Three Rivers Hospital Plant Manager Rob Wylie, far right, gets ready to help unload new Stryker S3 patient beds on December 29.
Three Rivers Hospital is already following through on its promise to invest in the facility when voters approved a levy lid lift in August. The hospital celebrated the start of the new year with the arrival of 18 brand new patient beds, and more furniture will arrive within the next month.
According to Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Munson, the ability to replace all of the hospital’s outdated patient furniture has been a long time coming.
“This will be the first time in over 20 years that we have replaced furniture,” she said. “This is a very exciting purchase for us. To be able to replace beds that are over 40 years old with new, more comfortable beds that have the technological capabilities to help us deliver safe patient care is a huge step in a positive direction.
“This purchase was centered around the patient and really supports our mission of leading the innovation of safe and respectful patient care.”
The Board of Commissioners authorized Munson to sign a lease agreement with Stryker in November for of about $319,000. As part of the agreement Stryker waived the taxes and freight fees, a savings of nearly $20,000. In addition, Stryker provided free upgrades to iBed technology and deluxe mattresses that come with a 10-year warranty.
The new Stryker beds offer more safety features and a modern look compared to the hospital’s older beds, seen in the background.
Stryker delivered the S3 medical/surgical beds on December 29; they immediately were placed in the acute care wing. Within the next few weeks the hospital is expecting the rest of the furniture: two maternity beds, 21 patient chairs, 21 over-bed tables, 21 bedside stands, one recliner bed, one treatment recliner, one loveseat sleeper, four newborn bassinettes, and three TruRize power chairs.
The new beds and TruRize chairs will lend to greater safety for patients as well as nurses. The chairs offer improved mobility for patients without placing physical strain on nurses, and the iBed technology includes anti-fall warning lights and sounds to help protect high risk patients.
Surgery Tech Jose Bucio helps set up one of the new Stryker patient beds on December 29.
As the new furniture is moved in, employees are working on giving patient rooms a makeover with fresh paint and new fire-retardant curtains.
Meanwhile, hospital administration continues to work toward the other goals outlined to voters: relocating the emergency department to a more appropriate space in the hospital that is currently used for clinical services; upgrading the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system to be compliant with state Department of Health regulations; replacing sections of the roof directly over patient care areas; and investing in staff training. One area is being converted into an education room so staff and providers can keep up on their credentials and current care techniques without needing to travel.
These projects are slated to begin this year with the help of engineering firm McKinstry.
Three Rivers is also working with Stryker on a package to upgrade surgical suite equipment, Munson said.
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COVID-19 impact puts Three Rivers Hospital in financial distress
BREWSTER — COVID-19 has not yet arrived in Brewster, but the outbreak is having an impact on the local health care system that could have long-lasting ramifications.
Over the last several weeks, Three Rivers has experienced a significant drop in the number of patients visiting the hospital. The emergency room normally services a dozen patients each day. Last week, on the busiest day Three Rivers saw seven patients. The hospital is complying with an order from Gov. Jay Inslee last week to halt all non-urgent medical procedures, and they’ve taken other measures to try to keep patients safely at home as much as possible. At the same time, the hospital is preparing for the possibility of treating patients with COVID-19 in the community. This has all added up to less revenue and more expenses for the hospital.
“Over the last few years, we’ve been able to stabilize the hospital’s finances and even begun to grow a little, but we have been operating paycheck to paycheck,” said CEO Scott Graham. “I’m sounding the alarm now with the hope that we will be able to secure additional financial resources to weather this storm.”
A Call to Action
Last week, Graham shared the hospital’s position with the Washington State Hospital Association and Gov. Inslee. This resulted in a small one-time allotment of cash that will allow the hospital to continue operations for the next month. Graham also shared the story with the American Hospital Association during a virtual event highlighting the impact COVID-19 is having on hospitals across the country, and he has shared the news with Three Rivers employees in a letter.
“We have an amazing team here at Three Rivers Hospital, one that has weathered many storms and one that is dedicated to serving this community,” Graham said. “I am committed to doing everything we can to weather this storm and continue providing health care in this community, and I hope you will join me in this effort.”
What You Can Do to Help
Community members can help by:
Graham plans to continue to update the community as the hospital works to secure additional funding options to maintain health care services in Brewster. In the early morning hours of March 25, the U.S. Senate had approved a bill that would allocate $150 billion to healthcare during this nationwide crisis. Some of those funds would be funneled to small hospitals that are financially struggling, such as Three Rivers. The U.S. House has yet to take action on the bill as of midday on March 25.
Three Rivers’ COVID-19 Preparedness
Meanwhile, a team comprised of hospital administration, key leadership, and providers has been meeting weekly and attending conference calls in coordination with Okanogan County Public Health, the state Department of Health, and other healthcare organizations throughout the region to stay apprised of the COVID-19 situation as it develops. The team has taken a number of measures to help ensure patient safety and mitigate risks to visitors, patients and staff in case the virus does appear in the area.
