Greene County Medical Center Pain Clinic Patients to Benefit from Grow Greene County Grant Award

Photo: Nikki Uebel, Greene County Medical Center Foundation Board; Sarah Erickson, Community Relations; Jessica Steinberg, Director of Nursing; Chantelle Grove, Community Relations; Samantha Hale, RN Surgery; Scott Weber, Greene County Medical Center Foundation Board; Chad Butterfield, CEO; Dr. Laurie Connolly, Chief Medical Officer; and Nancy Houska Greene County Medical Center Foundation Director

JEFFERSON, Iowa – On Tuesday, April 2, Grow Greene County presented grant dollars totaling more than two million dollars to organizations and community efforts in Greene and surrounding counties. This included a $42,000 grant to the Greene County Medical Center in support of Pain Clinic equipment needs.

“We simply cannot thank Wild Rose Casino and Grow Greene County enough for their support of local healthcare services,” said Foundation Director, Nancy Houska. “The money used to assist Greene County Medical Center with the purchase of radiofrequency ablation equipment will bring relief to hundreds.”

“It is gratifying to see how Grow Greene County uses grant funds to better all of the communities and counties in and around Greene County,” said CEO, Chad Butterfield. “All of us here at the medical center are thankful for their generous consideration of regional healthcare needs and in their solid support of the many people who utilize our services. They are truly dedicated community partners.”

Since opening in January of 2022, the Foundation has supported the Pain Clinic by covering the leasing costs of the radiofrequency ablation equipment. But what started out as a two day a month clinic has now expanded to four days or more per month and patient services have increased nearly four and a half times over since the first year. “Seeing the response from patients and the great need for these services in our communities brought about an evaluation of the cost savings that could be realized from the purchase of equipment versus leasing,” Houska explained. “With such high demand identified, it was determined the most cost-effective fiscal use of grant dollars would be for us to purchase this equipment, which holds a lifespan of seven to nine years.”

The Greene County Medical Center Pain Clinic providers are able to utilize radiofrequency ablation equipment directly on the nerves that are causing the patient’s pain. The procedure produces a lesion on the nerve, blocking the pain signal and bringing relief for six months to a year, or even longer for some patients. Those who suffer from chronic pain should visit with their primary care provider about available options as a referral is required for Pain Clinic services.