JEFFERSON, Iowa – “I was born in this hospital. I’ve lived here all my life.” For Todd Van Horn, Greene County Medical Center has been a part of his story from the very beginning. A lifelong Jefferson resident and retired farmer, Todd has spent decades relying on the care provided right here in Greene County. Over the years, he has seen generations of healthcare providers and has trusted the medical center through routine care, serious illness, injuries and everything in between.
That history includes a serious case of COVID pneumonia in 2021, when Todd was in the middle of harvest and found himself struggling to breathe. He went to the clinic for care and was quickly admitted to the hospital. “They didn’t let me leave. A wheelchair was brought in, I was covered with a blanket and they wheeled me up to a room,” Todd explained. “I was there for 10 or 11 days.”
During a time when healthcare teams were navigating a new and challenging illness, Todd said the care he received made a lasting impression. “The care was excellent. The food was excellent. I had no complaints.” His appreciation was strong enough that after recovering, he called a Greene County Medical Center Board of Trustees member. Not to raise concern, but to share his gratitude. “I just wanted to let them know what great care I got while in the hospital,” he reiterated.
That same trust carried into his most recent health concern. Todd began feeling persistent heart palpitations and his wife, Anita, encouraged him to get a calcium score test done at the medical center. His score of over 500 coupled with his continued heart palpitations became increasingly concerning.
Todd brought those concerns to his primary care provider, Alec Antanaitis, a nurse practitioner at the Family Medicine Clinic. Alec ordered additional testing, including a heart monitor, and continued evaluating the situation. Although Todd was initially told the irregular beats were not something to be overly concerned about, Alec continued looking at the bigger picture, wanting to make sure Todd had all the answers he needed.
Alec connected Todd with a cardiology specialist for additional evaluation and a second opinion. This led to an angiogram, which revealed a 70 percent blockage in one of his coronary arteries. A stent was placed, restoring blood flow and helping protect Todd’s heart health.
“He was more intuitive about how I felt and my health,” Todd said about Alec. “He seemed to be more interested in me than in just trying to get me through.” He added that Alec’s willingness to investigate further has added even more to his confidence in the medical center’s care. “He just seems to question more. To try to get more out of you. I have never been to anyone like him. He is a provider committed to finding answers and if he can’t find it himself, he will find someone to help him.”
After more than six decades of receiving care at Greene County Medical Center, Todd said that level of dedication truly stood out.
“I have never received anything but the greatest care here. But, as far as this man is concerned, Alec is definitely the best provider I have ever had.”
Today, Todd is enjoying his retirement after more than 40 years of farming. He stays active by riding his recumbent bike eight or nine miles each day and spending time in his shop. And he gives a great deal of credit to Alec and Greene County Medical Center for his continued ability to do the things he loves.