Kelly Anderson, a certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA), has joined Riverwood Healthcare Center’s surgical services provider team. Anderson brings more than 20 years of anesthesia experience, including 14 years at Regions Hospital’s, a Level I Trauma Center in St. Paul, Minn., and eight years with South Valley Anesthesia at Regina Hospital in Hastings. During her CRNA […]

Since 1984, the Riverwood Auxiliary has annually honored and memorialized the loved ones of area residents with the Lights of Love program, including a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the lobby of the hospital. This year’s ceremony will take place on Sun., Nov. 19, at 1:00 p.m. in the hospital lobby. A short program will […]

On Nov. 2, Riverwood Healthcare Center honored 46 employees and retirees who have celebrated milestone anniversaries or retirement in the past year at a special dinner at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge. Their collective years of service total 880 years! Riverwood CEO Ken Westman opened the program with a warm welcome for the employees and retirees […]

Quitting smoking or tobacco use isn’t easy. It takes time and a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Some smokers choose the Great American Smokeout event on the third Thursday in November as their day to start the journey toward a smoke-free life. On Nov. 16, join thousands of smokers across […]

The Minnesota Department of Health has recertified Riverwood Healthcare Center as a Health Care Home. This means that Riverwood primary care clinics in Aitkin, Garrison and McGregor have met a set of rigorous standards to provide patient and family-centered care and will continue working to improve the quality, experience, and value of care. Health Care […]

Managing prescription medications can be time-consuming and complex. Now there’s an online tool called RxLocal that can help make the process easier. “Mobile apps like RxLocal streamline pharmacy service and communication, saving patients time and effort during a busy day,” explains Spencer Page, director of pharmacy at Riverwood Healthcare Center. The RxLocal app provides a […]

Heather Molenda, physical therapist, has joined Riverwood Healthcare Center’s therapy services team. Molenda’s prior experience includes working in physical therapy roles for 30 years in a variety of health care settings, including acute care, outpatient care, transitional care and homecare. She spent 16 years working with patients with complex conditions at MHealth Fairview University of […]

While breast cancer most often occurs in women 50 and older, some women face this diagnosis at a younger age. A mother of three young children, Mary Voss was 44 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Voss received treatment and continued with recommended annual mammograms. A routine mammogram at Riverwood Healthcare Center […]

Riverwood Healthcare Center was recognized by the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) for one of the outstanding community programs in Minnesota with its Riverwood Connects program. At the recent 2023 MHA annual meeting, Riverwood representatives accepted the award for exemplary achievement in community benefits for addressing social determinants of health with patients. MHA shared these comments […]

Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to announce the addition of Evan Kelly, MD, to its general surgery team. Dr. Kelly was the fifteenth surgeon to complete a one-year Fellowship training program for advanced surgical training at the Minnesota Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIMIS) at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center […]

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer diagnosed in men, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, after lung cancer. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the […]

Holly Frischmon, a certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA), has joined Riverwood Healthcare Center’s surgical services provider team. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Nursing with a minor in Biology from the College of St. Scholastica, Frischmon achieved her registered nurse license soon after graduation. She also completed a Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesia Practice from Mount Marty University […]

Acid reflux symptoms were not a problem for Barry Anderson until a few years ago. Anderson explains: “When I would bend over, I would get a burning feeling in my throat that would last two to three days. I also felt nauseous. I got referred to a reflux specialist by my primary care provider, Nurse […]

Undergoing an MRI imaging scan can be daunting, especially if a person is prone to feeling claustrophobic in small, tight spaces. When Colleen Richards needed to undergo an MRI to help diagnose neck and back pain recently, she was pleasantly surprised with her positive patient experience at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin. “I’m claustrophobic so […]

The Minnesota Department of Health recently recertified Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin as a Level III Trauma hospital. After participating in an intense training process to become part of Minnesota’s statewide trauma system, the Aitkin County hospital earned its initial designation in December 2006 and was the first rural hospital in Minnesota to achieve the […]