December, 2010 - Mercy Medical Center Dubuque

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 D U B U Q U E , I O W A 

Hospitalists: Experts at Caring for Hospitalized Patients 

admitted to the hospital. And with over 30,000 

hospitalists practicing nationwide, it’s becoming 

the fastest-growing medical specialty. Studies 

show that medical patients who are cared for 

by a hospitalist receive excellent care and have 

shorter stays in the hospital, which translates to 

less cost for the patient. 

Perhaps the greatest benefit to you is having 

access to a doctor on site seven days a week. 

Because hospitalists are at Mercy full time, they 

are more readily available to you and your family 

to coordinate your care, assess test results, 

or make any necessary changes to your plan of 

care in a timely manner. You benefit by getting 

more immediate and focused care. 

Hospitalists collaborate with your entire 

team of caregivers, which may include nurses, 

pharmacists, therapists, social workers, dietitians, 

and others as appropriate for your needs. 

This collaborative approach to care ensures 

that everyone is on the same page and well 

informed about what needs to happen to meet 

your needs. Upon discharge, the hospitalist will 

transition your care back to your primary care 

physician. 

Should the need arise, our hospitalists are 

here to care for you and provide you with the 

best hospital experience possible. 

Mercy offers a hospitalist service to provide you with immediate, focused care while in the hospital. Our team of 

full-time hospitalists includes (l – r): Debbie Cihak, MD; Hendrik Schultz, MD; Patrick Gordon, MD; Christine Burds, 

ARNP; and Gregory Paulsen, MD, from Medical Associates Clinic. 

The next time you find yourself hospitalized, 

you might have the opportunity to experience 

a new service at Mercy: Your primary doctor 

may enlist the services of a physician or nurse 

practitioner who specializes in hospital-based 

medicine to help manage your care. 

These hospital-based doctors are called 

hospitalists, and their entire focus is caring for 

the medical needs of patients who are in the 

hospital. They are Board Certified in Internal 

Medicine or Family Medicine and have critical 

care experience. 

Hendrik Schultz, MD, is one of Mercy’s 

hospitalists. “A hospitalist provides care from 

admission to discharge and makes sure the 

patient gets the best possible care,” he says. 

The hospitalist becomes a member of your 

medical team, working together with your primary 

care physician to most effectively provide 

treatment when hospitalization is needed. You 

can even think of the hospitalist as your primary 

care doctor while you’re hospitalized. 

“Communication with the primary care physician 

is essential,” says Dr. Schultz. The hospitalist 

obtains all necessary medical information 

from the primary care physician and also keeps 

him or her informed about your treatment, tests, 

and follow-up care. 

The relationship is similar to a visit to the 

Emergency Department: Your primary care physician 

sees you in the clinic; however, when a 

visit to the Emergency Department occurs, you 

are treated by a physician who specializes in 

Emergency Medicine and is in close touch with 

your physician. When you return home, your 

primary physician resumes management of your 

care. 

Today, many primary care doctors care 

for their patients in their medical office only 

and rely on a hospitalist to care for patients 

2010: LEADING IN HEALTH CARE 

NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE 

New and Expanded Services 

Mercy Offers Carotid Stenting 

Carotid stenting, a less invasive procedure for 

opening blocked arteries in appropriate candidates, 

is now available at Mercy. Previously, the 

primary option for opening these arteries was 

surgery. The angioplasty and stenting procedure 

for the carotid arteries is the same as has been 

done for many years in the heart: A tiny balloon 

is temporarily inserted and inflated where the 

carotid artery is clogged to widen the artery, 

and a small metal coil called a stent is inserted 

to keep the artery open. 

Autism Center Opens 

The Mercy Service Club Autism Center opened 

its doors in July for evaluation, diagnosis, and 

ongoing treatment in one location, eliminating 

travel and lengthy waits for appointments. 

If a child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum 

Disorder, the center’s team of professionals 

provides ongoing consultation and support, a 

training class for parents, support in crisis situations, 

long-term relationships with families, 

and training support/resources for community 

providers. The autism center is named after the 

Mercy Service Club, which generously donated 

$100,000 to support the center. 

Plans for New ICU 

Mercy has launched a capital campaign to 

raise money for a new intensive care unit and 

cardiovascular unit. The new units will be relocated 

to the second floor, bringing all cardiac 

and critical-care services into close proximity. 

