Health and Wellness 2009

Capturing imagesof Health Care“Big City” equipment and aknowledgable staff in a smallrural community. Page 3

Alpine FamilyMedical ClinicThe last year has brought anumber of changes to theclinic, including the returnof Dr. Kirk, the arrival ofRuthanne Taylor C-FNP andlimited pharmaceuticalservice. 0

Cell Saver andInfusion RoomTwo new services availableat the medical center are aBlood Recovery System thattakes, cleans and resup-plies blood to patients andan Infusion Room that helpsbring treatments closer tohome with great comfort.

Pages 4 & 5

Star ValleyHealth Fair ‘09Star Valley Medical Centerhosts and/or sponsors anumber of events and edu-cational seminars each yearthat are designed to improvethe health of residents in StarValley. “It is a great way forus to give back to our com-munity and a great way forour community to meet themembers of SVMC.”

Page 12

By Sarah HaleSeveral months ago a Master FacilityPlan was developed at Star ValleyMedical Center. The plan included awish list that included nearly $12 mil-lion in renovations and additions tothe existing facility.“The Master Facility Plan was basi-

cally our wish list,” said Steve Perry,hospital CEO. “We have scaled thatproject back so that now it is about$3 million.”In late 2008 the state health depart-

ment sent word that the plans for theexpansion project had been approved.“What this means is we have the

go ahead to begin construction,” saidPerry. “We still have to hire engineersto monitor the project and then thestate will come back at the end andgive approval, but the architects arenow working on detail drawings ofthe expansion.”The expansion project went to bid

in the spring of 2009 and now actualconstruction is underway. The esti-mated time of completion for theproject is under 12 months.The expansion will include adding

to five different areas of the MedicalCenter.“We are going to add space for ed-

ucation and conferences,” said Perry.“Right now we just have no place foran all staff meeting or to hold any sortof conference training. We just needmore room.”The kitchen and dietary area of the

hospital will also be expanded.“When we built the hospital facil-

ity, we built it with the idea that wewould expand it as needed,” saidPerry. “Our dietary staff does an ex-cellent job, but they are literally walk-

ing on top of each other to meet thedietary needs of the Medical Centerand Care Center.”Six patient rooms will also be

added to the hospital. According toPerry, four of the six additional roomswill actually be used for patients. Onewill serve as storage space. One willbe used as an in-patient physical ther-apy room. All of the rooms will bebuilt so that they can be easily trans-formed into patient rooms when thattime arrives.“It is cheaper to build them as pa-

tient rooms and then use them forsomething else until they are neededas patient rooms then to add themlater,” said Perry.The Laboratory Department will

be expanded by 25 to 30 percent withthe project.“We are looking continually to

bring more lab procedures in house,”said Perry. “This year we are set upso that we can do all of the health fair

results here rather than send them toan outside company. To do this, weadded more equipment. To add moreequipment, 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 wouldlike to bring those services in house,”said Perry. “But if we do that, we needa place to put them. If you are goingto have orthopedics and neuro-surgery, then you need to have theseservices in place and available.”The hospital is also looking to pur-

chase a DexaScan machine, which isused in cases of osteoporosis.The planned project is the first

phase of the Master Facility Plan.Perry said that the plan is in place sothat the medical center has some-thing to work toward. However, hedoes not anticipate that phase two ofthe plan will begin for several years.

HEALTHWellnessAND

AN ANNUAL JOURNAL DEDICATED TO YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING

STAR VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER

SECOND EDITION, May 28, 2009

STAR VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER • STAR VALLEY CARE CENTER • STAR VALLEY FAMILY PHYSICIANS • ALPINE FAMILY MEDICAL CLINIC

Medical Center toexpand facility in 2009

2 - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center

Radiology: From nuclear medi-cine and mamography tomore traditional film x-rays, theRadiology Department has aproven record of being “a cen-ter of excellence”.

page 3

TABLEof Content

Blood Recovery System: Knownas the cell saver, this systemtakes, cleans and resuppliesblood to patients during surgi-cal or treatment procedures.

page 4

Infusion Center: Even thoughthe hospital has been providingchemotherapy services forover 10 years, the InfusionClinic makes treatments a littlemore comfortable for patients.

page 5

Enhance the “scope” of patientcare: A state-of-the-art scopeat Star Valley Medical Centerthat can be used for many dif-ferent procedures is a welcomeaddition to the overall healthcare in Star Valley. pages 6&7

Neighbors caring for Neighbors:Star Valley Medical Center staffdirectory. pages 8&9

SVMC Auxiliary: In 2008 theauxiliary logged over 5,200volunteer hours. A service val-ued well over $100,000 for themedical center. page 16

Alpine Family Medical Clinic:Last year brought a number ofchanges to the clinic, includingthe return of Dr. Kirk, the arrivalof Ruthanne Taylor, C-FNP andthe addition of limited pharma-ceutical services. page 10

SVMC EMS: Star Valley MedicalCenter teamed up with StarValley EMS last year. The mergetook place in order for themedical center to assist theEMT group while broadeningthe scope of services availabletrough SVMC. page 11

Education & Human Resources:Finding ways to give back tothe community through educa-tional seminars/classes; and it’sall about the people for humanresources. pages 12&13

SVMC Foundation: The founda-tion is a non-profit sector of theMedical Center whose pur-pose is to further the mission ofthe hospital, which is to provideexcellent, compassionatehealth care services. page 14

Patient satisfaction scores are off the chartsStar Valley Medical Center cus-

tomer satisfaction scores are com-puted by a company named PressGaney. Random surveys are sent outto customers who use the services ofSVMC and the customers are asked torate their level of service.Currently three departments are sur-

veyed: Emergency Department, Inpa-tient and Ambulatory Surgery. Thiscoming year the Medical Center willalso begin surveying the Physician’sClinic.“Quarter one of 2009 proves that

we are beginning the year off on theright foot,” said Tanya Merritt, Mar-keting and Foundation director forthe Medical Center. “We surpassed allpeer comparison groups in all threecategories, some by a dramatic mar-gin as the graphs illustrate.”The Emergency Department sur-

vey results consisted of 55 SVMCcustomers who returned a question-naire between Jan. 1, 2009 andMarch 31, 2009. Wait time, comfortof the waiting area and nurse’s at-tention ranked as the highest scor-ing questions.The Inpatient survey results con-

sisted of 41 SVMC customers who re-turned a questionnaire between Jan.1, 2009 and March 31, 2009. Responsetime of nurses, waiting time for testsand treatments and speed of admis-sion and discharge process ranked asthe highest scoring questions.The Ambulatory Surgery survey

results consisted of 38 SVMC cus-tomers who returned a questionnairebetween Jan. 1, 2009 and March 31,2009. Information given before theprocedure, concern for privacy anddegree of pain control ranked as thehighest scoring questions.“We will continue to update the

community throughout the year, eachquarter, when the survey resultscome in,” said Merritt. “It’s exciting tohave such a high performing hospitalin our community.”

