EARLY SUMMER 2024 DEVOTED TO HEALTHFUL LIVING 6 Expansion of Swing Bed program offers patients flexibility 7 CMH gives back to donors Inside When to visit the Urgent Care or the Emergency Department this summer Emma Williams, PA-C, CMH Emergency provider, splints the arm of Wendy Hovden, NP-C, CMH Urgent Care provider, during a recent training session.
2 HEALTH COMPASS EARLY SUMMER 2024 Summertime care By Erik Thorsen, CEO The hustle and bustle of summer is here. It is the best time of year to take advantage of all the coast has to offer — from sunset strolling on the beach to climbing the tallest mountain in the Coast Range or biking along the pathways of Fort Stevens. Our beautiful setting draws thousands of visitors throughout the season. Even though we’re in a rural area, the good news is that you don’t have to go far for care when you need it. Columbia Memorial Hospital has three Urgent Care Clinics — in Seaside, Astoria and Warrenton — that are open seven days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. These walk-in clinics offer fast, excellent treatment without an appointment for minor injuries and illnesses. If you think you have a serious or life-threatening emergency, you should call 911 or visit the Emergency Department (ED). In collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University, the CMH ED is staffed by physicians who are board-certified in emergency medicine, and it is open 24/7. Our teams work together to offer comprehensive care, getting you back to the action as quickly and safely as possible. This summer, have fun and be safe — and don’t forget, we’re here when you need us. Plan extra time or save yourself a trip While expansion construction has not yet begun, site work and improvements will start this summer. If you have an appointment or need to come to our Astoria campus, we encourage you to plan ahead and give yourself extra time in case you encounter unexpected construction or utility work. Alternatively, you might be able to save yourself a trip to campus! In addition to Astoria locations, did you know we have: Walk-in, off-site lab locations at our Warrenton and Seaside Clinics CMH Urgent Care Clinics in Warrenton and Seaside Option to pay online (columbiamemorial.org/ billpay) Free local pharmacy delivery for prescriptions
COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG EARLY SUMMER 2024 3 U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici visits CMH In March, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici stopped by CMH and the BuildCMH Expansion Project headquarters during a visit to Astoria. While here, she spoke with the project team and toured through life-size cardboard mockups of rooms that will be included in the expansion. The congresswoman has helped CMH secure millions in federal grant funds, including the FEMA BRIC grant of $20 million, for the project. The BRIC grant will help achieve resiliency goals outlined in project plans, including construction of a deep pile foundation and a tsunami vertical evacuation structure able to accommodate 1,900 people, as well as the location of critical infrastructure, generators and a helipad on the roof. BE PART OF THE CAMPAIGN Want to learn more about BuildCMH and how you can be a part of it? Visit columbiamemorial.org/ buildcmh-campaign to find out!
4 HEALTH COMPASS EARLY SUMMER 2024 Ah, summertime. Along with the sunshine and blue skies come a myriad of opportunities to scrape your knee, inhale too much pollen or, heaven forbid, break something. Choosing immediate medical care When your child falls down the steps or the knife slips while you’re chopping vegetables or your chest suddenly hurts — what do you do? When you need immediate medical care, you must choose among the emergency room, urgent care or your primary care provider’s office. But when the unexpected happens, it can be hard to decide. Here’s how to make the call. Care when you need it Urgent care Urgent care clinics, sometimes called quick-care or walk-in clinics, aren’t a substitute for emergency care. Urgent care can be a good place to go when your regular provider’s office is closed — such as during nights, weekends or holidays. Head to a CMH Urgent Care in Seaside, Astoria or Warrenton with these and other minor issues when you can’t see your usual provider: • Minor cuts and burns • Sprains and strains • Rashes • Vomiting and diarrhea • Back pain • Urinary tract infections Remember, because it’s a walk-in clinic, the urgent care may not have your health information on file, so be sure to tell them about any medications you’re taking and if you have any allergies. Our three CMH Urgent Care locations are open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and closed on only Thanksgiving and Christmas. Emergency department (ED) Emergency departments, also known as emergency rooms, are part of hospitals. CMH’s Emergency Department is staffed with highly trained, boardcertified providers in collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University and offers the special equipment that emergencies require. The ED is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and it is required by law to treat anyone who comes in. Call 911 or head to the ED if you experience any of these emergencies: • Chest pain • Severe bleeding • Difficulty breathing • Facial drooping or weakness in a leg or arm • Head trauma • Sudden confusion • Severe abdominal pain • Cold and flu symptoms • Headaches • Upset stomach • Pink eye • Earaches
COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG LATE SPRING 2024 5 Convenient pharmacies If you are prescribed a new medication during your visit, CMH’s Outpatient Pharmacies offer a wide range of services to make your experience safer and more convenient. They offer free delivery to the local area and are open daily. ASTORIA: 2120 Exchange St., Ste. 101 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed 1 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch) 503-338-4560 SEASIDE: 1111 N. Roosevelt Dr., Ste. 210 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed 2 to 2:30 p.m. for lunch) 503-738-3006 Meet CMH’s new medical director of Urgent Care CMH welcomed Kathleen Myers, MD, as the medical director of CMH Urgent Care at the beginning of January. “Dr. Myers comes to us with a plethora of experience, as well as the drive and knowledge to improve an already amazing team,” says Nicole Blanton, Urgent Care manager. “I am excited to work with her on improving processes and workflows so we can better serve our community.” Dr. Myers was born and raised in Portland. She loves being able to provide in a community and care for everyone. She has not only done this in the medical field, but also in the tech world. Dr. Myers has been a part of three tech startups, with her most recent one involving AI technology to help automate medical notes for physicians. Her primary focus has always been on patient care and taking care of others. “In the first few weeks she was at CMH, we already made strides and rolled out workflow improvements that decrease needs for primary care physician appointments for some specialty referrals and decrease turnaround times for patients to be seen by those specialists,” Blanton says. High-quality, accessible health care Dr. Myers earned a medical degree and did an internship at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. She completed a residency at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. “The opportunity to spearhead a vital component of health care services is truly exciting,” Dr. Myers says. “My commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible health care aligns seamlessly with the values of CMH. I am eager to contribute my leadership skills and expertise to ensure the continued success and growth of the Urgent Care Department at CMH.” Dr. Myers is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. She is a Pacific Northwest finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. Primary care If the care you need is not an emergency and your doctor’s office is open, consider going to your primary care provider (PCP). There’s trust and a relationship between patient and doctor, even if you’ve only met a few times. Plus, they have your medical records on file and know your health history. If an appointment is available, a PCP can treat the same problems that an urgent care handles. Do you have a minor health issue that needs timely attention and your PCP isn’t available? Walk in to a CMH Urgent Care Clinic in Seaside, Astoria or Warrenton. If you think you are dealing with a medical emergency, call 911 or visit the ED.
6 HEALTH COMPASS EARLY SUMMER 2024 Not every patient is ready to go home from the hospital right away. CMH’s Medicare-certified Swing Bed program offers continued care to support patients with transitioning from a hospital stay to the next stage of their recovery. The program expanded in 2023 to be available to more patients than ever before. As a result, CMH’s number of Swing Bed patient days grew by 99%. While in the Swing Bed program, patients are encouraged to work toward independence. This may include: • Wearing their own clothes. • Increasing their ability to meet activities of daily living (showering or bathing, grooming, and toileting). • Eating meals out of bed. • Participating in daily activities. When the care plan allows it, patients may leave on day passes for home visits, outpatient medical appointments or other activities. ‘I felt encouraged’ Steve* is a former Swing Bed patient. He entered CMH’s program after a weeklong hospital stay. He was hospitalized after having multiple falls caused by undiagnosed diabetes. “The choice to move me (to Swing Bed) went very well,” Steve says. “I was able to do more than I was able to do during previous durations I had been at the hospital. I could do more in this room, and I did not need to have supervision like (my) other visits.” Steve stayed in the Swing Bed program for three days. The goal of the program is to prepare patients for meeting their care needs independently when they go home. Patients can expect less involvement from the nursing staff and a weekly visit from their doctor. “The nice thing about my experience was that the amount of interference or checking on me was reduced considerably — I’d say by about 50%,” Steve says. Steve’s nursing team still monitored him to help him get out of bed if he needed assistance. “The help I received via the doctor’s orders was very good,” Steve says. “The amount of time I had to be woken up to read vital signs was reduced, too, which was very nice.” Swing Bed patients’ care teams can assist them with personalizing their room and creating opportunities to take part in activities they enjoy, like crafting or playing games. Patients are also able to wear their own clothes and have visitors more frequently. “I felt encouraged. Being 89 years of age, being able to move and being able to move from a normal stay to the Swing Bed gave me mental encouragement that ‘I’m on my way to being released,’” Steve says. “There’s a lot more freedom in the program, which I greatly appreciated.” *Patient wished to remain anonymous, so their name was changed to protect their anonymity. Swing Bed care provides flexibility and freedom QUESTIONS ABOUT SWING BED? You can find answers and more information at columbiamemorial.org/swing-bed.
COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG EARLY SUMMER 2024 7 Lead gifts: • CareOregon—$2,000,000 • Shawn and Paula Teevin—$500,000 • Hampton Lumber Company—$250,000 • Linda Moreland—$250,000 • Jody Stahancyk and John Crawford—$250,000 • Pierre Sundborg—$250,000 • Englund Marine & Industrial Supply—$100,000 • The Nygaard Family—$100,000 • Constance Waisanen—$100,000 Major gifts: • The Samuel S. Johnson Foundation—$68,000 • Mike and Laura Watts-Brosius—$50,000 • Ocean Crest Chevrolet GMC—$40,000 • Willis and Jan Van Dusen—$35,000 • Jordan Poyer and the Jordan Poyer Foundation—$34,000 • Ron and Kim Williams—$31,500 • Mike and Laura Sarin—$29,900 • Umpqua Bank—$27,000 • Kurt and Candy Birdeno—$25,000 • Blair Henningsgaard and Paula Brownhill—$25,000 • Holly McHone—$25,000 • Erik and Mary Thorsen—$25,000 • Nicole and Ty Williams—$25,000 Thank you to our generous donors A gift of local art for BuildCMH donors The CMH Foundation is already more than halfway to its goal of raising $10 million for the BuildCMH Expansion Project. The project will increase the square footage of the hospital from around 56,000 square feet to 182,000 and will expand hospital service lines, attract new health care providers and provide the latest technology to address community health needs. It will also have a resilient structure to serve as a safe harbor for the community in case of a natural disaster. In May, the community raised $334,000 at the Diamond Derby fundraiser. At the event, local artist Richard Rowland presented handmade anagama (wood-fired) pots as gifts from CMH to major campaign donors. Help from many hands Rowland has been involved with CMH for more than a decade. He and Randy McClelland, BuildCMH project director, began a project in 2011 to create clay mugs given to patients of the CMH‑OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative when they finish a round of treatment. This project, which has now touched the lives of more than 2,000 patients in our community, led to further integration of art in the healing environment at CMH. Many of the signature art pieces at CMH, such as the Planetree mural outside the Cancer Collaborative, the sculpture in the middle of the hospital labyrinth and the Planetree maquette in the Seaside Clinic, were created by Rowland. These pieces were thoughtfully created for the health care environments where they are displayed. Artwork such as Rowland’s is purchased and displayed as part of CMH’s respect for an artist’s work and the role it can play in healing. Rowland’s work is not just about art, it’s about community. He often includes 30 or more people to help fire the clay pieces in Ahikaaroa, the kiln on his wooded property. His art becomes a collective effort, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. “I can definitely tell you why I do these. It’s because I’ve been given the responsibility by my family and my culture to work for the community,” Rowland explains. He has always wanted to give back to his community, hoping his art might help in healing. This commitment and dedication has inspired others to make a difference and shows the community is united by their humanity. Along with the handmade pottery, major donors will also be recognized in the expanded hospital facility. Donors who pledge at least $10,000 over the life of the campaign will have their names added to the donor wall in the main lobby. Those who pledge $25,000 or more qualify for a naming opportunity. INSPIRED TO GIVE? Join the capital campaign to leave a legacy for future generations on the north coast of Oregon and the southwest coast of Washington. Contact Mark Kujala, executive director of the CMH Foundation, at mkujala@columbiamemorial.org or 503-338-7505.
COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 2111 Exchange St. Astoria, OR 97103 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Salem, OR Permit No. 86 Find us on social media! @cmhcommunity @cmhcommunity linkedin.com/company/ columbia-memorial-hospital @cmhcommunity Cover photo by Austin Miller, CMH videographer and graphic designer. 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, Marketing Manager Robert Holland, MD, PhD President, Board of Trustees Erik Thorsen, MBA, CPA, FACHE Chief Executive Officer Nicole Williams, MPA, FACHE Chief Operating Officer Christopher Strear, MD, FACEP 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. 2024 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Jarrod Karnofski, DPT, ATC, MSHCA Vice President, Ancillary and Support Services Judy Geiger, RN, MBA Vice President, Patient Care Services Christopher Laman, PharmD, MBA Vice President, Strategy Brandon Parker, MBA, CPA Vice President, Finance Nicole Perez, BSHA, MSITM Vice President, Health Information Services Meet a CMH provider Valarie Mill, DNP, is a primary care provider at CMH-OHSU Health Primary Care Clinic – Warrenton, located in the Highlands Business Park. Q Why do you enjoy working at CMH? “I enjoy working at CMH because I feel that CMH encompasses and embraces the vital role it plays in community health. I feel CMH aligns with my values of patient-centered health care and strives to connect patients and families with compassionate caregivers who love what they do!” QWhat do you do to connect with your patients? “I try to address the entirety of someone’s health, including aspects of mental, social, physical, emotional and spiritual health. Primary care providers are in a unique spot to learn more about what empowers and impacts their patients’ health on a personal level. I want my patients to feel like I am their biggest advocate to help them achieve their health goals.” QWhat is the best part about your job? “The best part of my job is getting to know my patients and then seeing how the collaboration and work we both put into their health has improved their lives. I love the positive health changes I can witness by being a part of their lives.” NEED A CHECKUP? To make an appointment with Valarie Mill, DNP, call 503-338-4500.
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