J uly 20, 1994 * T he P ortland O bserver
P age A4
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"
New
Kaiser
Contract
Ratified
Kaiser Chooses Employees Of The Year
A new labor contract ne g o ti
ated last week was accepted in vo t
ing by K aiser Permanente e m p lo y
ees in the Service Employees Inter-
'n a tio n a l U n io n , L o ca l 49.
The u n ion represents about
2,000 K aiser Permanente w orkers
h o ld in g jo b s ranging fro m cooks
and housekeepers to o rd e rlie s ,
groundskeepers, c lin ic assistants
and transportation w orkers.
The three-year contract that
L o ca l 49 members ra tifie d provides
an im m ediate 1 percent across-the-
board raise, fo llo w e d by 1.5 percent
increases in the contract's second
and th ird year.
The contract also gives em
ployees in L o ca l 49 severance pay
fo r the firs t tim e. In the event o f
la y o ffs o r jo b loss due to restructur
ing, employees are now e lig ib le for
Jean Nava is a registered nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bess Kaiser Medical center.
Jean Nava and M a rie D eschner
w ere chosen em ployees o f the year at
fo r i ll o r premature babies in the
N eonatal Intensive Care U n it In her
D e s c h n e r w o rk s as a c le rk f o r
one w eek’ s pay per year o f service,
in -p a tie n t m e d ic a l re c o rd s and has
up to 15 weeks.
U nder the new contract, a ship
p in g and re ce ivin g cle rk earning
Bess K a ise r M e d ic a l Center. T h e an
nual aw ard is g iv e n by the h o spital
15 years o f nursing, she’ s w itnessed
seen te c h n o lo g y im p ro v e p ro d u c
the advances made in technology to
t i v i t y s in c e she s ta rte d w o rk at
volunteers to recognize em ployees
w h o go above and beyond the re q u ire
treat these infants, w h o can some
tim es w eigh less than tw o pounds.
K a is e r in 1 9 8 7 .
“ W e once re lie d on a h a n d w rit
ments o f th e ir jo b and fo r being h e lp
N ava says there are sad m om ents, b u t
ten system to keep track o f hundreds
Bess K a is e r M e d ic a l C enter,
m u n ity hospitals serving people in
$10.79 an h our (about the average
salary fo r a ll L o ca l 49 jo b s) w ould
see pay rise im m ediately to $10.90
fo r the most part i t ’ s ve ry p o sitive and
o f m edical records, w h ic h was a slow
and tedious process,’ ’ Deschner said.
5055 N . G reeley A ve. is one o f tw o
N o rth w e st O regon and Southwest
an hour, and to $11.23 an hour by
K aiser Permanente n o n -p ro fit com -
W a sh in g to n .
the co n tra ct’ s th ird year.
fu l to patients and co-w orkers.
N ava, a registered nurse, cares
upbeat.
Marie Deschner is an in-patient medical records clerk at Bess Kaiser
Medical Center.
Otitis Media With Effusion Treatment Guidelines Announced
The U .S. P u b lic H ealth S ervice’ s
ing o titis m edia w ith e ffu sio n is w ith
to draw out the flu id ), along w ith
health care. In this case, parents need
A g e n cy fo r H ealth Care P o lic y and
a n tib io tics, but w h ile a n tib io tic s are a
v a lid op tio n fo r treating the c o n d i
placem ent o f ty m p a n o to m y tubes
(sm all tubes inserted to drain the flu id ).
tio n , they are no t necessarily the pre
M y rin g o to m y w ith tubes is recom
mended, how ever, i f the c o n d itio n
to be made aware o f a ll treatm ent
o ptions and their ben e fits and risks,
and should w eigh these c a re fu lly .”
Research (A H C P R ) announced treat
m ent g u id elin e s fo r one o f the m ost
w idespread health problem s in young
c h ild re n - o titis m edia w ith e ffu sio n
- w h ic h is characterized by the pres
ence o f flu id in the m id d le ear and
o fte n by fle e tin g o ff-a n d -o n hearing
loss fo r short periods o f tim e .
A ls o kn o w n to some as serious
o titis o r “ glue ear,” the c o n d itio n
ferred o p tio n .”
The guidelines say that observa
tio n o r w a tc h fu l w a itin g is e ffe c tiv e
has lasted fo u r to six m onths and
w ith e ffu s io n u s u a lly disappears
there is hearing loss in b oth ears.
