Summer Internships: UnityPoint Health - Des Moines

By Paige Wallace

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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