Rice Laboratory receives accreditation from CAP

June 24, 2009. Rice Memorial Hospital Laboratory has been awarded an accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent onsite inspection. >> continued

Rice wins Outstanding Patient Experience Award

June 5, 2009. Rice Memorial Hospital is one of ten Minnesota hospitals to win a HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for 2009/2010. >> details

Rice Hospital Board of Directors approves new CEO

March 18, 2009. Rice Memorial Hospital's Board of Directors has approved Michael Schramm to be named Chief Executive Officer as recommended by The CEO Search Committee. >> details

Annual Oncology Report released

February 9, 2009. The Willmar Cancer Center released its 2008 Oncology Report today. The report contains radiation oncology data for the year 2007 at Rice Memorial Hospital. >> details

Rice Memorial Hospital earns two Patient Safety Excellence Awards

Rice Memorial Hospital has earned two Minnesota Hospital Association Patient Safety Excellence Awards for its work on preventing pressure ulcers and for its work on preventing patients from falling during hospital stays. >> more

Southern Minnesota Area Health Education Center and
Rice Hospice receive grants from Wal-Mart

December 4, 2008. Surrounded by poinsettias and Christmas decorations, representatives from seventeen community organizations were presented with grants from Wal-Mart at an award ceremony in the Garden Center of their new superstore.
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Original Art Dedicated in Memory of Sue Leukam

November 23, 2008. More than 100 family members, friends and co-workers of Sue Leukam gathered in the Garden Court of Rice Memorial Hospital on Sunday, November 23, 2008, to honor and remember her life. >> more

Rice Hospital Names
Dale Hustedt Interim Chief Executive Officer

September 25, 2008. Rice Memorial Hospital's Board of Directors has approved Dale Hustedt to be named Interim Chief Executive Officer as recommended by the Board's Human Resources Committee. The appointment is effective immediately. >>more.

Rice Hospital Faces Layoffs and Discontinued Programs

August 21, 2008. Rice Memorial Hospital regrettably announces that it will be laying off 13 people and discontinuing two outpatient health programs. Faced with fewer inpatients, declining revenues, and increasing expenses, the hospital needed to further reduce expenses. >> more

Lawrence J. Massa Named President and CEO of MHA

July 30, 2008. The Minnesota Hospital Association has selected Lawrence (Lorry) J. Massa to be their next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Massa will assume the MHA's top position in mid-October. He has been the current CEO of Rice Memorial Hospital since January 1994. He has served on the MHA Board of Directors for the past nine years. >> more.

Rice Hospice Awarded Circle of Life Citation of Honor

July 21, 2008. Rice Hospice today was named a 2008 Circle of Life Award honoree. Rice Hopice was recnogized for its innovative program that improves the care of patients near the end of life or with life-threatening conditions.
>> more.

Proceeds from the 2007 Foot Lake Four Walk/Run working to save lives in Kandiyohi County

May 28, 2008. The Foot Lake Four Walk/Run takes place every June during Willmar Fests. Almost 600 walkers and runners participate in the USATF-certified four-mile course that starts and finishes at Rice. The 2007 event raised more than $6,000, which was used to purchase five Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for placement in Kandiyohi County. >> more.

Kids win 2nd place in parade

June 25, 2009. >> Story and photos

Sleep Study Center hosts Open House

June 11, 2009. Door prizes, sleep experts, refreshments, tours, and experts. >> photos

Respiratory Care Department cleans up Highway 71

May 27, 2009. Find out what our highway clean up crew found during this clean up. >> details

Willmar Ambulance hosts EMS Week Open House

May 20, 2009. The annual open house celebrates the men and women who are the first called to the scene of emergencies. >> photos

Cardiac Rehab celebrates American Heart Month and
20 years at Rice

Students from CMCS and the Willmar Art Club contributed artwork and valentines to the Cardiac Rehab Open House and Art Show. All proceeds benefited the Cardiac Care Fund at Rice Health Foundation. >> photos

Cardiac Rehab challenges you to Step Up Your Health

Rice Cardiac Rehab challenges you to increase your activity 10% every week. Follow one walker's blog, and take the Step Up challenge yourself. >> more

Saving Time & Saving Lives: 2008 Holiday Festival a Huge Success

November 15, 2008. With the help of many wondeful volunteers, Rice Health Foundation's 2008 Holiday Festival was a tremendous success.
>> more, plus event photos

Respiratory Care Department
Adopts-A-Highway

Have you ever noticed signs along different roads and highways stating that stretch of blacktop has been adopted by an individual, a family, or an organization? Did you wonder what it meant? Dean Boike, Respiratory Therapist at Rice, recently adopted one mile of Highway 71 on behalf of the Respiratory Care Department.
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In Loving Memory

October 15, 2008. The day turned out to be chilly and blustery, but that didn't deter the friends and family of Pam Brown. They gathered outside the Emergency Services Department to dedicate a bench in her memory and in celebration of her life. >> more

Every Quilt Tells a Story

This story is in tribute to Pamela Brown, who sadly lost her life to cancer on April 12, 2008. Read about the quilts she dreamed of for her foster children, and her co-workers and cousin who helped make them a reality. >> more

In Step with the Annual Cardiac Rehab Reunion Walk

October 7, 2008. The Annual Reunion Walk for Cardiovascular health and Rehabilitation, also known as Cardiac Rehab, was a health success. >> more

RRC Kids Win 3rd Place in Kiddie Parade!

June 26, 2008. The Rice Rehabilitation Center (RRC) staff have a lot to be proud of today. >> photos

Dr. Duevel's Amazing Amazon Adventure

June 16, 2008. When Dr. Kathryn Duevel volunteered for the Guyana Cervical Cancer Project, Rice Hospital's Laboratory Services, Minnesota Pathologists Chartered, and ACMC, donated staff time and materials to the project. To read about everyone's contribution toward bringing health care services to the women of Guyana, click here.

Congratulations to Mel Macik

June 13, 2008. Mel Macik of Lake Lillian was the winner of the Q102/Rice Memorial Hospital Sleep Study Contest. Thank you to all of the people who entered our Sleep Study Contest. One of the judges reported, "It was hard choosing just one winner, but Mel's entry touched us. We're looking forward to meeting with him and helping him through the sleep study process." To read about the Sleep Study Center at Rice Hospital, click here.

Willmar Ambulance EMS Week Open House

May 21, 2008. Willmar Ambulance held an Open House in honor of National Emergency Medical Services Week, which recognizes the lifesaving care EMS providers offer the public 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. >> photos

Rice Employee Award Winners Announced

May 12, 2008. Pam Brown, Emergency Services, posthumously received the First Place "My Nurse Made the Difference" Award on May 13, 2008. Sharing Second Place honors were Pam Mayer, ICCU, and Mary Schieck, Ambulatory Care. Thank you to the many patients and family members who nominated their nurses for this award.

First Place Award for Employees Exemplifying Excellence (EEE) went to Sherry Hagelstrom, Rice Rehabilitation Center. Second Place was awarded to Julie Boonstra, Emergency & Operative Services, and Third Place Honors went to Jan Nelson, Adult Health Care.
>> photos

Caught smiling on the job - coming soon!