WMC Ossian Clinic celebrates its first anniversary

Barbara Vaquero, 11, gets a checkup from Becky Gesing at the WMC Ossian Clinic which is celebrating its first year in business. (Photos/text by Decorahnews.com's Bob Modersohn)

The Winneshiek Medical Center Ossian Clinic will hold an open house Wednesday to celebrate its first year in operation.

The clinic is located at 112 Main Street in Ossian.  Wednesday's open house will run from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.  Refreshments will be provided and prizes may be won.

Dave Rooney, administrator for operations for WMC, described the clinic's first year as "very consistent with what they were hoping for" financially. "Clinic volumes have been positive and slightly ahead of projections," Rooney said.

The clinic provides OB care and family medicine services such as child and woman well-exams, athletic physicals, care for chronic illness like diabetes, hypertension and lung disease, immunizations, wellness labs, strep tests and same day appointments for illness. Also, it provides services for area businesses, such as work injury management, DOT physicals and drug screens. Additionally, the Ossian Clinic offers rehabilitation services with physical therapist Rebecca Moonen, DPT, and Alyssa Bullerman, PTA, as well as community-based fitness classes, including Pilates and Senior Circuit fitness classes.

Having a medical clinic right in town is a huge benefit to Ossian, the staff agrees. Becky Gesing, ARNP, one of the clinic's primary care providers, offered examples of how it can serve the community: If a child gets sick at school or daycare,  grandma (who may live locally) may pick up the child and bring him/her directly to the clinic to be seen.  Gesing could call in a prescription to a pharmacy in Decorah, and mom could pick it up on her way home from work. Or, if a patient is experiencing intense back pain, the patient could get treatment at the Ossian Clinic that day. After seeing the patient, Gesing could step across the hall and get help from physical therapist Rebecca Moonen.  Another scenario: If a non-life-threatening accident occurs within a few miles of town, treatment may be provided at the clinic, quicker than making a longer trip to Decorah.

Rebecca Moonen, DPT, demonstrates a treadmill at the clinic.

Street view of the clinic.

A young artist's drawing of a newspaper front page announcing the opening of the Ossian Clinic last March.

Dave Rooney, administrator for operations at WMC.