2022 KITTITAS COUNTY
MEDICAL DIRECTORY A PUBLICATION OF THE DAILY RECORD
SERVICES INCLUDE FULL SPECTRUM FAMILY MEDICINE COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL CARE OBSTETRICS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OSTEOPATHIC MANIPULATION THERAPY PHARMACY ONSITE LAB CARE COORDINATION CONNECT PROGRAM FIRST STEPS/CYSHCN PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES
ALL YOUR MEDICAL AND
DENTAL CARE UNDER ONE ROOF.
CALL TODAY! 509-962-1414 WWW.CHCW.ORG
We are here for you when your family needs us. CHCW is proud to be a member of the Ellensburg Community and to care for it’s population. Call today to get your family enrolled in any of our many services.
521 E Mountain View Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926
2022 MEDICAL DIRECTORY TABLE OF CONTENTS THE HUNT FOR A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST TO DETECT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE................................................ PAGE 4 8 COVID PRECAUTIONS YOU CAN LEAVE BEHIND THIS HOLIDAY SEASON................................................... PAGE 6 WHICH FLU VACCINE SHOULD CHILDREN GET THIS YEAR?............... PAGE 8 A SIMPLE TOOL HAS BROUGHT HEALTH INSURANCE TO THOUSANDS....................................................... PAGE 9 ‘STAB IN THE HEART’ HEALTH CARE WORKERS REFLECT ON ABUSE THEY’VE FACED DURING PANDEMIC...................................... PAGE 11 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER?............................................... PAGE 13 SHOULDER INJURIES AND WINTER WEATHER SAFETY TIPS.............. PAGE 14 KIDS TO BE VEGETARIAN?........................................................... PAGE 15 2021 MEDICAL SERVICES LISTINGS.............................................. PAGE 16
3 • 2022 Medical Directory
THE HUNT FOR A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST TO DETECT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Lisa M. Krieger The Mercury News
Even in the prime of our lives, while still healthy and clever, our brains may be secretly developing the deadly plaques and tangles of Alzheimer’s disease. The first sign of trouble is memory loss — and, by then, damage is done. But innovative new blood tests can now detect these hidden signs of disease, years before the onset of heartbreaking symptoms. The tests are not yet recommended for widespread screening of the general public, 2022 Medical Directory •
4
because improvements are needed. But newly released data about the first FDA-approved version by C2N Diagnostics, shows that it’s 81% accurate in identifying levels of a brain protein that is a hallmark sign of Alzheimer’s disease. For the first time, the test is being used in a major National Institutes of Health-funded drug study at 75 medical centers. “When is the best time to put out a fire? When it starts,” said Dr. Julio Rojas-Martinez of UC San Francisco’s Memory and Aging Center, which is using the test to
identify people as young as 55 to participate in NIH’s AHEAD study, aimed at finding drugs to delay memory loss before symptoms begin. Once refined and more widely available, he said, these blood tests “will be revolutionary, in that we will be able to detect who’s at risk.” While current drugs can only delay cognitive decline, not prevent it, this would enable people to enroll in research trials as early as possible. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia among older adults, is a brain
disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking skills and even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, it afflicts 1 in 9 people over age 65. As long as two decades before symptoms, we’re accumulating toxic levels of proteins, called amyloid and tau, which form plaques and tangles. Memory loss appears after once-healthy brain cells stop functioning, lose connections and die. Currently, the disease is diagnosed through memory
tests by a skilled neurologist, then confirmed through a costly positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the brain or an invasive spinal tap puncture to get cerebrospinal fluid. While genetic tests can help predict risk, they don’t describe the dynamic state of a brain. “So often, people go without being identified as having Alzheimer’s or a related disorder,” said Elizabeth Edgerly, director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada. “The diagnostic process can be a challenge.” At age 58, “I definitely was having memory issues, but people just kind of dismissed it,” said Pam Montana, now 66, of Danville, a former sales executive at Intel whose agile mind could no longer memorize complex engineering concepts. Words come easily to her, but when she met with her staff, she read from notes to ensure accuracy. “Diagnosis was really a struggle for me,” she said. “I’m chatty, and had a cute outfit on, and makeup, and they said ‘You look great.’ Everybody thinks Alzheimer’s is a grandma in a wheelchair.” Only during a routine conversation at the doctor’s office — when she couldn’t remember where she earned her graduate degree – did alarms go off. He r d i ag n o s i s wa s l at e r confirmed by a high-tech PET scan, which involves an injection of radio-tracing fluid and lying motionless in a long tube. A diagnosis may be even harder if a patient lacks access to medical specialists and high-tech tests. “If there was somebody that could just draw my blood and say, ‘Yeah, you have this, or you have that,’ then we could take it from
there,” she said. With so few treatments available for the debilitating condition, why might a test be useful? “Early diagnosis is extremely helpful for several reasons,” said Lena Chow of Palo Alto, who cared for her late husband Bob Kuhar, a long-distance runner and engineer with a PhD in clinical psychology. “There are lifestyle changes and numerous strategies, such as programs for ensuring socialization, to improve the quality of life. There are also pragmatic reasons, such as taking away the driver’s license, for safety.” A major advance in Alzheimer’s research built the foundation for testing: the so-called “biomarker revolution,” which made it possible to detect plaques and tangles. A test measures the biomarkers that leak into the bloodstream. But reliability proved elusive. Due to the blood-brain barrier, biomarkers couldn’t be found in sufficient quantities. And blood is a soup of many different substances, so traditional tools delivered inconsistent results. Now, with the advent of better analytical techniques, even tiny amounts of these biomarkers can be detected. “Our big leap was to detect these small molecules with very low concentrations in plasma,” said Rojas-Martinez. The new tests “are 1,000 times more sensitive. That’s what makes this enterprise possible.” The most immediate application is for research. If patients can be identified quickly and easily, it would lower the cost of drug trials. Billions of dollars have been spent on designing treatments, with almost nothing
to show for it. “A blood test is so much more affordable, and more readily accepted,” said Edgerly. Tests aren’t yet ready for general use. That’s because more work is needed to evaluate their performance in real-world clinical settings. And some clinicians question the prognostic value, noting that people may live with plaques in their brain and never develop symptoms. Furthermore, analysis is technically challenging. It requires a mass spectrometer and other specialized equipment. Blood samples need rapid centrifugation and freezing, procedures that are beyond the current capabilities of most average laboratories. Collection techniques have to be standardized. But companies are racing to
create simpler, cheaper and easier tests that are fit for widespread clinical use. Some look for signs of amyloid; others, tau; still others, the ratio of the two. The tests will continue to improve, said Rojas-Martinez. But until then, “our emphasis should be to provide care, helping the family prepare and plan for the future.” For now, the test by C2N Diagnostics is the only one available, through an order by a physician. But at least eight other tests — by companies Quanterix, Roche, Eli Lilly, ADx, Shimadzu, MagQu, Janssen and Fujirebio — are in the pipeline. “In the next year or so, a test could be readily available,” predicted Edgerly. “And that would be game-changing.” v
709 S. Main Street • Ellensburg, WA 98926 • Phone - 509-929-3000 Fax number - 509-728-9312 • howardsmedical.com • starla@howardsmedical.com Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm
5 • 2022 Medical Directory
8 COVID PRECAUTIONS YOU CAN LEAVE BEHIND THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Ada Tseng Los Angeles Times Our second holiday season under the shadow of COVID-19 is right around the corner. And though the pandemic isn’t over and it’s still important to take precautions, this year, many are vaccinated, so we’re in a better starting place than we were last year. Gone are the days when we knew nothing about the coronavirus — and therefore needed to be vigilant about everything. We now know the primary way that people are infected is through exposure to respiratory fluids carrying infectious virus. This means: — Inhaling air that contains the virus. — The virus being exhaled onto your mucous membranes (a.k.a. someone coughing on you). — Or touching small droplets or particles of the virus with your hands and then touching your nose, eyes or mouth. 2022 Medical Directory •
6
What does that mean for the stuff we used to do that we might not have to do anymore? The stuff we used to be scared of that might not be as scary anymore? It’s time for a reset on our COVID-19 worrymeter — as well as a word of encouragement to keep up with the latest announcements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your local health officers and trusted medical professionals — so that worrying less can come more than once a year. 8 THINGS OFF WORRY LIST
1. Wiping down every surface at least once a day Remember when we thought we needed to use Lysol wipes to disinfect packaged groceries and takeout containers? We’ve since learned that the coronavirus doesn’t survive well on surfaces, so there is a low risk of spread from food products or
packaging. The CDC says that it’s probably not necessary to do any extra disinfecting in general unless someone who has been in your home within the last 24 hours has a confirmed coronavirus infection. If you continue to clean your home regularly — easier said than done, sometimes — regular soap and detergents remove most virus particles on surfaces just fine. But if anyone in your household is more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, it doesn’t hurt to clean more often. And be sure to wash your hands often. 2. Wearing gloves Remember when we wore gloves to use the gas pump, which we imagined hundreds of possibly infected people had touched before us? The CDC now says that for the general public, gloves are not necessary unless you are cleaning or caring for someone sick.
