On hole 12 of the Ridge Golf Course, Steve used a 7 iron that carried his golf ball 169 yards directly into the hole. His amazing achievement won him a new car courtesy of Mouw Motor, Ver Hoef Automotive, Vos Motor, and Perspective Insurance.

Congratulations Steve!

The Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera has begun the initial planning stages for the new hospital and medical center replacement.

Hospital officials recently have appointed a 13-member steering committee to assist the building committee during the “pre-planning process.” The committee consists of physicians, employees, board members and community residents.

The move comes after the hospital’s December 2009 purchase of 40 acres of land located on the eastern edge of Sioux Center near the intersection of B-40 and 13th Avenue SE for a new hospital and health center.

According to hospital chief executive officer Kayleen Lee, the pre-planning process involves looking at evidence-based design process, which is an approach to health care design that gives importance to design features that impact patient, health, well-being and safety.

Local community members Stan Speer and Larry Den Herder have been selected the co-chairs of the building committee. They are active in the steering committee’s pre-planning process.

“We’re looking at our vision for the future and our guiding principles as we try to identify what we will need and want,” Lee said. “There are some choices to make with care-delivery models that drive design. The two pillars are the volumes and demographics.”

Gorman Resources of Minneapolis, a health-care planning a design company, has been selected by the hospital to assist the Sioux Center health system in the preliminary planning stages. The company has worked with several health systems during planning stages.

Mary Gorman, senior medical planner with Gorman Resources, said that during the initial stages, planners look at functional requirements for staff to do work and the environment that impacts patient experience.

“When we do the work that we are doing now, the appropriate architectural partners can envision the functional requirements, the implementation and the book of business,” Gorman said. “A lot of things must go on the plate in order to cut the ribbon.”

Gorman compared the pre-planning phases for the eventual hospital to the hors d’oeuvres before a meal.

Local residents will have chances to participate with the preplanning phase during the next couple months with focus groups. “Women’s health” and “birthing mom” focus groups will be meeting later in July. Other independent focus groups will be facilitated by Gorman Resources later this summer and fall and allow participants to describe the health-care environment that they envision and what features they desire.

Lee said that an exact number of focus groups has not been determined, but as the steering committee looks at the market-share and demographic information, they will be considering what groups to include in the process.

“We know that we want to include some general community focus groups,” she said. “We’ll want to include people who use our services and those who don’t use our services and go elsewhere for their health care. We want to learn about why they go other places.”

Nick Spring of Gorman Resources said that 80 percent of the patients served by Sioux Center’s health system live within a 20-mile radius of the community so that it is the area that will be focused on during the process, along with Sioux Center and Hull areas.

Gorman said that the pre-planning isn’t strictly for the future. Part of the challenge will be to incorporate what the planners are learning about into what happens right now.

“In an older building, workers tend to do their tasks with what they have,” Gorman said. “The caregivers do marvelous things with what we have and we need to do as much as we can while we’re here so that the new happens at the new building and not the old at the new building.”

Some of that has already begun with processes like the lean planning which encourages efficiency and avoiding duplicity.

Lee said that planners want to spend as much time as is needed during the rest of the year or longer in the pre-planning phase.

“How often do you build a hospital – 50, 60 years or even longer?” she asked. “We’ve been on this site for 60 years as of June of next year. So it’s an awesome responsibility to take this planning process seriously.”

Spring said that right now, especially, planning is of the utmost responsibility.

“With some of the changes that are coming, like the passage of national health care, what we do is going to change,” he said. “It means that we have to anticipate what that means so that we can design as much flexibility as we can without building too much cost into that. We don’t want to build large amounts of space that we don’t need and wonder what to do with it.”

Lee said that another vital cog is designing with the platforms for coming technology.

