Here's To Your Health - CCMH Denison

Certified diabetes education has come to CCMH! Sara Gaul, RN, is now a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES). Gaul discussed her path to becoming a CDCES and how CCMH has become an accredited hospital to provide diabetes education and associated services. Also discussed is the endocrinology telehealth clinic held at CCMH twice monthly. To learn more, contact Sara by calling 712-...

Back-to-School and Sports Physicals are just around the corner! As the summer sports season begins to wind down, parents are reminded to make an appointment for their child for annual physicals. Dr. Elizabeth Ranniger , Pediatrician at CCMH, discusses why an annual physical is important to maintain a child’s overall health. She also taks about vaccinations and immunizations. To make an appointment...

The CCMH Remodeling and Expansion project continues to move forward. Nate timmons, Assistant Superintendent with Graham Construction , discusses the significant amount of progress made in both the Rehab Services and Clinic expansion areas. He also highlights the next steps in the project as we move into summer.

The Hospital Foundation of Crawford County (HFCC) has launched several fundrasing efforts to benefit Crawford County Memorial Hospital and its patients. Two of those projects are the Annual Charity Golf Outing to raise money for the Patient Transporation Service, and a UTV raffle to benefit the CCMH community education programs. Dana Neemann, Director of Education, and Don Luensmann, HFCC Executiv...

June is Men’s Health Month , a time to raise awareness and improve education about male health issues. Michael Luft, DO , discusses important aspects of men’s health. He also talks about common testing and other concerns that can affect the overall health, both mental and physical, of men of any age.

LifeServe Blood Center conducts a monthly drive in cooperation with CCMH. LifeServe gathers blood donations in each community or hospital, then supplies those same hospitals or communities when the need for blood tranfusions is greatest. Dustin Durbin, Community Outreach Coordinator, discusses how the LifeServe Blood Drives are conducted, and how you can become a blood donor . The next LifeServe B...

May is Physical Fitness and Sports Month . Joe Weber, Physical Therapist with CCMH Rehab Services , talks about what you can do to stay healthy with simple tips you can use at home. Weber also discusses what to if you are experiencing acute pain in muscles or joints and where to seek care. For those wishing to start an exercise program or would like to see about using CCMH Rehab Services, start by...

Cyilee Martin, DNP is a family medicine provider in the CCMH Medical Clinic. Cyilee began her practice at CCMH in November 2024. Cyilee is a dedicated provider who sees only acute clinic patients for same day or overflow appointments. In our podcast, Cyilee discusses what makes her position unique in the clinic as well as the challenges and surprises she encounters on a daily basis. To make a same...

Tammy Hulsing, Speech Language Pathologist , is one of the newest members of the CCMH Rehab Services team. Hulsing has spent her entire career engaged in Speech Pathology and has worked with hundreds of clients in all age groups. Hulsing shares her background, and stories of her work with patients both young and old. Accessing Speech Language Pathology services requires a referral from a primary c...

Health navigators are professionals who help individuals and families navigate the healthcare system, find the right insurance and connect with necessary resources. They act as guides, helping people understand complex healthcare options, access services, and coordinate care. Heather DeLance and Lexi Fineran from Main Street Health , partner with CCMH to provide this service . Learn more about Hea...

Health Information Management, or medical coding , is one of the little known but most important aspects of health care. Medical coders ensure all details from a patient’s medical documents are accurate. This ensures any billing and record keeping is also correct. The medical coding staff for CCMH includes Carmen Schuett, Laura Gross, Ana Garcia Patino, Dixie Janssen, and Tracy Kastner. Listen as...

To address the on-going shortage of healthcare professionals, apprenticeships are a new concept in developing the next group of nurses, technicians, and healthcare professionals. Kathy Leggett, Business Engagement Liaison with Iowa Workforce Development, discusses the programs the state of Iowa is evaluating for this purpose. She also discusses how non-traditional students can use apprenticeships...

April is Donate Life Month , a time to educate about organ, eye and tissue donation. It’s also an opportunity to honor and remember donors and the lives they have saved and healed. Madelyn Clark, Donor Relations Representative from the Iowa Donaor Network, discusses her work with organ donations, who qualifies to be an organ donor, and how to make sure others know you are an organ donor. To learn...

