Wednesday, August 26, 2015

3rd Consecutive Awarded Year

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has received the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award for the third consecutive year.

The Center of Disease Control estimates that over 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. This award recognizes Prairie Lakes’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. The American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association commend Prairie Lakes Healthcare System for reaching an aggressive goal of treating these patients to levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

“We are honored to receive this award for the third consecutive year,” said Jill Fuller, President and CEO of Prairie Lakes. “This award recognizes the quality of our doctors and staff.  Heart services in Watertown meet the highest, national standards of care.”

To receive the ACTION Registry–GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System consistently followed the treatment guidelines in the ACTION Registry–GWTG Premier for eight consecutive quarters and met a performance standard of 90 percent for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“To receive this award for a third year in row is a great achievement for Prairie Lakes," said Leah Le, Cath Lab Director.  “This award reflects the hard work and dedication of the staff who care for some of our most critically ill patients and their families.  To continue to meet these guidelines requires the coordination of emergency personnel and our cardiovascular team and is crucial in saving lives and improving outcomes of heart attack patients.”

ACTION Registry–GWTG is a partnership between the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association with partnering support from the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.

Prairie Lakes Cardiology

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System welcomes general surgeon, Dr. Kendra Kamlitz. Dr. Kamlitz is the first physician to join the new Prairie Lakes General Surgery Clinic located at Mallard Pointe. She will diagnose and treat common conditions at the clinic; such as, gall bladder disorders, hernias, breast diseases, thyroid diseases, colon cancer screening and treatment, dialysis access and gastroesophageal reflux.

New procedures to Watertown will be performed by Dr. Kamlitz, including breast conservation surgery for breast cancer. Inpatient and same day procedures will be performed by Dr. Kamlitz at the hospital; in addition to, seeing patients at the General Surgery Clinic.

 “I am excited to promote and expand general surgery services in Watertown and the region,” said Dr. Kamlitz. “One of my goals is to increase colonoscopy availability for the area. It is the best way to detect and treat colon cancer and lesions that may become cancer. I’m happy to be back in the Dakotas. Watertown is such a wonderful community close to where I grew up.”

Dr. Kamlitz received her medical degree from University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, ND. She completed a residency in General Surgery at the University of Kansas in Wichita, KS.

You may schedule an appointment with Dr. Kamlitz by calling the Prairie Lakes General Surgery Clinic at 605-882-6850 or toll-free at 844-440-0740. A referral is not required to schedule an appointment.

 

 General Surgery  Dr. Kamlitz's Profile

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Leadercast 2015 Summary

Leadercast: Inspiring Watertown, 2015 Draws “The Brave Ones”

Leadercast: Inspiring Watertown, 2015 was brought to the region as a re-broadcast event on August 4, 2015. Leadercast is an annual event, broadcast LIVE from Atlanta, GA to sites all over the nation and internationally. The annual agenda of the event is to develop great leaders by providing tools and inspiration.

Leadercast was hosted by the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation; with extreme appreciation of the sponsors of the event: Gold Sponsor: Prairie Lakes Healthcare System; Silver Sponsors: CliftonLarsonAllen, KXLG Radio, National American University and Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce; Bronze Sponsors: Hy-Vee, Lindsay Gilmour and Moffatt Products; and another donation by Chris Wookey with AFLAC.

Leadercast’s theme this year was “The Brave Ones”, as featured speakers Andy Stanley, Rudy Giuliani, Peyton Manning and more delivered a message to 85 attendees in Watertown of how to be brave and bold in their leadership styles by standing firm, embracing risk and being innovative.

Developing great leaders in our region creates an understanding of the need for cooperativeness and innovation to keep Prairie Lakes Healthcare System independently strong and financially stable. Such efforts help Prairie Lakes help more patients, expand facilities, acquire cutting-edge equipment and attract top medical professionals.

The Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation believes healthcare is a vital component of a community’s quality of life. Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation exists to raise funds with which to support the advancement of healthcare services through Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. To learn how you can impact quality healthcare in our region, call the Foundation at 882-7631. 

