M
ason Health’s Rehabilitation Services Department has helped Arlene Hutchins regain mobility and function at two critical points in her life. She had previously had physical therapy for knee surgery and balance years ago, then earlier this year, she visited Rehabilitation Services for neck issues. Her experience this year has been markedly different than in years past.
At more than 7,000 square feet, the new space more than doubles the rooms that Rehabilitation Services occupied at Mason General Hospital. Plans to move into the newly remodeled space had been delayed two years because of COVID-19 impacts.
“We are so excited to have more space,” said Rehabilitation Services Director Cheryl Woods. “We have been waiting a long time for this. This represents a huge benefit to patients.”
“For one, having pediatric patients separated from adult and geriatric patients in the waiting area and in the therapy rooms improves safety,” Woods said.
The new space features many benefits for patients, including a larger waiting room area, with space for both pediatric and adult patients; more aerobic equipment for adults, which reduces wait times for patients; three private physical therapy evaluation rooms, instead of curtained-off areas; and new special equipment to treat patients with vertigo.
“The best thing they ever did was move out of that old location,” said Hutchins, who also worked for Mason Health for 50 years, retiring in Dec. 2021 as a Monitor Tech in the Intensive Care Unit.
For pediatric patients, there are multiple rooms for therapy, as well as a sensory gym separate from pediatric treatment space, which allows for more flexibility in scheduling and treating pediatric patients.
In November 2022, Mason Health’s Rehabilitation Services Department moved from the basement of Mason General Hospital to a new, expanded location to continue helping patients of all ages achieve their movement goals.
Mason Health’s physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and other Rehabilitation Services staff started to see patients that month, at 939 Mountain View Drive, Suite 100, in the newly named Cedar Building.
The space is the former home of Shelton Family Medicine and faces the Mason General Hospital Emergency Department Parking Lot. A ribbon cutting for department staff was held on Dec. 13.
June 2023, Vol. 39, No. 2
On the cover: Rehabilitation Services employees stand outside of their new location, the Cedar Building, during the site’s grand opening celebration last December. Standing, from left: Rehab Aide Cynthia Morrow; Physical Therapist Larry Messenger, PT, MPT; Office Assistant Jo Anna Rasmussen; Rehab Aide Robin Boerner; Physical Therapy Assistants Kyle Hoggard and Diana Franckowiak; Physical Therapist Mike Barnett, PT, MPT, OCS, ATC; Rehabilitation Services Director Cheryl Woods, PT; Physical Therapist Ryan Hill, PT, DPT, ATC; Office Assistant Veronica McKay; Physical Therapist Jeff Frisse, PT, DPT; Speech Language Pathologist Monica Vinson, MS, CCC-SLP; Physical Therapist John Takagi, PT, DPT; and Office Assistant Kristina Yocum. Seated, from left: Rehab Aide JR Guillermo Delgadillo; Speech Language Pathologist Erin Henley, CCC-SLP, Occupational Therapist Sydney Radcliff, OTR/L; Physical Therapist Ashley Auseth, PT, DPT; and Office Assistants Hailey Jenkins and Beth Bueno. Cover and inside photos by Cooper Studios,
Coordinator Arla Shephard Bull
“Our pediatric program and the new services we provide continues to help the rural and underserved within Mason County so they can access services that may be unavailable to them otherwise,” said Occupational Therapist Tawnie Easton. “We have close communication with the schools and the overall team approach we are able to provide for these children and families has been life-changing for them.”
“I was so impressed with the new location. There was room, it was spacious and there was nothing uncomfortable about it.”unless otherwise indicated. Photos on page 9 are by Marketing Cheryl Woods, Rehabilitation Services Director Physical Therapy Assistant Kyle Hoggard assists a patient in the newly remodeled Cedar Building. The new Rehabilitation Services location features more strength training equipment for patients, which means shorter wait times during appointments. Tawnie Easton, Occupational Therapist
The purchase of the pediatric equipment was made possible through an $18,000 contribution from Mason General Hospital Foundation’s Endowment Committee. The Endowment Committee’s Forever Fund provides a permanent source of revenue for Mason Health medical equipment and programs.
