The Butter y E ect –District empowers Lab sta to better serve patients
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District welcomes new cardiac and walk-in providers and offers new cardiac stress tests
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SAVE THE DATE! MGHF fundraisers return this summer and fall Page 7
El distrito da la bienvenida a nuevos proveedores cardíacos y sin cita previa y ofrece nuevas pruebas de esfuerzo cardíaco Página 10
When Lab Supervisor Angela Stanford first joined Mason Health in 2016, one of the first things she noticed was the sheer volume of butterfly needles that phlebotomists, or lab assistants, utilize when drawing blood from patients.
Butterfly needles, formally known as winged infusion sets, are a phlebotomy tool that pairs a typical stainless-steel needle with plastic “wings” that attach to 12 inches of plastic tubing.
These sets provide more flexibility and precision for smaller veins that are difficult to access with a syringe or evacuated tube system. However, the cost per butterfly set is about $1.35 per needle, compared to 21 cents for a regular straight needle.
Butterfly needles also generate much more plastic waste.
“While butterfly needles are a useful and sometimes a necessary tool, it is important to develop skills with other phlebotomy tools, which I have emphasized as a technical skills trainer,” Stanford said. “When I first came to Mason Health, I was amazed that butterflies were so freely used. I have never worked at a facility where butterfly needles were not regulated.”
Last year, Stanford and Laboratory Manager Lindsay Roberts launched “The Butterfly Project,” a concentrated effort to reduce the amount of butterfly needles the Lab uses.
In addition to the Lab Department’s strides in the sustainability arena, Mason Health Culinary & Nutrition Services Department, led by CNS Manager Ashlee Johnson and Supervisor Matt Cummings, dove into sustainability efforts that positioned Mason Health as a pivotal player in the local food economy.
The work of the Laboratory and Culinary & Nutrition Services Departments exemplifies Mason Health’s environmental stewardship. These efforts shine via partnerships with Blue Zones Mason County and Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading health care sustainability organization.
Each of those department leaders sits on Mason Health’s ‘Green Team’ committee on sustainability.
June 2024, Vol. 40, No. 2
On the cover: Mason Health’s Laboratory team includes Laboratory Manager Lindsay Roberts, Laboratory Supervisory Angela Stanford, Medical Technologists Sarah Brammeier, Denise Joslin, Amanda Killingbeck and Aimee Riley; and Lab Assistants Adam Boing, Lisa Barrow and Lucie Wamsley. Photo by Cooper Studios.
“I am totally in awe of Mason Health’s Green Team and the amazing goals we are achieving,” said Jennifer Capps, Mason Health’s Chief Development & Communication Officer. “It is their unwavering dedication to Mason Health’s success that has made it possible for multidisciplinary teams across the District to take our sustainability efforts to the next level of integration. It is their work that has made awards such as our Environmental Excellence awards through Practice Greenhealth possible. In fact, we have been notified that we won three awards in 2024. We have been the lucky recipient of the 2024 Partner for Change, Greening the Operating Room and Making Medicine Mercury Free awards. Kudos to all for a job well done!”
Roberts became Laboratory Manager in August 2022, and upon seeing the department’s budget for the first time, she began to raise concerns about the cost of the butterfly needles. However, it was not until the spring of 2023, during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, that her staff began to take notice — Roberts held a “Price is Right” guessing game about the cost of laboratory medical supplies.
“When I revealed the answers, and staff found out the cost of each set and thought about how many times they use a butterfly needle in a single day, it seemed to shock many phlebotomists,” Roberts recalled. “It was this that really gave them a better understanding of management’s goals.”
Staff were informed that existing butterfly needle use had cost the department $22,639 during a six-month period, and that the goal was to decrease that number by half in the next year.
Stanford led the effort and starting in August 2023, each lab assistant received only one box (a set of 50 butterfly needles) every two weeks. In March 2024, they received only one box every three weeks, and by June, they are expected to use only one box per month.
In six months, the Laboratory Department has saved more than $23,000, with a projected annual savings of $46,345 — a savings of more than 34,000 total butterfly needles or 6.45 miles of plastic tubing this year. In the future, Roberts expects the savings to ultimately save 12.9 miles of tubing per year.
