News

Burgess Health Center proudly announces the nomination of Jeff Phipps, IT System Administrator, for the Guardian Angel Award by Grady Warner, recognizing Jeff for his thoughtfulness, kindness, determination, resourcefulness, and reliability in all aspects of his work.

Jeff manages servers, network appliances, connectivity within Burgess locations, access for offsite/remote users, and collaborations with third-party vendors. He works nights and weekends updating systems to minimize operational disruption for access to essential employee functions such as patient documentation, radiology images/reports, lab results, patient billing, in-home care applications, remote workers, contracted services, HVAC systems, security systems, phone systems, disaster recovery backups, and so much more.

Grady Warner, IT Director, expresses deep gratitude for Jeff’s dedication, stating, “I am beyond grateful for Jeff and his unwavering dedication to Burgess Health Center and his exceptional contributions to the healthcare community. He is truly my guardian angel.”

The Guardian Angel Award, a highly respected recognition at Burgess Health Center, acknowledges individuals who demonstrate exceptional care, kindness, and commitment to their patients. Jeff’s nomination reflects the deep appreciation Grady and his team have for all the integral behind-the-scenes efforts to keep our patients and teams safe.

Burgess Health Center is honored to have professionals like Jeff among its staff, who consistently go above and beyond to provide exceptional care to the community they serve.

Photo: Lynn Wold, CEO, Jeff Phipps, Grady Warner, Bobbi Johnson

Burgess Hospice has been recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) as a “Premier Performer” for achieving an overall caregiver and family satisfaction score that ranked in the top 5% of all eligible SHP clients for the 2022 calendar year.

The annual SHPBest™ award program was created to acknowledge hospice providers that consistently provide high-quality service to families and caregivers of patients receiving hospice care. The 2022 award recipients were determined by reviewing and ranking the overall CAHPS Hospice survey satisfaction score for more than 1,750 hospice providers. With one of the largest CAHPS Hospice benchmarks in the nation, SHP is in a unique position to identify and recognize organizations that have made family and caregiver satisfaction a priority and have been rewarded for their efforts with high marks on the CAHPS Hospice survey.

“SHP is very excited to have the opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of our top-performing customers with the annual SHPBest awards. We commend these organizations for their determination to provide top-notch care to the patients and caregivers that they serve”, said Kevin Vogel, President of SHP.

“The entire Burgess Hospice team is greatly honored to receive the ‘Premier Performer’ award from SHP. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to delivering exceptional care to both patients and their families. We pride ourselves on ensuring that every individual we serve experiences the highest quality of hospice care. We are humbled and grateful for this acknowledgment, and we will continue to strive for excellence in our mission to provide compassionate support.” – Rachel Martian, Director of Burgess Home Health Hospice.

Read more about the SHPBest awards program, including methodology and award recipient lists at https://www.shpdata.com/hospice/shpbest-cahps-hospice/.

Photo: (back row, left to right) Angie Reynolds RN, Bettie Anderson LPN, Kris Lyons, Rose Cummins, Jennifer Gross HHA, Keri Moore HHA, Sonya Harrison HHA, Lindsay Theeler HHA, Ashley Moore LPN; (middle) Missy Koenigs RN, Laurie Mordhorst LPN, Brenda Todd RN, Clint Broer PT, Cheryl Holverson RN, Janine Shilling RN, Ashley Hagestrom RN, Elizabeth Harvey MSW; (front) Laura Ruffcorn, Ashley Anderson HHA, Rachel Martian RN/Director, Cindy Kuhlmann RN.

Not pictured- Nikki Blume RN, Jenna Westendorf RN, Erin Erickson RN, Pam McCall RN, Katie Weston MSW, Corrina Schild, Dale Wolf/Hospice Chaplain.

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Sarah Solberg, an extraordinary paramedic, for the Guardian Angel Award. Sarah’s dedication and compassionate care during a recent emergency medical call have earned her this well-deserved recognition.

The nomination for the Guardian Angel Award comes from the heart of a grateful family. Sarah was part of the ambulance team called to assist Jolene, a patient in a life-threatening situation. During a very serious and challenging call, Sarah’s demeanor and actions left an unforgettable mark on Jolene’s family.

