Archives for 2023

OAHS will conduct a childbirth education class in January 2024. These classes are led by OAHS Childbirth Educator Maria Botker, CNS, RN.

When:

Mon., January 8th, 2024 from 6pm-9pm AND
Mon., January 15th, 2024 from 6pm-9pm

Where:

Clinic Conference Room at OAHS (Report to the front lobby of the hospital. Maria will meet you and show you the way to the  education room)

What to Bring:

You and your labor partner or support person

What to Wear:

Comfortable clothes

What You Will Learn:

Nutrition and exercise during pregnancy, labor details, comfort techniques, newborn care, breastfeeding/bottle-feeding, the role of the labor partner, relaxation during labor, and much more…

Cost:

Free for those planning to deliver at OAHS

Registration:

Reserve your spot by calling Maria’s office voicemail at 320-839-4025 or email her at [email protected]. RSVP before January 5th!

We look forward to seeing you in class!

Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS), a committed healthcare provider serving western Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a prestigious four-star rating by the National Rural Rating System (NRRS), a program recognizing excellence in rural healthcare.

This esteemed designation is a testament to OAHS’ dedication to delivering high-quality care and exceptional patient experiences. The NRRS evaluates health systems based on rigorous standards, including patient satisfaction, quality of care, and overall performance.

Dr. Allan Ross, CEO of OAHS, notes, “Our teams work diligently to provide the best care for the communities we serve, and I am so happy that they are being recognized for the exceptional care they provide for our patients and residents.”

The four-star rating reflects OAHS’ ongoing commitment to meeting the unique healthcare needs of rural communities throughout the region. This recognition highlights their success in providing outstanding medical services despite the challenges often faced by rural healthcare facilities.

Brian Lee, Chairman of National Rural Rating System, reflects, “This award is a testament to their unwavering commitment, dedication, expertise, and compassionate care provided to the community every day. In a rural setting, where healthcare challenges are unique and often complex, achieving this level of excellence signifies not just clinical capabilities, but also a deep connection to the community. This recognition reaffirms rural healthcare to be a beacon of health, hope, and healing.”

OAHS extends its heartfelt thanks to its dedicated team of healthcare professionals, whose tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to patient care have made this achievement possible.

About OAHS:
Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) is a city-owned, rural health care system located on the Minnesota side of the Minnesota/South Dakota border. OAHS consists of a 25-bed critical access hospital licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health, a 51-bed nursing home, a home health agency, three provider-based physician clinics, and a senior living facility with catered living and assisted living apartments. The mission of OAHS is to provide personalized, high-quality, and compassionate care through caring professionals in a healing environment. For more information, visit oahs.us.

About the 5-Star Rating System:
The 5-Star Rating System ranks rural and critical access hospitals – with five stars being the top ranking and one star being the lowest. The Star Ratings are like the CMS Stars, which allow hospitals/clinics to promote their success and are used as high-quality recognitions. Most small and rural hospitals (60%) do not qualify for CMS Ranking because of a low number of qualifying inpatients, but are held to the same high patient satisfaction criteria. This new program recognizes the hard work and dedication rural and critical access hospitals provide nationwide. The rankings include overnight hospital stays (HCAHPS) and are based on data collected by certified CMS patient satisfaction vendors. For more information, visit FiveStarRatings.org.

Kiana Conrad, NP

Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) is pleased to announce that Kiana Conrad, Family Nurse Practitioner, is now seeing patients at Northside Medical Clinic in Ortonville. Kiana was recruited through a long-standing partnership between OAHS and the Big Stone Health Care Foundation, which has brought over twenty providers to the area.

“We are excited to have Kiana as part of the medical team here at OAHS,” said Clinic Director Liz Sorenson. “She is a team player who understands rural medicine and is dedicated to providing compassionate care.”

Kiana obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from South Dakota State University, graduating in 2015. In 2021, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing from Bradley University. Kiana most recently worked as a hospitalist nurse practitioner at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital. Before that, she was a charge nurse at Milbank Area Hospital Avera prior to completing her nurse practitioner requirements.

Kiana lives in Milbank, SD, with her husband, their three boys, and a puppy named Griffey. They are a very active family and are always on the go with sporting events and activities. (Go Twins and Skol, Vikings!) Regarding her role at OAHS, Kiana states, “I am most looking forward to making a positive impact in serving Ortonville and the surrounding communities. We have a phenomenal healthcare team, and I am so grateful to be a part of the OAHS family.”

To schedule an appointment with Kiana Conrad, NP, please call (320) 839-6157.

Ortonville Area Health Services is pleased to announce that Tracy Dozak, Family Nurse Practitioner, has joined Ortonville Area Health Services and will begin seeing patients on July 3. Tracy will provide services at Northside Medical Clinic in Ortonville and the OAHS Clinton Clinic in Clinton, MN. She was recruited to the area through a long-standing partnership between Ortonville Area Health Services and the Big Stone Health Care Foundation, which has brought over twenty providers to the area.

“We are excited to welcome Tracy Dozak to the provider group and medical team here at OAHS,” said Clinic Director Liz Sorenson. “She has a great understanding of what it takes to provide whole-person and family care. In addition, Tracy has strong ties to the area, and we look forward to utilizing her expertise in staffing the Clinton Clinic.”