Fun Stat about SVMCNational average wait time for ER

patients has grown over the pastdecade from a national average ofabout 38 minutes to over an hour tosee an ER physician according to the

CDC based on a national survey of362 hospitals.Some areas of the country it is

much worse. Arizona ranks numberone 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 aninitial ER physician and average a 90minute total visit time.

A message from Star Valley Medical CenterBy Steve PerryCEO/President

f the past is any indica-tor of the future, thenthe future of Star Valley

Medical Center (SVMC)looks extremely positive.

SVMC is con-structing an ex-pansion andrenovation proj-ect to its facilitybeginning thisspring. Theproject consistsof an expandeddietary areawith added con-ference andmeeting roomspace; ex-

panded radiology space to accom-modate an in-house MRI, in-housenuclear medicine service and a dex-ascan machine; six additional inpa-tient rooms; an expansion to the

laboratory department; and a main-tenance shop for workspace and stor-age. The project will begin mid-Mayand should be completed by the endof 2009.Star Valley Medical Center has had

several physician additions this pastyear.• Dr. Roger Brecheen, OB/GYN, has

been providing services at SVMC forover 16 years and just recently hasclosed his Jackson office to practiceat SVMC on an increased basis.• SVMC has added two new Emer-

gency Physicians, Dr. Jeff Rosenbergand Dr. Lance Peterson within thepast 18 months.• SVMC has hired Ruthanne Taylor,

DNP, C-FNP as the provider for theAlpine Family Medical Clinic.• Dr. Donald J. Kirk is now seeing

patients at the Alpine Family MedicalClinic each Wednesday.• Also, we have hired Dr. Ross

Pieper, family physician, that willbegin practicing at SVMC in June,2010.Star Valley is fortunate to have

these providers, along with the other

providers that have been practicingat SVMC to care for our needs.We have the greatest staff at SVMC

an organization could ever wish tohave. I have been at the Medical Cen-ter for almost 10 years and believethat this is the best group of care-givers that could be assembled. Weconstantly receive excellent com-ments from patients in the form ofpersonal letters and comments fromsurveys. Also, we participate in a pa-tient satisfaction survey programthat compares SVMC with hundredsof other hospitals throughout thecountry. The survey scores we re-ceive most often far exceed the peergroups we compare ourselves to. Thefirst quarter of 2009 puts us on top ofall national and regional comparablehospitals by quite a far margin.On behalf of the Board of Trustees,

I want to thank the community fortheir support of Star Valley MedicalCenter. We look forward to continueoffering outstanding customer serv-ice in addition to new health careservices in the future.

II

Steve PerryPresident, CEO

Star Valley Medical Center has consistently maintainedan average 14 minute wait time to an initial ER physician

and average a 90 minute total visit time.

Brought to you by Star Valley Medical Center - HEALTH and Wellness 2009 - 3

� Radiology Departmentat SVMC looks to future.

By Sarah HaleThe Radiology Department at Star

Valley Medical Center is one of themany areas that the local hospital thatis expanding and changing. From nu-clear medicine and mammography tomore traditional x-rays, the RadiologyDepartment at SVMC has had quite aface-lift from 2007 and is on its way tobecoming “A Center of Excellence.”“It’s great to work with state of the

art equipment in a small, rural town,”said Julio Tijerina, radiology techni-cian at the Medical Center. “Star Val-ley Medical Center is full of a friendly,knowledgeable staff and big cityequipment in a friendly, small townenvironment.”Patient services offered in the Ra-

diology Department include:• x-ray, plain film and digital • picture archiving and communica-tion systems (PACS)• radiology information system (RIS) • computed radiography (CR) • computed tomography (CT) • fluoroscopy• ultrasound• mammography • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)• nuclear medicineX-rays are perhaps the patient

service that is the most easily identi-fied with radiology. It makes sensewhen you consider that general radi-ology is not only the oldest, but alsothe frequently used form of medicalimaging.

Images of the chest and spine aswell as arms and legs can all be ob-tained through the x-ray process. PACS are computers and networks

designed to store, retrieve, distributeand present images. The availabilityof PACS replaces hard-copy radiologyimaging with digital imaging. PACS also provide the capabilities

of off-site viewing and reporting. Doc-tors can also simultaneously view theinformationRIS are electronic databases used

to store, manipulate and distributepatient radiological data and im-agery. The RIS helps with data track-ing, patient scheduling and reportingresults.CR allows digital images to be

taken, eliminating costs associatedwith film development as well as thestorage space needed to store film im-ages. The images can also be sent in-stantly over long distances fordiagnostics. CR images can also beprinted as needed on paper or dryfilm.CT procedures, most commonly

known as CAT scans, require special-ized x-ray equipment in order to getimages of the body from many differ-ent angles. CT images provide exten-sive anatomic information with bothspeed and accuracy.Fluoroscopy is the name of a tech-

nique where real time, moving imagesof the internal structure of a patientare taken. These types of images canbe used by physicians to investigatesymptoms as well as in surgical pro-cedures.Ultrasound is the use of sound

waves to take pictures of the body.

The sound waves display a real timeimage of movement and blood flow.The newest piece of equipment in

the Radiology Department is thePhilips iU22 Ultrasound System. Themachine offers better image qualityand sensitivity, aiding in early diagno-sis and treatment options for patients.Mammography is the use of x-ray

technology to monitor or detectbreast cancer. Star Valley MedicalCenter is an accredited facility withthe American College of Radiology inMammography.MRI combines computer technol-

ogy with magnetic fields and radiowaves to produce very detailed im-ages of the body. MRI images are usedin the case of traumatic injuries, mus-culoskeletal disorders, facial or neckabnormalities, infection, cardiac mal-formations and blood vessel disor-ders.The Medical Center currently of-

fers MRI services twice a week, onMonday afternoons and Thursdaymornings, through a portable MRIservice.Nuclear Medicine images are cre-

ated when a specialized camera takespictures of the energy released by aradioactive substance. Through nu-clear medicine, the anatomy as wellas the function of the body can bestudied.Nuclear medicine services are of-

fered through the Radiology Depart-ment every other Wednesday.In addition to patient services, the

Radiology Department at Star ValleyMedical Center also serves as a class-room for students studying radiologythrough Weber State University.

Capturing the images of healthcare“It’s great to workwith state-of-the-artequipment in a small,rural town. Star ValleyMedical Center is fullof a friendly, knowl-edgable staff and bigcity equipment.”Julio Tijerina,Radiology Technician

The radiology department at Star Valley Medical Center has a proven record of being “a center of excellence”.


