MID-COLUMBIA MEDICAL CENTER
Home Away From Home New Medical Group Director
Teeing Up For Chuck Golf Benefit Honors Dr. Miller
MCMC Wins Quality Award
Summer 2007 www.mcmc.net
A Model for Quality Care
Summer 2007
a Planetree Hospital
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t Mid-Columbia Medical Center, serving patients
It is Our Mission …
with high-quality care in a safe environment has
earthshaking revelation; frankly, it’s the least you should expect of your hospital.
To recognize the individual as a whole human being with different needs that must be enthusiastically met.
But I do think it is worth pointing out to you the remarkable results our physicians and staff are achieving to meet these goals and continually push the quality bar higher. You should know that when you turn to us for care, you are turning to a hospital whose care quality in many areas is being recognized as a step above most of our Oregon colleagues. In this issue of Well Aware, we present you with one example of this. Recently MCMC received an award
To communicate a vision of health, art, education, technology and create a center for healing which will continually upgrade the quality of life in the community environment in which we live.
from an organization dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare for our standing as the second-highest rated Oregon hospital in several patient care measurements. This is a remarkable achievement when you consider we were being measured against every hospital in Oregon. In addition to this, MCMC recently participated in an exclusive national quality study designed to lower infection rates following surgeries. Even though our infection rates were low to begin with, our staff aggressively lobbied the organization coordinating the study to be included. Their commitment to patient care excellence was so great they wanted to participate so they could implement the latest and best infection control practices being used nationwide. As a result of their efforts, Oregon was the only state in the country allowed to have two hospitals included in the study. Our participation, along with Oregon Health & Science University, has enabled us to incorporate the most effective surgical infection control measures available well before they are being implemented in other hospitals across the nation. I’m proud of our physicians and staff for their ongoing commitment to the highest standards in patient care. But I’m sharing this information not so much to boast as to address an ages-old stereotype about small rural hospitals. We enjoy fabulous support from our community, and we are deeply appreciative of it. However, we still hear of people who think they have to leave our community and head to the “big city” to get the best care.
To empower people to become partners in their health care. Mid-Columbia Medical Center is a not-for-profit healthcare organization offering comprehensive services to the Mid-Columbia Region, and is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees: Robert L.R. Bailey Jorge Barragan Paul Cardosi, M.D. Pamela Clausen Duane Francis Gretchen Kimsey Robert A. Staver, M.D. Wallace Wolf, Jr., D.V.M. WellAware is published by Mid-Columbia Medical Center 1700 East 19th Street The Dalles, OR 97058
(541) 296-7545
But as we pointed out in a recent advertising campaign, our physicians and staff have proved time and again All rights reserved. No information may be reprinted without the written consent of MCMC.
that not all big-city care is in the big city. Sincerely,
President/CEO
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On the Cover: Sam Derrick joins MCMC as the new director of Mid-Columbia Medical Group.
(ON THE COVER)
Home Away from Home A long way from Louisiana, our new medical group director already feels at home.
To lead and act as a catalyst in promoting health for all people.
always been our No. 1 priority. I hope this doesn’t come as an
Duane Francis
Inside Scoop 6
MCMC Wins Award
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A Joint Effort
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Mind, Body Calendar
Hospital’s commitment to high quality patient care earns recognition. New program offers comprehensive support for hip and knee replacement patients. Upcoming education programs from the Center for Mind & Body Medicine.
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Restoring Balance
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Teeing up for Chuck
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Learning Aid
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Spiritual Care Volunteers
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A Rhythm Runs Through It
Program helps put balance back in seniors’ lives. Foundation Golf Benefit honors memory of popular local dentist. Randy Rood Memorial scholarships help young students realize their college dreams. Have some extra time and spare compassion? How drumming can help you beat stress.
Celebrating Celilo MCMC supports Maryhill Museum’s Celilo celebration.
Photo Credits: Cover, pages 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 16, 17, 18 by Jim Semlor Page 2 & 8 by Susan Crowley Group photo bottom of page 16 by Jonah Gilmore
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Home Away From Home
Sam and Andrea Derrick with one of their two children, daughter Jenna
A long way from the place of his upbringing, the new director of Mid-Columbia Medical Group already is feeling right at home.
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or a fellow who barely has had time to clean the bugs off his windshield after moving his family across the country, Sam Derrick already is sounding like his roots in the Mid-Columbia are bedrock deep. “Faith, prayer and careful consideration brought me here,” he says. “So if you want me to leave, you’ll have to run me out of here. I’m home.” The odds are slim that anyone is going to try to run Derrick out of town any time soon. Not after MCMC administrators embarked on a nationwide search to find the perfect candidate to become the new executive director of Mid-Columbia Medical Group.
