Dr. Sarah Fischer Joins OAHS
(Ortonville, MN) August 28, 2020 – Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) is pleased to announce that Sarah Fischer, MD has joined Northside Medical Clinic and is now seeing patients.
Dr. Fischer received her Medical Degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Duluth and Minneapolis. She completed her Family Medicine specialty training at Altru Health Systems in Grand Forks, ND. In coordination with OAHS providers and leaders, she also completed an additional obstetrics fellowship at Altru Health Systems in Grand Forks, ND. Dr. Fischer is originally from the Dumont, MN area and over the past 8 years she has spent time training at OAHS as part of her formal medical education.
“I went into medical school with the hope of returning to my hometown region to serve my community and practicing at OAHS is fulfilling that goal” said Dr. Fischer. “Family Medicine allows me to see every patient, no matter the age and treat them like a person or friend instead of a time slot on my schedule. I want to work with my patients to help attain their health goals and stay out of my office so they can enjoy the gifts this world has to offer. While my subspecialty is obstetrics, don’t let that deter you from seeing me as I have a soft spot for farmers being the daughter of a 3rd generation farmer. I’m happy to be ‘home’ and am looking forward to forming lasting relationships with the community and each of my patients.”
For more information on Ortonville Area Health Services or to schedule an appointment with Sarah Fischer, MD please contact 320-839-6157. 
Dr. David Collins Joins OAHS
(Ortonville, MN) July 7 – Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) is pleased to announce that David Collins, MD has joined Northside Medical Clinic and is now seeing patients.
Dr. Collins received his Medical Degree in 2017 from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Additionally, he completed his Emergency Medicine Residency this spring through University of Missouri – Columbia Program in Columbia, MO.
“”I didn’t realize how much of an impact doing rotations at OAHS had 
made on my medical school education” said Dr. Collins. “When I had gotten back to my main site during my third year of medical school, one of my classmates made the observation I talked about Ortonville a lot. I came to appreciate a great deal of what I’d experienced at Ortonville shaped me into the physician I am today. Being able to return to where it all began and provide acute/urgent/emergent care to Ortonville and its surrounding communities is one of the best ways I can think of to pay it forward.”
For more information on Ortonville Area Health Services or to schedule an appointment with David Collins, MD please contact 320-839-6157.
Spanish Resources
OAHS quiere que nuestra comunidad tenga toda la informacion que necesitan sobre la pandemia de COVID. Creamos estos videos de YouTube para la poblacion hispana. Tambien incluimos enlaces educativos adicionales de COVID a los sitios web del Departamento de Salud de Minnesota y de los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades. Si tiene mas preguntas, no dude en responder a esta publicacion o llame a OAHS al 320-839-6157.
Clinic Memorial Day Hours
For your convenience, Northside Medical Clinic will be open regular clinic hours as well as offering services through the Drive-In Respiratory clinic on Memorial Day from 8am – 12pm.
MyChart Video Visits at Ortonville Area Health Services
Northside Medical Clinic is encouraging the use of MyChart video visits during this pandemic. Video visits are a great way to limit the time you spend in the clinic while still having a regular visit with your provider. You do need a MyChart account for this, but luckily, setting up an account is easy. If you need to set up an account, call the clinic at 320-839-6157 and our registration staff will be happy to help you. Once you have an account, this video will show you how to check-in for a MyChart video visit that has been scheduled for you.
*** Please ensure you login to your MyChart account on a device with both camera and microphone capabilities.***
Lab Promotion Postponed
We have chosen to postpone our annual lab promotion at this time. The event, which usually runs the first week of May, will be rescheduled later in the year. Please continue to watch our Facebook page or website for updates on the schedule.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – What you need to know
Welcome to our page about the Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19). We will use this site to keep you up to date on the preparations being taken at Ortonville Area Health Services and Fairway View Senior Communities as well as any important local information we feel you should know about. Please bookmark this page to continue to see the latest local updates.
Thursday, September 17th, 2020
On Monday, September 14th, all of our 160 FWV staff and contracted staff who serve our residents at Fairway View Senior Communities completed our first round of COVID-testing as required by Medicare. We are pleased to share that all 160 staff members tested NEGATIVE for COVID-19. This is wonderful news! We are so appreciative of all that our staff gives of themselves to serve and protect our residents. Thank you to everyone in our organization and community who continues to take the necessary precautions to limit the spread of COVID and protect our seniors and those most vulnerable.
The next round of weekly testing, as required by Medicare, will take place on Monday. Per Medicare, effective September 2nd, all 15,600 nursing homes, serving 1.5 million residents across the United States, are required to test all staff for COVID-19 at least one time per month to at most twice per week based on the positivity rate in our county.
Tuesday, March 24th, 2020
OAHS CEO was on KDIO this morning and shared the latest updates on COVID-19 in our area.
Monday, March 23rd, 2020
Due to COVID-19 and the push for social distancing most insurance coverages are allowing you to have a telephone or video visit instead of an in person visit (coinsurance and deductible apply). If you are concerned about having an in person visit please call 320-839-6157 to see if you would qualify for a telephone or video visit. Ortonville Area Health Services is dedicated to providing you and our community quality care in a safe and appropriate manner.
First reported cases in Big Stone and Lac Qui Parle counties.
Sunday, March 22nd, 2020
Message from the Medical Staff at OAHS:
We have been hearing from some of you tonight about concerns and worries. OAHS is committed to keeping our communities safe. We are prepared, we have a plan, we will take care of you. There are some things that you can do to help us. First is if you have fever or cough or shortness of breath please call your healthcare provider to discuss whether you need to come in to be seen. Keep in mind even if we test you today it may be several days before we have the result. For most patients the test result does not change the recommended course of action which is go home and self-isolate yourself. Second, please maintain social distance, there are sound reasons why we recommend it. Third, try and limit your exposure by only taking necessary trips outside your home. Keep in mind the more you interact with the public, this increases your chance of infection. When you go to the store and open the door or touch other objects think about the number of people who could have touched that object over the previous 3 hours. Lastly, practice good hand washing or use of hand sanitizer. Again, we are prepared, we have a plan and we will take care of you, please help us in this mission.
The OAHS Medical Staff
Community Call to Action……Can You Sew Us these Masks?
We may have a long battle with COVID ahead and we need to think ahead when it comes to protective masks. Tag someone who lives in our area or reach out to them by phone who can sew us some masks.
Comment or PM us if you can help.
https://www.sewgoodgoods.org/face-mask-covid-19
THURsday, March 19th, 2020
OAHS CEO Dave Rogers and Twila Mursu PMHNP gave updates on COVID-19 and shared tips on maintaining good mental health through this this trying time.
Tuesday, March 17th, 2020
Today Jon Rogers was on KDIO to give an update on COVID-19
Monday, March 16th, 2020
NEW VISITOR RESTRICTIONS
Friday, March 13th, 2020
For the safety of eve
ryone at Fairway View Senior Communities, beginning today March 13, 2020, visitors will no longer be allowed on the Fairway View Campus.
For more information please call 320-487-4398.
If you have concerns about the symptoms related to COVID-19 or the flu, we ask that you please give us a call at 320-839-6157 before you come in for an appointment. Calling ahead allows us to ask additional questions to help direct you to the proper course of action.
For more information on COVID-19 please click the link below.
https://www.cdc.gov/
Do you know the proper way to put on a mask?
Put on the N95 respirator.
- Hold the respirator in the palm of your hand with the straps facing the floor.
- Place the N95 respirator on your face covering your nose and mouth.
- Pull the bottom strap up and over top of your head, and put it behind your head below your ears.
- Take the upper strap and put it behind your head towards the crown of your head.
- Mold the nose piece of the respirator over the bridge of your nose to obtain a tight seal. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for wearing a respirator.
- Perform a fit check to ensure there is a good seal against the skin.
Thursday, March 12th, 2020
Click below to listen to today’s KDIO interview with Dr. Al Ross, Clinic director, Liz Sorenson, and OAHS CEO, Dave Rogers as they discuss Coronavirus and how it is affecting Ortonville Area Health Services and Fairway View Senior Communities.
Wednesday, March 11th, 2020
For the safety of the tenants and residents of Fairway View Senior Communities, Donnie’s Diner is closed until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience, but the health of our seniors is our number one priority.
