Fall Season is Flu Season

It's that time of the year again—soon the leaves will begin to transition from vibrant shades of green to the earthy hues of autumn. Cooler temperatures may encourage locals to break out their sweaters and jeans from storage, and it seems like everyone yearns for pumpkin spice everything. While this time of year brings with it a sense of coziness and comfort, fall is typically when influenza begins to rear its unfriendly head.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory disease that infects the nose, throat, and lungs and can lead to serious complications, hospitalization, or even death. Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. Luckily, Grinnell Regional Public Health (GRPH) has made that process very easy for everyone in the Grinnell Regional Medical Center service area.

GRPH will be holding its annual public influenza vaccination clinics, starting on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and continuing through Tuesday, Oct. 27. High-dosage vaccines are available to those over the age of 65. This year’s intramuscular vaccine is a quadrivalent providing protection against influenza A (H1N1) viruses, influenza A (H3N2) viruses, and influenza B viruses. The flu mist is available as well.

The vaccine clinics allow the public to receive a flu shot, without the hassle of scheduling an appointment, and once administered, your record of the vaccine will be stored and accessible via an electronic medical record system.

To participate in the public influenza vaccination clinics, you MUST have your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid information with you, as insurance information or payment is due at the time of service. To find a clinic near you, refer to the schedule above. Please note there are three influenza vaccination clinics available in November, but they are by appointment only.

If you have questions or would like more information on the public influenza vaccination clinics please call Grinnell Regional Public Health at 641-236-2385.

The Convenience of Online Giving

At Grinnell Regional Medical Center we are proud to say we have great donors, and it’s because of your efforts that we are able to provide incredible care to our patients. Keeping our donors in mind, GRMC found an easy and secure way for you to keep advancing healthcare in our community, in the wake of technological advancements. GRMC now has an online giving option that makes donating via the Internet easier and safer than ever.

Online giving allows our donors to be in complete control of their donations to GRMC. With several menu options, a donor can choose a one-time donation or set up recurring donations. Donation frequency options include one-time, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. By choosing the frequency, you are able to set up the timeline in which you would like your gifts to be distributed. GRMC donors can also express why they choose to donate in the “Your note for the Donor Scroll” field, while other donors can opt to remain anonymous. Indicate whether or not you would like to share your name and donation amount via the check boxes. The online giving option is a way to help you donate with ease from the comfort of your home.

To make an online gift to GRMC, go to www.grmc.us and click the “Donate” menu on the far right side of GRMC’s home page. This will take you to our “Make a Difference” page. At the bottom of the page, select the underlined words “Click here”. From this point, you will have the option to make a one-time gift in the amount you wish, or you may spread out your giving to fit your budget.

Lastly, you can now choose to share your donation with your friends and family via the social media sharing buttons on your screen. This may empower others to support GRMC as well! Every donation GRMC receives is helpful and enables GRMC to continue to provide quality healthcare.

Click here to donate today!

Weight-loss Surgery at GRMC

Surgeons have been performing weight-loss surgeries at Grinnell Regional Medical Center for more than 30 years. Weight-loss surgery provides an option for individuals who need to lose weight, yet it requires sacrifices and lifestyle changes associated with medical weight-loss management. The surgical technology and procedures have changed significantly; robotically assisted minimally invasive surgery is now an option available at GRMC.

Surgeons at GRMC now perform selected bariatric/weight-loss surgeries with the da Vinci Xi® robotic surgical unit. The surgeon determines which surgical technique will give the patient the best results. The precision of the robots and the experience of the surgeons give patients a shorter recovery time, less scarring, and quicker return to daily activities.

“I came out of the surgery with six little stitched areas from the surgery, rather than a long incision from my chest down to my abdomen,” said Lynne Henry of Pella, who underwent weight-loss surgery at GRMC in March of 2014.

 The Grinnell Regional Bariatrics Program has a six-month evaluation and preparation plan before an individual has weight-loss surgery.

“Dr. Coster shared with me that patients have greater success with the gastric sleeve when they have completed regimented training about how to eat and how to approach food. The surgery resets the person’s stomach size and forces the patient to eat food differently—smaller bites, less volume, and better food choices,” said Henry."The training was outstanding. It provided the reasons why a person must approach food differently. Elaine Hammes, the dietician, was wonderful. Success is so dependent on the patient sticking to the guidelines."

Elaine Hammes, MS, RDN, LD, GRMC dietician, likens weight-loss surgery to the remodeling of a house.

"I compare this weight-loss journey to remodeling a house; you can think of your body as the house for your soul, your spirit or whatever it is that you believe in.  The surgery is a very key tool to use in remodeling the house, the patient knows what they want their “remodeled house” to look and feel like, and we give the instructions and the encouragement and the redirection, as needed, to help them in their remodel," said Hammes. "What the successful patient remembers is that, just as in an any remodeling project when it is done, you are never really finished, there is always the continuous maintenance work that must be done to be truly successful."

Henry's commitment to stick to the post-operation guidelines made her a textbook success story. 

Read more about life after weight-loss surgery at http://bit.ly/1QbtS5t.

For more information about weight-loss surgery at GRMC, call Surgical Associates at 641-236-4323 or Grinnell Regional Bariatrics Center of Excellence at 641-236-2069.

Recently, GRMC bariatrics became larger than life, literally; a billboard advertising weight-loss surgery available at GRMC was placed on the south side of I-80 in early August 2015. The billboard faces east-bound traffic, just before exit 164 near Newton. The billboard's image can be viewed above.