Iowa Hospital Association honors seven MercyOne colleagues as Hospital Heroes at annual meeting

Des Moines, Iowa; October 5, 2022 – The Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) honored several MercyOne colleagues from across the state at its 2022 Annual Meeting held at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center Oct. 4 and 5, 2022.

Seven MercyOne colleagues from across the state of Iowa were recognized with “Hospital Heroes” awards – which comprises more than half of all Hospital Heroes named this year. The Iowa Hospital Heroes Awards recognize outstanding hospital employees who go above and beyond the call of duty with no expectation of award or recognition. These colleagues include:

• Michelle Arensdorf, RN, Community Education/Wellness Coordinator, MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center
• Michele Dikkers, DO, Primary Care Physician at MercyOne affiliate Guttenberg Municipal Hospital & Clinics
• David Eilers, Division Director, Performance Excellence, MercyOne Central Iowa
• Diane Probasco, BSN, RN, RN-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, MercyOne Central Iowa
• Kelly Richards, DNP, RN, Senior Vice President Patient Care/Chief Nursing Officer, MercyOne Northeast Iowa
• Douglas Summerfield, MD, MPH, Medical Director, MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center Critical Care Unit
• Larry Volz, MD, General/Trauma Surgeon, MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center/Midlands Clinic

"These MercyOne colleagues truly demonstrate the spirit and intention of this award. They are all dedicated professionals in their own areas of expertise, truly going the extra mile, never expecting praise or recognition," said Chris Mitchell, president and CEO of the IHA. "We are thrilled to have so many wonderful examples to share of dedicated Iowa health care professionals."

"We are incredibly proud of our MercyOne colleagues and providers honored this week as 'Hospital Heroes' and want to thank them for their many contributions to our Mission and the care and service they provide to each person we serve and our broader communities across Iowa," said Bob Ritz, MercyOne president and CEO. "What is even more gratifying is to know they are representative of the thousands of MercyOne colleagues who also work each and every day to provide compassionate care to patients and families. These heroes are living examples of how we help each person live their best life across MercyOne. We are both proud and appreciative of the special service they provide."

The IHA is a nonprofit trade association of 119 hospital and health system members headquartered in Des Moines. Established in 1929, the association provides advocacy, education and information to its members, and represents and advocates health policy issues benefiting Iowans before the state legislature, U.S. Congress and regulatory bodies.