DEVOTED TO HEALTHFUL LIVING COMPASS Our vision for the BuildCMH expansion FALL 2025
2 HEALTH COMPASS Fall 2025 Expanding to serve generations Jimmy Heilman, MD, Chief Medical Officer I was thrilled to join the executive team at Columbia Memorial Hospital in May. In 2019, I started working with CMH when I joined the Board of Trustees as the OHSU representative. In that role, I was impressed by the commitment of all levels of the organization to serving local communities. The continuous drive to provide the highest-quality care and the most services possible to improve the health and well-being of those in our region is something that makes this organization outstanding. When the community-led Board made the decision to move forward with the BuildCMH Expansion Project, it was a defining moment. Now, I’m proud to share the vision behind the expansion. Building on a cornerstone of care For decades, CMH has been a cornerstone of care in Clatsop County. Over the past 15 years, we’ve grown our services immensely, adding clinical specialties that are not usually found in rural areas. Our 48-year-old facility has not kept pace with the community’s growing needs. CEO Erik Thorsen said it best in a previous issue of the Health Compass — “We are simply out of room.” That’s why we are investing in a historic expansion for the region. Knowing that the model of care has largely shifted to an outpatient focus, we will triple the hospital’s footprint while remaining a 25-bed hospital. The expansion will include private, inpatient rooms with beautiful views, expand capabilities in the Emergency Department and in Surgical and Imaging Services, and add spaces to support both patients and caregivers. With increased amenities and a resilient infrastructure designed to withstand natural disasters, CMH will be better equipped to serve Astoria for generations to come. Pediatric surgeries expanding at CMH CMH began offering expanded pediatric surgeries on-site in Astoria this September, enhancing its care for the community. The first pediatric surgical case, a removal of the adenoids and tonsils, took place on Sept. 3 with board-certified otolaryngologist Justin Holt, MD. Dr. Holt joined CMH in May 2025 to start the CMH-OHSU Health Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic. Expanded pediatric surgical offerings are focused on ENT (ear, nose and throat) and urology procedures. The hospital continues to provide other pediatric surgeries performed historically. A furry friend and a fun ride Beverly Selga, director of Surgical Services, emphasizes the commitment to patient Learn more about our services Urology: columbiamemorial.org/urology ENT: columbiamemorial.org/ENT
COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG Fall 2025 3 We’re proud to offer a safe and high-quality option for pediatric surgical care, right here in Clatsop County.” — Jennifer Peach-Guzman, vice president of patient care services care. “While surgery can feel intimidating, our compassionate surgical team helps ease the experience by offering clear explanations, practical advice and language tailored for children,” Selga explains. “Young patients are also welcomed with a cuddly companion — Ollie the Otter — to comfort them during their stay at CMH. For an added touch of fun, they may even get to cruise to the operating room in a pint-sized Volkswagen bug. “Our experienced surgery team is available to answer any questions, giving parents the confidence they need before, during and after their child’s surgery.” Pediatric procedures available now include: ● Adenoid and tonsil removal ● Ear tube placement or removal ● Foreign body removal from the nose and ears ● Circumcision ● Circumcision revision ● Removal of fluid from the scrotum ● Orchiopexy for undescended testes Jennifer Peach-Guzman, vice president of patient care services, highlights the importance of keeping care close to home. “Choosing a health care provider for your child is an important decision,” says Jennifer Peach-Guzman, vice president of patient care services. “This new addition to our services means our smallest patients may not have to experience a long and uncomfortable car trip on top of surgery. “We’re proud to offer a safe and high-quality option for pediatric surgical care, right here in Clatsop County.”