Marcus Howard is a registered nurse in the Critical Care Unit at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. Every day he works to serve and nurse our patients. But that is not all that makes this individual so note worthy. Marcus is in the Army National Guard as a healthcare specialist, commonly known to civilians as a combat medic. 

Camp Ripley in Little Falls, Minnesota invited a Prairie Lakes’ staff member to attend Bosslift; a two day event that allows bosses of Service Members to witness and interact with their annual training exercise. Megan Merkel, Critical Care Unit Resource Nurse, represented Prairie Lakes to witness and learn from this annual event.

Marcus, it’s an honor to have service men and women working at Prairie Lakes. How long have you worked here?

I've worked at Prairie Lakes for 4 years. I started as a Telemetry Technician, and I have worked as an RN in the Critical Care Unit for the last 2 years. I have an Associates and Bachelor's degree in nursing both from USD. The Army paid for the majority of my education along with the monthly GI bill. The army has really set me up for success.

And how long have you been in the Army National Guard?

I have been in the South Dakota Army National Guard for 8 years as a 68W which is a healthcare specialist aka combat medic. My training for the guard included basic combat training (3 months) at Fort Sill, OK and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) where I was taught how to be an Army Medic (4 months) at Fort Sam Houston, TX.

Megan, you represented Prairie Lakes at Bosslift July 15th and 16th. What did you witness?

 We were able to get an inside look at the workings of the National Guard. I was able to see their medical simulation lab, virtual reality exercises, how the unmanned aircrafts worked, how the military uses technology in some of the most desolate areas of the world and I was able to witness all the guard members work together to “bridge the gap”, which was literally building a bridge across a body of water to move troops ahead.

What did you learn that you didn’t know before?

 I actually learned quite a bit during the Bosslift, one of the most interesting thing that I learned was with the unmanned aircrafts, many times when air assaults are being done halfway across the world, pilots right here in the Midwest are piloting them. I was also amazed at the ability of all of the different companies to come together for a common goal which was witnessed in the bridging a gap exercise.

Is there an event or training exercise that really stood out? 

The bridging the gap was very interesting because they really simulate a war. The troops have to work with enemy gunfire and bombs going off and still stay focused on the goal of finishing the bridge.

My favorite part was seeing their medical simulation lab. Their mannequins were completely life like and they had rooms that they would fill with smoke, strobe lights and war noises and the medics, which is what Marcus is, would have to go into these rooms, find the victim and treat then in that environment.  Working in a hospital with all of our supplies and resources available in a relatively controlled environment, I couldn’t imagine working under that stress.

It sounds like you really witnessed some impressive training exercises.  Marcus, what is your current role and how does it affect your daily life?

My rank is Specialist, and I deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. My job as a medic is to provide medical care to the soldiers of the 196th Maneuver Enhancement (MEB). 

My enlistments are in 6 year increments. I'm currently on my 2nd enlistment. My obligation includes 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks during the summer. I work every third weekend at the hospital, so my weekends with my wife and son are limited. On the flip side, I feel the Army has taught me to stay calm in crisis situations, which helps me in the CCU. I have also made lasting relationships with my brothers and sisters in arms.

Thank you, Marcus and Megan, for sharing your stories to help civilians, like myself, understand the work Service Members do to keep us safe. 

Dr. Jeffrey Kowitz, Prairie Lakes Pulmonologist, died Tuesday morning, July 21, 2015, in a motor vehicle accident.

Dr. Kowitz provided regional pulmonary services at the Prairie Lakes Pulmonology Clinic since August, 2013. He believed in patient education and empowering his patients to make healthy choices. He also served as a Deacon at Holy Name Church and provided inspirational homilies.

Dr. Kowitz had over 27 years of pulmonology experience and was board certified in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine. He also had extensive experience in critical care and sleep disorders. He received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed both his internal medicine residency and pulmonology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin.

“We’ve lost a dear friend and a great physician,” said Jill Fuller, CEO. “Our hearts go out to his wife Lorraine, children, family, colleagues, friends, and his church family. He dedicated his life to serving others through medicine and faith. His impact on our community will endure through the lives he touched and the programs he started.”

