Skagit Regional Health’s Board of Commissioners
The 2020 Board of Commissioners includes, from left, Julie Blazek, President; Peter Browning; Jeff Miller; Gary Shand, Secretary; Frei Burton; Bruce Lisser and Dale Ragan.
Sincere kudos to our healthcare team
“We are here. We are ready.” You may have seen these words used to describe Skagit Regional Health in recent months as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed. These words are so very true. As a Board of Commissioners, we are so proud of the effort our staff and providers have made to put patients first and provide outstanding care. You can be confident in the safe, quality care you will receive at Skagit Regional Health. Staff, providers, patients and visitors must wear masks and are screened upon entry. Our Environmental Services team keeps all our facilities clean and we have a regimen of disinfecting surfaces in our hospitals and clinics throughout every day. We have limited visitors, which we know can be hard on a patient and family members, however, it’s the right thing to do to minimize the number of people in our facilities. COVID-19 has presented challenges at every turn for our healthcare team, our community and beyond. We prepared well using our incident command system. We work hard to ensure appropriate Personal Protective Equipment is available. We follow all appropriate protocols and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. We have a close partnership with Public Health officials, which has been critical during the pandemic. We are here. We are ready. You can be confident in knowing that our team is well versed in caring for patients with respiratory
and infectious diseases and they are showing their expertise and compassion every day. Our hospital teams have skillfully cared for COVID-positive patients over the past six months. Skagit Regional Health has been fortunate that our numbers of hospitalized patients have not overwhelmed our system and we’ve been able to safely provide necessary procedures and care to others. We have talented staff, equipment and capacity to take care of the people of our community – for all their needs, from joint replacement to having a baby. For those in our community who have lost loved ones, we offer our deepest condolences and empathy to you and your family. We encourage everyone to take the precautions necessary to halt the spread of the virus: Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, maintain social distancing and stay home when sick. By working together, we can make a difference. Our team at Skagit Regional Health has truly risen to the occasion and will continue to do so. As a Board, we want to thank each member of our team and express our deep appreciation for your hard work.
New committee to focus on community health The Board of Commissioners in August approved the launch of a Community Health Committee, dedicated to the health and wellness needs of the communities served by Skagit Regional Health. The panel, including Board and community members, will look at how Skagit Regional Health addresses services, equity and access to care, our partnerships with the community and look at population health metrics and other data to evaluate existing gaps and recommend improvements. If you are interested in serving on the Community Health Committee, contact Kari Ranten, Regional Director of Marketing and Communications, at kranten@skagitregionalhealth.org or 360-814-2370.
Julie Blazek President, Public Hospital District No. 1 Skagit Regional Health Board of Commissioners jblazek@skagitregionalhealth.org Fall 2020
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