The best way to protect yourself from germs after going out is by regularly washing your hands or using hand sanitizer. But please continue wearing your cute black gloves on your lunchtime stroll, because it’s cold in California when it’s under 70 degrees, and we need to stave off seasonal affective disorder now that it gets dark by 5 p.m. 3. Handshakes Remember when we thought we’d never shake hands ever again? It’s still true that if someone has a coronavirus infection, coughs on their hand and shakes your hand — and then you put your hand near your nose, eyes or mouth — you might get infected. But if they aren’t infected, or they don’t cough on their hand, or if you wash your hands before rubbing your hands all over your face, then you should be OK. But don’t feel pressured to start shaking hands again if you thought the elbow tap was so much cooler. 4. Masks worn outside In general, outdoor activities are safer than indoor ones because increased airflow means you’re less likely to encounter concentrations of the virus in the air. According to CDC guidelines, you do not need to wear a mask in most outdoor settings, especially if you continue to practice social distancing. The exception is if you’re in an area where coronavirus transmission rates are high, or if you’re participating in activities where you’ll be in close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated, or if you’re in a large crowd. Some public health officers, like Santa Clara County’s, still recommend the use of face
coverings if you are in crowded areas in general. Los Angeles County mandates masks outdoors at events with 10,000 or more people and recommends them in some other outdoor situations. And it’s worth remembering that most young kids are still not fully vaccinated and that people who have weakened immune systems should take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people. 5. Sharing food RIP Souplantation, but was that overkill (and is reincarnation real?) now that we understand that buffets and sharing food familystyle are not big COVID-19 risks? Eating meals together can still be risky — especially if you’re indoors and not vaccinated — because the act of chewing can spread coronaviruses through respiratory droplets and aerosols. But there’s currently no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food. So if you’ve already decided to eat together, it’s fine to split a dessert without worrying about getting separate plates. A lot of other germs can be transmitted by sharing food. But this is not a story about other germs. 6. Water-based activities Remember when we shamed people for going to the beach? Not only do we now know that it’s safer to be outside than inside, but we also understand that the virus doesn’t spread through water. That includes swimming pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds. If you get close enough for someone who is infected to breathe on you in a hot tub, that’s one thing. But if you’re swimming several feet away from anyone who has COVID-19, you’re
probably fine. 7. Saving good-quality masks for health care workers Remember when we thought we needed to make masks out of socks, handkerchiefs or underwear so we could save the N95 masks for healthcare workers? (Kind of like how Jingmei in “The Joy Luck Club” took the worst-quality crab because she had the best-quality heart?) Health care workers now are fully supplied with masks, and, fingers crossed, it will continue to stay that way. So feel free to buy KN95s and other high-quality disposable face masks. The CDC also recommends masks with two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric that fit snugly on your face. 8. Long lines (or impossible hurdles) to get vaccine appointments
Remember when you used your BTS-concert-ticket-snagging skills to get your elderly family members and friends those coveted vaccine appointments? And then they had to wait an hour in line to get inoculated? Now you ca n wa l t z i nto most pharmacies and clinics for COVID-19 vaccinations, even without an appointment. Everyone ages 5 and over is now eligible to get a shot. California is also recommending booster shots for everyone who wants them, to provide extra protection for people before holiday travel and get-togethers, and those appointments are easy to make as well. If you and everyone else in your circle are vaccinated, worrying less just might become your new normal. v
Help with Medicare is just a phone call away!
Call SHIBA for FREE, UNBIASED help!
1-800-562-6900 shiba@oic.wa.gov We’re your Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program
7 • 2022 Medical Directory
WHICH FLU VACCINE SHOULD CHILDREN GET THIS YEAR?
Dr. Flor Munoz American Academy of Pediatrics
Q
: Does it matter which flu vaccine my children get this year and when they get it? A: Many people don’t realize it, but flu can be a very serious illness. It causes thousands of deaths in the United States every year, even among previously healthy children. With COVID-19 expected to still be spreading this fall and winter, it is even more important to protect your child from viruses like influenza. As a parent, the best thing you can do to protect your children from the flu is to get them vaccinated right away. All children ages 6 months and older should get their influenza vaccine as soon as possible. Everyone around your children should be vaccinated, too. For the 2021-22 influenza season, two types of influenza vaccines are available. The first is what many people call the flu shot. The second comes as a nasal spray. All the vaccines available for children this year contain four influenza viruses (two A and two B viruses). Both the AAP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention want as many children as possible to get a flu vaccine every year. The AAP recommends that any licensed vaccine available this year and appropriate for a child’s age and health status be given to children, with
2022 Medical Directory •
8
no preference. Both types of available flu vaccine (flu shot or nasal spray) can be given according to their indications, with no preference, this season. If your child is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, it can be given at the same time as the flu vaccine, or at any time. Talk with your pediatrician about your child getting the flu vaccine along with other recommended immunizations. Last flu season was unusual, with physical distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene and other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and possibly doing the same for the flu. However, flu and COVID-19 are predicted to spread this winter. Children with COVID-19 can still get a flu vaccine after they have recovered from their COVID-19 illness. Keep in mind that symptoms such as a stuffy and runny nose can make it hard to give the nasal spray vaccine. A child who had an allergic reaction after a flu vaccine in the past should be seen by an allergist. The allergist can help parents decide if their child should receive their annual flu vaccination. A child with a known history of egg allergy can receive the flu vaccine. When possible, children should get the flu shot immediately. There’s no need to wait, even if your child got the previous year’s flu vaccine in March or April. Influenza season typically peaks in February, so it’s not too late to get the shot. Children 6 months to 8 years of age should receive
two doses if this is the first time they are being vaccinated against influenza, or if they have only received one dose of flu vaccine ever before July 1. It’s a great idea to go to your pediatrician’s office for the vaccine. Your pediatrician knows your child best. The pediatrician’s office has your child’s health information, making it easy to keep track of the flu shot in the health record. Now more than ever, it is important to stay connected to your pediatrician and your medical home. Many pediatricians also offer flu shot clinics, including curbside and drive-through clinics. If your child needs to go somewhere else, such as a pharmacy or retail-based clinic, parents should share the document they receive with the pediatrician. Remember, getting vaccinated is the best way to protect your children, yourself, and your parents and grandparents from the flu. Dr. Flor Munoz is an associate professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. She also is a member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases. For more information, go to HealthyChildren.org, the website for parents from the AAP. v
A SIMPLE TOOL HAS BROUGHT HEALTH INSURANCE TO THOUSANDS Michael Ollove Stateline.org Maryland and Massachusetts, soon to be followed by other states, now allow taxpayers to begin the sign-up for health care coverage on their tax returns, aiming to draw many residents into low- or no-cost plans they may not know they qualify for. The effort is intended to gather in many of the last Americans — more than 28 million of them — still without health insurance, despite the gains achieved by the 2010 Affordable Care Act. A quarter of those people are eligible for Medicaid, the public health plan for low-income Americans, according to an analysis of the uninsured by the Kaiser Family Foundation. And more than a third could get federal tax subsidies to help them pay for at least part of the premiums
