Acupuncture Services Now Available at OAHS

We chose OAHS because it’s the local hospital and because I knew of the good staff they have along with their providers – nurses, surgical team – everybody’s great. I just feel very comfortable there.

 During my first pregnancy, everything went completely normal and well – labor was a little rough, however, my provider and the nursing staff got me through it. Because I had a pretty traumatic labor, my provider recommended a C-section with my second baby. I felt 100% confident in his judgment, so we did the C-section with the second. It was a terrific experience from start to finish. I have zero regrets with having the C-section.

 Would I recommend OAHS to expecting or soon to be expecting parents? Oh I would for sure recommend OAHS. Some people think it’s such a small town hospital it makes people hesitant. I can’t stress enough –  they are so comforting, start to finish.

And if I have a question for my doctor, I send a message on my chart and receive a quick response.

 These are the best times of your life, but also very nerve racking times. Everyone at OAHS does a good job reassuring you and being there for you from start to finish. And even for years after during well child checks and anything that comes up after baby is born.

Melanie and Drew Martig
Kids: Brock and Reegan, plus one on the way in Sept!

We are currently working to recruit patient and family members to bring the patient and family perspective into what we do at Northside Medical Clinic and the Clinton Clinic. We are seeking individuals that are willing to partner with us to improve the experience of care at both clinics by sharing their ideas, feedback, and participation.

Partners will serve as a “voice” for patients and families of patients who receive care at Northside Medical Clinic or the Clinton Clinic. We are looking for individuals who are patients, caregivers, and/or family members who are willing to meet monthly to promote improved relationships between patients, families and staff. Items we will be discussing include:

• Patient needs and concerns
• Working with staff to make changes that affect patients and families
• Assisting in the planning of new patient-related services
• Serving as a resource providing patient perspectives

A patient and family partnership member would be expected to commit to a minimum one year term; attend 75% of monthly meetings, be able to listen to different opinions and share different points of view; respect the ideas of others; speak comfortably in a group; get along with many different kinds of people; and work as part of a team.

As a patient or family partner, you would be meeting with other patients and family members, health care providers and staff to address patient care issues, communicate patient and family concerns and help with problem solving, with the goal of improving our services. When patient and family volunteers work together with medical staff, the healthcare experience can be improved for everyone. If you are looking for ways to draw on your personal experiences at Northside Medical Clinic or the Clinton Clinic and contribute to the greater good by helping to improve the quality of care at both clinics, this program will provide an excellent opportunity to help meet your needs and use your interests and talents.

There are a variety of opportunities for involvement.

Please contact Twila Mursu at 320-839-4266, or email [email protected] if you are interested in serving on the Patient and Family Partnership.

In January, 2014, Ortonville Area Health Services began a partnership with Whitney Sleep Diagnostics & Consultants to provide comprehensive sleep medicine services. Patients can now receive diagnosis and treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, or any of the 84 known sleep disorders right in Ortonville.

People who snore excessively or stop breathing during sleep may have OSA. It is estimated that up to 18 million American adults have OSA. Untreated OSA can increase a person’s risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and work or traffic-related accidents due to daytime fatigue. People having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or not waking up refreshed, may suffer from a treatable sleep disorder. A simple screening tool, available at any of the clinics associated with Ortonville Area Health Services, can help determine if a sleep study is the best course of action for your situation.

“Sleep medicine continues to grow as a need among our patients, so we’re excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Whitney and his team to bring his expertise to our patients. Their model goes beyond what was previously available here, and is producing better outcomes for our patients,” commented Richard Ash, CEO at Ortonville Area Health Services

Dr. Courtney Whitney, who oversees all aspects of the sleep program at Ortonville Area Health Services, became a Board Certified Sleep Specialist in 2005. In 2008, he created Whitney Sleep Diagnostics specifically to provide comprehensive sleep medicine to the rural market. His decision to partner with rural hospitals provides people living in less populated areas, access to the benefits of a free standing sleep center typically found in larger cities.

“Sleep issues have such an impact on overall health. Our partnership demonstrates the commitment Ortonville Area Health Services has to the communities it serves,” added Dr. Whitney.

Ortonville Area Health Services continuously utilizes technology and other methods to improve patient safety and our newest effort involved upgrading our CT equipment to a 64-slice CT with AIDR 3D.

Aquilion CT with AIDR 3D
This CT system provides some of the most detailed images available and they are also designed to keep you safe by reducing radiation.
An industry leader in developing new technologies designed to limit radiation exposure, Toshiba’s CT
systems utilize the newest dose management technology – Adaptive Interactive Dose Reduction 3D (AIDR 3D). This personalized software automatically adjusts the level of radiation exposure to correspond with you and your procedure to provide your physician with quality
diagnostic images.
Knowing the considerations and benefits of CT can help you understand and better protect you and your family’s health.

Facts You Should Know
CT imaging is one of the fastest ways physicians can accurately diagnose a patient’s condition. The decision to undergo a CT imaging exam should be made by you and your physician together. CT imaging uses an x-ray to create detailed 3D or 4D images of organs, soft tissue, bones and anatomy. It is used often for a variety of reasons including to evaluate joints, trauma, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, blocked arteries or chest pain. The benefits of being imaged with CT are that it is minimally invasive and fast. While CT imaging can be very beneficial, it does use some radiation.

Is a CT Exam Right for You
We encourage patients to seek advice from their physician when undergoing a CT exam. To determine if a CT exam is right for you, ask your physician about the benefits and considerations of your specific exam. The benefits should outweigh the concerns.
One way to think about CT radiation dose is like taking a prescription medication. When your doctor prescribes a medication, he or she recommends the optimum dose to keep you safe and help you get well. CT scans work the same way. AIDR 3D can help medical professionals personalize your imaging exam by scanning you at the lowest possible dose to achieve the best possible images.

What is AIDR 3D
AIDR 3D is the latest generation of software developed by Toshiba that processes a scanned image by putting it through a series of cycles or iterations while reducing the initial amount of radiation exposure needed to achieve a clear image.
Fully integrated with the CT System, AIDR 3D is automatically activated with every scan. AIDR 3D also adapts to customize exposure for every patient and every procedure based on your body. The system uses information about your body size and shape to adjust the amount of radiation to be used for the type of CT exam you are receiving. All of this enables the technologist operating the system to focus on obtaining the high quality images your physician needs to accurately diagnose you.