SCOPE Magazine October 2021

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exceptional health Practice Greenhealth honors Mason Health for Environmental Excellence

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hen patients dine on a meal at Mason General Hospital, they may not know that they are eating organic mushrooms from local cooperatives; locally produced granola; wild-caught seafood; or produce, dairy, and meat from local farms. Mason Health’s Culinary and Nutrition Services Department shines in the area of environmental excellence: the department uses local, seasonal foods whenever possible and has switched to biodegradable “to-go” service-ware and paper products, for example. This pledge to be environmentally responsible extends throughout Public Hospital District No. 1 -- in July, Mason Health earned an Environmental Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care. “The award that Mason Health recently received is the manifestation of a great deal of hard work by a very large team comprised of clinical and non-clinical leaders across the District,” said Jennifer Capps, Mason Health’s Chief Development and Communication Officer, who led the “Green Team” of department heads and frontline health care workers formalizing the District’s sustainable health care initiatives. The Green Team includes leaders from Environmental Services, Supply Chain, Surgical Services, Clinical Informatics, Maintenance, Culinary and Nutrition Services, Finance, Compliance, Human Resources, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Development and Infection Prevention, Employee Health & Safety. “I am honored to work with such a fine group of professionals and their support teams,” Capps said. “I appreciate the support of our CEO Eric Moll, my colleagues on the Senior Leadership Team and the District’s Board of Hospital Commissioners. Our District’s sustainability strategy will present us with a great deal of opportunities for deep organizational learning and help us meet the needs of our community now and into the future.” The awards program recognizes health care facilities for their commitment to environmental stewardship and their sustainability achievements. “Health care has a mission to do no harm,” said Kaeleigh Sheehan, Sustainability Strategy Manager for Practice Greenhealth. “Health care facilities have the opportunity to serve patients and promote health on a larger scale. The work Mason Health has done in the area of bringing sustainable, local food to its patients is impressive. It’s a very

October 2021, Vol. 37, No. 3 On the cover: Clockwise, left to right: Composite of Mason Health’s Green Team: Brandon Amundson, Lab Manager; Kim Cooper, Program Manager of Infection Prevention, Employee Health & Safety; Kevin Keller, Senior Director of Human Resources; Cody Shipley, Culinary & Nutrition Services Manager; Lori Genson, Intraoperative Services Manager; Trevor Madison, Environmental Services Manager; Patrick O’Neil, Director of Facilities Engineering; Jennifer Capps, Chief Development & Communications Officer; Laura Grubb, Compliance Officer; and Stephanie Gunter, Pharmacy Manager. Not pictured: Jon Hornburg, Senior Accountant, and Won Lee, Database Administrative Analyst. Individuals were photographed separately and with COVID-19 protocols. Composite cover and inside photos by Cooper Studios. 2 SCOPE

From left, Patrick O’Neil, Director of Facilities Engineering; Kim Cooper, Program Manager of Infection Prevention, Employee Health & Safety; Kevin Keller, Senior Director of Human Resources; Stephanie Gunter, Pharmacy Manager; Jennifer Capps, Chief Development & Communications Officer; Brandon Amundson, Lab Manager; Laura Grubb, Compliance Officer; Cody Shipley, Culinary & Nutrition Services Manager; Trevor Madison, Environmental Services Manager and Lori Genson, Intraoperative Services Manager. Not pictured: Jon Hornburg, Senior Accountant, and Won Lee, Database Administrative Analyst.

community-focused, community-facing program that offers a holistic approach to health.” In recent years, Culinary and Nutrition Services switched to biodegradable corn and sugar cane to-go utensils, began a seasonal collaboration with local farms in the South Sound Fresh food hub and swapped all paper products with non-bleached biodegradable items. Partnerships with groups like the St. Andrew’s House Retreat Center in Union and Skokomish Ridge Mushroom Growers’ Cooperative have brought locally produced granola and organic mushrooms to patients’ menus. Now, when seasonally appropriate, 50 percent of the produce served at Mason General Hospital (including all the produce for the salad bar) comes from local farms, while 30 percent of the meat and 20 percent of the dairy is sourced locally as well. “Supporting local agriculture and reinvesting back in Mason County is very important to Mason Health,” said Cody Shipley, Culinary & Nutrition Services Manager. “We’ve made large moves these past few years to improve our environmental impact. Working in collaboration with local farms, we are building a stronger food system for Mason County.” The District’s focus on sustainable health care practices aligns strongly with its mission of United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health. Mason Health joined Practice Greenhealth in 2020. Through this membership and with the Environmental Excellence award, the District is continually seeking to improve and operate in ways that more fully consider sustainability and environmental issues. “We sincerely appreciate the support provided by Kaeleigh Sheehan with Practice Greenhealth and her ability to elegantly shepherd us through our very first application,” Capps said. “Because of her professionalism and the involvement of Scott Rich, Practice Greenhealth’s Growth & Marketing Director, we were able to win this award after submitting our first application.” The mission of Practice Greenhealth is to empower its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care through tools, best practices and knowledge. Today, 1 in every 3 hospitals is part of Practice Greenhealth’s network.