for private plans. “As surprising as it may seem, there are many people out there who don’t know there are insurance options for them,” said Michele Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, a state agency that helps enroll residents. “People are just surviving out there. They don’t know what’s available to them.” Republican Gov. Larry Hogan signed Maryland’s first-of-its-kind measure into law in 2019. For the past two years, Maryland income tax forms have included a box that taxpayers can check to indicate they do not have health insurance. With the taxpayer’s permission, the state comptroller submits the household’s income and family size data to the state’s health insurance exchange for possible enrollment in Medicaid or subsidized private insurance. The Massachusetts legislature adopted
a similar measure this year, which will be implemented next year. Other states are following suit. Colorado and New Jersey have passed legislation, both with strong bipartisan support, to implement their own easy enrollment plans via tax returns. Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill into law. In New Jersey, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has said he strongly supports the measure, but asked for some small technical changes, which the legislature is likely to adopt next month. The idea also is gaining steam, either legislatively or administratively, in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia. GAINING STEAM Meanwhile, in Congress, U.S. Sen. Chris Van continued on next page
9 • 2022 Medical Directory
Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, introduced a bill last month that would put a similar check-off box on federal tax returns. Van Hollen cited the success in Maryland, which has enrolled nearly 7,000 residents over the past two years, according to the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The state’s uninsured rate was 6% in 2019, the last year for which statistics are available. Nationally, according to last year’s census, the percentage of those without health insurance is 8.6%. President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill before Congress would increase federal subsidies for health insurance and make millions more people eligible for Medicaid. Proponents say a check-off box on federal tax returns would alert many of those taxpayers of their options and usher them into health insurance plans. In 2020, the first year of Maryland’s Easy Enrollment program, 60,645 Maryland taxpayers checked the box
indicating they didn’t have health insurance. The state determined that 53,146 were eligible for either Medicaid or a federal tax credit. Of those, 4,015 people, or 7.6%, ultimately enrolled in a health plan. This year, 29,020 individuals checked the box, 27,223 were found eligible and 2,962, or 10.8% of those deemed eligible, enrolled. “We’re pleased with that 10%,” said Eberle. “Although it sounds low, it’s 10% more than we would have gotten otherwise.” Most of the other taxpayers didn’t respond to the state’s outreach. Nevertheless, Eberle said the information collected from the tax returns could help her office to better target its marketing and education campaigns. Maryland now puts this check box on its tax returns to initiate a process for enrolling residents in health insurance. Image credit: Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Of those who enrolled in health care plans through their Maryland
PROUD TO BE YOUR LOCAL, FAMILY-OWNED FUNERAL HOME
Thank you Kittitas County For choosing us as your Best Funeral Service Company!
tax return, Eberle said nearly a quarter identified as Black and 20% as Latino. More than 40% were ages 18 to 34, a group notorious for low rates of insurance. Nearly three-quarters of the new enrollees joined Medicaid. The rest enrolled in commercial plans, and about 95% of them qualified for federal tax credits, Eberle said. OUTREACH TO UNEMPLOYED Kentucky found another way to piggyback on a government agency’s functions to help boost health insurance enrollment. Last year, as thousands of people were laid off in the first months of the pandemic, Kentucky’s Medicaid agency followed up with those who applied for unemployment benefits to enroll them in health plans. Eric Friedlander, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said in an interview that outreach contributed to a 130,000-person bump in the state’s Medicaid rolls during the pandemic. Friedlander called Maryland’s Easy Enrollment “a great model” that he hopes Kentucky also will eventually adopt. And Eberle said Maryland is looking into leveraging unemployment benefit applications for health insurance enrollment as well. In Massachusetts, which has the lowest rate of residents without health insurance at 3%, officials have been frustrated at the hurdles to getting everyone into health plans, said Audrey Morse Gasteier,
chief of policy and strategy at the Massachusetts Health Connector, the state’s health insurance exchange. “We’ve devoted lots of resources a n d e f f o r t s i n t o m a rk e t i n g and outreach and community engagement into getting people enrolled,” she said. “That remaining 3% is very vexing to us, and we remain committed to reaching that population.” With that goal in mind, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration pushed a new law that will introduce a program next year like Maryland’s. The Easy Enrollment concept in Maryland originated in the Mar yland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission, a panel comprising lawmakers, hospitals and other providers and consumer advocates that the legislature created to recommend measures to improve access to health care in Maryland. One of the commission goals, said Vinny DeMarco, a member of the commission and president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, was to scoop up the last 6% of Marylanders without health insurance. And one way to do that, he said, was to leverage residents’ interactions with government bureaucracy, such as tax-collecting agencies. “The success of the ACA is terrific, but we need to get the rest of the way for health care for all Marylanders and Americans,” he said. v
100 E Jackson, Ste 201 Ellensburg, WA 98926 P: 509-925-6220 F: 509-925-6221 canyonviewpt@fairpoint.net canyonviewpt.com
Welcoming you to visit our new, beautiful, and ADA accessible Facility located at 500 E MOUNTAIN VIEW AVE. (Near Bi-Mart)
(509) 925-2902 | brooksidefuneral.com
2022 Medical Directory •
10
Physical Therapy
Strength & Conditioning
‘STAB IN THE HEART’
HEALTH CARE WORKERS REFLECT ON ABUSE THEY’VE FACED DURING PANDEMIC Paul Schwedelson Idaho Statesman BOISE, Idaho — By late September, Rikki Koberlein couldn’t take another day. For months, she had been yelled and cursed at, called a “political pawn” and told she wasn’t doing her job properly. As an intensive care unit nurse at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell, Idaho, Koberlein said, “nursing is my calling.” But the abuse day after day, month after month, wore her down. Twenty months into the coronavirus pandemic, health care workers are far from the days when they were widely viewed and treated as heroes on the front lines of the virus fight. The treatment from COVID-19 patients and their families has worsened especially since the delta variant spread throughout Idaho this summer, health care workers say. One patient’s family members recently berated Koberlein for two straight days while the patient neared death, she said. They accused her of mistreating the patient and demanded certain unproven medications. At one point, a family member said, “I want the medications that my president received,” Koberlein recalled. He continued saying he didn’t serve in the military for this, even though his demands wouldn’t have helped the patient, Koberlein said. Eventually, she called for mediation. THE BREAKING POINT Koberlein, 45, began her health care career as an emergency room tech in 2013 and graduated from nursing school in 2018. She has coped with the recent stress and trauma by bonding with colleagues. Despite the challenges, she carried on with her job. Until Sept. 26. “I broke,” Koberlein said by phone. “One day I was here at home, and I had to go back to work the next day, and I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do another
day of giving people my all and having it be thrown in my face saying I’m doing nothing.” Koberlein said she went into a deep depression with no energy. It would take days for her to recover from each of her three 12-hour shifts a week. She became numb to feeling joy and numb to feeling anger. Household chores went undone. She didn’t socialize with friends. Living through the fight against COVID-19 was inescapable at all times. Given what she was dealing with, Koberlein took a month of leave. “This is what I feel I was born to do,” Koberlein said. “To have someone say I’m not doing everything I can for their loved one, it’s a stab in the heart.” Fighting to save patients with COVID-19 was already “hugely challenging,” said Ashley Carvalho, a doctor serving patients in Boise. Now, treating COVID-19 has come to mean navigating tense conversations with patients’ family members, explaining research studies and fending off accusations. In mid-September, Carvalho was treating a COVID-19 patient in the ICU, but the patient’s family declined treatments like remdesivir and steroids, which are proven to be beneficial, Carvalho said. INSISTED ON IVERMECTIN Instead, the family insisted that the patient receive ivermectin, which hasn’t been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat COVID-19. Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug that’s used to treat diseases including parasitic worms and head lice. Carvalho said physicians aren’t licensed to prescribe the drug for COVID-19 patients. When she tried explaining that to the family, Carvalho said the situation became “highly emotionally charged.” Then a family member threatened her with violence.
