Rochelle Community Hospital

11/17/2025

🗣National Rural Health Day is this Thursday, and there is still time to help us celebrate!

We want to know how you would describe 'Rural Healthcare' to someone else (that has never had any previous knowledge or experience).

In many ways, rural healthcare often gets overlooked even though we are so essential to the communities we provide our services. We want to bring light and voices to all the ways rural healthcare is so important. Help us showcase how we lend to the vitality of our community, and the best health outcomes of our friends, family, and neighbors.

Email your responses to kheward@rcha.net and you’ll also be entered to win a free meal at our Cafe 900!
-Your response must contain at least one full sentence, but may be as long as you like, and may include personal stories, or even pictures.

We want to hear what you have to say, share the Power of Rural!

For more information on NRHD and how you can celebrate, visit powerofrural.org

11/17/2025

Ahead of the celebrations planned for National Rural Health Day this Thursday, the RCH Wellness Team spoke with Jeff Helfrich from the Rochelle news-Leader and Ogle County Life on the importance of highlighting rural health care and all that we do every day to serve our community.

National Rural Health Day is Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. Rochelle Community Hospital is the only facility of its kind in Ogle County and the only hospital in a 30-minute radius of Rochelle.

11/17/2025

We would like to give a special shout out to our Med/Surg team for achieving excellent scores for the Third Quarter Press Ganey Survey Results!

“According to our 3rd Quarter surveys that patients took after a stay on our Med/Surg unit we were in the 98th percentile for patients that would recommend our hospital and the 92nd percentile for the overall rating. These are both very good numbers but what I am most proud about is how high our nursing staff and providers were ranked by our patients. The providers and nursing staff were ranked in the 93rd and 94th percentile respectively for treating our patients with courtesy and respect, listening to our patients carefully and explaining in a way our patients can understand. The nurses overall were ranked in the 98th percentile for their attention to our patient’s needs, keeping them informed, explaining their plan of care and answering patient’s questions. This was further proven by comments written by several patients on the surveys about feeling like we truly cared for them, which we do! Our patients are not just numbers in beds, they are the amazing people of our community that we get to care for and hopefully make feel better during their stay with us. We have an amazing team on the Med/Surg unit, and the hospital in general, and these top patient satisfaction results are just one of the ways that our patients let us know that!”
-Crystal Vondergathen, Medical/Surgical Manager

Congrats team, and keep up the great work!

11/15/2025

As we enter the season where sickness becomes more frequent, but never at a good time, remember to keep it convenient for you.

RCH Convenient Care can treat patients of all ages for minor illnesses and injuries. Rochelle Community Hospital offers Convenient Care that works for you, when you need it.

Our hours are:
Monday-Friday:
11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Saturday:
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Click here to save your place in line: https://www.rochellehospital.com/locations/rch-convenient-care/

11/14/2025

Last Friday, RCH enjoyed some fall fun together at T-Byrd Lanes!

Our Wellness team hosted a Bowling Fall Fun Night and provided the pizza... the fun was brought it by all who joined.

Thank you to T-Byrd Lanes for being a great host again!

11/14/2025

Our Physical Therapy team now specializes in pregnancy and postpartum patients with therapies that reduce low back pain and support good posture to prevent chronic discomfort. This therapy also prepares expectant mothers for childbirth by teaching breathing techniques and reducing the risk of tearing.

After delivery, we provide comfort for effective postpartum rehabilitation. This includes help with diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse reduction, core strengthening, pelvic floor coordination, and postural support for breastfeeding. Patients also receive guidance for managing mastitis, relieving pain, regaining confidence, and safely returning to exercise.

Pelvic floor disorders are common, but you don’t have to live with the symptoms. Our team is comprised of rehab providers that will evaluate and treat pelvic conditions with a customized treatment plan.