(continued on next page)

Russell M. Knight, President & CEO 

Another year has sped by, and – as is the custom – we pause for a moment to reflect on the 

challenges we’ve faced, the blessings we’ve received, the growth we’ve achieved, and the opportunities 

that lie ahead. 

The year now drawing to a close witnessed both the passage of a sweeping new health care 

law in March and the sweeping from public office of many of its most ardent supporters in 

November. What this portends for the law itself may be significant; what it means for hospitals, 

perhaps less so. 

We know the overall cost of health care in our country is too high, access is uneven, and the 

results are variable. Whatever happens on the legislative front, hospitals will continue to be challenged 

to spend less, serve more, and do better. On that score, you might be interested to know 

that during our current fiscal year Mercy’s average cost per case is 5.7% lower than it was a year 

ago, the number of people admitted to the hospital is 8.9% higher, and our performance on a 

standard set of quality indicators is in the top 10% of the national database. 

We count among our many blessings a governing board committed to our mission and values, 

a medical staff focused on the best possible care of our patients, employees dedicated to teamwork 

and excellence, volunteers helping out wherever needed, and donors generously supporting 

our efforts to grow and improve. We owe our success to all these people. 

We can point with pride to numerous examples of Mercy’s continued development over the 

course of the year, including: occupancy of the new Psychiatric Services Unit, implementation of 

our hospitalist service, creation of the Mercy Service Club Autism Center, initiation of a capital 

campaign to fund a new Intensive Care Unit, and development of a new employer relations program, 

among others. 

In the months and years ahead, we will work to earn your continued trust by further improving 

the quality and value of our services, investing in the knowledge and skills of our people, upgrading 

our facilities and equipment, and enhancing the utility of our information technology. We will 

also explore new ways of collaborating even more effectively with our medical staff as we all prepare 

for the reforms of our health care system that we know are necessary. 

Leading In Health Care (Continued) 

Private rooms will be large enough to accommodate 

the needs of the patient, the presence 

of family, the team of caregivers, and the necessary 

medical equipment and monitors. The 

goal of the capital campaign is to raise $4 million 

of the $14 million project. 

Milestones and Awards 

Spine Surgery and Knee and Hip 

Replacement Designation 

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa 

has designated Mercy – Dubuque as a Blue 

Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and for 

Knee and Hip Replacement. The Blue Distinction 

designation is awarded to medical facilities that 

have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality 

healthcare. 

Sustainability Operations Recognized 

Mercy – Dubuque was recognized in the 

July 2010 issue of Health Facilities Magazine 

for achievements in energy cost reduction. The 

American Society for Healthcare Engineering 

awarded Mercy with their 2009 Energy Efficiency 

Commitment designation. Mercy – Dubuque’s 

energy cost reduction was 29%. 

Mercy Honored for Respiratory Care 

For the third consecutive year Mercy – 

Dubuque has earned Quality Respiratory Care 

Recognition (QRCR) under a national program 

aimed at helping patients and families make 

informed decisions about the quality of respiratory 

care services available in hospitals. Only 15 

percent of hospitals in the United States have 

received this award. 

Quality Heart Disease Care 

Mercy – Dubuque has been recognized by 

the American Heart Association’s Get With The 

Guidelines® program with a Gold Performance 

Achievement Award for treatment of coronary 

artery disease. 

Home Care in Top 500 

HomeCare Elite has ranked Mercy Home Care 

in the top 25% of agencies in the nation and 

further as a top 500 agency out of more than 

9,200 in the nation. Agencies are ranked by an 

analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, 

quality improvement, and financial performance. 

Mercy Home Care was also named to 

the HomeCare Elite in 2008 and 2009. 

Impact Award for Festival of Trees 

The Mercy Festival of Trees was awarded 

a 365 Impact Award for 2009. The Impact 

Awards were created by Dubuque 365 to celebrate 

efforts in the Dubuque area that have had 

a positive influence on the community’s success 

and prosperity. 

Nursing Initiatives 

Magnet Mentoring 

As a Magnet-designated hospital, one of 

Mercy’s responsibilities is to mentor other hospitals. 

Mercy’s Magnet nurses share information 

with nursing staff from across the country 

regarding professional development, shared 

governance, and how they, too, can become 

Magnet. 

