Iowa County Area health and wellness news



Iowa County Wisconsin, located at the heart of 35 million people, is a cultural, environmental, and agricultural gem. Importantly, Iowa County is also a center for rural health care excellence. The economic development potentials created by Upland Hills Health, and its health and wellness partners throughout the region, pave the way for a vibrant economic future for the area.

Our Iowa County area wellness news is below. You can search by keyword or scroll through. Newest additions are at the top. Oldest at the bottom. Welcome!


Post 18. July 20, 2011

Upland Hills Health Receives Donations from United Fund of Iowa County

Upland Hills Health has received two donations from the United Fund of Iowa County; a $2,000 donation for the new digital mammography equipment, and a $1,250 for Glidescope airway equipment to be used in the emergency room.

"Upland Hills Health is the second largest employer in Dodgeville and services the entire county," says Sath Menon, Board Member and Publicity Chairperson for the United Fund of Iowa County. "The hospital has multiple needs for funding and we are pleased to help with those purposes."

Digital mammography allows radiologists and staff to see a clearer image of the breast immediately rather than having a piece of film placed through a processor. Since they are also higher in contrast, they are better for women who have dense breast tissue, are under the age of 50, or are premenopausal.

"Women are a very large population in this county," says Menon. "There is a need to address breast cancer. We felt this was a great way to address breast cancer and help fight this disease."

The Glidescope supported by the United Fund provides consistently clear views of a patient's airway, enabling quick intubation if a patient's airway is obstructed. The specific model that was funded and is being used is designed for pediatric patients as well as adults. The pediatric design offers a service unique to rural Southwest Wisconsin hospitals.

Post 17. July 7, 2011

Upland Hills Health Looking for Focus Group Participants

As a community hospital, viewpoints and ideas from community members are essential to Upland Hills Health's success. Upland Hills Health is currently recruiting participants to provide input on specific topics related to how they'd like to see Upland Hills Health meet the community's needs in the future.

If you are interested in shaping healthcare at your community hospital, you've met the first requirement to participate! Other criteria include:

Must be at least 26 years old

Must have been a hospital patient, either inpatient or outpatient services, at a hospital in either Iowa or Dane counties in the last 2 years

You or anyone residing in your household does not work for, volunteer, or is not in any way associated professionally with Upland Hills Health.

Focus groups will be held in early August and participants will be compensated $25 each after actively participating in the 90 minute discussion.

Please be aware that all interested parties will not be chosen. The goal is to ensure that discussion groups represent a fair cross section of communities that Upland Hills Health serves.

If you are interested in sharing your thoughts and opinions with Upland Hills Health through focus group participation, please contact Jodi Cecil in Community Relations at 930-7112 before July 22nd.



Post 16. April. 22, 2011

Thrive region's Worksite Wellness Week. May 15 - 21, 2011

Worksite Wellness Week is a local awareness week designed to celebrate our region's dedication to employee wellness programs.

The worksite has become an ideal setting for health promotion, due to rising healthcare costs, the increasing incidence of preventable health conditions, and the fact that the average adult spends 8-12 hours a day at work. Employers across the region are engaging in worksite wellness with positive results in employee health, reduced absenteeism, and increased productivity, engagement, and retention.

Learn more about Thrive's Worksite Wellness Week, May 15 to 21, 2011

Post 15. April. 19, 2011

Upland Hills Cardiac Rehab 2nd Runner Up in Hearts of Gold Games

The Upland Hills Health Cardiac Rehab Team recently competed in the Hearts of Gold games, held at the Ho-Chunk Wellness Center in Baraboo, and the team of patients placed 2nd Runner Up!

The games feature outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehab patients from across Southwest Wisconsin, encouraging exercise "for the fun of it."

Some events included in this year's games were: badminton, a bake off, quarter mile treadmill, basketball free throw, darts and a prediction swim event.

Upland Hills Health placed impressively in Badminton, taking 3rd place for males and 1st and 2nd for females.

Top three placers from Upland Hills Health were:

Woody Erickson, 3rd, Karen Zimmerman, 1st, Mille Blabaum, 2nd, in the badminton competition.

Paul Hirsch, 3rd, in the track half mile prediction.

Robin Gilbertson, 2nd, in the prediction quarter mile treadmill.

Paul Hirsch, 2nd, in the bean bag toss.

Dave James, 2nd, in the darts competition.

Robin Gilbertson, 2nd in the prediction swim.

Dave James, 3rd, and Shirley Cahoon, 1st, in the basketball free throw competition.