Not only are there environmental and cost considerations, but staff are now feeling more empowered, Stanford added.
“Initially, the scale back was not well received, mainly from staff who had grown accustomed to an unlimited supply and who regularly used them as their go-to tool,” she said.
Many patients request butterfly needles, under the assumption that they are a difficult draw and that butterfly needles hurt less, which is not true, Stanford said. Staff had also grown less confident using the hypodermic needle and syringe system.
“Butterflies can become a crutch and prevent lab assistants from enhancing their skill set,” she said. “In the last eight months, I have seen a huge improvement in not only skill, but in the confidence of our lab assistants. They have really taken this as a challenge and made themselves better phlebotomists as a result.”
Mason Health’s culinary leadership, in collaboration with Blue Zones Activate Mason County, is spearheading efforts to foster robust connections within the local food community.
Johnson, the visionary behind this initiative, was promoted to Head Chef and CNS Manager in 2022, immediately bringing to the position a radiant positivity and passion for connecting people to tasty, nutritious and sustainablysourced food.
In the past year, the Mason General Hospital Bistro has debuted new menu items and food for purchase from local South Sound growers and businesses, such as bone broth from Vern’s Foods and Farm, milk and
Greek yogurt from Tunawerth Creamery, and fermented sweet chili sauce and spicy garlic sauerkraut from OlyKraut.
Along with baked goods from Blue Heron Bakery, beef from grass-fed cattle from Colvin Ranch, and items like tacos with Jalisco tortillas topped with salsa from Penny’s Salsa and Fresh Produce, these food items have elevated the dining experience for patients and staff alike.
Through Blue Zones Activate Mason County, Johnson is emphasizing the importance of Mason Health’s role in the local food economy.
“Farmers, distributors, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders convene through regular gatherings to discuss various aspects such as food availability, signature produce opportunities, farm operations, and local policies,” Johnson said of her Blue Zones work.
“Given Mason Health’s countywide reach, we can naturally serve as a central hub for these food leaders, facilitating dialogue and collaboration aimed at enhancing the region’s food ecosystem.”
Read more about Mason Health’s sustainability efforts by scanning the QR code at right or visiting our website at www.masonhealth.com.
Follow us on social media and read the next issue of SCOPE magazine to learn about this year’s Environmental Excellence Awards!
“If you have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, I strongly suggest that you make an appointment with Carmen Eucker, RN (Diabetes Nurse Educator) for the best information, guidance and support on how to manage your goals and know that your fears or confusion of how and what to do to better control and take charge of yourself with diabetes. Today, I had my appointment and was amazed at all of the support, literature and knowledge gained in such a short period of time. Carmen listens to your concerns and is an excellent source of information and personally helped me to pair my Dexcom 7 Sensor to my Android cellphone so that I could be in the know of my blood sugar levels at all times. What an asset to our community, thank you Carmen for your service.” – Raul Soto, Shelton
Mason Health is excited to expand its cardiology services and to welcome a new Walk-In Clinic provider to Mason Clinic — Fahad Younas, MD, has been providing exceptional care for our new cardiology patients, while Erica Schuman, ARNP, brings excellent emergent care service to our walk-in patients.
Fahad Younas, MD, grew up in Pakistan with a yearning to serve communities and be an effective member of his society. His father was a farmer and his mother took care of the home. He initially was interested in becoming a pilot, but pivoted to medicine.
“As a physician, you can be helpful in more than one way,” Dr. Younas said. “Not only are you helping people resolve their illnesses, but you can help educate people and you can do more to help prevent and manage illnesses.”
Dr. Younas earned his medical degree at Shifa College of Medicine in Pakistan and then came to the United States in 2006 to conduct research on cardiac surgery at Columbia University in New York City.
“Cardiac surgery is very intriguing,” he said. “It’s very fascinating to see how the heart works in the normal way, but then a little bit of something wrong can screw things up, and yet timed intervention can make a huge difference.”
“My interest was triggered — what can be done before something happens? What can we do to prevent and minimize the overall incidence of disease?” Younas
said.
Dr. Younas completed his residency training in general cardiology at St. Joseph Mercy Health System in the Detroit area.