Hutchins saw Ryan Hill, PT, DPT, for soreness in her neck in early 2023. She had previously had physical therapy for knee surgery and balance in the past at the old location.
“My neck was very sore and I couldn’t turn my head to see if a car was coming,” she said. “It hurt a lot. Dr. Benjamin May, DO, from Mason Clinic sent me over and it was wonderful. When you walk into Rehabilitation Services, the registration is easy and beautiful and they are so polite. It was a good experience. My issues have resolved, as long as I keep doing my exercises.”
“The Endowment Fund has been responsible for this generous gift, and we are more than happy to provide for expanded services in Rehabilitation Services. In 2013, the committee funded nearly $20,000 toward the remodel of pediatric physical therapy rooms in the lower level of Mason General Hospital, so we have come full circle.”
The Rehabilitation Services Department offers renowned, exemplary services to the patients of Mason County, with physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, rehab aides and office staff.
The pediatric Rehabilitation Services team collaborates closely with Mason Clinic providers and other local area agencies to support children, through partnerships like the School Medical Autism Review Team. Therapists have specialized training to provide quality sensory, motor, and social emotional play-based therapy for children within the community, as well as training and support for families and caregivers.
The Rehabilitation Services team could not be happier to have more space to serve our community, Woods said.
“The space is open and welcoming, with wonderful natural light from the windows and skylights,” she said. “We think our patients will find the new space to be inviting and it will optimize their therapy experience.”
“It’s all because of a generous estate gift provided by a donor who wanted the funds to support pediatric patients at Mason Health,” said Beth Gregg, Chair of Mason General Hospital Foundation’s Endowment Committee.MGHF Endowment Committee member Mark Mager stands in a pediatric evaluation room with Rehabilitation Services Director Cheryl Woods. The Endowment committee helped to purchase books and equipment to help young patients develop. Photo by Arla Shephard Bull. Beth Gregg, Chair of Mason General Hospital Endowment Committee A pediatric therapy room at the Cedar Building features a climbing wall and other pediatric physical therapy equipment, in part donated by the Mason General Hospital Foundation Endowment Committee. Ryan Hill, PT, DPT Benjamin May, DO Physical Therapist Ryan Hill helps a patient use the new vertigo treatment equipment at Rehabilitation Services.
Whether you have a low-risk pregnancy or need more specialized care during your delivery, Mason Health expectant mothers now have more options for their care.
In January 2023, Mason Health unveiled new midwifery services at Mason Clinic-Women’s Health, with the addition of Certified Nurse Midwife Alisha Wedding-Lambert, CNM, to the practice.
Wedding-Lambert joins Obstetrician/ Gynecologists Danielle Blood, MD, and Andrea Martin, MD, in delivering babies at Mason General Hospital; they practice alongside Women’s Health provider Carley Jacobs, PA-C, at the clinic.
Wedding-Lambert, a longtime Mason County nurse and area midwife, brings midwifery services to Mason Health for the first time in at least a dozen years.
“I grew up with a lot of strong women, and my family has always had a lot of children,” Wedding-Lambert reflected.
appreciative during massages. I felt like I could really help them.”
Doulas are trained professionals who provide physical, emotional and informational support to their clients before, during and after childbirth, according to DONA International, the world’s leading doula certifying organization.
Wedding-Lambert studied and trained to become a doula, but then during the process, realized she wanted to become a midwife.
“Seeing people not given options in the delivery room became upsetting to me,” she said. “I wanted to allow people the autonomy to make their own decisions. I wanted them to understand the ‘why.’ This is a vulnerable group of people and there were things I saw that did not allow space for autonomy.”
Wedding-Lambert chose to become a certified nurse midwife to ensure that her license and certification would be valid in every state. She went to nursing school at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, graduating in 2012. She then worked as a Labor & Delivery nurse in Aberdeen, where she and her husband and son had moved to in 2013. She worked there for four years as a nurse, while also picking up per diem shifts at Mason General Hospital and other area hospitals. One day, a provider asked her if she had ever thought about becoming a midwife.
“That night I went home and applied for a program,” she said.