4 HEALTH COMPASS Fall 2025 Growing from 55,000 to 182,000 square feet means CMH will have a whole lot more to offer If you have been a patient at CMH, you may have noticed a few things: ● The Emergency Department is compact, and its nine rooms are often full. ● Surgical patients or patients from the Emergency Department who need imaging are wheeled down public hallways, in full view of other hospital visitors. ● Family waiting areas, the chapel and cafeteria are small and do not always have room for everyone who wants to use them. Patient rooms are also modest, and some have shared bathrooms. ● Location-wise, the hospital is close to the Columbia River and in a tsunami zone. A tsunami may result from a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. ● CMH is busy and offers quite a number of services in a limited space — but we have run out of room to grow in the facility we have now. What is included in the expansion? We get a lot of questions from community members about what the BuildCMH Expansion Project is bringing to Astoria. CMH will remain a 25-bed hospital, so many inquiries have centered on what changes will be made when the hospital more than triples in size. Here’s what you can expect. Emergency Department The current Emergency Department (ED) includes eight patient rooms and one triage room, with a total of 4,500 square feet. The new ED will have up to 24 treatment areas over 14,600 square feet. Surgical services Right now, our surgical services team works out of three operating rooms and one procedure room and has seven recovery rooms for patients. Those make up a total of 11,600 square feet. The new hospital will have up to five operating rooms, two procedure rooms, one dedicated interventional radiology suite and a whopping 19 recovery rooms — equaling nearly 28,000 square feet. We will more than double the space available for surgical procedures and recovery. Imaging Our Imaging Department currently includes MRI, CT, x-ray and ultrasound capabilities in 5,800 square feet. We are doubling that space to 11,938 square feet in the expansion, with a dedicated CT scanner in the ED, more mammography and ultrasound devices, and a room for imaging procedures, as well as an interventional radiology suite. Patient experience The chapel, family waiting areas and cafeteria take up just 3,750 square feet now. In the expansion, there will be four times that space (16,500 square feet) made up of a larger chapel and café, private corridors to give patients dignity, and outdoor terraces and waiting areas. Inpatient rooms Inpatient room sizes will drastically increase. All rooms will house only one patient. They will be located on What the BuildCMH expansion
COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG Fall 2025 5 the third floor and offer views of the Columbia River or green spaces outside. Every room will also have a private bathroom and shower. An observation unit, including four rooms (in addition to the hospital’s 25 inpatient rooms), will increase access for same-day surgery patients and those who will be in the hospital for less than 48 hours. These rooms will free up other inpatient rooms for patients requiring longer stays. Caregiver amenities Over the past few decades, caregiver spaces were reduced to make room for more patient services. In the expanded hospital, nearly 6,000 square feet will be dedicated for caregiver use only. There will be private lounges, locker rooms and lactation rooms, with a respite area included on every floor. Caregivers may also access outdoor terraces that are exclusively for their use. Built-in resiliency measures Because the hospital is located in a tsunami inundation zone, the expansion is being constructed with resiliency in mind. A deep pile foundation and steel structure will anchor the building to the ground, and the third and fourth floors will be able to accommodate up to 1,900 people as a refuge in case of a natural disaster. In addition, critical infrastructure, generators and the helipad will be located on the roof, away from any potential hazards near the ground. This will allow the hospital to continue to function even in an emergency. Additional features In addition to the features mentioned in the article, we also have plans for: ● Additional telemedicine services with OHSU ● Expanded lab draw services ● Improved parking ● Increased access to advanced imaging with new CT and MRI machines ● Increased mammography services ● Inpatient dialysis ● New obstetric suites, with private labor tubs in each room ● Robotic surgery ● Enhanced security is bringing to Astoria
6 HEALTH COMPASS Fall 2025 Why we’re choosing quality over quantity CMH will remain a 25-bed hospital with the expansion From our previous Board President, Robert Holland, MD, PhD The announcement of a major remodel of CMH has generated considerable local interest. The effort will be one of the largest single construction projects for Clatsop County and will propel CMH into being one of the most modern small hospitals in the country. Many questions have been received as to why the Board of Trustees decided to retain the 25 inpatient bed size, rather than increasing that number. With the cost of hospital construction now exceeding $1,000 per square foot, every inch of space must be scrutinized. A shift to outpatient care As a clinician with nearly 40 years of experience, I have witnessed a revolution in how medicine has developed and seen a giant shift away from inpatient care to extensive application of outpatient treatment and surgeries. When I trained, patients undergoing gallbladder surgery or a hysterectomy could anticipate spending three to five days in the hospital recovering. Now, with robotic-assisted surgery and other advancements, patients having gallbladder removal, hysterectomies, knee and hip replacements, and many other procedures go home the same day and recover more quickly. Change in surgery procedures alone removes much of the need for inpatient beds. Powerful antibiotics that can be administered to outpatients, infusion centers, endoscopy clinics and increased office procedures