Nursing Symposium 

Mercy held its eighth annual Nursing 

Professional Practice Symposium, a conference 

to provide growth and development for nurses 

and healthcare providers. Regional and national 

speakers covered a range of topics that featured 

the most contemporary strategies in nursing. 

Mercy Nurses Honored among Iowa’s 

“100 Great Nurses” 

Five Mercy nurses were selected as Iowa’s 

“100 Great Nurses:” Jan Hayertz, Sandy Kass, 

Ann Miesen, Jane Myers, and Sue Walz. This 

recognition is awarded by the University of Iowa 

College of Nursing to honor nurses across the 

state of Iowa for their excellence. 

Area Students Receive Nursing 

Scholarships 

Mercy awarded $500 scholarships to high 

school seniors who plan to pursue a career as 

a registered nurse. This is the ninth year Mercy 

has awarded the scholarships. This year’s 

recipients are Audrey Piekenbrock from Wahlert 

Catholic HS, Lauren Hutchins from Cascade 

Junior-Senior HS, Brittni Weyant Horstman from 

Clayton Ridge HS, Elizabeth Schroeder from 

Marquette Catholic HS, and Emma Schneider 

from Cuba City HS. 

Community Outreach 

Community Benefit 

Mercy is a not-for-profit hospital, which 

means that the money earned from providing 

patient care is reinvested into the community 

by providing new technology, upgrading facilities, 

and ensuring that care is provided to all 

patients, regardless of their ability to pay. In 

the most recently completed fiscal year ending 

June 30, 2010, Mercy provided $5,814,823 in 

community benefits and uncompensated bad 

debt for tri-state residents. 

That amount includes: 

• $1,447,111 in charity care (at cost) 

• $564,819 in Medicaid payment shortfalls

• $415,419 in programs for the poor and 

underserved 

• $504,432 in programs for the broader 

community 

• $2,883,042 in uncompensated bad debts 

If we include the unpaid cost of Medicare 

patients at $8,341,747 the total uncompensated 

care equals $14,156,570. 

Caring for Our Community 

Mercy nurses coordinated an effort to support 

Josiah House, a Catholic Worker House 

that assists homeless families in Dubuque. 

Forty boxes totaling 800 pounds of supplies and 

$1410 in cash donations were delivered to the 

Josiah House on Easter Monday. Staff at Mercy 

– Dyersville also raised money and supplies 

for the Dyersville Food Pantry. Mercy’s annual 

Caring for Our Community charity event is now 

in its seventh year. 

Trees for Earth Day 

Earth Day is a great reminder that we can all 

do our part to improve the environment. Mercy 

Family Pharmacy celebrated Earth Day with 

their 1st Annual Tree Planting. Pharmacy staff 

planted 144 trees in our community to positively 

impact our environment. Trees remove carbon 

dioxide from our air and release pure oxygen. 

Angel of Mercy Tree 

Every child deserves a joyous Christmas, and 

with the community’s generosity, Mercy has 

helped make that happen for 23 years. Every 

holiday season, Mercy co-sponsors the Angel of 

Mercy Tree with Salvation Army, Borders Book 

Store and Radio Dubuque, providing a way for 

the community to donate toys for needy children 

for Christmas. 

Mercy Helps Haitians 

Mercy donated over $20,000 worth of supplies 

and pharmaceuticals to the Catholic Medical 

Mission Board to assist in the relief efforts in 

Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. Part of the 

donation included wheelchairs and crutches that 

were in excess or no longer used at Mercy. The 

need is so evidently demonstrated in this photo. 

Autism Education 

Mercy offered a year-long autism education 

series to benefit parents, grandparents, and caregivers 

of children on the autism spectrum. Mercy 

also hosted its fifth year of Camp Mercy, a sixweek 

summer therapy program where children 

are able to maintain and continue to build motor, 

speech, and language skills over the summer. 

Social Skills Program 

Mercy is offering a new program called Aspire 

to help small groups of middle school and high 

school students increase functional social skills 

in age-appropriate settings. The groups focus 

on real-life communication skills, appropriate 

social interactions, use of positive non-verbal 

communication and perspective-taking. 

Free Classes 

Mercy hosted free screenings and educational 

classes on a variety of topics, including joint 

pain, allergies, asthma, sleep apnea, acid reflux, 

shingles, dining with diabetes and more. 

