Grundy County Memorial Hospital | Live Well | Spring 2018

Inside 3 Opioid safety starts with you 5 Summer sun safety If a surgical procedure is in your future, Grundy County Memorial Hospital (GCMH) has you covered. You’ll benefit from an experienced surgery team and a comfortable and private new Surgery Department. Preventing surgical site infections is a top priority, and a state-of-the-art ultraviolet disinfection system is used in the surgery suite to help ensure a germ-free environment. The Surgery Department is among GCMH’s Outpatient Services recognized for exceptional patient experience,* an award based on patient surveys that rank it among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation. Personalized service “Our size allows us to provide very individualized and personal service,” says Jessica Eilers, RN, BSN, CNOR, Surgery Manager. “While a wide variety of surgical procedures are routine to our nurses and physicians, we understand that no surgery is routine to the person who is having the procedure. From our first contact before surgery takes place, to our follow-up care, patients sense that our team works together to provide an exceptional surgical experience.” J. Craig Vana, CRNA, ARNP, the hos- pital’s anesthetist, agrees. “As a small hospital, a busy surgery schedule here is never too busy for us to get to know each person and understand their worries or answer their questions,” says Vana. “In fact, research demonstrates that surgery results for a number of same-day, or outpatient, procedures are very posi- tive at rural hospitals when compared to larger urban facilities.”** Vana consistently researches best practices in anesthesia, and uses the latest information when planning and providing each individualized anesthetic. “People choosing GCMH for surgery benefit from the expertise of two orthopedic surgeons, a podiatrist who performs foot surgery, a general surgeon, a gastroenterologist, and two ophthalmologists who perform cata- ract surgery here,” says Eilers. “No two days are the same—but what each day and each procedure has in common is the care provided by our experienced surgical nursing team. Each team member is committed to the best outcome for every patient.” *Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence, 2017 ** Journal of American Medical Association , JAMA , Vol. 315, No. 19 Questions about surgery care? Call 319-824-5091 . J. Craig Vana, CRNA, ARNP, anesthetist, and Jessica Eilers, RN BSN, CNOR, Surgery Manager, are part of the team that provides an award-winning patient experience at Grundy County Memorial Hospital. Surgery ahead? Experience matters when you’re choosing where to have surgery SPR I NG 2018