HEALTH Wellness AND
STAR VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
AN ANNUAL JOURNAL DEDICATED TO YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING
SECOND EDITION, May 28, 2009
Capturing images of Health Care
“Big City” equipment and a knowledgable staff in a small rural community. Page 3
Cell Saver and Infusion Room
Two new services available at the medical center are a Blood Recovery System that takes, cleans and resupplies blood to patients and an Infusion Room that helps bring treatments closer to home with great comfort. Pages 4 & 5
Alpine Family Medical Clinic
The last year has brought a number of changes to the clinic, including the return of Dr. Kirk, the arrival of Ruthanne Taylor C-FNP and limited pharmaceutical service. Page 10
Star Valley Health Fair ‘09
Star Valley Medical Center hosts and/or sponsors a number of events and educational seminars each year that are designed to improve the health of residents in Star Valley. “It is a great way for us to give back to our community and a great way for our community to meet the members of SVMC.” Page 12
Medical Center to expand facility in 2009 By Sarah Hale Several months ago a Master Facility Plan was developed at Star Valley Medical Center. The plan included a wish list that included nearly $12 million in renovations and additions to the existing facility. “The Master Facility Plan was basically our wish list,” said Steve Perry, hospital CEO. “We have scaled that project back so that now it is about $3 million.” In late 2008 the state health department sent word that the plans for the expansion project had been approved. “What this means is we have the go ahead to begin construction,” said Perry. “We still have to hire engineers to monitor the project and then the state will come back at the end and give approval, but the architects are now working on detail drawings of the expansion.” The expansion project went to bid in the spring of 2009 and now actual construction is underway. The estimated time of completion for the project is under 12 months. The expansion will include adding to five different areas of the Medical Center. “We are going to add space for education and conferences,” said Perry. “Right now we just have no place for an all staff meeting or to hold any sort of conference training. We just need more room.” The kitchen and dietary area of the hospital will also be expanded. “When we built the hospital facility, we built it with the idea that we would expand it as needed,” said Perry. “Our dietary staff does an excellent job, but they are literally walk-
ing on top of each other to meet the dietary needs of the Medical Center and Care Center.” Six patient rooms will also be added to the hospital. According to Perry, four of the six additional rooms will actually be used for patients. One will serve as storage space. One will be used as an in-patient physical therapy room. All of the rooms will be built so that they can be easily transformed into patient rooms when that time arrives. “It is cheaper to build them as patient rooms and then use them for something else until they are needed as patient rooms then to add them later,” said Perry. The Laboratory Department will be expanded by 25 to 30 percent with the project. “We are looking continually to bring more lab procedures in house,” said Perry. “This year we are set up so that we can do all of the health fair
results here rather than send them to an outside company. To do this, we added more equipment. To add more equipment, we need more space.” The Radiology Department will also be expanded as part of the project. “We currently offer mobile MRI and nuclear medicine but we would like to bring those services in house,” said Perry. “But if we do that, we need a place to put them. If you are going to have orthopedics and neurosurgery, then you need to have these services in place and available.” The hospital is also looking to purchase a DexaScan machine, which is used in cases of osteoporosis. The planned project is the first phase of the Master Facility Plan. Perry said that the plan is in place so that the medical center has something to work toward. However, he does not anticipate that phase two of the plan will begin for several years.
STAR VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER • STAR VALLEY CARE CENTER • STAR VALLEY FAMILY PHYSICIANS • ALPINE FAMILY MEDICAL CLINIC
TABLE
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of Content Radiology: From nuclear medicine and mamography to more traditional film x-rays, the Radiology Department has a proven record of being “a center of excellence”. page 3
Blood Recovery System: Known as the cell saver, this system takes, cleans and resupplies blood to patients during surgical or treatment procedures. page 4 Infusion Center: Even though the hospital has been providing chemotherapy services for over 10 years, the Infusion Clinic makes treatments a little more comfortable for patients. page 5 Enhance the “scope” of patient care: A state-of-the-art scope at Star Valley Medical Center that can be used for many different procedures is a welcome addition to the overall health care in Star Valley. pages 6&7 Neighbors caring for Neighbors: Star Valley Medical Center staff directory. pages 8&9 Alpine Family Medical Clinic: Last year brought a number of changes to the clinic, including the return of Dr. Kirk, the arrival of Ruthanne Taylor, C-FNP and the addition of limited pharmaceutical services. page 10 SVMC EMS: Star Valley Medical Center teamed up with Star Valley EMS last year. The merge took place in order for the medical center to assist the EMT group while broadening the scope of services available trough SVMC. page 11 Education & Human Resources: Finding ways to give back to the community through educational seminars/classes; and it’s all about the people for human resources. pages 12&13 SVMC Foundation: The foundation is a non-profit sector of the Medical Center whose purpose is to further the mission of the hospital, which is to provide excellent, compassionate health care services. page 14 SVMC Auxiliary: In 2008 the auxiliary logged over 5,200 volunteer hours. A service valued well over $100,000 for the medical center. page 16
A message from Star Valley Medical Center By Steve Perry CEO/President
I
f the past is any indicator of the future, then the future of Star Valley Medical Center (SVMC) looks extremely positive. SVMC is constructing an expansion and renovation project to its facility beginning this spring. The project consists of an expanded area dietary with added conference and Steve Perry meeting room President, CEO space; expanded radiology space to accommodate an in-house MRI, in-house nuclear medicine service and a dexascan machine; six additional inpatient rooms; an expansion to the
laboratory department; and a maintenance shop for workspace and storage. The project will begin mid-May and should be completed by the end of 2009. Star Valley Medical Center has had several physician additions this past year. • Dr. Roger Brecheen, OB/GYN, has been providing services at SVMC for over 16 years and just recently has closed his Jackson office to practice at SVMC on an increased basis. • SVMC has added two new Emergency Physicians, Dr. Jeff Rosenberg and Dr. Lance Peterson within the past 18 months. • SVMC has hired Ruthanne Taylor, DNP, C-FNP as the provider for the Alpine Family Medical Clinic. • Dr. Donald J. Kirk is now seeing patients at the Alpine Family Medical Clinic each Wednesday. • Also, we have hired Dr. Ross Pieper, family physician, that will begin practicing at SVMC in June, 2010. Star Valley is fortunate to have these providers, along with the other
providers that have been practicing at SVMC to care for our needs. We have the greatest staff at SVMC an organization could ever wish to have. I have been at the Medical Center for almost 10 years and believe that this is the best group of caregivers that could be assembled. We constantly receive excellent comments from patients in the form of personal letters and comments from surveys. Also, we participate in a patient satisfaction survey program that compares SVMC with hundreds of other hospitals throughout the country. The survey scores we receive most often far exceed the peer groups we compare ourselves to. The first quarter of 2009 puts us on top of all national and regional comparable hospitals by quite a far margin. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank the community for their support of Star Valley Medical Center. We look forward to continue offering outstanding customer service in addition to new health care services in the future.