“Sarah is truly an angel on earth,” said Susan Johnson, Jolene’s sister and the person who nominated Sarah for this award. “She was on the ambulance run for my sister, Jolene. This was a very serious call. Sarah was the calm, comforting voice we all needed to hear.”

Sarah’s extraordinary care extended beyond the ambulance ride. Upon arriving at Burgess Health Center, she went above and beyond her duties to provide support in the emergency room. She made it her priority to communicate effectively and thoughtfully with Jolene’s daughter and sister remained informed throughout the process. Sarah even stayed on-call, ensuring that Jolene received the necessary care and preparation for transfer to Council Bluffs the following morning.

The Guardian Angel Award, a highly respected recognition at Burgess Health Center, acknowledges individuals who demonstrate exceptional care, kindness, and commitment to their patients. Sarah’s nomination reflects the deep appreciation and gratitude felt by Jolene’s family for the extraordinary care they received during a critical moment.

Burgess Health Center is honored to have professionals like Sarah among its staff, who consistently go above and beyond to provide exceptional care to the community they serve.

For more information about Burgess Health Center and the Guardian Angel Award, please visit www.burgesshc.org/about/foundation

Photo: (back row, left to right) Morgan Ridder, Steven Gibler, Nick Lakey; (front row, left to right) Karla Copple, Director of Emergency and Inpatient Services, Sarah Solberg, Jolene McDonald, Susan Johnson, Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director, and Lynn Wold, CEO.

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Matt Garred, ARNP at the Whiting Family Clinic, for the Burgess Foundation Guardian Angel Award.

Todd Clark, Sioux City, wants to recognize and thank Matt for his thoughtfulness and confident care. He trusts his health to the medical professionals at Burgess and wants to thank Matt for going above and beyond and always being there for him.

It took over eight years for Todd to find a team to help with his medical condition, and after being introduced to Dr. John Garred, Jr. (Matt’s father) and Matt, Todd felt a special connection and understanding.

Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program provides patients, family members, and friends a chance to show gratitude to a physician, nurse, or another caregiver who has played an exceptional role in their lives. The Guardian Angel received an acknowledgment letter announcing that a donation has been made in their honor and given a custom-crafted lapel pin to wear proudly.

Did a caregiver at Burgess make a memorable difference for you or your family? If so, you can honor that special person in a highly visible way through Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program. It is more than a pin. When you take advantage of our Guardian Angel program, you also help ensure the future of outstanding health care in the region.

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Photo: Teresa Butler, Sr. VP of Clinical Services & Interim CEO, Laura Garred, Samuel Garred, Matt Garred, Justin Hummelgard, Director of Clinics, and Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director.

Five scholarships of $500 each are awarded each spring to area high school seniors and first-year college students that wish to pursue a career in a health-related field.

The 2023 recipients are as follows: Gracie Cloud (Sloan, 3.944 GPA), graduate of Westwood High School plans to attend WITCC for Nursing; Emma Collison (Onawa, 3.34 GPA), graduate of West Monona High School plans to attend Wayne State for Mental Health Counseling; Damian Orr (Turin, 3.529 GPA), graduate of West Monona High School plans to attend the University of South Dakota for Physical Therapy; Brooklyn Pekarek (Blencoe, 3.927 GPA), graduate of West Monona High School plans to attend the University of Iowa to become a medical provider; and Lariya Templeton (Oto, 3.88 GPA), graduate of MVAOCOU plans to attend Kirkwood Community College for Nursing.

Applications are available January through March online at www.BurgessHC.org/auxiliary or at the Burgess Health Center front desk and accepted until April 1.

Burgess Health Center proudly announces it has achieved accreditation through Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) for the Sleep Program.

Accreditation is a process through which healthcare organizations demonstrate compliance with national standards. Accreditation by ACHC reflects an organization’s dedication and commitment to meeting standards that facilitate a higher level of performance and patient care.

ACHC is a nonprofit organization that has stood as a symbol of quality and excellence since 1986. ACHC is ISO 9001:2015 certified and has CMS deeming authority for Home Health, Hospice and DMEPOS.

If you are interested in the Sleep Program offered at Burgess Health Center, please contact your primary care provider for a referral.

On Monday, December 5^th Sherri Johnston-McDowell was honored with a celebration for her 44 years of commitment and dedication to Burgess Health Center.

