Calling on the community ... SWSA forms Patient Advisory Council Are you a former patient – or family member of one – who has opinions that would be valuable to operations throughout SWSA?
PSPH and PCH is forming a Patient Advisory Council; to enable patients and families to have direct impact and influence on the policies and practices that affect the care and services they receive.
Potential participants will be asked to attend an interview, where they can ask questions to see if they are willing to participate. The council will meet monthly for two years; each monthly meeting will be scheduled for two hours.
“Some of the participants, if interested, will be asked to serve on specific teams within Centralia or St. Peter hospitals,” said VP of Quality Jill Cooper. “We are excited about the opportunity to engage former patients or family members about care initiatives and other procedures in Providence."
Specific duties may include:
To give health care providers and administrators access to an experienced, diverse group of patients and families willing to serve in a consulting capacity.
To provide leaders an opportunity to receive ongoing feedback that goes beyond what they would learn from routine patient satisfaction surveys and focus groups.
To provide a link between the health care facility and community organizations and groups.
To create an opportunity for receiving and responding to community input on a regular basis.
To provide input to assure services and programs respond more effectively to consumer needs and priorities.
To promote an increased understanding and collaboration between patients, families, and healthcare team members.
For an application or more information, contact Shalene Petrich at 360.493.7550 or write patientadvisory@providence.org by Sept. 20.
Improve your golf game and prevent injuries Providence Tumwater Valley PT Robin McClymonds, a certified Titleist Golf Fitness Instructor and Medical Professional, has established a physical therapy golf performance program. A client receives a customized evaluation of their body’s ability and how Robin can help golfers of all abilities improve their body’s ability to perform an efficient golf swing.
How it works The Golf Performance Program includes an initial evaluation, followed by a customized training regiment. The program may include a simple one-time evaluation or follow-up therapy sessions. Packages may include one-on-one visits or group programs.
“And for some people, their insurance may cover the cost of treatment,” McClymonds said.
The program will provide clients with information that can help:
Improve swing efficiency
Decrease spinal stress
Increase power and driving distance
Reduce or eliminate post-round soreness
Improve balance and stability
Reduce golf-related injuries
Increase flexibility
Improve static and dynamic posture
About McClymonds Robin has been a PT for more than 15 years. Following her Bachelor of Human Performance degree, she began her career in the fitness industry and conducted sports medicine research. She then completed her Master of Science degree.
“I really enjoy helping people return to an active lifestyle,” she said.
In 2005, Robin discovered her passion for golf and began attending classes included:
Callaway’s Fit Fore Golf
Body Balance
World Golf Fitness Summit
Back to Golf
Titelist Performance Institute
During this education, she learned more about the physical aspects of golf that she incorporates in her own game. She started the game with more than a 30 handicap and currently carries an 8 handicap.
For more information on the Providence Tumwater Valley Physical Therapy Golf Performance Program, contact McClymonds at 360.493.4160.
St. Peter Family Medicine residents graduate, welcoming new class of doctors
A new group of doctors have begun their first year of residency this month, they are from left to right: Melissa Purtteman, M.D., Russell Houston, M.D., Empress Oramas, D.O., Serign Marong, M.D., Benjamin Herring, M.D., Chiante Amato, D.O.
The United States could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 doctors in the next 15 years, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. As a teaching hospital, Providence St. Peter Hospital provides graduate-level medical education and training that helps reduce the doctor shortage and meet expanding community needs. Most doctors from 2010's graduating class of Family Medicine residents will stay local—bringing more capacity to care for ThurstonCounty patients.
2010's graduting class included:
Graduating Residents
Gaining organization
Joonis Abdulkhader, M.D.
Group Health, Olympia, WA
Doug Dightman, M.D.
Obstetrics Fellowship, Tacoma, WA
Michael Keep, M.D.
Shelton Family Medicine, Shelton, WA
Paul Knouff, M.D.
Providence East Side Clinic, Olympia, WA (opening Sep. 2010)
Darla Richardson, D.O.
Providence Portland Hospital, Portland, OR
Local grant promotes Providence's stewardship of environment and resources
Puget Sound Energy recently awarded Providence St. Peter Hospital a grant totaling $458,343.23 as part of their grant conservation program. This program helped the hospital to afford the cost of a system designed to recycle the boiler heat that would otherwise vent into the atmosphere. The otherwise wasted energy is now being used to heat part of the hospital and provide hot water.
Reducing the reliance on natural gas, the heating source we currently use, reduces our carbon footprint. This project is estimated to save the hospital about $60,000 in natural gas costs per year.
