Employee Relations

Joan & Dean Retire After 27.5 good years of working at Madison Memorial Hospital Joan has done her fair share of cooking, but loves the chance she has to meet new people. She claims it has been a good job. Her favorite thing about her job is not doing dishes, but she enjoys making cookies and baking. The Paragon tries to cater to everyone’s needs, both physical and emotional. She says that she has been able to help folks in the community with a listening ear. There is an environment here where people can share their feelings with people who care and understand. They are not too busy to care for one another, both patient and colleague alike.  If anyone has a problem we will listen and understand. Joan would like to recognize a colleague and dear friend that recently passed away. They started working in The Paragon together about...

3 Valentine’s Tips – Did you know that being in love is powerful enough to lower one’s blood pressure, reduce depression, and speed the healing of an injury? Each of us are in different situations. Nonetheless, this Valentine’s Day I have prepared a few tips that may increase your health with additional information found by clicking on the red words: 1. Express Love For Someone 2. Understand Someone Better 3. Eat with Someone Tonight An honest expression of love leaves an imprint on the heart. Whether it be your playful love poem of fondness, a sincere love song, or a gentle slow dance in the kitchen. Maybe you need to stop by Madison Gift Shop to find a gift for someone special, anyone that you love. Most importantly, find a way to express your love today. Respect and understanding can be the turning point for a deeper relationship. How well...

Top 50 CEO’s – Recently, Rachel Gonzales, the current CEO at Madison Memorial Hospital, was recognized in the top 50 rural hospital CEO’s in Becker’s Healthcare Report. Becker’s is the source of cutting-edge business and legal information for healthcare industry leaders. The following paragraph is found in their report: Rachel Gonzales, RN. CEO of Madison Memorial Hospital (Rexburg, Idaho). Mrs. Gonzales became CEO of Madison Memorial Hospital, which is situated about 310 miles east of Boise and 240 miles north of Salt Lake City, in April 2012. Last year, she received the Medical Professional of the Year award from the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce and was named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s list of 120 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know. Some of Rachel’s strengths have been teamwork and collaboration for better patient outcomes on all levels of healthcare. She has helped inspire teamwork for better patient experiences from house keepers to the...

Cardiovascular Disease Screening Back By Request March 22nd Your locally owned and operated hospital would like to keep you healthy. Preventative treatment and care can save our community dollars and lives. The leading causes of death in Madison County are cardiovascular disease. It is one of the few conditions that can be prevented or delayed. Hence this month, we are offering your preventative care screening for only $90, a small fraction of the price, to help our community. These screenings are cash, check, or card basis only, and will not be billed to your insurance.   The following factors contribute to cardiovascular disease: Over the age of 50 High blood pressure High blood cholesterol A personal history of smoking Diabetes Family history of cardiac of vascular disease Obesity Inactive lifestyle   We have joined with Idaho Heart Institute to offer this screening to provide you with information that will help you make...

Rexburg Hospital has 25 Years of Success with No Tax Support – As our community is well aware, Madison Memorial Hospital is a public hospital owned by Madison County and operated by the Hospital’s Board of Trustees. Madison Memorial provides needed health care services in Rexburg, as well as Madison County and surrounding communities. While the hospital is a county owned facility, it has been operated in a manner that has required no tax payer support for more than 25 years. The hospital has not obligated Madison County and its taxpayers to any debts. One of the most important features of any community hospital is its Emergency Department. The Hospital staffs its Emergency Department with a physician who is physically present in the Emergency Room 24 hours per day, seven days per week. This physician is trained and has experience in performing emergency medical services. However, the Emergency Room patient...

Life is More Precious Because of Nurse Deb In memory of Nurse Deb – at the passing of one of our dear nurses, her colleagues decided to add a display with some of her many beautiful quilts and photos. Below are a few of the memories and regards for Deb and her family from those she served with. “She was so much fun to work with. Her family will be in my prayers.” Rhea “She taught me so much at my first job as a nurse. Wonderful lady.” Tara (Nurse) “This is such sad news. Deb was part of what made Madison so special.” Anna (Nurse) “I worked with her from the time she started until I retired. And knew her when we lived in Ashton many, many years ago. She was tops. Man, oh, Man will she be missed. Sad…” Juanita (Nurse) “Loved her so and will miss that smile...

We are dedicated to keeping our patients, visitors, and staff healthy.  In order to do this the following visitation restrictions apply to everyone during the flu and RSV season: If you are feeling under the weather, or even have a cough please do not come in to visit your ones until you are better. If you have children under the age of 18, please do not bring them to visit patients. Those in the hospital generally have a weak immune system which makes them more susceptible to sickness. Visits may help the patient feel loved, but also carry a risk of infection as portrayed in the following examples:    Sally feels healthy but has a slight cough. Her sister just had a baby at MMH.  Unbeknownst to Sally, her cough is caused from RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), and does not cause adults like Sally much problem. However, this virus can...

Nurse Trudy looks to new adventures as she retires from practicing nursing for 37 years. Trudy started at Madison Memorial Hospital. Then departed only to help her husband finish his schooling. 31 of those years were here at Madison Memorial Hospital.

Trudy states that she has had a great time working at Madison Memorial Hospital. She loved the people that she worked with. Furthermore, she stated the people make it wonderful. They are hard working and caring individuals that really want the best for the people in their community.

As she looks forward to her next adventures, we would like to thank Nurse Trudy and the hundreds of other employees that have helped make Madison Memorial Hospital a wonderful place of service and care. She already has her travel itinerary for both Hawaii and Alaska. Good Luck Nurse Trudy! May you continue to bless those you are around.

Today Rexburg’s Chamber of Commerce met in our Steiner Conference Room to discuss political issues with our politicians in Boise by teleconference. With so much change happening, and such a demand for good representation in government, we are pleased that we have a community anxiously concerned with the state of our government. We also are pleased to find those we have elected in our county hear us, and are accountable to us. Recently, Senator Hill shared with us his presentation on healthcare reform. Everyone should have questions about the Affordable Care Act, and how it will effect you. It will affect everyone through taxes, a greater deficit, or a change in you healthcare rate and coverage. His presentation explains the reasons, and the results of healthcare reform from his political/accounting perspective. This answers many of the questions employers and employees will have. Then it also explains the subsidies or assistance...

A Generous Hobby Bill has been a truck driver for 47 years and has traveled to 48 of the 50 states. The only states he has not traveled are Vermont and Maine. Bill travels with his wife of 42 years. Her name is Bonnie. Bill has driven his trucks nearly 9 million miles, and Bonnie has been at his side for many of those miles. At the various stops along their travels, Bill has a hobby of popping in quarters and playing the “Grabber Game” (the one with the claws) for stuffed animals. Bill has retrieved over 500 stuffed toys over the years. He has become a master of the game and knows exactly what position these animals must be in to gain the prize. At one particular stop, he saw an animal he just had to have, but it wasn’t in the right position to retrieve. For nearly 3...