Hospitals reach out to communities with prevention in mind

“We go out on site,” explains Beth Jackson, an RN at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion.

Jackson is part of an occupational health program at the hospital and serves as occupational health and cardio-pulmonary leader. She and others involved conduct educational and treatment programs in the community (such as giving flu shots).

The community involvement leads to better health care in a variety of ways, says Teresa Armstrong, an occupational health physician’s assistant.

“The culture is an extremely important part of being involved in the community,” she says.

First of all, it brings the health care professionals and the community closer together, breaking down walls and letting them communicate, she says.

That also leads to medical professionals having a better knowledge of the potential problems they may face and allows them to be better prepared to deal with emergencies. It also allows them to offer advice on how a business or farm could reduce its hazards.

If the public is more willing to talk to the medical professionals, they may be more willing to ask for advice, Armstrong says. Those out-of-office programs may also extend services to people who might not otherwise seek health care.

The services offered vary. Workers in Clarion give a large number of physicals to truck drivers, which are required by the Iowa Department of Transportation. They also do hearing tests, an important item for factory workers or farmers.

“We’re trying to be pro-active,” says Casey Howell, an RN at the hospital.

Prevention can extend beyond the occupational health program. Dr. Todd Eibes and Alissa Kruger work with Iowa Weight Loss Specialists in West Des Moines and with Iowa Specialty Hospital on weight loss issues.

In 1990, about 10 percent of the U.S. population was obese, says Eibes. Now the figure is 27 percent.

Too often, family doctors tell patients to lose weight but don’t have the time to talk in-depth about the issue, he says. Instead, they treat the diseases that are often caused by the extra pounds.

Those diseases include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea and joint issues such as bad knees or hips.

Simply finding ways to help people keep the weight off could save them and the entire economy huge amounts of money, not to mention improving their health and quality of life.

“We’re educating people,” Eibes says.

They also offer counseling and treatment. Working through rural hospitals helps them reach those who need help. Other approaches, such as tele-medicine, are also very helpful, they add.

Any technology that can help bring farmers and their health-care providers closer is a good thing, Eibes says.