Summer Internships: UnityPoint Health - Des Moines
My summer internship is at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines,
although many of you might know it better as “Iowa Health Des Moines”. The
complete brand change came in April along with a dedication to improving health
care delivery through patient-centered, coordinated
care.
UnityPoint Health – Des Moines is a senior affiliate of
UnityPoint Health, the nation’s 15th largest nonprofit health system
and 5th largest nondenominational health system. The entire system
encompasses 15 system hospitals, 14 community network hospitals, 280 physician
clinics, 7 home care locations and over 25,000 employees. UPH – Des Moines includes 4 hospitals:
Methodist, Lutheran, Blank Children’s and Methodist West, 50 UnityPoint Clinics
and the John Stoddard Cancer Center. UPH Des Moines, like each affiliate, has
their own senior team and a high level of autonomy. I like to think of us as a system within a
system. We also support many residents for Internal Medicine, Surgery,
Pediatrics, Transitional Year, Podiatry and Family Medicine as well as medical
students from University of Iowa and Des Moines University.
My internship is really in full swing; I can’t believe I am
halfway through! A few of my projects so far have been: project managing the
implementation and go live of a new employee benefit program, assessing the
role and value of Care Coordinators at John Stoddard Cancer Center, creating
Iowa Lutheran Hospital’s dashboard, leading a small team in evaluating a
tuition reimbursement software purchase and executing a Peer Review process for
staff nurses.
I have been so lucky to have such an involved senior team. I
truly have about 10 preceptors that keep me busy and learning every minute.
Some of the most unique experiences of my internship include:
- Spending a night in the ED
- Attending Surgical Grand Rounds with Morbidity and Mortality conferences
- Spending a day with EMS and a trip on the Lifeflight Helicopter
- Spending a day in the OR at Lutheran
- Having media training with our PR department
- Viewing an autopsy
- Attending Iowa Lutheran's Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
On the weekends I’ve spent a lot of time traveling to my
family’s lake house and friends’ weddings. I also enjoy the multiple farmers
markets that DM has, Zoo Brew, Adventureland Water Park, golfing and catching
up with friends from undergrad.
Attending the Iowa Lutheran Hospital Volunteer Appreciation Lunch |
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