“I have lots of ways to get people to do things I want them to do,” Carvalho recalled the family member saying, “and they’re all sitting in my gun safe at home.” Carvalho called for security, and the family was escorted out of the hospital. She was disturbed by what was said. And because of the refusals, she was upset she couldn’t help the patient more. While that was her most upsetting experience, Carvalho said, she’s now used to facing confrontations at least once a day. “It’s actually just very demoralizing,” Carvalho said by phone. “It’s hard when you’ve gone into a profession to help people and help them with the recommendations of the best evidence and the best science you can learn about. ... It’s frustrating because both me as a physician and the patient’s family, we want the patient to get better, but I feel that all of my knowledge and training is overlooked by people’s families. I’m kind of more viewed as the enemy.” ANGRY FAMILIES Eric Donahue, a hospitalist at West Valley Medical Center, said the most challenging part of the abuse he’s faced is dealing with patients’ angry family members. He’s similarly dealt with
verbal attacks and accusations. Before the pandemic, Donahue rarely had these confrontations. Once or twice a month, he estimated. Now it’s multiple times a day. Donahue said he hasn’t been physically assaulted, but he’s been consistently accused of killing patients rather than attempting to save them. Accusations that he doesn’t care about patients is what he’s experienced the most. “You’ve got to sell it to try to even get them to take whatever medication,” Donahue said by phone. “Especially for COVID, you have to convince them you’re not trying to harm them, but that you actually have motives that are kind and humane.” The number of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence increased each year from 2011 to 2018 in the health care industry nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2018, health care workers accounted for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence. Since the start of June, the Meridian Police Department has made at least two arrests at St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center for battery against a health care worker, a felony. continued on next page
Middle Path Acupuncture
Using time-honored methods to promote health and harmony in your life
Acupuncture Enlighten yourself
Eastern Medicine Discover the difference
Massage Therapy Relax & Enjoy
502 N. Anderson st. - Ellensburg, WA | 509-925-1530 | rsimpsonmp@gmail.com Monday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm (closed 1:00-2:00pm for lunch 1967920
11 • 2022 Medical Directory
On June 6, Meridian police arrested a 57-year-old Meridian woman who was at the hospital to receive care. She became combative with a nurse and “delivered an open-hand strike across the face, attempted to bite the nurse and attempted to grab at multiple areas on the nurse’s person,” according to Meridian Police spokeswoman Kelsey Johnston. On June 20, police arrested a 36-year-old Washington man who had previously been discharged from the hospital. He returned looking for a missing personal item and began arguing with the hospital staff. He “struck the security guard across the face,” according to Johnston. Abusive situations have stemmed from patients and their families experiencing some of the worst days of their lives and heightened anxiety that has existed since the start of the pandemic. Those elements have created a “perfect storm” for dangerous interactions, said Elizabeth Steger, St. Luke’s Health System senior vice president of clinical practice integration and chief nursing executive. “That negative energy or aggression that seems to be a little bit of friendly fire when it comes from those that we serve, it just exacerbates the situation,” Steger said. UNDERLYING TENSION Steger believes misinformation isn’t causing most of these combative behaviors. Instead, she said the cause more frequently is underlying tensions that bubble up among patients and their families. “Our visitation has changed, access to patients has changed, the number of visitors has changed due to the nature of
COVID,” Steger said in a video interview. “And I think that’s been a challenge for people. Less access to information. So that’s really created some heightened frustration, too.” But others in the health care field did say misinformation is causing friction with patients and their families. Carvalho said misinformation has made people wary of research and evidence. She added that she observed a shift in patients’ behaviors based on politics about receiving the vaccine. School board meetings have become a battleground for debates over COVID-19 policies, and candidates’ stances on the topic played a role in this month’s Treasure Valley school board elections. Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin has criticized Gov. Brad Little for encouraging people to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Little hasn’t implemented any vaccine requirements, and McGeachin has spread misinformation about vaccines. She used a misleading statistic to disparage COVID-19 vaccines’ efficacy, according to the Idaho Falls Post Register. McGeachin also tweeted on Nov. 5 that she agrees children don’t need a COVID-19 vaccine even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already recommended it for everyone 5 and up. “I wish (community leaders) would stop spreading misinformation, because I truly think that’s the source of a lot of the aggression that health care providers see,” Carvalho said. “That’s easier said than done.” Given that patients’ relatives are desperate to save their loved ones, Koberlein said she understands where they’re coming from. But she said she wouldn’t ask for something drastic, like a treatment that isn’t proven. Koberlein also pointed to the
13&(/"/5
! # # " " # #
2022 Medical Directory •
12
politicization of vaccines as a dangerous precursor for confrontations. She said she’s been falsely accused of withholding unproven treatments for political purposes. “The change was politics regarding the vaccination and huge, huge misinformation. Ridiculous misinformation,” Koberlein said. “That was the biggest change.” MAINLY THE UNVACCINATED Since May 15, unvaccinated people have accounted for 88% of Idaho’s COVID-19 hospitalizations and 86% of the state’s COVID-19 deaths, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Misbehavior wears down doctors, nurses On top of trying to treat people for COVID-19 while crisis standards of care remain activated in Idaho, doctors and nurses are worn down by the way they’ve been treated. Some say the abuse could result in a smaller workforce. “All of this together is really making them consider if they’re going to stay in health care or not,” Steger said. “That’s obviously concerning for all of us, because we need our talented and skilled clinicians and providers to be here with us.” At least three people in Koberlein’s unit took leave because of the trauma they experienced, she said. Nearly all of the nurses in the unit are attending therapy to help cope, she said, and four or five other people have left the unit. During her leave, Koberlein put together puzzles on her dining room table, took care of plants around her house and made pottery. Those hobbies help her relax. As she discussed what she experienced, Koberlein held back tears. “It’s torture,” Koberlein said. The time and energy put into explaining procedures with patients and their families takes away from what could be spent on trying to treat patients. While nurses and doctors are doing their best, they’re increasingly burnt out, said Donahue, the West Valley hospitalist. “That’s a hard toll on any human, whether you’re a nurse, a doctor or someone in the military that’s fighting a war,” Donahue said. “What it feels like is you’re at war every day.” Both Donahue and Koberlein said they’ve forged stronger bonds with
their colleagues as a result. They check in on each other regularly, and they’ve become more honest with each other. Leaning on each other is the only way to handle how they’re treated, Donahue said. Instead of questions that might elicit an “I’m fine” answer, people in his unit have been asking more specific ones, like how much sleep are you getting? Koberlein mentioned how nursing used to be one of the most trusted professions. Gaining trust is now one of the biggest hurdles she faces. SOLUTION: KINDNESS Donahue believes the solution is simple. Just be kind and respectful. Adults should apply the lessons children learn in preschool and that parents give to their own children. “We have just kind of gone crazy, and we stopped respecting one another, and we’re pretty rude as Americans to other people with different opinions,” Donahue said. “I think we just need to have some common decency.” Steger said she thinks the situation will improve as COVID-19 hospitalizations decline and hospitals eventually return to how they operated before the pandemic. At that point, there could be more access to visitors and, she hopes, less tension. Oftentimes, patients beg to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it is too late, Carvalho said. Given how the virus continues to spread, Carvalho says people no longer have the luxury of time to wait to get vaccinated. In Idaho, 61.5% of people age 12 and up have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. More people getting vaccinated could help, but Carvalho said, “I don’t know if there’s an easy fix.” COVID-19 patients who weren’t vaccinated weren’t set up for success, Koberlein said. That makes it a steeper challenge to treat them and a more dire situation. That means more dangerous outcomes and more highly emotional interactions with family members. Though she’s skeptical of how achievable it is, Koberlein said the solution is helping people understand that health care workers are doing everything they can to save patients. “Each day we should just treat everyone with love, kindness and compassion,” Koberlein said. “We’re all on the same team.” v
What do you know about seasonal affective disorder? Laurel Kelly Mayo Clinic News Network Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression related to changes in seasons. Millions of adults in the U.S. may suffer from seasonal affective disorder, although many may not know they have the condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal affective disorder is diagnosed more often in women than men, and it occurs more frequently in younger adults than in older adults. Seasonal affective disorder is more common among people who live far north or south of the equator, perhaps due to decreased sunlight during
the winter and longer days during the summer. Other factors that may increase your risk of seasonal affective disorder include a family history of blood relatives with the disorder, or a personal history of major depression or bipolar disorder. For most people with seasonal affective disorder, symptoms appear during late fall or early winter, and they go away during the sunnier days of spring and summer. Less commonly, people with the opposite pattern have symptoms that begin in spring or summer. In either case, symptoms may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses. v
Signs and symptoms of seasonal affective disorder can include: • Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day. • Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed. • Having problems with sleeping. • Having difficulty concentrating. • Feeling sluggish or agitated.