Prairie Lakes Pulmonology Services will continue to serve Watertown area patients. Staff is currently evaluating physician coverage options for his patients. For immediate needs, we ask patients to contact your primary care physician.

The Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation hosted BASH (Building A Superior Hospital) on Saturday, May 9 at the Watertown Event Center. This annual gala event is a “friend”/ fund raiser for the Foundation. What a night! Three hundred eighty six guests were in attendance, an increase from last year.

The event netted $54,500. This year, the proceeds will be used to enhance ear, nose, throat & facial plastic surgical services at Prairie Lakes. Prairie Lakes introduced full-time ENT services to the region the fall of 2014 with the opening of the Prairie Lakes Ear, Nose, Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic in Watertown with the addition of Dr. Jered Mancell, otolaryngologist, to the medical staff.

Corporate sponsors of BASH donating $3,000 were Brown Clinic, Evident & TruBridge and Redlinger Bros. P&H. There were 20 corporate sponsors donating $1,000, in addition to smaller dollar donors. Those providing monetary donations, items for the auction/raffle and winning bids are greatly commended for their generosity. Special thanks to the BASH committee for their time and talents. There is no success without the donors, volunteers and attendees.

The mission of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation is: Healthcare is a vital component of a community’s quality of life. Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation exists to raise funds with which to support and advance the health services available to the Watertown area through Prairie Lakes Healthcare System.

If you wish to join the Foundation in its efforts to help more people, expand facilities, acquire cutting-edge equipment and attract top medical professionals, call the Foundation office at 882-7631. Your continued support will help us meet the healthcare challenges of tomorrow.

 

The Outreach Clinic is moving from Mallard Pointe to Prairie Lakes Hospital at 401 9th Ave Northwest. Dr. Jered Mancell will continue the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic at Mallard Pointe downstairs and Mallard Pointe Surgical Services will continue upstairs.

Providers that are relocating to the 2nd Floor, West Wing of Prairie Lakes Hospital:

  • Neurology  – Dr. William Rossing and Denise Boraas CNP-  Tuesday, July 7

  • Asthma & Allergy  – Dr. Thomas Luzier – Wednesday, July 8

  • Midwest ENT – Dr. Tom Tamura- Monday, July 13

  • Mobile Neurodiagnostic (moved June 16)

The patients for all of the above clinics may present to the main entrance of Prairie Lakes Hospital to receive further assistance and direction.

 

NOTE: exceptions of relocation to 2nd Floor, West Wing of the hospital:

  • Dermatology Clinic – Dr. Brian Knudson – Location to be determined

  • Orthotics & Prosthetics Clinic – Dr. Mark Piro  – Location  to be determined

  • Plastic Surgery Clinic – Dr. Patrick Miller and Dr. Sanjay Mukerji - Date TBA.

The patients for the above clinics may contact their provider for further information on the move.

The 19th Annual Hospital Hill Run was held on Saturday, June 13th with 106 runners and 84 walkers participating in a 5k walk/run or a one-mile walk.  Proceeds from this event will benefit the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation’s Caring Club House.

Overall winners in the 5k run were Jesse Kroupa (male division) with a time of 19.37 and Leannah Tekrony (female division) with a time of 21.48. 

The sponsors of the Hospital Hill Run include: Brown Clinic;  Prairie Lakes Healthcare System; Glacial Lakes Orthopaedics; Consulting Radiology Ltd.;  Dr. Dan, Dr. Sarah, Molly, Megan and Nick Reiffenberger;  Sanford Clinic – Watertown;  Community Blood Bank; The Public Opinion; and Innovative Pain Clinic.

Download: 2015 Results

Jacklyn Karli, certified Nurse Practitioner, has joined the Prairie Lakes Cardiology Clinic. Karli will see patients along with Interventional Cardiologists Dr. Garcia, Dr. Maaliki, and Dr. Jones in the clinic and hospital settings.

Employed at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System since 2006; Karli first started as a nurse in the Emergency Department then transitioned to Cardiac Cathaterization Lab when it opened in 2007. The cardiology program continues to expand and Karli has played a role since its inception; most recently when Dr. Maaliki implanted the first CardioMEMS sensor, an innovative heart failure monitoring device, in late April. The sensor sends heart failure patients’ daily readings to the Prairie Lakes Cardiology Clinic, where Karli along with Dr. Maaliki monitor the patients.

