May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, when interest in skin cancer prevention, detection and treatment is high. Here’s a quick overview of the major types of skin cancer with links to photos of what they look like. “Screening for skin cancer is very important,” said Dr. Don Hughes, family physician at Riverwood Healthcare Center. “The […]
May is Mental Health Awareness month and this year’s theme is “Together for Mental Health.” The message of being together is an important message to convey regarding mental health. The impact of one person struggling with their mental health goes well beyond personal struggles. Yet despite the impact mental health has on the individual and […]
Helping patients breathe in an emergency situation is vital for our Emergency Department staff. An upgraded GlideScope tool is proving invaluable in supporting patient care in both Riverwood’s Emergency and Surgery departments. The GlideScope is a tool used in the OR and ER for placement of breathing tubes for patients that need one, either in […]
When pressure builds in your forehead, your nose is running, and you just don’t feel good, you may have a sinus infection, or sinusitis. “Most sinus infections will resolve themselves in seven to 10 days, just by taking care of yourself at home,” said Riverwood Physician Assistant Emily Goranson. “Start taking an antihistamine during the […]
Nola, age 13, is grateful for respiratory therapy treatment that keeps her safe and close to home in McGregor, according to her mother, Kari Horbacz. Each month for the past year and a half, Nola has been getting a Pentamidine treatment from a respiratory therapist at Riverwood Healthcare Center. This medication is administered via a […]
Kris Palmer shared this letter praising her excellent care for breast cancer at Riverwood Healthcare Center. “I am writing today to share with you that I feel blessed to be a patient at Riverwood. Let me share some background. My husband, John, and I both grew up in the Twin Cities and raised our two […]
At Riverwood Healthcare Center, we continue to be grateful for our patients and staff. Here we share our reasons why. The heart of Riverwood lies within our patients and staff. During this pandemic staff and patients have shown resilience, remarkable collaboration, innovation and a sense of community as we all come together to provide compassion […]
In mid-December, Riverwood Healthcare Center began providing 3D mammography exams at its McGregor clinic. “We are thrilled to provide 3D mammography to our community,” said Dr. Aaron Jordan, family physician at Riverwood’s McGregor clinic. “It can help detect cancer earlier because it offers multiple images of breast tissue for greater clarity and accuracy. There’s also […]
The Riverwood Healthcare Center Governing Board of Directors has selected Ken Westman as chief executive officer with an anticipated start date of Feb. 14, 2022. Westman is an experienced and accomplished health care executive with 25 years of successful and progressive experience with people, culture, and sustainability for health care institutions. For the past 10 […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to introduce Andrew Van Santen as the new manager of its hospital emergency department. Van Santen began his nursing career 20 years ago in Crosby, first working at a long-term care center and then transitioning to hospital nursing and caring for medical/surgical patients. He worked as a registered nurse in […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to introduce two new members of the oncology care team for cancer patients. They include Nurse Practitioner Jenny Diederich and Oncology Care Coordinator Katie Gunderson. “We are pleased to welcome Jenny and Katie to our oncology team,” said Dan Schletty, director of ambulatory services at Riverwood. “They both bring excellent […]
On Nov. 2, the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS) program recognized Riverwood Healthcare Center for its CALS Hospital designation with a recertification certificate. “Riverwood first received this designation in 2008 and has long recognized the value excellence in emergency medicine education,” said David Taylor, emergency physician and chief medical officer at Riverwood. “We are pleased […]
Nurses at Riverwood Healthcare Center are being honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. The first DAISY Team award recipient is Rose Appel, a licensed practical nurse who has cared for Riverwood hospital patients for more […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to welcome Joel Madson, a third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, who is participating in the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP). Through the RPAP program, a third-year medical student lives in a rural community for nine months and participates in rotations of hospital and clinic […]
The Riverwood Healthcare Center Board of Directors has approved moving ahead with two major capital projects that will enhance care for patients well into the future. Surgery wing addition The hospital’s surgery department, constructed in 2002 when a new hospital and clinic facility was built on Bunker Hill Drive, is in need of updating and […]
This article by Dr. Jennifer Tessmer-Tuck, OBGYN, was published in the Aitkin Independent Age on Aug. 25, 2021. Whether it’s pregnancy care, a preventative screening such as a pap smear or breast exam, or a specialty care need such as a menstrual or menopausal concern, Riverwood Healthcare Center’s obstetric and gynecologic clinicians are experts in […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to welcome three new leaders, including Chief Nursing Officer Carla Zupko; Wendy Franke, Director of Quality; and Wendy Ryan, Director of Surgical Services. Chief Nursing Officer Carla Zupko As chief nursing officer, Carla Zupko’s responsibilities include nursing and patient care in hospital nursing services, the emergency department, and surgical services, […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is launching a new award program to honor nurses who provide extraordinary care to patients and their families. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Award® for Extraordinary Nurses is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day. The DAISY Foundation was established by […]
Talking Tots on Facebook live Riverwood will host a Facebook live seminar on May 19 at 6:00 p.m. called “Talking Tots: Your Child’s Speech and Language Development” with Amanda Bostrom, speech-language pathologist. Her presentation will cover speech and language development for infants and toddlers and strategies to promote communication. Go to Riverwood’s Facebook page for […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center, along with other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance health care decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16 as National Healthcare Decisions Day. As a participating organization, Riverwood is providing information and tools for the public to […]
Fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon Jeffrey Klassen, M.D., who specializes in shoulder, elbow and knee injuries and conditions of all age groups, has joined the Minnesota Center for Orthopaedics and will begin treating patients at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby in January. “We are excited to add one of the […]
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a very common disorder. One in every five Americans suffers from GERD. The annual GERD Awareness Week is November 22-28,2020. Reflux and heartburn symptoms are often triggered by consuming certain foods (chocolate, wine, fried or spicy foods etc.), beverages (coffee, wine, beer, sodas), or doing simple activities (exercise, sleeping), […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Jennifer Tessmer-Tuck, obstetrician and gynecologist, has joined its medical staff. Dr. Tessmer-Tuck joins Drs. Michael and Rachel Cady and Dr. Ann Johnson in offering obstetric and gynecological care at Riverwood’s specialty clinic in Aitkin. She specializes in high-risk obstetric care, teamwork education and general gynecology. Most […]
Press Ganey has named Riverwood Healthcare Center a 2020 Guardian of Excellence Award® winner. Other than a Woodbury, Minn. surgery center, Riverwood is the only Minnesota hospital to receive this award. This award recognizes top-performing health care organizations that have achieved the 95th percentile or above for performance on patient experience. For this award, Riverwood’s […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Tony Blankers, family physician, to its medical staff of 17 primary care providers. He will offer the full spectrum of family medicine, including obstetric care and delivery, and some coverage of on-call rotations for inpatient care. “After getting to know Dr. Blankers and his family, I am […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Critical Access Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. For the third time since its initial accreditation […]