The guidelines w ere developed
by the A m erican A cadem y o f Pediat
w ith in three to six m onths w ith o u t
rics under contract w ith A H C P R and
any treatm ent.
The guidelines say that a n tib io t
ics appear to clear up the co n d itio n in
in co n so rtiu m w ith the A m e rica n
A cadem y o f F a m ily Physicians and
th e
A m e r ic a n
A cadem y
of
fo r m ost ch ild re n since o titis m edia
ish.
speech-language sp e cia lists, p sy
ot the new guidelines. The guidelines
A lf r e d O . B e rg , M .D . M .P .H .,
c o - c h a ir o f th e g u id e lin e s p a n e l,
chologists and a consumer represen
tative, re vie w e d nearly 400 articles in
a n d a p ro fe s s o r o f fa m ily m e d i
developing the guidelines.
Free copies o f “ M anaging O titis
M e d ia w ith E ffu s io n in Y o u n g C h il
do not a p p ly to ch ild re n w ith abnor
m a litie s o f the nervous system o r head
a sm all num ber o f ch ild re n and should
O to la ryn g o lo g y-H e a d and N eck Sur
o r have fever.
P h ilip R. Lee, M .D ., H H S assis
be considered as an o p tio n fo r dealing
w ith the c o n d itio n d u rin g the firs t
gery. A
19-m em ber p riva te -se cto r
le a d in g re a so n w h y c h ild r e n u n
tant secretary fo r health and d ire c to r
three months, but they can also cause
panel o f health care experts and a
consum er representative assisted the
d e r 15 ye a rs o f age see d o c to rs .
O f fic e v is its fo r a ll ty p e s o f o titis
o t it is m e d ia w ith e ffu s io n .
F e llo w co -ch a ir S ylvan E. S tool,
consortium in d e ve lop in g the guide
house, P.O. B o x 8547, S ilve r Spring,
in c re a s e d 150 p e rc e n t s in c e 197 5 ,
w it h th e m o st d ra m a tic ris e - 224
P ittsburgh S chool o f M edicine, said
that accurate diagnosis and evalua
M d . 20907; 800-358-9295, fro m 9am
to 5pm , eastern tim e. Free fa csim ile
tio n is a c ritic a l firs t step in m anaging
o titis m edia w ith effusion and that the
copies o f the parents’ guide, the q uick
reference guide and an o ve rvie w o f
problem is ofte n id e n tified fo llo w in g
the guidelines m ay be obtained at any
a co ld o r episode o f acute o titis media.
tim e by c a llin g A H C P R Instant Fax,
m onths and the c h ild has a m ild -to -
R. Gaus, Sc.D ., said, “ C onsum er p re f
p e rc e n t — in c h ild r e n
new s to parents.”
T he PHS d ire c to r said, “ C u r
moderate hearing loss in b oth ears,
erence p lays an im p o rta n t ro le in
o ve ra ll e ffo rts to im p ro ve q u a lity , e f
ye a rs o f age. T h e g u id e lin e s p a n e l
e s tim a te d th a t o t it is m e d ia w ith
fectiveness and appropriateness in
under 2
e ffu s io n a c c o u n ts f o r 2 5 -3 5 p e r-
Rainbow Corner Assists Northeast Caregivers
F a m ilie s ca rin g fo r in d iv id u a ls
re s p o n s ib ilitie s and a place to share
sponse to N ortheast residents w ho
federal g rant issued thro u g h O regon
w ith m e m o ry loss and co n fu sio n due
to A lz h e im e r’ s disease o r a related
th e ir concerns.
D o ra M c C re a , P ro g ra m C o
were seeking high q u a lity , a ffo rd
able, co n ve n ie n tly located resources
S enior and Disabled Services D iv i
sion. The grant is one o f 14 g ive n to
c o n d itio n no w have a new local re
o r d in a to r and lo n g -tim e c o m m u
fo r fr a il and /o r m em ory im p a ire d se
organizations state w id e and the o n ly
source ca lle d R a in b o w Center.
Sponsored b y the P ortland U r
n it y re s id e n t, s a id , “ W e n a m e d i t
n io r fa m ily members. It is an im p o r
one in in n e r N ortheast P ortland.