exceptional health Mason Health is the first of the Washington Rural Health Collaborative to join Practice Greenhealth. “We are strongly committed to sustainable health care,” said Mason Health CEO Eric Moll. “By joining Practice Greenhealth, we strengthened our position as a socially responsible organization creating a healthy environment for patients, staff and community.” The health care sector has an enormous impact on the environment — from producing 5.2 billion tons of waste annually and consuming more than 8 percent of the nation’s energy. In addition to Mason Health’s achievements in Culinary and Nutrition Services, the District is also involved in a statewide medication disposal program, with drug takeback boxes located at Mason General Hospital for patient’s convenience, and is an active member of Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions program to reprocess and remanufacture single-use medical devices. Mason Health’s Maintenance Department is also pursuing ENERGY STAR certification for Mason General Hospital. ENERGY STAR certified buildings save energy, save money and help protect the environment by generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions than typical buildings. To be certified as ENERGY STAR, a building must meet strict energy performance standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Certification is verified annually and by a third party. “From initial design through the lifecycle of an asset, ongoing maintenance plays a key role in sustainability,” said Patrick O’Neil, Director of Facilities Engineering, Mason Health’s Maintenance Department. “Maintenance programs are often the focus of environmental policies because maintenance itself is a key part of sustainability, as it improves operations and contributes to longer asset life. A good maintenance strategy improves environmental sustainability by helping to use resources (water, air, energy, materials) more efficiently and reduce atmospheric emissions.” Mason Health is looking forward to a continued partnership with Practice Greenhealth to further enhance the broader health of the community. “The Environmental Excellence program is a really big undertaking, especially the first year that a health care organization works toward the award,” Sheehan said. “It’s also a great assessment tool for organizations to highlight the work that they’ve already done and illuminate areas that need more focus. Climate change is one of the biggest threats of our generation and health care has an imperative to face that threat and lead the way.” With the Environmental Excellence Award, Mason Health is now among the nation’s top health systems nationally and regionally that are being recognized for their environmental performance. To learn more about Practice Greenhealth, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org.

Mason Health welcomes new pain management provider

Ross Vogelgesang, MD, known locally as “Dr. V.,” joined Mason Health in 2021; however, he is not new to medicine or the Northwest. He is a proud Texas native and has come to enjoy the cooler weather and great Northwest abundance of greenery and dynamic topography.

Ross Vogelgesang, MD

at Mason General Hospital. He works closely with several health care teams at Mason Health, such as Physical Therapy, Podiatry and Orthopedics. Dr. Vogelgesang grew up in San Antonio, Texas, as the fourth of six children. He studied at the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and a Bachelor of Arts Plan II Honors Liberal Arts degree. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, he moved back to his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, for his formal medical education at the University of Texas. His first post-graduate medical year was at the University of Tennessee, in internal medicine. Afterward, he completed his final stages of training at Oregon Health Science University in Anesthesiology with a concentration in pain management. Later, he completed an informal certification in addiction medicine. His training has been focused on learning with a goal of providing quality care for his patients. Dr. Vogelgesang started his own pain management clinic in 2003, all while working for numerous hospital systems in the Puget Sound, furthering his education and skills surrounding pain management, and serving on multiple committees on topics such as chronic pain, pharmacy and therapeutics, cancer and trauma.