Support for the Hospital 

Mercy Service Club 

Mercy Service Club has been supporting children 

in Mercy’s care for over 60 years. Proceeds 

from sales in the Mercy Gift Shop and special 

events such as Walk into Christmas are used to 

purchase needed medical equipment and pay 

bills for children whose families are unable to 

pay. Mercy Service Club also generously donated 

$100,000 for the new Autism Center. 

AEDs in Public Areas 

For every minute that a person in cardiac arrest 

goes without treatment, the chance of survival 

decreases by 10 percent. Because of this, 

Mercy has placed automated external defibrillators 

(AEDs) in public areas of the hospital, such 

as near the cafeteria. Placement of these AEDs 

in high-traffic areas of the hospital ensures 

quick treatment by our staff and increases the 

rate of survival. The Dubuque Mercy Health 

Foundation generously funded the AEDs. 

DRA Grants 

Mercy has received many grants from the 

Dubuque Racing Association over the years, and 

we are pleased to receive their latest support: 

A $10,000 grant to Mercy for the construction 

of the Mercy Service Club Autism Center and 

a $13,500 grant to the Dubuque Mercy Health 

Foundation for the Festival of Trees. 

Festival of Trees 

For 27 years, the Mercy Festival of Trees has 

been the unofficial launch of the holiday season, 

and each year, the community’s support has 

helped the Festival raise money for Mercy. Every 

event ticket or winning auction bid contributes 

to our fundraising goal. This year, proceeds 

from the Mercy Festival of Trees will support the 

building of a new Intensive Care Unit at Mercy.

Community Calendar 

Register online at www.mercydubuque.com/events 

Comprehensive Health Screening 

On Friday, December 10, men and women 

may choose from a variety of tests in our most 

comprehensive health screening ever offered. 

Plan to fast for 12 hours before screening. Take 

morning medications with water. We’ll have 

breakfast ready for you after the tests. 

On Thursday, December 16, you will have an 

appointment with a registered nurse to discuss 

your results. 

The screening includes the following for a fee 

of $35: 

• Lipid panel (cholesterol, HDL, LDL & 

triglycerides) 

• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (albumin, 

alkaline phosphatase, AST [SGOT], total 

bilirubin, BUN, calcium, creatinine, glucose, 

protein, sodium, potassium, chloride) 

• CBC (Complete blood count) 

• Body mass index, blood pressure, waist 

measurement and health risk assessment. 

Additional options for a fee of $25 each: 

• HS C-Reactive Protein (indicator of inflammation) 

• Women 35 and over may add TSH (thyroid 

stimulating hormone) 

• Men 40 and over may add PSA (prostate 

specific antigen) 

Mercy Sixth Floor Auditorium 

250 Mercy Drive, Dubuque 

Registration is required. Call (563) 589-9600 to 

make your appointments for the screening and 

interpretation. 

Books Are Fun 

Books for all ages, plus toys, gifts, and other 

items at great discounts. 

Wednesday, December 1, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., 

& Thursday, December 2, 6:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Mercy Conference Rooms 1A & 1B 


Child Safety Seat Check & Installation 

Sponsored by Safe Kids of the Tri-States. 

Saturday, December 18, 10 a.m. - Noon 

Anderson-Weber, 3450 Center Grove Drive, 

Dubuque. Reservations required. Call (563) 

556-3281 and ask for a Car Seat Fit appointment. 

Held rain or shine. Bring your vehicle, car 

seat, and child if possible. 

Children’s Hospital of Iowa Outreach Pediatric 

Cardiology Clinic 

Friday, December 3, 17, 8:30 – 11 a.m. 

Mercy Ground Floor 


Call 1(877) 891-5350 to schedule an appointment. 


Gastrointestinal (GI) Clinic 

Tuesday, December 14, 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 



Call 1(877) 891-5350 to schedule an appointment. 


Genetics Clinic 

Thursday, December 16, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 



Call (319) 356-2674 or 1 (800) 260-2065 to 

schedule an appointment. 

Laryngectomy Support Group 

Wednesday, December 8, Noon – 1 p.m. 

Mercy Conference Room 1E 


Call (563) 589-9035 for more information. 

SHARE Support Group 

Support for loss due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or 

infant death. 

Wednesday, December 8, 7:30 p.m. 




Brain Injury Support Group Christmas Party 

Thursday, December 9, 6 p.m. 




Arthritis Support Group 

Monday, December 13, 6:30 – 8 p.m. 