From 2008 to 2015, he practiced cardiology throughout the East Coast, while also completing additional fellowships around the country: including heart failure and transplant at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, interventional cardiology at UCLA Medical Center and endovascular medicine and intervention at the University of Colorado in Denver.
“Cardiology has been my comfort zone,” he said.
In 2020, Dr. Younas accepted a faculty position at the University of Washington in Seattle and grew to love the Pacific Northwest. He began to practice in the area, and in December 2023, formed a cardiology group in Olympia with a longtime friend from medical school, Haroon Yousaf, MD, who was featured in the March 2024 issue of SCOPE magazine.
The cardiologists see patients in Shelton for Mason Health, in Elma for Summit Pacific Medical Center and at their Olympia practice. They conduct procedures at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. Dr. Younas sees patients in Shelton twice a week.
Seeing patients in Shelton is a service he provides to patients who no longer have to drive long distances for their health care.
Since Dr. Younas and Dr Yousaf’s arrival, Mason Health has been able to provide cardiac stress tests for patients at Mason General Hospital (page 5). Patients previously had to travel to Olympia or further for this type of diagnostic exam.
“Coming here, I came to realize how really sick the patients are with cardiac issues,” he said. “The degree of illness is really compromised.”
“Rather than tell 30 patients to travel to Olympia or Seattle for their care, why not just one person travel to them to care for 30 people? Their satisfaction and their willingness to follow up with their care will be much greater,” said Dr. Younas.
When he is not busy, Dr. Younas enjoys playing golf and soccer and spending time outdoors.
To make an appointment for cardiology, obtain a referral from your primary care provider. Call Mason Clinic at 360-426-2653 to make an appointment for primary care.
Erica Schuman, ARNP, grew up in Puyallup and always knew she wanted to go into health care because she enjoys helping people. Her favorite subject in high school was Biology.
In 2011, Schuman initially pursued becoming a medical provider and later pivoted to nursing. She completed prerequisites in Tennessee, where she and her husband lived for his service in the U.S. Army.
In 2014, they moved back to Washington, where Schuman became a certified medical assistant and completed her bachelor’s degree from The Evergreen State College in Olympia with a focus on Public Health.
In 2015, she joined MGH Family Health to work as certified medical assistant under Christopher Penoyar, MD, a job she loved for years.
“I loved working with Dr. Penoyar and I adored his patients,” Schuman said. “It made me realize, I really want to do this. I wanted to have my own patients.”
Schuman became a registered nurse in 2018 and completed a master’s in nursing program at Pacific Lutheran University in 2020. She began working as an Emergency Department nurse at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia while she was in school.
She enjoyed the fast pace of emergency medicine.
“Being able to care for people on
their
worst day is very rewarding,” she said. “No one ever wants to go to the emergency room, but I want to be there for people.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, took a toll on nurses’ mental health everywhere. Schuman realized she would rather work outside of
emergency medicine. Working as a Walk-In Clinic provider, treating urgent but not life-threatening issues, is the perfect balance, she said.
“I knew I needed a plan for something more sustainable and low stress than nursing,” she said.
Schuman graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s program for family nurse practitioners in 2023. Francis Prince, ARNP, another Mason Clinic Walk-In Clinic provider and a co-worker of Schuman’s at St. Pete’s, told her about working at Mason Health.
Schuman joined the Walk-In Clinic in February 2024.
“Mason Health feels more like a family than an organization,” she said. “If I need anything, I can just ask anyone.”
Schuman enjoys reading and spending time with her husband and four children on their property in Shelton, where they have two pigs, four dogs, a cat and a chicken.
The Walk-In Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mason Health has expanded our cardiology offerings to include providing cardiac stress tests right here at Mason General Hospital.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and stress tests help doctors determine a patient’s risk for coronary artery disease.
“We can now prevent many patients from having to go out of the county for more expensive or more invasive tests by providing stress tests right here at Mason Health,” said Mason Health Director of Acute Care Services Rob Bennington. “Special thanks should be given to Melody Olels, RN, and ICU Supervisor Nadine Cram, RN, for all the work they did and the nursing expertise they brought to the program to help get it launched.”