“We’re living longer, and every diagnosis has a different treatment plan,” he said. “What worked for your neighbor might not work for you. It’s about finding the combination of things that might work for you.” Dr. Vogelgesang enjoys collaborating with others to better improve outcomes for patients with pain. At Mason Health, he will see patients who experience chronic pain and post-procedure pain, reducing pain transmissions by using injections to block pain fibers. He’ll work closely with other departments and service lines that typically see patients experiencing pain. “It’s common to have close relationships with physical therapy,” Dr. Vogelgesang said. “The best thing to do is get people moving. A body in motion stays in motion. It’s important to use the machine regularly to stay in shape. I am called in when a patient is in too much pain to participate in physical therapy or is not making adequate progress due to excessive pain responses.” Dr. Vogelgesang is specially trained with Abbott DRG placements for focal neuropathic pain therapy, for SPRINT nerve stimulation to treat mononeuropathies, and for Genesys SI Joint fusion for sacroiliitis. He holds faculty positions with international device companies and is specially trained for multiple types of pain therapies. When not working, Dr. Vogelgesang enjoys horse camping, boating, skiing and family outings with his four sons. If you would like an appointment with Dr. Vogelgesang, speak with your primary care provider to obtain a referral. Make an appointment by calling Mason Clinic at 360-426-2653.

Dr. Vogelgesang offers Pain Management services at Mason Clinic, with hospital privileges SCOPE

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united community Meet Mason Health’s Board of Hospital Commissioners

Commissioner Darrin Moody joins Mason Health’s team as the newest trustee P

ublic Hospital District No. 1 Commissioner Darrin Moody is a familiar face to the Mason County community.

Darrin Moody, Commissioner

Before joining the Hospital District Board as a trustee earlier this year, following the retirement of longtime Commissioner Scott Hilburn, Moody served for six years, from 2015 to 2021, as Police Chief of the Shelton Police Department.

Under his steady guidance, Moody ushered in a new era of community service and accountability to the police department.

He and Mary Ann raised two children in Fairfield. In 2014, Moody, then a captain, decided to retire from his law enforcement career at the Fairfield Police Department. He and Mary Ann considered purchasing a restaurant in Truckee, California, but a change in plans made it possible for them to join the Shelton community. A few months later, Moody discovered the Chief of Police job in the Shelton Police Department. During his six years as Shelton’s police chief, Moody revitalized the department and forged deeper community connections – he hired 13 new officers to replace retiring staff members, and under his tenure, the Shelton Police Department earned state accreditation for the first time in the department’s history. Moody also supplied three school resource officers to the Shelton School District and started a “Shop with a Cop” youth program over the holidays.

Moody’s background in public service made him a natural fit for serving Public Hospital District No. 1, the three-person governing body of Mason Health. “Darrin Moody presents strong alignment with our District’s culture and mission,” said Commissioner Gayle Weston. “With all his accomplishments as Shelton’s Chief of Police, and his community connections, he has proved to be a valued member of our board. He is a great fit for Mason Health.” Commissioner Moody grew up in California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and later moved to Monterey, where he graduated high school. He managed several restaurants after high school, and met his wife of 34 years, Mary Ann. In a display of his commitment to community service, Moody considered a career in teaching or public safety. He ended up choosing public safety and in 1987 he began his law enforcement career with the Modesto Police Department, first as a reserve officer and then as a community service officer. In 1989, Moody joined the Fairfield Police Department to be closer to family.

Darrin Moody at an event. Photo Credit: Shelton-Mason County Journal Archives

Moody was named Citizen of the Year by the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce in 2015 and joined the Shelton School District’s Graduation Matters initiative. “Darrin leads by example and quickly immersed himself in enhancing Mason County,” said Mason Chamber CEO Heidi McCutcheon. “Whether checking in on a business owner or offering his personal assistance to a local nonprofit organization, he has a willingness to go the extra mile. He is a valued member of our community; his character is outmatched only by his charisma.” Moody, who has a master’s degree in homeland security from American Military University and graduated from the Police Executive Research Forum, Senior Management Institute for Police, decided in January to retire from the police force. He decided to step forward to serve on the board of Public Hospital District No. 1 in part because it is an extension of his commitment to public service.

Shelton Police Chief Darrin Moody at an event. Photo Credit: Shelton-Mason County Journal Archives

During his career he has worked a variety of assignments including investigations, K9, SWAT and school resource officer. He also became involved in United Way and other service organizations, including a period as the president of the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary Club. 4 SCOPE

“Whether you work in health care or for public safety, the common denominator is community service,” Moody said. “I’m honored to serve Mason Health and am excited to be part of the District’s leadership team, especially during these challenging times. It is an honor to continue to serve this community from a different perspective.”


united community Hospital Commissioners Gayle Weston, President, and Trustee Don Wilson continue to serve our community P

atients and community members may be unaware of the longtime service to Mason County that our other Public Hospital District commissioners have had. Board President Gayle Weston joined the District in March 2017, after 40 years of banking experience in Mason County, including 23 years as branch manager at Key Bank in Shelton. A Shelton High School graduate, Weston has lived in Mason County for 58 years and has deep ties to the community, which serves her well in her role as a trustee and president of the Hospital Board.