It’s safe to say Derrick is no happier to have found MCMC than MCMC is to have found him. “Directing our affiliate medical clinics is one of the most important positions in our organization,” says MCMC President and CEO Duane Francis. “It’s no secret that we’ve experienced a difficult period of transition, with several physicians leaving our community last year. But we have gone a long way toward remedying that situation. With his management skills and warm personality, Sam is the perfect person to build on that momentum and continue to improve and grow our medical community.” Derrick brings impressive credentials to his new position at the helm of MCMC’s affiliate group of 24 physicians and allied healthcare providers. They practice at Columbia Hills Family Medicine and seven internal medicine and family practice clinics in The Dalles. Born in tiny Mansfield, Louisiana, Derrick left his hometown to attend Kent State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree. He then moved on to the Medical University of South Carolina, where he earned a master’s in health administration. After his formal education, Derrick completed an administrative fellowship at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. While there he served for a time as the administrator of the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center. Most recently Derrick was the medical practice executive for a 15-site primary care network affiliated with a large medical center in Baton Rouge. In addition to his education and experience, Derrick also has achieved status as a certified medical practice executive. In his new office on 12th Street in The Dalles, Derrick proudly displays a photograph of a whale breaching the surface of the water off the coast of Massachusetts, a rainbow projected skyward off its back. Derrick is an avid photographer, and this is one of his favorite shots. Many of Derrick’s first impressions of the Pacific Northwest passed through the lens of his camera during a 2003 trip to Olympic National Park. They were memorable shots in more ways than one. “I had always been fascinated by the northwest,” he says. “So when I got to Seattle, saw the pristine mountains across the Puget Sound, experienced the crisp, clear northwest air and ultimately became addicted to
Starbucks, I knew I needed to begin looking for a way to come back.” In MCMC and the community of The Dalles, Derrick says he found his perfect combination of lifestyle and leadership. In January he and his wife Andrea, their son Sam, 7, daughter Jenna, 3, and “wiener dog” Chili said goodbye to family and friends in Louisiana and headed west. “You cannot beat the lifestyle here,” Derrick says. “But as important as that was, I also wanted to be able to work alongside a seasoned executive mentor, like Duane Francis, whose style was a good fit with my own.” Now that he and his family are settled, Derrick has focused his efforts on ensuring residents of the region continue to have access to timely, professional and patient-centered primary care. The recent arrival of several new practitioners has helped solve the access problem that many patients were experiencing last year, and Derrick says recruiting additional doctors and allied health professionals remains a top priority. He’s also working internally to ensure that all patients are receiving a consistent level of outstanding service and attention at each of the Mid-Columbia Medical Group clinic sites.
“When our patients and guests walk into any of the Mid-Columbia Medical Group clinics, they are placing their trust in us, and our goal is to always exceed their expectations.” “High-quality care and warm and attentive service are vital for a successful medical group,” Derrick says. “When our patients and guests walk into any of the Mid-Columbia Medical Group clinics, they are placing their trust in us, and our goal is to always exceed their expectations.” When Derrick was deciding whether or not to uproot his family and move them to an unfamiliar part of the country, he placed his trust in his own faith. Now, in his new job and his new hometown, it is his own high expectations that are being exceeded. “I have felt right at home from the moment I have arrived,” he says.
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MCMC Wins Award For Quality Measures Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s aggressive efforts to ensure every patient is getting the right care every time have been recognized by one of Oregon’s leading healthcare quality organizations.
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cumentra Health recently presented MCMC with an award recognizing its standing as the second-highest rated Oregon hospital in several patient care measurements. Formerly known as OMPRO, Acumentra is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of healthcare. The organization collaborates with practitioners, providers, public agencies, and private organizations on a wide range of healthcare improvement projects and programs. “There are 47 hospitals in Oregon, and we evaluate data from all of them,” says Ruth Medak, M.D., F.A.C.S., associate medical director for Acumentra. “So MCMC’s achievement is pretty spectacular. The hospital and staff are really an example to other hospitals throughout the state.”
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“We’ve always made a concerted effort to ensure our patients’ safety and provide a high standard of care,” says MCMC vice president Dianne Storby, R.Ph. “But taking part in quality programs such as this gives us, and our patients, the opportunity to benefit from access to best practices and measure our performance compared with other hospitals. No matter how well we’re doing to assure quality, we’re always continuing to look for better ways of doing things.” When it comes to providing outstanding patient care, the details are everything, and MCMC’s quality efforts are intended to ensure no detail is overlooked. “Using these best practices that have been developed, tested and reported by physicians and hospitals across the country, there are a series of steps we follow, or measures we take, when treating patients who need
Dr. Ruth Medak (left) recently presented MCMC CEO Duane Francis and the hospital board (including chair Gretchen Kimsey, above) with an award for patient care excellence.
various types of medical or surgical care,” says MCMC’s Patsy Delaney, R.N. For example, MCMC staff now clip the hair around a patient’s surgical site rather than shave it, which reduces skin trauma and chance of infection. They deliver presurgical antibiotics at precisely prescribed times, which also reduces chance of infection, and they cease the delivery of post-surgical medications at a specific time to reduce the chance of dependency. Knowing heart attack patients have better outcomes when aspirin and beta blockers (used to treat high blood pressure and other heart conditions) are delivered within 24 hours of their arrival at the hospital, MCMC staff aims to make sure this happens 100 percent of the time. The Acumentra award demonstrates their success at meeting this and many other quality goals.
