ADAMS COUNTY PUBLIC HOSPITAL DISTRICT #2

Past News and Articles

 

Past News and Articles

  
     
  Adams County Hospital District #2 Health Fair 2007  
  Facilities plan available for viewing  
  Physicians Assistants  
 

Importance of Immunizations

  
  Food and Turkey Drive  
Adams County Public
Hospital District #2

East Adams Rural Hospital
903 South Adams Street
Ritzville, Washington 99169
(509) 659-1200

Ritzville Medical Clinic
903 South Adams Street
Ritzville, Washington 99169
(509) 659-1200

Lind Medical Clinic
Corner of 4th and L Streets
Lind, Washington 99341
(509) 677-8116

Washtucna Medical Clinic
545 SE Church Street
Washtucna, Washington 99371
(509) 646-3290

Ritzville Volunteer Ambulance Association

Lind Ambulance Association

Washtucna Ambulance Association

Adams County Hospital District #2

Health Fair 2007

Adams County Public Hospital District #2 held its annual Health Fair on Sept. 8, 2007 in Ritzville’s Downtown Plaza.  It was a beautiful fall day and the plaza was full of activity as many people visited the various health and safety booths and activities as well as craft and food vendors at the Farmer’s Market.  Twenty –nine organizations had booths or activities at the Health Fair along with seven Hospital District tables.  Inland Northwest Blood Bank was on site with a blood drive and collected thirty-two pints of blood.  Thirty-eight people had Bone Density Screenings from Sacred Heart’s Women’s Health Center and sixteen people had hearing screenings by a Costco audiologist.   The District EMT’s had fourteen kids participate in a bike rodeo and they gave away 55 bike helmets.  The Hospital laboratory was on site drawing blood for reduced fee lab tests and over three days they had forty-one people take advantage of the discounted fees.  Spokane Injury Prevention personnel were there testing safety of children’s car seats and CHER from Spokane gave health presentations throughout the day.  People visited the many tables and booths lining the Plaza throughout the day and expressed enjoyment of the information available and the street fair atmosphere.  Mark your calendars to join us Sept. 6, 2008 for another fun and informative Health Fair. 

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Facilities Plan

Here you can read about the Facilities Master Plans that have been developed as well as the feasibility studies for both a new facility on the same site and a new facility on a new site.

Facilities Master Plan
 1. Cover, Index, Executive Summary
 2. Space Program
 3. Architect Narrative
 4. Drawings
 5. MEP Review
 6. ME&F Budget
 7. Project Budgets


EARH Master Plan Final
 EARH Master Plan Final, Rev 1

 

EARH Projections Option 1
 EARH Projections Option 2

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Physician Assistants

Physician Assistants (PA) are an important part of the practice for Adams County Public Hospital District #2.  The use of physician assistants started in 1965 doing primary care. Dr. Eugene Stead from Duke University founded the program using Navy Corpsmen after the Vietnam War. Today PA’s are in all specialties of medical practice,  Cardiology, Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and of course Family Practice to name a few.  The PA is a licensed health professional who practices medicine under the supervision of a physician.  They are in essence an extension of the physician and the care they provide.  Physician Assistants are allowed to perform physical exams, diagnose health conditions, implement and carry out a treatment plans, which may include prescribing medications.   The PA is allowed to practice under the physician to the scope that is allowed by the physician and state practice laws. 

Physician Assistants are used throughout the United States and many other countries.  PA’s are going to be utilized more often due to the aging population, the utilization of the health care system, and the predicted shortage of physicians.  According to USA Today by the year 2020 there will be a shortage of 85,000 to 200,000 physicians.  We will start to notice the shortage across the nation as early as 2011.  Currently there are areas in Washington that are having a shortage of physicians.  PA’s are essential to maintaining health care services in our area. 