Symptoms specific to fall and winter seasonal affective disorder can include:
• Oversleeping. • Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates. • Weight gain. • Tiredness or low energy.
Symptoms specific to spring and summer seasonal affective disorder can include:
• Insomnia. • Poor appetite. • Weight loss. • Agitation or anxiety. Because other types of depression or other mental health conditions can cause similar symptoms, it can be difficult to diagnose seasonal affective disorder. Treatment for seasonal affective disorder can include light therapy, medications and psychotherapy.
13 • 2022 Medical Directory
Shoulder injuries and winter weather safety tips Cynthia Weiss Mayo Clinic News Network
DEAR MAYO CLINIC:
Our family recently moved to a state that has plenty of cold, ice and snow during the winter. While my children are excited, I have heard stories about how common shoulder injuries are during the winter due to shoveling snow and other activities. I have arthritis in one of my shoulders. What advice do you have for how to avoid injuring my shoulder?
ANSWER:
Unfortunately, the numbers don’t lie. In Mayo Clinic’s orthopedics practice, the number of people who need care due to shoulder injuries increases substantially during the winter. While wrist fractures, and other hand and arm injuries, are common, too, during the winter, the burden of work that falls on the 2022 Medical Directory •
14
shoulder increases the risk of injury. Shoveling snow is one activity that can really strain the shoulder. Lifting and throwing heavy piles of snow, or accidentally hitting hard ice hidden beneath the snow with a shovel, can result in shoulder damage, especially in someone who already has a delicate shoulder. People who have been diagnosed with shoulder arthritis and those who have even a small rotator cuff tear need to take extra care in the snow and ice. Lifting too much snow with a shovel can aggravate the arthritis or further damage the rotator cuff. In general, before shoveling snow, most people should perform shoulder exercises to stretch and warm up. And if you feel pain building up in your shoulder, consider that a sign that it’s time to take a break instead of ignoring the warning. Go inside, get some coffee, tea or hot chocolate, and let your shoulder recover. If your shoulder is painful — and
to reduce risk for injury — you may be better off looking to alternatives, such as hiring a snow removal service, using a snowblower, or, at a minimum, taking your time and shoveling smaller piles of snow one at a time. And, again, be mindful of any increased pain, as that is a sign your body needs attention. More often, bad shoulder injuries occur in winter because of a fall. Those who live in colder climates know how slippery ice can be. It is so easy to fall with one misstep. And, typically, no one sees it coming. Fortunately, many people are left with a bruise that will be painful for a while, but they will have no lasting consequences. However, it is easy to suffer an acute rotator cuff tear. When that happens, it is important to seek prompt medical attention. Tears of the rotator cuff fall into two major categories: sudden injury and injuries over time due to chronic wear. Most rotator cuff tears are due
to chronic wear, and many people respond to physical therapy as far as treatment to regain range of motion. However, when the rotator cuff tears as a consequence of a sudden injury, surgery is oftentimes necessary and more importantly time-sensitive. Surgical repair of these so-called acute tears can restore normal shoulder function, provided the repair is performed almost right away. However, if an acute tear is missed, and surgical repair is attempted later, the chances of success decrease as the torn tendons retract and stiffen, and the muscle fibers degenerate into fat. But how would you know if you tore your rotator cuff? Loss of motion is key. If you fall only to realize you cannot move your shoulder when you stand up from the ground, you should be concerned. The following two to seven days will be important in terms of seeking care and treatment. If you cannot lift your arm much, even after a week, it is time to see your primary care provider and be evaluated with radiographs and, most likely, an MRI or ultrasound. If your cuff tendons are found to be torn because of an injury, you should be referred to a shoulder specialist right away. In some cases, however, a fall on the ice will lead to substantial injuries, including fracture of the collarbone or humerus, dislocation of the shoulder joint, and a shoulder separation. In those circumstances, pain is severe, and most people should choose to go to the emergency department right away. The best advice for avoiding an injury is to always be cautious when walking outside, use proper footwear, make sure walkways and driveways are clear of ice and snow, use salt on your walkways frequently, and do not walk in a rush. It is easy to take a fall and injure your shoulder. In the event that you do suffer shoulder pain or an injury, seek out a shoulder specialist who can guide you to the best treatment. D r. Jo a q ui n S a n c h ez -S ot e l o, Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota v
IS IT HEALTHY FOR KIDS TO BE VEGETARIAN? Dr. Natalie D. Muth American Academy of Pediatrics
Q
: My daughter wants to be a vegetarian. Is that OK for her health?
A
: Vegetarian diets are healthy for kids, as long as they get key nutrients needed to grow healthy and strong. This can take some extra planning at mealtime, though. Vegetarian diets are becoming more common. Reasons range from a desire to be healthier to concerns about animal welfare and the environment. It’s important your child understands that a “vegetarian” diet means a vegetable-based diet. Some kids who stop eating meat may just start eating more bread or pasta. This may fill them up, but it won’t give them the balanced nutrition they need. Overall, vegetarian diets tend to be low in saturated fat and animal protein and high in fiber, folate, vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and some phytochemicals. Children and adolescents who follow a vegetarian eating plan tend to consume more fruits and vegetables and fewer sweets, salty snacks and saturated fat than their nonvegetarian peers. They also tend to be at a lower risk for overweight and obesity. In the past, experts worried that following a vegetarian diet would lead to nutritional deficiencies in children. Today, we know that’s generally not the case with careful vegetarian eating plans that include enough of the following nutrients: Protein: Children who follow a vegetarian plan tend to get enough protein variety and quantity. Regularly eating legumes (such as beans, peas, lentils, peanuts and soy) helps ensure they’ll get enough. Children and adolescents who are vegan may need to eat more of these foods than nonvegan children, because plants don’t
always have the same level of protein found in dairy and eggs. Iron: Iron from vegetarian sources (non-heme iron) is not as high quality as that from nonvegetarian sources. Overall, vegetarians need about 1.8 times higher iron intake compared to non-vegetarians. Excellent vegetarian sources of iron include soy, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, beans and seeds like sesame and hemp. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption. Excellent sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green and red peppers, and leafy green vegetables. Zinc: Zinc levels may be lower in children following a vegetarian diet, though deficiency is rare. Some great vegetarian sources of zinc include soy, legumes, grains, cheese, seeds and nuts. Also, soaking and sprouting beans, grains, nuts and seeds and leavening bread can help the body better utilize zinc. So can leavening bread and fermenting foods. Vitamin B12: In nature this vitamin is primarily found in animal products. There are very small amounts in some fermented foods, nori, spirulina, chlorella algae and unfortified
nutritional yeast. While most vegetarian plans contain sufficient vitamin B12, children who follow a vegan eating plan should take a vitamin B12 supplement or eat fortified foods, such as fortified nutritional yeast. Calcium: The body’s ability to use calcium from plant foods can be hampered by some other naturally occurring compounds such as oxalates and phytates. While spinach, beet greens and Swiss chard contain high a lot of calcium, for example, they also have high oxalates. This makes them a poor calcium source. On the other hand, low-oxalate greens such as kale, turnips, Chinese cabbage and bok choy are good sources of calcium. So are fortified plant milks and soy, white beans, almonds, tahini, figs and oranges. Vitamin D: Few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Eggs yolks contain some. Mushrooms contain vitamin D if they’ve been exposed to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light. Cow’s milk, some nondairy milks, tofu, orange juice, breakfast cereals and margarines often are fortified with vitamin D. EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids: These healthy fats, primarily found in cold-water fish, are generally low