Patient satisfaction scores are off the charts Star Valley Medical Center customer satisfaction scores are computed by a company named Press Ganey. Random surveys are sent out to customers who use the services of SVMC and the customers are asked to rate their level of service. Currently three departments are surveyed: Emergency Department, Inpatient and Ambulatory Surgery. This coming year the Medical Center will also begin surveying the Physician’s Clinic. “Quarter one of 2009 proves that we are beginning the year off on the right foot,” said Tanya Merritt, Marketing and Foundation director for the Medical Center. “We surpassed all peer comparison groups in all three categories, some by a dramatic margin as the graphs illustrate.” The Emergency Department survey results consisted of 55 SVMC customers who returned a questionnaire between Jan. 1, 2009 and March 31, 2009. Wait time, comfort of the waiting area and nurse’s attention ranked as the highest scoring questions. The Inpatient survey results consisted of 41 SVMC customers who returned a questionnaire between Jan. 1, 2009 and March 31, 2009. Response time of nurses, waiting time for tests and treatments and speed of admission and discharge process ranked as the highest scoring questions. The Ambulatory Surgery survey results consisted of 38 SVMC customers who returned a questionnaire between Jan. 1, 2009 and March 31, 2009. Information given before the procedure, concern for privacy and degree of pain control ranked as the highest scoring questions. “We will continue to update the community throughout the year, each quarter, when the survey results come in,” said Merritt. “It’s exciting to have such a high performing hospital in our community.” Fun Stat about SVMC National average wait time for ER patients has grown over the past decade from a national average of about 38 minutes to over an hour to see an ER physician according to the
Star Valley Medical Center has consistently maintained an average 14 minute wait time to an initial ER physician and average a 90 minute total visit time. CDC based on a national survey of 362 hospitals. Some areas of the country it is much worse. Arizona ranks number one with nearly a five hour wait; Utah
is not much better at four hours. SVMC has consistently maintained an average 14 minute wait time to an initial ER physician and average a 90 minute total visit time.
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The radiology department at Star Valley Medical Center has a proven record of being “a center of excellence”.
Capturing the images of healthcare ◆ Radiology Department at SVMC looks to future. By Sarah Hale The Radiology Department at Star Valley Medical Center is one of the many areas that the local hospital that is expanding and changing. From nuclear medicine and mammography to more traditional x-rays, the Radiology Department at SVMC has had quite a face-lift from 2007 and is on its way to becoming “A Center of Excellence.” “It’s great to work with state of the art equipment in a small, rural town,” said Julio Tijerina, radiology technician at the Medical Center. “Star Valley Medical Center is full of a friendly, knowledgeable staff and big city equipment in a friendly, small town environment.” Patient services offered in the Radiology Department include: • x-ray, plain film and digital • picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) • radiology information system (RIS) • computed radiography (CR) • computed tomography (CT) • fluoroscopy • ultrasound • mammography • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) • nuclear medicine X-rays are perhaps the patient service that is the most easily identified with radiology. It makes sense when you consider that general radiology is not only the oldest, but also the frequently used form of medical imaging.
Images of the chest and spine as well as arms and legs can all be obtained through the x-ray process. PACS are computers and networks designed to store, retrieve, distribute and present images. The availability of PACS replaces hard-copy radiology imaging with digital imaging. PACS also provide the capabilities of off-site viewing and reporting. Doctors can also simultaneously view the information RIS are electronic databases used to store, manipulate and distribute patient radiological data and imagery. The RIS helps with data tracking, patient scheduling and reporting results. CR allows digital images to be taken, eliminating costs associated with film development as well as the storage space needed to store film images. The images can also be sent instantly over long distances for diagnostics. CR images can also be printed as needed on paper or dry film. CT procedures, most commonly known as CAT scans, require specialized x-ray equipment in order to get images of the body from many different angles. CT images provide extensive anatomic information with both speed and accuracy. Fluoroscopy is the name of a technique where real time, moving images of the internal structure of a patient are taken. These types of images can be used by physicians to investigate symptoms as well as in surgical procedures. Ultrasound is the use of sound waves to take pictures of the body.
The sound waves display a real time image of movement and blood flow. The newest piece of equipment in the Radiology Department is the Philips iU22 Ultrasound System. The machine offers better image quality and sensitivity, aiding in early diagnosis and treatment options for patients. Mammography is the use of x-ray technology to monitor or detect breast cancer. Star Valley Medical Center is an accredited facility with the American College of Radiology in Mammography. MRI combines computer technology with magnetic fields and radio waves to produce very detailed images of the body. MRI images are used in the case of traumatic injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, facial or neck abnormalities, infection, cardiac malformations and blood vessel disorders. The Medical Center currently offers MRI services twice a week, on Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings, through a portable MRI service. Nuclear Medicine images are created when a specialized camera takes pictures of the energy released by a radioactive substance. Through nuclear medicine, the anatomy as well as the function of the body can be studied. Nuclear medicine services are offered through the Radiology Department every other Wednesday. In addition to patient services, the Radiology Department at Star Valley Medical Center also serves as a classroom for students studying radiology through Weber State University.
“It’s great to work with state-of-the-art equipment in a small, rural town. Star Valley Medical Center is full of a friendly, knowledgable staff and big city equipment.” Julio Tijerina, Radiology Technician
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REDUCED RISK: Patients who use their own blood rather than transfusions have a reduced risk of disease and a quicker recovery time.
