As a mom to five children and a nurse by trade, I understand just how important it is to ensure your family is taken care of. From stressful trips to the emergency room to countless doctor’s office visits, for me the hardest part has always been waiting for a diagnosis. When your loved one is in pain or experiencing certain symptoms, you want answers and a quick recovery – and having a care team you trust is key.We want to be that trusted care team for you at UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge.

This month at UnityPoint Health, we recognize “Patient Experience Month” a time when we look back at the awesome things our patients have said about our team. We use your feedback to celebrate the successes of our team and look for opportunities to improve your experiences. Today, I want to share a few stories with you about our team and the excellent care they have provided for local families.

Our Team – Emergency Services & Inpatient Pediatrics

When you have an injury or illness, our team is prepared to provide you with expert, compassionate care. Our Emergency Department treats many levels of illness and injury to people of all ages. When needed, our emergency medicine team also works closely with our on-site Blank Children’s Hospital providers when caring for our pediatric population. Hear from Emily Paschke about her recent experience when her son, Zander, refused to take medications – and wouldn’t eat or drink post-surgery.

“I took him to the ER, because he wasn’t himself and I knew something was wrong,” Paschke said. “They hooked him up to an IV right away because he was dehydrated and needed fluids as soon as possible. The ER nurses and doctors were AMAZING!!”

Zander stayed the weekend in Inpatient Pediatrics under the special care from Blank Children’s hospitalists to ensure he received the fluids he needed.

“The nurses in Peds were AMAZING with Zander!! They made sure he was never in any pain and were always checking in on us!” Emily said.

Emily notes while the experience with Zander was miserable, and very scary, she is thankful for the amazing care team that took care of her son while he was in the ER and in Peds.

Our Team – OB/GYN & Birth Center

Whether you are pregnant with your first baby or expecting your fourth, our UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge team is here to care for you throughout your pregnancy, delivery and after your baby’s birth. Jess Kruckenberg and her family recently shared about their experience at UnityPoint Clinic OB/GYN, Trinity Birth Center, as well as the care they also received by Blank Children’s Hospital during their hospitalization.

“We selected Dr. Ilceski because we really wanted a doctor open and understanding to us being a same sex couple and using a donor to conceive,” Jess said. “Because of how our son was growing, we knew we needed to go the route of a planned c-section, which Dr. Ilceski walked us through it. We knew what was going to happen and the steps we would need to take to get there.”

No matter how the baby came – either through c-section or vaginal delivery – the end goal was to have mom and baby safe.

“Our plan going into this was just to have mom and baby safe, and that was what happened. We felt very supported in the decisions we made,” said spouse, Samantha.

Jess added, “We had a fabulous experience here at Trinity. From the doctors to nurses – and coincidentally we knew the Blank Children’s hospitalist that cared for our son, LeRoy. It was fun being able to have that experience and have her support. LeRoy was born with a heart murmur, and we knew after we got the information from his team we were in good hands at Trinity.”

Our Team – Orthopedics

As a teacher, coach, and runner, Mike Szalat is a very active 55-year-old. After living with a sore hip for almost two years and having trouble walking and tying his shoes, he decided it was time to make a change.

After an appointment with Dr. Elijah Miller, an orthopedic surgeon at UnityPoint Clinic Orthopedics – Fort Dodge, it turned out Mike needed a hip replacement.

“When I first met Dr. Miller, I thought he was a young and energetic physician who cared about his patients,” Mike said. “He answered all my questions and was extremely knowledgeable about his area of expertise. The staff showed me respect and the wait time was very minimal for all my visits.”

Szalat received his hip replacement on Dec. 20, 2022.

“All the nurses and staff were fantastic, but I must point out that Megan Mason was the best nurse I’ve ever had,” Mike said. “The pre-surgery, surgery, and post-surgery went better than I had anticipated. It really was flawless in my opinion.”

Before surgery, Dr. Miller scheduled a physical therapy appointment for Mike at Trinity Outpatient Rehabilitation, where he learned about post-surgery activity and exercises to help with his recovery.

Just four months later, Mike can do all the activities that his hip pain was preventing before.

“I feel like a 100 percent healed person,” said Mike. “The message I would like to send to the people of Fort Dodge and the surrounding communities is that Dr. Miller is a fantastic physician. I’ve also had other health issues, and I feel like the care at UnityPoint Health is top-notch. I have NEVER received poor care at our hospital. Sometimes I hear people say they are seeing a doctor outside of Fort Dodge. Personally, I don’t see the need to go elsewhere. In my experience, the health care in Fort Dodge is excellent.”

Our team at Trinity Regional Medical Center is dedicated to providing excellent care, and outstanding patient experience, to everyone who walks through our doors. I am thankful to have an excellent team, and it is our honor to serve this community with care.

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