In 2019, Wedding-Lambert graduated from Georgetown University’s certified nurse midwife program. She then worked as a CNM for Multicare Tacoma General Hospital with a cohort of other midwives and OB/GYNs, assisting in or leading more than 176 deliveries.
Certified nurse midwives (CNMs) are registered nurses with, at minimum, a master’s degree in nursing and are board certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. CNMs work primarily with low-risk births and cannot perform C-sections. They do not manage high-risk pregnancies, such as those involving multiples or preexisting medical conditions.
“As a certified nurse midwife, we have a base in the physiology of birth,” Wedding-Lambert said.
“We know the medical side and have more of a focus on the normal process of life, rather than the pathologies that can develop during pregnancies. For some people, choosing a midwife may be what is right for them, while others, choosing an obstetrician may be the best option.”
Wedding-Lambert grew up outside of Olympia and after high school enrolled in the Utah College of Massage Therapy, where she graduated in 2002. It was during massage school that she first encountered the idea of working with pregnant women.
“We had an instructor in pregnancy massage who also coached women through labor as a doula,” Wedding-Lambert recalled. “I’ve always been comfortable around pregnant women, who are so
Because of her experience at Mason General Hospital as a per diem nurse and through clinical rotations, Wedding-Lambert knew the culture at Mason Health and saw the respect that providers and nurses had for pregnant women and their families.
“My hope is to build a midwifery group at Mason Health and bring that feeling of safety at the hospital to patients who may be feeling more nervous about giving birth in that setting,” she said. “I would like to build and be part of a local coalition of home and hospital birth providers working together to decrease maternal and infant morbidity by making sure that we build bridges and respect one another.”
In her spare time, Wedding-Lambert loves to read, spend time in nature and snorkeling.
To schedule a Women’s Health appointment with Wedding-Lambert, call Mason Clinic at 360-426-2653.
Turn to page 9 for stories from our generous donors!
“Being around strong women and kids is my comfort zone. I feel like this is my calling. The Birth Center at Mason General Hospital has an amazing culture and I’m happy to be here.”Alisha Wedding-Lambert, CNM
“Mason Health is clearly devoted to patient care,” she said. “I love the providers here and it is an incredibly welcoming environment.”Danielle Blood, MD Carley Jacobs, PA-C Andrea Martin, MD
A
s more families choose to give birth at Mason General Hospital and put down roots in Mason County, the need for quality health care for our youngest patients has only increased.
This spring, Mason Health proudly welcomed Dr. Ezekiel Melquist, MD, to the Mason Clinic Pediatrics team, where he has focused on the primary concerns of childhood — monitoring growth, supporting healthy choices, and treating normal childhood injuries and illnesses.
Over the years of his medical training, Melquist has also encountered patients with experiences outside of the typical childhood upbringing. His deep empathy moved him to seek out special training in autism and LGBTQI health so he could help families navigate these complexities.
“This is not the main focus of my practice, but a special interest,” Melquist noted.
Like any other provider or physician, if a patient requires more advanced care, Mason Health will help that patient find a provider outside of Mason Clinic as appropriate.
Growing up in Tacoma, Melquist began to consider health care as a profession after having positive experiences in childhood and adolescence.
“I remember hanging out in my optometrist’s office and thinking it was impressive,” he said. “In high school, I worked for a catering company that catered health care events. The doctors seemed so nice.”
For several years, Melquist worked as a cook for restaurants and catering companies while he pursued his education. He obtained his associate’s degree in Humanities at Tacoma Community College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College in Olympia in the ‘90s. With an aversion to math, Melquist avoided becoming a health care provider for quite some time — instead, he pursued music and ended up with a Masters in Fine Arts degree from Mills College in Oakland, California, in 2003.
While living in the Bay Area, however, he realized he had not quite shaken his desire to become a doctor. He got a math tutor and pursued premedical studies at San Francisco State University.
Melquist moved to London, where he lived with his godfather, taught Media Studies at the University of Greenwich and obtained a medical degree from King’s College London in 2012.
While at King’s College, he considered going into emergency, internal or family medicine. He did not want to pursue pediatrics until he had a clinical rotation at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma.
