As your healthcare partner, we focus on what’s best for you This focus has many tangible aspects: ensuring we provide the safest and highest level of care, your experience is the best, having the best food possible, and even picking out the correct color bedding that aids in healing and restoration . While these decisions are carefully researched and implemented to improve the overall patient experience, did you know that one of our largest areas of focus is on the team that provides this experience? Ensuring our care team is taken care of is extremely important in ensuring positive patient outcomes
We recently did a significant salary increase for our entire nursing line. While this positively affects our ability to recruit, our true focus is on the recognition and retention of our existing team. Salaries are just one piece of the puzzle. In 2023 we will launch a benefit package that will make being a team member here very desirable
What if? What if we listened to our employees? What if we asked the care team members what they want their hospital to be? Well, we did just that As a result, we have put together a team of employees called the Haxtun Way team, and they have a seat at the table as we make important decisions to make Haxtun Health better A better place to work, a better place to receive care, and a better place to be . The difference can already be felt . Come and visit us, walk the halls and listen to the Team The environment here is positive and caring . Why would you work or seek care anywhere else?
We are the real deal Haxtun Health is your healthcare partner that provides Care You Can Count On . This is our new mantra . Come and feel the difference and experience Care You Can Count On .
• Behavioral Health Counseling • Cardiology
• Diabetes Clinic
Dewane Pace, CEO
Haxtun Health promotes optimum wellness through compassionate and high-quality care We aim to be your expert source of information in the medical world . Content for the Haxtun HealthBeat is provided by Haxtun Health staff and providers as well as trusted resources from around the country
• Direct Access Testing • Dry Needling – Cash Pay • Emergency Room • Endoscopy
• Family Medicine • In-Patient (Hospital) • Laboratory • Laser Therapy
• Nutrition Counseling • Occupational Therapy • Orthopedics • Pharmacy • Physical Therapy • Podiatry • Radiology • Respite Care • Sleep Studies
• Swing Bed Rehabilitation
Imagine a major kitchen renovation . Maybe you’ve experienced one yourself, or maybe you’ve seen one unfold on TV We’re talking everything being ripped out and replaced, from electrical and flooring to cabinets, appliances and more .
Now imagine that while this renovation is going on, somehow, some way, you still have to prepare and serve three hot, nutritious meals each and every day For close to 50 people, many of whom have dietary restrictions of one kind or another
That’s what Haxtun Health Dietary Director Andrea Wilcox and her team of four cooks and five dishwashers/ servers just accomplished from March through July .
“It was a really huge project—one I’d never done before,” said Wilcox, who’s worked as a chef all over the world, from Ireland and Poland to Grand Junction . “Usually when you renovate a restaurant, you shut down for a while . But here we couldn’t do that .”
Every day of the year, Wilcox is responsible for feeding breakfast, lunch and dinner to 20 to 25 residents in Haxtun Health’s Extended Care wing, eight or so hospital patients, and 20 staff members, give or take . Her department also does the catering for health system events, such as refreshments for large meetings and golf tournament fare
So when it became clear that the old, outdated kitchen would need a complete overhaul, the Haxtun Health leadership team started brainstorming interim solutions Julia Beisemeier, Chief Community Relations Officer, reached out to Ron Carpenter, the Haxtun Volunteer Fire Department’s Chief. After all, the fire station is just down the street . And it has a nice commercial kitchen—one of the few in town, in fact . Maybe they’d allow Wilcox’s team to cook there for a few months?
“Our new fire hall was built in 2008,” Carpenter said . “And the kitchen only gets used for big events like the Fall Festival every few months .
So Julia came to one of our group meetings and asked if the hospital could set up here for a while . We were glad to help them out ”
“We’re a pretty tight-knit community, and the firehouse is extremely blessed with a fantastic kitchen with really high-end equipment,” said Wilcox “It really paid off for us We’re so grateful to the fire department for letting us set up camp there ”
For several months, Wilcox and lead cook Shawn McGee cooked in the fire hall and shuttled catering trays of food over to the hospital . Wilcox started her career in the catering business, so she was used to transporting prepared food But storing all the ingredients and serving meals in a temporary location—those were trickier Meals were served in the hospital sunroom, and food was served from old-school catering warmers .