“I have a passion for quality patient care which aligns with the Mason Health Vision to provide the best patient-centered care in the Pacific Northwest,” Weston said. Although the pandemic has proved challenging for Mason Health’s health care teams, Weston said she is proud of the employees. “A tremendous amount of work and partnering was done to ensure access to vaccines through events in various parts of the county,” she said. “I am saddened by the number of lives lost to COVID and my heart goes out to those impacted. I am proud of the strength and resilience of the employees in the District and appreciate all they do. We need to help each other stay strong and get through this. COVID and the vaccine has divided so many. It’s my hope that we soon are able to come together.” When not serving her community, Weston enjoys hiking in the Olympics and spending time in the Olympic National Park or anywhere outdoors with her husband, Gary. She loves traveling, golfing and gardening. Board Trustee Don Wilson is Mason Health’s longest-serving commissioner – he has been with the District since 1989 and has been a leader in the community for many years. Wilson grew up in Shelton and served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953, during the Korean War. After returning home, he attended the University of Washington and later earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Puget Sound. Wilson started his professional career in 1954, working for Western Electric in Seattle. After a decade working there, he returned home and purchased with his family Shelton Hardware and Ferguson Flowers, which he and his family operated for several years.

Composite image of Public Hospital District No. 1 Commissioners Gayle Weston, Darrin Moody and Don Wilson. Photos were taken with COVID-19 safety measures in place. Photo credit: Cooper Studios

“Serving as a Hospital Commissioner has given me an opportunity to give back to the community,” Weston said. “Through my service I have obtained an immense amount of respect for the health care industry and am proud to be a part of it.” Weston served as a member of the Shelton Skookum Rotary for 26 years, was on the board for Mason County’s Housing Authority for seven years and has been involved with Mason General Hospital Foundation for more than two decades. She has also been an active member of the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce and the Mason County Economic Development Council. She decided to serve Mason Health because having quality health care is extremely important to a rural community as well as having access to care. “Mason Health not only provides quality care but does a great job providing preventative care,” Weston said.

Already entrenched in the community as a member of the Kiwanis and the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, Wilson was asked to step in as a Hospital District commissioner by people he knew on the Board. Over time, Wilson came to value the importance of providing quality health care to a rural community. The District has changed much over the three decades of his tenure, all with the goal of expanding services to more members of our community. “In 1968, the District started out as a small hospital that was built for about $3 million, and it’s now a critical access hospital. Doctors were independent practitioners. It’s all changed,” Wilson said.

“We’ve expanded the hospital on several occasions. It’s bigger and better and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results,” Wilson said. Wilson has been impressed with the way that hospital staff has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The sooner we get past this the better,” he said. “All the folks here are working harder than they have before. I really appreciate all that they do. There have been so many positive memories here.” Wilson lives in Potlatch and enjoys looking out at Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains. SCOPE

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hola Conozca a la Junta de Comisionados de Mason Health El Comisionado Darrin Moody se une al equipo de Mason Health como nuevo administrador L

a comunidad del Condado de Mason está familiarizada con el rostro del comisionado del distrito de hospitales públicos N.º 1, Darrin Moody.

Darrin Moody, Comisionado

Antes de unirse a la Junta de Hospitales del Distrito como administrador a inicios de este año tras la jubilación del antiguo Comisionado Scott Hilburn, Moody ocupó el cargo de Jefe de Policía del Departamento de Policía de Shelton entre 2015 y 2021.

