News

Burgess Health Center announces that Rachel Knudson, DO will be joining the Burgess Surgical Services team in August, where she will practice with general surgeon John Garred, MD. Both are certified by the American Board of Surgery.

As a General Surgeon, Dr. Knudson performs all types of general surgeries, including colonoscopies, EGD (an endoscopic procedure to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum), gallbladder surgery, hernia repair, removing skin cancers, breast surgeries and repairing small bowel obstructions. She comes to us from the McFarland Clinic in Carroll, Iowa.

“We are very excited to have Dr. Knudson join our Burgess family. She will build upon the highly skilled team of providers, nurses and support staff who deliver exceptional surgical care to our communities,” Carl Behne, CEO of Burgess Health Center stated.  “Being on-campus daily and focused solely on general surgery services will greatly improve local access to care.”

Knudson, who grew up near Marshalltown, attended the University of Iowa, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences. She received a Doctor of Osteopathy from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and then did her general surgery residency at Mercy Medical in Des Moines. She didn’t have to look far for influences on her career choice. Her uncle was a trauma surgeon and her grandmother and aunt were nurses.

Dr. Knudson and her husband, Brady, live in Sioux City with their son, Sam, age 8. Brady is an environmental scientist but is staying at home right now.

She and Brady are certified in SCUBA diving and have enjoyed the waters of the Caribbean and Hawaii. Knudson also enjoys scrapbooking and canning.

Photo: Rachel Knudson, DO

Thanks to the generous donation from the Burgess Auxiliary, all 25 inpatient rooms at Burgess Health Center received new patient privacy curtains. These strong and durable curtains provide patients with needed privacy during interactions with staff and family visits and prevent infections from spreading throughout the hospital.

The Burgess Auxiliary was founded in 1962, and since then, they have helped raise funds for Burgess Health Center through memberships, book and jewelry sales, gift shop sales, and annual initiatives like Ventures Arts and Craft Fair. Another major source of income is ACT II, a consignment shop in Onawa that opened for business in October 1987.

“We are grateful for the Burgess Auxiliary’s commitment to Burgess Health Center,” Carl Behne, CEO of Burgess Health Center stated. “The incredible amount of time and devotion each of these members have put forth over the years is truly inspiring and plays a critical role in Burgess’ long-standing commitment to provide quality healthcare to the communities we serve.”

The Burgess Auxiliary has collectively donated $39,000 to Burgess Health Center this Fiscal Year 2022, including significant monetary donations to the Poinsettia Ball and the Burgess Foundation Golf Tournament.

For more information on the Burgess Auxiliary, or to become a member, visit www.BurgessHC.org/about/auxiliary.

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Photo: (back L to R) Elaine Eisele, Lou Hewitt, Julie Miller, Cheryl Warner, Michele Waples, Brenda Howland, and Mary Tramp. Not pictured: Teresa Butler, Jessica Hupke, Mona Pithan, Cindy King, Patty Sandmann, Amy Johnston, and Rhonda Willey.

Over the past two years, the staff at Burgess Health Center has worked together to keep our patients, families, and visitors safe and healthy by implementing masking requirements in all facilities. Effective Monday, May 2, 2022, Burgess Health Center’s masking requirements have been updated to better align with the Monona County Transmission Rate. Monona County is currently in a Low Transmission Rate, as of May 2, 2022.

Isolation masks and face shields remain required for team members when providing direct care to patients whether Monona County Transmission Rate is low, medium or high. Team members who are exemption approved from the vaccination requirements (unvaccinated) must remain masked with isolation masks and face shields regardless of the Monona County Transmission Rate.

Patient / Visitor Masking Requirements:

When Monona County Transmission Rate is low or moderate, the following masking requirements will be in effect.

–       Masks are required if the patient or visitor is experiencing respiratory symptoms.

–       Masks are required if the patient or visitor has been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 10 days.

–       Masks are required if the patient or visitor has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days regardless of symptoms.

When the Monona County Transmission Rate is high the following masking requirements will be in effect.

–       Masks are required for all patients, visitors and team members in all areas of the facilities.

Burgess Health Center wants to remind the community that if community transmission levels increase, masks will again be required at all Burgess facilities. Please bear with us as we navigate these changes and Burgess Health Center’s new normal during and after this pandemic.

Burgess Health Center will be closing the Decatur clinic June 30, 2022. The closure comes with a very heavy heart and was a difficult decision made by the Burgess Health Center board.

A recent request to renew our Decatur lease brought upon the necessity to review the operations of the Decatur clinic. Though we have evaluated this in the past, we did not prioritize it at the time. The Burgess Health Center leadership rigorously assessed as they did with the Dunlap services, the financial performance, patient volumes, and the continued compressed/declining reimbursements from CMS and private payers.

“Healthcare is ever changing as well as consumer demands and expectations. Patients expect access to care more than a day a week and we are better suited as an organization and with our partners to do this consistently at our other Burgess Health Center locations.” stated Carl Behne, CEO of Burgess Health Center. “We continue to make decisions that will strengthen our organization, enable us to better serve patients in the future, and allow us to continue to provide quality care for our communities.”

Patients will receive a notice regarding the closure that explains how we can assist with transitioning their care to other Burgess locations or other local providers.

“We will continue to look to support care delivery in the Burgess Health Center and clinic network,” adds Behne. “We will also assist patients who choose to transition their care to other local providers. Ultimately, this is a patient preference and choice, and we hope they will want to continue to use the services provided by Burgess and our partners.”

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Dale Wolf for the Burgess Foundation Guardian Angel Award. Dale started out as a Hospice volunteer in 2011 and then graciously accepted the Hospice Chaplain role 7 years ago.

Sherri Johnston-McDowell, Rose Cummins and the Home Health and Hospice Team, want to recognize and thank Dale Wolf for always bringing joy, gratitude and love to their team. “He is our messenger and guardian angel for sure,” said Cummins. “Dale provides amazing spiritual care to our Hospice patients and their families. He greets all of us with a warm welcome and a beautiful smile.”

Dale also worked as a courier for many years here at Burgess Health Center. “During my times as a courier I have increased my friends by many and through volunteering at Burgess I have gained so many more,” said Wolf.  “I consider everyone at Burgess a friend.”

Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program provides patients, family members, and friends a chance to show their gratitude to a physician, nurse, or another caregiver who has played an exceptional role in their lives. The Guardian Angel received an acknowledgment letter announcing that a donation has been made in their honor and given a custom-crafted lapel pin to wear proudly.

Did a caregiver at Burgess make a memorable difference for you or your family? If so, you can honor that special person in a highly visible way through Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program. It is more than a pin. When you take advantage of our Guardian Angel program, you also help ensure the future of outstanding health care in the region.

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Photo: Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director, Carl Behne, CEO, Sherri Johnston- McDowell, Home Health/Hospice Director, Dale Wolf, Hospice Chaplain, Rose Cummins, Home Health Secretary, Scott Wolf, Tamala & Tony Pistello

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nominations of five Burgess employees for the Burgess Foundation Guardian Angel Award.

Erin Brekke, her father, John Coil, and her sisters Allison Johnson and Tami Coil, want to recognize and thank Corrina Schild, Cindy Vaughn, Steve Gordon and Lynette Dunham by nominating and donating in honor of their beloved mother, Trudy Coil.  These remarkable and caring individuals went above and beyond to care for Trudy, including difficult transitions of care, making sure her daily needs were met, and of course refilling her stash of Diet Coke.

“Trudy looked forward to each and every one of these invested caregivers,” said Brekke. “They were all true angels providing reassurance and comfort for mom. There are so many special people here that have impacted mom or our family in such a positive way over all of these years”.

Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program provides patients, family members, and friends a chance to show their gratitude to a physician, nurse, or another caregiver who has played an exceptional role in their lives. The Guardian Angel received an acknowledgment letter announcing that a donation has been made in their honor and given a custom-crafted lapel pin to wear proudly.