“Sherri truly leads with her heart in all she does. Watching her navigate all of her roles in her career and life is nothing short of amazing,” said Erin Brekke, Vice President of Support Services at Burgess Health Center. “She has an absolute heart of gold, who cares for all people.”

Sherri began her career at Burgess after she graduated from nursing school and the rest is history.  During Sherri’s 44 years she has held many roles, but none can compare to the role of caregiver.

“I have so many wonderful stories of my caregiving opportunities and have made so many lifelong friends along the way,” said Sherri. “As I reflect on my time here at Burgess my thoughts don’t take me to the positions I have held or my time as a Director, but the relationships and interactions I have had with my peers, patients, and the communities we serve.”

Through Sherri’s hard work and devotion to her Home Health and Hospice team and Burgess Health Center, she has ensured the success of the department for future generations to come.

Thank you, Sherri, for an incredible 44 years. Take the time to celebrate all of your accomplishments, enjoy your newfound freedom, and always remember what a positive difference you’ve made at Burgess.

On Monday, November 21, Burgess Health Center celebrated Sharon Taylor’s legacy as she retires from full-time work at Burgess Health Center.

Sharon’s career began 48 years ago working part-time for Burgess to set up the education program. Since then, the impact she has had on Burgess is one for the record books.

“Sharon has always supported Burgess and has been the organization’s biggest champion and advocate,” said Erin Brekke, Vice President of Support Services at Burgess Health Center. “You can feel the pride Sharon has for this organization, and over all these years, through difficult times of change, that has never wavered. Even through a pandemic.”

Sharon was instrumental in the success and startup of many organizations, programs and departments at Burgess. Including establishing the education program, the Home Health Department, the Swing Bed Program, Employee Wellness and Community Wellness programs, and Burgess’ own employee-funded organization, Burgess People Care. In more recent years, she oversaw Infection Control and Prevention, Compliance and Risk Management, and Privacy and Accreditation.

For her commitment and devotion to Burgess, Sharon received a Guardian Angel Award and an engraved paver with her name in the Healing Garden both from Burgess People Care.

“It has been an honor to work at Burgess over the last 48 years, and I want to offer my sincere thanks to our employees whose hard work and dedication have allowed us to achieve so much,” said Sharon. “I also want to thank our patients and communities for their ongoing support. I have worked with many individuals over the years and am confident that my predecessors will continue excellent leadership for Burgess. It has been a pretty smooth transition.”

Sharon’s hard work and dedication to Burgess has created some big shoes to fill. The legacy she is leaving will be impactful for the future of Burgess, our patients, and the communities we serve. Sharon has decided to stay on as PRN (as needed) to assist in the transition of her multiple roles. Thank you, Sharon, for providing us with 48 years of knowledge and expertise. Here’s to a happy retirement and wishing you all the best!

Photo from left to right: (back row) Mark and Jenny (Taylor) Dehn, Sharon and Gary Taylor, Jessica Taylor (front row) Merrick Dehn, Graham Riley, Denver Riley

Burgess Health Center is proud to announce the nomination of Abbie Nielsen, RN in the Inpatient Services Department, for the Burgess Foundation Guardian Angel Award.

The family of Carolyn Westergaard want to recognize and thank Abbie for her attention, confident care, and professional concern for Carolyn during her last loving hours.

Abbie was knowledgeable and alert to health details, such as calling Dr. Garred and making Carolyn comfortable during her brief stay at Burgess Health Center. Carolyn and her family trusted her health to the medical professionals at Burgess.

Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program provides patients, family members, and friends a chance to show their gratitude to a physician, nurse, or another caregiver who has played an exceptional role in their lives. The Guardian Angel received an acknowledgment letter announcing that a donation has been made in their honor and given a custom-crafted lapel pin to wear proudly.

Did a caregiver at Burgess make a memorable difference for you or your family? If so, you can honor that special person in a highly visible way through Burgess Foundation’s Guardian Angel program. It is more than a pin. When you take advantage of our Guardian Angel program, you also help ensure the future of outstanding health care in the region.

Photo: Dr. John Garred, Bobbi Johnson, Foundation Director, Kathy Westergaard (Carolyn’s daughter-in-law), Abbie Nielsen, and Chris Cleaver, Director of Inpatient Services.