[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_margin=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” custom_padding=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false”]

Orange City Area Health System has been named a 2020 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. This annual award honoring rural hospital performance is determined by the results of iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX.

“We are sincerely grateful for this recognition and what it signals to us in the execution of our mission,” remarked Marty Guthmiller, CEO of Orange City Area Health System. “Realizing that a health system never fully arrives at perfection, this is affirmation that we may be on the right path as we seek to serve our region in an appropriate and comprehensive manner.”

Based entirely on publicly available data, the INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Utilizing 50 independent indicators, the INDEX assesses performance across eight pillars of performance that span market-, value- and finance-based categories. Hospitals recognized as a Top 100 facility had one of the 100 highest overall scores among all Critical Access Hospitals nationally.

“The Top 100 Critical Access Hospital award program reminds us that rural providers haven’t lost touch with their mission and are committed to delivering better quality, better outcomes, and better patient satisfaction. It’s a pleasure to be able to not only recognize this year’s recipients, but our larger group of top 100 alumni as we celebrate 10 years of The Hospital Strength INDEX,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Guthmiller added, “Thank you to all of those individuals and families for the honor of caring for them and for the trust placed in Orange City Area Health System.”

Top 100 Hospital Resources:
The list of this year’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals as well as the INDEX methodology can be found at www.ivantageindex.com/top-performing-hospitals.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_image src=”http://kpth130275site.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CriticalAccess_100_Placard_Blank_HIGH-RES.png” _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_margin=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” custom_padding=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” animation_style=”slide”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_image _builder_version=”4.2.2″ src=”http://kpth130275site.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Patient-room.jpg” custom_margin=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” custom_padding=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” hover_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_image _builder_version=”4.2.2″ src=”http://kpth130275site.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hospital-one-darker.jpg” custom_margin=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” custom_padding=”8px|8px|8px|8px|false|false” animation_style=”zoom” hover_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]-by Dr. Alan Laird, Chief Medical Officer You have probably heard about the new virus that seems to have originated in China. My goal is to review some information not regularly covered in the news. What is a virus? A virus is a microscopic organism that typically lacks the ability to thrive (survive and multiply) outside a cell. Viruses can infect humans, animals, plants and even bacteria. A virus is much smaller than a bacterium. Unlike bacteria that cause infections in humans and live outside our cells but within our bodies; viruses live in our bodies and inside our cells. This is one of the reasons they do not respond to antibiotics. In fact, since viruses do not “live” outside cells they are not classified in either the plant or animal kingdom (the two big classifications scientists divide almost all living things into). In short, viruses are not made up of living cells, but need living cells to survive and reproduce. Why is it called a coronavirus? As we became better at “seeing” what viruses looked like under the electron microscope and analyzing what they were made up of, we started using a different way to name them. We refer to the scientific systematic naming of things as taxonomy. There are a lot of different viruses. According to a study published in 2013 in the journal American Society for Microbiology, there are approximately 320,000 types of viruses that infect mammals. That does not count other types of animals, plants or bacteria. This latest news-worthy virus falls into the family Cornidovirineae. That family is so named because of the spikes it has around its outside. Corona in Latin means “crown.” So think of the spikes on a crown. The family of coronaviruses is not new to humans. They usually cause a mild to moderate head cold. But sometimes these new ones give us more trouble. In 2012 MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), jumped from dromedary camels to humans and caused severe illness. SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) jumped form civet cats to humans and caused problems in 2003. So why was it called “Novel Coronavirus?” Right now it is new. So the word “novel” was being used. The WHO (World Health Organization) has now officially named it COVID-19. So what does this new virus mean for us in the U.S.? I am not sure it means a lot yet. Of course we have concerns for our friends and relatives in China and other affected countries. And we should be checking people who have visited involved areas or with people who have the virus. So far we have not seen significant person to person spread in the U.S., except between household contacts of those who acquired the virus abroad. It has been educational to see how a new virus has entered the human population; and given how connected our world is, how quickly it has spread to remote sites around the world. According to the WHO website, as of February 24, there have been 79,331 confirmed cases worldwide; almost all of those have been in China (population 1.4 billion). There have been 2069 confirmed cases outside of China. There have been 2595 deaths from COVID-19 in China and 23 deaths outside China. And although the situation is still evolving, let’s compare that to influenza. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) website, for the 2018–2019 flu season in the U.S. (population 327.2 million), there were 35.5 million people who got influenza and 34,200 deaths from influenza. So, influenza is still a lot more concerning than the COVID-19 for us here in the USA. It remains to be seen if COVID-19 is a new kid on the block that stays with us, or comes and goes like SARS did. In the meantime, remember what mom taught you, “Cover your coughs and sneezes, wash your hands and see a healthcare provider if you are sick.” And maybe, for now, avoid traveling to China. Or as Mary Politi, Professor and Health Psychologist at Washington University School of Medicine tweeted, “Roses are red, Violets are blue, Coronavirus in the U.S., Is not as scary as the flu.” That made me smile.[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_padding=”12px|12px|12px|12px|false|false” link_option_url=”https://www.ochealthsystem.org/volunteer/” link_option_url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″]

Our volunteers truly make a difference in the lives of patients, families, residents, and staff. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities here. Right now, we are in need of additional volunteers to serve the following vital roles throughout our health system. Please contact Brittany Janssen, Volunteer Services Manager, at 712-737-5349 if you are interested.

New!  Patient Escort: We are looking for several volunteers for a brand new volunteer opportunity. Duties include directing and assisting patients between the lab/imaging areas and our newly-expanded medical office building on the west end of our main campus. Available shifts are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and/or Thursdays from 8:30am-11:30am and 11:30am-3:30pm — and the first and third Fridays of each month from 8:30am-11am and 11am-2pm. This new position will begin in March.

Gift Garden: Greet and assist customers with friendly service. Operate the POS system. Keep the shop orderly and clean as time permits. Maintain awareness of the Gift Garden merchandise.

Information Desk: Greet patients at the main entrance as they come into the hospital. Provide directions, answer questions, and if able assist with wheelchairs.

Receptionist in Surgery Waiting: Be present at the surgery waiting area desk. Tasks include, notify surgery nurses when a patient arrives, keep track of patients family members while they are in surgery, notify family members when patient is done with surgery, show family back to the conference rooms to meet with the physician, and on occasion work on misc. projects.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”15386,15387,15388,15389,15391,15392,15393,15396″ fullwidth=”on” hover_icon=”%%40%%” _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_padding=”12px|12px|12px|12px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” auto=”on” box_shadow_style=”preset2″][/et_pb_gallery][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.2.2″ column_structure=”2_3,1_3″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.2.2″ type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.2″ link_option_url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ link_option_url=”https://www.ochealthsystem.org/cardiac-rehabilitation/”]

Cardiac Rehabilitation is a program that helps individuals who have heart disease improve their health by making changes to their lifestyle. Lifestyle changes that are encouraged and educated on include exercise training, education in heart-healthy living, and counseling to cope with emotions and stress.

The program is run by a team of healthcare providers who are specially trained to treat people with heart disease. It often takes place in a group setting, which offers support from others.

National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week was initiated by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) to focus national attention on cardiac rehabilitation’s contribution to the improvement of the health and physical performance of individuals at risk for heart disease and/or those individuals diagnosed with heart disease or dysfunction.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Week coincides with both Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month in an effort to draw greater national attention to heart health. This year’s theme, “New Start Better Heart,” honors the patients, families, and healthcare professionals who are dedicated to giving cardiac rehabilitation patients a new start.

 

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