“At MCMC, everyone on the staff plays ball,” Dr. Medak says. “They all have the same commitment to excellence in patient care. The entire team gets together regularly to discuss the best quality measures to take, where adjustments should be made. It truly is all about the patient at MCMC.” Medak says MCMC’s example reinforces her belief that the commitment to quality has to be organization-wide to be successful. “Every good organization has an excellent board of directors that is involved and that holds senior executives, staff and physicians accountable for results,” she says. “It’s clear everyone is on the same page at Mid-Columbia.”
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Mind, Body Healing
A Joint Effort Local patients are benefiting from a comprehensive new approach to preparing for and recovering from knee or hip replacement surgery.
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t’s about changing thought processes, making people feel better and get back on their feet again sooner. It’s about providing in-depth education, helping people make informed decisions and making sure they understand and are comfortable with what they will be experiencing. And for the growing number of people needing total joint replacement surgery, it’s about time there was a program dedicated exclusively to them. The demand for joint replacements has increased dramatically in recent years, a trend that is expected to pick up even more speed as the Baby Boomer continues to infiltrate the ranks of the late middle-aged and senior years. Reasons for the surge include an aging population suffering from arthritis; the increasing number of people who are overweight, which puts stress on knee and hip joints; and the growing population of Boomers, whose lifestyles are taxing their knees and hips more than their parents did. “With many advances in joint replacement techniques and technology, patients have an array of options from which to choose,” says Greg Stanley, M.D., The Dalles orthopedic surgeon who directs the Total Joint Experience program. And the results can be dramatic.
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“There are few procedures that return as much quality of life as joint replacement,” Dr. Stanley says. The new Total Joint Experience at MCMC is designed to help patients from the start to the finish of the joint replacement process — from helping them determine if they are good candidates in the first place to helping those who do elect to have surgery achieve the speediest possible recovery. “Through this program, we’re able to be a lot more aggressive in the rehabilitation and education of our total joint replacement patients,” says Dr. Stanley. “Patients are encouraged and helped to be successful.” Participants in the Total Joint Experience enjoy many benefits, including valuable patient education, a preoperative clinic, which brings together patient, family and surgical team for planning and information, and a unique, supportive setting for recovery. The path to recovery starts even before patients have surgery to replace their hips or knees, procedures in which Dr. Stanley has extensive training and expertise. The Total Joint Experience program offers monthly, educational community classes for people seeking more information about joint pain and joint replacement. This helps them make informed decisions, with their physicians, about having a procedure or not.
UPCOMING EDUCATION PROGRAMS FROM THE CENTER FOR MIND & BODY MEDICINE AT MID-COLUMBIA MEDICAL CENTER
Pre-registration required; please call 296-7202 to register unless otherwise indicated.
Greg Stanley, M.D. If they elect to go forward, patients attend a one-stop preoperative clinic. Here everything needed for surgery is addressed, necessary medical clearances are obtained, lab work is reviewed and anesthesiology services are gone over. A Total Joint pre-procedure class educates patients on what to expect both when they arrive for surgery and afterward in terms of recovery and physical therapy. After surgery, joint replacement patients aren’t just sitting around comparing incisions and telling surgery stories. “They’re having physical therapy together, they’re up and in their own clothes,” Dr. Stanley says. “They’re going to be started immediately on a path of recovery and wellness, rather than prolonging the recovery period.” If you have joint pain or think you may be a candidate for joint replacement and are interested in learning more about MCMC’s Total Joint Experience program, please call 541-296-8444 to register for a free joint pain community class.
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Workshops Clinics Aromatherapy and Meditation
Guided Relaxation and Aromatherapy
Open Community Drumming with Steve McLennon, MD
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAYS
THURSDAY
June 19, 7 to 7:30 p.m. Fitness Center Classroom Mind Body Medicine Cost: Free!
July 18, 12:14 to 12:45 p.m.
June 28, 7 to 8 p.m. Medical Office Building Conference Room MCMC Campus Donations welcome!
Calming the mind and relaxing with nature is the experience offered in this healing and stress reducing session. The session will include a brief introduction and the practice of meditation combined with aromatherapy. It is geared for those who have experienced or are new to meditation.
Meditation Room, Celilo Free! Experience 30 minutes of total relaxation. Relaxation expert Susan Erikson, aromatherapist Barb Robison and harpist Anna Fiasca will lead you in a guided imagery and aromatherapy relaxation technique, using pure essential oils and music. Leave this session feeling calmly refreshed!
Individual Nutrition Consults BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Meet with our registered dietitian for one-on-one coaching. A dietitian provides reliable, objective nutrition information by separating facts from fads and translating the latest scientific findings into easy-to-understand nutrition information.
June
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Bring family and friends and experience the joy of recreational music making. No experience or equipment is necessary, and we guarantee immediate musical success! Numerous studies show a wide range of health benefits through rhythmic drumming.