Casey Cochran, PSE Government and Communications Relations Manager; Kathy Larson, Senior Account Manager and Bill Steigner, Senior Energy Management Engineer present the check to Geoff Glass, Providence Director of Facilities Management.
“Conservation projects are core to our mission,” said Cochran, “Part of our biggest initiative is to have people use less.” And for good reason, ThurstonCounty continues to grow as a community meaning the need for energy is also growing. Paired with an increase in existing customer demand energy needs are high. When existing businesses save on their own energy usage, especially on such a large scale like PSPH, that same energy is diverted into the community, helping to meet the growing needs without increasing production.
Kathy Larson, PSE and Geoff Glass, Providence talk about the project:
Other grants supplied by PSE in the area include:
Supplementing SouthPuget SoundCommunity College’s efforts in constructing a new energy efficient science building.
Allowing PSPH to include energy efficiency technologies in its OR Addition with a grant in the amount of $51,202.00
Applying new technology to existing infrastructure at EvergreenStateUniversity as part of the exhaust air heat recovery project.
Actively involved in the new city hall construction ensuring the contractor and designer make allowances for energy efficiency ahead of time, as opposed to retrofitting.
A nurse’s tale: Medical mission to Haiti, 2010 Little did she know she was about to embark on one of the most memorable and meaningful experiences of her life. When the earthquake hit Haiti in early January the entire world watched as more than three million people were affected: To date the earthquake toll has taken more than 250,000 lives, injured more than 300,000 and left over 1,000,000 homeless.
As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti chronically suffers from high infant mortality, disease, illiteracy, over population, high unemployment and a weak infrastructure. The devastating effects of the earthquake have only added to the conditions.
One of many Americans watching from afar, Benita Akins, RN, Employee Health felt an overwhelming desire to be part of the “boots on the ground” relief effort. Through Dr. Samantha Ritchie, Faculty, Providence St. Peter Family Medicine she quickly made the decision to become part of the 2010 Spring Medical Mission sponsored by the organization “Friends of Haiti”.
In early April Benita left with a team of around 45 people including four other physicians from SPFM, Shawn Andrews, Paul Knouff, Samantha Ritchie and Devin Sawyer.
Upon arrival the team split up into four groups each traveling to a different village. Once in their village the groups were broken up into three teams (one physician, one nurse and one translator) Benita was paired with Dr. Knouff in the small village of Grand Boulage, a few hours outside of Port au Prince. Quickly they set up a makeshift clinic/living quarters within the church and began seeing patients.
For the next 2 weeks, they saw as many as 100 patients per day—an overwhelming amount made bearable by the happiness of the children and the gratefulness of the adults. “I had always been curious about how effective medical missions were,” says Benita, “But now that I have been part of my first one I can honestly say, we saved lives.”
Perhaps one of the most touching stories came when Benita and Dr. Knouff worked to help a mother overcome a difficult labor to give birth to a healthy baby girl—instantly named Paulina by the father in honor the doctor.
Home on American soil but still feeling the sense of self that can only come from devoting yourself to others; she is already planning her next trip back.
To learn more about Providence sponsored medical missions click here.
If you are unable to view the photo gallery below visit Benita's personal scrapbook on InsideSWSA's flickr channel:
Take the mystery out of Pilates and improve your health What do a professional boxer, a circus performer, and a self-defense trainer have in common? They are all career paths undertaken by Joseph Pilates!
As a child, German-born Joseph Pilates was weak and frail, but determined to overcome childhood asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever. Involuntarily interred during WWI, Joseph was able to teach his personal techniques to fellow German citizens in the internment camp, all the while developing his concept of integrated exercise. Upon release he immigrated to New York City with his wife, where they opened their first fitness studio. Pilates is now embraced worldwide and has developed into an internationally recognized method of exercise, emphasizing flexibility, balance, and core muscle strengthening.
How is Pilates different from other forms of exercise? Instead of isolating muscle groups, Pilates focuses on postural symmetry, abdominal and spine stabilization, mind/body control, and strengthening through the complete range of motion of all joints. The whole body concept of training results in strong, long, and lean muscles with equal strength ratios.
Pilates exercise is one of the safest forms of activity, yet can also be the most demanding. Because the entire body is engaged isolated weaknesses are easily uncovered before progressing to the next level.