Karli received her Associates Degree in nursing from the University of South Dakota, Bachelors of Science in nursing from South Dakota State University and graduated with honors from South University with her Masters of Science in nursing. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Thau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Karli will see patients along with the Interventional Cardiologists at the Prairie Lakes Cardiology Clinic. Patients may schedule an appointment at the Prairie Lakes Cardiology Clinic by calling 605-882-7953.

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FIVE YEARS Amy Gaikowski Admitting Clerk, Shauna VanDusseldorp Social Worker, Brenda Hoium Registered Nurse, Jessica Hermoe Transcriptionist, Beret Ohm Telemetry Technician, Bipin Amin Medical Oncologist, Michael Bevers Anesthetist, Brittany Brennan Registered Nurs,e Justine Deville Liaison/Recruiter, Caitlin Broek House Supervisor, Kari Holden Physical Therapist, Melissa Saxlund Section Technologist, Kasie Hendricks Registered Nurse, Emily Hilliard Registered Nurse, Haley Gossen Histotechnician, Kylie Steen Registered Nurse, Shannon Stark Clerk, Shalee Ahmann Adv Pharmacy Tech, Tyler Valsvig PACS Technologist, Christopher Adducci Urologist, Jeanne Schleusner Registered Nurse, Carrie Reppe Home Connections, Grace Kopman Home Connections, Janice VanVoorst Sodexo, Penny Boettcher Sodexo, Mariam Koroma Sodexo, Susan Mannie Sodexo

TEN YEARS Vicki Dahl Insurance Claims Clerk, Jennifer Pletan Director, Jannelle Olson Employment Rep, Cheryl Wasland Registered Nurse, Nathan Lake Vice President, Jacalynn Lake Physical Therapist, Johanna Fischer Registered Nurse, Shawn Block Registered Nurse, Jolene Comes Registered Nurse, Jennifer Carter Registered Nurse, Penney Whitlock Department Secretary, Amber Paysen Registered Nurse, Sheila Mohling Registered Nurse, Dr. Jeffrey Brindle Radiation Oncologist

FIFTEEN YEARS Sheryl Dean Registered Nurse, Michael Anderson Chief Investment Officer, Lori Hoffman Registered Nurse, Laura Bohls Documentation Specialist, Julie Kranz Registered Nurse, Ashley Morris Registered Nurse, Wendy Namken Registered Nurse, Christina Stemwedel Business Office Specialist, Alissa Iverson Registered Nurse, Jill Fuller CEO, Dawn Bundy Registered Nurse, Victoria Kranz Registered Nurse, Jodi LeBlanc Health Information Clerk, Kristi Osthus Director, Debra Moeller Manager

TWENTY YEARS Roberta Bach Cardiac Rehab Coordinator, Alyssa Koisti Department Secretary, Susan Konrady Registered Nurse, Rita Meseberg Rehab Assistant, Gaynell Johnson Registered Nurse, Rhonda Stangl Registered Nurse, Mary Petersen Director, Joann Rosenbaum Registered Nurse

TWENTY FIVE YEARS Darcy Raethz Cancer Center Clerk, Sara Lamb Registered Nurse, Carol Bullene CRCP, Janice Rudebusch Sterile Process Tech

THIRTY YEARS Robin Larson Registered Nurse, Iva Jane Rahlf Adv Pharmacy Tech, Tammy Rogness CRCP, Bradley Fishman Anesthetist

THIRTY FIVE YEARS Deborah Deis Pharmacist, Barbara Fjeldheim Registered Nurse, Katherine Iverson Registered Nurse, Leigh Schleusner Lab Technician, Connie Lundholm Registered Nurse, Janice Larsen LPN

FORTY YEARS Susan Beaudry LPN, Georgia Magee Accounting Assistant, LeeAnn Maag Registered Nurse, Karla Strege Registered Nurse, Debbie Meadows Pharmacist, Connie Schickedanz Manager, Rosemary Beck LPN