New surgeon coming to town

Humboldt County Memorial Hospital Trustee Vivien Hansen was honored for her nearly eight years of service on the HCMH Board of Trustees Monday, her last official meeting. Hansen is stepping down from the board at the end of the year. She said she enjoyed her time on the board. Hansen took a special interest in the areas of community wellness and the hospital’s public health component. Presenting the award is HCMH Board President Tim Anderson. Humboldt Independent photo.

Financial matters and tax issues dominated discussions by the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital (HCMH) Board of Trustees during their regular monthly meeting on Monday.
On the revenue side, the hospital’s search for a general surgeon may soon be over.
HCMH Chief Executive Officer Jim Atty reported that Dr. Jaime Giraldo, a physician specializing in general surgery and wound management, will begin practice at HCMH in mid-January.
Giraldo is a member of the Trimark Surgery Group and has been a general surgeon at the Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge since 2011.
He will be available for consultations and general scheduled surgeries at the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital.
Atty said Dr. Giraldo should benefit hospital operations on a number of fronts, including increasing the amount of surgeries performed in the operating room, as well as basic out-patient surgeries that HCMH patients can have here, without having to travel.
“It will also keep our surgery team busy and will strengthen our relationship with Trinity, and will hopefully increase labs and some of the ancillary services along with it,” Atty said.
The hospital has been looking for a general surgeon since Atty came on board last February.
Board member Rod Harklau asked about promotion of the new surgeon and his practice. The board directed marketing director Gary Moritz to work with the new surgeon and Trimark in introducing him to the community.
For more details on the HCMH Board meeting, read this week's Humboldt Independent.