Why Pilates at Providence? All Pilates trainers are certified Pilates instructors and licensed therapy practitioners. This combination of skills provides highly qualified instruction emphasizing injury prevention, core muscle strengthening, and pain reduction. Anyone can benefit from Pilates, regardless of whether or not you have a medical diagnosis. Pilates can help prevent back injury, improve posture and increase core strength. Providence Therapy Staff will work with you to develop a customized home exercise program to assist in living your life to the fullest!
To schedule your one-on-one Pilates session call 360.493.4159. Self-pay appointments are available Tuesday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. One hour slots are $65.
Dr. Ban will attend OxfordUniversity in October Providence Internal Medicine’s Jong-Wook Ban, MD, was recently accepted at OxfordUniversity in the Master of Science program in evidence-based health care.
Dr. Ban, a board-certified internist, joined Providence Internal Medicine in 2005. He received his medical degree from Chung-AngUniversity in Seoul, South Korea, and completed his internal medicine residency at CookCountyHospital in Chicago. Dr. Ban speaks Korean, English and basic Spanish. Some of his clinical interests include the management of diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive lung disease.
Dr. Ban will begin studies at Oxford in October. The program will include on-campus and self study. “Evidence-based health care helps guide physicians in delivering appropriate care to the community -- exactly what is needed; no more, no less,” said Ban. “This system provides medicine that is in the best interest of the patient, and affordable.” According to PPN Chief Executive Rik Emaus, this aligns perfectly with the mission of the Providence Physician Network. “We’re committed to delivering high-quality care at a cost our patients, employers and communities can afford. Evidence-based medicine clearly supports that goal.”
“Centralia and the LewisCounty community are fortunate to have physicians who are committed to achieving excellence in care through life-long learning,” added Emaus.
A place for healing: Right in our backyard The transformation is complete. As part of the Operating Room expansion, PSPH has turned a previously underutilized space into a quiet refuge.
Adjacent to the entrance of PSPH’s cardiac rehab and fitness center, the “Providence Healing Garden” was designed by our very own Paul Vickers, manager Facility and Technology Services. For Paul the garden was a true labor of love, allowing him to use his creative eye in a way that normal facility projects do not allow. Listening to him talk about his long-term goal to can the fruit from the trees, it’s hard not to get excited about this new and beautiful space.“The garden was not built for just one purpose or one group of people,” he says, “Our hope is that patients, visitors and employees will all benefit from a place of sanctuary.”
As part of the garden, the Foundation is offering the opportunity to purchase a bronze plaque celebrating a loved one through personalization of one of the Victorian benches. For more information view the order form. All proceeds will go theGreatest Need Fund which help a variety of services including charity care, continuing educational needs of staff and the purchase of new technology.
Creation of the garden also enlisted the services of Dave England Arbor, Andy Johnson Construction Company and Bayview Landscape & Design.
Are you heating your front yard?
A home energy evaluation from Thurston Energy can affordably help you lower your costs - and do something good for the environment. When you schedule an evaluation from Thurston Energy you receive:
A half-day visit by a trained, certified energy expert to evaluate your home's current energy performance.
A confidential analysis of your gas and electric bills to identify potential areas of savings
Installation of FREE compact fluorescent light bulbs, low-flow showerheads, and pipe insulation, as needed.
High-tech diagnostics like a blower door test and infrared photos to identify air leaks and heat loss.
Comprehensive and prioritized plan for cost-effective energy saving improvements that would cut electricity usage and increase your home's ability to retain warmth in the winter and cool in the summer.
Do-it-yourself tips on how to reduce enregy costs immediately
This $450 value is now less than $100. Call 360.754.630 or visit www.thurstonenergy.org for more information.
Thurston Energy will be in the PSPH Cafeteria Wednesday August 18th from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
You may qualify for a free water-saving kit of high-efficiency toilet.
PSPH Facilities will be giving away two free energy audits and a $100 gift certificate to Cicada Restaurant. Stop by the table in the cafeteria to enter.
Are you a former patient – or family member of one – who has opinions that would be valuable to operations throughout SWSA?
Providence Tumwater Valley PT Robin McClymonds, a certified Titleist Golf Fitness Instructor and Medical Professional, has established a physical therapy golf performance program. A client receives a customized evaluation of their body’s ability and how Robin can help golfers of all abilities improve their body’s ability to perform an efficient golf swing.
When the earthquake hit Haiti in early January the entire world watched as more than three million people were affected: To date the earthquake toll has taken more than 250,000 lives, injured more than 300,000 and left over 1,000,000 homeless.
What do a professional boxer, a circus performer, and a self-defense trainer have in common? They are all career paths undertaken by Joseph Pilates!
The transformation is complete. As part of the