The new Haxtun Health kitchen is now up and running It’s got all-new infrastructure, new stainless-steel wall cladding, a new range with double ovens, a combi oven and more Wilcox is especially excited to have a steamer, which will enable her team to prepare fresh vegetables in a manner that better retains their nutrients .
“The new kitchen will make our jobs more efficient and the food options better,” she said “I’ll be able to do bigger catering events, and we’ll be able to expand our menu selections to include more variety .”
Dennis Berg just joined the Haxtun Health staff in February, but already he’s Employee of the Quarter . That tells you something about his character and work ethic .
As part of the maintenance crew, Berg helps make sure all the facilities are in good working order . His department also undertakes bigger tasks For instance, right now they’re refurbishing the radiology lab, built in 1965
Fortunately, Berg has a lifetime of construction experience to offer His father was a master electrician for the railroad . Growing up in La Junta, Berg and his three brothers were roped into learning alongside their dad as together they built and fixed whatever needed building and fixing.
Berg’s construction background came in handy when he started working for Sterling Correctional Facility in 1991 He served as Captain of the Maintenance, Boiler House, and HVAC Departments . Then, at the age of 42, he went back to school to earn a degree at Colorado State University in Adult Education so he could become an instructor for the prison’s vocational programs
For 12 years, Berg taught incarcerated people job skills, including heavy equipment operation, construction technology and commercial driver’s license instruction . Together he and his students helped build many facilities in the area, ranging from CSU feed lots and calving barns in Akron to the Nazarene Church in Sterling and the Merino Fire Department building
“I know a thing or two,” Berg quipped Berg retired from the Colorado Department of Corrections in June of
2021 . It didn’t take him and his wife, Karen, long to decide that it would be a good idea for him to get another job . “I need to keep busy And this job keeps me out of my wife’s hair,” he joked . “She’s the yin to my yang, but she likes her quiet time ”
So while Karen finishes out her career at the Sterling Federal Credit Union, Haxtun Health is fortunate to have Berg, who’s 61, with hammer in hand . Besides, he’s enjoying this second career While prison work could be rewarding, it wasn’t always enjoyable, he said His new job is “When work ceases to be fun, it becomes work,” he said . “There’s a motto to live by, right there . ”
When they’re not working, the Bergs love to travel He’s been to 49 states and is looking forward to visiting the 50th—Hawaii—next year . Some of his favorite destinations have been Alaska, Sequoia National Forest and Niagara Falls . And then there’s family Together he and Karen have five children and seven grandchildren And he and his brothers and their families get together too
Berg, far right, on a visit to Alaska with his brothers.
In fact, Berg is in the planning stages of building a new shop at his home . He needs a place to park the camper, yes, but more important, a space to gather For example, recently 23 people converged on the Bergs’ house for Chili Fest, an annual tradition
Somehow Berg manages to fit it all in. “Work keeps me going,” he said “And it gives me fun tickets .” He pulled out his wallet and withdrew dollar bills “These are fun tickets If you want to play, you have to have fun tickets in your pocket ”
Haxtun Health loves the schools of northeast Colorado and their teachers That is why we are giving back to the classrooms this fall . Haxtun Health donated $10 for every completed Wellness Exam throughout the months of July and August to each participating student’s classroom to help offset additional expenses that are usually covered by the teachers’ personal salaries
We’re gratified to report that we gave back $880 to area schools, including Haxtun, Fleming, Holyoke, Grant and Lonestar.
In 2009 an anonymous local community member established the Haxtun Health Cancer Assistance Fund to assist Haxtun Health patrons who have received a difficult cancer diagnosis.
The fund’s purpose is to assist those with a diagnosis in covering fuel, lodging, wigs and other expenses related to their treatment . Not only does the fund help with expenses, but distributions also help remind recipients that they have a community that supports them, and they don’t have to fight alone
The program is funded by private contributions and is administered by the providers at Haxtun Health The goal of the Haxtun Health Cancer Assistance Fund is to allow the community an opportunity to support each other
You can make a difference today by donating to the Fund . Contributions may be made in cash or check payable to Haxtun Hospital District and sent or delivered to:
Haxtun Hospital District C/O Cancer Assistance Fund
235 W. Fletcher St. Haxtun, CO 80731
As a primary-care physician and Chief of Staff at Haxtun Health, he cares for patients in the clinic, emergency room and hospital So when a patient comes in to be checked out after experiencing a head injury, he’s knowledgeable at spotting the symptoms of concussion and helping patients take steps to heal “Normally your brain sort of floats inside your skull,” Dr Stephenson said “A concussion is what happens when your brain bounces up against your skull . It causes bruising or inflammation of the brain The nerves stretch, and they don’t work as well for a while ”
Concussions can be caused either by your head hitting something—an object, another person, the ground— or by whiplash, which is when your head is suddenly yanked to one side in, for instance, a car accident Any impact or motion that may have caused your brain to crash into your skull can result in a concussion
Monday through Saturday There is no need to go to the emergency room unless it is Sunday or after hours, according to Dr . Stephenson .