Call 815-561-1140 to make an appointment.
Visit our website to learn more: https://www.rochellehospital.com/rehabilitation-therapy/

11/13/2025

Medicare beneficiaries, here is the 2025-26 Medicare list of State Health Insurance Assistance Program by county for trusted, unbiased, one-on-one counseling and assistance with open enrollment:

https://ilaging.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/aging/ship/documents/ship-site-list-by-county.pdf

Northwest Region 1 Lee County:
Lee County Council on Aging – (SHIP Counselors available Mo-Fri, 8:30 am-3:00pm Appointments Encouraged)
100 West Second Dixion, IL 61021 - (815) 288-9236
website: https://www.leecountycouncilaging.net

Northwest Region 1 Ogle County:
Mt. Morris Senior Center
9 East Front Street Mt. Morris, IL 61054 (815) 734-6335
website: www.thecentermtmorris.com

Rock River Senior Center
810 S. 10th Street Oregon, IL 61061 (815) 732-3252
website: https://www.rockrivercenter.com

Northwest Region 1 DeKalb County:
Elder Care Services –
DeKalb 1701 E. Lincoln Highway DeKalb, IL 60115 (815) 758-6550
website: ecsdekalb.org

11/11/2025

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you to all who served. RCH would like to recognize the Veteran employees we are honored to know.

11/10/2025

For all our Veterans; if you're free tomorrow, lunch is on us!

If you are a veteran, join RCH for a complimentary lunch in our Cafe 900 tomorrow, November 11th, 11:30 - 1:15 pm.

Just a small gesture for the great amount of gratitude we have for your service. We hope to see you there!

11/08/2025

Patients seeking safe, comfortable, convenient, quality infusion therapy can visit the Outpatient Infusion Room at Rochelle Community Hospital.

Getting medications or other treatments, such as blood through an IV or shots, no longer require a hospital stay. The Infusion Room allows patients to have their treatment and return home the same day. Patients are now able to receive their medications and treatments within minutes from their home. Less time spent on traveling means more time spent with loved ones.

Click here to learn more: https://www.rochellehospital.com/infusion-services/

11/07/2025

Learn more about the faces that help care for our community! This month's Employee Spotlight is Tracie Popp, RCH House Supervisor:

Tracie was born in Lindenwood and grew up in Chana, IL. Right out of high school, she worked in the manufacturing trade for a few years and through one of her boss’ wife who was a nurse, began the thought and discussions of becoming a nurse. She decided to get her CNA and started her first job on the Medical Oncology floor at SwedishAmerican and fell in love with the profession. So she continued on to become and RN and worked her way up to being House Supervisor and eventually Manager of their Emergency Department. Tracie then decided she would like to work closer to home, and she found a position with RCH 6 years ago, and she has now been a House Supervisor for 5. Tracie has since enjoyed the smaller-knit,
family-like environment, and the connection she feels when caring for people she’s connected to in our community.

As Tracie enjoys that connection to her care, she finds it easier, and even more fulfilling to go the extra mile to help patients. One instance that stands out to her is a time where a diabetic patient was struggling to afford the proper medication to care for their condition. Tracie took it upon herself to do extensive research to find medications that were more affordable for the patient, bringing relief to them in more ways than one.

When not at work, Tracie enjoys to just relax. A lot of this is because it’s not often Tracie is not working! She also teaches first year nursing students through Kishwaukee Hospital here at RCH one day a week. Tracie enjoys getting to be a part of student’s first experiences in nursing, at it was such an enjoyable time for her.

Tracie’s favorite holiday is Halloween because she loves to decorate and hand out candy. Her favorite meal is a garbage pizza, and if she could have any superpower, it would be to read people’s minds. Another fun fact about Tracie is that she played the Alto Saxophone when she was younger, and she was asked to play in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

RCH is lucky to have an employee that not only fully enjoys her occupation, but goes the extra mile and makes the time to make it a great experience for others!

11/07/2025

🗣National Rural Health Day is now just two weeks away, and RCH Wellness Team wants your help to celebrate:

We want to know how you would describe 'Rural Healthcare' to someone else (that has never had any previous knowledge or experience).

In many ways, rural healthcare often gets overlooked even though we are so essential to the communities we provide our services. We want to bring light and voices to all the ways rural healthcare is so important. Help us showcase how we lend to the vitality of our community, and the best health outcomes of our friends, family, and neighbors.

Email your responses to kheward@rcha.net and you’ll also be entered to win a free meal at our Cafe 900!
-Your response must contain at least one full sentence, but may be as long as you like, and may include personal stories, or even pictures.

We want to hear what you have to say, share the Power of Rural!

For more information on NRHD and how you can celebrate, visit powerofrural.org