Our patients love that they can now receive their cardiac stress tests locally.
“It was such a great experience, I do recommend this. It was wonderful not having to go to Tacoma and to stay right here at home. It is a great team and they all made me feel so good. The employees were sweet and explained everything to me. Melody Olels, RN, is adorable,” said patient Vicki Patterson
In order to provide quality care and service, patients arriving after their scheduled appointment time will be directed to reschedule their appointment.
We are asking patients to arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointment time to ensure timely check in. This change in policy allows our registration, nursing sta and providers time to best serve each patient.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please notify Mason Clinic. Cancellations must be made at least one business day prior to your appointment.
Also, please remember to bring your identi cation and health insurance cards to your appointment!
Invest in today, because tomorrow will be here before you know it.
MGH Foundation’s Forever Fund –Giving
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.
Please make a gif t to MGHF
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
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.
Patrick E. Carney
Marie K. Cormier
Shirley Crosby
Charlene Decker
Wayne R. Green
Wayne R. Green
Janet Harper
Janet Harper
Jerry Hayden
Jerry Hayden
Phylis Johnston
Phylis Johnston
Vicki Look
Michael Ogden
Greg Segai
Judy Stark
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 Jan. 3, through April 11, 2024.
Bellaine West
In Memory of Mike Ogden
Bellaine West
In Memory of Gregg Souliere
Shelton High School Class of 1965 In Memory of Gregg Souliere
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.
who came to our Donor Appreciation Event on Thursday, April 18, at Little Creek Casino Resort!
Guests enjoyed a presentation from guest speaker Dean Gushee, MD, the retired Chief Medical O cer of Mason Health. Dr. Gushee, an avid explorer and nature photographer, presented about the expeditions of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
This summer and fall, Mason General Hospital Foundation has a wide range of fundraising events on the horizon, whether you enjoy riding your motorcycle, drinking good beer and wine or dining on yummy desserts and good food, all while raising money for quality health care in Mason County.
In August, MGHF is bringing back the Barrels & Brews fundraiser for the rst time since 2019!
This year, the event will be outside on Saturday, Aug. 3, at Kneeland Park in Shelton. Beer, wine and distillery vendors will o er tasting samples at this ticketed event. Funds will support medical equipment purchases at Mason Health.
Also in August, MGHF is once again excited to partner with the Warrior Angel Riders of Tacoma to present the 4th annual Bikers for Babies fundraiser for the Mason Health Birth Center!
This poker run motorcycle ride o ers up beautiful scenery and fun and games while raising money for a good cause.
On Sept. 27, MGHF presents the annual Business Luncheon & Confections Auction, and in November, MGHF plans to host Come Dance With Me, a Night Out for daughters and their father gures or other special loved ones, and the Fantasy Forest Dinner Auction
Purchase tickets and see more details via our website at www.masonhealth.com!
Olympia Orthopaedic Associates
Parker, Smith & Feek, Inc. Silver Level Sponsor
UMC, Inc.
Tournament Lunch Sponsor
Peggy Utesch, Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer, will retire in July after five years with Mason Health.
“Peggy will be missed by me, each member of the Finance team, and all the people she works with on a daily basis,” said CFO Steve Leslie
“Peggy’s work has changed Mason Health Finance operations for the better, and we will all benefit from Peggy’s work long after she retires. I will miss Peggy’s skill, initiative and thought partnership in my daily work. I wish for Peggy the very best of everything as she enjoys new adventures after an interesting and varied career.”
Utesch has more than 30 years of experience in health care, and 20-plus years of experience as an executive assistant.
She came to Mason Health in 2019 from The Rural Collaborative, a membership organization of Washington rural hospital districts working collectively to achieve health care excellence in their communities.
Prior to that, Utesch worked for the Western Healthcare Alliance in Colorado, her home state.
Before moving to Washington, she owned a successful public relations and graphic design business and authored two mountain biking guidebooks about Eastern Utah.
“I want to thank everyone at Mason Health for the opportunity to end my career on the high note of having worked for such a quality organization for the past five years,” she said. “It has been a privilege to be part of a group that truly cares about their organization and the community they serve.”
