Hospital staff donates over $16,000 to Foundation’s annual campaign
VMH staff donates over $16,000 for equipment ... The Veterans Memorial Hospital Staff donated over $16,000 in personal donations last year to the hospital Foundation in order to purchase equipment identified by the staff that is needed to better serve the community. Pictured above, left to right, in the ambulance garage displaying the new electronic ambulance reporting system that was purchased to help complete the run and ambulance transfer reports more quickly and efficiently is Renee Stokman, X-ray Technician; Chuck Votsmier, Maintenance and EMT; Bailey Meyer-Benson, RN; Becky Estebo, Housekeeper; and Marlene Dahlstrom, Ward Clerk. Submitted photo.
VMH staff donates new treadmill ... A new treadmill was purchased by staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital during their fundraising campaign last fall for use by patients utilizing the Rehabilitation Department at the hospital. Pictured above, left to right, are staff members Shannen Mezera, Massage Therapist; Becki Estebo, Housekeeper; and Renee Stokman, X-ray Technician with this new machine. This fund drive is held each fall for all staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital and consistently raises thousands of dollars for upgrades in equipment and furnishings recommended by the staff each year. Submitted photo.
The staff of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon pledged over $16,000 this last year to the VMH Health Care Foundation’s annual appeal campaign. The total raised in personal staff contributions was used to purchase equipment and furnishings identified by the staff that is needed in the hospital to better serve the community.
“I am overwhelmed by our staff’s generosity this past year, going over and above previous year’s donations,” stated Mike Myers, hospital administrator. “Our staff members on the Culture Committee took a leadership role in identifying hospital-wide needs, setting a financial goal, and organizing this employee campaign which was extremely successful. This process is an indication of the great dedication the hospital staff has to the service of our patients.”
This fund drive is held each fall for all staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital and consistently raises over $13,000 each year for upgrades in equipment and furnishings recommended by the staff.
This past year, a treadmill was purchased for use by the patients utilizing the Rehabilitation Department of the hospital. In addition, a new electronic ambulance reporting system was purchased to help complete the run and ambulance transfer reports more quickly and efficiently.
A new Bari Matt was also purchased which allows for flexibility in customizing the width and length of a patient’s bed surface to care for a wide range of patients, enhancing their comfort. Also, a new wallaroo station was installed in the patient hallway for convenient and confidential recording of the patient’s health information. In addition a new Emergency Room (ER) tray table, headsets were purchased to help with the relaxation and comfort of patients.
The dedicated staff at VMH provides this type of monetary support to Veterans Memorial Hospital each year. Already another $14,500 has been pledged to the hospital for many needed pieces of equipment that will now be purchased this upcoming year, including a pelvic ultrasound table, a stair chair for the ambulance, a new bassinet for the busy OB department, a child’s play area in the main entrance of the hospital, new patient flooring in two rooms, GPS units for the ambulances, a medical record scanner and construction of an additional massage therapy room.
The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s annual direct mail campaign was mailed out to the area communities served by the hospital in late November. The funds raised in this annual campaign will be used to help purchase a new ambulance. Veterans Memorial Hospital Ambulance Service is a paramedic provisional service meaning they are able to provide advanced medical skills for critical calls in addition to covering the basic calls in this service area. The hospital’s ambulance service is available and willing to intercept other EMS services in northeast Iowa to assist them by adding advanced skills to the interventions they already have in place with the goal of providing the best care possible to patients.
On occasion, the hospital’s service helps cover other Allamakee County EMS services when they don’t have enough emergency responders in town. During the year, the ambulance service also handles hundreds of transfers for patients who are critically ill, mentally ill, or need resources more specialized than what can be provided locally. The hospital’s ambulance call volume continues to increase each year, going from 567 calls in 2016, 629 calls in 2017 and surpassing that number in 2018. Due to this high demand, Veterans Memorial Hospital is in great need of replacing one of its three ambulances. To save cost, the hospital is remounting an existing ambulance box onto a new chassis, allowing for the new engine and running gear that is needed.
Donations are currently being accepted by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation for this new ambulance. The Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that supports the hospital and other health care related needs in northeast Iowa. All gifts to the Foundation are tax deductible. Anyone with any questions about the campaign or Foundation is invited to call the hospital at 563-568-3411.