Jim Gilmour, 3rd, and Karen Zimmerman, 1st, in the, ladderball competition.

"We are so proud of our Hearts of Gold team! They have so much fun participating and it's really great to see how far they've come through cardiac or pulmonary rehab," said Beth Runde, RRT in the Heart Lung and Sleep Center at Upland Hills Health.

For more information about cardiopulmonary rehab at Upland Hills Health, visit www.uplandhillshealth.org.

For more information, contact Jodi Cecil at 608 930 7112

Post 14. April. 18, 2011

Quilt Retreat

The Upland Hills Auxiliary held its second weekend Quilt Retreat fundraiser in early April at the House on the Rock Inn in Dodgeville. With 20 in attendance, the weekend was not only a fundraising success, but a fun-filled productive weekend, with quilters of many levels sharing their ideas, skills and techniques, and even their family heirlooms.

"We all got a lot of work done, but it's more about the fun and friendship that we share during the weekend too-a few of us quilted together into the wee hours of the morning!" explained event organizer and Auxiliary member Karen Whitaker.

The Auxiliary has begun planning for the next Quilt Retreat at the same location October 20-23. Space is limited and seats are already filling up. To reserve your sport or for more information about the fall retreat, please contact Karen Whitaker at 608 943 6545.

The Upland Hills Auxiliary supports the vision and mission of Upland Hills Health through fundraising and volunteer service. To learn more about volunteering at Upland Hills Health, please call Community Relations at 608 930 7113.

For more information, please call Jodi Cecil at 608 930 7112

Post 13. April. 11, 2011

Upland Hills Nursing and Rehab Center Rated Among Best in Wisconsin

Upland Hills Nursing and Rehab Center was recently ranked one of the best skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin by US News and World Report.

US News & World Report ranks and displays data about almost every nursing facility in the U.S. with the goal of helping consumers ease the difficult search in finding a good source of care for themselves or their loved one. Ranking are determined based on information received from Medicare and Medicaid Services through Nursing Home Compare (www.medicare.gov/nhcompare).

Upland Hills Nursing and Rehab Center is rated at the highest level -- a five-star facility--based on data compiled during on-site surveys and reported directly by the nursing and rehab center.

"This is a true reflection on the remarkable care our staff gives each resident and the amazing work ethic they each display every day. We are so proud to be a five-star facility and to be recognized as one of the best facilities in Wisconsin," said Megan Engfer, Upland Hills Nursing and Rehab Administrator.

Residents and family members consistently rate the facility high in such areas as quality care, compassion, response to resident and family needs, and a home"like atmosphere.

Gary Gruenenfelder of Blanchardville has been a resident on the rehabilitation wing since February of 2010, after he suffered a grade five brain aneurysm. Gary's wife Murt explained, "It's like a home setting. He's happy here. We left for a few days for a cranioplasty and we really hoped there would be a bed available for us to return to." She reported that since Gary came to Upland Hills and began therapy for his injuries, he has made much physical advancement.

"We knew some of the nurses and staff before we came here and everyone is great with him," she said.

For more information about Upland Hills Nursing and Rehab Center, visit www.uplandhillshealth.org/nrc.

For more information, please contact Jodi Cecil at 608 930 7112

Post 12. April. 5, 2011

Upland Hills Docs are "Patients' Choice"

Four members of the attending medical staff at Upland Hills Health have received a Patients' Choice award for 2010!

Dr. Mark Bishop, Family Medicine, Dr. Adam Dachman, General Surgery, Dr. Aaron Dunn, Family Medicine and Dr. Michele Roelli, Family Medicine, were all named as Patients' Choice Award winners, and Drs. Bishop and Dachman received the added distinction of being named Compassionate Doctors from patientschoice.org.

According to the website, "Every month, more than 100,000 patients across the U.S. provide online feedback about their experiences with their doctors. While physicians generally receive positive reviews from their patients, only a select few receive uniformly rave reviews across the board. Only those who have received rave reviews with near perfect scores by their patients are awarded this honor. In fact, of the nation's 720,000 active physicians, less than 6 per cent were accorded this honor by their patients in 2010."

Physicians are rated by their patients on a variety of items important to patients, such as bedside manner, accurate diagnosis, ease of appointment, courteous staff and follow up. The physicians named above all achieved near perfect scores in the categories.

To learn more about physicians serving Upland Hills Health, please visit our website at uplandhillshealth.org/doctors.

