Columbia Memorial Hospital | Health Compass | Fall 2021

CMH HEALTH COMPASS is published as a community service by COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, a Planetree Gold-Certified Person-Centered Care Facility. 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, OR 97103, telephone 503-325-4321, website: columbiamemorial.org For information about CMH HEALTH COMPASS: Nancee Long , Director of Communications Erik Thorsen Chief Executive Officer Nicole Williams Chief Operating Officer Zach Schmitt Chief Financial Officer Christopher Strear Chief Medical Officer Cover photo by Sarah Bello, CMH Marketing Information in CMH HEALTH COMPASS comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2021 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. This summer, CMH and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) marked the completion of a collaboration agreement set into motion in 2019. Effective July 1, 28 providers became CMH-OHSU Health employees, joining the OHSU Practice Plan and representing numerous specialties. With this relationship, patients can access services in their communities, contributing to improved health outcomes, and the next generation of rural health providers can train in a community hospital environment. From dream to reality Over 10 years ago, the CMH Board of Trustees decided to partner with a larger institution to expand specialty care to the North Coast. OHSU was the obvious choice since the vision and organizational values of the two organizations closely aligned. “The CMH Board wanted the leverage of a larger partner to help implement an aggressive growth strategy and assistance with the ever-changing health care reimbursement and regulatory environment,” says Erik Thorsen, CMH CEO. “The number-one priority for the CMH Board was the requirement that CMH remains an independent, community-based organization. OHSU has always been incredibly respectful of this desire.” Keeping care close to home This collaboration allows CMH to develop a clinical and strategic relationship while meeting patients’ needs. Keeping patients close to home whenever possible is a central goal of all OHSU Health affiliations. “We are honored to now count CMH physicians and advanced practice providers as our OHSU Health colleagues,” says John Hunter, MD, FACS, OHSU Health CEO. “Residents of the North Coast community rely on CMH for essential health care, and we look forward to working more closely to meet those needs.” To that end, OHSU and CMH have completed the following goals: James Heilman, MD, MBA, associate professor of Emergency Medicine and associate director of Strategic Outreach for OHSU, has served as a full voting member on the CMH Board since 2019. CMH recently hired Chris Strear, MD, as the chief medical officer and a key member of Executive Leadership. Both play essential liaison roles between CMH and OHSU. CMH-OHSU Health While providers are now structured under CMH-OHSU Health, they maintain their practices in Astoria, Warrenton or Seaside. Patients continue to receive excellent care from the providers they know and trust. With the agreement, providers have professional resources to support their care and can participate in new educational and training opportunities. The provider collaboration has already brought expanded services to the community. Robert McLafferty, MD, MBA, FACS, OHSU vascular surgeon, sees patients in the General Surgery Clinic and performs surgeries so they can remain here for care. Kenneth Kolbeck, MD, PhD, interventional radiologist, is now the CMH medical director of Imaging. Although he had been here in a part-time role since 2019, he is now full-time. Dr. Kolbeck’s specialty allows CMH to expand the types of procedures available in Astoria. Both CMH and OHSU will continue to collaborate on other areas of growth to benefit the community. CMH and OHSU announce new provider collaboration Jarrod Karnofski Vice President, Ancillary and Support Services Judy Geiger Vice President, Patient Care Services Christopher Laman, PharmD, MBA Vice President, Strategy Robert Holland, MD, PhD President, Board of Trustees Dr. Kolbeck’s specialty in interventional radiology allows CMH to expand the types of procedures available in Astoria. 2 HEALTH COMPASS FALL 2021