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    • General Surgery

    Your health is essential.

    If you or a family member has a condition that requires surgery, our team of highly skilled and experienced surgeons is here to guide and support you with individualized care, from initial exams through recovery and after care, with all the required and necessary safety measures in place.

    We want you to know that we are following all safety protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). We are also taking extra precautions so that you can safely receive the surgical care you need to avoid future complications, alleviate pain, regain mobility, and maintain your quality of life.

    Your trusted leader in safe surgeries with rapid recovery.

    As Aitkin County and Riverwood have experienced a very small number of COVID-19 cases, Riverwood is taking comprehensive steps to protect both our surgical patients and staff. Our safety measures include:

    • We’re screening patients, visitors, and staff for respiratory illness at entrances.
    • We’ve stocked up on PPE—including gowns, masks, and face shields.
    • We have enough testing supplies to ensure those who need to be tested can be tested.
    • We’re practicing social distancing in waiting areas and throughout the building.
    • We’re requiring masks for everyone—staff, patients, and visitors.
    • We’ve created a safe pathway for care through a separate exit and entrance exclusively for surgical patients. This entrance is clean, sanitized, and has never been available for patient use during COVID-19.

    Both pre-op and post-op appointments can be done from home through a Telehealth Virtual Visit, and many of our procedures can be done same-day—so you can receive safe, expert care, and return home to recover.

    Dr. Paul Severson, Chief of Surgery at Riverwood, explains more about elective surgeries and the precautions in place in his blog and in his KKIN Radio Interview.

    Meet our general surgeons.

    Our team of general surgeons includes Dr. Tim LeMieur, Dr. Howard McCollister, Dr. Shawn Roberts, Dr. Paul Severson and Dr. Andrew Loveitt.

     

    See bios for other specialty surgeons for OB/GYN, orthopaedics and more.

    For more information on surgery services at Riverwood, call (218) 927-5522.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Many hospitals, including Riverwood, have reserved a separate wing of the hospital for patients with respiratory illness. However, Riverwood is the only surgical facility in our region that also has a separate entrance and exit available for surgical patients. The Michael Ryan Support Services entrance has not been used for patients during COVID-19 and is now dedicated for surgical patients only.
    Yes, Riverwood has enough testing supplies available to test those who need to be tested.
    Patients will be tested for COVID-19 and then must quarantine (stay at home and away from others) before their procedure. With Riverwood’s on-site rapid testing, a patient only has to quarantine 24–48 hours before surgery (instead of 4–5 days).
    Yes—we have an abundant amount of PPE—including gowns, masks, and face shields—to protect our patients and our providers.
    Riverwood has plenty of room for surgical patients. We will resume elective surgeries at a reduced capacity, at approximately half of normal operating volume, and then gradually increase the number of procedures as the surgical team adjusts to new workflows and safety precautions.
    Highly skilled in laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery, the Minnesota Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIMIS) was formed in 2003. The Aitkin and Crosby hospitals feature state-of-the-art surgical and endoscopy suites. Our surgeons are leaders in the areas of laparoendoscopic, ophthalmic, gynecologic and orthopaedic procedures. They bring a high level of surgical skill combined with personalized care that draws patients from a wide geographic area in Minnesota and nearby states.
    Our surgery staff provides pre-operative care and education, evaluation, anesthesia, and post-operative care to the highest level of standards and safety. Procedures requiring anesthesia are provided by our team of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). Our CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses with specialized graduate level education in anesthesiology. They safely provide anesthesia, which may include general, regional (nerve blocks) and sedation techniques.

    Take a virtual tour of our Surgical Services department.

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