Medical Center adds blood recovery system “Blood banked blood takes 12 to 24 hours to benefit a patient. The cell saver blood supplies oxygen immediately to benefit the patient’s healing.” Lori Johnson, LPN
By Sarah Hale Star Valley Medical Center has added a blood recovery system to its list of available patient services. Known as the Cell Saver, the system takes, cleans and resupplies blood to an individual during surgical or treatment procedures. According to Lori Johnson, LPN and the OR department leader at the Medical Center,
patients who use their own blood rather than transfusions have a reduced risk of disease and a quicker recovery time. There is also no limit to the amount of blood that can be given back to a patient.
Blood is made up of three distinct parts. There are white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Each part of the blood plays a specific role in the human body. Red blood cells carry oxygen. White blood cells help to fight off disease. Platelets help blood to clot and close off wounds. “Blood banked blood takes 12 to 24 hours to benefit a patient,” said Johnson. “The Cell Saver blood supplies oxygen immediately to benefit the patient’s healing.” According to Johnson, in cell salvage, blood is “taken directly from the
surgical wound” to the Cell Saver. “This blood would otherwise be wasted,” Johnson said “In the Cell Saver machine the blood is washed and separated out to just oxygen rich blood cells, then re-infused back into the patient to promote healing.” Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is the name given to blood plasma that has been separated into a high concentration of platelets. “Plasma separation is performed so that the patient can receive a supply of plasma that contains platelets and clotting factors at the end of the procedure,” said Johnson. Donor blood can also be run through the cell saver machine to separate it into red blood cells for patient use. Star Valley Medical Center has five nurses trained to use the cell saver as well as three technicians. “It’s a big process,” said Johnson, referring to both the training required to use the machine as well as the process of moving blood through the cell saver. But it is a service that the OR staff is excited to be able to offer patients. For more information on the Cell Saver, contact Star Valley Medical Center at 885-5800.
“In the Cell Saver machine the blood is washed and separated out to just oxygen rich blood cells, then re-infused back into the patient to promote healing.” Lori Johnson, LPN
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CLOSE TO HOME: The Medical Center infusion room helps make treatments a little more comfortable for patients by bringing them closer to home.
Infusion Clinic available at Medical Center By Sarah Hale The Star Valley Infusion Clinic was opened at the Medical Center in December 2008. Even though the hospital has been providing chemotherapy services for over 10 years, the infusion room makes such treatments a little more comfortable for patients. “The Infusion Clinic has been very well received,” said Marcia Bahr, RN. “Patients like their own place and one on one attention. The clinic is easy to access for treatment. And [infusion] patients know we have a special place reserved for them.” The Star Valley Infusion Clinic provides medications intravenously in a physician supervised setting. The clinic is staffed by a licensed pharmacist and certified chemotherapy nurses. The setting of the Infusion Clinic at Star Valley Medical Center is designed to be comfortable and soothing to patients. The clinic features ambient light and warm colors. Private curtains are available to patients to create a personal area for them while they are receiving treatment. Patients can also watch television or movies, listen to music or read while sitting in a comfortable, electric recliner. The Medical Center Auxillary has supplied the clinic with fleece lap blankets and pillows to help patients relax as well. The Medical Center dietary department also works with the infusion clinic to provide patients with meals and drinks. According to information provided by Star Valley Medical Center, in addition to providing infusion care, the clinic’s focus is to create a home-like environment that is close-to-home
What patients are saying about the Star Valley Infusion Clinic. “It’s so nice and quiet, away from the hubbub of the hospital and I have a nurse dedicated to caring for me.” “It’s so nice to have my chemo treatments right here at home and with friendly, helpful people to care for me. Marcia is so loving to me and efficient and professional in all she does and goes the extra mile to see that I get the treatment I need. Lonny gives the personal touch from pharmacy and takes time to visit with me each time I come.”
for patients. Comprehensive treatments and procedures available through the Star Valley Infusion Clinic include: • chemotherapy, • blood transfusion, • hydration therapy, • emphysema treatment (Prolastin),
• Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis (Remicade), • Multiple Sclerosis (Solumedrol, Tysabri). • Osteoporosis treatments (Boniva, Reclast, Zometa), • and iron deficiency anemia (Iron Dextran, Iron Sucrose).
“The infusion room is so peaceful and convenient. I know exactly where I’m going and that there is a special place just for me.”
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SAVING LIFE: “In regards to colon cancer screening, it should start at age 50. If you have a family history of colon cancer, age 40.” Donald Kirk, M.D.
Olympus scope’s definition and features could save lives “ I have to say that it’s probably the best equipment in the country and we have it right here in Star Valley.” Donald Kirk, M.D.
◆ Dr. Donald Kirk speaks with the Independent regarding SVMC’s new equipment. By Dahl Erickson Discovering colorectal cancer can be an awkward conversation. However, with the new Olympus scope giving doctors like Donald Kirk and Scott Bender, a better viewing angle and a picture-perfect result, what might seem like an awkward conversation
just might end up saving your life. Dr. Kirk works with SVMC and also spends Wednesdays at the Alpine Family Medical Clinic. Kirk is one the primary users of the Olympus scope recently purchased by SVMC. “We’re very excited about the equipment that we have,” Dr. Kirk stated. “It’s for the upper and lower, endoscopy and colonoscopy, evaluations. I have to say that it’s probably the best equipment in the country and we have it right here in Star Valley.” The hospital board, in need of replacing aging and used equipment was able to take advantage of the latest technology. “We went through an evaluation process on equipment and this was not only the best but the hospital was able to get it at a reasonable price,” added Kirk. “People are familiar with high definition televisions and we’re benefitting from that technology here as well.” In addition to the fact that the high definition reduces fatigue by the user, in the case of colonoscopy, it may very well discover problems that may have been missed with other equipment. “One of the most significant advances with this piece of equipment is the viewing angle,” Kirk added. “The standard right now is 140 degrees; the Olympus is 170 degrees. The colon is not a straight tube; it’s full of bends and curves and there are many folds in which polyps can hide. The scope also has a blue filter
light and during a colonoscopy, we’re able to evaluate the polyp tissue much more clearly and do a better job in determining our diagnosis.” “In regards to colon cancer screening, it should start at age 50 if one has no family history of that disease,” he said. “We’re talking first degree relatives here such as parent, children and siblings. A lot of people are squeamish about the whole idea. As someone who’s experienced the process on both sides the overwhelming response is that the preparation is much worse than the actual procedure. It takes about ten years for the polyps to turn into cancer and finding them early is very important. If you have a family history of colon cancer then you should start the screenings no later than age 40.” In addition, the new scope can also help physicians detect other possible cancers. “The upper endoscopy scope has had an advancement as well,” Kirk concluded. “Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States. With the filter we can target the biopsies much more sufficiently so that we’re getting as much of the tissue from the abnormal area as possible.” In conclusion, the addition of the new Olympus scope should not only help Star Valley citizens in terms of time and comfort, but perhaps even avoid a life-threatening situation.
