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 Dr. Kalyana Sundaram 

Cedar Valley Medical Specialists, P.C., Gundersen Lutheran Health System, Allen Hospital Expand Heart Surgery Services

Cedar Valley Medical Specialists (CVMS) and Gundersen Lutheran Health System have formed a partnership to enhance cardiac services available to patients in the Cedar Valley at Allen Hospital.

Cardiac surgeons from the Gundersen Lutheran Heart and Vascular Institute will team with CVMS Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery to see patients in Waterloo and offer advanced cardiac procedures at Allen Hospital. Gundersen Lutheran heart surgeons will begin seeing patients in Waterloo in early 2013.

“Our new venture will enhance the overall cardiac services offered in the Cedar Valley,” says Kalyana Sundaram, M.D., Medical Director of the new venture for Cedar Valley Medical Specialists. “Gundersen Lutheran is well-known throughout the Midwest for excellence in cardiac care,” continued Dr. Sundaram. “The resources Gundersen Lutheran has to offer will benefit our patients and help us add new services at Allen Hospital.”

Some of those new services include minimally-invasive heart surgeries and complex aortic surgeries. Advantages of minimally-invasive heart surgeries include less pain and often quicker recoveries.

“CVMS is proud that our strong relationship with Allen Hospital has produced a nationally- recognized heart program right here in the Cedar Valley. We are confident our joint venture with Gundersen Lutheran Heart and Vascular Institute will ensure the world-class level of service that our patients have come to expect,” stated Gil Irey, CEO of Cedar Valley Medical Specialists.

“This partnership fits our focus on continuous improvement,” said Allen president and CEO Pam Delagardelle. “It combines the strengths of all three organizations to give Cedar Valley patients cardiac care options that none of us could provide alone.”
The partnership brings together two highly-regarded heart programs. Gundersen Lutheran, which is headquartered in La Crosse, WI, is ranked #1 in Wisconsin by HealthGrades for Overall Cardiac Services, Cardiology and Coronary Intervention Procedures in 2013. Allen Hospital is ranked among the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in the United States for 2013 by Truven Health Analytics. Allen Hospital also received the 2012 ACTION Registry® – GWTG™ Platinum Performance Achievement Award from the American College of Cardiology Foundation. CVMS cardiologists and cardiac surgeons run the Allen heart program.

Gundersen Lutheran and CVMS are developing a joint recruiting program to guarantee full-time cardiac surgery into the future.

“This partnership is a great option for our patients who live on the southern end of our service area and we are pleased to partner with two outstanding organizations in Iowa,” says Prem Rabindra, MD, Cardiovascular Surgeon and Department Chair of the Gundersen Lutheran Heart & Vascular Institute. “By offering Gundersen Lutheran heart surgery in partnership with CVMS and Allen Hospital, our patients will have the opportunity to receive their heart care closer to home. In addition, we look forward to bringing new services to people living in the Cedar Valley,” Dr. Rabindra adds.

“I believe people are becoming more conscious of their own health and demand world-class care,” stated Dr. Sundaram. “Gundersen Lutheran is a well-respected institution, and we are looking forward to collaborating with them.” 

We hope you stop by and recognize fellow workers and create a random act of kindness!

HATS, SCARFES and GLOVES FOR KIDS
The Allen Diversity Awareness Team conducted a clothing drive during December for the students at George Washington Carver Academy in Waterloo. As part of the team’s community outreach they identified that many of the school’s students had winter coats but were missing gloves, hats and scarves to stay warm in the wintery weather. Thanks to your donations the Diversity Awareness Team was able to donate three large tubs to the school upon the students return from the holiday vacation. Pictured are Steve Sesterhenn and A'Lisa Walker from Allen and the office staff of George Washington Carver Academy.

The spousal surcharge is new this year and during open enrollment, a small number of employees missed the link to waiving the surcharge and were receiving deductions when they shouldn’t.

HR is asking you to check your deduction and charges to make sure they are correct. If you see that you have been charged the spousal surcharge and your spouse has no access to healthcare coverage elsewhere you need to notify Steve Sesterhenn via email at .sestersp@ihs.org

If you were charged during January and February incorrectly a refund of the surcharge amount will be made. This only applies to the spousal surcharge and not the tobacco surcharge or any other issues that you may identify.

Note: Corrections will only be accepted via email, no calls or internal mail. Email to sestersp@ihs.org and type "Spousal Surcharge" in the subject line. Changes will be accepted up to midnight on Saturday, February 23. 

The Diversity Committee Presents Black History Month 2013
Black History Month is a month set aside to learn, honor and celebrate the achievements of black men and women throughout history. Since its inception, Black History month has always been celebrated in February.

The origins of Black History Month can be traced back to a man named Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950). Woodson, the son of former slaves, was an amazing man in his own right. Since his family was too poor to send him to school as a child, he taught himself the basics of a school education. At age 20, Woodson was finally able to attend high school, which he completed in just two years. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree from University of Chicago, and in 1912, be became only the second African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. (W.E.B Du Bois was the first.)

In 1926, Woodson promoted the idea of a “Negro History Week,” which was to be held during the second week of February. This idea caught on fast and Negro History Week was soon celebrated around the United States.  In 1976, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Negro History Week and the bicentennial of the United States’ independence, Black History Week was expanded to Black History Month. Ever Since then, Black History Month has been celebrated in February around the country. -A’ Lisa Walker, Allen Diversity Committee

My boyfriend started geocaching eighteen months ago and is obsessed with it. At first I was turned off by it and thought that it really wasn’t a fun way to spend our time together. Eventually, however, I realized that he really cares about and enjoys the activity, and that by joining him on the outings, we would have more time together. It is not only a way for us to spend time with each other and our girls, but it also provides some fun and gets us moving. Last April we competed in our first competition (which was very difficult……timed, running, climbing, crawling, muddy, ticks, and barbed wire) and we placed second, just behind a group of four marines. The kids don’t always enjoy doing it, but are also learning to appreciate our time together and love finding “treasures.” This experience has not only helped our family down shift and move naturally, but has been a great way to show how we put loved ones first.   ~ Sarah Behrens, Surgery