Mason Health patients can rest assured that the level of care they receive from Mason Health’s Laboratory Department remains the highest standard in health care. In February, the Lab Department once again received accreditation from The Joint Commission, one of health care’s largest accreditation organizations.
The Lab was found to be compliant in about 1,000 standards, after three full 10-hour days of observation, or survey days, in December 2023.
The survey days are unannounced every two years, and come as a surprise to staff and leadership, who are told to expect the visit at some point in a three-month window. Over the past several inspections, the Joint Commission has typically arrived in March, making their arrival in December an early surprise.
Lindsay Roberts
Mason Health received zero high-risk citations. Laboratory Manager Lindsay Roberts turned in action plans to address concerns in early February and received notice of the accreditation soon after. Some changes that will be taking place include scanning every piece of patient paperwork into an electronic system as opposed to saving and storing paper copies at Mason Health’s storage facility. Labs must be accredited to be able to stay open in the U.S. and in the state of Washington.
“I attribute our success to team morale and collaboration,” said Roberts, who has worked as Lab Manager since August 2022. “There is a cohesiveness in our team. It definitely takes the whole team.”
For the past six years, Mason Health Senior Director of Human Resources Kevin Keller has served as a calm and positive leader among Mason Health’s Senior Leadership Team.
Later this year, Keller plans to step down from his role and enter retirement to spend more time playing music and traveling with his son, Liam.
After six years of dedicated service, Mason Health is deeply grateful for Keller’s invaluable contributions, said Mason Health CEO Eric Moll
“Kevin has provided leadership stability during a time of immense industry challenges,” Moll said. “We are confident that the strong foundation Kevin has built will serve as a solid platform for the continued success of our HR department. Thank you, Kevin, for your dedication, leadership, and positive impact on Mason Health.”
Keller grew up in Connecticut and graduated in 1982 from Villanova University in Pennsylvania as a marketing major, with a double minor in psychology.
In the early 1980s, he embarked upon a on a 10-year career in sales and marketing, working as a buyer for companies like Eddie Bauer and Macy’s.
“The part of marketing that I was intrigued by was meeting people’s needs,” he said. “When I left sales and marketing, it was because I wanted to facilitate long-term and lasting change in organizations.”
Keller went back to school, completing a graduate degree in organizational industrial psychology from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. He continued studying human resources strategy at the University of Pennsylvania before working for almost 20 years at Merck & Co.
Keller climbed the ladder at Merck & Co. in the human resources department, acting as an internal consultant and then eventually he became the Human Resources Director for the western United States, transferring to a West Coast office in 1997.
When Merck & Co. decided to consolidate their operations back to headquarters in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Keller decided to stay in the Pacific Northwest.
For most of the 2000s, Keller did independent HR consulting work for multiple industries, such as maritime and shipping, and for companies like Costco and Amazon. He also worked at a couple of start-up biotechnology firms and served as an adjunct professor at Bellevue College.
Keller continued in the health care field with a job at Virginia Mason Medical Center. In this role, he was contracted out to other health care facilities that needed human resources support. This is how he came to Mason Health — in 2018, Mason Health contracted with Virginia Mason for an interim human resources director. Keller loved the organizations so much, that he applied for the permanent position and moved to the Mason Lake area.
“Mason Health has a true community of employees that rally around a common cause,” he said. “My priority was to work in an organization where I could be successful and a place where people want to work, where even if they were to move on, they would say that was time well spent.”
Keller feels passionate about helping organizations thrive, from a human resources standpoint.
“My goal was to get Mason Health to a place where employees felt they had a reason to stay and a reason to thrive,” he said. “I saw the makings of a cohesive community and knew it was possible.”
Keller plans to move to Bend, Oregon. He plays multiple instruments and plans to make and share music as a performer. His goal is to play an open mic in every state.
I
n February, Washington Hospital Services awarded Mason Health Top Performer status for 2023, signifying the District’s commitment to safety for patients, visitors, employees and volunteers.
The 2023 Top Performer Award encouraged participating hospitals to reduce injuries and create a safer work environment by launching safety campaigns for employees. The recognition came with an award plaque and $2,000 to use toward future safety campaigns.
