CMH earns Planetree gold recertification By Erik Thorsen, CEO I am pleased to announce that after an extensive application review and site visit in January, Planetree has recertified Columbia Memorial Hospital as a gold-level organization. The gold certification is the highest level of achievement and recognizes CMH’s commitment to excellence in evidence-based, person-centered care. There are 174 international organizations that have achieved Planetree certification. CMH is one of 96 to achieve gold status and the only Oregon facility to earn the accolade. This year, we received the best results in all our years working with the organization. This validates for us that we are truly living the Planetree mission. Person-centered health care prioritizes the active participation of patients and their families throughout the health care process, with an emphasis on partnership, compassion, transparency, inclusion and quality. Achieving Planetree gold certification is a team effort. We are thankful for all who took part in this year’s Planetree recertification process — especially Kristen Moss, Patient Experience Manager, and her team, who facilitated the site visit and completed the application. In this issue of the Health Compass, read more about Planetree and what it means to have a culture of person-centered care at CMH. Sadly, therapy dog Gus passed away in March. Pet therapy program returns A wagging tail and a furry face are a welcome sight at CMH these days. We’re thrilled that our pet therapy program has returned after a twoyear hiatus due to COVID-19. “We are very excited to be scheduling pet therapy teams again and are currently recruiting new teams to go through the certification and onboarding process,” says Laurie Olds, volunteer coordinator. Volunteers and pets in the pet therapy program visit the hospital to greet caregivers and patients. The pets and handlers are certified and registered through the Pet Partners Program, a national leader in demonstrating and promoting the health and wellness benefits of animal-assisted therapy, activities and education. Pets and handlers prepare for certification by going through a series of classes led by a local trainer. The training fees are covered by CMH if the team onboards as volunteers at the hospital. During the classes, teams learn to complete tasks such as walking past treats or toys without getting distracted. Pets must learn to stay calm in a busy hospital environment. A Leonberger dog, Gus, and his handler, Christina, were the first pet therapy team back at CMH. The pair would walk throughout the hospital, visiting different departments and patients. Sadly, Gus passed away March 15, 2023, from cancer, but not before visiting patients and caregivers at CMH one last time. He is greatly missed. Another pet therapy team is currently working through the certification process. Pet Partners certifies many types of animals. CMH is open to onboarding diverse volunteer teams that have been approved for the program. Give back Are you looking for a way to make a difference in your community? If you are interested in joining our pet therapy teams, contact Laurie Olds at lolds@columbiamemorial.org. A Pet Partner Evaluation Event will be held May 20 at CMH to get new teams certified. If you’d like to volunteer in another way, our CMH Auxiliary Gift Shop is needing volunteers who can work afternoons. Email Laurie Olds with questions or visit columbiamemorial.org/volunteer to learn more and apply. 2 HEALTH COMPASS LATE SPRING 2023
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