisted Living Concepts Conference, selected because of the staff’s key focus on safety.

 

The Ambassador Nebraska City

Stephanie Farmer, director of marketing, reported that throughout the past 30 years, staff of The Ambassador Nebraska City has provided excellent, quality care to its residents in a “home-like” environment. In 2006, officials of The Ambassador Nebraska City took the idea of living in your home one step further.

West Willow Court, The Ambassador’s first neighborhood, was opened to residents and staff in November 2006. The development of neighborhoods and/or households has been a growing nationwide trend among skilled nursing facilities. Officials of numerous nursing homes across the United States are embracing this “culture change” and transforming the traditional medical-model nursing home into a place that reflects the safety, comfort and pleasures of “home.” This movement fosters a renewed sense of hope that nursing homes can become environments where elders and the people who provide care for them can thrive, Farmer said.

Staff members are specifically trained to work closely with the residents that reside in the “neighborhood” and are consistently assigned to care for the same residents, allowing residents and their family members to feel more secure that the care they are receiving will be provided by the same group of skilled individuals at all times, Farmer said.

West Willow Court residents also have their own private restaurant, The Treetop Cafe’, where they have open dining and choose their daily meal selections from a restaurant-style menu.

Because of the consistent staffing and smaller group of residents, neighborhood activities are created based upon the preferences of the residents currently residing in the neighborhood; therefore, the activities are more enjoyable and effective for those residents participating, Farmer said.

Officials of The Ambassador Nebraska City are expected to complete the renovations and open the three remaining “neighborhoods” by the spring of 2007.

Effective Nov. 1, 2006, the rehabilitation and wellness center were combined. They are in the same building at 1240 N. 19th St.

Farmer said that The Ambassador officials are still able to offer speech, physical and occupational therapy. Patients come into the facility for therapy, but therapists also do therapy in homes as well as the nursing facility, she said.

 

Golden Living Centers

Golden Living Centers, Nebraska City, is the new name of Beverly Health Care.

Loxie Ehlers said that a 22-bed Alzheimer’s Care Unit opened in 2006. Ehlers said that the unit has gone well and is actually full.

Close to $1.5 million has been spent the last two years renovating the entire nursing facility. The renovation, which is ongoing, has included the dining room, hallway, a new front and landscaping, Ehlers said.

 

New helipad at St. Mary’s Community Hospital

A helicopter landing site was completed near St. Mary’s Community Hospital.

The helipad is at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street. It was made possible because of the generous contributions from community members and organizations. The helipad was in use within 42 hours after project completion. Closer proximity to the hospital eliminates extra transfer of the patient in the ambulance and also saves precious time.

“I can’t think of anything that we’ve done in the past several years that’s more important than this,” said Dan Kelly, president and chief executive officer of the hospital.

St. Mary’s Community Hospital officials were recognized by officials of Catholic Health Initiatives as performing No. 1 in overall patient satisfaction as rated by hospital patients.

Earlier projects completed including remodeling of an inpatient floor, surgical department, cardiac rehabilitation facility and emergency room. Work is also being done on an MRI center.

 

Other

Renovations at Duff’s Friendship Villa included a new outside door, electrical work and additional concrete work. Goal of the project was to create an entryway for visitors and a direct path to the offices and the nurses’ station.

Homewatch CareGivers is a new in-home care provider located in Nebraska City.