Loring Hospital’s mission is to provide exceptional healthcare in an environment of trust and compassion. In keeping with our mission, we are excited to soon be offering several new or enhanced services to our patients in Sac County and neighboring counties. New services being offered at Loring Hospital include: a wound care clinic, dermatology, lymphedema therapy, an American Diabetes Association recognized diabetes education program, full-time speech and occupational therapy, “Stepping On” falls prevention program for seniors, along with the expansion of our respiratory and cardiac therapy department.
The Wound Healing Center at Trinity Regional Medical Center will be providing clinic hours at Loring’s Outpatient Center each Friday beginning this summer. Dr. Zoltan Pek of UnityPoint Clinic Sac City, Lake View and Fonda, will offer a specialized wound care clinic for treatments including diabetic foot ulcers, post-surgical incisions, burns, radiation wounds and any wound that has not shown signs of improvement in 30 days. Dr. Pek, along with wound care specialists from Trinity Regional Medical Center, will ensure our patients get the best possible care for wounds which have resisted traditional treatment. Referrals are not needed to schedule an appointment at Loring Hospital’s new Wound Care Clinic.
We are enhancing services in our Loring Rehabilitation Department with the addition of full-time occupational and full-time speech therapy services along with our physical therapy services. Colleen Auen is our full-time occupational therapist, helping our patients participate in everyday activities through therapy. She provides services for people of all ages who are recovering from injuries, and support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
Also available in Loring’s Rehabilitation Department is therapy for lymphedema. This therapy focuses on reducing swelling and controlling pain when lymph nodes are removed or damaged due to a variety of medical conditions. Collen Auen, our occupational therapist, is available for patients who need lymphedema therapy.
Our Rehabilitation Department will be adding a full-time speech therapist this month. Speech therapy at Loring Hospital will focus on strengthening and improving speech production, vocal production, swallowing difficulties and language needs of our patients. Services will be available for all ages.
Each year, one in every three adults ages 65 or older falls and two million are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries. To address this concern, our Rehabilitation Department has added a fall prevention program called “Stepping On” for seniors. This eight week program focuses on improving balance and strength, home modifications, community safety, vision, medication review and safe footwear. Classes will be available beginning this fall. Loring Hospital is also anticipating adding a dermatology clinic and endocrinology clinic to our Outpatient Department in the coming months.
And lastly, our diabetes program is in the process of being recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Diabetes education is now available at Loring and with the certification by the ADA, patients may now be eligible for third-party insurance reimbursement, depending on their insurance plan.
“Along with providing exceptional care in an environment of trust and compassion, our goal is to provide as many services as we can locally, providing care to our patients right here in Sac City,” states Brian Martin, Loring Hospital CEO. “Our staff has been working diligently to bring additional services to our patients to help improve the health of the communities we serve without having to travel out of town,” he further stated.
In addition to new services, Loring Hospital’s Respiratory and Cardiac Therapy Department will be moving to a larger space within Loring Hospital. With this move, our patients will have additional privacy and space during their therapy. It will also allow for additional patients to be treated at the same time, increasing convenient appointment times for our patients. Remodeling at Loring Hospital is currently underway with the new location ready for patients in May.