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SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT: New equipment that gives a faster, more detailed look inside the human body.
New hospital scope is versatile and state-of-the-art ◆ High definition equipment will benefit area patients. By Dahl Erickson Star Valley Medical Center prides themselves as a rural hospital that offers more than you might expect. In the vein of thinking, the newest piece of equipment now available to the public is one that is as advanced as anything you would find in a major city hospital. Perhaps even better. “This is the cadillac of Olympus equipment,” stated Dr. David L. Shrader, SVMC Pulmonologist. “Patients that have to have this type of work done can be assured that this evaluation is being performed by the best equipment available. Even better than some of our referral hospitals.” The new scope can be used for many different types of procedures. One of the main jobs performed by Shrader is that of Bronchoscopy, which is looking down the throat and into the lungs. “Bronchoscopy allows us to look internally for the source of a spot on an x-ray, a patient may be coughing up blood; it gives us another tool to resolve those issues,” he added. “It also allows us to remove foreign bodies if the patient has aspirated an object. In my time I’ve seen paper clips, pen lids; things like that.” In a situation where time can be of the essence as well as downright painful, the result of the new equipment is a faster, more detailed look
into the human body. “The imagery that we obtain with this new equipment is exquisite,” replied Shrader. “It’s much easier to use, its much more comfortable for the patient and it’s much quicker so we get better information for both diagnosis and treatment. For the patient it will significantly cut down on the amount of time that it will take for the procedure to be completed.” “Recently the Medical Center had the opportunity to upgrade their fiber optic equipment,” said Shrader. “Our older equipment was adequate but we had the misfortune of having two scopes going bad at the same time.” Shrader also marveled at the change in technology during his time in the medical field. “When fiber optics were first available, the physician literally looked in one end and saw what was at the other end; about the size of a nickel,” he noted. “That graduated to better imagery through the use of electronics and a television. Now we are using an 18x18 screen that’s in high definition and there is no loss of imagery. This truely is the best that’s available.” The scope will be used in not only Shrader’s depart-
ment, but by many other physicians at Star Valley Medical Center. Overall, the new equipment is a welcome addition to the overall health of Star Valley. Dr. Shrader is also satisfied that it will benefit many people. “We are really pleased to have such great equipment that will make our lives and the lives of the patients so much easier.”
“This is the cadillac of Olympus equipment. Patients that have to have this type of work done can be assured that this evaluation is being performed by the best equipment available. Even better than some of our referral hospitals” David L. Schrader, M.D.
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Family Practice Medicine
Allen D. Carter, M.D. Family Practice
K. Paul Head, M.D. Family Practice
General Practice
Noel B. Stibor, M.D. Family Practice
Radiology
David Hansen, M.D. Radiology
Donald J. Kirk, M.D. Family Practice
Martha Hageman, M.D. Family Practice
General Surgery
Cardiology
Randall Kiser, M.D. Radiology
Justin Lamb, D.O. Radiology
Lee J. Burke, M.D. Cardiology
O.D. Perkes, M.D. General Practice
Steven C. Horton, M.D. Cardiology
David Scott Bender, M.D.
General Surgery
Family Nurse Practitioners
Ruthanne Taylor, D.N.P., C-F.N.P Family Nurse Practitioner
E Family
Neurosurgery
Urol
Brent L. Clyde, M.D. Neurosurgery
Department Leaders (continued)
Denise Wheeler Business Office
Michelle Oliver, RN, DON Care Center
Department Leaders (continued)
Troy Clawson SVMC EMS Director
Joel Johnson Human Resources
Nolan Heiner Central Supply
Bill Burch Dietary
Marty Ashton Health Information Services
Administration
Steve Perry President, CEO
Beth Cahala Environmental Services
Jody Skinner Lab
SVMC Foundation Board of Trustees
Ken Brough V.P. Finance, CFO
Jean Pinter V.P. Clinical Services, CNO Care Center Administrator
Kirk Dana, Chairman
Liz Beck Vice Chairperson
Hospital Board Members
Jerry Hansen Chairman
Marti Halverson Vice Chairperson
Adam La Mainte
James Secre
SVMC A
Rowan Anderson Treasurer
Ron Crook Secretary Foundation Board Liason
Dr. Martha Hageman
Drew Izatt
Rod Jensen
Pictured fron President & G Grace Pike,
Neighbors caring for Neighb
Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - 9
s
Ed Henry, F.N.P. y Nurse Practitioner
Brian D. Tallerico, D.O. Orthopaedics
logy
s Webb etary
Marlowe Goble, M.D. Orthopaedics
OB/GYN
Phillip Lowe, M.D. Urology
ancaster enance
Emergency Med.
Orthopaedics
ENT
Roger M. Brecheen, M.D.
OB/GYN
Heidi Jost, M.D. Orthopaedics
Geoffrey Skene, D.O. Physical Medicine
Plastic Surgery
Internal/Pulmonary
Curt Stock, M.D. ENT
Jeffrey Rosenberg, D.O. Emergency Medicine
Psychiatry
John Payne, D.O. Plastic Surgery
David Shrader, M.D. Internal/Pulmonary Med.
Lance Petersen, M.D. Emergency Medicine
William Hazle, M.D. Psychiatry
Department Leaders
Amy Johnson Quality/Risk Manager
Mary Burch Nursing
Lori Johnson Operating Room
Lonny Dobler Pharmacist
Katie Naylor Radiology
Connie Titensor MOB and Clinic Manager
Mike Ford Respiratory Therapy
Tanya Merritt Marketing and Foundation
Val Call Treasurer
Ron Crook NLCHD Board Liaison
Margaret Anderson
Jared Gleue
Jim Fairchild
O.D. Perkes, M.D.