Mercy Conference Room 1F 



For more information, call (563) 58-BIRTH 

(582-4784) or (800) 99-BIRTH 

You may attend our three most popular pregnancy 

classes (Birth Preparation, Make Room for 

Baby, and Breastfeeding) for only 1 fee of $30. 

Natural Milk Network 

Free drop-in support for breastfeeding mothers. 

Upcoming dates: December 1, 15, 29, 1 – 3 p.m. 

Held every 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday 

Mercy Sixth Floor Boardroom 



Birth Preparation for Expectant Parents 

Three-session evening classes 

(Tuesday or Wednesday, 7 – 9 p.m.) or one-session 

Saturday class (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 

Tuesday, December 7, 14, 21 

One session Saturday class: December 11 

Both sessions include a tour of the Birth Center. 

Early registration is recommended as class size 

is limited. Register online or call the Birth Center. 

Breastfeeding Class 

For expectant and new parents. 

Second Thursday of every month, 7 – 9 p.m. 

Upcoming dates: December 9 

Register online or call the Birth Center. 

Sibling Class 

For expectant parents & kids age 3 – 10. 

Second Monday of every month, 7 – 8:30 p.m. 


No fee. Register online or call the Birth Center. 

Make Room for Baby 

For expectant & adoptive parents, grandparents, 

& teenage siblings. 

Third Monday of every month, 7 – 9 p.m. 


Register online or call the Birth Center. 

Pondering Pregnancy 

Learn about exercise, nutrition, medical history 

and much more through an online video class. 

Presented by Medical Associates Obstetricians 

and Midwife. View this class online at 

www.mercydubuque.com/PonderingPregnancy. 

Beary Special Baskets 

If you are pregnant, tour the Mercy Birth Center 

and enter your name in a monthly drawing for a 

basketful of gifts for your baby and family. 

Mercy Lactation Services 

Personal breastfeeding assistance from certified 

lactation consultants offered to all tri-state 

moms. Call (563) 589-9596. 

We Strive for Quality 

Our goal is to provide safe, high-quality care. We 

want to know if you have any concerns about patient 

care or safety in the hospital. We encourage you 

to discuss any such concerns with members of 

the team caring for you or a representative of the 

hospital’s management. If your concerns are not 

resolved, please contact Jacquie Brunssen, the hospital’s 

safety officer, at 563-589-8086 or by e-mail 

at brunssjm@mercyhealth.com. If your concerns 

are still not resolved, you may also contact the Joint 

Commission’s Office of Quality Monitoring at 1-800- 

994-6610 or by e-mail at complaint@jointcommission.org. 

Health Watch is published for the friends and staff of 

Mercy Medical Center. Our goal is to keep the Tristate 

area informed of the latest in health care issues. 

If you have any questions regarding health information 

that appears in Health Watch, please contact 

your personal physician. Patient admissions, room 

assignments and patient services are provided without 

regard to race, creed, national origin, disability or age. 

President/CEO - Russell M. Knight, 

Marketing Staff - Dianna Kirkwood, Jennifer Faley, 

Barbara J. Runde, Keri Gockel and Jill Miller. 

General Information: 563-589-8000. 

We welcome the following 

healthcare professionals who 

joined the Medical Staff at 

Mercy Medical Center in 2010. 

Obianuju M. Akabogu, MD 

Family Practice 

Women’s Wellness Center 

Thomas E. Callahan, DO 

Pediatrics 

Medical Associates Clinic 

Bryan J. Feyen, DO 

Gastroenterology 


Patrick J. Gordon, MD 

Hospitalist 


Ammar Z. Hatab, MD 

Allergy & Immunology 

Dubuque Internal Medicine 

Nicole H. Keedy, PhD 

Psychology 


Erin J. Kennedy, MD 

Occupational Medicine 


Juan C. Nieto, MD 

Ophthalmology 

Fuerste Eye Clinic 

Pinalkumar V. Patel, MD 

Hospitalist 

Dubuque Internal Medicine 

Jamie J. Quintana, DO 

Pediatrics 

Dubuque Pediatrics 

Hendrik Schultz, MD 

Hospitalist 


Katy A. Wethal, NP 

Family Practice 

Women’s Wellness Center 

Lara M. Wittine, MD 

Pulmonology & Critical Care 

Dubuque Internal Medicine

December, 2010 - Mercy Medical Center Dubuque

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?