Riverwood Healthcare Center welcomes Tracey Eakman as the new director of the Surgical Services Department. Eakman brings 14 years of experience overseeing surgery departments in the Twin Cities, at North Memorial Health and Maple Grove Surgery Center. At North Memorial Health, Eakman managed the day-to-day operations of a busy ambulatory surgery center with approximately 10,000 […]
Heart Health Month in February is a great time for individuals to look at what they can do to improve their heart health and lower heart disease risks. That’s why Riverwood Healthcare Center is offering a “Heart Health: Benefits of Exercise” virtual seminar on Thurs., Feb. 23, 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Mitch Kline, exercise physiologist […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center reports that significant progress has been made on its surgery expansion construction project at its hospital in Aitkin. Designed by DSGW Architects with Kraus-Anderson as the general contractor and construction manager, the surgery expansion project will feature a 72,000-square-foot surgery addition. Construction has been underway since August 2022. The outline of […]
Jacki Rinta is the new manager of the surgical services department at Riverwood Healthcare Center, where she has worked in multiple leadership roles since 2015. Rinta brings more than 20 years of experience overseeing hospital operating rooms and the sterile processing area. She has collaborated with surgeons and staff to identify and prioritize patient needs […]
Rob Schmieg, a certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA), has joined Riverwood Healthcare Center’s surgical services provider team. Schmieg brings extensive anesthesia experience, working at Lakewood Health in Staples as a CRNA and director of anesthesia, and most recently as an anesthesia supervisor and CRNA for Mayo’s Critical Access Hospitals in Wisconsin. During his CRNA practice, he […]
For more than 50 years, Sandy F. struggled with acid reflux symptoms. She finally found long-lasting relief when she sought care at the Minnesota Reflux and Heartburn Center at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin. Sandy shares comments on her successful treatment outcome: “I’ve had acid reflux since I was age 5. It was horrible. I […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to introduce a new team of physicians to provide ear, nose and throat care at its specialty clinic in Aitkin. Dr. Kurtis Waters and Dr. Ethan Kraft of Advanced Specialty Associates, will see patients at Riverwood’s specialty clinic in Aitkin several days a month, beginning in January 2023. Otolaryngology (also […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to announce Breann Goedken has moved into the position of diabetes care and education nurse. With the completion of her registered nurse degree from Central Lakes College, Goedken is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree through Western Governors University. She has previous experience working in medical/surgical inpatient care and home health […]
During her 20’s and early 30’s, Miranda King suffered from chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). At age 34, she finally found permanent relief through treatment at the Minnesota Reflux and Heartburn Center at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin. “I was unable to eat a lot of foods or drink certain things because I would become […]
This holiday season, seasonal illnesses are adding to the stress many people often feel this time of year. In addition to COVID-19, Influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory illnesses are causing widespread illness in Minnesota and across the country. “These seasonal illnesses are peaking sooner, faster, and stronger than in […]
From Riverwood Dietitians, Megan Perpich, LD/RD, & Melissa Simons, LD/RD The holiday season in December poses many challenges and temptations when it comes to healthy eating. Here are a few tips that can help you make healthy choices and avoid gaining too many extra pounds. Tip #1: Do not skip meals and avoid going to […]
Time to eat and drink wisely Each year during the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 20-26, Riverwood Healthcare Center recognizes gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a national health care observance designed to raise awareness, provide education, and connect those who are suffering from GERD to resources and care. Here are 15 suggestions for curbing GERD symptoms during […]
November is Bladder Awareness Month. Riverwood would like to take this opportunity to help you learn about and take charge of your bladder health. Good bladder health is essential because of the important role your bladder plays in storing and eliminating your urine effectively and at the appropriate times. Some signs of a bladder problem […]