By Sarah HaleStar Valley Medical Center has

added a blood recovery system to itslist of available patient services.Known as the Cell Saver, the systemtakes, cleans and resupplies blood toan individual during surgical or treat-ment procedures.According to Lori Johnson, LPN

and the OR department leaderat the Medical Center,

patients who use their own bloodrather than transfusions have a re-duced risk of disease and a quicker re-covery time. There is also no limit tothe amount of blood that can be givenback to a patient.

Blood ismade up ofthree dis-tinct parts.There arewhite bloodcells, redblood cells

and platelets.Each part of the

blood plays a specificrole in the human body. Red blood cells carry oxygen.

White blood cells help to fight off dis-ease. Platelets help blood to clot andclose off wounds.“Blood banked blood takes 12 to 24

hours to benefit a patient,” said John-son. “The Cell Saver blood suppliesoxygen immediately to benefit the pa-tient’s healing.”According to Johnson, in cell sal-

vage, blood is “taken directly from the

surgical wound” to the Cell Saver.“This blood would otherwise be

wasted,” Johnson said “In the CellSaver machine the blood is washedand separated out to just oxygen richblood cells, then re-infused back intothe patient to promote healing.”Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is the

name given to blood plasma that hasbeen separated into a high concentra-tion of platelets.“Plasma separation is performed so

that the patient can receive a supplyof plasma that contains platelets andclotting factors at the end of the pro-cedure,” said Johnson.Donor blood can also be run through

the cell saver machine to separate itinto red blood cells for patient use.Star Valley Medical Center has five

nurses trained to use the cell saver aswell as three technicians.“It’s a big process,” said Johnson,

referring to both the training requiredto use the machine as well as theprocess of moving blood through thecell 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 Cen-ter at 885-5800.

Medical Center adds blood recovery system “Blood banked blood

takes 12 to 24 hours tobenefit a patient. Thecell saver blood sup-plies oxygen immedi-ately to benefit thepatient’s healing.”

Lori Johnson,LPN

“In the Cell Saver machine the blood is washed andseparated out to just oxygen rich blood cells, thenre-infused back into the patient to promote healing.”

Lori Johnson, LPN

REDUCED RISK: Patients who use their own blood rather than transfusions have a reduced risk of disease and a quicker recovery time.

By Sarah HaleThe Star Valley Infusion Clinic was

opened at the Medical Center in De-cember 2008. Even though the hospi-tal has been providing chemotherapyservices for over 10 years, the infusionroom makes such treatments a littlemore comfortable for patients.“The Infusion Clinic has been very

well received,” said Marcia Bahr, RN.“Patients like their own place and oneon one attention. The clinic is easy toaccess for treatment. And [infusion]patients know we have a special placereserved for them.”The Star Valley Infusion Clinic pro-

vides medications intravenously in aphysician supervised setting. Theclinic is staffed by a licensed pharma-cist and certified chemotherapynurses.The setting of the Infusion Clinic at

Star Valley Medical Center is designedto be comfortable and soothing to pa-tients. The clinic features ambientlight and warm colors. Private cur-tains are available to patients to cre-ate a personal area for them whilethey are receiving treatment.Patients can also watch television

or movies, listen to music or readwhile sitting in a comfortable, electricrecliner. The Medical Center Auxillaryhas supplied the clinic with fleece lapblankets and pillows to help patientsrelax as well.The Medical Center dietary depart-

ment also works with the infusionclinic to provide patients with mealsand drinks.According to information provided

by Star Valley Medical Center, in ad-dition to providing infusion care, theclinic’s focus is to create a home-likeenvironment that is close-to-home

for patients.Comprehensive treatments and

procedures available through the StarValley Infusion Clinic include:• chemotherapy,• blood transfusion,• hydration therapy,• emphysema treatment (Prolastin),

• Crohn’s disease and rheumatoidarthritis (Remicade),• Multiple Sclerosis (Solumedrol,

Tysabri).• Osteoporosis treatments (Boniva,

Reclast, Zometa),• and iron deficiency anemia (Iron

Dextran, Iron Sucrose).


Infusion Clinic available at Medical CenterWhat patients aresaying about theStar ValleyInfusion Clinic.

“It’s so nice and quiet, awayfrom the hubbub of the hos-pital and I have a nurse dedi-cated to caring for me.”

“It’s so nice to have mychemo treatments right hereat home and with friendly,helpful people to care forme. Marcia is so loving to meand efficient and profes-sional in all she does andgoes the extra mile to seethat I get the treatment Ineed. Lonny gives the per-sonal touch from pharmacyand takes time to visit withme each time I come.”

“The infusion room is sopeaceful and convenient. Iknow exactly where I’mgoing and that there is a spe-cial place just for me.”

CLOSE TO HOME: The Medical Center infusion room helps make treatments a little more comfortable for patients by bringing them closer to home.


� Dr. Donald Kirkspeaks with the Inde-pendent regardingSVMC’s new equipment.

By Dahl EricksonDiscovering colorectal cancer can

be an awkward conversation. How-ever, with the new Olympus scope giv-ing doctors like Donald Kirk and ScottBender, a better viewing angle and apicture-perfect result, what mightseem like an awkward conversation

just might end up saving your life.Dr. Kirk works with SVMC and also

spends Wednesdays at the AlpineFamily Medical Clinic. Kirk is one theprimary users of the Olympus scoperecently purchased by SVMC.“We’re very excited about the

equipment that we have,” Dr. Kirkstated. “It’s for the upper and lower,endoscopy and colonoscopy, evalu-ations. I have to say that it’s proba-bly the best equipment in thecountry and we have it right here inStar Valley.”The hospital board, in need of re-

placing aging and used equipmentwas able to take advantage of the lat-est technology.“We went through an evaluation

process on equipment and this wasnot only the best but the hospitalwas able to get it at a reasonableprice,” added Kirk. “People are fa-miliar with high definition televisionsand we’re benefitting from that tech-nology here as well.”In addition to the fact that the high

definition reduces fatigue by theuser, in the case of colonoscopy, itmay very well discover problemsthat may have been missed withother equipment.“One of the most significant ad-

vances with this piece of equipmentis the viewing angle,” Kirk added.“The standard right now is 140 de-grees; the Olympus is 170 degrees.The colon is not a straight tube; it’sfull of bends and curves and thereare many folds in which polyps canhide. The scope also has a blue filter

light and during a colonoscopy, we’reable to evaluate the polyp tissuemuch more clearly and do a betterjob in determining our diagnosis.”“In regards to colon cancer

screening, it should start at age 50 ifone has no family history of that dis-ease,” he said. “We’re talking first de-gree relatives here such as parent,children and siblings. A lot of peopleare squeamish about the whole idea.As someone who’s experienced theprocess on both sides the over-whelming response is that the prepa-ration is much worse than the actualprocedure. It takes about ten yearsfor the polyps to turn into cancerand finding them early is very im-portant. If you have a family historyof colon cancer then you shouldstart the screenings no later thanage 40.”In addition, the new scope can

also help physicians detect otherpossible cancers.“The upper endoscopy scope has

had an advancement as well,” Kirkconcluded. “Esophageal cancer isone of the fastest growing cancers inthe United States. With the filter wecan target the biopsies much moresufficiently so that we’re getting asmuch of the tissue from the abnor-mal area as possible.”In conclusion, the addition of the

new Olympus scope should not onlyhelp Star Valley citizens in terms oftime and comfort, but perhaps evenavoid a life-threatening situation.