Melquist returned to the United States and worked as a resident at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he served many first and second generation immigrants from the Caribbean.
“One clinic served children born with HIV and had an outreach program to transgender youth,” he said. “These are children with many intersectionalities who felt alienated from our medical system. I really enjoyed working with those kids.”
Melquist’s first job outside of residency was as a general pediatrician at Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka, California, a rural community critical access hospital. He worked there for six years and was voted Best Pediatrician in 2020 by readers of the Siskiyou Daily News.
At this point, he decided to expand his knowledge and pursue a certification in transgender care from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which produces international guidelines for care. Melquist also has a special interest in autism and has training through the Autism Center of Excellence. He’s excited to join Mason Clinic Pediatrics in the Mason County School Medical Autism Review Team, which helps families get timely evaluations and diagnoses for autism.
“Autism can be difficult diagnosis to make, and it can be hard for families to get what they need,” he said. “I’ve seen the challenges that parents face in raising a child with autism, and I want to help that journey be a bit easier. I tell my families with these children that have experiences outside of the norm: ‘What a gift you have.’”
Melquist learned about Mason Health after Dr. Amie Mower, DO, spoke about Mason Health’s Provider Wellness program at a Thurston-Mason Medical Society presentation.
“I thought, ‘What a wonderful program Provider Wellness sounds like.’ I’m very excited to be here.”
Melquist’s passions outside of medicine include hiking, cars, guns, and cooking — he has a 12-year-old sourdough starter that has been with him since his time in London. He also enjoys spending time at home with his partner and her children.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Melquist, call Mason Clinic Pediatrics at 360-426-2653.
“I could be a goofball with the kids, and I really enjoyed the families,” he said. “People who work in pediatrics, whether it’s providers, medical assistants, or receptionists, they are friendly people. Those were the people I wanted to spend my days with. Pediatrics called me.”Ezekiel Melquist, MD
“I love working in rural areas and making a difference in kids’ lives,” Melquist said.
T
hanks to a $103,000 donation to Mason General Hospital Foundation from a grateful patient, families of newborns can feel even more safe and secure when delivering at Mason General Hospital’s Birth Center. Replacing a soon-to-be-outdated system at the Birth Center, the Safe Place® infant security system uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to keep babies secure at the hospital.
Like the current system in place, newborns receive a bracelet shortly after birth with an RFID tag that can be clamped on an ankle or umbilical cord stump.
When a baby is brought too close to exit doors, the tags alert the hospital of the potential threat via an alarm, and the doors enter immediate lockdown. Safe Place® is the first in the industry to use radio frequency technology and has multiple methods to tamper detection.
“The new technology is built better and is sold and maintained by Safe Place®, rather than being farmed out to a third party for customer service,” noted Birth Center Manager Kris Gaa. “Our current system will be obsolete in 2024, when the company moves to WiFi only. WiFi opens the hospital up to security issues. With an RFID system, you can’t hack into that.”
The new system is expected to be in place by the third quarter of 2023 and will help nurses and staff feel like they are doing all they can to protect infants from unsafe situations.
“You can have volatile patients that are unpredictable and want to leave with their children, so this benefits babies in that way,” Gaa said.
“We have never had a kidnapping issue here, but it happens a few times every year nationwide. Having an infant security system puts parents’ minds at easy knowing they don’t have to worry about this.”
The grateful patient donation is a blessing for Mason Health and its youngest patients.
“I am blown away, honestly, that someone would be so generous as to give that amount of money to ensure the safety of our families,” Gaa said. “It’s incredible.”
Registration 9 am - 10 am KSU 10 am
High Hand & Low Hand Raffle Tichets for Sale • 50/50
End at Character’s Corner in Olympia
All bikes must be in by 3 pm The proceeds raised go to Mason General Hospital’s Birth Center Register at www.warriorangelriders.org/bikers -for-babies or in-person at Nisqually Bar and Grill in Olympia
Mason General Hospital Foundation would like to acknowledge former contributors. Listed below are supporters the Foundation would like to recognize for their past support of our mission and work in the community. Please join us in acknowledging their support of the Foundation during their lifetimes.