On Nov. 10, Riverwood Healthcare Center honored 47 employees and retirees who have celebrated milestone anniversaries or retirement in 2022 at a special dinner at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge. Their collective years of service total 887 years! Ken Westman, Riverwood CEO, expressed gratitude for the commitment, dedication and compassion shown by the Riverwood staff over […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center has a team of experienced providers offering advanced and comprehensive women’s health care. “We were happy to welcome Dr. Alisha Lindberg, obstetrician and gynecologist, to our women’s health care team in October,” said Cindi Baker, Riverwood chief operating officer. “She joins Dr. Jennifer Tessmer-Tuck and Nurse Midwife Megan Workman in offering weekly […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to announce the addition of Physician Assistant Elizabeth Lilley to its urology care team in Aitkin. Lilley joins Dr. Brandon Reynolds, Dr. Matthew Watson and Nurse Practitioner Cindy Hauser in providing urological care to patients. Specifically, her role will focus on assisting in robotic surgery, seeing clinic patients and clinic […]
By Kelsey Guthmiller, Trauma Program Manager, Riverwood Healthcare Center Strokes can happen to anyone, at any age. In fact, globally about one in four adults over the age of 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime. Yet, most adults in the U.S. don’t know the warning signs of a stroke, which is largely preventable […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has named Orthopaedic Surgeon Erik Severson, M.D., a top orthopaedic surgery doctor. He is ranked first out of 12 providers in the area for the repair of total knee joint arthroplasty and first out of eight providers in the area for total hip replacement. Dr. Severson’s composite ranking […]
Know your risks, take prevention steps, get screened Breast cancer is a type of cancer where cells in the breast tissue divide and grow without the normal control. Cancerous tumors in the breast usually grow very slowly so that by the time one is large enough to be felt as a lump, it may have […]
Riley Holm of Hill City and her mother, Laurie, say that early intervention by Riverwood Healthcare Center providers have saved her life multiple times. Diagnosed with biliary atresia as an infant, Riley had a liver transplant at 20 months old with complex healthcare needs over her 18 years of life. Hear from Riley and Laurie […]
Are you making time for routine medical exams for yourself and family members? Find out how an annual checkup can support overall wellness and help prevent disease, saving lives when health issues are diagnosed early. Attend a virtual video seminar, “Annual Exam: Your Health Lifeline”, on Tues., Oct. 25, 2:00 to 2:30 p.m., hosted by […]
Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to welcome Matt Foman, a third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota Medical School, 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 care […]
The Riverwood Healthcare Center Board of Directors recently approved investing in the transition to a new electronic health record system, which has great strategic significance for the organization’s future. “With the significant cost of the electronic health record transition, we needed to re-evaluate our two major construction projects,” said Riverwood Chief Executive Officer Ken Westman. […]
By Janet Larson, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner October is Depression and Mental Health Awareness Month. Depression and mental health are topics not discussed in our personal lives, with friends or in the workplace. The goal of this important month is to bring attention to these often deemed taboo topics, hopefully encourage conversation, and make […]
If you manage the care of a child or another adult, access to their medical records can be vital. The MyChart medical records system used by Riverwood Healthcare Center offers proxy access. This means that patients can authorize another person, typically a family member or legal guardian, to gain access to their medical records. “One […]
National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is observed every September by health experts, health advocates, and individuals concerned with men’s prostate health and prostate cancer. At Riverwood, we have a dedicated urology provider team, Dr. Brandon Reynolds and Dr. Matthew Watson, Urologists, along with Nurse Practitioner Cindy Hauser and Physician Assistant Elizabeth Lilley (who will join […]
Riverwood staffers bike together weekly. Pictured are Wendy Franke, Angie Kjelstrom and Angie Kuppich.By Kelsey Guthmiller, trauma program manager at Riverwood Healthcare Center The leaves have begun to change and that means the start of school, hunting season, and yard cleanup in preparation for the winter months. Fall is a beautiful season up in lakes […]
Linda Causton suffered from intense pain that took a toll on her enjoyment of life over a period of many years. She relates her positive experience of getting pain relief from the Neck, Back and Spine team at Riverwood’s specialty clinic in Aitkin. “Having a sore neck is a terrible experience, especially when you’ve been […]
Riverwood Pharmacist Haley Muehlbauer (formerly Noeldner) is the author of a research article on infectious disease and its treatment that was published in the June 2022 issue of “Antimicrobial Stewardship and Healthcare Epidemiology.” For the completion of her pharmacy residency at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Muehlbauer coordinated a year-long research project that […]
Dave Lahr did online research to find the best robotic-assisted hernia surgery option. Residing in St. Augusta near St. Cloud, he searched close to home first, but ended up choosing the Hernia Specialists of Minnesota at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, Minn., a 2-hour drive away. “I wanted to find a surgeon who would do […]
