Allina Health's Patient Education Department

Allina Health's Patient Education Department works with experts throughout Allina Health to produce manuals, booklets and other material used to educate patients about their health and medical treatment.

In developing content for such pieces, our writers team up with content leads in related clinical areas.

Medical expert review

The content leads from these and other clinical areas facilitate the medical review process. They work closely with physicians and other medical experts to verify the currency and accuracy of patient education material.

Advance care planning: Elizabeth Hermes, LSW, ACP educator and volunteer coordinator; Vivian Anugwom, manager of operations, Allina Health Hospice and Palliative Care

Audiology: Erin Voye, AuD, CCC-A, clinical audiologist

Blood transfusion: Alana Sutherland, technical consultant, central lab, Allina Health Laboratory

Cardiovascular care: Pam Rush, clinical programs director, Cardiovascular clinical service line; Andrea Sweeney, manager, cardiovascular operations, Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute

Chiropractic care: Molly J. Magnani, DC, lead chiropractor

Community wellness: Susan Nygaard, RN, PHN, manager, community health improvement, Community Benefit and Engagement

Courage Kenny Kids: Sara Rohde, OT, manager, Courage Kenny Kids

Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute:  Lori Froehling, PT, MS, director of rehabilitation therapies, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute

Diabetes: Dawn McCarter, RN, BSN, CDE, manager, diabetes education

Geriatrics: Kathleen Woo-Rippe, MD, Allina Health Fridley Clinic

Grief: Michele Dettloff, MA, grief counselor, Allina Health Hospice

Heart failure: Pam Rush, clinical programs director, Cardiovascular clinical service line 

Heart transplant: April McGaver, RN, transplant / organ failure care coordinator, transplantation department, Abbott Northwestern Hospital

HOME and Community Services: Joe Hackett, Home Oxygen & Medical Equipment (HOME)

Infection control: Shonna Reineccius, RN, system manager, Allina Health Infection Prevention Program

Integrative health: Jayson King, BS, RN, BCTMB, HNB-BC, Penny George Institute for Health and Healing

Kidney transplant: Julie Berken, RN, transplant / organ failure care coordinator, transplantation department, Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Laboratory medicine and pathology: Lauren Anthony, MD, system laboratory medical director, Allina Health Laboratory

Medications: Lee Mork, MBA, MS, RPh, director, Allina Health Group; Ann Byre, PharmD, vice president, Pharmacy Services 

Mental health: Paul Goering, MD, medical director, Allina Health Mental Health and Addiction Services

Nutrition: Shirley Winslett, RDN, LD, Allina Health Clinical Nutrition Managers Council

Obstetrics: Stacy Tomes, manager, operations of clinical programs, Mother Baby clinical service line

Oncology: Connie Fiebiger, RN, vice president of operations, Allina Health Cancer Institute

Ophthalmology:Marge Watry, RN, MBA, director, Patient Care Services; Daniel Conrad, MD, president, Phillips Eye Institute, physician leader, Allina Health Eye clinical service line

Orthopedics: Katie Lorenzen, RN, BSN, ONC Program Manager, Orthopedic clinical service line

Ostomy: Sherilyn Votaw, RN, WOCN, Mercy Hospital-Mercy Campus

Pain management: Kathy Keller, project management coordinator, quality and performance improvement, Allina Health

Palliative care:Katy Hentges, NP-C clinical manager, Allina Health Palliative Care

Patient transitions: Steve Bergeson, MD, medical director of care improvement, Allina Health

Pediatrics: Diane Adamski, MD, Allina Health Ambulatory Pediatrics Council

Pulmonary: Anne Uttermark, manager of respiratory care, Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Sleep disorders: Andrew Stiehm, MD, United Hospital, United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus, Owatonna Hospital, New Ulm Medical Center; Ann Long, manager of operations and clinical programs, United Hospital Lung and Sleep Clinic

Stroke care: Amy Castle, RN, clinical practice coordinator, United Hospital; Dawn Krause, RN, program manager, Stroke Program, Mercy Hospital-Unity Campus; Amy Susag, RN, clinical nurse specialist, Mercy Hospital-Unity Campus; Pam Madrid, RN, clinical nurse specialist, Mercy Hospital-Mercy Campus; Angelina Buerck, RN, clinical practice coordinator, Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Tobacco: Gabrielle Coleman, tobacco intervention coordinator, Penny George Institute for Health and Healing; Karina DiLuzio, tobacco intervention coordinator, Penny George Institute for Health and Healing; Julee Moorlag, tobacco intervention coordinator, health improvement and wellness, Mercy Hospital-Mercy Campus

Weight management: Deborah Vanderhall BS, RN, CBN, program manager, Abbott Northwestern Hospital Bariatric Center

Women's health: Patricia (Trish) Huberty, MD, Allina Health Eagan Women's Health Clinic