Pauline Barrom
Betty M. Brinkman
Linda M. Bronson
One of the easiest ways to provide an enduring gift of support to Mason General Hospital Foundation is through your Will. By including the Foundation and the Forever Fund in your estate plans, you can designate some of your assets to the Foundation after your lifetime. At that time, the asset(s) you specify can be allocated to us, and your estate may be able to take a charitable deduction for the amount of your bequest, possibly reducing income and estate taxes payable.
If you choose to include Mason General Hospital Foundation in your Will or other estate plan, we should be named as:
Mason General Hospital Foundation
Post O ce Box 1668, Shelton, WA 98584
Our tax identi cation number is 91-1529293
Mason General Hospital Foundation would be pleased to work with you and/or your nancial or tax advisor to establish the planned gift(s) most appropriate for you to achieve your nancial planning goals.
MGH Foundation furthers the mission of Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County by providing nancial support to Mason Health.
Use the enclosed envelope to make your tax-deductible donation to help support MGHF.
To make a secure donation online go to www.MasonGeneral.com
Shirley Byrne
Irene M. Carrell
Al Edminston
Virginia R. Howe
Steve Hughes
James Neal
Richard Pasalich
Peggy Squires
Laverne Zehrung
Please be advised that every e ort has been made to ensure the integrity of this listing. If we have inadvertently omitted any names, please accept our apologies and most sincere thanks for your generosity and continued support of Mason General Hospital Foundation.
Mason General Hospital Foundation has generously received donations in honor and/or memory of the individuals listed below. Donors and memorialized individuals listed in this report re ect contributions made to the Foundation beginning December 17, 2022, through March 20, 2023
Shelton High School Class of 1965
In Memory of Larry Ewing
Shelton High School Class of 1965
In Memory of Diane Hathaway Applegate
Patricia I. Greg
In Memory of Charles Gregg, Sr.
Bellaine West
In Memory of Larry Ewing
Bellaine West In Memory of Wansa Settle-Nordby
Please be advised that every e ort has been made to ensure the integrity of this listing. If we have inadvertently omitted any names, please accept our apologies and most sincere thanks for your generosity and continued support of Mason General Hospital Foundation.
Mason General Hospital Foundation is grateful to Gold Sponsors Our Community Credit Union, SKANSKA, Sazan Group, Forti ed Health Security, OAC Services, Inc. and Olympia Orthopaedic Associates for their support of the Quality Care Open Golf Tournament, held this year on Monday, July 10, at Eagle’s Pride Golf Course in DuPont, Washington!
MGHF also thanks Bronze Sponsor TruBridge, Eagle Sponsor Colvos Construction and Hole Sponsors Olympia Sheet Metal, Inc., Our Community Credit Union and TGB Architects for their support! These sponsor commitments are as of April 25, 2023. A full list of donors will appear in the fall issue of SCOPE magazine.
There is still time to make a donation or support quality health care in Mason County. Visit https://www.masongeneral.com/community/events/quality-care-open-golf-tournament to donate to the Fund-An-Item appeal today!
Mason Health has promoted Nicole Eddins to the position of Senior Director of Performance Excellence. Eddins has transitioned from her role as Senior Director of Ancillary Services and is now ensuring that Mason Health’s culture and decisionmaking fully integrates Baldridge performance excellence framework. She will also work on best practices related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and lead the further development of the partnership with Shelton School District’s Health Sciences Academy.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Shelton Hospital Association, Mason Health patients are now able to breathe a bit easier.
Every year, the Shelton Hospital Association makes an annual donation to Mason Health, for the benefit of the patients of Mason General Hospital. This year, the association donated $62,500 toward the purchase of new Bellavista ventilators to replace two aging ventilators.
The funds are generated through investments made by the late Arthur Govey, one of Shelton’s most prominent citizens in the early 1900s.
“This donation illustrates that what Mr. Govey and his family did was send a Valentine into the future,” said Shelton Hospital Association President Brett Bishop, when interviewed on Valentine’s Day. “This donation resonates with me as a retired commercial diver for Seattle Shellfish. I know what it feels like to run out of air, and I am more than humbled that we get to be a part of providing a life-saving device.”