“When you look at how things have changed in the past five years, we need to look at the direction,” Lee said. “As an example look at airports today. When you check in at the airport, you go to kiosks. Just a couple years ago, you would go to desks. So we need to think about things even like registration areas. How will people check in in the future? Right now, we’re doing on-line scheduling, on-line bill paying and those kinds of things. That all impacts us as we go forward.”

Speer said that the hospital has been addressing concerns through the years. During the past decade, the addition of Crown Pointe and Royale Meadows addressed the elderly in the community.

“Mow we need to complement that by meeting the needs of the medical,” he said. “the Crown Pointe and Royale Meadows facilities as state-of-the-art and we are now positioned to focus on this step.”

Lee said that after the purchase of the property for the new hospital, the hospital board agreed to move ahead with evidence-based design and preplanning. Lee said that during this current stage no design work is underway.

Hospital leaders also are visiting other newer facilities and visiting with those leaders on what they like and don’t like about their designs as those facilities begin to be used.

Lee noted that many people are wondering about a time frame for the new facility. However, she said that at this point, the full timeline hasn’t been developed.

“This is important work to get done first,” she said. “When we first began talking, we had decided that this year (2010) would be for preplanning. Any kinds of design work probably won’t begin until next year.”

The hospital is working through the details needed in order to reach the next steps. The steps also will include design work and schematics in addition to actual construction.

“One of the things we’ve tried to do is position ourselves so that when the stars are aligned, we’re ready,” Speer said. “Some of the components that need to be in place include fundraising, financing, design and construction.”

Gorman said it is important that health centers take the time needed for the preplanning. She said that each community must “customize” its facility to it needs.

Future steps for the project include a feasibility study with the hospital foundation to determine a goal for future fundraising and a capital campaign.

“The first step for us it to listen to our customers,” Lee said. “We’re going through the focus groups to hear what the community has to say.

“I’m excited about this part of it,” she added. “It allows us to look into the future and to implement things right now. This is important.”

The health system plans on incorporating an online survey for those in the community that wish to participate but were unable to attend a focus group.

The 13 members of the steering committee are Dale Vander Berg, the president of the executive board; Speer, Den Herder, Lee, Marla Toering, the hospital’s chief operations officer; Jackson Schuiteman, the chief financial officer; Mary McClung, the medical clinic director; Marilyn Vermeer, Nancy Renes, Dr. Gerald Van Es, Dr. LoriAnne Andersen, Ken Smit, the hospital foundation’s director; and Matt Toering, the hospital marketing director.

There are three major types of diabetes, with Type 2 being the most common by far. Type 1 diabetes is often diagnosed in childhood and early adulthood. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and puts these women at higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease or stroke later in life.

Type 2 usually occurs in adulthood but can happen to obese teens and young adults. With this type, the pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels normal, often because the body does not respond normally to insulin. This is known as “insulin resistance.” Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common due to increasing obesity and lack of exercise.

Type 2 accounts for the majority of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Risk factors include the following:

• Obesity

• Family history

• Inactivity

• Being over age 45

• High triglycerides

• Low HDL (healthy cholesterol)

• High blood pressure

• Race/ethnicity (African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and Native Americans all have high rates of diabetes)

Check out our free online health risk assessment for diabetes. Whatever your risk factors for diabetes may be, there’s a lot you can do to delay or prevent diabetes. To manage your risk of diabetes, you should:

• Keep your weight within or near normal ranges

• Get 30 minutes of exercise on most days

• Eat a healthy diet

• Manage your blood pressure

I hope to continue sharing information about diabetes with you through our blog. By posting your questions or comments below, you help me know what topics are most important to you.

Judy Hauswald, Diabetes Program Coordinator

(712) 722-8114

Judith.Hauswald@schospital.org

What is happening at Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera?

I wanted to share some information regarding some of the support groups that the health system holds each month. There are three that I want to talk about with you today. I hold a Life after Loss Support Group, the others are a Parkinson’s Support Group and a Memory Loss Awareness Support Group.

Tell us a bit about those support groups.