El Comisionado Moody creció en California, en el Área de la Bahía de San Francisco, y más tarde se mudó a Monterey, donde se graduó de la secundaria. Administró algunos restaurantes después de la secundaria y conoció a quien ha sido su esposa por 34 años, Mary Ann. En 1987, comenzó su carrera en seguridad pública en el Departamento de Policía de Modesto, primero como oficial de reserva y luego como funcionario de servicio comunitario. En 1989, Moody se unió al Departamento de Policía de Fairfield para estar más cerca de su familia. Durante su carrera, ha trabajado en diversos cargos que incluyen investigaciones, K9, SWAT y funcionario de recursos escolares. Además, se involucró en United Way y en otras organizaciones de servicio, incluido un mandato como presidente del Rotary Club de FairfieldSuisun. Mary Ann y él criaron a dos hijos en Fairfield. En 2014, Moody, entonces capitán, decidió jubilarse de su carrera en seguridad pública en el Departamento de Policía de Fairfield. Junto con su esposa, evaluaron comprar un restaurante en Truckee, California, pero un cambio de planes hizo que fuese posible que se unieran a la comunidad de Shelton. Unos meses después, Moody descubrió el cargo de Jefe de Policía en el Departamento de Policía de Shelton. Durante sus seis años como jefe de policía de Shelton, Moody revitalizó el departamento y forjó conexiones más profundas en la comunidad, contrató a 13 nuevos oficiales para reemplazar a miembros jubilados del personal y, bajo su mando, el Departamento de Policía de Shelton obtuvo la acreditación del estado por primera vez en la historia del departamento. Moody contrató además a tres funcionarios de recursos escolares para el Distrito Escolar de Shelton e inició un programa juvenil “Shop with a Cop” para la época de Navidad. Moody fue nombrado ciudadano del año por la Cámara de Comercio del Condado de Shelton-Mason en 2015. Moody, quien tiene una maestría en seguridad interior de la American Military University y se graduó del Instituto de Administración Superior de la Policía del Foro Ejecutivo de Investigación Policial, decidió en enero jubilarse del cuerpo policial. “Ya sea que trabaje en el cuidado de la salud o en seguridad pública, el común denominador es el servicio a la comunidad,” dijo Moody.

Los comisionados del hospital Gayle Weston, presidente, y fideicomisario Don Wilson continúan sirviendo a nuestra comunidad La Presidenta de la Junta, Gayle Weston, se unió al Distrito en marzo de 2017, luego de 40 años de experiencia en el sector bancario en el Condado de Mason, incluidos 23 años como gerente de la sucursal de KeyBank en Shelton.

Graduada de la secundaria en Shelton, Weston ha Imagen combinada de los Comisionados del vivido en el Condado de Distrito de Hospitales Públicos N.º 1, Gayle Mason durante 58 años y Weston, Darrin Moody y Don Wilson. Las fotos se tomaron respetando las medidas de seguridad tiene fuertes vínculos con contraCOVID-19. Créditos de fotografía: Cooper la comunidad, que le son de gran utilidad a la hora de Studios ejercer como administradora y presidenta de la Junta del Hospital. “Ejercer el cargo de comisionada del Hospital me ha dado la oportunidad de devolverle a la comunidad,” afirmó Weston. “A través de mi servicio he llegado a tener un inmenso respeto por la industria del cuidado de la salud y me siento orgullosa de ser parte de ella.” Weston ejerció como miembro del Rotary Club de Shelton Skookum durante 26 años, estuvo en la Junta de la Autoridad de Vivienda del Condado de Mason durante siete años y ha estado involucrada en la Fundación del Mason General Hospital durante más de dos décadas. Además, ha sido miembro activa de la Cámara de Comercio del Condado de Shelton-Mason y del Consejo de Desarrollo Económico del Condado de Mason. Decidió ejercer en Mason Health ya que es extremadamente importante para una comunidad rural contar con un cuidado de la salud de calidad, así como también tener acceso al cuidado. Aunque la pandemia ha sido un desafío para los equipos de cuidados de la salud de Mason Health, Weston dijo que se siente orgullosa de los empleados. El Administrador de la Junta Don Wilson es el comisionado que ha ejercido durante más tiempo en Mason Health; ha estado con el Distrito desde 1989 y ha sido un líder en la comunidad desde hace muchos años. Wilson creció en Shelton y sirvió en el Ejército de los Estados Unidos desde 1951 hasta 1953 durante la guerra con Corea. Tras volver a casa, asistió a la Universidad de Washington y más tarde obtuvo un título en Administración de Empresas en la Universidad de Puget Sound. Wilson comenzó su carrera profesional en 1954, trabajando para Western Electric en Seattle. Luego de una década de trabajar allí, volvió a casa y adquirió Shelton Hardware y Ferguson Flowers con su familia, negocios que administraron durante varios años. Ya establecido en la comunidad como miembro de los Kiwanis y de la Cámara de Comercio del Condado de Shelton-Mason, conocidos de Wilson de la Junta Directiva le pidieron que fuera comisionado del Distrito de Hospitales. Con el tiempo, Wilson llegó a valorar la importancia de ofrecerle un cuidado de la salud de calidad a una comunidad rural. SCOPE

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