The new ventilators have the dual capability for non-invasive and invasive ventilation, crucial for patient care, said Kristy Christopher, RRT, Mason Health’s Director of Respiratory Therapy.
The new ventilators offer positive pressure ventilation support for patients ranging from neonates, pediatrics, and adults. With a large color touchscreen, the ventilator is the latest technology in lung protection for patients during ventilation.
“We currently have four Bellavista 1000 ventilators that continue to streamline our equipment in high quality patient care,” Christopher said.
Every baby born at Mason General Hospital receives not only exceptional care from nurses and providers, but also a token of love from the community.
Since 2003, Christmastown Quilters has donated baby blankets and other handmade gifts to the Birth Center at Mason Health, and in recent years, other organizations have also joined the fun.
A local chapter of the nationwide nonprofit Project Linus began to donate in Aug 2021, and a group known as The Nannies started their donations in July 2022.
The Nannies founder Kathy Edwards noted that their group began donating to mothers and babies at Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2004, but new regulations required the group to shift gears and find a new hospital. Around 10 women now donate monthly to Mason General Hospital.
Mason County resident Jane Callea suggested that Christmastown Quilters make blankets for Mason General Hospital patients back in the early 2000s. She was a member of the group and a patient at Mason Health.
“I realized that what the group needed was a purpose, so I contacted Mason General Hospital,” Callea recalled. “It gives us great pleasure. Not all babies come into homes that are ready for them. This gives us purpose.”
“We do this for the love of the babies,” Edwards said. “There’s a real need out there for babies and women who were leaving the hospital with babies that were insufficiently dressed.”
The Olympia and Shelton chapter of Project Linus has more than 100 people donating supplies to make blankets for hospitals in Thurston and Mason Counties, said president Cindy Coble
The group started as a larger Linus chapter serving a four-county region, but in April 2021, when the group’s leader died, Coble and member Liz Squires decided to keep the nonprofit running in a smaller area.
“We could not let it die out,” Coble said. “Two years later, we have now distributed more than 2,300 quilts overall.”
As of April 3, 2023, Mason Health has unveiled new guidelines for masking. Patients and visitors with respiratory symptoms, i.e. sneezing, coughing and runny nose, are required to wear a mask to protect others.
All other patients are not required to wear a mask. Staff experiencing respiratory symptoms will be masking, as well as all staff who are interacting with patients. Please visit our website and take a look at social media for our most recent updates!
El Departamento de Servicios de Rehabilitación de Mason Health ha ayudado a Arlene Hutchins a recuperar la movilidad y la funcionalidad en dos momentos críticos de su vida.
los pacientes; tres salas privadas de evaluación de fisioterapia, en lugar de zonas con cortinas; y nuevos equipos especiales para tratar a pacientes con vértigo.
Para los pacientes pediátricos hay varias salas de terapia, así como un gimnasio sensorial separado del espacio de tratamiento pediátrico, lo que permite una mayor flexibilidad en la programación y el tratamiento de los pacientes pediátricos.
“Nuestro programa pediátrico y los nuevos servicios que ofrecemos siguen ayudando a las zonas rurales y marginadas del condado de Mason para que puedan acceder a servicios que de otro modo no estarían a su alcance”, dijo la terapeuta ocupacional Tawnie Easton. “Tenemos una estrecha comunicación con las escuelas y el enfoque de equipo en general que somos capaces de proporcionar a estos niños y familias ha sido un cambio de vida para ellos.”
Su segunda experiencia ocurrió a principios de este año y, en comparación con la primera, hace años, ha sido muy diferente.
“Lo mejor que han hecho ha sido mudarse de esa antigua ubicación”, dijo Hutchins, que también trabajó para Mason Health durante 50 años y se jubiló en diciembre de 2021 como técnico de monitores en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos. “Me impresionó mucho la nueva ubicación. Era grande, espacioso y no había nada incómodo”.
En noviembre de 2022, el Departamento de Servicios de Rehabilitación de Mason Health se trasladó del sótano del Hospital General de Mason a una nueva ubicación ampliada para seguir ayudando a pacientes de todas las edades a alcanzar sus objetivos de movimiento.