Did a caregiver at Burgess make a memorable difference for you or your family? If so, you can honor that special person in a highly visible way through Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program. It is more than a pin. When you take advantage of our Guardian Angel program, you also help ensure the future of outstanding health care in the region.

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Photo rear, left to right: John Coil, Erin Brekke, Corrina Schild, Cindy Vaughn, Steve Gordon, Carl Behne, CEO, Lynette Dunham, Dr. John Garred, Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director; front, left to right: Tami Coil and Allison Johnson.

Burgess Health Center’s Diabetes Update Class is scheduled for Thursday, April 7 from 5 – 6:30 p.m. at Burgess Health Center or you can attend via Zoom from the comforts of your home.

This update is for anyone who wants to prevent, currently has or lives with someone who has diabetes. Specifically designed for those who want to stay healthy and learn more about managing their diabetes.

There is no cost to attend. Pre-registration is required. Please call Sue McLaughlin or Michele Kirkendall at 712-423-9268 with any questions or to pre-register.

On March 15, 2022 the Monona County Board of Supervisors signed a proclamation proclaiming April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Monona County and urge all citizens to recognize this month by dedicating ourselves to the tasks of improving the quality of life for all children and families.

Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promotes the social and emotional well-being of children and families. April is a time to help people understand that safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments are necessary to ensure that children grow up happy and healthy. We all play a role in supporting the well-being of others during this time.

Throughout CAP month, Prevent Child Abuse America and Monona County Child Abuse Prevention Council are using a community garden metaphor to reinforce the message that “Every day, we help families and children thrive.”  Children and families are our greatest natural resource.  We all have a stake in preparing children to grow up to be healthy and thriving members of our community.  The best time to plant seeds of support for all children is now.  Every season presents a new opportunity to promote a young person’s physical, emotional, and social development.  Adversity is not destiny.

You can show support for promoting positive childhood experiences and preventing adversity by wearing blue on APRIL 1st.  We ask that you post a picture on social media with the hashtag #WearBlueDay2022.  The council will also be distributing pinwheel flower pots to Monona County businesses.  They will serve as a visual reminder of the world we want-for all children to grow up happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed.  Please email dlahr@burgesshc.org or call 712-423-9175 if you would like a pinwheel flower pot in your business.

The Monona County Child Abuse Prevention Council meets regularly to ensure that EVERY CHILD has a safe childhood free of violence. The Council is actively seeking members. For information on how to be involved or if you or a friend would like to learn how to participate in educational early childhood home visits that will help your child’s growth and development, please contact Burgess Public Health at 712-423-9175.  Our Learning for Life Program is a free home visiting program for families with children prenatal through kindergarten entry. The Learning for Life Program is funded by grants from the Harrison, Monona and Shelby Early Childhood Iowa Board, Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program grant funding and the Monona County Board of Supervisors.

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Jenny Kenney, social worker in the Home Health/Hospice Department, for the Burgess Foundation Guardian Angel Award.

Donna Jacobs, and her husband Ray, want to recognize and thank Jenny by nominating and donating in honor of her beloved mother, Evon Blakely. Jenny went above and beyond to care for Evon, including arranging weekly FaceTime visits so Jacobs could communicate with her mother from her home in Arizona.

“We so looked forward to her weekly visits,” said Jacobs. “Mother would perk up when Jenny arrived, even when mother was not feeling the best. Compassion is essential in this role and Jenny exuded this quality”.

Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program provides patients, family members, and friends a chance to show their gratitude to a physician, nurse, or another caregiver who has played an exceptional role in their lives. The Guardian Angel received an acknowledgment letter announcing that a donation has been made in their honor and given a custom-crafted lapel pin to wear proudly.

Did a caregiver at Burgess make a memorable difference for you or your family? If so, you can honor that special person in a highly visible way through Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program. It is more than a pin. When you take advantage of our Guardian Angel program, you also help ensure the future of outstanding health care in the region.

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Photo: Sherri Johnston-McDowell, Director of Home Health/Hospice, Jenny Kenney, Linda Handke Nepper, Evon’s daughter-in-law, Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director, and Carl Behne, CEO.