The Life after Loss Support Group is a bereavement program that is designed to help people cope with the unfamiliar feelings associated with the loss of a loved one. This group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 4:30 – 6 pm in the Crown Pointe Gathering Room. You can pre-register by calling 722-8136.

So if you are someone who has lost a loved one, this sounds like a great way to help you learn to cope with all the emotions that are a part of the natural grieving process.

It is. And many people have found that this group helps them express their feelings and helps them deal with them in a healthy way. In our sessions, we learn about the healing and recovery process, share experiences with each other. Together we find strength and hope.

Tell us a bit about the Parkinson’s Support Group and the Memory Loss Awareness Support Group.

The Parkinson’s Support Group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 1 pm in Royale Meadows Care Center. Caregivers, family members, and those dealing with Parkinson’s Disease are encouraged to join the group. Call 722-8325 for more information. No RSVP required.

The Memory Loss Awareness Support Group meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 1 pm in Royale Meadows Care Center. Like the Parkinson’s Support Group, this group is intended for caregivers, family members and those dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders. You can call 722-8256 for more information, but RSVPs are not required.

So these two groups are intended for everyone affected by these diseases, not just those diagnosed with Parkinson’s or a Memory Loss disorder, right?

That’s right, often the people who benefit the most are the care givers and family. When you care for a person struggling with these disorders, it is important to learn as much as you can about the disorder and it is equally important to have people that you can lean on for support.

Renae Negus, Bereavement and Volunteer Coordinator with Home Health and Hospice spoke on Hospital Happenings on 93.9 KSOU FM on Thursday, July 22.

Sioux Center Medical Clinic employee, Jessica Sneller, helps to properly install a car seat

As an OB nurse with the Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera, I take great pride in helping educate parents about their new baby. In my years of experience, I have seen many new and even experienced parents struggle to understand how to correctly install their car seats. In fact in this year’s car seat safety check, we found an 84 percent misuse rate. Here are a few tips to keep in mind that will help keep your little miracle safe on the road:

• Make sure your car seat is the right size for your child.

• Do not buy a secondhand car seat because you don’t know if it has been in an accident.

• Infant seats should always face backward.

• Most Car Seats only have a six-year life span unless otherwise printed on the car seat. Some of the seats that can go from forward facing with harness to belt positioning booster to backless boosters have a 9-year life span.

• Your car seat should have a five point harness that fits snugly.

• A properly installed car seat base will not move more than an inch in either direction.

• The carrier handle should always be lowered during drives unless stated differently in the car seat manual. Toys should not dangle from the carrier handle because the toys have not been crash tested.

Marcia Van Voorst, LPN, Certified Car Seat Technician

Heat is responsible for more weather-related deaths than any other weather event including tornadoes, lightening, wind, cold, winter storms, flooding or hurricanes. Heat-related deaths have averaged 117 per year over the past 10 years, according to the National Weather Service. The best medicine for heat-related illnesses is prevention. Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe.

• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun’s energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or use an umbrella.
• Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body.
• Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein which increase metabolic heat.
• Avoid using salt tablets unless directed by your physician.
• Slow down. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, usually the early morning hours.
• Stay indoors when possible. If your home is not air conditioned, spend time in public facilities such as movie theaters, libraries, and shopping malls. While electric fans provide some relief on mildly hot days, they won’t help prevent heat-related illness when the temperature rises above the mid-90s.
• Take regular breaks: Take time out to find a cool place.
• Never leave your child, pet, or anyone in a closed car on a hot day.

Never underestimate the effect of heat on your body, or think that you’re used to it. Anyone can be vulnerable to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Dr. Jason Koelewyn, family practice physician with the Sioux Center Medical Clinic.

As the third most common cancer in both men and women, an estimated 147,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2009. After lung cancer, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths, with an estimated 50,000 deaths annually.