in vegetarian (and absent in vegan) eating plans. A small proportion of ALA (omega-3 from plants) is converted to EPA and DHA. The best sources of ALA include seeds (flax, chia, camelina, canola and hemp), walnuts and their oils. Be sure to talk with your pediatrician about your child’s diet during wellchild visits. If there are concerns about your child’s nutrient status, particularly with regard to iron or vitamin B12, they may recommend doing a blood test to check levels. If your child is interested in a vegetarian diet, it helps to start slow. Consider “meatless Mondays,” for example. Sampling vegetarian eating one day a week lets them test it out and see if it is something they would like to continue. Be sure to use recipes from a vegetarian eating plan, rather than just leaving out the meat. Dr. Natalie D. Muth is a pediatrician and registered dietitian who practices general pediatrics and is the director of the W.E.L.L. healthy living clinic at Children’s Primary Care Medical Group in Carlsbad, California. For more information, go to HealthyChildren.org, the website for parents from the AAP. v
15 • 2022 Medical Directory
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY
ACUPUNCTURE
Huntington Court Senior Apartments
Middle Path Acupuncture
502 N. Anderson St. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1530 www.middlepathacupuncture.net rsimpsonmp@gmail.com Audrey Barrett Jeff Lippincott
ADDICTION & REHABILITATION CENTERS Merit Resource Services 200 E. 3rd Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-9821 Hours: 8 am - 6:00pm www.meritresources.org
Barth Clinic
2141 Dolarway Rd., Unit 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-7867 Fax: 509-933-1387 Hours: M-F 9am-5pm www.barthclinic.com jimbarth@barthclinic.com Jim Barth, CDP-Administrator Brittany Schill, CDP-Clinical Director Meghan Travers
Sundown M Ranch | Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center 2280 State Route 821 Yakima, WA 98901 800-326-7444 www.sundown.org
306 E. Manitoba Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-5178
Cascade Manor Senior Apartments 101 Pearl Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-3061
207 W. Tacoma Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-8488
Landmark Care and Rehabilitation
Northwest Audiology
www.HyattFamilyFacilities.com Serving three locations: 710 N. 39th Avenue Yakima, WA 98902 509-248-4102
Selah Care and Rehabilitation 203 W. Naches Selah, WA 98942 509-697-8503
781 Kaynor Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-968-3469
Thompson Audiology
Kittitas Interactive Management (KIM)
Valley Hearing Associates
4007 Tieton Drive Yakima, WA 98908 509-966-4500
305 N. Anderson St. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-968-4432
Meadows Place Senior Living 1008 E. Mountain View Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-260-3049 Fax: 509-925-4483 www.enlivant.com skuehl@enlivant.com
818 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-941-2297 Fax: 509-925-1230 LMcGowan@PacificaSeniorLiving.com www.pacificaseniorliving.com Where our family is committed to yours!
Prestige Post Acute and Rehab Center 1050 E. Mountain View Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-4171
802 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-3099
Rosewood Adult Living
1100 S. Rosewood Drive, Unit 500 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-2100
2022 Medical Directory •
16
601 N. Main, Suite #1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-9575 Fax: 509-962-5575 www.nwhearingcenter.com hearingquestions@nwhearingcenter.com Jenci Randall - Certified Clinical Audiologist
Willow Springs Care and Rehabilitation
Prestige Senior Living at Hearthstone
Genteel Establishment
Inland Hearing Aids Inc.
Hyatt Family Facilities
Pacifica Senior Living
ASSISTED LIVING, RETIREMENT AND REHABILITATION CENTERS, RETIREMENT LIFE, ADULT COMMUNITIES & CARE HOMES
AUDIOLOGY, HEARING CENTERS, HEARING AIDS & ACCESSORIES
1111 N 35th Ave. Yakima, WA 98902 509-248-0933 www.thompsonaudiology.com 2205 W. Dolarway Road, Unit 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 Hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, 509-925-2211 www.valleyhearingassociates.com Bill Devany, H.I.S. Leo Oltman, H.I.S.
BIRTH CONTROL, SEXUAL HEALTH, AND PREGNANCY CENTERS Care Net Pregnancy Center of Kittitas County 111 E. 4th Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-2273 24-Hour Helpline info@pregnancyhelpellensburg.org www.pregnancyhelpellensburg.org Hours: Mon-Fri, 11 am-5 pm
Planned Parenthood – Ellensburg Health Center
Hours: Mon, Tue & Thur, 9am-6pm 613 N. Pine Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 866-904-7721 www.ppgwni.org
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY CANCER TREATMENT & INFORMATION CENTERS North Star Lodge
Ellensburg Office: 100 E. Jackson Avenue, #104 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-8611 Please call the Yakima Office to schedule an appointment Yakima Office: 808 N. 39th Avenue Yakima, WA 509-574-3400 Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 am-5pm
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES SPECIALISTS
Ellensburg Chiropractic PS 109 S. Water Street, Suite 2 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-2225 Dr. Gary Favero
Ellensburg Integrated Medicine 304 S. Water St., Suite 103 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-7246
Linder Chiropractic Center 1011 N. Alder Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-2570
Shaw Chiropractic Center 305 N. Anderson Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-9633
Cardiac & Thoracic Institute of Central Washington
COUNSELORS
Memorial Cardiovascular Imaging Center
220 W. 4th Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-9861
Yakima Heart Center
402 S 4th Avenue Yakima, WA 98907 509-575-4084 www.cwcmh.org
111 S. 11th Avenue, Suite 120 Yakima, WA 98902 509-574-4433 406 S. 30th Ave. 509-248-7715 Yakima, WA 98902
406 S. 30th Avenue, Suite 101 Yakima, WA 98902 509-248-7715
Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health
Christian Care Service
CHIROPRACTORS
1206 N. Dolarway Rd., Suite 210 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-2273 www.christiancareservices.org
Dave Bridgeman, M DC
Crossroads Counseling
120 E. 1st Street Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-4448
Central Washington Chiropractic 801 S. Ruby Street, Suite1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-8008
East Cascade Chiropractic
202 W. 1st St., Suite 1 Cle Elum, WA 509-674-5057 www.eastcascadechiro.com info@eastcascadechiro.com Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs. 9am - 6pm Wed, Fri. 8am - 1pm Dr. Jesse Messerschmidt
Mosaic Counseling Services 112 W. Railroad Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-5144
Comprehensive on Pearl 707 N. Pearl, Suite E Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-9861
Jill Schwarz
603 N. Main, Suite 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-6110
Stillwater Counseling Service 1206 N. Dolarway Road, Suite 203 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1840
Andrea Utzinger Counseling Services Thomas Logan 103 E. 4th Avenue, Suite 200 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-929-1984
Yoga Enhancement 509-899-0010
DENTAL Avanta Dental
306. S Main Street #1 Ellensburg WA 98926 509.925.3160
Big Country Family Dental
603 N. Main Street, Suite 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-4300 Jackie Moore, MED, LMHC
307 W. 1st Avenue, Suite 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-6172 www.bigcountryfamilydental.com bigcountryfamilydental@hotmail.com Hours: Mon-Thur, 8 am-Noon and 1 pm-5 pm Dr. Robert Moon
Eastside Vocational Services
Central Washington Oral & Facial
902 N. Enterprise Way Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-1950
Johnson, Philip
(509) 663-0068 109 N Pine St Ellensburg, WA 98926 Hours: Thu: 8:00AM - 4:00PM
617 S. 48th Avenue Yakima, WA 509-966-2794
Kittitas Valley Counseling Center LLC 413 N. Main Street, Suite D Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-4400
17 • 2022 Medical Directory
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY
Central Washington Pediatric Dentistry 109 N. Pine Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-2973 / Fax: 509-469-2556 www.cwpediatricdentistry.com absmith08@gmail.com M-F: 8:30am - 4:30pm Dr. Neal H. Smith, DMD Dr. Amy B. Smith, DMD
Cle Elum Dental Clinic 206 W. 1st Street Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-2307
Creekside Dental
2601 Triple L Loop Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-4800
Community Health of Central Washington 521 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-1414 Hours: Mon- Fri 8:00am – 5:30pm ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS Services: Comprehensive dental care for the entire family Preventative and restorative dentistry Same Day Emergency Appointments available
Swift Water Dental Care 101 Harris Ave. Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-5153 lorinpetersondental.com Mon. - Thur., 8am - 5pm Dr. Lorin Peterson
