Johnson Memorial Hospital sits in Dawson, Minnesota, as a small community hospital owned by a government district, where doctors and nurses keep patient rooms quiet at night, make sure the bathrooms stay clean, and always explain medicines to patients before giving them out, so everyone has a clear idea about what comes next in their care, and they also make sure patients and families understand everything before they leave, giving out easy-to-read papers about at-home recovery, which is important because hospital staff respond fast when you need help, and nurses take time to listen and answer questions in simple words, and doctors show respect by explaining things so you don't feel left out, and a lot of folks who've been patients there have said they'd tell friends or family to use this hospital, with their patient satisfaction measured by national HCAHPS survey data, and on the safety side, they've put rules in place to stop infections, prevent pressure sores, keep foreign objects from being left in after surgery, and they work to prevent blood clots and excessive bleeding after an operation.
There's emergency care, a Cancer Center, a team with physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and there's a family medicine clinic open weekdays, even keeping some evening hours, for things like regular checkups, handling chronic disease, caring for injuries, and children's care, and they also do minor surgeries like mole removals, laceration repairs, and skin biopsies, and with a total of 73 staffed beds (20 licensed for Critical Access), they offer swing bed and skilled nursing services, and folks can get home health care, diabetes support, and incontinence help if they need it, with meals served and devotional opportunities for those who want them.
They've built special programs for chronic care, wound care, pulmonary rehab, and cardiac rehab, all while keeping activities going on and off site so people stay active and social, and the nurses and doctors-including folks like Dr. Erik Shelstad, Dr. Ayaz Virji, and Dr. Lindsey Hanson-are always backed by a strong group of therapists who've gotten their skills through years of education and partnership with schools, so you're cared for by people who know their stuff, and the staff likes to help people get back to doing things on their own.
They keep a close eye on infection prevention and make sure bed sores, collapsed lungs, and post-surgery complications get the attention they need, and they also offer everything from diagnostic imaging and laboratory work to mental health care, oncology, gynecology, ENT, cardiology, dermatology, orthopedics, endocrinology, and immunizations, so most health needs can be handled under one roof, plus telehealth for those who want care from home.
Folks can see their own health records online with the MyChart portal, which helps families stay updated, and the hospital gives out information in clear language, trying hard to explain what patients need to do next, and the staff's always working to make the place feel safe, quiet, and homey, serving the area for over 30 years, and still running things like Kids Obstacle Courses and community walks, even bringing in grants for CPR training, all while keeping up high marks on patient satisfaction through regular surveys. Johnson Memorial Hospital keeps care simple, careful, and close to home, with a long-standing promise to treat people right and keep families in the loop.
