Polk County, IHA members announcing health care workforce collaborative
The Polk County Board of Supervisors is holding a news conference this week announcing a large investment in a new health care workforce collaborative. IHA members Broadlawns Medical Center, MercyOne and UnityPoint are joining Polk County, local colleges, universities and providers to support health care education to create a strong local health care workforce pipeline. The collaborative is funded through American Rescue Plan Act investments.

The announcement is scheduled for 2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22, at the Polk County Administration Building, Board Room 120, in Des Moines. The announcement also will be livestreamed.

Nominate a 2023 Hospital Hero
Do you have an employee(s) who acted courageously in a moment’s crisis or who selflessly served their hospitals and communities through their careers? IHA will recognize 10 hospital employees at the 2023 IHA Annual Meeting who embody the passion and purpose of the community hospital mission every day.

The Hospital Heroes Award began in 2007 and, through 2022, more than 100 hospital employees have been recognized. Visit the IHA Hospital Heroes webpage to watch the 2022 award video and to nominate a 2023 Hospital Hero. Email Roxanne Strike at IHA with questions.

Register for surgical and anesthesia regulatory webinar
Nancy Ruzicka, a consultant on state and federal regulations, will present about the conditions of participation for hospital surgical and anesthesia services. Participants in the webinar will discuss:

• Basic requirements for providing surgical and anesthesia services.
• Changes to requirements for history and physical examinations.
• Continuum of anesthesia services.
• Problematic compliance areas in surgical conditions of participation.

The Surgical and Anesthesia Service Conditions of Participation webinar is scheduled from 10 a.m.-noon Thursday, April 6

MercyOne appoints MercyOne Western Iowa president
Tom Clark, FACHE, HFA, was named the new president of MercyOne Western Iowa. Clark was chief strategy and growth officer for Avera Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he guided strategic priorities for the organization.

He also held several other leadership roles including regional president and CEO of the Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, CEO of Bluffton Regional Medical Center and Wells Community Hospital in Bluffton, Indiana.

Clark begins his duties with MercyOne on Monday, Feb. 27.

ChartSpan offers nurses-first model for chronic-care management
ServiShare partner ChartSpan offers a chronic-care management model with a nurse at the lead. Their nurses-first model drives better patient outcomes, patient retention and oversight of lower-level clinical staff because of their clinical skillset and management of chronically ill patients.

ChartSpan’s nurses are employees who provide a variety of services, including:

• Answering health questions.
• Educating patients about managing chronic conditions.
• Performing health assessments.
• Reviewing symptoms and medicines.

Setting care goals.