Healthy Weight Solutions WEDNESDAYS 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Call 296-7202 to enroll in next class This outpatient program is a unique eight week progressive weight loss and wellness clinic that will provide a safe and supportive environment for weight loss achievement, stress reduction and disease prevention. The program will focus on a holistic solution to weight management. The multi-disciplinary team includes a dietitian, registered nurse and physician. The curriculum will include research based integrative strategies that are simple, practical and lifelong. Space is limited.
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Flow Yoga
Exercise Movement
WEDNESDAYS
Yoga
T’ai Chi
T’ai Chi is an ancient mind/body discipline of relaxed movement. It involves gentle, meditative exercise for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. Participants will enjoy increased balance, flexibility and coordination and improved well being, while reducing stress and associated pain and fatigue.
T’ai Chi Class for Balance TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS 12 week session 11 a.m to noon, Celilo Free classes!
begins June 5
T’ai Chi-Evening Class Coming Fall 2007 MONDAYS & THURSDAYS 5:30 p.m., Celilo $45 for 8 week session
coming
Individual Fitness Consult
MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS
$60 per hour
5:30 to 9 a.m. & 4 to 7 p.m.
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
Meet with our fitness expert, and develop a fitness program that is right for you. The consult includes body fat, flexibility and strength testing along with designing a personalized fitness plan.
SATURDAYS 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. CMBM Exercise Room, $30 per month
Designed for all levels of fitness. Begin or maintain a personal fitness program using state-of-the-art equipment with the assistance of a fitness instructor. Attend any combination of times that is convenient for your schedule.
This yoga practice combines vinyasa flow (moving through poses with purposeful breathing) with resting poses to encourage a deeper stretch and release. Great for reducing stress, increasing strength, flexibility and improving balance! No previous yoga experience necessary.
5:30 to 7 p.m., Celilo $40 for 5 sessions, $60 for 10 sessions or $10 drop-in
Work one on one with our yoga instructor and design a safe and effective home yoga program individualized to your specific needs. Suitable for back pain, asthma, fibromyalgia, depression, multiple sclerosis, stroke, anxiety, weight loss and many other health concerns.
This practice unwinds and rejuvenates mind and body with yoga stretching, breathing exercises and relaxation. This class is designed for all ages and levels of fitness. Regular practice increases flexibility, strength and balance.
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Therapeutic Healing Body Work Therapies
Fitness for Health
5:30 to 10:30 a.m. & 4 to 7 p.m.
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
soon!
If you are interested in improving your balance and improving your lower extremity strength, you may qualify for our free Tai Chi classes. Participants must be 60 years of age or older or under 60 years of age living with a chronic disease. Open to all Columbia River Gorge residents. For more information, please contact Barb Robison at the Center for Mind & Body Medicine, 541-296-7414.
$50 per hour
5 to 6:30 p.m., Celilo $40 for 5 sessions, $60 for 10 sessions or $10 drop-in
All Levels
Reiki
Massage Therapy
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Massage therapy is one of the oldest forms of health practice. It has been used to enhance healing and general well being since ancient times. This therapy manipulates the skin, muscles and joints for muscle relaxation, improved circulation and stress relief. The therapists at MidColumbia Medical Center offer a variety of massage techniques tailored to your specific needs. Located at the Celilo Center. To schedule an appointment or purchase a gift certificate for a massage, call 296-7389.
60 minutes, $55
year-round
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Individual Yoga Consultations
Reiki is a stress reduction technique and promotes the body’s natural ability to heal. It is non-invasive and feels very pleasant to receive. It has specifically been documented to relax muscles, still the mind and ease pain. It is considered an energy medicine technique that is administered by a trained practitioner to the client. Call 296-7389 for appointment.
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Relaxation Massage: 60 min for $50/90 min for $75 Deep Body Massage: 60 min for $55/90 min for $80 Warm Stone Therapy: 60 min for $55/90 min for $80 Sports Massage: 60 min for $55/90 min for $80 Pregnancy Massage: 60 min for $50 Thai Massage: 90 min for $80 Lymphatic Massage: 60 min for $55
Acupuncture Therapy BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Acupuncture is one discipline taken from the heritage of Chinese medicine. The technique involves the insertion of very fine needles at specific points in the body which have been shown to be effective in the treatment of various conditions. Call 296-7585 for appointments or for more information.
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Core Health Wellness Clinics (Insurance companies and Medicare may cover all or a portion of the clinic fees. We will assist you in determining your insurance benefits. Physician referral may be required.)
For class schedules and registration information, please call 541-296-7202.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic Cardiac Rehabilitation is the next step after a heart attack or heart surgery, a diagnosis of chest pain or other cardiac condition. This is a 10-week clinic that includes supervised exercise, nutrition information and education in heart health management. This clinic will help you to regain strength and lessen fatigue while learning the tools to reduce cardiac risk factors. Classes are offered throughout the year.