More information about what Three Rivers and its clinic, Three Rivers Family Medicine, have been doing to address the pandemic is available at the following links:
Three Rivers Hospital COVID-19 Page
Three Rivers Family Medicine COVID-19 Page
Commissioner McNamara earns governance certification
Three Rivers Hospital commissioner retiring from board
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Three Rivers Hospital OB Program Closing April 1, 2020
BREWSTER, Wash. — Nov. 15, 2019 — In response to learning that Family Health Centers will move its obstetrics services to Mid-Valley Hospital effective April 1, 2020, Three Rivers Hospital will end its own obstetrics program.
“This is the end of an era for Three Rivers Hospital,” said Chief Executive Officer Scott Graham. “We have long prided ourselves on our top-notch OB program. We’re sad to see it come to an end, but we support Family Health Centers’ choice to centralize OB services in order to keep this invaluable service available in Okanogan County.”
Family Health Centers’ medical director, Dr. James Wallace, explained during the hospital Board of Commissioners meeting on Oct. 2 that the decision was made because Family Health Centers has struggled to recruit more physicians to Okanogan County.
Three Rivers Hospital administration spent the following month gathering data, running financial analyses, and having discussions with Family Health Centers leadership and providers regarding the future of obstetrics at Three Rivers.
Based on the analysis completed, it was determined that the financial resources it would take to recruit the necessary physicians would be too significant. With this information, the Board of Commissioners determined it wouldn’t be feasible to continue OB services without the Family Health Centers physicians.
Three Rivers Hospital records an average of 90 births per year.
New ER location
Welcome to Three Rivers
Interview with Pauline Glessner former Employee and Patient
We had the great opportunity to sit down with former employee and patient of Three Rivers Hospital, Pauline Glessner. Pauline is the mother of our Employee Health Nurse, Carla Boyd. It was a pleasure to spend time with Pauline and hear her story. We hope you will enjoy spending a couple minutes with this lovely lady.
KOZI Radio interview with COO Melanie Neddo
This week our COO Melanie Neddo was feature for an interview on KOZI Radio. Melanie spoke with 2nd Cup of Coffee host Jay Witherbee about the roll of rural hospitals in our community. Melanie and Jay also discussed our Family Medicine clinic and the services we provide to the community through the clinic.
We invite you to listen and learn more about Melanie as well as some of the service we provide for you and the community.
New Beds Await Patients at TRH
Three Rivers Hospital Plant Manager Rob Wylie, far right, gets ready to help unload new Stryker S3 patient beds on December 29.
Three Rivers Hospital is already following through on its promise to invest in the facility when voters approved a levy lid lift in August. The hospital celebrated the start of the new year with the arrival of 18 brand new patient beds, and more furniture will arrive within the next month.
According to Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Munson, the ability to replace all of the hospital’s outdated patient furniture has been a long time coming.
“This will be the first time in over 20 years that we have replaced furniture,” she said. “This is a very exciting purchase for us. To be able to replace beds that are over 40 years old with new, more comfortable beds that have the technological capabilities to help us deliver safe patient care is a huge step in a positive direction.
“This purchase was centered around the patient and really supports our mission of leading the innovation of safe and respectful patient care.”
The Board of Commissioners authorized Munson to sign a lease agreement with Stryker in November for of about $319,000. As part of the agreement Stryker waived the taxes and freight fees, a savings of nearly $20,000. In addition, Stryker provided free upgrades to iBed technology and deluxe mattresses that come with a 10-year warranty.
The new Stryker beds offer more safety features and a modern look compared to the hospital’s older beds, seen in the background.
Stryker delivered the S3 medical/surgical beds on December 29; they immediately were placed in the acute care wing. Within the next few weeks the hospital is expecting the rest of the furniture: two maternity beds, 21 patient chairs, 21 over-bed tables, 21 bedside stands, one recliner bed, one treatment recliner, one loveseat sleeper, four newborn bassinettes, and three TruRize power chairs.
The new beds and TruRize chairs will lend to greater safety for patients as well as nurses. The chairs offer improved mobility for patients without placing physical strain on nurses, and the iBed technology includes anti-fall warning lights and sounds to help protect high risk patients.
Surgery Tech Jose Bucio helps set up one of the new Stryker patient beds on December 29.
As the new furniture is moved in, employees are working on giving patient rooms a makeover with fresh paint and new fire-retardant curtains.
Meanwhile, hospital administration continues to work toward the other goals outlined to voters: relocating the emergency department to a more appropriate space in the hospital that is currently used for clinical services; upgrading the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system to be compliant with state Department of Health regulations; replacing sections of the roof directly over patient care areas; and investing in staff training. One area is being converted into an education room so staff and providers can keep up on their credentials and current care techniques without needing to travel.
These projects are slated to begin this year with the help of engineering firm McKinstry.
Three Rivers is also working with Stryker on a package to upgrade surgical suite equipment, Munson said.