March 24, 2017 at 4:02 p.m.
How the Howard Young Foundation services the Northwoods
How the Howard Young Foundation services the Northwoods
The Lakeland Times will be producing a series of stories on the health care in our community and what it means to you. We hope this will engage the community to look at how not only how fortunate we are, what we can do better. It is our desire that when this series is complete that you, our readers, will be informed about how complex health care is and where it is headed in the future. If you have any topics you would like to explore, please send us an email at [email protected] or call 715-356-5236 and ask for Evan.
As The Lakeland Times dives into the world of community health care in the Northwoods, exploring the inner operations of the current lone area hospital is the first step. Howard Young Medical Center is located in Woodruff and served the area in its current form since 1977.
Since 1984, the Howard Young Medical Center (HYMC) has worked side by side with the Howard Young Foundation (HYF) to provide health care to the Northwoods. A philanthropic, not-for-profit, charitable 501 c(3) organization, the sole purpose of the Foundation is to actively seek and invest charitable support for Howard Young Medical Center and Ministry Eagle River Memorial Hospital.
Current foundation board chairman Trig Solberg joined the board in 1996 and began serving as chairman in 2011. The idea of providing top quality medical care to the community he has called home for over 40 years drew him to the HYF board.
Solberg said the Foundation "became really serious" after the introduction of the "Imagine Our Future" special gift initiative, which sought to ramp up the HYF's role in providing funding to the hospital for designated projects. Since "Imagine Our Future" was introduced in 2011, the HYF has raised $4,168,260 for the Howard Young Medical Center and the Ministry Eagle River Memorial Hospital. One hundred percent of that money has gone towards hospital projects.
"The Foundation serving the hospital has been the sole function since its incarnation," Solberg said. "Just in the past six, we've accomplished a lot. We sat down, said here is our goal, here is what needs to be done to be a community with great health care. We're extremely proud of the work that we've done."
One of the most notable recent fundraising initiatives came for the Da Vinci Surgery System - a piece of technology that thrusted Northwoods health care well into the 21st century. The Da Vinci surgical robotic system allowed for more complex procedures to be conducted at HYMC, while using less invasive techniques with surgical dexterity and precision far greater than the human hand.
The machine totaled $2.4 million, with the HYF and Ministry Health Care - the parent organization of HYMC at the time - splitting the cost down the middle. That $1.2 million is just one of many examples of projects the HYF has taken on in the recent past.
Other initiatives have included the building of a helicopter helipad hangar for the Spirit 2 emergency aircraft, and the Lucas 2 chest compression device that enhances blood flow and helps provide a steady supply of oxygen to the heart and brain while a person is in cardiac arrest.
Running around $14,000 a piece, the Foundation said they would fund half the cost to equip every ambulance in the area. Every Northwoods ambulance currently has that device, with two additional located in the HYMC emergency room.
"EMTs have told me that the Lucas 2 has saved many lives in the area," Solberg said. "Our Foundation is very proud of that. When you can say that the things you're doing are saving lives, it's very rewarding."
In 2014, the HYF assisted in the grand opening of the 8,000 square foot One Heart Cardiology Suite at the hospital, a collaboration between HYMC and Marshfield Clinic. The facility includes a nuclear camera that detects coronary artery disease better, faster and non-invasively - the only one of its kind in the Northwoods, and 3-D high-definition echocardiography - the most advanced ultrasound imaging technology available to allow local, accurate diagnosis of structural heart damage, heart valve and ventricular wall issues.
Most recently, the HYF helped fundraise for the Flash CT Scanner. CT Scans provide cross-sectional images, called slices, of your internal anatomy, enabling your doctors to make a diagnosis non-invasively. The Flash Scanner is the "highest quality scanner available," according to HYMC radiologist Ted Shinners, MD.
"I'm told that because of the money the Foundation has raised, we have some of the finest, up-to-date technology available," Solberg said. "The Howard Young Foundation, with the help of community donations, have done this. We are right up there with anybody in the country."
The Howard Young Foundation has gotten creative with many of their fundraising events. In 2016, they introduced the Dragon Boat Festival on Lake Minocqua, which saw teams compete against one another in what's called the "ultimate team sport." The event raised more than $267,000 in its first year and will return in 2017 on Aug. 19.
The Howard Young Foundation Board of Directors in made up of 20, volunteer individuals, who work hand in hand with hospitals to address needs and potential for upgrades and improvements.
"The hospital comes to us and basically says what they need assistance with. We don't drive it," Howard Young Foundation president Mike Gibbons said.
The Board is an independent entity from the hospital, though and should they decide that a project is not worthy, they have the right to turn it down. The relationship has been harmonious throughout the years, though.
"With every project, the hospital has said that we've met their expectations or better," Solberg said. "We're going to continue to work for this community to provide the best health care possible."
Next in The Lakeland Times' series about Northwoods health care, the Howard Young Trust will be explored and how it has assisted in keeping HYMC operating since Young's passing in 1972.
Evan Verploegh may be reached via email at [email protected].
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