Medical Symptom Reduction Clinic This is an eight-week course, in a group setting, designed to teach medical patients with a wide range of conditions how to better care for themselves and to participate more fully in their own healthcare. The program is modeled after the highly successful and respected Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Pulmonary Health Services The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Mid-Columbia Medical Center is designed for patients with chronic respiratory disease (COPD, emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis and other chronic lung conditions). This class explores the relationship of breathing and health. This 10-week clinic will guide patients in lifestyle changes that will help them to improve their endurance and quality of life. Goals within this program include:
Living Healthy with Diabetes The Diabetes Self-Management Education Class is a comprehensive learning experience, which teaches the many different aspects of diabetes management. This four-session course is offered on Mondays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and we encourage a support person to attend, at no additional fee. We promote patient wellness and, through education, will help you live healthy with diabetes.
• decreasing shortness of breath • improving physical conditioning and exercise tolerance • improving emotional well being
BRINGING EDUCATION TO THE WORKPLACE Mind Body staff members are available for educational presentations at your place of employment. We are happy to work with your staff to tailor presentations based on your specific needs. Topics can be as diverse as stress management, nutrition, aromatherapy, fitness, yoga, T’ai chi, lung and heart health. Contact Barb Robison, Director, Center for Mind & Body Medicine, 541-296-7414 for more information.
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Restoring Balance for Older Adults F
alling down is one of the leading causes of brain injury and fractures in older adults. A new program offered by Mid-Columbia Medical Center is putting the balance back in people’s lives. A three-year grant is funding free T’ai Chi classes for participants over 60 through MCMC’s Center for Mind & Body Medicine. Adults with disabilities or chronic diseases may also participate, while others under 60 may take part if enough room is left in the popular classes. “It’s so enjoyable, and research is finding T’ai Chi not only improves physical strength, it strengthens the immune system,” says center director Barbara Robison. T’ai Chi is an ancient mind and body discipline of relaxed movement. It involves gentle, meditative exercise for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. Participants enjoy increased balance, flexibility and improved well being, while reducing stress and associated pain and fatigue. The grant is administered through a partnership between MCMC, the Area Agency on Aging and the Mid-Columbia Council on Governments. Under the grant guidelines, classes are now offered in The Dalles and Hood River. The second year of funding will see the program expanded to rural Wasco and Hood River counties, while Sherman and Gilliam counties will be added in the third year. Medical professionals are teaching the classes, led by a trainer who has more than 20 years of experience in the discipline. “It’s a body movement class that increases strength and balance and improves posture,” Robison says. “It’s gentle and it’s meditative and it’s easy.” The Oregon Research Institute has developed a form of T’ai Chi taught at the classes specifically designed to strengthen lower extremities and improve balance to prevent falls. Tests are conducted before and after the courses, and outcomes are tracked to assess the success of the program. Many of those attending say they heard from a friend or relative about the benefits of T’ai Chi, Robison says, and the response has been uniformly positive. The target for the number of people participating in the free classes has been easily exceeded. Those who enroll are accepted at whatever physical level they are, and all can benefit, Robison says, from people in walkers to those who run. To sign up for the next course or for additional information, call Barb Robison at 541-296-7414.
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Teeing Up For Chuck This year’s Health Foundation Golf Benefit honored the memory of Dr. Chuck Miller and benefited the MCMC program he used.
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r. Bill Hamilton remembers The Dalles dentist Charles “Chuck” Miller — who lost his battle with lung cancer last year — in several different ways. Dr. Hamilton recalls the time he and his fellow reserve police officer came upon a dying possum on the side of the road. The compassionate Dr. Miller quickly dispatched it — with his service weapon. That took some explaining back at The Dalles police headquarters, but Dr. Hamilton says Dr. Miller was more than up to that task. He remembers his dentist friend being willing to go into his office on a Saturday to replace another doctor’s broken tooth, which had been knocked out in a windsurfing accident. Dr. Hamilton also remembers Dr. Miller the community volunteer, who had more irons in the fire than a cowboy at round-up time. Dr. Miller racked up more hours than any other volunteer in memory, quietly and without fanfare. Ultimately, there was Dr. Miller the patient. LifeWorks, which Dr. Hamilton directs, helped the late dentist in the last few months of his life. LifeWorks is a comfort care program of Mid-Columbia Medical Center that serves patients with noncurable illnesses. At Dr. Hamilton’s suggestion, this year’s Mid-Columbia Health Foundation’s golf tournament, the 22nd annual Tournament of Tradition, held June 12 at The Dalles Country Club paid tribute to Dr. Miller, a longtime foundation supporter and tourney participant. This year’s tournament benefited the LifeWorks program. Honoring Dr. Miller is a fitting tribute this year. He was an avid golfer who sponsored a tournament team each