Joe Kastan
Auxillary Officers
nt: Liz Beck, 2nd Vice President; Virginia Radford, President; Tonie Johnson, 1st Vice Gift Shop Manager. Pictured back: Kim Arendts, Treasurer; Kathy Hildreth, Secretary; 3rd Vice President
bors
Additional Physicians... Shannon Roberts, M.D. – OB/GYN Maura Lafaro, M.D. – OB/GYN Gary Ellwein, M.D. – Pathologist, Consulting Floyd Fantelli, M.D. – Pathologist, Consulting Matt Tannenbaum, P.A., M.H.S. – Pathologist, Consulting Ezra Ellis, M.D. – Pathologist, Consulting David Martin-Reay, M.D. – Pathologist, Consulting Gabriele Terman, M.D. – Pathologist, Consulting Joshua Fullmer, M.D. – Ophthalmology Rafael Willams, M.D. – Orthopaedics Barry Birkin, M.D. – Radiology John Olson, M.D. – Radiology William Hale, M.D. – Radiology Tel Boman – Audiology Harold Pergler – Audiology
Star Valley Medical Center
“Your Center of Excellence”
10 - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center
Alpine Family Medical Clinic has undergone substantial changes in 2008.
Alpine Family Medical Clinic “Our pharmaceutical services are linked to patient visits to the Alpine Clinic. They are exclusively for the convenience of patients.” Ruthanne Taylor, C-FNP
A Service of Star Valley Medical Center By Sarah Hale The Alpine Family Medical Clinic, created 13 years ago by Dr. Donald Kirk and Dr. Martha Hagerman, is a full-time medical office that serves patients of northern Star Valley. The clinic is a service of the Star Valley Medical Center. The last year has brought a number of changes to the clinic, including the return of Dr. Kirk, the arrival of Ruthanne Taylor, DNP, C-FNP, and the addition of limited pharmaceutical services. The Clinic is open Monday through Friday and provides a full spectrum of medical care. Children, adults and families are treated for routine checkups, illnesses, and emergencies.
Dr. Donald Kirk of Independent Family Practice accepted the position of managing physician of the Alpine Clinic last fall. “I’m contracting with the hospital to provide services in Alpine one day a week and to manage the Alpine Clinic,” Dr. Kirk said. Dr. Kirk believes his decision to contract with Star Valley Medical Center to provide services in Alpine as well as the decision to consolidate Independent Family Practice solely to Thayne means he can see more patients. Being involved with the Alpine Clinic also set the groundwork to expand services in the facility. “Star Valley Medical Center has always wanted to be and continues to want to be a integral part of the health care services in the Alpine community,” said Dr. Kirk. “Hopefully we will be able to increase what services are available at the Alpine Clinic in the future.” Ruthanne Taylor has been working in the medical field in the area since 1983. During her career in medicine she has been a part of ICU and air ambulance teams and served as director of the Air Idaho Rescue for six years. She has taught at Yale University as well as Central Wyoming Community College. Ruthanne Taylor has been involved in medical care with the state department in Russia, Africa and Napal and has a specialty in helping people prepare health wise for oversea travel and can provide travel
medicine consultation. In addition to her experience with international health care, Ruthanne Taylor has extensive experience in providing rural health care. Tami Simone is the receptionist and Wayne Hoffsinger is the new Medical Assistant to Ruthanne Taylor at the Alpine Family Medical Clinic. Up until the 2009 patients that visited the Alpine Clinic with an acute, short term illnesses were required to travel several miles to get the necessary prescriptions filled after a diagnosis was given. However, today the Alpine Clinic has contracted with Allscripts, LLC, a company that provides basic care medications in regularly prescribed quantities. “Through this program a patient can walk out of the clinic with their prescription in hand,” said Taylor. “It is important that people understand we are not a retail pharmacy. You cannot come to us to get a prescription filled or for the types of services available at a retail pharmacy. Our pharmaceutical services are linked to patient visits to the Alpine Clinic. They are exclusively for the convenience of patients.” The clinic has also added an additional service from the High Country Counseling. For an appointment for a counselor call High Country Counseling at 885-9883. The Alpine Family Medical Clinic is located at 230 Elk Run in Alpine. For more information about the clinic, call 654-7138.
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This building on Main Street in Afton is the home of the Star Valley Medical Center EMS and serves as the ambulance garage.
EMS becomes part of Star Valley Medical Center The Star Valley Medical Center teamed up with Star Valley EMS this last year. The merge took place in order for the Medical Center to assist the EMT group with funding while broadening the scope of services available through the Medical Center. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) began in Star Valley in March 1976. The first certified EMTs were members of the police force, hospital employees, and a handful of other public servants. The entire valley was served by this ambulance service. In the early 1980s, the town of Alpine asked for help coordinating an EMT class and chose to start their own ambulance service. The service area of the ambulance service was quite extensive and they felt that another service would better benefit the citizens of Star Valley. The formation of the Alpine service allowed all valley EMTs the opportunity to provide faster response times to a smaller service area. With the ambulance garage located in Afton the Star Valley Ambulance Service was operated under the direction of IHC until about 1997, when IHC decided that they would no longer handle ambulance services. Members of the Star Valley Ambulance Service decided to hold fund raisers, seek grant monies, and to do what they could to continue to provide this ambulance service to the citizens of the valley as an independent group. In the 1990s, the Thayne EMTs formed their own ambulance service as well. It was felt that with three separate services the growing needs of Star Valley could better be served. The group in Afton was able to give one of their older ambulances to the
Thayne EMT’s as their first rig. The Star Valley Ambulance Service changed its name to Star Valley EMTs in the 1990s as well. In March of 2008, the Star Valley Medical Center (SVMC) and the Star Valley EMS merged. This merger continues to benefit not only the hospital and the EMS group, but the community as well. The hospital manages the business portion of the operation, allowing the EMTs to focus more on providing better care to patients. The EMS department now has more “in-house� training available to its members through SVMC that was previously available only to doctors and nurses. This translates to better, more efficient patient care in the field. Star Valley Medical Center Emergency Medical Services (SVMC EMS) provides a great service to the community. They are able to respond to patient needs in a timely manner, and with up-to-date skills. They are able to provide better communication with other agencies and services and to coordinate care in the event of a large scale incident or disaster in the area. As a Trauma Community Hospital, SVMC is able to use the EMTs for continued care of the delivered patient after a call. The EMTs can follow the patient and continue to assist the emergency room doctors and nurses. EMS is a department of Star Valley Medical Center that provides trans-
portation for inter-facility transfers as well. This means that if a patient is in need of care that cannot be provided here at SVMC, they are able to transport to another facility. In the event that the patient needs to be flown to another facility by fixed-wing aircraft, they provide transfer assistance to the flight crew and patient to and from the local airport. The EMS department of Star Valley Medical Center strives to continue providing timely, quality, competent, and personal care to each and every patient. This also reflects the goals and values of SVMC in patient care to the community.
