Meet Our Anesthesia Providers


Audiology

Brenda Rubert, AuD, CCC-A, Doctor of Audiology, has provided audiology services at Prairie Ridge Health since 2001. These services include the evaluation and treatment of hearing disorders for infants to seniors, as well as for the fitting of hearing aids and custom earplugs.

Through a hearing test, the audiologist can detect the extent of the impairment. Dr. Rubert works collaboratively with your Primary Care Provider as well as Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Specialists, Justin McNamar, MD and Lindsay Robinson, PA-C to determine if medical or surgical interventions are needed to improve your condition. Dr. Rubert will also discuss hearing aid options based on your individual needs and lifestyle when appropriate.

With approximately 37.5 million Americans suffering from hearing impairment, protecting your hearing early on can decrease your risk of severe hearing loss later in life. The two most common causes of hearing loss are noise exposure and aging. Participating in noise-producing jobs and hobbies, such as farming, construction or hunting, can slowly cause hearing loss.
Similarly, listening to music at a high volume level may damage hearing ability as well.

Hearing aids can be difficult to accept for some, but I encourage people not to be leery of them. Advancements in hearing aid technology have made them effective and comfortable to wear,” said Dr. Rubert. “Many patients are often pleasantly surprised by how natural the hearing aids sound and feel and have found the experience life-changing.”

Signs of hearing loss include:

  • Often asking others to repeat what they have said.
  • Having trouble hearing conversations when background noise is present.
  • Needing the television volume turned up to a level that is too loud for other people.
  • Perceiving others to be mumbling when they speak.
  • Hearing ringing in the ears.

If you notice these signs in yourself or a loved one, see your physician and seek a referral or call 920-623-1430 for more information.


Cardiac Rehab is a program designed for those with cardiac conditions or those who have had heart surgery or heart catheterization. Our experts will work with you to create an individualized, step-by-step program designed to get your heart back in shape and improve the overall quality of your life. By building strength and endurance, you can safely and effectively overcome some of the physical complications associated with certain types of heart disease.

Our Cardiac Rehab experts will work with you to create an individualized, step-by-step program designed to get your heart back in shape and improve the overall quality of your life. By building strength and endurance, you can safely and effectively overcome some of the physical complications associated with certain types of heart disease. Our medically supervised program of exercise and education will also help you reduce your risk of developing additional heart problems. Every aspect of our program is designed to speed your recovery. So whether you’ve had a heart attack, bypass surgery, angioplasty, or angina, we’ll develop a program that’s perfect for you. Before you know it, you’ll be back doing the things you value most. We want to help you live your life to the fullest. Improving your health. Step by step. Ours is a multi-step process that involves input from an entire team of professionals. Depending upon your needs, your team can include your physician, registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapist, respiratory therapists, dietitians and diabetes educators, pharmacists, and a social worker.

Our Process Includes:

  • A medical evaluation to assess your physical abilities, medical limitations, and other relevant conditions
  • A medically supervised exercise program that includes monitoring of your heart rhythm, heart rate, and blood pressure. Remember, exercise increases blood flow to your heart and strengthens your heart’s contractions so that it pumps more blood with less effort
  • Lifestyle education - when appropriate, you will work one-on-one with registered nurses, a dietician, pharmacists, and a diabetes education coordinator to help improve your overall wellbeing. Healthy lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of experiencing another life-threatening event, such as a heart attack or a stroke
  • We’ll provide you with continuous and ongoing support to help you achieve your individual goals. We’ll also create a plan for continued progress with your lifestyle and exercise changes after your program is complete.

Treatments Include:

  • Individualized exercise plan to improve cardiovascular endurance and overall strength
  • Continuous heart rhythm monitoring throughout the session
  • Skilled monitoring of blood pressure, oxygen saturation, weight, blood glucose, and heart rate
  • Group education sessions
  • A supportive environment with others in your situation

The way you live your life can play a big part in keeping your heart healthy. At Prairie Ridge Health, our medically supervised Cardiac Rehab Program helps people just like you develop healthier lifestyles and recover from heart disease or a heart attack. Most people think Cardiac Rehab is like a trip to the fitness center for a good workout. Actually, that’s only part of it. We combine exercise with education to help rebuild your strength, endurance, emotional well-being and self-confidence. We’ll help you learn how to make wiser food choices, cope with stress, manage your diabetes, and even quit smoking. You’ll learn how to make healthy lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor today to see how you could benefit by enrolling in our Cardiac Rehab Services. A medical referral is required. Medicare and most private insurance companies do cover Cardiac Rehab. However, some providers may require prior authorization.

To schedule an appointment contact us at (920) 623-1432

Cardiac Rehab Classes:

Our Cardiac Education Classes are held twice monthly and last approximately three hours each. In keeping with our commitment to “team,” we strongly encourage you to invite family members to attend these classes with you. There are no additional fees for their attendance.

  • How Your Heart Works/Emergency Planning
  • Stress Management
  • Exercise for Life
  • Fat and Fiber
  • Risk Factor Modification
  • Medications
  • Emotional Aspects of Heart Disease
  • Eating Out/Reading Labels

Commonly Asked Questions:

What do I need to do before exercise class?
Dress in loose-fitting clothes and shoes with good support. Do not smoke or drink caffeinated beverages two hours prior to exercise class. Nicotine and caffeine can increase your heart rate. Make sure you eat 1-2 hours before your exercise class. Take all medications as prescribed by your doctors.

What kind of exercise will I be doing?

You will be using your larger muscle groups of the arms and legs to gain more endurance and strength. This is called aerobic exercise. We’ll select a special group of exercises on machines that best suit your needs. You may exercise on treadmills, sitting stair steppers, bicycles, arm machines, or use free weights and stretching bands.

I’m exercising at home. Why should I come to Cardiac Rehab?
You will be connected to an EKG monitor while you exercise, so your heart rate and rhythms are closely watched. Your blood pressure and workload are also tracked. You will be closely supervised and any concerns about your body’s response to exercise, or to your medications will be relayed by our staff to your doctors. We also help you learn what you can do to decrease your risk of a future heart problem.

How long will I have to attend Cardiac Rehab?
Most people come three times a week for 6-12 weeks or 24 visits. The length of the program is based on your own rate of progress, and sometimes can be limited by insurance coverage.

How much will my insurance cover?
Most insurance providers have some coverage for Cardiac Rehab services if you’ve had a heart attack or heart surgery. Medicare covers 80% if you’ve had a heart attack, stent, or coronary bypass surgery in the last 12 months. Your Medicare supplement will usually pay the other 20%.

To schedule an appointment contact us at (920) 623-1432

 
Occupational Therapy (OT) is the treatment for individuals with an impairment in the function of the upper extremity. OT also specializes in improving self-care and daily activities through adaptive techniques. We treat all age groups and most diagnoses. 

Specialty Services Include:
  • Lymphedema Therapy
Treatment may include:
  • Ultrasound, electrical stimulation, iontophoresis, or phonophoresis
  • Techniques to improve joint and muscle mobility
  • Strengthening exercises
  • Techniques to improve fine motor coordination
  • Evaluation and instruction in assistive devices to improve independence in dressing, feeding, bathing, and homemaking
  • Fabrication and fitting of hand and arm splints
  • Instruction in-home exercise programs and self-management of symptoms

For more information contact us at 920-623-1430