Los fisioterapeutas, terapeutas ocupacionales, logopedas y demás personal de los Servicios de Rehabilitación de Mason Health empezaron a atender a los pacientes ese mes, en 939 Mountain View Drive, Suite 100, en el recién bautizado edificio Cedar.
El espacio es la antigua sede de Shelton Family Medicine y da al aparcamiento del Departamento de Urgencias del Hospital General de Mason. El 13 de diciembre se celebró un corte de cinta para el personal del departamento.
Con más de 7,000 pies cuadrados, el nuevo espacio duplica con creces las salas que los Servicios de Rehabilitación ocupaban en el Hospital General de Mason. Los planes para trasladarse al espacio recién remodelado se han retrasado dos años debido a los impactos de COVID-19.
“Estamos muy contentos de tener más espacio”, dijo la directora de Servicios de Rehabilitación
Cheryl Woods. “Llevamos mucho tiempo esperándolo. Esto representa un enorme beneficio para los pacientes. Por un lado, tener a los pacientes pediátricos separados de los adultos y los geriátricos en la zona de espera y en las salas de terapia mejora la seguridad. Habrá menos peligros de tropiezo cuando niños y mayores interactúen con el espacio y entre sí.”
El nuevo espacio cuenta con una sala de espera más amplia, con espacio para pacientes pediátricos y adultos; más equipos aeróbicos para adultos, lo que reduce los tiempos de espera de
La compra del equipo pediátrico fue posible gracias a una aportación de más de $18,000 dólares del Comité de Dotación de la Fundación del Hospital General de Mason. El Fondo Forever del Comité de Dotación proporciona una fuente permanente de ingresos para los equipos y programas de Mason Health.
“Todo se debe a la generosa donación de un donante que deseaba que los fondos se destinaran a ayudar a los pacientes pediátricos de Mason Health”, declaró Beth Gregg, presidenta del Comité de Dotación de la Fundación del Hospital General de Mason. “El Fondo de Dotación ha sido el responsable de esta generosa donación, y estamos más que contentos de poder proporcionar servicios ampliados en los Servicios de Rehabilitación”. En 2013, el comité financió casi 20.000 dólares para la remodelación de las salas de fisioterapia pediátrica en el nivel inferior del Hospital General de Mason, por lo que hemos cerrado el círculo.”
El Departamento de Servicios de Rehabilitación ofrece servicios ejemplares y de renombre a los pacientes del condado de Mason, con fisioterapeutas, asistentes de fisioterapeutas, terapeutas ocupacionales, patólogos del lenguaje, auxiliares de rehabilitación y personal de oficina.
El equipo de Servicios de Rehabilitación pediátrica colabora estrechamente con los proveedores de Mason Clinic y otras agencias locales del área para apoyar a los niños, a través de asociaciones como el Equipo de Revisión Médico-Escolar de Autismo. Los terapeutas tienen formación especializada para ofrecer terapia de calidad basada en el juego sensorial, motriz y socioemocional a los niños de la comunidad, así como formación y apoyo a las familias y cuidadores.
Hutchins vio Ryan Hill, PT, DPT, para el dolor en su cuello a principios de 2023. Ella había tenido previamente la terapia física para la cirugía de rodilla y el equilibrio en el pasado en la antigua ubicación.
“Me dolía mucho el cuello y no podía girar la cabeza para ver si venía un coche”, dijo. “Me dolía mucho. El Dr. Benjamin May, DO, de la Clínica Mason me envió y fue maravilloso. Cuando entras en los Servicios de Rehabilitación, el registro es fácil y bonito y son muy educados. Fue una buena experiencia. Mis problemas se han resuelto, siempre y cuando siga haciendo mis ejercicios”.
El equipo de Servicios de Rehabilitación no podría estar más feliz de tener más espacio para servir a nuestra comunidad, dijo Woods.
“El espacio es abierto y acogedor, con una maravillosa luz natural de las ventanas y claraboyas”, dijo. “Creemos que nuestros pacientes encontrarán que el nuevo espacio es acogedor y optimizará su experiencia terapéutica”.