Last year, Mason Health’s Melissa McClaran, Program Manager of Infection Prevention, Employee Health and Safety, launched a safety campaign that encouraged employees to report safety concerns through the District’s internal safety reporting system, known as SafetyZone.
“In her first year, Melissa did a wonderful job,” said Eric Gutzwiler, Safety Program Manager for Washington Hospital Services. “She is a strong advocate for employee safety, and we appreciate the extra efforts she displayed over this past year focused on safety campaigns.”
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 7 — The HOPE Garden Project plans to host a Garden Party fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. at Mason General Hospital to support their garden-based nutrition and work skills programs for youth!
Guests will enjoy a catered meal, silent auction, a tour of the HOPE Garden at Mason General Hospital and learn how they can support the nonprofit’s youth programs year-round.
The HOPE Garden project was started through a partnership with Mason Matters, Washington Health Foundation, Mason Health and AmeriCorps. The project launched in October 2013, with funds from the Department of Health.
Starting as an after-school program for teenagers attending the alternative high school CHOICE, HOPE teaches job skills, communication, leadership, nutrition, and cooking through an agricultural model at a garden site at Mason General Hospital.
Youth work the garden every summer in a job training program. The nonprofit has also expanded to elementary and middle schools, and in 2021, HOPE partnered with Mason County Conservation District and the City of Shelton to build the Callanan Community Garden.
HOPE Garden is entirely grant and donation-funded. To purchase tickets for their Garden Party or to donate directly to HOPE Garden, visit www. hopegardenproject.org.
Mason Health, in partnership with Harmony Hill Retreat Center and with the financial support of the Karen Hilburn Cancer Fund, is hosting virtual cancer support groups.
For more information, call 360-432-7706 or email patientnavigator@masongeneral.com.
Time: 4 to 6:30 p.m. second Wednesday of the month
Location: ZOOM or conference call
Cost: Free
Lead locally by Mason Health’s Monica Vinson, Speech Language Pathologist, this national program provides speech therapy and socialization for persons with Parkinson’s.
Time: 12:30 p.m., every first and third Tuesday of the month
Location: Mason County Senior Activities Center 190 W. Sentry Drive, Shelton
Cost: Free
Lead locally by Mason Health’s Monica Vinson, this class provides support for those with traumatic brain injuries and their caregivers and family members.
Time: 1 to 2 p.m., every second Tuesday of the month
Location: Shelton Family YMCA Mason Health conference room
Cost: Free
Learn the basics of first response and earn an Ecard upon successful completion of the course.
Comfortable clothing is recommended for all participants, and a Spanish interpreter can be provided on request. Register one week prior to class.
Date/Time:
Choose one date: Aug. 3, Oct. 5 or Dec. 7
Choose one time: 8 a.m. to noon or 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Mason Health Learning Center, located next to the Shelton McDonald’s on Olympic Highway North, 2505 Olympic Hwy N, Suite 470, Shelton, WA 98584
Cost: A fee of $45 (exact cash or check) is required in advance to cover the cost of books and materials.
Register: Call the Learning Center at 360-427-3609.
Registration will close 1 week prior to class date.
En Mason Health, estamos entusiasmados por la ampliación de nuestros servicios de cardiología y por la bienvenida de un nuevo proveedor de Walk-in Clinic (clínica sin cita) a Mason Clinic — Fahad Younas, MD, estuvo dando una atención excepcional a nuestros nuevos pacientes de cardiología, mientras que Erica Schuman, ARNP, presta un excelente servicio de atención de emergencia a nuestros pacientes sin cita previa. Fahad Younas, MD, creció en Pakistán, con el anhelo de prestar servicios a las comunidades y ser un miembro eficaz de su sociedad. Su padre era agricultor y su madre se ocupaba de la casa. Al principio quería ser piloto, pero se inclinó hacia la medicina.
“Como médico, se puede ser servicial en más de una forma”, dijo el Dr. Younas. “No solo ayuda a las personas a superar sus enfermedades, sino que también puede ayudar a informarlas y puede hacer más para ayudar a prevenir y manejar enfermedades”.
