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"It’s a great program to promote patients being able to stay in their homes longer and also manage chronic conditions and communicate with the provider to help keep those patients at home," explained Maria Eisenzimmer, clinic manager and population health nurse as well as an LPN who helps with the Visiting Nurse Service.

The idea itself is not new, as Darla Roder, chief operating officer at LPH, said she first started dreaming of this type of program 15 years ago when she was still the clinic director.

“What triggered me to even start looking into it was there was a patient at the time that could really have used a home health type visit, and then come to find out that they didn’t qualify for any help,” Roder explained. “But I knew at the time there were people out in Wales and all over the place that weren’t getting what they needed.”

Roder, who just celebrated her 20th anniversary with LPH in February, said they were unable to instate a visiting nurse program all those years ago due to other providers offering home health in their service area. However, she felt the area was still underserved.

“So then we kind of gave up because [Altru] was able to offer home health up until recently,” said Roder. “So we started researching and we found that they were no longer able to offer those services in our area.”

Without other larger hospitals covering these rural areas, Roder decided to get the show on the road. From October until February, five patients received care from the Visiting Nurse Service at LPH. Two more were added to that list since the beginning of March.

The program is a crucial resource for the rural service area they serve, which Wayne Reid, Langdon Prairie Health CEO, described as "super rural." With the nearest home health providers miles away, the Visiting Nurse Service fills a local need for patients who struggle to access traditional healthcare services.

"We're amongst the furthest away from an interstate here," Reid said. "We're in that top, probably top 10 or 12 [rural] places."

Rather than replicating a full-fledged home health program, the Visiting Nurse Service is tailored to the specific needs of LPH's patients. Patients must be homebound, meaning they spend the majority of their time at home, and require a care plan initiated by a healthcare provider.

"It's not a full-on home health service. There's a requirement that we supply services to patients who do not have access to home health and other services," Reid explained.

The program's primary focus is on wound care, vital sign management, and helping patients adhere to their treatment plans, all with the goal of preventing hospital readmissions.

For patients like Gail, the Visiting Nurse Service has been a game-changer. Gail, who has struggled with various health issues, said the program has saved her countless trips to the clinic.

"It saves me so many trips to the clinic," Gail said. “I'm basically not in the best of health, and it's nice to have that, to know that I will be having somebody check on me periodically."

The visiting nurses not only provide medical care but also offer a sense of reassurance for patients like Gail.

"They're cheerful and really good at what they do," she included.

Gail’s positive experience is what the Visiting Nurse Service aims to provide. Eisenzimmer emphasized the program’s focus on keeping patients safe and healthy in their own homes.

"It gives us an opportunity to help encourage them to have a better home living environment that will help them with their continued recovery and continued health," Eisenzimmer explained.

Roder also acknowledged the benefits of patients maintaining as much independence as possible later in life, especially for aging farmers who live in this agricultural community.

"Because we’re a farming community, a lot of elderly farm farmers are trying to stay home as long as they can without having to go into an institution. So we want to help them do that. We want to help them be at home as long as they can," Roder said. "And as long as they can do it safely, and we can help them do it safely, I think that’s the full ticket for it."

For Reid, Roder, Eisenzimmer and the LPH team, the Visiting Nurse Service is a testament to their commitment to the patients they serve. By thinking outside of traditional hospital walls and bringing care directly to patients’ homes, they’re making sure that vulnerable members of their rural population can access the medical attention they need.

"I couldn’t be prouder of the group [of nurses] for what they’re doing to be able to do this," Reid said. "We’ve made a lot of changes since I’ve been here, and the team has been just unbelievably accommodating to the things that we’re trying to do and particularly because they know we’re trying to do it to improve the health of the people in our community."

As the Visiting Nurse Service continues to grow, LPH is leading the way in redefining healthcare delivery for rural communities. By bringing the care to the patients, they’re improving health outcomes and fostering a deeper sense of support. If anyone has any questions about LPH’s Visiting Nurse Service, they are encouraged to reach out and call the clinic at 701-256-6100.