Olympus scope’s definition and features could save lives“ I have to say that

it’s probably the bestequipment in the

country and we haveit right here inStar Valley.”

Donald Kirk, M.D.

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.


� High definitionequipment will benefitarea patients.

By Dahl EricksonStar Valley Medical Center prides

themselves as a rural hospital thatoffers more than you might expect.In the vein of thinking, the newest

piece of equipment now available tothe public is one that is as advancedas anything you would find in a majorcity hospital.Perhaps even better.“This is the cadillac of Olympus

equipment,” stated Dr. David L.Shrader, SVMC Pulmonologist. “Pa-tients that have to have this type ofwork done can be assured that thisevaluation is being performed by thebest equipment available. Even bet-ter than some of our referral hospi-tals.”The new scope can be used for

many different types of procedures.One of the main jobs performed byShrader is that of Bronchoscopy,which is looking down the throat andinto the lungs.“Bronchoscopy allows us to look

internally for the source of a spot onan x-ray, a patient may be coughingup blood; it gives us another tool toresolve those issues,” he added. “Italso allows us to remove foreign bod-ies if the patient has aspirated an ob-ject. 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 downrightpainful, the result of the new equip-ment 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 touse, its much more comfortable forthe patient and it’s much quicker sowe get better information for both di-agnosis and treatment. For the pa-tient it will significantly cut down onthe amount of time that it will takefor the procedure to be completed.”“Recently the Medical Center had

the opportunity to upgrade theirfiber optic equipment,” said Shrader.“Our older equipment was adequatebut we had the misfortune of havingtwo scopes going bad at the sametime.”Shrader also marveled at the

change in technology during his timein the medical field. “When fiber optics were first avail-

able, the physician literally looked inone end and saw what was at theother end;about the sizeof a nickel,” henoted. “Thatgraduated tobetter im-agery throughthe use ofe l e c t ron i c sand a televi-sion. Now weare using an18x18 screen that’sin high definitionand there is no lossof imagery. This tru-ely is the best that’savailable.”The scope will be

used in not onlyShrader’s depart-

ment, but by many other physiciansat Star Valley Medical Center. Over-all, the new equipment is a welcomeaddition to the overall health of StarValley. Dr. Shrader is also satisfiedthat it will benefit many people.“We are really pleased to have

such great equipment that will makeour lives and the lives of the patientsso much easier.”

New hospital scope is versatile and state-of-the-art“This is the cadillac ofOlympus equipment.Patients that have tohave this type of workdone can be assuredthat this evaluation isbeing performed bythe best equipmentavailable. Even betterthan some of ourreferral hospitals”David L. Schrader, M.D.

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT: New equipment that gives a faster, more detailed look inside the human body.


Allen D. Carter, M.D.Family Practice

K. Paul Head, M.D.Family Practice

Noel B. Stibor, M.D.Family Practice

Donald J. Kirk, M.D.Family Practice

Martha Hageman, M.D.Family Practice

Family Practice Medicine

Jerry HansenChairman

Marti HalversonVice Chairperson

Rowan AndersonTreasurer

Ron CrookSecretary

Foundation Board Liason

Dr. Martha Hageman Drew Izatt Rod Jensen

Hospital Board Members

Kirk Dana,Chairman

Liz BeckVice Chairperson

James WebbSecretary

SVMC Foundation Board of Trustees

Denise WheelerBusiness Office

Michelle Oliver, RN, DONCare Center

Nolan HeinerCentral Supply

Marty AshtonHealth Information Services

Beth CahalaEnvironmental Services

Jody SkinnerLab

Adam LancasterMaintenance

Bill BurchDietary

Department Leaders (continued)

David Hansen, M.D.Radiology

Randall Kiser, M.D.Radiology

Justin Lamb, D.O.Radiology

Radiology

Lee J. Burke, M.D.Cardiology

Steven C. Horton, M.D.Cardiology

Cardiology

Troy ClawsonSVMC EMS Director

Joel JohnsonHuman Resources

Steve PerryPresident, CEO

Ken BroughV.P. Finance, CFO

Jean PinterV.P. Clinical Services, CNOCare Center Administrator

Department Leaders (continued) Administration

Ruthanne Taylor, D.N.P., C-F.N.PFamily Nurse Practitioner

Ed Henry, F.N.P.Family Nurse Practitioner

Family Nurse Practitioners

Pictured front: Liz Beck, 2nd Vice President; Virginia Radford, President; Tonie Johnson, 1st VicePresident & Gift Shop Manager. Pictured back: Kim Arendts, Treasurer; Kathy Hildreth, Secretary;Grace Pike, 3rd Vice President

SVMC Auxillary Officers

O.D. Perkes, M.D.General Practice

General Practice

Phillip Lowe, M.D.Urology

Urology

Brent L. Clyde, M.D.Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery

David Scott Bender, M.D.General Surgery

General Surgery

Neighbors caring for Neighbors


James WebbSecretary

Val CallTreasurer

Ron CrookNLCHD Board Liaison

Margaret Anderson Jared Gleue Jim Fairchild O.D. Perkes, M.D. Joe Kastan

SVMC Foundation Board of Trustees

Adam LancasterMaintenance

Mary BurchNursing

Lori JohnsonOperating Room

Lonny DoblerPharmacist

Katie NaylorRadiology

Connie TitensorMOB and Clinic Manager

Mike FordRespiratory Therapy

Tanya MerrittMarketing and Foundation

Department Leaders (continued)

Amy JohnsonQuality/Risk Manager

Department Leaders

Ed Henry, F.N.P.Family Nurse Practitioner

Shannon Roberts, M.D. – OB/GYNMaura Lafaro, M.D. – OB/GYNGary Ellwein, M.D. – Pathologist, ConsultingFloyd Fantelli, M.D. – Pathologist, ConsultingMatt Tannenbaum, P.A., M.H.S. – Pathologist, ConsultingEzra Ellis, M.D. – Pathologist, ConsultingDavid Martin-Reay, M.D. – Pathologist, ConsultingGabriele Terman, M.D. – Pathologist, ConsultingJoshua Fullmer, M.D. – OphthalmologyRafael Willams, M.D. – OrthopaedicsBarry Birkin, M.D. – RadiologyJohn Olson, M.D. – RadiologyWilliam Hale, M.D. – RadiologyTel Boman – AudiologyHarold Pergler – Audiology

Family Nurse Practitioners

Pictured front: Liz Beck, 2nd Vice President; Virginia Radford, President; Tonie Johnson, 1st VicePresident & Gift Shop Manager. Pictured back: Kim Arendts, Treasurer; Kathy Hildreth, Secretary;Grace Pike, 3rd Vice President

SVMC Auxillary Officers Additional Physicians...

