When Chelsea and Takota Thiem chose their provider to deliver their children into this world, they didn’t have to look far. Their daughter, Rowan, age four, and son, Remsen, age two, were delivered at Crete Area Medical Center (CAMC) by Dr. Jason Hesser. The personal connection and family feel at CAMC, along with the convenience of receiving care right here in Crete, were all factors in their decision. “We were extremely confident in our decision to deliver in Crete versus elsewhere because we had a personal relationship with our provider, Dr. Jason Hesser. We knew that he would take the time and make us feel completely comfortable throughout the entire process,” said Takota.
As teachers, convenience is a huge factor in prenatal care because bringing a child into this world means many appointments and checkups. The flexibility and proximity of scheduling made the experience much less stressful. “Location was a huge factor in our decision. We wouldn’t have made it anywhere else with our second-born, Remsen, because he came so fast. Dr. Hesser was at the hospital in a matter of minutes once he was called. We are so appreciative of his dedication to us as patients,” said Chelsea, “For Rowan, our firstborn, he came back from meetings specifically to deliver her. He put me first as a patient, which is something I don’t think other facilities can boast.”
The Thiems felt very supported throughout their experience, especially during the physical delivery of their children; everyone in the room had plenty of experience and provided Chelsea with one-on-once care during labor. “I knew that I was in great hands, no matter who was in the room. At a bigger facility, the doctor delivering your child might be someone completely different than who you’ve had all of your prenatal care visits with. Still, at CAMC, your provider will make the extra effort to be the one in the room because they don’t just care about you as a patient, they care about you as a person and treat you like family,” shared Chelsea, “We actually chose not to go see a formal pediatrician because we knew that we would receive the same level of care at CAMC. The doctor that delivered our children would be able to offer them continuity of care, ranging from before they were born through every milestone to date.”
Even though CAMC is a critical access facility, the Theims felt that a smaller facility is better because the provider team is so knowledgeable and nothing is lacking in terms of services. “The attention you are given as a patient is amazing. I felt like everything was taken care of, and what is normally a stressful situation, I could relax because I knew I was in great hands with all of the staff. I was able to meet one-on-one with a lactation specialist in the room and felt completely comfortable throughout my entire experience,” stated Chelsea.
“CAMC has such a family feel about it, everyone works together all of the time, and that really puts you at ease as a patient because you know that the staff has the familiarity with each other and with you. We highly recommend CAMC and strongly believe that if you are having a baby, this is the best place you can go. They care about you because they are a part of your community. You aren’t just another person walking through the doors; you are a friend, or even literally family,” said the Thiems.