The clinic and hospital are fortunate to have 2 regular PA’s employed who cover clinic practice and hospital practice as well as 1 additional PA that provides coverage as needed. The physicians and the PA’s provide 24 hour coverage 365 days per year. The physicians have worked with the PA’s for many years and place a great amount of confidence in them and extend to them the freedom to practice knowing that should any questions arise the PA’s will consult them.  The PA’s along with the physicians, make up the leadership of the healthcare team which includes nursing, radiology, laboratory, specialists, and all others who impact your health care needs. The PA’s working for the communities in the district have a firm knowledge base and understanding of medicine.  John Valeri and Marnie Boyer are both Certified Physician Assistants.  They maintain their certification by completing 100 hours of continuing medical education every 2 years.  Then every 6 years they have to retake the National Certification exam. When you call to make an appointment and we have a PA available remember that they are an extension of the physician and have communication with the physician as needed to develop a plan of care to ensure better health for you.

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IMPORTANCE OF IMMUNIZATIONS

Before vaccines, parents in the United States could expect every year over the course of the 20th century:

 

               Polio would paralyze 10,000 children.

 

               Rubella would cause birth defects and mental retardation in as many as 20,000

               newborns.

 

               Measles would infect about 4 million children, killing, 3,000.

 

               Diphtheria would be one of the most common causes of death in school-aged

               children.

 

               A bacterium called Haemophilus influenzae typ b (HIB) would cause meningitis  

               in 15,000 children, leaving many with permanent brain damage.

         

               Pertussis (whooping cough) would kill thousands of infants.

 

Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations before.

 

Disease prevention is the key to public health.  It is better to prevent a disease than to treat it.  Vaccines prevent the disease in the people who receive them and protect those who come in contact with unvaccinated individuals.  Vaccines help prevent infectious diseases and save lives.

 

It is true that newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they have antibodies they got from their mothers.  However, the duration of this immunity may last only a month to about a year.  Young children do not have maternal immunity against some vaccine-preventable diseases, such as whooping cough.

 

If a child is not vaccinated and is exposed to a disease, the child’s body may not be strong enough to fight the disease.

 

Vaccines are not just for babies and young children.  As children get older, the protection provided by some early childhood vaccines can wear off.  Don’t assume that your child received all recommended vaccinations in the past. Parents need to keep good records.  Save your vaccine cards for each child and bring them to all well child visits with your provider.  This will prevent having to repeat any vaccines.  This is extremely important if families move around a lot.

 

As an adult, you need protection by immunization, as well.  Vaccines can prevent diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, pneumococcal disease, influenza, varicella, hepatitis A and B.

Many people think some diseases have been wiped out.  This is not the case.  In 1995, at least 39 percent of all reported measles cases in the U.S. occurred in persons 20 years of age or older.

 

If you were never immunized or never had these vaccine-preventable diseases, you are at risk.  If you were immunized as a child you may need updating because some of the immunizations loose their effectiveness over time.

 

Remember… immunizations are not just kids’ stuff.

 

Today, vaccines are held to the highest standard of safety.  The United States currently has the most effective vaccine supply in history.  Years of testing are required by law before a vaccine can be licensed.  Once in use, vaccines are continually monitored for safety and efficacy.

 

Your provider is the best one to ask about immunizations.  Next time you have a visit ask if you need any immunizations.  The health department is another source for immunizations and up to date vaccine information.  There are web sites that are great for information.  Two of them are; www.cdc.gov/vaccines (this is also a good site if you are traveling to check what immunizations you may need) and www.immunize.org.

 

Recommended immunizations for ages 0-6;  DTaP, Hib, Hep B, Hep A, Polio, MMR, Rotavirus, Varicella and Pnemonococcal.

 

Recommended immunizations for ages 7-18;  TDaP, Human Papillomavirus, Meningococcal, Influenza, Hep B, Hep. A, (if you haven’t had these).  Catch up vaccines if you haven’t had them previously, as recommended by your provider.

 

Recommended immunizations for adults; TDap, Influenza, Pnemococcal, Hep B, Hep A, (if you haven’t had these) and are at risk.  Catch up vaccines if you haven’t had them previously, as recommended by your provider.

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FOOD and TURKEY Drive

Results

During the Hospital District Employees recent Turkey and Food Drive they collected 699 lbs of food and sold $545 worth of turkey feathers to feather a turkey poster.

The money and food were taken to the Community Food Pantry on Dec. 12 for them to use to provide Christmas dinners for families in need.

Last Modified: Wednesday 26 April 2006