Curt Stock, M.D.ENT

ENT

Roger M. Brecheen, M.D.OB/GYN

OB/GYN

Phillip Lowe, M.D.Urology

Urology

John Payne, D.O. Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery

William Hazle, M.D. Psychiatry

Psychiatry

Jeffrey Rosenberg, D.O.Emergency Medicine

Lance Petersen, M.D.Emergency Medicine

Emergency Med.

David Shrader, M.D.Internal/Pulmonary Med.

Internal/Pulmonary

Brian D. Tallerico, D.O.Orthopaedics

Marlowe Goble, M.D.Orthopaedics

Heidi Jost, M.D.Orthopaedics

Geoffrey Skene, D.O.Physical Medicine

Orthopaedics

“YourCenterof Excellence”Neighbors caring for Neighbors

Star Valley Medical Center


By Sarah HaleThe Alpine Family Medical Clinic,

created 13 years ago by Dr. DonaldKirk and Dr. Martha Hagerman, is afull-time medical office that servespatients of northern Star Valley. Theclinic is a service of the Star ValleyMedical Center.The last year has brought a num-

ber of changes to the clinic, includ-ing the return of Dr. Kirk, the arrivalof Ruthanne Taylor, DNP, C-FNP, andthe addition of limited pharmaceuti-cal services. The Clinic is open Monday through

Friday and provides a full spectrumof medical care. Children, adults andfamilies are treated for routine check-ups, illnesses, and emergencies.

Dr. Donald Kirk of IndependentFamily Practice accepted the positionof managing physician of the AlpineClinic last fall. “I’m contracting with the hospital

to provide services in Alpine one daya week and to manage the AlpineClinic,” Dr. Kirk said.Dr. Kirk believes his decision to con-

tract with Star Valley Medical Center toprovide services in Alpine as well asthe decision to consolidate Independ-ent Family Practice solely to Thaynemeans he can see more patients.Being involved with the Alpine

Clinic also set the groundwork to ex-pand services in the facility.“Star Valley Medical Center has al-

ways wanted to be and continues towant to be a integral part of thehealth care services in the Alpinecommunity,” said Dr. Kirk. “Hopefullywe will be able to increase what serv-ices are available at the Alpine Clinicin the future.”Ruthanne Taylor has been working

in the medical field in the area since1983. During her career in medicineshe has been a part of ICU and air am-bulance teams and served as directorof the Air Idaho Rescue for six years.She has taught at Yale University

as well as Central Wyoming Commu-nity College.Ruthanne Taylor has been in-

volved in medical care with the statedepartment in Russia, Africa andNapal and has a specialty in helpingpeople prepare health wise for over-sea travel and can provide travel

medicine consultation.In addition to her experience with

international health care, RuthanneTaylor has extensive experience inproviding rural health care.Tami Simone is the receptionist

and Wayne Hoffsinger is the new Med-ical Assistant to Ruthanne Taylor atthe Alpine Family Medical Clinic.Up until the 2009 patients that vis-

ited the Alpine Clinic with an acute,short term illnesses were required totravel several miles to get the neces-sary prescriptions filled after a diag-nosis was given. However, today theAlpine Clinic has contracted withAllscripts, LLC, a company that pro-vides basic care medications in regu-larly prescribed quantities.“Through this program a patient

can walk out of the clinic with theirprescription in hand,” said Taylor. “Itis important that people understandwe are not a retail pharmacy. You can-not come to us to get a prescriptionfilled or for the types of servicesavailable at a retail pharmacy. Ourpharmaceutical services are linked topatient visits to the Alpine Clinic.They are exclusively for the conven-ience of patients.”The clinic has also added an addi-

tional service from the High CountryCounseling. For an appointment for acounselor call High Country Counsel-ing at 885-9883. The Alpine Family Medical Clinic is

located at 230 Elk Run in Alpine. Formore information about the clinic,call 654-7138.

Alpine Family Medical ClinicA Service of Star Valley Medical Center“Our pharmaceutical

services are linked topatient visits to theAlpine Clinic. Theyare exclusively forthe convenience

of patients.”Ruthanne Taylor,

C-FNP

Alpine Family Medical Clinic has undergone substantial changes in 2008.


Star Valley MedicalCenter EmergencyMedical Servicesprovide a great serviceto the community.They are able torespond in a timely

manner, and withup-to-dateskills.

The Star Valley Medical Centerteamed up with Star Valley EMS thislast year. The merge took place inorder for the Medical Center to assistthe EMT group with funding whilebroadening the scope of servicesavailable through the Medical Center. The Emergency Medical Services

(EMS) began in Star Valley in March1976. The first certified EMTs weremembers of the police force, hospitalemployees, and a handful of otherpublic servants. The entire valley wasserved by this ambulance service. In the early 1980s, the town of

Alpine asked for help coordinating anEMT class and chose to start their ownambulance service. The service areaof the ambulance service was quite ex-tensive and they felt that another serv-ice would better benefit the citizens ofStar Valley. The formation of theAlpine service allowed all valley EMTsthe opportunity to provide faster re-sponse times to a smaller service area.With the ambulance garage located

in Afton the Star Valley AmbulanceService was operated under the direc-tion of IHC until about 1997, when IHCdecided that they would no longerhandle ambulance services. Membersof the Star Valley Ambulance Servicedecided to hold fund raisers, seekgrant monies, and to do what theycould to continue to provide this am-bulance service to the citizens of thevalley as an independent group. In the 1990s, the Thayne EMTs

formed their own ambulance serviceas well. It was felt that with three sep-arate services the growing needs ofStar Valley could better be served.The group in Afton was able to giveone of their older ambulances to the

Thayne EMT’s as their first rig.The Star Valley Ambulance Service

changed its name to Star Valley EMTsin the 1990s as well.In March of 2008, the Star Valley

Medical Center (SVMC) and the StarValley EMS merged. This merger con-tinues to benefit not only the hospitaland the EMS group, but the commu-nity as well. The hospital manages thebusiness portion of the operation, al-lowing the EMTs to focus more on pro-viding better care to patients. The EMS department now has more