For more information, please call Jodi Cecil at 608 930 7112

Post 11. April. 5, 2011

Upland Hills Health is the winner of the 2010 Movember Challenge

Staff members from Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville were the proud recipients of the 2010 Movember Champion's trophy. The Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) extended to the challenge to its 35 member hospitals to "Help Change the Face of Men's Health" by participating in Movember. Upland Hills was the run-away winner of the inaugural Movember Challenge with 15 participants.

Movember is not a typo; it is an actual charitable event and fundraiser that encourages men to grow a moustache during the month of November in order to raise awareness for men's health issues, most specifically prostate and testicular cancers. The Movember Foundation was founded in Australia in 2004, and launched the first Movember event in the United States in 2007. In 2010 Movember raised over $6 million in the United States, and more than $63 million worldwide! These funds are then distributed to The Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

RWHC would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the member hospitals and employees who supported the 2010 Movember Challenge. RWHC is owned by 35 rural Wisconsin hospitals and exists to help make Wisconsin communities the healthiest in America.

For more information, please contact Jodi Cecil at 608-930-7112

Post 10. March. 28, 2011

Nurses Community Fun Run/Walk is May 5th

Upland Hills Health will once again host a Community Fun Run/Walk in honor of Nurses Day on May 5th.

The event will be held Thursday evening, May 5 at the Upland Hills Health Campus and feature a 5k run/walk, a 10k run, and for children 12 and under, a kids run. In addition to these runs, music will be provided by Point Five, and food and cookbooks will be available for purchase to runners/walkers and their families.

"We hope to encourage families to get active together and spend time being physical. We set the event for Nurses Day to also celebrate all that nurses do to better the health of our communities," explained Tammy Rule, Director of Acute Care Services at Upland Hills Health.

The benefits of physical activity are numerous, and this event not only helps individuals come together as a community to achieve healthier living, it also hopes to recognize and commend all that nurses do daily for our communities.

The kid's run will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the 5k and 10k will begin at 6:30 p.m. Deadline for advanced registration is April 15. Registration fees will increase after April 15th, but runners and walkers are welcome to sign up through the day of the event. Please visit www.uplandhillshealth.org and click on Special Events and Classes for a registration form. Registration forms are also available in patient and visitor waiting lounges at Upland Hills Health.

All proceeds from the run/walk will benefit the Upland Hills Health Nursing Education Fund, to offer additional continuing education opportunities for healthcare workers in our communities, both within Upland Hills Health and outside.

For more information, contact Jodi Cecil at 608 930 7112

Post 9. Feb. 18, 2011
New Emergency Airway Equipment Fits Kids at Upland Hills Health

A new piece of equipment in the Upland Hills Emergency Department allows physicians to more easily save the lives of kids who can't breathe.

"This equipment really improves our success rate for establishing an airway in emergency situations," explained Dr. Phil Shultz, Emergency Department Medical Director.

The Glidescope is a fiber optic tool that physicians use to see the correct placement for an airway tube- when a patient is not able to breathe. The equipment is used for patients who are difficult to intubate, adults and children alike.

"Many children's medical emergencies involve breathing difficulties," explained Dr. Mike Foley of Madison Emergency Physicians, who staff the Upland Hills Emergency Department. The recently purchased Glidescope has a pediatric attachment that fits smaller airways to help create an airway for a child who can't breathe. Kids can experience breathing difficulties for a variety of reasons, including a foreign object in their airway, such as a piece of hot dog, to a severe asthma attack. Drs. Foley and Shultz agree that the Glidescope is the most efficient way to open up the airway and allow those kids to get air back into their lungs.

The equipment purchase was made possible through generous gifts from the physicians of Madison Emergency Physicians group who staff the Upland Hills Health Emergency Department, with a cumulative gift of over $5,000. The Upland Hills Health Foundation Board was proud to combine this donation with additional gifts given by many supportive donors to fund the remaining cost of this essential piece of equipment.


Post 8. Feb. 15, 2011
Tune up your Golf Game with Upland Hills Sports Medicine

It may be snowy now, but spring-and golf season-is just around the corner!

The Upland Hills Health Sports Medicine experts are teaming up with golf pros from the House on the Rock Resort to offer a Golf Tune Up to get you ready for the upcoming season. This three evening clinic will be held on March 16, 23 and 30th from 5:00 - 6:15 pm in Conference Rooms A and B at Upland Hills Health.

This three session clinic will focus on improving your golf game with emphasis on golf posture, core strength, golf specific flexibility, and balance training. House on the Rock Resort Golf Professionals Matt Bohlken and Charlie Chaffee, will be filming and analyzing your swing during the second two sessions.

Space is limited for this opportunity, so please call 930 7147 to sign up today.


Post 7. Feb. 14, 2011
Kidney dialysis benefit March 12 at Upland Hills Health

Raffle Tickets on Sale now to Benefit Auxiliary's Crop for a Cause

The Upland Hills Auxiliary will host a spring scrapbooking and paper crafting event March 12th, from 8 am to 4:30 pm at Dodger Bowl Lanes in Dodgeville.

Anyone wishing to attend can bring their photos and scrapbooking or card-making supplies and spend the day working on projects. Make-n-take projects are available and vendors will be on- site. A silent auction and rummage sale will be held and is open for the public to attend.

The Auxiliary is hosting a raffle drawing to win a $75 gift certificate to JoAnn Fabrics, to be used on any items in the store! Raffle tickets are available for purchase in the Auxiliary Gift Shop until the event on March 12th, then available the day of the Crop. The raffle drawing will be held at 4 pm on March 12th at Dodger Bowl.

The registration fee covers lunch, a small gift, and entrance into the drawing for door prizes. Space is limited, so contact Jodi Cecil at 930 7112 for a registration form or visit uplandhillshealth.org under About Us/Auxiliary and Volunteer Info. The registration deadline for early bird pricing is February 25th and final registration is due by March 4th.

All proceeds will go to the Upland Hills Auxiliary, to be donated to Upland Hills Dialysis. More than a dozen local patients receive kidney dialysis each week at Upland Hills Health and this number is expected to continue growing. For more information on how to contribute to Upland Hills Dialysis, contact Foundation Director Tammie Richter at 930 7169.


Post 6. Feb. 7, 2011
Upland Hills Health now offering true digital mammography

Women who undergo routine mammograms at Upland Hills Health now have the latest diagnostic technology available to them, true digital mammography. Upland Hills Health is proud to offer women in Southwest Wisconsin the state-of-the-art system, Selenia™ Dimensions 8000 2D digital mammography from Hologic™.

Upland Hills Health is very excited to be able to offer the newest technology for breast cancer detection, beginning in early February. True digital mammography offers improved image capture and image quality, with less radiation than conventional mammography or Computerized Radiography (CR) mammography, improving the clarity of the image and how it is viewed. The radiologist can adjust the digital images to increase clarity and focus on areas of concern, allowing for the most comprehensive evaluation.

"Mammography is a critical test in the screening and detection of breast cancer. The use of digital mammography will significantly enhance the radiologists' ability to find early signs of the disease. I am excited that Upland Hills Health will be able to provide this cutting edge technology to its patients," explained Dr. Cenon Buencamino, Medical Director of Imaging at Upland Hills Health.

By offering women true digital mammography, Upland Hills Health hopes to increase the number of area women who follow the American Cancer Society recommendations for regular annual screenings. "We are so happy that we can offer true digital mammography to women in our area. Screening for breast cancer is very important, and by offering the latest available technology, we are not only improving the care to our communities by improving screening and diagnostic capabilities, but also hope to encourage more women to be proactive in their breast health by getting their annual mammograms," said Lynette Collins, Imaging Director at Upland Hills Health.

This leading technology is possible through the generosity of local donors, organizations and businesses who support Upland Hills Health, as well as grant funding.

For more information about this amazing new technology, please visit our website at uplandhillshealth.org. To make your appointment for a mammogram at Upland Hills Health, please see your primary care provider for a referral.


Post 5. Jan. 21, 2011
The Nursing Staff at Upland Hills Health recently raised $214.65 for the Community Connections Free Clinic.

The nursing staff at Upland Hills Health recently raised $214 to support the Community Connections Free Clinic. Tammy Rule, Director of Acute Care Services, presented the money to Therese Hess, manager of the free clinic, and Jan Cooper, a volunteer at the free clinic.

"The Free Clinic is a very important part of our community and our nursing staff wanted to do something to support them financially. The staff was really excited to raise the money and I'm happy to have represented them in presenting it," said Rule.

More than a dozen staff members at Upland Hills Health volunteer their time at the Community Connections Free Clinic. The clinic is open Tuesday and Thursday evenings. To learn more about the Community Connections Free Clinic, visit communityconnectionsfreeclinic.org. To learn more about services offered by Upland Hills Health and its support of the community, please visit uplandhillshealth.org.


Post 4. Jan. 18, 2011
Upland Hills Health Welcomes General Surgery Practice

Upland Hills Health is pleased to announce that Dr. Adam Dachman's General Surgery practice will expand and join Upland Hills Health Center on February 1st.

Dr. Dachman, Chief of Surgery at Upland Hills Health, has practiced from his office inside the hospital since 1995 and will continue to see patients from this location. He is a board-certified general surgeon, with emphasis on minimally invasive procedures, including laparoscopy, endoscopy, breast cancer surgeries, colorectal screening and surgeries and even natural orifice, or incision-less surgery. Dr. Dachman is a leader in surgeries using advanced technologies to minimize surgery discomfort and recovery times. Dr. Dachman is also an accomplished musician and author.

Dr. Robert E. Schmus, general surgeon, will join Dr. Dachman in the Upland Hills Health Center, which also includes Dr. Barbara Hostetler, OB/GYN.

Dr. Schmus is a board-certified general surgeon, with over 13 years of experience in rural healthcare. He obtained his medical training at the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his residency in general and vascular surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1982. Dr. Schmus most recently served at Divine Savior Healthcare in Portage, WI. Dr. Schmus is a golf and fitness enthusiast, a fan of Northwestern athletics, and enjoys gardening and landscaping.

To make an appointment for consultation with either Dr. Dachman or Dr. Schmus, please call 935 2018 or visit your primary physician.


Post 3. Jan. 10, 2011
Mester family and freinds donate to Hospice in memory of Brian Mester

$3,500 was recently donated to Upland Hills Hospice by the Mester brothers' family and friends as a result of an annual motorcycle ride in their memory. Brian Mester lost his battle with cancer in 2007 and was helped by Upland Hills Hospice in his last days. The Mester ride has resulted in $11,500 donated to Hospice since it began.

Post 2. Jan. 4, 2011
Upland Hills Health Graduates 12 Safe Sitters

Twelve students between the ages of 11 and 13 recently graduated from the Safe Sitter Program at Upland Hills Health. The program helps prepare young adults to be responsible babysitters. Students learned basic childcare essentials such as diapering and feeding, infant and child CPR, what to do if a child or infant is choking, injury prevention and management, and basic first aid.

'Babysitting is a huge responsibility. The Safe Sitter program gives sitters the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and maintain safety for the children they care for and themselves,' stated Michelle Helin, Staff Education Coordinator at Upland Hills Health and a teacher of the Safe Sitter Class.

The Safe Sitter students were taught that taking on a babysitting job means taking on the responsibility for a child's life. Parents who were invited to attend the graduation ceremony were given additional information to solidify babysitter safety precautions as well, such as a "safe word" their sitters can use if they need a safe ride home from a babysitting job, and the risks of their sitters sharing personal contact information when securing babysitting jobs.

Upland Hills Health hopes to offer the Safe Sitter babysitting class again in 2011 for girls and boys aged 11 to 13. For more information on this and other classes offered to community members, visit uplandhillshealth.org/classes.

January 4, 2011
For more information, please call Jodi Cecil at 930 7112

Post 1. Dec. 27, 2010

Upland Hills Health Celebrates $100,000 in Dialysis Donations

In celebration of reaching over $100,000 in Dialysis donations since the Upland Hills Health Foundation's inception in 2007, more than 200 donors who have made gifts specified for supporting Dialysis were invited for a one of a kind experience on December 11th.

As guests arrived to tour the Dialysis Center, each was provided a bag that included tools designed to help them understand four different perspectives of dialysis-a patient's account of their dialysis journey, a menu designed for a person receiving dialysis, a map detailing the commitment of a dialysis driver, and a handbook helping to explain the roles a dialysis staff person fills.

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin was a special guest of honor at the event, as she assisted Upland Hills Health in securing a federal grant of almost $180,000 toward funding some of the key equipment to establish the Dialysis Center.

Baldwin made a special speech thanking the donors for their continued support of Upland Hills Dialysis.

Also honored, although at a later date, was Volunteer Nancy Caldwell, who, during her tenure at Upland Hills Health as Assistant Administrator for Patient Care Services, completed much of the research used to start the Dialysis Unit, as well as wrote the grant that helped fund the initial dialysis equipment purchase. Nancy continues to assist with grant writing as a volunteer.

For more information about Upland Hills Dialysis services and how to support this life-sustaining service, visit www.uplandhillshealth.org or call Tammie Richter, Foundation Director, at 930 7169.

December 27, 2010
For more information, please call Jodi Cecil at 930 7112