Two UI Hospitals and Clinics physicians were among the 10 outstanding Iowa hospital employees, plus one very special volunteer, who were honored October 9 at the 79th Iowa Hospital Association Annual Meeting as “Iowa Hospital Heroes.”

The Iowa Hospital Heroes Awards program was created to recognize hospital employees who have performed a heroic act or tirelessly given their time, talent or expertise to better their hospital, patients or community, with measurable results. These everyday heroes are the role models for Iowa’s 71,000 hospital employees and the communities they serve.

Michael Artman, MD, Physician in Chief of University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, said “There are few things more daunting than an Iowa ice storm, and fewer things more fragile than a premature baby. On a Tuesday morning last December, those two realities met head on, leaving a pair of Iowa physicians with some hard decisions to make. In the end, that baby, those physicians, and many other caring hospital employees came together to make a miracle happen.”

Michael Acarregui, MD, and John Dagle, MD, PhD, specialists in the Division of Neonatology at University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, were faced with a serious dilemma early in the morning of December 11, 2007. A premature baby girl was born in Mt. Pleasant. Normally the baby would have been transported to UI Children’s Hospital, but an ice storm grounded AirCare, and the icy conditions prevented ground ambulances from traveling to help. So the two physicians got an emergency kit designed to care for premature infants and drove to Mt. Pleasant to help.

The 47-mile trip took about an hour. They treated the baby’s underdeveloped lungs to help them function better and placed umbilical lines. A mechanical ventilator was not available, so they used a hand bag to help her breathe.

“IHA is proud to recognize and honor the caring work of these exceptional hospital employees,” said IHA Board Chair Jay Christensen, CEO of Mahaska Health Partnership in Oskaloosa. “The compassion and dedication of Iowa’s hospital employees is well known. So when a group like this is shown to rise even higher, it is well worth applauding.”

The Iowa Hospital Association is a voluntary membership organization representing hospital and health system interests to business, government and consumer audiences. All of Iowa’s 117 community hospitals are IHA members.

For more information:

Doctors Brave Storm to Save Baby

Michael Artman, MD

University of Iowa Children’s Hospital

Michael Acarregui, MD

John Dagle, MD, PhD