“in-house” training available to itsmembers through SVMC that was pre-viously available only to doctors andnurses. This translates to better, moreefficient patient care in the field. Star Valley Medical Center Emer-

gency Medical Services (SVMC EMS)provides a great service to the commu-nity. They are able to respond to pa-tient needs in a timely manner, and withup-to-date skills. They are able to pro-vide better communication withother agencies and servicesand to coordinate carein the event of a largescale incident or dis-aster in the area. As a Trauma

Community Hos-pital, SVMC isable to use theEMTs for continuedcare of the deliv-ered patient after acall. The EMTs can fol-low the patient and con-tinue to assist the emergencyroom doctors and nurses. EMS is a department of Star Valley

Medical Center that provides trans-

portation for inter-facility transfers aswell. This means that if a patient is inneed of care that cannot be providedhere at SVMC, they are able to trans-port to another facility. In the event thatthe patient needs to be flown to an-other facility by fixed-wing aircraft, theyprovide transfer assistance to the flightcrew and patient to and from the localairport. The EMS department of Star Valley

Medical Center strives to continueproviding timely, quality, com-petent, and personalcare to each and everypatient. This also re-flects the goals andvalues of SVMC inpatient care to thecommunity.

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


“ A major focus for2009 is to amplifythe number of freeeducation seminars

and /or classesavailable to our

community.”Tanya Merritt, Marketingand Foundation Director

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.

By Sarah HaleStar Valley Medical Center hosts

and/or sponsors a number of eventsand educational seminars each yearthat are designed to improve thehealth of residents in Star Valley.“A major focus of SVMC for 2009 is

to amplify the number of free educa-tion seminars and/or classes available

to our community members,”said Tanya Merritt, Marketingand Foundation Director atthe Medical Center. “These

education ses-sions will varyin topic andare plannedto includediabetes,breast can-cer aware-n e s s ,women ’sh e a l t h ,

asthma, COPD, sleep disorders/sleepapnea and orthopaedics.”According to Merritt, all education

sessions will be taught by “varioushealthcare professionals specificallytrained in that area of expertise.” “It is a great way for us to give back

to our community and a great way forour community to meet the membersof SVMC,” said Merritt.

Brake for BreakfastBrake for Breakfast is an annual

event held the first Wednesday of Oc-tober during National Breast CancerAwareness Month. The event is spon-sored by The Hospital Cooperativeand Star Valley Medical Center. Through the Brake for Breakfast

program, women are encouraged tovisit informational stations to receivea free breakfast as well as informationon early breast cancer detection. Gen-eral cancer awareness informationand coupons for a mammogram and abone density scan are also given out.Information stations are located in

at the START bus location in Etna, inAlpine, Thayne and Afton. All of thestations are manned by hospital vol-unteers.

Festival of TreesThe weekend following Thanksgiv-

ing features the annual Festival ofTrees. The event is put together by theStar Valley Medical Center Auxiliaryand features holiday decorations,trees, gift items, delicious food and avisit from Santa. The goal of the eventis two-fold. One, to raise funds for aux-iliary projects and two, to give the StarValley Community a fun place to getinto the spirit of the holiday season.

Diabetes ClassThe diabetes educators at SVMC

are recognized by the American Dia-betes Association as being a regis-tered facility qualified to teach theDiabetes Self-Management Program.This five class course teaches diabeticpatients ways in which they can suc-cessfully manage their diabetes.The course includes instruction

on in-depth nutrition geared to thepatient with either type one or typetwo diabetes, behavior changes,lifestyle changes and specifics onmedications and what they can dofor their personalized self-manage-ment program. The course is taught by Doreen

Ward, RD, nutritionist, Lonny Dobler,pharmacist and Maureen Rash, dia-betes specialist.The course emphasizes exercise,

ways to reduce stress, glucose moni-toring, how to test and what to dowith those testing numbers, alongwith healthy eating strategies. Registration for the course is re-

quired. For more information or to reg-ister for the course, contact SVMC at885-5932.

Childbirth ClassThe SVMC offers a free childbirth

and new parent class four times a year.The courses are taught by registerednurses and cover the basics of preg-nancy from preconception to laborand delivery, breastfeeding and in-fant/child CPR. Each session is a four-week course,

held on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m.Classes are scheduled to accommo-date three months of delivery dates.Upcoming class series will begin in

July. Class dates are July 1, July 8, July15, and July 22.

Continued on page 14

Giving back to the community we serve


Snap Shot of Our Employment GrowthIn 1999 when Star Valley Medical

Center broke away from IHC the hos-pital had approximately 70 employeesand only five primary care physicians.Now, just ten years later, SVMC is oneof the three largest employers in thevalley with 234 employees. “We’ve expanded upon our base of

Family Practice providers and nowemploy eleven physicians includingvarious specialists: Emergency Medi-cine, Pulmonology, OB/GYN, GeneralSurgery, and Orthopedic Surgery,”said Joel Johnson, Human Resourcedirector. “With these specialists ourservices have expanded, and we’vesponsored employees to expand theiroverall education and skills to createa strong medical community for StarValley and surrounding communities.”The mission of Star Valley Medical

Center is to provide excellent, com-passionate, healthcare services whichis supported by our values; to succeedthrough superior service and to at-tract and retain exceptional individu-als. “When you speak with your neigh-

bors about SVMC, do you refer to it asan employer or healthcare provider?Many don’t refer to a medical centeras an employer but as their health-care provider,” said Johnson. “StarValley Medical Center has thirtyemployees that have been with usfor over ten plus years, thirteen ofthose are over twenty years. Consis-tency with employees leads to consis-tency with care.” With its growth, SVMC has not only

expanded the services and expertiseof the facility and staff, but has made alarge footprint in the valley’s eco-

nomic stability. “In 2000 our payroll and benefits in-

vestments were $3.9 million, and in2008 we invested $10.4 million in ourstaff,” said Johnson. “This directly im-pacts our economy as currentlyninety-eight percent of SVMC’s stafflives in the valley.”Why Health Care as a Career?Each organization and industry has

an influence in the world, but howmany can say they saved a life, com-forted someone in need, or brought anew life into the world? Healthcare is not just physicians,

nurses, radiology technicians orEMT’s, but it is also those in the di-etary, environmental service and cler-ical support departments. Everyemployee in a healthcare environmentmakes a difference to those who walkthrough the doors. “Our staff works together to

strive to meet one goal: care forthose in our community withcompassion,” said John-son.