Tracy obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bemidji State University in 2009. In 2013, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Most recently, Tracy has worked as a Nurse Practitioner at Essentia Health in Wahpeton for the past eight years. She brings a wide range of experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, and Registered Nurse before her current role as a Family Nurse Practitioner providing holistic care for patients within the scope of family practice, primarily focusing on preventative, evidenced-based medicine.

Tracy is originally from Blackduck, MN and has resided in Wahpeton, ND for the past 15 years, along with her husband and two sons, ages 13 and 9. She and her family have been coming to our region for recreational purposes for the past several years, so this area is not unfamiliar to them. Tracy and her family are excited to relocate and enjoy all the outdoor opportunities this location offers. She states, “My sons love to fish, hunt, play sports, basically love to be outside, and they are thrilled to be able to fish every day!”

In anticipation of her new role, Tracy notes, “I look forward to the privilege of helping to keep the community healthy. It takes a community to raise a family. Therefore, we must be invested in the health and wellness of the community so they can assist in raising our children.”

For more information on Ortonville Area Health Services or to schedule an appointment with Tracy Dozak, NP, please call (320) 839-6157.

Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) is pleased to announce that Michelle Deutz is now seeing patients at Northside Medical Clinic. As a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Michelle provides mental health services along with her colleague Twila Mursu, PMHNP and the whole of OAHS medical staff. Michelle was recruited to the area through a long-standing partnership between Northside Medical Clinic, Ortonville Area Health Services, and the Big Stone Health Care Foundation, which has brought over twenty providers to the area.

“We are very excited to have Michelle on board to enhance mental health services to the community,” said Clinic Director Liz Sorenson. “The compassion and understanding Michelle brings to her role not only strengthens the Mental Health team but the entire organization in providing wraparound care to the patients we serve.”

Michelle has previously worked as a Registered Nurse since obtaining her RN degree from Winona State University in 2018. She then pursued her Master of Nursing degree from the University of North Dakota, graduating in August 2022. As a PMHNP, Michelle is specially trained to provide behavioral health services to people of all ages, with her primary focus being children and adolescent patients. She states, “I am most looking forward to helping people remember that there is always hope and light, even in the darkest times, and that no one has to go through those times alone.”

For more information on Ortonville Area Health Services or to schedule an appointment with Michelle Deutz, PMHNP please call (320) 839-6157.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) $102,614 in grant funds to purchase state-of-the-art ultrasound machines as part of a $26.4 million ultrasound initiative in Minnesota. The initiative includes nearly $18.3 million to help Minnesota hospitals and health centers purchase ultrasound imaging devices and an additional $8.1 million to boost sonography and point of care ultrasound (POCUS) training opportunities across the state.

The grant funds have allowed OAHS to purchase two new ultrasound machines: a GE Voluson Swift Ultrasound and a GE Venue Go Premier Ultrasound. These point-of-care ultrasounds are increasingly mobile and allow for fast assessment of patients. Dr. David Collins, Emergency Medicine Physician at OAHS notes, “Point-of-care ultrasound has become increasingly utilized in the clinic, hospital, and emergency department setting across the US. The latest ultrasound technology provides even better imaging quality as well as tools to assist us with making faster and more accurate diagnoses. Formal ultrasound is not always readily available in our community but with point-of-care ultrasound technology, we are able to get the ball rolling to initiate treatment while waiting for the complete study to be done at a later date. This is an exciting time to be in medicine and for our community as a whole!”

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures inside the body. This safe, cost-effective tool supports other clinical information to help providers make timely diagnoses and provide appropriate treatment.

Walter Panzirer, a Trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust, said the grants will help improve access to exceptional medical treatment for all Minnesotans, whether they live in the heart of Minneapolis or a smaller rural or underserved community.

“Our hospitals and health centers need to stay current with rapidly advancing technology so they can continue to provide top-notch healthcare close to home,” Panzirer said. “These grants help ensure that facilities across Minnesota have the latest and greatest ultrasound equipment and training.”

More than half of the 196 devices purchased through the grants (109) are POCUS machines, which are used by providers at the bed or tableside for immediate assessment of a patient to quickly determine a course of action. The grants will also provide 69 general ultrasound systems and 18 cardiovascular ultrasound systems, which aid in imaging of the heart.

The initiative also includes more than $8.1 million to train new sonographers, offer continuing education to sonographers and ultrasound technologists, and provide comprehensive POCUS training to doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. The training grants include more than $917,000 to the Minnesota Rural Health Association to support sonographer training in rural and underserved areas of the state, more than $1 million to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to expand St. Cloud Technical & Community College’s sonography program, and nearly $6.2 million to the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation which will partner with High Quality Medical Education (HQMEDED) to provide POCUS training across the state.

“These grants are a game changer for rural hospitals across the state,” said Thomas Pahl, PA-C, an emergency department clinician, instructor with HQMEDED, and member of the Minnesota State Trauma Advisory Council. “Clinicians and sonographers will not only have access to the newest ultrasound equipment on the market, but they will also be able to pursue educational opportunities to become more proficient at use of the equipment, expand the studies they can perform, and incorporate these skills into their clinical practices.”