“For adults age 50 or older, regular colon screenings should begin at age 50,” said Dr. Scott Rens with the Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera. “It’s a health screening that people are prone to put off, yet it can save lives.” In fact, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that as many as 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly.

Colon screenings are recommended beginning at age 50, when doctors can spot and remove polyps that may eventually become cancerous. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 90 percent of cases are diagnosed in people over 50. Earlier screening is recommended for people who have a family history of colorectal cancer.

Screening guidelines call for one of the following: a colonoscopy every 10 years, a flexible sigmoidoscopy or barium enema every five years, CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every five years or fecal occult blood tests every year. Colonoscopy is often a top recommendation, because it examines the entire colon, and polyps can be removed at the same time the test is performed. Because colonoscopy is offered at the Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera, residents of Sioux County don’t have to travel to get this vital test.

“Many colon cancers come from small polyps which, over a span of 10 years, can develop into colon cancer,” said Dr. Cristina Hill Jensen, gastroenterologist with Avera Gastroenterology Clinic of Sioux Falls. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, detecting and removing polyps in their precancerous stage can prevent up to 90 percent of colorectal cancers from ever developing. Having a colonoscopy every 10 years will in most cases catch polyps before they have a chance to become malignant. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports that incidence of colorectal cancer has decreased over the past two decades thanks to removal of precancerous polyps.

In addition to getting regular screenings, you can lower your risk of colorectal cancer.

• Eat a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains

• Get plenty of physical activity

• Don’t smoke

• Maintain a healthy weight

• If you drink, drink in moderation

Even if a polyp becomes malignant – if the malignancy is found in an early stage – the cancer is very treatable surgically. When detected at an early stage, the five-year survival rate of colorectal cancer is 90 percent. Colorectal cancer that has spread beyond the colon to lymph nodes or other organs may require additional treatment of chemotherapy and radiation.

Most colon cancers are slow-growing and can be detected long before symptoms arise. However, people should see their doctor if they experience any of these symptoms:

• A change in stool patterns, such as diarrhea or constipation

• A feeling that your bowel is not completely empty after a bowel movement

• Bright red or very dark blood in your stools

• Stools that are narrower than usual

• Frequent gas pains or cramps; feeling full or bloated

• Nausea or vomiting

• Frequent fatigue

• Unexplained weight loss

Although abdominal pain is also a symptom, colorectal cancer does not usually cause pain in the early stages, so don’t wait to feel pain to see a doctor if you are experiencing the above symptoms.

To find out if you might be at risk for colon cancer, take a free online risk assessment at www.AveraCancer.org.

What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

The common symptoms are excessive day time drowsiness (which may cause you to fall asleep while working, watching TV, or even driving). Loud snoring, observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, Morning headaches, and shortness of breath that awakens you from sleep.

How serious is Sleep Apnea?

It is a bigger problem then just being tired. When your breathing stops during sleep, blood oxygen levels drop. Because this happens repeatedly during sleep (anywhere from 15 to 45 or more times per hour) it causes stress on the heart, brain and other organs. On the average a person with obstructive apnea does not breath from 7.5 to 20 minutes per hour which contributes to many serious and negative health consequences. Consider this, a person with undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea is two to four times more likely to develop a life threatening heart beat, is two to three times more likely to develop high blood pressure, and two times more likely to suffer a stroke.

Now let’s remember, life isn’t all doom and gloom because there is hope and good news when dealing with sleep disorders. Though sleep apnea can be vary serious, following an effective treatment plan can restore regular breathing during sleep and relieve symptoms such as loud snoring and excessive daytime drowsiness.

Where do I go to find out what treatment plan is best?

You need to make an appointment with your physician and he or she will have you fill out a short sleep questionnaire and conduct an interview of your sleep habits. If your score is significant he will order a sleep study to be done to determine the severity of the problem. The sleep study would take place at the Sioux Center hospital main campus. The test results scored and over-read by a Pulmonologist certified in sleep medicine. The results will be sent to your Physician and will meet with you to go over the results and then write the orders needed to get the necessary equipment.