There are numerous challenges in healthcare today including workforce shortages, f inancial strain on patients and providers , patient access, and cybersecurity to name a few. Trama Vetter, Director of Clinic Services, discusses these challenges and others including patient care. To learn more, or to make an appointment at the CCMH Medical Clinic, go online or call 712-265-2700.

Healthcare careers at CCMH begin with the Human Resources department . Macy Waldemar-Webb, Director of Human Services, discusses the current environment for healthcare careers both in the US and in Iowa. She also talks about the current openings available at CCMH in clinical and non-clinical departments. Those wishing to learn more about healthcare careers at CCMH can go online or call 712-265-250...

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Dr. Richard Malyszek , General Surgeon at CCMH, discusses what colorectal cancer is and how it can be prevented. Dr. Rick also talks about the frequency of colorectal cancer diagnosis, diet and exercise, and colonoscopy. To arrange a consultation with Dr. Rick, go online or call the CCMH Medical Clinic at 712-265-2700.

A Community Health Needs Assessment, or CHNA Plan , is a requirement of the Affordable Care Act which passed into law in 2012. Brandi Ruskell,Marketing and Development Coordinator for CCMH, says the CHNA Plan must be completed and posted to the CCMH website every three years. To determine the health needs of a community, three avenues for feedback are utilized: a community survey , external or pub...

A blood draw, or phlebotomy , is typically one of the first experiences people have within the medical system. Roughly 90 percent of all diagnoses for illness or disease come from lab tests on blood samples. Jocelyn Moran, Lab Assistant at CCMH , discusses the process for a blood draw, the most common sites used to draw samples, and what patients can do to help make blood draws a better experience...

The CCMH Construction Project is now in its seventh month. Matt Foster, Project Manager for Graham Construction, discusses what has been completed for the project so far, and what comes up next. Foster also issues reminders about safety around the construction site, and how Graham Construction and its trade partners are working to keep noise, dust and odors to a minimum. Additional constuction upd...

The CCMH Specialty Clinic holds 40 different clinics each month from a variety of medical specialties. This includes cardiology, ophthalmology, urology, podiatry, and many others. Hannah Vary, CCMH Specialty Clinic Nurse Lead, discusses the differences between standard clinic appointments versus specialty clinic appointments. She also discusses the need for referrals, how health insurance works wi...

February is Wise Healthcare Consumer Month. On this week's podcast, Patti Aguilar, Financial Counseling Coordinator at CCMH, discusses the importance in knowing the details of your health insurance plan including copays and deductibles. The CCMH Financial Counselors can also help patients with the Healthcare Marketplace and Medicaid coverages. Patti talks about the need for patients to be the best...

Homeward Healing is a transitional care option offered by CCMH. The program is specifically designed for patients who received acute treatment in larger hospitals and are transitioning back to their homes. It is also called the Swing Bed program. On this week's podcast, Brooke Schwery, Case Manager, and Beverly Fink, a CCMH swing bed patient, discuss the Homeward Healing program, how it works, and...

The 28th Annual Crawford County EMS Conference is set for Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the Denison High School Fine Arts Center. Registration begins at 7:30 am with a full slate of training scheduled for the day. Simulation in Motion (SIM) Iowa will be onsite to provide hands-on training opportunities. Dana Neemann, Director of Education for CCMH, and coordinator for the conference, discusses ho...

Frostbite is a silent injury, creeping in through the wet and cold weather of winter. To prevent frostbite, dress warmly and limit time outdoors. Nonetheless, not all precautions work as well as we plan. Samantha Pauley, Director of Emergency Services , discusses when frostbite occurs, the symptoms and stages of frostbite, and the possible treatments.

Looking back and ahead identifies successes of the past and future opportunities. On this podcast, Erin Muck, CCMH President and CEO, takes a look back at the accomplishments in 2024 and what lies in wait in 2025. Topics discussed include the current construction project , new medical clinic providers, an updated patient portal , and a new budget for fiscal year 2026.