2401 W. Dolarway Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-6553 www.pearlcaredental.com Cristina Bender, DDS PS Iriff Ulep, DDS, DDS Cary Chellis, DDS
William Phillip, DDS, PS
201 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509 962-8299 Fax: 509-962-8289 Hours: Mon & Wed, 8 am-5 pm Tue & Thur, 7 am-2 pm www.wpdds.com drphillip@fairpoint.net
Sullivan Dental
305 E. 2nd Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-9020 Hours: Mon - Thurs, 8 am - 5pm www.sullivandental.org sullivandental@gmail.com Drs. Kevin & Margie Sullivan
Sunrise Dental
601. N Main Street Suite 2 Ellensburg WA 98926 509.361.5500
DIALYSIS Davita Inc
2101 W. Dolarway Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 866-544-6741
Siks Mark
215 E. 4th Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-3200
ELECTROLYSIS
Mountain View Dental Center 708 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-2755
Parker Orthodontics 109 N. Pine Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-6902
2022 Medical Directory •
Pearl Care Dental
18
Ellensburg Electrolysis 171 Brown Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-899-1166
GENERAL PRACTICE
Community Health of Central Washington 521 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-1414 Hours: 8:00am – 5:30pm www.chcw.org ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS Services: Full Range Family Medicine Pediatrics Pharmacy Services Behavioral Health Obstetrics Psychiatric Services Care Coordination On Site Lab On Site Ultrasound Osteopathic Manipulation Therapy Nutrition Services, WIC, and First Steps
Family Health Care of Ellensburg
107 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 Phone: 509-388-2345 Fax: 509-388-0291 Hours: Mon-Thur, 9am-5pm Fri. 7:45am-3pm www.compassdirecthealthcare.com Byron Haney, MD - Family Practice & OB John Walters, MD - Family Practice & OB Richard Vaughan. MD - Family Practice Ryan Beachy, PA-C - Family Practice & OB Aaron Long, ARNP - Family Practice
KVH Family Medicine – Cle Elum Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday Address: 201 Alpha Way, Cle Elum Phone: 509-674-5331 or 509-962-5060 www.kvhealthcare.org Sarah Heniges, PA-C Alisa Peterson, MSW, LICSW Joe Smith, DPT John Asriel, MD Nate Everett, DPT Rob Merkel, PA-C Chelsea Newman, PA-C Auren O’Connell, DNP Andrew Thomas, MD
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY KVH Family Medicine - Ellensburg Address: 716 E Manitoba Ave, Ellensburg Phone: 509-933-8777 www.kvhealthcare.org Ann Parr, PA-C José Diaz, PA-C William Phillips, ARNP Mark Larson, MD John Merrill-Steskal, MD Annaliese Stone, DO Carissa Dahl, ARNP Julia Riel, PA-C Jie Casey, DO Vanessa Wright, MD
GENERAL SURGERY KVH General Surgery
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday Address: 611 S Chestnut St, Suite A, Ellensburg Phone: 509-962-7390 www.kvhealthcare.org Timothy O’Brien, MD Tom Penoyar, MD Christopher Petty, MD Lauren Wilkholm-Meyer, MD
HOME HEALTH SERVICES Home Care Services
1206 W. Dolarway Road, Suite 117 Ellensburg, WA 98926 866-291-3017 509-962-6242
KVH Home Health
Address: 1506 E. Radio Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 Phone: 509-962-7438 www.kvhealthcare.org
Lisa’s Tender Care 11852 Hwy 10 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-899-1196
HOSPITALS
KVH Hospital
Hours: Open 24 hours Address: 603 S Chestnut St, Ellensburg Phone: 509-962-9841 www.kvhealthcare.org Hospital Services
Critical Care Emergency Services Family Birthing Place Imaging Services Laboratory Services Surgical Services – Inpatient and Outpatient Urgent Care – Cle Elum
Community Education
Birthing Classes Cancer Support Diabetes Education and Support
KVH Primary Care and Specialty Centers KVH Family Medicine – Cle Elum KVH Family Medicine – Ellensburg KVH General Surgery KVH Home Health KVH Hospice KVH Internal Medicine KVH Occupational Therapy KVH Orthopedics KVH Pharmacy KVH Physical Therapy KVH Speech Therapy KVH Urgent Care – Cle Elum KVH Women’s Health KVH Workplace Health
HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT AND SALES Kittitas Medical Supply 709 S. Main St. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-929-3000 Hours: M-F, 9am - 5pm
INSURANCE – LIFE, MEDICAL, HOSPITALIZATION, LONG TERM CARE & SURGICAL American Family Insurance
HOSPICE
100 W. 3rd Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-2200
KVH Hospice
Country Financial
1506 E. Radio Road 509-962-7438 www.kvhealthcare.org
Devin Shannon 302 N. Pearl Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-3000 301 N. Railroad, Suite C Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-581-1518
Farmer’s Insurance Shaun Montgomery 300 N. Main Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-9633 Cle Elum 98922 509-674-2408
Fevergeon Financial 1206 N. Dolarway Road, Suite 212 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-5105
Lael Insurance and Financial Solutions Custom Medical Plans 2301 W. Dolarway, Ste. 5 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-8800 Cell: 509-899-1851 Jerrylael@hotmail.com
Libke Insurance
1300 N. Dolarway, Suite 2 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-2511
State Farm - Scott Rollins Insurance Agency INC 400 N. Pearl Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1483 415 E. 1St Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-5107
Virginia Gayken Insurance 205 S. Main Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1811
INTERNAL MEDICINE KVH Internal Medicine
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday Address: 700 E Manitoba Ave, Suite 101, Ellensburg Phone: 509-925-6100 www.kvhealthcare.org Jamin Feng, MD David Jackson, MD Anita Schiltz, ARNP Andy Schock, PA-C
MASSAGE Alente Spa and Salon 310 N. Pine Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-2500
19 • 2022 Medical Directory
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY Awakening BodyMind Spirit 814 E. 5th Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-9656
Two Hands and Heart 509-929-2639
MEDICAL AESTHETICS
Body Nirvana
AWAKE Health
103 E. 4th, Suite 201 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1196
201 S Main Street Ellensburg WA 98926 509.424.5899
East Cascade Chiropractic
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
202 W. 1st St., Suite 1 Cle Elum, WA 509-674-5057 www.eastcascadechiro.com info@eastcascadechiro.com Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs. 9am - 6pm Wed, Fri. 8am - 1pm Dr. Jesse Messerschmidt
Ellensburg Chiropractic 109 S. Water, Suite 2 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-2225
709 S. Main St. Ellensburg WA 98926 509.929-3000
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health 707 N. Pearl Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-9861
Gaia Center
Horizons Club
109 E 3rd Ave., Suite 4 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-929-2822
220 W. 4th Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1372
JoAnn’s Therapeutic Massage 708 S. Tamarack Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-4968
NATUROPATHIC Swiftwater Naturopath
Jane McClenney - Move Lightly 109 E. 3rd, Suite 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-929-3838
Middle Path Acupuncture
502 N. Anderson St. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1530 www.middlepathacupuncture.net rsimpsonmp@gmail.com Rand Gillen, LMT Cortney Stever, LMP
Scents of Touch Massage 305 N. Andersont St Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-899-3136
116 N. Oakes Ave. Ste 4 Cle Elum, WA 98922 Cle Elum Hours: Tues & Thurs. 9am - 5pm 413 N. Main St Unit H Ellenburg, WA 98121 509-240-8676 Ellensburg Hours: Mon. & Wed. 9am - 5pm, Fri. 9am - 12:30pm www.naturopathcleelum.com droliviafranks@gmail.com Dr. Olivia Franks
NEUROLOGISTS Northwest Neurosciences
3911 Castlevale Rd. Yakima, WA 98902 509-834-7050 Fax: 509-834-7060 Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 am-5 pm www.nw-mc.com Eduardo Meirelles, MD,PhD, FAANS, FRCSC Peter Gilmore, MD
Shiatsu Therapy
105 W. 5th, Ste 107 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-4903
2022 Medical Directory •
KITTITAS MEDICAL SUPPLY
20
OBGYN
KVH Women’s Health
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday 100 E. Jackson Avenue, Unit 109 Phone: 509-933-8720 www.kvhealthcare.org womenshealth@kvhealthcare.org Teresa Beckett, ARNP, PA-C Jie Casey, DO Holly Dawson, DO Maribel Serrano, MD Emilie Toretta, ARNP, CNM
OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE KVH Workplace Health
Hours: Mon. – Fri. 8am to 7pm, Address: 702 E Mountain View Ave, Suite 2 509-933-8830 Ryan Ahr, PA-C Robert Meyer, MD
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY KVH Occupational Therapy 309 E. Maountainview Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-8677 www.kvhealthcare.org
OPHTHALMOLOGISTS, OPTOMETRISTS & OPTICAL GOODS Family Eye Clinic
707 N. Pearl Street, Suite D Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-9873 | Fax: 509-962-1639 Hours: Mon - Thurs. 8am - 5pm Cle Elum Office: 112 E. 2nd St. Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-4313 Hours: Tue & Wed. 8am - 5pm Dr. Sarah K. Storrs O.D.
