While there are many familiar sounds when walking through UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center – monitors beeping, people talking, sirens coming and going – today we will let those fade into the background and focus on our heroes. Each and every team member we have continually goes above and beyond to make a difference – and save the lives of our patients. Without their lifesaving work, family members would be missing this holiday season, but instead they are sitting at the table – right where they should be.

Each successful surgery, correct diagnosis, and patient check-up – that’s what makes a difference to our patients and families. It’s our team members’ caring hearts and hands that make this a great organization to work for and a great asset to our community.

The beginning of the year – which seems like a long time ago – brought in many patients as the Omicron variant surged throughout our community. We continue to battle the COVID-19 virus, but that hasn’t stopped our team from accomplishing great things this year.

Awards & Recognitions Received in 2022: 2022 Platinum Performance Achievement Award Chest Pain – MI Registry ¯ Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Gold Plus ¯ Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI Silver ¯ Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus ¯ DNV Certified Hip & Knee Replacement Center ¯ Healogics Center of Distinction 2021

These awards for our teams translate into us giving high-quality health care to our community. It takes a lot of teamwork to achieve these high standards, and I’m so grateful to each of our team members for the work they do each day.

This summer, our orthopedics team completed their first knee replacement with ROSA (Robotic Surgical Assistant) and the patient was able to go home the same day. We continue to grow within our Cancer Center, and with the linear accelerator, we have been able to provide cancer treatments to more patients than ever before. I am so thankful for these investments and our donors who could make this possible.

I’m thankful for the care we can deliver to our community and our people who do it! I am proud to welcome patients into our newly remodeled spaces – UnityPoint Clinic OB/GYN and Norma Schmoker Imaging Center, Trinity Lymphedema, Trinity Rehabilitation Services and Trinity Wound Center and very soon the Critical Care Unit. Through this, we’ve increased efficiency and convenience for our team members, patients and visitors.

None of our accomplishments would be possible without our amazing team members – the way they have showed up day after day, working through adversities, to care for our patients. We are thankful to serve this community by providing high-quality care for your loved ones in need. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with those that mean the most to you.

Leah Glasgo is the chief executive officer of UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge.