The hospital is beginning the new year by wrapping up a renovation of its critical care unit. It is also looking forward to expanding some programs, especially in neurology.

“Our goal is always to provide the very best care to our community,” said Leah Glasgo, chief executive officer of UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge.

“As part of the Unity Point Health system, we are always looking for ways to grow and outperform the expectations of our community,” she added.

Glasgo said the credit for everything that is accomplished belongs to the hospital’s staff and volunteers.

“Our team is our greatest asset,” she said.

Among the 14 new health care providers who signed on with the hospital in 2022 was Dr. Victor Jaramillo, a neurologist. His arrival enables the hospital to provide neurology care for the first time in several years. Glasgo said the plan is to continue to grow capability in neurology.

Another physician, Dr. Emily Pursley, a hospital medicine specialist, was also recruited along with 12 physicians assistants or advanced registered nurse practitioners.

In the last year, the hospital received the top honor bestowed by heart specialists. In November, it received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain — MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award.

Trinity Regional Medical Center also was the first hospital in Iowa to receive the DNV Hip and Knee Replacement Program Certification.

While racking up awards is wonderful, getting awards is not the point, according to Glasgo.

‘The point is we are working really hard to not just say we have great care, but prove that we have great care,” she said.

Next month, the renovation of the hospital’s critical care unit is expected to be completed. Critical care services were temporarily moved to another area of the hospital late last year, and the unit was gutted. It was then rebuilt with 14 patient rooms and a new nurses station.

This summer, a new obstetrician/gynecologist. Dr. Abby Sexton, will join the hospital. Glasgo said Sexton has been in “our recruitment pipeline for a long time.”

“We have a very robust slate of local graduates we would like to have come back,” she added.

Growing the hospital’s programs in orthopedics, oncology, heart care and neurology are goals for 2023, according to Glasgo.

She said the hospital will also continue its partnership with Blank Childrens Hospital in which a provider from the Des Moines hospital is in Fort Dodge 24 hours a day.

Progress begins today

For more information on UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center and other health care providers in the region, please see the Health and Wellness section of the annual Progress edition included in today’s edition of The Messenger.

Today’s publication marks the start of the 2023 Progress edition, with sections published each weekend for the next five weeks.