Pearl Street Optical
317 N. Pearl St. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-899-9333 Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Evening & Weekends by appointment “Something for Everyone” Rachel M. Crites L.D.O.
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY Proliance Retina
2205 W. Dolarway Road, Unit 2 Ellensburg, WA 98926 206-215-3850
Valley Vision and Hearing Associates 2201 W. Dolarway Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 am-5:30 pm 509-925-1000 www.valleyvisionassociates.com Robert Davis, O.D., F.A.A.O. Abel W. Li, M.D. Scott Oltman, O.D. Erick Johnson, O.D. Leo Oltman, L.D.O. Jackelyn T. Meyer, OD Jordan P. Dravitzki, OD
ORTHODONTISTS Parker Orthodontics 109 N. Pine Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 (509) 962-6902
PEDIATRICS
Community Health of Central Washington 521 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-1414
KVH Pediatrics
100 E. Jackson Avenue, Suite 101 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-KIDS (5437) Fax: 509-962-5438 Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 5 pm Elise J. Herman, MD Paul DeBusschere, MD, FAAP Christine Ward, ARNP Meghan Young, DO
PERSONAL TRAINERS/FITNESS Anytime Fitness
2305 W. Dolarway Road Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-5445
Cle Elum’s 24 Hour Gym
ORTHOPEDIC SHOES, APPLIANCES & PROSTHETIC
113 Harris Avenue Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-5696
Kittitas Orthotics & Prosthetics
Empowered Fitness
1206 N. Dolarway, Suite 110 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-7700
202 N. Pine St. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-1810
ORTHOPEDICS, ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, BONE & JOINT
The Gym
KVH Orthopedics
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday Address: 611 S Chestnut St, Suite D, Ellensburg Phone: 509-933-8700 Website/email: www.kvhealthcare.org Ada Cheung, MD Dena Mahre, PA-C Thomas Mirich, MD James Repsher, PA-C
Daniel Hiersche, M.D. Orthopedics and Sports Medicine 700 E. Manitoba Avenue, Suite 106 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-6727
427 N. Main Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-6200
Jazzercise
2060 Vantage Hwy. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-2348
PHARMACIES Bi-Mart
608 E. Mountain View Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-6971
Fred Meyer Pharmacy 201 S. Water Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-0533
KVH Pharmacy
603 S. Chestnut St (within KVH Hospital) Ellensburg, WA 98926 (509) 925-8484 Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Rite Aid Pharmacies 700 S. Main Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-4232
Safeway Pharmacy 400 N. Ruby Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-5096
Super 1 Foods
200 E. Mountain View Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-7770
Whole Health Pharmacy 800 S Pearl Street Suite 1 Ellensburg WA 98926 509-925-6800
PHYSICAL THERAPY Argonaut Peak Physical Therapy 722 E. University Way Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-1553
Canyon View Physical Therapy 100 E. Jackson, Suite 201 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-6220 Fax: 509-925-6221 Natalie Joyce, MPT Nick Gray, DPT Josiah Mitchum, DPT
KVH Physical Therapy
301 E Mountain View Ave, Ellensburg 509-962-7386 Cle Elum 201 Alpha Way, Cle Elum 509-674-5331 www.kvhealthcare.org
Northwest Physical Therapy 105 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Entrance on E. Railroad Ave. Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-0908
21 • 2022 Medical Directory
2022 KIT TITAS COUNT Y
MEDICAL DIRECTORY PODIATRISTS
Speech Pathology Associates
Cascade Foot & Ankle
611 E, Chestnut Ave. Suite C Ellensburg, WA 509-925-4633 2460 Racquet Lane Yakima, WA 509-225-3668
PUBLIC HEALTH Kittitas County Public Health Department 507 N Nanum Street Suite 102 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-7515 www.co.kittitas.wa.us/health/default.aspx
VASCULAR SURGERY Central Valley Vascular Center 1005 W. Walnut St., Suite 201 Yakima, WA 98902 509-454-6545
Yakima Vascular Associates
406 S. 30th Ave Yakima, WA 509-453-4614 100 E. Jackson, Suite 104 Ellensburg, WA 98926 Please call the Yakima office to schedule an appointment
SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS Aging & Disability Resource Center 206 W. 1st Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-8765
Ellensburg Adult Activity Center 506 S. Pine Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-962-7242
508 N. Ruby Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-833-3264
URGENT CARE Kittitas Valley Urgent Care
Monday - Friday, 8am - 7:30pm Saturday & Sunday 9am - 5:30pm Holidays 10am - 6pm 702 East Mountain View Ave, Ste. 1 Ellensburg, WA 98926 Phone: 509-968-KARE Fax: 509-201-1760 Kathy Keebaugh, MD Wendy Owens, MD Troy Bowers, P-AC Cassie Gavin, ARNP Chris Bently, PA-C Mark Babin, PA-C
KVH Urgent Care – Cle Elum
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Address: 214 W 1st Street, Cle Elum Phone: 509-674-6944 Website/email: www.kvhealthcare.org Resources Available at Facility: After hours medical care for patients with minor illnesses or injuries. Lab and x-ray on-site. No appointment needed.
UROLOGIST Yakima Urology Associates Adult & Pediatric Urology Clinic 2500 Racquet Lane Yakima, WA 98902 509-249-3900 Surgery: 509-249-3910
VITAMINS & FOOD SUPPLEMENTS Better Life Natural Foods
Senior Nutrition Program
111 W. 6th Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-2505
220 E. Helena Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-3333
WHEELCHAIR LIFTS AND RAMPS AND HANDICAP CONSTRUCTION
SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS
Custom Technology
KVH Speech Therapy
309 E. Mountain View Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-933-8677 Website/email: www.kvhealthcare.org
2022 Medical Directory •
22
460 McLaughlin Yakima, WA 98902 509-965-3333
the Daily Record IS Ellensburg’s
best source for local news and community events
EVERY PRINT SUbSCRIPTION RECEIVES FREE DIGITAL ACCESS
ONLY $15.17 Per Month
509.925-1414 dailyrecordnews.com
artboard includes .5” bleed
Hospital 509.962.9841 24/7 Retail Pharmacy 509.925.8484 Cardiology 509.925.8455 Dermatology 509.933.8841 ENT & Allergy 509.933.8860 Family Medicine - Cle Elum 509.674.5331 Family Medicine - Ellensburg 509.933.8777 General Surgery 509.962.7390 Geriatric Nurse Practitioners 509.933.8777 Home Health 509.962.7438 Hospice 509.962.7438 Internal Medicine 509.925.6100 Neurology 509.933.8919 Occupational Therapy 509.933.8677 Orthopedics 509.933.8700 Pediatrics 509.962.5437 Physical Therapy 509.962.7386 Speech Therapy 509.933.8677 Urgent Care - Cle Elum 509.674.6944 Vascular Surgery 509.933.8760 Women's Health 509.933.8720 Workplace Health 509.933.8830 Wound Care 509.962.7441
Caring for our community.