El Dr. Younas obtuvo su título de médico en Shifa College of Medicine de Pakistán y después vino a los Estados Unidos en 2006 para hacer investigaciones sobre la operación cardíaca en Columbia University en la ciudad de Nueva York.
“La operación de corazón es muy interesante”, dijo. “Es muy fascinante ver cómo funciona el corazón habitualmente, después algunos problemas pueden arruinar las cosas, pero una intervención oportuna puede marcar una gran diferencia.”
“Se
despertó mi interés — ¿qué se puede hacer antes de que algo pase? ¿Qué podemos hacer para prevenir y reducir la incidencia general de enfermedades?” dijo Younas.
El Dr. Younas completó su residencia en cardiología general en St. Joseph Mercy Health System en la zona de Detroit.
De 2008 a 2015, ejerció la cardiología en toda la costa este, al mismo tiempo que completaba otras becas en todo el país: insuficiencia cardíaca y trasplantes en Loyola University Medical Center en Chicago, cardiología intervencionista en UCLA Medical Center y medicina e intervención endovascular en University of Colorado en Denver.
“La cardiología fue mi lugar seguro”, dijo.
En 2020, el Dr. Younas aceptó un puesto docente en University of Washington en Seattle y empezó a amar el noroeste del Pacífico. Empezó a ejercer en la zona y, en diciembre de 2023, formó un grupo de cardiología en Olimpia con un viejo amigo de la facultad de medicina, Haroon Yousaf, MD.
Los cardiólogos atienden a pacientes en Shelton para Mason Health, en Elma para Summit Pacific Medical Center y en su consultorio en Olympia. Hacen procedimientos en Providence St. Peter Hospital en Olympia. El Dr. Younas atiende a pacientes en Shelton dos veces por semana.
Atender a los pacientes en Shelton es un servicio que puede dar para que ya no tengan que conducir largas distancias para recibir atención médica. Desde la llegada del Dr. Younas y el Dr. Yousaf, Mason Health pudo hacerles pruebas de esfuerzo cardíaco a los pacientes de Mason General Hospital (consulte el cuadro en la página 11). Antes, los pacientes tenían que viajar a Olimpia o más lejos para este tipo de examen de diagnóstico.
“Cuando vine aquí, me di cuenta de lo enfermos que están aquí los pacientes con problemas cardíacos”, dijo. “El grado de enfermedad está realmente comprometido.”
“En lugar de decirles a 30 pacientes por día que viajen a Olympia o Seattle para recibir atención, ¿por qué no solo una persona viaja hasta ellos para atender a 30 personas? Su conformidad y su disposición para hacer un seguimiento de su atención serán mucho mayores” dijo la doctora Younas.
Cuando no está ocupado, al Dr. Younas le gusta jugar golf y fútbol y pasar tiempo al aire libre.
Para programar una cita con cardiología, obtenga una remisión de su proveedor de atención primaria. Llame a Mason Clinic al 360-426-2653 para programar una cita de atención primaria.
Erica Schuman, ARNP, creció en Puyallup y siempre supo que quería dedicarse a la atención médica porque le gusta ayudar a las personas y su materia favorita en la escuela secundaria era biología.
En 2011, Schuman al principio se propuso ser proveedora médica y después enfermera.
Completó los requisitos previos en Tennessee, donde ella y su esposo vivieron mientras sirvió en el ejército de los EE. UU.
En 2014, regresaron a Washington, donde Schuman se convirtió en asistente médica certificada y completó su licenciatura en The Evergreen State College en Olympia, con especialización en Salud Pública.
En 2015, se unió a MGH Family Health para trabajar como asistente médica certificada con Christopher Penoyar, MD, un trabajo que amó durante años.
“Me encantó trabajar con el Dr. Penoyar y adoraba a sus pacientes”, dijo Schuman. “Me hizo darme cuenta de que realmente quiero hacer esto.
Quería tener mis propios pacientes”.
Schuman se convirtió en enfermera autorizada en 2018 y completó una maestría en enfermería en Pacific Lutheran University en 2020. Empezó a trabajar como enfermera del Departamento de Emergencias (Emergency Department) en Providence St. Peter Hospital en Olympia mientras estaba en la universidad.
Disfrutaba del ritmo acelerado de la medicina de emergencia.