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year, playing with the same group of friends from the onset of the event. “He was a good golfer who worked hard on his game — unfortunately, he was left-handed, and that hurt him,” Dr. Hamilton says with a laugh. “He said he was too old and set in his ways to try switching.” “It fits perfectly with his memory,” he says. “What will always stick in my mind is his caring and giving nature. That was evidenced in his giving to the community and the number of organizations he was involved in. He would always say it was his way of giving back to the community.” The late dentist loved police work, and he was named Officer of the Year in 2006 in The Dalles. He spent thousands of hours on patrol, and even used his dental skills to aid the department in cases involving forensic evidence. “He enjoyed the camaraderie with other reserve officers, but I think what he enjoyed the most was giving back to the community through the volunteer program,” Dr. Hamilton says. “He was the kind of guy who enjoyed helping people. Not all police work is dealing with bad guys… there’s a lot of problem-solving and opportunities to help people.” Dr. Miller will be remembered in informal remarks at the dinner following this year’s tournament. He’ll also be remembered by so many in the community. “He touched an incredible number of people,” Dr. Hamilton says. related article on back cover
Giving
Without Fanfare The legacy of the late Dr. Charles “Chuck” Dennis Miller, a very special dentist and volunteer in The Dalles, is spread across the community, according to those who knew him. “Chuck had a tremendous enthusiasm for a wide variety of pursuits,” says The Dalles Chronicle editor Rodger Nichols of the man being honored at this year’s MidColumbia Health Foundation golf Tournament of Tradition. In addition to his work as a volunteer police reserve officer, Dr. Miller belonged to many civic organizations. But to a great extent, his volunteer work was done behind-thescenes, Nichols says. “He did it quietly, professionally and without fanfare or tooting his own horn,” Nichols says. The dentist was always at the top of the list when it came to counting volunteer hours. As a reserve police officer in The Dalles, Dr. Miller’s volunteer hours surpassed 4,000-hours. He also served on the department’s Special Emergency Response Team and as a temporary full-time police officer. Dr. Miller’s other interests were diverse. He enjoyed an
active lifestyle, participating in scuba diving, piloting airplanes, softball, bowling, hunting, basketball, boating and snow skiing. He also was an avid fisherman and golfer. Born in Michigan, Dr, Miller was raised in Baker City. He did his undergraduate work at Eastern Oregon University. After graduating from the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry in 1979, Dr. Miller set up shop in what had been the old fire station in The Dalles, treating patients until his illness forced him to retire in 2006. He was in the Navy from 1968 to 1972, serving two tours in Vietnam. He was also involved in community organizations like the Elks and Rotary clubs. Dr. Miller was a Yacht Club member, a Ducks Unlimited sponsor and a member of the Rocky Mountain Elks Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Dalles Mayor Robb Van Cleave says Miller’s legacy is found in a life that helped so many people. “People like Chuck make the community a better place to live,” the mayor says.
Preschool Summer Enrichment Program June 14 The Planetree Health Resource Center is offering a free summer enrichment program for preschoolers ages 3 to 5 through the month of June. Story Time with Friends runs each Thursday, June 14 - 28 at 11 am. Each week a different story will focus on attitudes and habits to keep kids healthy. Special guests will be on hand to provide a fun and interactive activity to reinforce the lesson. So pack up your preschooler and join these special guests at the Planetree Health Resource Center, 200 E. 4th Street, for Story Time with Friends this June. June 14
Spriggles Guest Matt Eby, Fitness Instructor June 28
Show Me Your Smile
June 21
My Many Colored Days Guest Joella Anglin, LCSW, Social Worker
Guest Teri Dahl, Dental Hygienist
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Learning Aid
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andy Arellano knew a lot of things as he headed toward his senior year with The Dalles High School Class of 2004 and began thinking about the future. He knew he wanted to get a college degree. He knew he wanted to become a nurse. Raised in a bilingual household by a single, working mother, Randy knew he wanted to return to The Dalles after finishing his education and help people in the place he called home. But he didn’t have a clue about one important matter. “I was worried about how I was going to pay for college,” Arellano says. “I didn’t know where the money was going to come from.” Then a school librarian told him about a scholarship program administered by the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation. With assistance from The Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship Fund, Arellano was able to end the mystery of how he was going to finance his dream of a college education. The Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 2004 by Gary and Christine Rood in honor of Gary’s son, who in 1984 lost his battle with lymphoma at age 24. The needs-based program supports students in Wasco and Sherman counties with grants of up to $2,500 annually for as long as five years. The money can be used for tuition, housing, books, transportation or any other school-related expenses. “Christine and I chose a scholarship because through it we can affect the most lives in the most ways, opening doors for futures and careers,” says Gary Rood. “This has
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been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, to see these students so joyful for the opportunity to attend school when, without assistance, they might not have been able to go.” That was the case for Randy Arellano. His mom, Blanca Mondragon, was putting in long hours at a cherry processing and packing plant supporting her three sons. But there wasn’t much left over at the end of the month. Now Arellano is proud to be the first in his family to go to college, a feat he says would have been difficult to accomplish without the scholarship, not to mention his mother’s incredible support. Arellano also is helping his own cause, earning money by playing violin in a mariachi band. He recently obtained his certified nurse aide license to help augment his nursing education. “It’s scary getting ready for college as a senior and not knowing where the money is going to come from,” he says. “It was great to learn that people in the community care and are willing to help you through the difficulties.” Three years after leaving high school, Arellano is finishing prerequisites at Portland State University. He plans to enroll in nursing school this fall and ultimately return to The Dalles to help out the community that helped him. “Knowing that you have people who believe in you really makes a big difference,” he says. To learn more about the Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship, contact the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation, 541-296-7275 or mchf@mcmc.net.