R a in b o w
we
tant firs t step in the c o a litio n plan to
The R ainbow C om er w ill be open
ban L e a g u e a n d lo c a te d a t the
M u ltic u ltu r a l S e n io r S ervice Center
w a n te d i t to r e fle c t the d iv e r s ity
o f o u r N o rth e a s t C o m m u n ity . D is
o ffe r a fu ll ad u lt daycare center and
on T uesday’ s, be g inn in g Ju ly 26th,
A lz h e im e r’ s resource ce n te r in in n e r
sta rtin g at 11:30am and e n d ing at
at K illin g s w o r th and M a rtin L u th e r
K in g B o u le va rd , the R ainbow Center
eases lik e A lz h e im e r ’ s re s p e c t no
northeast P o rtla n d .” M em bers o f the
3:30pm . A n u tritio u s noon meal, fun
c u ltu r a l b o u n d a rie s . T h e p ro g ra m
c o a litio n
in c lu d e U rb a n L e a g u e ,
therapeutic a ctivitie s, a healthy snack
pro vid e s a ca rin g , safe e n viro n m e n t
o ffe r s fa m ilie s h o p e , e n c o u ra g e
A lz h e im e r’ s A ssociation, Volunteers
and transportation as needed w ill be
w here in d iv id u a ls w ith m em ory loss
can m eet w ith peers, and e n jo y a c tiv i
m e n t, ca re r e lie f a n d h e lp fu l i n
f o r m a tio n .”
o f A m e ric a , M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty A g
p rovided fo r a ve ry a ffo rd a b le cost.
ing Services D iv is io n , Legacy Health
R e g istra tio n , program in fo rm a tio n
ties that m in im iz e th e ir a b ilitie s and
b u ild s e lf esteem. A t the same tim e it
Leah Eskenazi, the Legacy Health
System, lo ca l c o m m u n ity business
and volunteer applications are a v a il
System representative on the N /N E
S enior D ay Services C o a litio n , says,
representative, re lig io u s leaders and
able now by c a llin g D ora M cC rea or
pro vid e s fa m ily and friends w ith a
fa m ily caregivers. In itia l fu n d in g fo r
E sther H in so n at U rb a n League, 248-
m uch needed break fro m caregiving
“ R ainbow C o m e r was created in re
R ainbow C o m e r is p ro v id e d by a
5470, ext. 4548.
Grant To Help UO Researchers
Study The Brain
U n iv e rs ity o f O regon research-
W esterfield says confocal m icros
In o rder to ensure that pregnancy-related services are included in
copy uses laser lig h t, a scanning sys
health care re fo rm le g isla tio n Rep. Elizabeth Furse and dozens o f House
b ra in fu n c tio n s , thanks to a m a jo r
new g ra n t fro m the M .J. M u rd o c k
tem and com puter reconstructions to
achieve three-dim ensional vie w s o f
colleagues sent a le tte r to House Speaker Thom as F o le y (D -W A ) stating
C h a rita b le T rust.
T h e $350,000 g rant w ill a llo w
m o le cu la r d is trib u tio n in specimens
c o n ta in in g many cells. C u rre n tly , U O
fo r the purchase o f state-of-the-art
researchers have no access to a c o n fo
e q u ip m e n t w h ic h w ill be u tiliz e d by
cal fa c ility in the state o f O regon.
W esterfield says this type o f re
and m o le cu la r b io lo g y in stitu te s to
«
equipped facsim ile machine and push
c h ild ’ s e n viro n m e n t w hich have been
in g “ ! ” .
MEDICAL
OFFICE
ASSISTANT
BE ONE
TRAIN NOW!
efforts.
The le tte r stated that “ we feel com pelled to convey to you o u r strong
c o m m itm e n t that any health care re fo rm package that comes before the
Be a part of a Professional M edi
cal T eam . G et m a rk e ta b le
skills...
House m ust contain coverage fo r contraceptive and abortion services i f it
is to gain o u r su p p o rt.”
A t a news conference to release the letter, Furse said that w h ile she
cal diseases and co m m u n ica tive d is
professor and Institute o f Neuroscience
orders w hich are m ajor causes o f death
director, says the grant w ill purchase a
in the U nited States. “ A p p ro x im a te ly
high-power confocal laser scan m icro
scope. The microscope w ill allow high-
48 m illio n people are a fflic te d w ith
one o r m ore o f the 650 d is tin c t d is o r
m e m b e r o f C o n g re s s d e c id in g w h e th e r o r n o t th e y can g e t an
a b o rtio n . A b o r tio n s a rc le g a l in th is c o u n tr y . T h a t’ s a p e rs o n a l
resolution views o f nerve cells and dis
c h o ic e th a t m u s t be le f t to a w o m a n and h e r d o c to r. “ W o m e n w il l
tribution o f nervous system molecules.
ders that devastate liv e s andbeost the
nation nearly $121 b illio n in health
“ Molecular neuroscience is an ex
citin g area which is just emerging," says
W esterfield. “ T o understand brain func
care and lo st incom e,” he says.