Tanto si tiene un embarazo de bajo riesgo como si necesita una atención más especializada durante el parto, las futuras madres de Mason Health tienen ahora más opciones para su atención.
En enero de 2023, Mason Health presentó nuevos servicios de partería en Mason Clinic-Women's Health, con la incorporación de la enfermera partera certificada Alisha Wedding-Lambert, CNM, a la práctica. Wedding-Lambert se une a las ginecólogas y obstetras Danielle Blood, MD, y Andrea Martin, MD, que atienden partos en el Hospital General de Mason; ejercen junto con Carley Jacobs, PA-C, proveedora de Salud de la Mujer, en la clínica.
Wedding-Lambert, enfermera del condado de Mason desde hace mucho tiempo y matrona de la zona, aporta servicios de partería a Mason Health por primera vez en al menos una docena de años.
"Crecí con muchas mujeres fuertes y mi familia siempre ha tenido muchos hijos", reflexiona Wedding-Lambert.
“Estar rodeada de mujeres fuertes y niños es mi zona de confort. Siento que ésta es mi vocación”. El Centro de Partos del Hospital General Mason tiene una cultura increíble y estoy feliz de estar aquí”.
Las enfermeras matronas tituladas (CNM, por sus siglas en inglés) son enfermeras tituladas con, al menos, un máster en enfermería y están certificadas por la American Midwifery Certification Board. Trabajan principalmente en partos de bajo riesgo y no pueden practicar cesáreas. No se ocupan de embarazos de alto riesgo, como los que implican partos múltiples o enfermedades preexistentes.
"Como enfermera matrona titulada, tenemos una base en la fisiología del parto", explica Wedding-Lambert. "Conocemos el aspecto médico y nos centramos más en el proceso normal de la vida que en las patologías que pueden desarrollarse durante los embarazos".
Para algunas personas, elegir una comadrona puede ser lo más adecuado, mientras que, para otras, optar por un obstetra puede ser la mejor opción."
Mission Statement
United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health
Published by: Mason Health. Editor-in-Chief: Jennifer Capps, Chief Development & Communication
Officer. Writing & Editing: Arla Shephard Bull, Marketing Coordinator. Proofreader & Fact Checker: Penny Nielsen. Designed by: BatFish Ink LLC. Printed by: The Shopper
Business Office/Patient Accounts: 2505 Olympic Highway North, Suite #450, Shelton, WA 98584. Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 360-427-3601 (or 360-275-8614 from Allyn) or email hospitalbillingquestions@masongeneral.com for questions about your bill. A Spanish translator is available.
Mason Health: Located at: 901 Mountain View Drive, PO Box 1668, Shelton, WA 98584-5001 • 360-426-1611, from Allyn 360-275-8614, Toll free 855-880-3201, TTY/TDD 360-427-9593 • Serving the medical needs of Mason County since 1968 • Accredited by DNV-GL • Free Translation Services
Provided/Se habla español • Equal Opportunity Provider • Mason Health informs the public, patients, and employees that the agency does not discriminate on the basis of a patient’s age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation), religion, culture, physical or mental disability, financial status or condition (including the terminally ill or dying), limited English, visual, hearing or learning impaired.
Visiting hours: Mon-Fri: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat-Sun: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All visitors enter through the MGH Main Entrance, except Emergency Department visitors. Visitor restrictions are based on COVID transmission rate and department. Visit www.masongeneral.com for specific details.
Mason Clinic hours: Mon–Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Mason Clinic Lab hours: Mon-Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Mason Clinic Walk-In hours: Mon-Fri: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat/Sun: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Administration: Eric Moll, Chief Executive Officer; Darrin Moody, President/Commissioner, Gayle Weston, Secretary/Commissioner, and Don Welander, Commissioner.
CAN’T MAKE YOUR CLINIC APPOINTMENT?
Please notify Mason Health as soon as you know you will need to change or cancel your appointment, and cancellation must be at least one business day prior to your scheduled appointment. See Mason Health’s No-Show and Cancellation Policy at www.MasonGeneral.com and direct any questions you have about it to your Clinic.