“Poder atender a personas en su peor día es muy gratificante”, afirmó. “Nadie quiere ir nunca a la sala de emergencias, pero yo quiero estar ahí para ayudar a las personas”.
Sin embargo, la pandemia de COVID-19 afectó negativamente a la salud mental de los enfermeros en todas partes. Schuman se dio cuenta de que preferiría trabajar fuera de la medicina de emergencia. Trabajar como proveedora de una Walk-in Clinic, tratando problemas urgentes pero que no sean potencialmente mortales, es el equilibrio perfecto, dijo.
“Sabía que necesitaba un plan para algo más sostenible y con menos estrés que la enfermería”, dijo.
Schuman se graduó del programa para enfermeros de práctica avanzada de familia de University of Cincinnati en 2023. Francis Prince, ARNP, otro proveedor de Walk-in Clinic previa de Mason Clinic y compañero de trabajo de Schuman en St. Pete’s, le contó sobre su trabajo en Mason Health. Schuman se unió a Walk-in Clinic en febrero de 2024.
“Mason Health se siente más como una familia que como una organización”, dijo. “Si necesito algo, puedo pedirle a cualquiera”.
A Schuman le gusta leer y pasar tiempo con su esposo y sus cuatro hijos en su propiedad en Shelton, donde tienen dos cerdos, cuatro perros, un gato y una gallina.
Walk-in Clinic abre de lunes a viernes, de 8:30 a. m. a 6:00 p. m.
¿Necesitas
Cambio de política a partir del 18 de marzo de 2024
Para brindar atención y servicio de calidad, a los pacientes que lleguen después de la hora programada de su cita se les indicará que reprogramen su cita.
Les pedimos a los pacientes que lleguen 15 minutos antes de la hora de su cita para garantizar que se registren a tiempo. Este cambio en la política permite que nuestro personal de registro, enfermería y proveedores tengan tiempo para atender mejor a cada paciente. Si necesita cancelar o reprogramar su cita, noti que a Mason Clinic. Las cancelaciones deben realizarse al menos un día hábil antes de su cita.
Además, ¡recuerde traer su tarjeta de identi cación y de seguro médico a su cita!
Llame a Mason Clinic al 360-426-2653 si tiene alguna pregunta.
¡En Mason Health ahora hacemos pruebas de esfuerzo cardíaco!
Ampliamos nuestra oferta de cardiología para incluir pruebas de esfuerzo cardíaco aquí mismo en Mason General Hospital.
La enfermedad cardiovascular (CVD) es una de las principales causas de muerte y discapacidad en todo el mundo y las pruebas de esfuerzo ayudan a los médicos a determinar el riesgo de un paciente de tener enfermedad de las arterias coronarias.
“Ahora podemos evitar que muchos pacientes tengan que salir del condado para hacerse pruebas más costosas o más invasivas porque hacemos pruebas de esfuerzo aquí mismo en Mason Health”, dijo Rob Bennington, director de servicios de cuidados agudos de Mason Health. “Debemos agradecer especialmente a Melody Olels, RN, y a la supervisora de la ICU Nadine Cram, RN, por todo el trabajo que hicieron y la experiencia de enfermería que aportaron al programa para ayudar a impulsarlo”.
A nuestros pacientes les encanta poder recibir sus pruebas de esfuerzo cardíaco localmente.
“Fue una gran experiencia, lo recomiendo. Fue maravilloso no tener que ir a Tacoma y quedarme aquí en casa. Es un gran equipo y todos me hicieron sentir muy bien. Los empleados fueron amables y me explicaron todo. Melody Olels, RN, es adorable”, dijo la paciente Vicki Patterson
de esfuerzo cardíaco el 1 de abril.
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: Sherie Ellington and 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: Every day 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. All visitors should enter through the MGH Main Entrance, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. After hours or Sunday visitors can use the Emergency Department entrance.
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., Sat: 9 a.m. to noon • Mason Clinic Walk-In hours: Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat/Sun: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Administration: Eric Moll, Chief Executive Officer; Darrin Moody, President/Commissioner, Gayle Weston, Secretary/Commissioner, and Don Welander, Commissioner.
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.