have irreversibly changed the needs for inpatient admission. Patients are now admitted only with more serious conditions that are not yet amenable to outpatient therapy. Medicare requirements CMH is considered a Critical Access Hospital by Medicare, a designation that provides costbased reimbursement and allows smaller hospitals in rural areas to afford providing lower-volume care in essential geographic areas. Requirements for this designation include limiting bed count. A practical, creative solution With this background, the Board employed due diligence to evaluate countywide demographic and market share for inpatient bed needs. We took into account that the current average daily inpatient census is 12 patients and the average length of stay is three days. We found that between CMH and the capacity of Providence Seaside Hospital, the county would have access to 50 beds. Rather than increase the number of beds, the Board decided to add four dedicated observation beds, which allow stays of up to 48 hours; add more Emergency Department and outpatient surgery pre- and post-operative rooms; and expand our telemedicine and virtual care options. With these plans, CMH can modernize and serve community needs without necessitating any change in Medicare designation. We can add high-tech, stateof-the-art medicine in a Planetree atmosphere within appropriate fiscal limits. I have witnessed a revolution in how medicine has developed and seen a giant shift away from inpatient care to extensive application of outpatient treatment and surgeries.” — Robert Holland, MD, PhD
COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG Fall 2025 7 COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION CMH Classic raises nearly $40K for expansion Rain check? Not for the crew participating in the inaugural CMH Classic golf tournament! The weather may not have been on par, but their spirit sure was. Teams braved the rain, kept the energy high and helped us drive the BuildCMH Expansion Project forward. Together, participants raised $39,000 for the future of health care in our community. Not your average scramble Taking place on the 133rd anniversary of the Gearhart Golf Links, this year’s tournament was anything but ordinary. Players faced fun challenges like teeing off of a BuildCMH silicone shot glass and spinning a wheel that determined which golf club they had to use at that hole. The tournament reflected the community, teamwork and vision it has taken to bring the BuildCMH Expansion Project to life. Seeing local leaders rally together to raise these funds was inspirational and energizing. Presenting our 2025 winners As if the rain wasn’t enough excitement, the tournament resulted in a three-way tie for first place. Our finalists competed in a shuffleboard showdown for the grand prize. Congrats to BuildCMH Project Director Molly Wing and team members Greg Gentry, Shawn Aubrey and Sam Reid on their win! Thank you, sponsors and supporters We are grateful to the sponsors and supporters of the golf tournament, including headliner sponsors Englund Marine and Avamere at Seaside, in addition to Stahancyk House, Center Pointe Design, Pacifick Distillery, Sundial Tours, Supple Rockers, and Jason Bangild and Casey Poore of Gearhart Golf Links. Here’s to less rain next August! Contribute to a healthy future Visit our Foundation page at columbiamemorial.org/ giving to see how you can help us continue to provide excellent health care for our community. The winning team!
The CMH-OHSU Health Endocrinology Clinic is taking new patients! Call 503-338-4531 to make an appointment. COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 2111 Exchange St. Astoria, OR 97103 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Salem, OR Permit No. 86 Meet a CMH provider Rolf Sohlberg, MD Dr. Sohlberg is an orthopedic hand surgeon at the CMH-OHSU Health Orthopedic Clinic in Astoria. QWhy did you choose your medical specialty? “I was initially attracted to orthopedic surgery because the surgeons I shadowed as a student were happy and loved their work. In most cases, the problems you encounter have a solution, and there is an endless variety of conditions to treat, so there is always a new challenge. After 27 years in private practice, I still love going to work.” QWhat do you enjoy most about your job? “I really enjoy working with a team to give excellent care to our patients. The relationships — with staff, colleagues and patients — are the favorite part of my job.” QWhat is the most challenging aspect of working in your field? “Every patient and every problem is unique. Every fracture has a unique configuration, and every patient reacts differently to treatment. It’s a constant learning process and requires creative thinking and planning for an optimal outcome.” QWhat does person-centered care mean to you? “I always strive to get to know something about my patients before we formulate a treatment plan. People are scared when they come to the doctor, and we as physicians need to show empathy and caring, first and foremost, so trust can flourish.” Cover image is a rendering of the hospital following the BuildCMH Expansion Project. 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: Sarah Bello, MBA, Director of Communications CAPT. Doug Kaup President, Board of Trustees Erik Thorsen, MBA, CPA, FACHE Chief Executive Officer Nicole Williams, MPA, FACHE Chief Operating Officer/ Assistant CEO Jimmy Heilman, MD, MBA Chief Medical Officer 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. 2025 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Brandon Parker, MBA, CPA Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Peach-Guzman, RN, BSN, MBA Vice President, Patient Care Services Jarrod Karnofski, DPT, ATC, MSHCA Vice President, Ancillary and Support Services Christopher Laman, PharmD, MBA Vice President, Strategy Nicole Perez, BSHA, MSITM Vice President, Health Information Services Injury or joint pain slowing you down? Make an appointment with the CMH-OHSU Health Orthopedic Clinic by calling 503-338-4075.
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