Allen Hospital

Emergency Medicine

Allen Hospital is an Emergency Medicine practice in Waterloo, IA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in addressing urgent illnesses and injuries in patients of all ages. Emergency Medicine Doctors at Allen Hospital perform in trauma centers, intensive care units, and emergency rooms. Emergency Medicine is the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions that require immediate attention. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Emergency Medicine practices include severe injuries, trauma, sepsis, burns, acute coronary syndrome, poisoning, heart attack, and stroke. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Emergency Medicine practices include CPR, ECG, projection radiography, CT scan, x-ray, blood testing, suturing, inserting chest tubs, setting bones, and admitting patients into hospitals.

An emergency physician focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to prevent death or any further disability both in the pre-hospital setting by directing emergency medical technicians and in the emergency department. The emergency physician provides immediate recognition, evaluation, care, stabilization and disposition of a generally diversified population of adult and pediatric patients in response to acute illness and injury.

Hospice and Palliative Internal Medicine

An internal medicine physician with special knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses. This specialist works with an interdisciplinary hospice or palliative care team to maximize quality of life while addressing physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of both patient and family throughout the course of the disease, through the dying process, and beyond for the family. This specialist has expertise in the assessment of patients with advanced disease; the relief of distressing symptoms; the coordination of interdisciplinary patient and family-centered care in diverse venues; the use of specialized care systems including hospice; the management of the imminently dying patient; and legal and ethical decision making in end-of-life care.

Undersea and Hyperbaric Emergency Medicine

A specialist who treats decompression illness and diving accident cases and uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat such conditions as carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, non-healing wounds, tissue damage from radiation and burns, and bone infections. This specialist also serves as a consultant to other physicians in all aspects of hyperbaric chamber operations, and assesses risks and applies appropriate standards to prevent disease and disability in divers and other persons working in altered atmospheric conditions.

Hospice and Palliative Family Medicine

A family medicine physician with special knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses. This specialist works with an interdisciplinary hospice or palliative care team to maximize quality of life while addressing physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of both patient and family throughout the course of the disease, through the dying process, and beyond for the family. This specialist has expertise in the assessment of patients with advanced disease; the relief of distressing symptoms; the coordination of interdisciplinary patient and family-centered care in diverse venues; the use of specialized care systems including hospice; the management of the imminently dying patient; and legal and ethical decision making in end-of-life care.

Internal Medicine

Allen Hospital is an Internal Medicine practice in Waterloo, IA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Internists specialize in puzzling medical problems and in the ongoing care of chronic illnesses. Internists also specialize in preventing disease by promoting health, and are trained to manage multisystem disease conditions that single-organ-disease specialists may not be trained to address. Internal Medicine Doctors at Allen Hospital perform assessment, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment therapies for diseases and disorders in adult patients. Internal Medicine is a medical specialty focused on study, prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of short and long term multi-organ conditions. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Internal Medicine practices include cold and flu, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease. Internists generally act as personal physicians and often develop long-term relationships with their patients. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Internal Medicine practices include medical history reviews, physical exams, blood tests, scans, and other diagnostic tests, as well as specialist referrals. Internists may choose to practice only in the hospital, only in an outpatient clinic, or in both.

A physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults and the elderly. Internists are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, infections and diseases affecting the heart, blood, kidneys, joints and digestive, respiratory and vascular systems. They are also trained in the essentials of primary care internal medicine, which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health and effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry)

