Caring for people — it’s what we do best. And it starts on the inside. We’ve created a culture that values every aspect of our team members’ lives. From a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, robust professional development opportunities, encouraging regular feedback from our teams and prioritizing the health and well-being of our staff — showing our people how much they matter is at the center of everything we do.

Our team members — all 32,000 across the UnityPoint Health network — are brought together by our common values. Known as our FOCUS Values, they were created to strengthen and unite our teams to build a greater experience for our patients. These values have helped us build a culture that sets us apart from others, and we continually work to be the health care provider of choice.

Our FOCUS Values — Foster Unity, Own the Moment, Champion Excellence, UnityPoint Health, Seize Opportunities — were created in 2016 by a task force of 40 team members from across our organization. More than 1,800 team members provided input through our employee focus groups.

F: Foster Unity

Our team members collaborate across departments, facilities and regions, seeking to understand diverse thoughts and perspectives. By fostering unity, we use the skills and abilities of each person to enable great teams. While you’re visiting our organization, you’ll see our team members showing this FOCUS Value by listening first to understand, working as one team and collaborating with others.

We are proud to be your trusted health partner when it comes to your heart care. Our team members in Cardiac Cath Lab and Cardiac Pulmonary Rehab continually collaborate and work together to care for patients. With decades of experience, these team members will help us continue to be leaders in heart care.

O: Own the Moment

We connect with each person and treat them with courtesy, compassion, empathy and respect. Our team members are engaged in their work, hold themselves accountable for their individual and team’s performances, and take responsibility when solving problems. When visiting, you’ll notice our team members are visible, accessible and welcoming. We take pride in our environment and escort guests to their destinations.

Our team members in the Emergency Department are currently completing a 100-day workout — an in-depth view to finding a solution — on individuals leaving the Emergency Room before being seen. Since beginning their work in the beginning of June, the time a patient waits from walking in the door to having a room has dropped from 30 minutes to 18 minutes. Less than 2 percent of individuals have left without being seen.

C: Champion Excellence

Our teams are committed to providing the best outcomes and the highest quality. We share our results, learn from our mistakes and celebrate our successes. Our teams eliminate barriers to push forward — and have a relentless focus on exceeding expectations. We champion excellence by learning from others and maintaining an excuse-free culture.

From your first prenatal appointment to welcoming a new bundle of joy into the world, our UnityPoint Clinic OB/GYN — Fort Dodge and Trinity Birth Center teams collaborate across departments — and go the extra mile — to provide the best care for our patients. When our ultrasound team became backed up, our sonographer brought forth an idea to train others in becoming a certified OB sonographer leading to growth of an internal team member as well as increased future access. In June 2024, our OBGYN team also implemented post-discharge phone calls to follow up on mom and baby after delivery. The first few days to weeks at home can be a large adjustment, so a check in from their health care team may be the open-door mom needs to signal needing help with mental health or lactation. Our teams continue to grow and exceed expectations, coming up with solutions to provide the best patient care possible and connecting patients with the resources that they need.

U: UnityPoint Health

Our FOCUS Values unite our teams and make our team members feel valued, while understanding our universal expectations. UnityPoint Health team members are our greatest asset, and each and every one contributes to our brand and our culture through their interactions with others. We want each patient and visitor to experience a personal connection with our team members — a positive experience they will share with others.

S: Seize Opportunities

When we seize opportunities, we embrace and promote innovation and transformation. Our team members anticipate the needs of guests, patients and team members; and create partnerships that improve care delivery in our community. We continue to identify areas where we can continue to improve, and where we can embrace and promote change.

From becoming the first hospital in Iowa to receive the DNV Hip and Knee Replacement Program Certification to growing our services through ROSA, our Robotic Surgical Assistant, UnityPoint Clinic Orthopedics — Fort Dodge continues to get individuals back to the life they love as soon as possible.

Our FOCUS Values drive employee engagement, care transformation, patient experience and operational excellence. There is a positive energy people can feel when they walk through our doors — whether it’s patients, family members, visitors or fellow team members –and our work continues as we grow and strengthen these values that are so important to us.

Leah Glasgo is the president of UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge.