400 Fourth Ave. NW, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085 Hospital 507-794-3571  Clinic 507-794-3691  1-877-794-3691

Ahlness Employee of the Year

Nurse Practitioner Sue Ahlness was named Sleepy Eye Medical Center's 2009 Employee of the Year. Here, Ahlness accepts her award from SEMC's administrator Kevin Sellheim.

Qui Vive Club Makes Donation to SEMC Therapy Department

The Qui Vive Club recently took a tour of and made a donation to the Sleepy Eye Medical Center Therapy Department.  Pictured is Naomi Weiss of SEMC accepting the donation from members from left, Cathy Blackstad, Lillian Stimpert, Alma Romberg (seated), Elaine Haala, Ramona Witt, Pat Stevermer, Carol Carlson and Dorothy Nazarenus.

SEMC Employees Tour “Room of Horrors”

SEMC employee Celese Montemayor identifies potential hazards in the “Room of Horrors,” a simulated room filled with patient safety & privacy violations.

The Sleepy Eye Medical Center Safety Team recently put together a “Room of Horrors” for employee education and training. In the room were various safety, HIPPA, blood borne pathogen, hazardous waste and patient care violations that employees were asked to identify. Employees came up with over 30 violations, ranging from the patient not having their call light and the chart being left in the patient room to a blanket draped over the end of the bed, causing a potential tripping hazard. Thanks to the Safety Committee for putting this valuable training together!

Members of the SEMC Radiology department include front row left to right: Andrea Fuchs, Sarah Frost, Kayla Fried. Back row left to right: Lorraine Hillesheim, Annie Butenhoff and Katie Hansen.

The Sleepy Eye Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in Digital Mammography as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR, headquartered in Reston, VA, awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice.  Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.  They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment.  The surveyors report their findings to the ACR's Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice wit a comprehensive report. The ACR is a national organization serving more that 32,000 diagnostic and interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, and nuclear medicine and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services. For more information, contact Lorraine Hillesheim or Kayla Fried in the Radiology Department at Sleepy Eye Medical Center at 507-794-3591 ext 319.

SEMC Awarded Digital Mammography Accreditation

Physical Therapy Offers Fall Risk Assessments

Falls are one of the greatest health problems for older adults, but people of any age can have balance issues. October is Physical Therapy Month, and to celebrate, the PT department at SEMC will be offering Fall Risk Assessments free of charge. Fall Risk Assessments are done using SEMC’s new Biodex Balance Trainer. The machine works by scoring the patient according to the appropriate balance level for their age group. After their level of stability has been determined, interventions to help improve balance can be implemented. SEMC will be offering free Fall Risk Assessments by appointment the weeks of October 12-23, and also at the Women’s Expo, which will be held October 24 in the Sleepy Eye Medical Center’s lower level.

Physical Therapy receptionist Heather Vogel demonstrates the Biodex Balance Trainer.

For more information or to schedule your free Fall Risk Assessment, please call 794-3691 and ask for the Physical Therapy Department.

Rebecca Joyce is the 2009 recipient of both the Hansen Family Memorial Medical Scholarship and the Murthy Medical Scholarship, both of which are given to high school seniors interested in healthcare. Joyce will attend Creighton University this fall and will major in pre-medicine. She is the daughter of James & Kathleen Joyce of Sleepy Eye and is pictured here with Chisey Hansen and Dr. Murthy.

Katie Schroeder is the 2009 Sleepy Eye High School recipient of the Murthy Medical Scholarship. The scholarship is given by Dr. KVK & Kamakshi Murthy to a high school senior interested in pursuing a healthcare-related degree. Schroeder is attending Minnesota State, Mankato this fall and plans to study nursing. She is the daughter of Gary & Mary Jo Schroeder of Sleepy Eye and is pictured here with Dr. Murthy.

2009 5K Run Walk for Health Results

Eighty-nine walkers and runners came out to participate in the 4th annual Sleepy Eye Healthcare Foundation's Run/ Walk for Health, which took place May 9. The event was sponsored by the Sleepy Eye Medical Center and the Sleepy Eye Healthcare Foundation. Taking first place in the men's division was Chris Ward of New Ulm with a time of 19:43, followed closely by Ryan Carlson of Morgan with 19:44 and Steve Evers of Morgan with a time of 19:45. First place in the women's division went to Julie Pollard of New Ulm with a time of 22:46, followed by Emily Schwartz of Sleepy Eye with a time of 23:46 and Hannah Bode of New Ulm with a time of 24:19. Pictured from left to right are Pollard, Evers, Carlson, Ward & Schwartz. Not pictured is Hannah Bode.

The focus of the Sleepy Eye Healthcare Foundation's Caring for our Community Capital Campaign is bigger than just updating patient rooms. It's about continuing to grow with the expanding needs of Sleepy Eye Medical Center's patients and their families. "Our goal as an organization has always been to provide top-notch care in a warm, inviting atmosphere, and perhaps most importantly, allowing the patient to have that care close to home," said Kevin Sellheim, administrator of the Sleepy Eye Medical Center. With the help of the Sleepy Eye Healthcare Foundation and donations from patients, area businesses and community members, the Sleepy Eye Medical Center continues with that mindset. In addition to making basic renovations like brighter lighting and replacing windows, SEMC is also hoping to aesthetically update bathrooms and vanities in patient rooms. A second room for obstetrical patients is also part of the renovation. "We have seen an increase in our obstetrical patients in the past few years, and want to grow as a facility to continue to provide these patients with the most pleasing, comfortable environment as possible," said Sellheim. "Our current obstetrical room is designed so that the mother can labor, recover and remain in the room for the duration of her stay here at SEMC. With the increase in births, however, that is not always possible. The renovation of a patient room into an additional obstetric room would allow us to serve our increasing obstetrical patients optimally," said Sue Schweiss, Director of Nurses at Sleepy Eye Medical Center. Along with renovating the room, additional equipment such as a fetal monitor, radiant warmer, overhead lights, and suction would need to be purchased. Furniture like a labor bed and a chair the bedside for the labor coach would furnish the room completely. "With the help of the Foundation and community donors, we are hoping to begin these renovations in the near future," said Sellheim. For more information on how you can contribute, contact Naomi Weiss, Community Relations Coordinator at 794-3591, ext. 316.

Updating & Expanding Capital Campaign to fund hospital room improvements, additional obstetrical room

Renovating a second room dedicated to obstetrical  patients is one of the goals of the  Sleepy Eye Healthcare Foundation  Capital Campaign. Above is the current room used for the labor, delivery & recovery of the new mom.

World Food Challenge

Sleepy Eye Medical Center employees are pictured here with over 600 pounds of food they donated to the Sleepy Eye Food Shelf. Health Information Management brought in the most food per department for SEMC. Thanks to everyone who participated!

The Sleepy Eye Medical Center is grateful for memorials made in memory of: It is the generosity of our community members and friends that helps us to continue to provide quality health care to our area. Thank you for thinking of us!

Tom Ganske Nick Hauser Richard Ziegelmann William Gluth

SEMC earns patient safety excellence award Sleepy Eye Medical Center has earned a Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) Patient Safety Excellence Award for its work on preventing pressure ulcers. Patient safety is a top priority for SEMC. That's why SEMC joined the SAFE SKIN initiative, where Minnesota teams are working collectively on implementing an extensive list of recommended actions to prevent pressure ulcers. The recommended actions are compiled in the SAFE SKIN Roadmap to a Comprehensive Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program. The MHA Patient Safety Excellence Award is given to facilities that have achieved more than 90 percent of the recommended actions. "Hospitals that receive these awards are to be commended - the bar is set very high," said MHA Patient Safety Vice President Tania Daniels. "Hospitals that qualify have achieved measurable and meaningful progress toward implementing best practices to drive down adverse health events." "Our staff strives to provide the highest quality of patient care and this award speaks to their continuing dedication to that effort," said Kevin Sellheim, Administrator of the Sleepy Eye Medical Center.

Back By Popular Demand! Due to the great sales of our Sleepy Eye Medical Center cookbooks, we have reordered 200 additional copies! The cost per book is $12, and cookbooks can be purchased at our clinic front desk. Spelling and/or typographical errors have been corrected.