CICS in the Real World

A June report by Iowa Farmer Today confirms a startling statistic: Suicide in the agricultural industry is more likely than in any other U.S. industry for which there is data.

The report cites evidence from a study by Dr. Wendy Ringgenberg and her coauthors indicating farmers are more likely to end their life by suicide than any other occupational group, including military veterans. Farmer suicides were most common in the West, followed closely by the Midwest.

“People want to ask the ‘why,’ and we believe it starts with a lack of communication between farmers, their families, the agricultural industry and health care providers,” said Jodi Eaton, CEO of CICS. “People are hesitant to talk about suicide. There’s still a strong negative stigma attached to it, and people who struggle with suicidal thoughts oftentimes silence themselves rather than seek the help they need.”

Resources are available for those experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or a general crisis. As Iowa farmers work through the 2017 harvest season, CICS wants them to know that no matter what they may be going through in their fields or in their homes, their life is invaluable to their communities and their families.

CICS operates a 24-hour crisis line anyone can call to receive advice, appropriate services or just an open ear to talk with: 844-258-8858. Through this line, callers can access crisis psych or crisis therapy appointments ensuring when someone is ready to seek help, CICS is there.

Provider Profile

Mary Greeley Medical Center

“Because it’s the right thing to do.” You hear that phrase a lot at Mary Greeley Medical Center. It describes the philosophy that guides their delivery of high-quality, cost-effective patient care. Mary Greeley is a 220–bed regional hospital that provides health care to the residents of a 13-county area in Central Iowa. The counties include Story, Boone, Marshall, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Sac, Calhoun, Wright, Carroll, Tama, Dallas and Polk. They are “doing what’s right” for their patients in many ways, including:

• Inpatient and outpatient services that support a continuum of care for patients, including surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, diabetes and nutrition care, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, gastroenterology, mental health services, palliative care, home health care, hospice care, rehabilitation and more.
   
• A medical staff of more than 190 professionals who have expertise in 50 specialties and sub-specialties.
   
• A medical center staff that includes more than 1,300 nurses, patient care technicians, therapists and other clinical and non-clinical positions.
   
• A comfortable and convenient healing environment, which includes spacious patient rooms in a newly constructed six-story tower, and large labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) rooms in their Birthways obstetrics unit.
   
• Advanced technology, including a high-end True Beam linear accelerator, da Vinci surgical robot, an advanced MRI machine and more.
   
• State and national recognition for the quality of care, including consistent “A” ratings in patient safety.
   
• Amenities that contribute to the overall patient and visitor experience, including a full-service cafeteria, valet parking, a gift shop, Burgie's Coffee Shop, art exhibits and a beautiful rooftop garden on the 5th floor of our new west patient tower.
   
• Partnerships with all the major physician clinics in the area, including McFarland Clinic PC, a multi-specialty clinic; Doran Clinic for Women, which provides gynecology and obstetrics services; the Iowa Heart Center, the largest heart specialty clinic in Iowa; Primary Health Care, which provides services for people who may be uninsured or underinsured; and Wolfe Eye Clinic, which specializes in eye care.

Mary Greeley Medical Center, which opened in 1916, was a gift to the city of Ames from Captain Wallace Greeley. Today, Mary Greeley continues to be city-operated but governed by an elected Board of Trustees. The hospital is not tax supported. Rather, expenses are covered by hospital-generated revenue. As a nonprofit medical center, its revenues go back into the operation of the hospital, leading to better facilities, better technology and better-trained staff to provide excellent patient care.