Serving Nutritional Well-being
As a 25-bed critical access hospital, AdventHealth Durand provides needed medical care to a rural community that has no other hospitals within 35 miles. Its care spectrum includes digestive, heart and vascular, surgical, imaging and lab, emergency and urgent care, and more.
With fewer than 100 team members, AdventHealth Durand has poured its heart into addressing a top priority in its Community Health Needs Assessment: Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Armed with the knowledge that 38.3% of survey respondents eat fruits and vegetables less than two days a week and that 5.6% of residents in the hospital’s community live in an area with low food access, AdventHealth Durand continues to nurture relationships with community partners, such as the Durand Area Food Pantry and the Durand Public Library.
Committing to serving the underserved in the community, AdventHealth Durand hosts a food drive each year on Valentine’s Day to benefit the Durand Food Pantry. In 2024, team members donated 206 items, 190 pounds and $800 to aid in increasing access to nutritious foods.
In a new collaboration with the library, which is attached to the middle and high schools, kids have discovered, thanks to registered dietitian Kaitlyn Niebur, the health benefits of “Eating the Rainbow.” Other Pepin County government agencies are also beneficiaries of Niebur’s expertise when it comes to reviewing menus for nutritional compliance with state and federal requirements.
These community outreach efforts are in addition to the free consultations Niebur provides for community members referred by providers. Through August, she had logged 400 hours working with an estimated 250-300 patients. Niebur shares the story of one patient who’d had diabetes for years and whose blood sugar was out of control. Three months after learning more about nutrition and how to balance eating habits, the patient’s blood sugar levels had improved and, as the patient shared, “It’s easier to control my blood sugar when I know what to eat.” Niebur’s intentional one-step-at-a-time approach helps her get to know each patient on a personal level.
“Because we are a small facility, it is easy to touch base with providers if I pick up on a health concern that is outside of my scope of practice,” Niebur shares. “We are able to provide better care to our patients because we all know each other here. This is the beauty of small hospitals and clinics.”
With fewer than 100 team members, AdventHealth Durand has poured its heart into addressing a top priority in its Community Health Needs Assessment: Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Armed with the knowledge that 38.3% of survey respondents eat fruits and vegetables less than two days a week and that 5.6% of residents in the hospital’s community live in an area with low food access, AdventHealth Durand continues to nurture relationships with community partners, such as the Durand Area Food Pantry and the Durand Public Library.
Committing to serving the underserved in the community, AdventHealth Durand hosts a food drive each year on Valentine’s Day to benefit the Durand Food Pantry. In 2024, team members donated 206 items, 190 pounds and $800 to aid in increasing access to nutritious foods.
In a new collaboration with the library, which is attached to the middle and high schools, kids have discovered, thanks to registered dietitian Kaitlyn Niebur, the health benefits of “Eating the Rainbow.” Other Pepin County government agencies are also beneficiaries of Niebur’s expertise when it comes to reviewing menus for nutritional compliance with state and federal requirements.
These community outreach efforts are in addition to the free consultations Niebur provides for community members referred by providers. Through August, she had logged 400 hours working with an estimated 250-300 patients. Niebur shares the story of one patient who’d had diabetes for years and whose blood sugar was out of control. Three months after learning more about nutrition and how to balance eating habits, the patient’s blood sugar levels had improved and, as the patient shared, “It’s easier to control my blood sugar when I know what to eat.” Niebur’s intentional one-step-at-a-time approach helps her get to know each patient on a personal level.
“Because we are a small facility, it is easy to touch base with providers if I pick up on a health concern that is outside of my scope of practice,” Niebur shares. “We are able to provide better care to our patients because we all know each other here. This is the beauty of small hospitals and clinics.”