In many cases, W e ste rfie ld adds,
m a jo r breakthroughs w ill com e from
a b o rtio n s . I t ’ s a q u e s tio n o f safe o r u n sa fe a b o rtio n s . A t th is tim e ,
tion, including perception, memory, con
a pplications o f new technique to old
sciousness and movement, we must un
derstand better how the properties o f
problem s. The new m icroscope is
expected to be purchased in A ugust
and to be fu n ctio n a l early in the F a ll.
3 0 1 -5 9 4 -2 8 0 0 , fro m a telephone-
discuss w ith parents factors in the
that those services m ust be available in order fo r them to support reform
study h o w the brain fu n ctio n s.
M onte W esterfield, U O biology
nerve cells are determined.”
V
search is expected to lead to break
throughs in understanding n e u ro lo g i
S tool also said that doctors should
Furse Calls For Abortion Services To Be
Included In Health Care Reform Legislation
ers hope to understand better how the
researchers at the U O neuroscience
Y o u n g C h ild re n ,” are available from
the A H C P R P ublications C le a rin g
the c o n d itio n has lasted fo r three
because
guide fo r c lin ic ia n s , and a brochure
fo r parents, “ M id d le Ear F lu id in
o to la ryn g o lo g y at the U n ive rsity o f
the c o n d itio n o fte n clears up on its
C o rn e r
dren,” w h ich is a qu ick reference
m e d ia — 2 4 .5 m i ll io n in 1 990 --
o w n , w ith observation, should be good
m yrin g o to m y (lancing o f the ear drum
in g to n , s a id th a t th e g u id e lin e s
ease specialist, nurses, audiologists,
M .D ., a professor o f pediatrics and
lines.
A H C P R A d m in is tra to r C lifto n
re n tly , the m ost com m on w ay o f treat-
cluded pediatricians, fa m ily doctors,
o tolaryngologists, an infectious d is
guage developm ent — are the subject
c o u ld lead to less use o f b o th a n
t ib io tic s a n d s u rg e ry fo r tre a tin g
the options are either a n tib io tic s o r
such as cigarette smoke.
The g u idelines panel, w h ich in
the guidelines and the consum er ve r
sion, w h ich is also available in Span
have sensory problem s.
O t it is m e d ia in g e n e ra l is the
reactions such as diarrhea and rashes.
A cco rd in g to the guidelines, i f
lin ke d to o titis m edia w ith effu sio n ,
C h ild re n 1 through 3 years o f age
- a c ritic a l tim e fo r speech and la n
c in e at th e U n iv e r s ity o f W a s h
o f the U .S . P u b lic H ealth Service,
said, “ T h e g u id e lin e s ’ fin d in g that
«
lio n v is its in 1990
A H C P R w ill w id e ly d istribute
and face structures, such as c le ft p a l
ate and D o w n ’ s syndrom e, o r w ho
d iffe rs fro m acute o titis m edia in that
the c h ild g e n e ra lly does n o t feel pain
Í
c e n t o f a ll o ff ic e v is its fo r o titis
m e d ia , o r 6 .1 m illio n to 8 .5 m i l
was to u rin g the D is tric t last w eek, the to p concern was health care.
“ T h e o n e m essage th a t I h e a rd o v e r a n d o v e r a g a in is th a t
A m e ric a n s d o n ’ t w a n t the g o v e rn m e n t m a k in g c h o ic e s f o r th e m in
th e ir p riv a te d e c is io n s ,” F u rse s a id . “ T h e y d o n ’ t w a n t som e
THE HEALTH CARE IN D U S
TRY NEEDS! Learn to do M edi
cal Insurance Billing & Coding
Transcriptions, M edical Recep
tion Duties, Office Adm inistra
tion, Vital Signs
the next fe w weeks.
Financial Aid available for those
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Placem ent Assistance, Day &
Evening classes available!
ConCorde
CAREER INSTITUTE
a m a jo r ity o f w o m e n ’ s in su ra n ce c o v e rs r e p r o d u c tiv e s e rv ic e s ; w e
r e f o r m .”
The House is expected to vote on health care re fo rm le g isla tio n w ith in
• Medical
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