DCH Offers the Personal Care You Deserve

At Decatur County Hospital, we are continuously looking for ways that we can expand our services to meet the needs of our community.

One gap in service that we at DCH have identified in the health care landscape, is a lack of care for chronically ill patients who sometimes have no other choice for health care than the emergency room. To meet the needs of these patients, Decatur County Hospital – with the assistance from grant funding from the USDA Community Facilities Grant Program – has implemented a Community Paramedicine program. Using our certified Paramedics and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA/L), we offer home visits to patients who are frequent visitors to our Emergency Room. Rather than these patients feeling like they need to visit the ER due to symptoms caused by taking medications incorrectly, falls due to an unsafe living environment, or to treat chronic issues, our team will help these patients by providing assistance directly in their homes. This program is free to all Decatur County residents.

As our team completes regular check-ins on these residents, we hope to lower the need of their visits to the Emergency Room, help them start a relationship with a specialist to manage their chronic condition, and improve their quality of life.

Decatur County Hospital prides itself on offering quality services and continues to go above and beyond to ensure you get the care you need. In 2022, The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Decatur County Hospital for our demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain. This accreditation was awarded based on rigorous evaluation of our staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. Decatur County Hospital is only the fifth hospital in Iowa to receive accreditation from ACC, and the first Critical Access Hospital in Iowa to receive Chest Pain Center Accreditation.

Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center Accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms. They have streamlined their systems from admission to evaluation to diagnosis and treatment all the way through to appropriate post-discharge care and recommendations and assistance in patient lifestyle changes.

DCH takes personal care to the next level. When you visit Decatur County Hospital for your health care needs, we provide you and your loved ones a care coordinator/patient advocate. A patient advocate assists in communicating with healthcare providers, working with insurance companies, and setting up tests, screenings, and follow up visits. They assist with many aspects of your care to make it a little less complicated. Having someone on your side during a hospital visit can provide peace of mind and ensure you get the answers and services you need.

Another great service that is offered is transportation. DCH, Public Health, and Infinity Health have joined forces to provide residents of Decatur County free transportation to and from their appointments to any of these facilities in the county. The van is equipped with a lift for wheelchair accessibility and there is space for two wheelchairs or can seat five (5) to seven (7) people.­­

These programs and services are just a few of the many ways we are constantly evolving to meet the needs of our community. We’re proud to serve Decatur County and the surrounding region with high-quality health care and look forward to adding new services to offer you the quality healthcare you deserve.

To learn more about Decatur County Hospital and our available services, please visit www.decaturcountyhospital.org, or call 641-446-2285. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @DecaturCountyHospitalIowa.