National sta-tistics reinforce a grow-ing opportunity for thoseinterested in a career in healthcare. Asthe largest industry in 2004, healthcare

provided 13.5 million jobs; 8 of the top20 fastest growing occupations are inhealthcare, and about 19 percent, or 3.6million, of all new jobs created between2004 and 2014 will be in health care,more than in any other industry. While the United States already has

126,000 nursing vacancies, nearly 40percent of the current nursing work-force will retire in the next five years.If you are interested in pursuing a

career in healthcare, SVMC would bedelighted to discuss the educationalpath with you and try to arrange jobshadowing time. With the currentpresidential administration and retire-ment of current care givers, the futureof health care is changing, and we as

a provider understand ourobligation to recruit the

next generation ofcare givers.

Growth of Star ValleyMedical CenterHuman Resources1999• Steve Perry, CEO/President• Michelle Oliver RN, (Promoted)Director of Nursing Care Center 2000• Ken Brough, CFO/VP Financial • Norman Mogul, SVMC Founda-tion Director• Denise Wheeler, (Promoted) Busi-ness Office Department Leader2001• Marty Ashton, HIS & MedicalRecords Department Leader2002• David Olsen APRN, CRNA2003• Scott Bennett, MD, Family Physician• Amy Johnson RN, (Promoted)Quality Improvement & Risk Man-agement Director2004• Jean Pinter RN, CNO/VP ClinicalServices • Nolan Heiner, Materials Manage-ment Department Leader • David Bender MD, General Sur-geon2005• Michael Ford RRT, (First hire fornew service) Respiratory Depart-ment Leader • Brian Tallerico DO, OrthopedicSurgeon • Mary Burch MSN FNP-BC, Direc-tor of Nursing Med/Surg.2006• Jody Skinner MT, (Promoted)Laboratory Department Leader• Joel Johnson, Human ResourceDirector • Connie Titensor, (Promoted)Physician Clinic Manager 2007• Beth Cahala, (Promoted) Envi-ronmental Services DepartmentLeader• Jeffery Rosenberg MD, Emer-gency Medicine • Lonny Dobler PharmD, (Firstfull-time pharmacist) PharmacyDepartment Leader2008• Lori Johnson LPN, (Promoted)Surgery Department Leader • Roger Brecheen MD, OB/GYN • Marlowe Goble MD, OrthopedicSurgeon• Troy Clawson, EMS Coordinator • Hiring of 34 EMTs (Former StarValley EMS) • Katie Naylor, (Promoted) Radiol-ogy Department Leader • Bill Burch, (Promoted) DietaryDepartment Leader• Tanya Merritt, Marketing &Foundation Director

• Lance Petersen MD,Emergency RoomPhysicians• Ruthanne Taylor

DNP C-FNP, NursePractitioner, Alpine Fam-

ily Clinic • Adam Lancaster, Plant Man-

agement Department Leader2009• Jake Crosby APRN, CRNA2010• Ross Pieper, MD, Family Practice

At Star Valley Medical Center, it’s all about the peopleAt Star Valley Medical Center we pride ourselves in “growing our own”.

The Star Valley Medical Center Foundation is anon-profit sector of the Medical Center. Our purposeis to further the mission of the hospital itself, whichis to provide excellent, compassionate health careservices to the members of Star Valley. “Our function as a Foundation is to make sure

people like you who want to help the Medical Centerfulfill its mission, can do so with ease and assurancethat things are properly handled,” said Tanya Mer-ritt, Marketing and Foundation Director.Your contributions will go toward providing the

high quality health care to Star Valley that we enjoytoday – quite literally forever. Whether you have a large gift or what you might

consider a small amount, we can assure you wewelcome your participation in this most importantendeavor.In July we will be kicking off our annual campaign

to help sustain growth of the Foundation and theMedical Center’s goals in providing state of the arttechnology and new services. These technologicalinstruments require additional funding at times andthat is where we put your donations. This will in-clude a direct-mail campaign and the return of theSVMC Phone-A-Thon in August.Any donations to the Foundation will be welcome

and whether it comes this week or in 20 years, plan-ning is part of what we do. We’re helping the MedicalCenter plan for the future and we’d like you to be apart 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 encour-age your participation in these events. We have a va-riety of giving options that you can explore. Frommonetary gifts to trusts and one time contributionsto annual pledges, we have options for everyone.

Event schedule for the FoundationJune 19, 2009

10th Annual Golf Classic at Star Valley RanchJune 29 - July 4

Direct Mail Campaign will beginAugust

SVMC Foundation Phone-A-Thon.

Star Valley Medical Center Foundationis also proud to announce that we have establishedan Endowment Fund. An endowment fund consistsof monetary gifts or assets with the stipulation thatit be invested and the principal remain intact in per-petuity or for a defined time period. This allows alldonations to have a much greater impact over alonger period of time rather than if it were spent im-mediately upon receipt. This fund will ensure the future of the revolu-

tionary health care we enjoy here at home in StarValley. The money donated to the Endowment Fundwill have a greater impact on the Medical Center fortwo 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 in-

vested to generate interest and have a greater im-pact on the future of health care in our communityfor many years to come. Any questions about thefoundation should be directed to Tanya Merritt, Di-rector at 307-885-5887.


GGiivviinngg bbaacckkContinued from page 12Childbirth classes are also planned

for Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28.A childbirth education series is

also scheduled for January 2010. Theclasses will take place Jan 6, Jan. 13,Jan. 20 and Jan. 27.The April 2010 childbirth education

series will begin April 7. Classes willcontinue April 14, April 21 and April 28.

Heartsaver CPR/AED andFirst Aid

This class is taught by AmericanHeart Association (AHA) certified

healthcare professionals and coversadult and infant/child CPR, ob-structed airway, the Heimlich ma-neuver, the use of a barrier device,and AED hands-on training.The class is recommended for par-

ents, grandparents, cub scout/girlscout leaders, day care providersand preschool teachers. Anyone interested in participating

must sign up at least one week in ad-vance. The registration fee is $60. For more information on heart-

saver CPR/AED and First Aid classes,contact Kirt Galloway at 885-9494.

Health Fair

The SVMC sponsors a yearlyHealth Fair where community mem-bers can come and see what is avail-able for health care in Star Valley.The 2009 Health Fair will be held onMay 30 at the Star Valley High Schoolfrom 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The health fair features informa-

tion booths about local businesses,products, health care services andsafety tips.Results from the blood draws held

in Star Valley this month will also beavailable for pick-up at the healthfair. The results must be picked up bythe individual to whom they belong.

Relay for LifeStar Valley Medical Center is one of

the sponsors of the annual Star ValleyRelay for Life. The event is designed toincrease community awareness of can-cer, celebrate cancer victories andraise money for cancer research. By being involved in the Relay for

Life, the Medical Center can bothshow support for local cancer victimsas well as give back to the communityby providing informational and finan-cial resources regarding cancer.This year the annual Relay for Life

event is scheduled for June 26-27 atthe Star Valley Middle School Track.