PHOTO: 2007 RANDY ROOD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS TOP ROW (left to right): Leah Kresse, Megan Heming, Alexandra Sawyer, Kayla Reffett, Michael Carter MIDDLE ROW: Angela Von Borstel, Morgan Adams, Guy Simer, Nicole Westhafer, Samantha Prentice FRONT ROW: Justin Beasley, Stacy Bird, Kruti Patel, KristenVon Borstel, Taunie Lewis, Matthew Earl
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Spiritual Care Volunteer Visitor Workshops at MCMC
With financial assistance from The Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship Fund, local students like Randy Arellano are getting the college education they once thought might be out of reach.
Randy Arellano
he Spiritual Care Department of Mid Columbia Medical Center is recruiting individuals interested in volunteering at the hospital as spiritual care visitors. The goal of MCMC’s Spiritual Care Volunteer Visitor program is to provide hospital patients, Celilo Cancer Center patients and individuals in the LifeWorks Comfort Care program the opportunity to have a daily visit from a volunteer visitor. Some volunteers visit patients in their hospital rooms or in the Emergency Department. Others visit patients in their homes or a care facility. Many times patients or family members are simply looking for someone who will listen to their concerns or their fears. In the LifeWorks program, volunteer visitors often serve the purpose of allowing family members to take a much-needed respite break. Spiritual Care visitors often say they receive more from the patients than they can ever give,” says Susan Shipman, director of Spiritual Care at MCMC. “I’ve heard volunteers say it’s sacred work to be able to support another in a vulnerable and difficult time of their life,” she says. Most volunteers devote a portion of one day a week (generally two to three hours) to a visitation. Regardless of a patient’s religious background
the volunteer visitors bring unconditional love and compassion to the sick, the lonely, and the bereaved. If you are interested in becoming a Spiritual Care volunteer visitor, orientation workshops are held regularly.
When Call for our next workshop series Registration There is no cost for these workshops, but pre-registration is requested. Contact Susan Shipman, director of Spiritual Care at 506-6999
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A Rhythm Runs Through It by Mark Adams
MCMC’s HealthRHYTHMS drumming program is helping participants beat stress, achieve other health benefits and just plain have fun.
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Stephen McLennon, M.D.
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t began looking every bit like some sort of rehearsal for The Anti-Band. As drums, shakers, bells and tambourines were handed out around a room at MidColumbia Medical Center, the group of men stood backs to the wall, arms tightly folded across their chests, heads shaking in unison in the universal language of Huh Uh, No Way. These gentlemen weren’t interested in any part of a musical exercise that involved the thumping or shaking of any part of themselves — especially in front of others. But about mid-way to “no way” a funny thing happened to this group of drummers in waiting, remembers Barbara Robison, director of MCMC’s Center for Mind & Body Medicine. “A little while after handing out the instruments, all of them were drumming and jumping and singing and dancing,” she says. “It was joyous.” The mind and body center’s HealthRHYTHMS program is creating positive changes in participants of all ages and all stripes. Their common trait is an interest in reducing stress while engaging in a unique form of relaxation and exercise that also has proven medical benefits. Family practice physician and stress reduction teacher Stephen McLennon, M.D. is the facilitator for the sessions. Dr. McLennon has led dozens of the sessions using elements of the HealthRHYTHMS program developed through research sponsored by Remo Drums Inc. He carries a simple message. “All that is required is an open mind and an open heart, and for people to let go and express themselves with simple percussion instruments,” he says. “I hope they experience success in making music with a group. I hope they leave feeling refreshed, invigorated and relaxed. I want
them to feel more connected to themselves and to the others they have played with.” Dr. McLennon says he is attracted to the program because of its simplicity and its emphasis on the human spirit rather than performance or musical skill. “I love to see those who are initially timid and reserved cutting loose and enjoying themselves by the end of the session,” he says. The program is having a decided impact on the life of the doctor, who also enjoys playing the drums himself. “More and more I am being recognized as ’that drumming doctor,’ and that is pretty cool,” Dr. McLennon says. “As a musician, I know that music is important to human beings in many ways. For a long time I had a sense that there was some way to combine music with my work as a physician.” He didn’t have to figure it out for himself, he says. Through friends at Columbia River Music, Dr. McLennon learned that Remo Inc. had developed a drumming therapy protocol. He attended sessions in Portland to become a facilitator. “During the training I realized this was what I had been looking for and dreaming of,” he says. “It brings people into the moment, and gives them a real experience of being alive and celebrating, sharing their spirit.” Neurologists who have researched the program report the drumming therapy protocol significantly increases the diseasefighting activity of white blood cells. That’s just one of the medical benefits of prescription drumming, Dr. McLennon says. Others include increased relaxation, reduced stress, positive changes to the immune system, exercise, group support
Celebrating Celilo F
ifty years ago, the Columbia River, swollen behind a new dam, swallowed Celilo Falls, changing forever the geographic face of the region. When the Maryhill Museum marked the anniversary of that event with a special commemorative day on Sunday, June 3, Mid-Columbia Medical Center was a part of the proceedings, as a corporate sponsor. With a cancer center bearing the name of Celilo, the hospital’s sponsorship of the event was a natural fit. The Maryhill Fun Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Celilo Falls. Activities included fishprint making for children of all ages, a student video festival featuring works chronicling the history of the falls, and the showing of a documentary discussing the impact the dam had on the river’s most famous resident, the salmon, and the region at large. “When the museum was established, part of its mission was to use the art exhibits for educational programs involving the community,” says Lee Musgrave, Maryhill’s curator of exhibits. “Our fun days are part of that effort.”
