One Bismarck man said he’s grateful for the care he received in little Jamestown.
Kirk Ohlheiser has lived most of his adult life in Bismarck and Fargo. However, when he needed specialty care, he chose to travel 100 miles to Jamestown Regional Medical Center.
Ohlheiser suffers from bladder hemorrhage following radiation therapy for prostate cancer. This condition can be hard to control but in clinical studies, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has reduced and/or eliminated episodes of bleeding.
The JRMC Wound Center is the only facility in North Dakota to offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a specialized treatment. Patients breathe pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. That oxygen penetrates areas that normal oxygen-carrying red blood cells cannot reach. As a result, hyperbaric oxygen therapy revitalizes tissues that receive poor blood flow.
JRMC’s Wound Center aggressively manages conditions like Ohlheiser’s to ensure they heal quickly and completely. HBOT helps fight infections, heal wounds and treat conditions including cyanide, radiation injury and chronic wounds.
Throughout his 34 years of working life, Ohlheiser repaired medical equipment at hospitals and clinics across the state. So when he needed care, traveling to a smaller facility didn’t bother Ohlheiser. In fact, he preferred it.
“At JRMC, it’s such a personalized, caring service. I looked forward to working with the group,” he said.
Family Nurse Practitioner Amanda Lausch managed Ohlheiser’s care in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and JRMC Wound Center. Lausch has more than 18 years of experience in medicine, including two as a wound and hyperbaric specialist.
Ohlheiser said he got VERY good care plus all the specialty services he needed, in one place.
While he was in Jamestown for his HBOT “dives,” to repair his bladder hemorrhage, Ohlheiser could also see JRMC Urologist Dr. Robert Bates. A urologist can help with below-the-belt conditions of the prostate, bladder, kidneys and urinary system.
In HBOT, some patients experience slowly increasing pressure on the eardrums. This feeling is similar to the feeling of landing in an airplane or diving to the bottom of a swimming pool. Ohlheiser did notice this sensation, so JRMC Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist Dr. W. Thomas Coombe performed surgery to place a tube in Ohlheiser’s right ear.
The offices of Dr. Bates and Dr. Coombe are only a doorway or two from the offices of the JRMC Wound Center.
As part of his job repairing medical equipment, Ohlheiser said he’d travel the state and meet with medical teams who struggled with low morale or high demands. He said that doesn’t see that at JRMC. JRMC employees are pleasant and proud, which reflects in the care they deliver.
In a survey of healthcare organizations across the country, JRMC received high marks. JRMC employee satisfaction scores are in the 91st percentile, compared to other hospitals in the country. Modern Healthcare even named JRMC a Best Place to Work. Twice.
After three decades of visiting hospitals across the state, Ohlheiser said he sees the difference at JRMC.
At JRMC, the admissions teams, nurses and providers enjoyed their work and exceeded his expectations.
“They love their work,” he said. “And they love taking care of you – the patient.”
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