Building a foundation for the future

FUNDS AVAILABLEWe charged out patients:For 1891 days of acute impatient care $7,172,374For 15,792 visits of outpatient care $11,146,045For 17,011 visits for physician care $4,045,309For 8,639 days of long-term care $1,418,027Subtotal $23,781,755

We charged, but did not receive full payment:For those unable/unwilling to pay $1,021,640Negotiated third party payers $1,803,098Medicare, Medicaid, other governmental $2,930,252Subtotal $5,754,990

Net patient charges (includes bad debit) $18,026,765

In addition we received funds from:Grants & donations $523,226Investment income $176,548Local taxes for bond repayment

and operation $1,011,133From cafeteria and other sources $595,595Total sources of funds $20,333,267

FUNDS APPLIEDWe applied funds:To pay employees $8,000,528To provided benefits for employees $2,392,625To pay for other operating expenses $6,004,936To pay principal and interest

on loans and bonds $653,502For capital equipment purchases $2,547,409To reduce current liabilities

and increase revenue $734,267Total net revenue applied $20,333,267

Payment sources at our hospital:Patients with insurance 40.6%Patients with Medicare (federal) 34.8%Patients with Medicaid (state) 10.1%Patients covered with workers comp. 2.6%Patients without insurance

or federal & state programs 11.9%

ADDITIONAL STATISTICAL DATAHospital acute admissions 568hospital patient days - acute and swing bed 1891Hospital average length of stay 2.64Percent occupancy - Care Center 98.2%Total outpatient visits 15,792Total ER visits 3,492Inpatient surgeries 209Outpatient surgeries 876Total surgery cases 1,085Total births 99

HOSPITAL REVENUE BY PATIENT CLASSInpatient $7,172,374 39%Outpatient $11,146,045 61%Total $18,318,419

If you attended the Star Valley Med-ical Center Health Fair Blood Drawsthis year you may have noticed thatthings looked differently to you thisyear than at previous year's draws andwe are excited that you noticed.Star Valley Medical Center is

pleased to be able to perform theblood draws in entirety within ourwalls this years, without the assis-tance of Wyoming Health Fairs or anyoutside contract company.Isn't that exciting?Our laboratory has expanded

many of its services within the lastyear which has enables us to processall the blood samples here at home:using all of our own employees andvolunteers from registration onthrough the blood draw and on to theHealth Fair itself.We, at Star Valley Medical Center,

feel it is of upmost importance to notonly take care of the health of ourcommunity residents but to also helpthe welfare of our economy and that'swhy all the money taken in at theiryear's blood draws will stay right herein Star Valley.We are no longer contracting with

an out-of-area company or paying any-one additional to help facilitate theblood draws. Our pricing is competi-tive and the blood draws are a won-derful way to save money versus aregularly scheduled visit to a labora-tory for annual tests that are recom-mended by your physician.This is the first year that SVMC has

done the blood draws in entirety andwe are very pleased with our turnout.Most patrons positively commented

on the improved changes. We are al-ready looking to future and focusingon areas of the draws that we can im-prove on for next year.This includes the flexibility to take

the blood draws on the road and nextyear our plan is to expand locationsand date availability.Since Star Valley Medical Center

had to create their own database ofblood draw patrons for this first year,your test results will look differentlythan in years past. There will be nocomparison data to your past year's

tests; however, copies of past year'stests should be available with yourprimary care physician if you nolonger have them on file.The results from the blood draw

will be available to be picked up at theHealth Fair on Saturday, May 30th atthe Star Valley High School Auxiliarygymnasium from 9:00am - 1:00pm.This year's Health Fair will consist of

over 30 local and regional vendors ofhealthcare products or services and weencourage everyone on the communityto come and see what is available.


Star Valley Medical Center Health Fair 2009

FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL DATA FOR 2008

“While helping facilitatethe draws in Afton atthe Medical Center, Iheard many positivecomments rangingfrom 'how quick theline went', 'it was niceto interact with SVMCstaff', and 'how nice itwas to not be outwaiting in the cold andrain'. There were alsoquestions as to 'why didyou change' and 'whatdo I do about my pasttest results'. Overall,nearly all commentswere positive pats onthe back”Joel Johnson, Humna Resources

“Most all patrons thatcame through theBlood Draws wereexcited with the visiblechanges. Star ValleyMedical Centerconsidered the firstyear a huge success.”Tanya Merritt, Marketingand Foundation director

By Sarah HaleThe Star Valley Medical Center Auxiliary serves as the

volunteer arm of SVMC. The Auxiliary has been a part ofthe Medical Center for more than nine years and is madeup of over 50 volunteers.Virginia Radford serves as the president and her offi-

cers are Tonie Johnson, first vice president; Liz Beck, sec-ond vice president; Grace Pike, third vice president; KathyHildreth, 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 thefront 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 ofAfton’s Parade of Lights each Thanksgiving weekend.Auxiliary volunteers help with the annual community

health fair and provide gift certificates to new motherswho have delivered babies at SVMC.The “Hug a Bear” program is also under the direction of

the Star Valley Medical Center Auxiliary. Through the pro-gram each child that is admitted to the hospital receivesa bear to keep.In 2008 the Auxiliary logged over 5,240 volunteer

hours. The value to the hospital for that service was wellover $100,000.The Auxiliary contributed activity calendars, televi-

sions, shelving and brackets, forceps, a desk, throws andpillows for the Infusion Clinic and blankets and warmersto the Care Center in 2008. The cash value of the contri-butions from the organization totaled $6,042.All money raised by the Star Valley Medical Center Aux-

iliary organization is used to support SVMC. “Scholarships for the year were in the amount of

$2,000,” said Radford. “Four SVHS students receivedscholarships in the amount of $500 each.”In 2008 the Auxiliary also started a junior program,

where high school age volunteers could become mem-bers of the Auxiliary.“We have three girls in the program,” said Radford.

“They participate in the gift shop and the Care Centerwhen needed.”In 2008 the Auxiliary also purchased a software pro-

gram for the mammography department and batteries forthe portable x-ray machine in the radiology department.In 2009 the Auxiliary has committed itself to purchas-

ing medical equipment with a value of over $6,000 for theMedical Center. Items the group will purchase include acast 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 Auxil-iary can contact Virginia at 883-3330.


Building an auxiliary of excellenceIn 2008 the auxiliarylogged over 5,240volunteer hours.The value to thehospital for thatservice was wellover $100,000.

In 2009 the auxiliaryhas committed itselfto purchasing medicalequipment with avalue of over $6,000for the Medical Center.

Virginia Radford, Auxiliary President and Dr. Leonard Wilford at the 2008 Festival of Trees.

Health and Wellness 2009

Documents

Transcript of Health and Wellness 2009