Activities included a showing of the acclaimed documentary “Celilo Falls and the Remaking of the Columbia River” and a follow-up discussion by filmmaker Joseph Cone. MCMC’s Celilo Cancer Center sponsored the film festival that was part of the event. The museum showed films submitted by school groups and individuals focusing on the Celilo Falls theme. Those interested in learning more about Celilo Falls can still visit Maryhill and view the current art exhibit, which focuses on the history and culture of the region both before and after The Dalles Dam was built. Curated by noted scholar and author Mary Schlick, the history is chronicled through photographs, paintings, prints and written documents.
The current exhibit runs through July 8 For more information, visit the Maryhill Museum Web site at www.maryhillmuseum.org.
Drumming (continued from page 18) and interaction, music-making and creative self-expression. “People tell me they feel relaxed and invigorated after drumming,” Dr. McLennon says. “They say they feel calm and focused. One woman told me it helped her arthritic pain. Another told me she felt like she had been let out of a cage. She started to feel more free and to do more things for herself.” In addition to helping participants, the drumming doctor says the experiences have changed his own life. “I have been blessed to be able to play with so many people, and to be part of a unique, healthful, beneficial process with them,” he says. Mind/Body Center director Robison says the drumming sessions are a pleasure to watch. “He shows participants in a beautiful manner that they are musicians, working together as a team, making music,” she says. “It’s what we need in our lives, to bring people together and experience nothing but pure joy for an hour.” According to Karl Bruhn, who is considered the father of the Music-Making and Wellness Movement, group drumming is an accessible and fulfilling activity for people of all ages. “From exercise, nurturing and social support, to intellectual stimulation, spirituality and stress reduction,
group drumming stimulates creative expression that unites minds, bodies and spirits,” he says. Remo Belli, the founder and CEO of Remo, Inc., says it’s time to stop thinking about the drum as a musical instrument. “Start thinking of it as a recreational tool for every family, a wellness tool for every retiree and an educational tool for every classroom,” he says. Besides that, drumming is just plain fun, and it’s tough to beat that.
Wanna Bang On the Drum For an Hour? The next HealthRHYTHMS session will be held Thursday, June 28, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Medical Center Office Plaza on the east end of the MCMC campus. Donations will be accepted to keep the program marching forward, with community response dictating when additional sessions might occur. For more information about the next session or the HealthRHYTHMS program in general, call the Center for Mind & Body Medicine at 541-296-7202.
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ust as important as the volunteers who dedicate their time to the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation’s annual golf benefit and the golfers who play in it are the sponsoring businesses and organizations that make it all possible. Each year they bring their energy and passion to the event, and the response to the current edition of the “Tournament of Tradition” has been overwhelming. The event was scheduled for Tuesday, June 12 at The Dalles Country Club and will benefit MCMC's LifeWorks Comfort Care program for patients with noncurable illnesses. “We are thrilled with the number of organizations that stepped up to support the cause,” says Anne Copper, project coordinator for the MCHF. “We sold out within two weeks of the registration coming out. The benefit gets so much of its energy and fun from the sponsors. Everyone comes together to make this event a success and a true community event, and we want to thank each of them.”
Columbia River Bank AndersonFisher, LLC Cliff Smith Motors Morgan Distributing US Bank Todd Construction Brown Roofing Company Crestline Construction
About This Year’s Beneficiary
Columbia Gorge Heating & A/C, LLC
LifeWorks Comfort Care was developed in 2004 to prevent and relieve suffering and improve the quality of life of those coping with serious, chronic illness. Patients and their families are guided by a team of professionals through the network of available assistance under the direction of their primary care physician.
Ray Schultens Motors
Griffith Motors
H2Oregon Petersen, Kolberg & Associates
For complete information about LifeWorks, call the program at 541-296-7925.
NON-PROFIT CURRENT RESIDENT
a Planetree Hospital 1700 E. 19th St., The Dalles, OR 97058
U.S. Postage
PA I D MID-COLUMBIA MEDICAL CENTER Permit #161