Biz Buzz Monday: MercyOne workers provide care at Field of Dreams

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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-states. In addition to this update from Dyersville, Iowa, we will feature developments from Dubuque businesses in Tuesday’s edition.

On Aug. 12, all eyes in Dyersville were fixed on the Yankees and White Sox as they squared off at the Field of Dreams.

Behind the scenes, staffers from MercyOne were on site and making sure that fans and workers alike received the medical care that they needed.

The health care organization had a presence at the Field of Dreams campus from Aug. 5 to 14, according to emergency department clinical leader Katie Harris.

She said she was the lone MercyOne representative on site for the majority of those dates. However, she was joined by about 30 other staffers on the day of the big game.

MercyOne provided ambulance personnel, a helicopter flight crew, emergency room physicians, emergency room nurses, paramedics and EMTs on Aug. 12, when more than 7,800 fans convened at the Field of Dreams. The majority of staffers came from MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center, but the crew was rounded out by a small contingent of MercyOne workers from Elkader, Mason City and Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Harris said workers treated patients for a variety of issues. Many fans were treated for ankle injuries, which in some cases were caused by the terrain between the parking area and the stadium. Others had to be treated for shortness of breath or chest pain, Harris noted.

The majority of the medical concerns were directly tied to the hot weather, according to Harris. The temperature climbed into the mid-80s by the middle of the afternoon.

“It was a long walk from the parking lot to the movie site, and then to the MLB field. Plus, there wasn’t a lot of shade,” Harris noted. “With all the walking and all that heat, we saw some heat-related illnesses and dehydration.”

Harris said more than 100 people were treated at the cooling tent on the day of the game. Within the tent, personnel helped people cool down and stay hydrated.

Four people had to be transported to local hospitals for medical care.

In addition to caring for fans, MercyOne crews assisted those who were working on the site. They were even prepared to offer medical assistance to White Sox and Yankees players if needed.

Like many who attended the game, Harris said the Field of Dreams experience is one she won’t forget any time soon.

“In the days leading up to the event, you could see the way it came together and started to grow,” she said. “There were people working hard from sunup to sundown to make it happen. We were just as excited as the fans were. It was a great environment to be involved in.”