Star Valley Medical Center Emergency Medical Services provide a great service to the community. They are able to respond in a timely manner, and with up-to-date skills.
12 - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center
Star Valley Medical Center Health Fair will be May 30th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Star Valley High School auxillary gym.
Giving back to the community we serve “ A major focus for 2009 is to amplify the number of free education seminars and /or classes available to our community.” Tanya Merritt, Marketing and Foundation Director
By Sarah Hale Star Valley Medical Center hosts and/or sponsors a number of events and educational seminars each year that are designed to improve the health of residents in Star Valley. “A major focus of SVMC for 2009 is to amplify the number of free education seminars and/or classes available to our community members,” said Tanya Merritt, Marketing and Foundation Director at the Medical Center. “These education sessions will vary in topic and are planned to include diabetes, breast cancer awaren e s s , w o m e n ’s health,
asthma, COPD, sleep disorders/sleep apnea and orthopaedics.” According to Merritt, all education sessions will be taught by “various healthcare professionals specifically trained in that area of expertise.” “It is a great way for us to give back to our community and a great way for our community to meet the members of SVMC,” said Merritt. Brake for Breakfast Brake for Breakfast is an annual event held the first Wednesday of October during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event is sponsored by The Hospital Cooperative and Star Valley Medical Center. Through the Brake for Breakfast program, women are encouraged to visit informational stations to receive a free breakfast as well as information on early breast cancer detection. General cancer awareness information and coupons for a mammogram and a bone density scan are also given out. Information stations are located in at the START bus location in Etna, in Alpine, Thayne and Afton. All of the stations are manned by hospital volunteers. Festival of Trees The weekend following Thanksgiving features the annual Festival of Trees. The event is put together by the Star Valley Medical Center Auxiliary and features holiday decorations, trees, gift items, delicious food and a visit from Santa. The goal of the event is two-fold. One, to raise funds for auxiliary projects and two, to give the Star Valley Community a fun place to get into the spirit of the holiday season. Diabetes Class The diabetes educators at SVMC
are recognized by the American Diabetes Association as being a registered facility qualified to teach the Diabetes Self-Management Program. This five class course teaches diabetic patients ways in which they can successfully manage their diabetes. The course includes instruction on in-depth nutrition geared to the patient with either type one or type two diabetes, behavior changes, lifestyle changes and specifics on medications and what they can do for their personalized self-management program. The course is taught by Doreen Ward, RD, nutritionist, Lonny Dobler, pharmacist and Maureen Rash, diabetes specialist. The course emphasizes exercise, ways to reduce stress, glucose monitoring, how to test and what to do with those testing numbers, along with healthy eating strategies. Registration for the course is required. For more information or to register for the course, contact SVMC at 885-5932. Childbirth Class The SVMC offers a free childbirth and new parent class four times a year. The courses are taught by registered nurses and cover the basics of pregnancy from preconception to labor and delivery, breastfeeding and infant/child CPR. Each session is a four-week course, held on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. Classes are scheduled to accommodate three months of delivery dates. Upcoming class series will begin in July. Class dates are July 1, July 8, July 15, and July 22. Continued on page 14
Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - 13
Growth of Star Valley Medical Center Human Resources
At Star Valley Medical Center we pride ourselves in “growing our own”.
At Star Valley Medical Center, it’s all about the people Snap Shot of Our Employment Growth In 1999 when Star Valley Medical Center broke away from IHC the hospital had approximately 70 employees and only five primary care physicians. Now, just ten years later, SVMC is one of the three largest employers in the valley with 234 employees. “We’ve expanded upon our base of Family Practice providers and now employ eleven physicians including various specialists: Emergency Medicine, Pulmonology, OB/GYN, General Surgery, and Orthopedic Surgery,” said Joel Johnson, Human Resource director. “With these specialists our services have expanded, and we’ve sponsored employees to expand their overall education and skills to create a strong medical community for Star Valley and surrounding communities.” The mission of Star Valley Medical Center is to provide excellent, compassionate, healthcare services which is supported by our values; to succeed through superior service and to attract and retain exceptional individuals. “When you speak with your neighbors about SVMC, do you refer to it as an employer or healthcare provider? Many don’t refer to a medical center as an employer but as their healthcare provider,” said Johnson. “Star Valley Medical Center has thirty employees that have been with us for over ten plus years, thirteen of those are over twenty years. Consistency with employees leads to consistency with care.” With its growth, SVMC has not only expanded the services and expertise of the facility and staff, but has made a large footprint in the valley’s eco-
nomic stability. “In 2000 our payroll and benefits investments were $3.9 million, and in 2008 we invested $10.4 million in our staff,” said Johnson. “This directly impacts our economy as currently ninety-eight percent of SVMC’s staff lives in the valley.” Why Health Care as a Career? Each organization and industry has an influence in the world, but how many can say they saved a life, comforted someone in need, or brought a new life into the world? Healthcare is not just physicians, nurses, radiology technicians or EMT’s, but it is also those in the dietary, environmental service and clerical support departments. Every employee in a healthcare environment makes a difference to those who walk through the doors. “Our staff works together to strive to meet one goal: care for those in our community with compassion,” said Johnson.
National statistics reinforce a growing opportunity for those interested in a career in healthcare. As the largest industry in 2004, healthcare
provided 13.5 million jobs; 8 of the top 20 fastest growing occupations are in healthcare, and about 19 percent, or 3.6 million, of all new jobs created between 2004 and 2014 will be in health care, more than in any other industry. While the United States already has 126,000 nursing vacancies, nearly 40 percent of the current nursing workforce will retire in the next five years. If you are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, SVMC would be delighted to discuss the educational path with you and try to arrange job shadowing time. With the current presidential administration and retirement of current care givers, the future of health care is changing, and we as a provider understand our obligation to recruit the next generation of care givers.
