“We’ve had a lot of firsts,” said Jen Crimmins, regional vice president of clinical operations at UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. “We’ve had our first telehealth visit, our first inpatient visit. We’ve cared for 167 patients since we first opened our clinic. We’re now averaging 15 inpatient patients per day. We hosted our first outreach clinic in Humboldt and soon will host in Pocahontas and Sac City. Of the 20 stress tests that we’ve performed so far, three of those patients have precipitated further intervention.

“Since Oct. 18, we have taken care of nine patients who presented to this hospital with an acute heart attack,” she added. “They were able to be treated and stabilized in Fort Dodge, four of them needed to transfer to Waterloo for higher level of care. All of those patients have had good outcomes. I share that with you because the numbers are big, but those people aren’t just numbers, they’re people. They’re our parents. They’re our neighbors. They’re our families. They all have names that we can’t mention here, but this is obviously very important work that this team is making happen. I’m very proud of the work that they’re doing.”

Crimmins’ data points were provided Tuesday at an open house and ribbon cutting for the new UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge clinic.

Dr. Joe Cookman, a cardiologist and medical director at Trinity Heart Center, also told attendees of a man who presented to the clinic Tuesday morning but didn’t have any visible symptoms of a heart attack.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Dr. Joe Cookman cuts the ribbon during the opening of the new heart center at UnityPoint on Tuesday.

Krista Ohmie, a cardiology nurse practitioner at Trinity Heart Center, dove further into the man’s health, and at the time of the ribbon cutting, the man was being transferred to UnityPoint Health in Waterloo for open heart surgery.

“There’s a lot of people out there with bad heart disease that they don’t know about,” said Cookman, who has been a cardiologist with UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge for 27 years. “That’s why I’ve told a lot of people that 30 to 40 percent of people that we find out have coronary disease, their first symptom is dying or having a heart attack. Those are pretty drastic symptoms. This area really needed this clinic.”

Cookman said that UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge demonstrated a need for the heart-specific clinic for the nine-county area, and the Iowa Certificate of Need Council agreed and approved the clinic.

“We have evaluated the needs of our community and with certainty we need heart care here,” said Leah Glasgo, UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge president. “There’s no doubt in our minds that we have done the right thing to be able to offer both clinic, in-patient outpatient services, interventional cardiology, 24-7 heart services right here in Fort Dodge. We feel that this is one of the most important services that we know our community needs.”

Trinity Heart Center is located on the second floor of the Physicians Office Building East at UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. In-person appointments began on Oct. 28. To make an appointment, call 515-206-7270.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
President of Iowa Central Community College Dr. Jesse Ulrich signs the ribbon after the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new UnityPoint Heart Center on Tuesday.

“Heart muscle is time,” said Glasgo. “We know that with every minute that goes by that someone’s heart does not get vascularized that that reduces their likelihood of living. We are grateful for all of your support. We’re grateful to the Growth Alliance and your support to help us get here, and we look forward to serving you into the future.”

Trinity Heart Center By The Numbers

Since opening on Oct. 18, Trinity Heart Center has:

• Cared for 167 patients.

• Averages 15 inpatient patients per day.

• Performed 20 stress tests.

• Treated 9 patients presenting with an acute heart attack.

• Transferred 4 patients to Waterloo for higher level of care.