If your symptoms are more severe, however, and include things like balance problems, speech problems, projectile vomiting, serious confusion or, of course, loss of consciousness, it’s time to call 911 or go to the emergency room Sometimes head trauma can cause more serious—and even life-threatening—brain injuries that need immediate evaluation and treatment .
“If you have any symptoms that clue you in that your brain isn’t working well, that means the engine is running in the red,” said Dr Stephenson
A concussion is diagnosed based on symptoms, not imaging Doctors can’t see a concussion on a CT scan or MRI But patients do feel concussions Dr Stephenson said the most common concussion symptoms he sees include:
• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Cognitive problems—difficulty concentrating, feeling in a fog
• Emotional symptoms—anxiety, irritability
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Fatigue and feeling the need to sleep a lot
“Some people think that if you didn’t lose consciousness, you can’t have a concussion,” Dr Stephenson said “But that’s not true . Only a very small percentage of people with concussions have gotten knocked out ”
If you’ve hit your head or experienced whiplash and are feeling any of the above symptoms, go to the clinic as soon as you can to get checked out Try to get evaluated within 24 hours Our Haxtun Health providers can take care of you right in our clinic,
If you have a concussion, it’s helpful to rest your brain for a while That’s how it heals— through rest and TLC
“Normal daily activity is fine,” Dr Stephenson said “Light, non-jarring exercise is OK too .”
If you’re not feeling well, get extra sleep Minimize the use of screens such as your phone and computer Cut back on work and school . Avoid any activities that cause your symptoms to worsen And whatever you do, don’t put yourself in a position where you might reinjure your brain before it heals
“Football players, for example,” Dr . Stephenson said, “if they start playing again before their concussion has healed completely, they can develop more severe brain injuries, which can lead to permanent damage .”
There’s no set timeline for concussion healing, but it typically takes anywhere from one to three weeks, according to Dr . Stephenson . When you’re completely symptom-free as you go about your daily life, you’ll know your brain is back to normal .
It’s November, and the flu season is already ramping up. To help make sure you and your family and community stay healthy, Haxtun Health Clinic has some flu news to share.
Influenza is a potentially serious illness, especially for vulnerable people such as young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems The more people in our community who get vaccinated, the better we’re all protected
The past two flu seasons have been unusually mild due to COVID-19 isolation and masking . But this year in Australia, where their flu season always precedes ours, it’s been the worst flu season in five years . It also arrived earlier than normal . That’s why experts are predicting a possible bad flu season in the United States .
Here in Colorado, flu season generally runs from October to May If you didn’t already get your vaccine, now’s the time That way you’ll be covered for the remainder of the flu season. Once the
vaccine is in your system, it takes about two weeks for your body to develop the antibodies that will fight off a possible flu infection if you’re exposed .
But if you miss out on flu vaccination in the fall, it’s still good to get vaccinated during the winter Your flu shot will help protect you from there forward.
The flu vaccine is one everyone needs every year because the influenza virus is always changing. Children older than 6 months should be vaccinated yearly with rare exceptions . And most adults 65 and older should get a high-dose vaccine That’s because as we age, our immune systems naturally weaken
Jessie Cochran, Director of Nursing & Trauma Nurse Coordinator, hosted the first Wildcat Rider Club Crash Course class at the Fleming School on Friday, September 2nd with the help of the Northeast Colorado RETAC team, Officer Littlefield and the Fleming EMS crew
A huge thank you to The Northeast Colorado RETAC team who donated all the helmets that were handed out to the youngsters who attended the class
Kiddos went home with helmets in hand and a bag of activities to encourage bike safety!
Thank you to the kids for being such great students! And thank you to the teachers for giving us a few minutes out of your busy day .
Happy Riding!
Haxtun Health complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.
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