1999 • Steve Perry, CEO/President • Michelle Oliver RN, (Promoted) Director of Nursing Care Center 2000 • Ken Brough, CFO/VP Financial • Norman Mogul, SVMC Foundation Director • Denise Wheeler, (Promoted) Business Office Department Leader 2001 • Marty Ashton, HIS & Medical Records Department Leader 2002 • David Olsen APRN, CRNA 2003 • Scott Bennett, MD, Family Physician • Amy Johnson RN, (Promoted) Quality Improvement & Risk Management Director 2004 • Jean Pinter RN, CNO/VP Clinical Services • Nolan Heiner, Materials Management Department Leader • David Bender MD, General Surgeon 2005 • Michael Ford RRT, (First hire for new service) Respiratory Department Leader • Brian Tallerico DO, Orthopedic Surgeon • Mary Burch MSN FNP-BC, Director of Nursing Med/Surg. 2006 • Jody Skinner MT, (Promoted) Laboratory Department Leader • Joel Johnson, Human Resource Director • Connie Titensor, (Promoted) Physician Clinic Manager 2007 • Beth Cahala, (Promoted) Environmental Services Department Leader • Jeffery Rosenberg MD, Emergency Medicine • Lonny Dobler PharmD, (First full-time pharmacist) Pharmacy Department Leader 2008 • Lori Johnson LPN, (Promoted) Surgery Department Leader • Roger Brecheen MD, OB/GYN • Marlowe Goble MD, Orthopedic Surgeon • Troy Clawson, EMS Coordinator • Hiring of 34 EMTs (Former Star Valley EMS) • Katie Naylor, (Promoted) Radiology Department Leader • Bill Burch, (Promoted) Dietary Department Leader • Tanya Merritt, Marketing & Foundation Director • Lance Petersen MD, Emergency Room Physicians • Ruthanne Taylor DNP C-FNP, Nurse Practitioner, Alpine Family Clinic • Adam Lancaster, Plant Management Department Leader 2009 • Jake Crosby APRN, CRNA 2010 • Ross Pieper, MD, Family Practice
14 - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center
Building a foundation for the future The Star Valley Medical Center Foundation is a non-profit sector of the Medical Center. Our purpose is to further the mission of the hospital itself, which is to provide excellent, compassionate health care services to the members of Star Valley. “Our function as a Foundation is to make sure people like you who want to help the Medical Center fulfill its mission, can do so with ease and assurance that things are properly handled,” said Tanya Merritt, Marketing and Foundation Director. Your contributions will go toward providing the high quality health care to Star Valley that we enjoy today – quite literally forever. Whether you have a large gift or what you might consider a small amount, we can assure you we welcome your participation in this most important endeavor. In July we will be kicking off our annual campaign to help sustain growth of the Foundation and the Medical Center’s goals in providing state of the art technology and new services. These technological instruments require additional funding at times and that is where we put your donations. This will include a direct-mail campaign and the return of the SVMC Phone-A-Thon in August. Any donations to the Foundation will be welcome and whether it comes this week or in 20 years, planning is part of what we do. We’re helping the Medical Center plan for the future and we’d like you to be a part of this, after all this is your community hospital. Throughout each year we will be hosting an array of events to support the Foundation and we encourage your participation in these events. We have a variety of giving options that you can explore. From monetary gifts to trusts and one time contributions to annual pledges, we have options for everyone.
Event schedule for the Foundation June 19, 2009 10th Annual Golf Classic at Star Valley Ranch
June 29 - July 4 Direct Mail Campaign will begin
August SVMC Foundation Phone-A-Thon.
Star Valley Medical Center Foundation is also proud to announce that we have established an Endowment Fund. An endowment fund consists of monetary gifts or assets with the stipulation that it be invested and the principal remain intact in perpetuity or for a defined time period. This allows all donations to have a much greater impact over a longer period of time rather than if it were spent immediately upon receipt. This fund will ensure the future of the revolutionary health care we enjoy here at home in Star Valley. The money donated to the Endowment Fund will have a greater impact on the Medical Center for two reasons: • every dollar donated to the Endowment Fund is matched $.50 by the state of Wyoming and, • every dollar donated to this fund will be invested to generate interest and have a greater impact on the future of health care in our community for many years to come. Any questions about the foundation should be directed to Tanya Merritt, Director at 307-885-5887.
Giving back Continued from page 12 Childbirth classes are also planned for Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28. A childbirth education series is also scheduled for January 2010. The classes will take place Jan 6, Jan. 13, Jan. 20 and Jan. 27. The April 2010 childbirth education series will begin April 7. Classes will continue April 14, April 21 and April 28. Heartsaver CPR/AED and First Aid This class is taught by American Heart Association (AHA) certified
healthcare professionals and covers adult and infant/child CPR, obstructed airway, the Heimlich maneuver, the use of a barrier device, and AED hands-on training. The class is recommended for parents, grandparents, cub scout/girl scout leaders, day care providers and preschool teachers. Anyone interested in participating must sign up at least one week in advance. The registration fee is $60. For more information on heartsaver CPR/AED and First Aid classes, contact Kirt Galloway at 885-9494. Health Fair
The SVMC sponsors a yearly Health Fair where community members can come and see what is available for health care in Star Valley. The 2009 Health Fair will be held on May 30 at the Star Valley High School from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The health fair features information booths about local businesses, products, health care services and safety tips. Results from the blood draws held in Star Valley this month will also be available for pick-up at the health fair. The results must be picked up by the individual to whom they belong.
Relay for Life Star Valley Medical Center is one of the sponsors of the annual Star Valley Relay for Life. The event is designed to increase community awareness of cancer, celebrate cancer victories and raise money for cancer research. By being involved in the Relay for Life, the Medical Center can both show support for local cancer victims as well as give back to the community by providing informational and financial resources regarding cancer. This year the annual Relay for Life event is scheduled for June 26-27 at the Star Valley Middle School Track.
Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - 15
Star Valley Medical Center Health Fair 2009 If you attended the Star Valley Medical Center Health Fair Blood Draws this year you may have noticed that things looked differently to you this year than at previous year's draws and we are excited that you noticed. Star Valley Medical Center is pleased to be able to perform the blood draws in entirety within our walls this years, without the assistance of Wyoming Health Fairs or any outside contract company. Isn't that exciting? Our laboratory has expanded many of its services within the last year which has enables us to process all the blood samples here at home: using all of our own employees and volunteers from registration on through the blood draw and on to the Health Fair itself. We, at Star Valley Medical Center, feel it is of upmost importance to not only take care of the health of our community residents but to also help the welfare of our economy and that's why all the money taken in at their year's blood draws will stay right here in Star Valley. We are no longer contracting with an out-of-area company or paying anyone additional to help facilitate the blood draws. Our pricing is competitive and the blood draws are a wonderful way to save money versus a regularly scheduled visit to a laboratory for annual tests that are recommended by your physician. This is the first year that SVMC has done the blood draws in entirety and we are very pleased with our turnout. Most patrons positively commented
“While helping facilitate the draws in Afton at the Medical Center, I heard many positive comments ranging from 'how quick the line went', 'it was nice to interact with SVMC staff', and 'how nice it was to not be out waiting in the cold and rain'. There were also questions as to 'why did you change' and 'what do I do about my past test results'. Overall, nearly all comments were positive pats on the back” Joel Johnson, Humna Resources
on the improved changes. We are already looking to future and focusing on areas of the draws that we can improve on for next year. This includes the flexibility to take the blood draws on the road and next year our plan is to expand locations and date availability. Since Star Valley Medical Center had to create their own database of blood draw patrons for this first year, your test results will look differently than in years past. There will be no comparison data to your past year's
tests; however, copies of past year's tests should be available with your primary care physician if you no longer have them on file. The results from the blood draw will be available to be picked up at the Health Fair on Saturday, May 30th at the Star Valley High School Auxiliary gymnasium from 9:00am - 1:00pm. This year's Health Fair will consist of over 30 local and regional vendors of healthcare products or services and we encourage everyone on the community to come and see what is available.
“Most all patrons that came through the Blood Draws were excited with the visible changes. Star Valley Medical Center considered the first year a huge success.” Tanya Merritt, Marketing and Foundation director
FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL DATA FOR 2008 FUNDS AVAILABLE
ADDITIONAL STATISTICAL DATA
We charged out patients: For 1891 days of acute impatient care For 15,792 visits of outpatient care For 17,011 visits for physician care For 8,639 days of long-term care Subtotal
Hospital acute admissions hospital patient days - acute and swing bed Hospital average length of stay Percent occupancy - Care Center Total outpatient visits Total ER visits Inpatient surgeries Outpatient surgeries Total surgery cases Total births
$7,172,374 $11,146,045 $4,045,309 $1,418,027 $23,781,755
We charged, but did not receive full payment: For those unable/unwilling to pay $1,021,640 Negotiated third party payers $1,803,098 Medicare, Medicaid, other governmental $2,930,252 Subtotal $5,754,990 Net patient charges (includes bad debit) $18,026,765 In addition we received funds from: Grants & donations Investment income Local taxes for bond repayment and operation From cafeteria and other sources Total sources of funds
$523,226 $176,548 $1,011,133 $595,595 $20,333,267
FUNDS APPLIED We applied funds: To pay employees To provided benefits for employees To pay for other operating expenses To pay principal and interest on loans and bonds For capital equipment purchases To reduce current liabilities and increase revenue Total net revenue applied Payment sources at our hospital: Patients with insurance Patients with Medicare (federal) Patients with Medicaid (state) Patients covered with workers comp. Patients without insurance or federal & state programs
$8,000,528 $2,392,625 $6,004,936 $653,502 $2,547,409 $734,267 $20,333,267
40.6% 34.8% 10.1% 2.6% 11.9%
HOSPITAL REVENUE BY PATIENT CLASS 568 1891 2.64 98.2% 15,792 3,492 209 876 1,085 99
Inpatient Outpatient Total
$7,172,374 $11,146,045 $18,318,419
39% 61%
16 - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center
Virginia Radford, Auxiliary President and Dr. Leonard Wilford at the 2008 Festival of Trees.
Building an auxiliary of excellence By Sarah Hale The Star Valley Medical Center Auxiliary serves as the volunteer arm of SVMC. The Auxiliary has been a part of the Medical Center for more than nine years and is made up of over 50 volunteers. Virginia Radford serves as the president and her officers are Tonie Johnson, first vice president; Liz Beck, second vice president; Grace Pike, third vice president; Kathy Hildreth, secretary; and Kim Arendts, treasurer. The Auxiliary runs the gift shop at the hospital. The gift shop is called “Gifts of Joy,” and is located just inside the front entrance of the Medical Center. Tonie Johnson is the gift shop manager and Jean Pinter is the coordinator of volunteers. The Medical Center Auxiliary also sponsors the annual Festival of Trees auction in conjunction with the Town of Afton’s Parade of Lights each Thanksgiving weekend. Auxiliary volunteers help with the annual community health fair and provide gift certificates to new mothers who have delivered babies at SVMC. The “Hug a Bear” program is also under the direction of the Star Valley Medical Center Auxiliary. Through the program each child that is admitted to the hospital receives a bear to keep. In 2008 the Auxiliary logged over 5,240 volunteer hours. The value to the hospital for that service was well over $100,000. The Auxiliary contributed activity calendars, televisions, shelving and brackets, forceps, a desk, throws and pillows for the Infusion Clinic and blankets and warmers to the Care Center in 2008. The cash value of the contributions from the organization totaled $6,042. All money raised by the Star Valley Medical Center Auxiliary organization is used to support SVMC. “Scholarships for the year were in the amount of $2,000,” said Radford. “Four SVHS students received scholarships in the amount of $500 each.” In 2008 the Auxiliary also started a junior program, where high school age volunteers could become members of the Auxiliary. “We have three girls in the program,” said Radford. “They participate in the gift shop and the Care Center when needed.” In 2008 the Auxiliary also purchased a software pro-
In 2008 the auxiliary logged over 5,240 volunteer hours. The value to the hospital for that service was well over $100,000. In 2009 the auxiliary has committed itself to purchasing medical equipment with a value of over $6,000 for the Medical Center.
gram for the mammography department and batteries for the portable x-ray machine in the radiology department. In 2009 the Auxiliary has committed itself to purchasing medical equipment with a value of over $6,000 for the Medical Center. Items the group will purchase include a cast saw and a Carl Stortz 45 Degree, 5MM Scope. According to Radford, the Auxiliary is always looking for new members. Anyone interested in joining the Auxiliary can contact Virginia at 883-3330.