Please click the link below for tips from the CDC on what you can do to help keep your household ready. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/checklist-household-ready.html
There is a lot of misinformation currently circulating. Click here for the CDC’s list of COVID-19 FAQs.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/faq.html
Monday, March 9th, 2020
The Ortonville Area Health Services Coronavirus Response Team is meeting twice weekly to discuss the information we are collecting from state and national sources regarding data on the spread of coronavirus and recommended actions to take. We are particularly concerned about the health and wellness of our seniors and persons of all ages with chronic illnesses. Beginning Tuesday, March 10th, we will be implementing additional screening questions for patients with appointments at the clinic and hospital. Fairway View Senior Communities continues to discourage visitors who have symptoms of the illness. FWV is also informing groups that host meetings on-site that they will have to find an alternative meeting place for the near future.
This is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. The risk may change daily and so will our level of response. We recommend that community members turn to the CDC for reliable information and direction regarding Coronavirus. We will routinely post updates on this page regarding precautionary measures we are taking at our hospital, clinic, home health, and senior community.
The one overarching message we want to pass along is that we are looking to the CDC as our one source of truth when it comes to COVID-19 information. Below you will find a link to their website.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
2020 Student Internship Opportunity
Are you interested in exploring a career in healthcare?
Through a joint effort with the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, MN Dept of Health and OAHS, we are accepting applications for the summer internship program. This Summer Health Care Intern Program (SHCIP) allows students to gain valuable experience in a health care setting and encourages students to explore health care careers. Students will shadow and experience all aspects of healthcare including – hospital, clinic and long term care nursing, laboratory, radiology, outreach, and many other areas. This paid internship starts after Memorial Day. Interns are typically scheduled 3 to 4 days per week based on their availability.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- High School students who will be entering their senior year in the fall of 2020, or are 2020 high school graduates; or
- Post-secondary students who are enrolled in (and not graduating this school year) a Minnesota 2-year or 4-year health care degree-granting educational program; or are a resident of Minnesota enrolled in (but not graduating this school year) an out-of-state two-year or four-year health care degree-granting educational program.
For consideration, students must submit the following by March 27, 2020:
- Completed OAHS application
- Letter of intent including answers to the following questions: 1) Why are you applying for this internship? 2) What do you hope to get out of this internship? 3) What are your long-term goals? 4) What do you hope to observe, learn, and spend time doing?
- One letter of reference
Applications should be submitted to:
Ortonville Area Health Services
Attn: HR Office
450 Eastvold Ave, Ortonville, MN 56278
Applications are available at www.oahs.us/careers.
Phone: 320-839-4125
Email: hr@oahs.us
OAHS is an EOE
John Shirkey, MSW, LICSW Joins OAHS
(Ortonville, MN) January 30th – Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS) is pleased to announce that John Shirkey, MSW, LICSW is now seeing patients at Northside Medical Clinic.
“We are pleased to be able to add additional access to counseling and therapy services here at OAHS by partnering with John Shirkey” said Clinic Director Liz Sorenson. “John’s experience in working with adolescents, families and adults along with his approach to tailoring and partnering with the client is a great add to the current mental health and wellness services the clinic is currently providing.”
“Mental health is one aspect of an individual which contributes to overall wellness and therapy can present an opportunity for people to make progress on their own recovery journey” said Shirkey. “I strive to help empower others to make changes for themselves through building a strong therapeutic relationship”
John is a graduate of Bethel University (St. Paul, MN), and holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of North Dakota. He has a background working in both the private and public sector having worked in schools, county social services, and as part of a large health system. He was previously the treatment director of a residential facility for adolescents struggling with mental health issues.
For more information on Ortonville Area Health Services or to schedule an appointment with John Shirkey, MSW, LICSW please contact 320-839-6157.
2020 OAHS New Year’s Baby
Welcome, Drake Taylor, our 2020 New Year’s Baby! He was born to Kelcey, Taylor, and big brother Bentley of Beardsley, MN. Dr. Stacy Longnecker delivered Drake on January 15, weighing 9lbs 2oz and measuring 20.5″ long.
Happy New Year!
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