Where can people go to get the equipment and supplies needed to treat this type of problem?

Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera is a full service facility. You can go to Mary, Patricia, or Paula at Avera Home Medical Sioux Center for all your equipment and supply needs. They can set up the equipment and fit you for the appliance of your choice to begin your journey for a fitful nights rest. They are located in the Cardiac Centre west of Travel Advantage.

Larry Te Grotenhuis, Respiratory Therapist and Sleep Study Supervisor

Over the past 25 years, incidence of childhood obesity among children ages 6 to 19 has grown from around 5% to 17%, according to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even among preschoolers, obesity has increased from 5% to around 12%.

Dr. M. Yvonne Rayborn, family practitioner with Sioux Center Medical Clinic said several factors are to blame, including bigger portions of high-fat, high-sugar foods coupled with less outdoor play and more time in front of the TV or computer screen.

“Childhood obesity is a risk factor for developing serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease – which are typically adult diseases – at younger ages,” Dr. Rayborn added. “Babies and toddlers will typically eat when they’re hungry and stop when they’re full – a skill many of us forget as we get older. At that age, it’s a parent’s job to offer the child healthy choices for meals and snacks.”

Some babies may carry “baby fat” which usually isn’t worrisome until after age 1 or 2. In fact, babies need fat for healthy brain development.

Yet bad habits can start early, and children tend to model their family’s eating patterns. So if parents eat high-fat processed foods, skip their fruits and vegetables and munch on chips while watching TV, children are likely to pick up the same behaviors, Dr. Rayborn said.

The reverse is also true – if families have healthy eating habits, children will pick up on that. A good place to start is having family mealtimes together at the table – with the TV off. Be aware of portion sizes, and encourage children to stop when they’re full rather than insisting they “clean their plate.”

Look at the whole day’s meals and snacks as a way to incorporate a balanced diet. If children don’t eat their fruit at lunch, for example, offer it as an afternoon snack.

Change the whole family’s eating habits to include more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Limit high-sugar, high-fat treats and snacks. Instead, offer snacks like granola bars, whole grain crackers, yogurt, fruit cups or trail mix made with nuts, dried fruit, whole grain cereals and a few mini chocolate chips for sweetness. Reserve foods like donuts, candy or chips as an occasional special treat.

What a child drinks is also important. While low in fat, high-sugar drinks like pop and even juice can lead to weight gain. Instead of juice, children are better off drinking water and eating whole fruit.

If a child is overweight, the best approach is not to call attention to it or place the child on a strict diet. Rather, through changes in diet and more activity, help the child maintain his or her current weight. As the child grows in height, the weight problem should disappear.

Don’t expect drastic changes overnight, Dr. Rayborn said. Instead, encourage small steps toward a healthier lifestyle and offer to take those steps with your child.

More activity is the other side of the equation for children in maintaining a healthy weight. Often, just limiting “screen time” is enough to get a child up and moving. Encourage children to find a sport or activity that they enjoy that gets their heart rate up and do it for at least 30 minutes a day. “It can be anything that gets kids off the couch,” Dr. Rayborn said. It always helps if parents can get out and enjoy activities with their children, Rayborn added. “The best thing parents can do is to model healthy habits.”

“If you are concerned about your child’s weight, it’s a good idea to talk to your family doctor,” said Dr. Rayborn. “It’s better to address any problems as early as possible so your child can go on to experience a healthier future.”

1. Faithfully Fit (Cheryl Vierhout) – 218

2. Walkin’ Talkin’ Women (Tricia Marra) – 135

3. Mission Control (Jeanne Visser) – 131

4. Hoefin It(Melony Vande Hoef) – 111

5. Team Stiemsma(Craig Stiemsma) – 107

Please, feel free to leave posts to help motivate others and let them know what is working for you!