In rural communities, access to specialized healthcare can be a significant challenge. Long drives to urban centers are often the only option, placing a burden on patients and their families. Crawford County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) is working to bridge this gap by bringing specialty care close to home through its thriving Specialty Clinic. Hannah Vary, the specialty clinic nurse lead at CCMH, explains the vital role the clinic plays in the community.
Specialty Clinic Focus
“The primary focus for hospital-based specialty clinics like ours is outreach,” Vary explains. “We understand that in rural medicine, we don’t have all the resources you would find in a larger city like Omaha. We act as an outpatient space, a rental space, for providers coming from Sioux City and Omaha. This allows us to offer crucial services like pulmonology, cardiology, and many others, right here in Denison. We even have a couple of local providers who utilize our space, which is fantastic.”
So, how does a visit to the specialty clinic differ from a regular doctor’s appointment? Vary clarifies, “In family medicine, our medical providers are hospital employees. In the specialty clinic, while some of our nursing staff, like myself, are CCMH employees, the specialists themselves are typically affiliated with larger medical systems.”
Range of Services Available
The range of services offered at the CCMH Specialty Clinic is impressive. Vary highlights some of the most in-demand specialties.
“Our busiest services are cardiology, pulmonology (lung doctor), nephrology (kidney doctor), and vascular surgery. But we offer so much more. We have dermatology, ENT (ear, nose, and throat), podiatry, and ophthalmology, including two ophthalmologists from Omaha, one specializing in cataracts and the other in cosmetics. We also have some unique offerings, like hematology with Dr. Nestor, who comes monthly from UNMC. Oncology services are difficult to access, so having hematology, which deals with blood disorders like anemia, is a real asset. We even have a neurosurgeon who holds a monthly afternoon clinic.”
Recognizing that traveling can be difficult, CCMH also offers telehealth services for certain specialties. “Endocrinology is a great example,” says Vary. “Dr. Sydney Blount and Dr. Leslie Eiland with UNMC endocrinology are available via telehealth on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Specialties that focus more on lab work lend themselves well to telehealth. We also utilize telehealth for pulmonology occasionally and recently held our first cardiology telehealth clinic. However,” she emphasizes, “there are some specialties where in-person visits are definitely more appropriate. We navigate this on a case-by-case basis, always keeping the patient’s convenience and care in mind.”
Referrals May Be Needed
Referrals are sometimes necessary for specialty clinic services. “Some of our more specialized services, like cardiology, vascular surgery, and nephrology, do require a referral,” explains Vary. “However, services like ENT, dermatology, and podiatry typically do not.”
The visiting physicians are a valuable asset not just to patients, but to local medical providers as well. “Our visiting physicians are amazing,” Vary enthuses. “They are a great resource for our medical clinic providers, who frequently consult with them. It fosters collaboration and ensures the best possible care for our patients.”
Insurance Coverage Questions
Navigating insurance coverage can be confusing. Vary advises, “If a patient is ever unsure about their coverage, they should call their insurance company first to verify that CCMH is in-network. Coverages can change, and it’s impossible for CCMH to know the specifics of every patient’s plan. Patients can also contact our CCMH Financial Counselors for more information. Ultimately, patients need to be their own best advocates when it comes to understanding their insurance benefits.”
For some specialties, like cardiology, patients have choices.
“We have three different cardiology groups that come to CCMH, with a total of five cardiologists visiting each month,” Vary explains. “While we recommend staying with the same cardiologist for continuity of care, we also understand that patients connect differently with different providers. Having options is a real advantage for our patients.”
How To Make An Appointment
To contact the CCMH Specialty Clinic, visit www.ccmhia.com or call the main Specialty Clinic number at 712-265-2600. “We’re happy to answer any questions,” says Vary. “We can tell you whether or not a referral is needed for a particular specialist. When in doubt, make a call. We’re always here to help.”
