Providing Quality Health Care in a Small-town Setting
North Iowa’s greatest resource is its people. Hancock County Health System (HCHS) is dedicated to professional and quality healthcare for the people of Hancock County and the surrounding area.
HCHS is a county owned, tax-supported health system affiliated with Mercy Health Network. The facilities within HCHS include Hancock County Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital; HCHS Community Health; an outpatient rehabilitation clinic in Garner; and four primary care clinics located in Britt, Garner, Kanawha, and Wesley. As an affiliate with Mercy Health Network, HCHS is associated with one of the largest healthcare systems in Iowa. The hospital and clinics offer up-to-date technology and equipment to provide quality patient care both now and for generations to come.
Extensive renovations to the Britt Medical Clinic was completed in 2008. A hospital-based electronic health record was implemented in August 2015 that enhances patient safety and quality of care.
A major construction/renovation project of Hancock County Memorial Hospital was completed in 2012. Phase I of the project was the construction of a three-floor patient tower. The first floor created the Wellness Center which allowed for the expansion of Rehabilitation Services to provide outpatient physical therapy, respiratory therapy, diabetic education, cardiac and pulmonary rehab, and a community fitness room. The second floor added 17 state-of-the-art, private inpatient rooms and a room dedicated to isolation patients for infection control.
Phase II of the project included the renovation of the current hospital facility. First floor renovation included updating the main entrance lobby, improving patient privacy in the Business Office, and enlarging Radiology to allow for additional services. Second floor renovation resulted in eight large, private patient rooms, a family lounge/activity room, and a patient/family consultation room.
One of the eight rooms is specifically set-up for Hospice patients and has an adjoining room to provide family a place to stay while with their loved one. Another room is used specifically for overnight sleep studies. This room is larger to accommodate a sleep study bed and equipment. Outpatient infusion therapy will utilize one of these large rooms for administering treatments as well.
Garner Medical Clinic completed a construction project in the fall of 2012 resulting in almost doubling the number of exam rooms, allowing for increased services and medical providers. Tremendous community support for these projects has allowed HCHS to grow with the county and its medical needs.
In the fall of 2014, the third floor of Hancock County Memorial Hospital was completed for Senior Life Solutions. The first Geriatric Intensive Outpatient Program in the State of Iowa. This program is dedicated to addressing the emotional and behavioral health of adults over the age of 65.
With nearly 25,000 clinic visits annually, the hospital and clinics offer a broad range of services, including radiology, laboratory, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, and sports medicine. Visiting specialty physicians offer convenient and expanded health care services for local residents in Orthopedics, Ear Nose and Throat, Neurology, Urology, Podiatry, Cardiology and Surgical Services. Cataract surgery, outpatient surgery and many laparoscopic and arthroscopic procedures are available.
Other services that HCHS provide include; Heart and Vascular care; sleep studies with the results linked directly to the Sleep Disorder Lab at Mercy Medical Center—North Iowa; health and safety services to local employers through the Business Health Department; Med Spa provides skin care and sclerotherapy; diabetic education; and a Fitness Room open to the community.
The HCHS Clinic medical staff includes: Connie Arispe, M.D.; Jamie Brantner, PA-C; Kelly Christianson, ARNP; Ami Frohling, ARNP; Lacy Halsrud, ARNP; John Hong, M.D.; Julie Larson, ARNP; Kenton Moss, M.D., Amber Nielsen, LISW; Joe Petersen, D.O.; Jennifer Rosenmeyer, DNP-ARNP; Ashley Shelanski, LMHC; Krista Sweers, ARNP; and Hilary Zrostlik, ARNP.
HCHS is a progressive health system integrated to focus on delivering the right care, at the right place, at the right time.