Allen Hospital is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry) practice in Waterloo, IA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in treating medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Physiatrists at Allen Hospital perform diagnostic imaging, testing, assessment, and treatment of disorders and injuries related to chronic joint pain, spinal injury, athletic injury, congenital birth defect, traumatic injury, and age-related pain conditions. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry) is a medical specialty focused on diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses related to muscle, joint spine, nerve, bone, and neurological disorders. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry) practices include spinal cord injury, pulled and torn muscles, nerve disorders, fibromyalgia, athletic injury, chronic joint and muscle pain, arthritis, and other disorders affecting the body's muscles, joints, and nerves. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry) practices include CT, x-ray, and MRI imaging, nerve conduction testing, spinal injections, prolotherapy, nerve and muscle biopsy, acupuncture, fitting of prosthetics and orthotics, impairment assessment, patient and parent education, and ultrasound guided corrective procedures.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also referred to as rehabilitation medicine, is the medical specialty concerned with diagnosing, evaluating, and treating patients with physical disabilities. These disabilities may arise from conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system such as neck and back pain, sports injuries, or other painful conditions affecting the limbs, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Alternatively, the disabilities may result from neurological trauma or disease such as spinal cord injury, head injury or stroke. A physician certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation is often called a physiatrist. The primary goal of the physiatrist is to achieve maximal restoration of physical, psychological, social and vocational function through comprehensive rehabilitation. Pain management is often an important part of the role of the physiatrist. For diagnosis and evaluation, a physiatrist may include the techniques of electromyography to supplement the standard history, physical, x-ray and laboratory examinations. The physiatrist has expertise in the appropriate use of therapeutic exercise, prosthetics (artificial limbs), orthotics and mechanical and electrical devices.

Diagnostic Radiology

Allen Hospital is a Diagnostic Radiology practice in Waterloo, IA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in diagnosing diseases and injuries with imaging technology. Diagnostic Radiologists at Allen Hospital perform imaging with x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, or radiation in order to diagnose disorders or dysfunctions in tissues and bones. Diagnostic Radiology is a field of medicine that applies imaging technology to diagnose disease and dysfunction. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Diagnostic Radiology practices include bone fractures, bronchitis, heart disease, kidney stones, cirrhosis, and benign or cancerous tumors. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Diagnostic Radiology practices include x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests, computed tomography (CT) scans, ultrasounds, mammographies, fluoroscopies, nuclear stress tests, positron emission tomographies (PET), and bone density scans (DEXA).

A radiologist who utilizes x-ray, radionuclides, ultrasound and electromagnetic radiation to diagnose and treat disease.

Vascular & Interventional Radiology

Allen Hospital is a Vascular & Interventional Radiology practice in Waterloo, IA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in using radiological imaging to diagnose and treat diseases and disorders. Vascular & Interventional Radiologists at Allen Hospital perform minimally-invasive, image-guided procedures to minimize the need for invasive surgery. Vascular & Interventional Radiology is a medical specialty focused on applying image-guided, minimally invasive therapy to manage or eliminate internal organ disease or disorders. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Vascular & Interventional Radiology practices include heart disease, vascular disease, cancer, blood vessel disease, pulmonary embolism, varicose veins, aneurysm, tumor, uterine fibroid, kidney stones, gallstones, and blocked veins. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Vascular & Interventional Radiology practices include angioplasty, blood vessel stenting, cryoplasty, embolization, chemoembolization, gastrostomy, liver drainage, tumor ablation, and vertebroplasty.

A radiologist who diagnoses and treats diseases by various radiologic imaging modalities. These include fluoroscopy, digital radiography, computed tomography, sonography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Physician Assisting

A physician assistant is a person who has successfully completed an accredited education program for physician assistant, is licensed by the state and is practicing within the scope of that license. Physician assistants are formally trained to perform many of the routine, time-consuming tasks a physician can do. In some states, they may prescribe medications. They take medical histories, perform physical exams, order lab tests and x-rays, and give inoculations. Most states require that they work under the supervision of a physician.

Nurse Practice

A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision making and direct accountability for clinical judgment across the health care continuum or in a certified specialty. (2) A registered nurse who has completed additional training beyond basic nursing education and who provides primary health care services in accordance with state nurse practice laws or statutes. Tasks performed by nurse practitioners vary with practice requirements mandated by geographic, political, economic, and social factors. Nurse practitioner specialists include, but are not limited to, family nurse practitioners, gerontological nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, obstetric-gynecologic nurse practitioners, and school nurse practitioners.

Wound Care Nursing (Registered Nurse)