Tips for a happier, healthier ER experience in 2017

by Machelle Bulman, RN, Director of Nursing, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Happy New Year from VMH! It is a great time to start new with a healthier you! Here are a few tips to get you on your way.

1. Don’t wait until you’re sick to choose a primary provider.
2. See your primary provider for regular check-ups.
3. Develop a relationship with your primary care provider.

These three steps listed above will help you with all of the following:
• Better management of chronic diseases.
• Transparency of your entire health history.
• Getting your routine screening completed.
• Catching health issues earlier.
• Referrals made to medical specialists when needed.

By following these steps, you will see a decrease in hospitalizations and emergency (ER) visits while enjoying better patient/provider communication.

If you have an emergency, we will be happy to see you in our Emergency Department and hopefully get you back on your feet! Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department is staffed with medical providers from Emergency Practice Associates (EPA) Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day/seven days a week. The providers you may see in the ER are Bill Specht, NP-C, John Hawes, PA-C, and Antoinette  Thompson, NP-C.

These providers have had extensive training in dealing with emergencies. Antoinette Thompson is a Certified Nurse Practitioner specializing in urgent care and family practice. In addition to her years of experience as a nurse practitioner, she also has 23 years experience as a paramedic/firefighter.

Bill Specht is also a Certified Nurse Practitioner. He has many years of experience in emergency medicine from many other local hospitals such as Guttenberg, Manchester, Maquoketa, Oelwein and Dubuque. Jon Hawes, is a Certified Physician Assistant who also has many years experience in emergency medicine, including 34 years alone at Palmer Lutheran Health Center in West Union.

All of these providers came to Veterans Memorial Hospital with specialized training in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Trama Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support plus their many years of emergency experience. They work 24-hour shifts at VMH a couple of days each week, Monday through Friday.

During the weekends you may see other providers from EPA, Mayo, Gundersen, or you may even see Dr McMullan of Postville. No matter what, our ER is going to be staffed with experienced emergency medical professionals who will thoroughly care for each patient, which may mean ordering many tests, all as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Since VMH is an independent hospital that is not affiliated with Gundersen or Mayo, we are unable to access your records from either of those facilities, which includes what medications have been prescribed for you.    So please always remember to bring your current medications with you each time you visit the ER. You can either bring in a current list of the medications, or bring in the bottles themselves. And always remember your insurance cards as well.

For more information on the ER providers or Emergency services at Veterans Memorial Hospital, call the hospital at 563-568-3411.