FEBRUARY 1, 2016
Clinic closure notice for February
• Monday, Feb. 15: Closed all day (Tribal Chiefs Day/
Presidents’ Day)
S moke S ignals
13
New Skookum cards are coming!
In a few weeks, all Tribal members on the Skookum Health Assistance
Program will be receiving updated cards. Please replace your old card with
your new card. Be sure to look for your new card in the mail!
Please be sure to plan ahead for
appointments and medication refills!
February is Heart Month
ɫaxayam kʰanawi ɫaksta (Hello Everyone):
Time for your favorite Save Our Skookum team to start reminding Tribal
members without primary coverage to start exploring the Affordable Care
Act resources. This includes state Medicaid programs.
We need everyone who DOES NOT have primary health insurance cov-
erage to apply for coverage and provide proof of application to SOS. If you
are eligible for coverage at no cost to you, we ask that you use it primary
to the Skookum Health Assistance Program (SHAP). This saves the health
program (and you) by not paying primary.
SHAP is not insurance coverage. It is a payer of last resort, which means
the program is funded by the Tribe to assist Tribal members with eligible
health care costs and pays as a last resort.
This notice does NOT apply to members with Medicare, employee
coverage or other health insurance.
If you have questions, please call one of the SOS team members at 800-
775-0095 or 503-879-5211 and ask to speak to Tresa Mercier, Loretta Me-
neley, Barbara Steere, Melody Baker, Tauni McCammon or Erica Mercier.
Flu shots available at the
Health and Wellness Center
Check-in with Patient Registration for a flu shot
anytime between 8 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 4 p.m.
Mail order terminated for other Tribes
In October 1997, the Pharmacy opened for business at the grand opening
of the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center (GRHWC). The Pharmacy
was established to provide high-quality services to Tribal members and the
surrounding community; with a mission to provide excellent medicine, med-
ication counseling and responsive review. Pharmacy staff collaborate with
medical providers and patients to ensure safe, effective pharmaceutical and
non-pharmaceutical alternatives are considered for patient treatment.
In 2008, the Tribe ended the use of an outsourced pharmacy mail order
service for the Tribal health plans and the GRHWC Pharmacy began provid-
ing these services. This internally sourced pharmacy mail order service was
marketed to other Tribes in Oregon and Washington in 2012, and in 2013
three Oregon Tribes commenced using the GRHWC Commercial Pharmacy
mail order service. Current Pharmacy operations include services to Tribal
members, Native Americans of other Tribes, employees and community mem-
bers via local and mail order services.
The original intent of the commercial mail order Pharmacy program was to
provide a valuable service to other Tribes, while generating enough income to
cover all expenses of the Pharmacy. In October 2015, it was determined the
GRHWC commercial mail order Pharmacy operations were not profitable and
the program was detracting from provision of services to Grand Ronde Tribal
members; though the intent of the program was commendable, the expenses
to operate the program exceeded the generated income.
Due to this inequity, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde made the
difficult decision to terminate its mail order pharmacy arrangements with
the three Oregon Tribes contracted for the service. In October these Tribes
received a 90-day notice of the program’s closure and were notified the last
day of the service is Jan. 31, 2016. This closure does not affect other mail
order operations provided at GRHWC Pharmacy.
If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Rowe at 503-879-2236.
Don’t get caught
without your medication
Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center Pharmacy hours:
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
REFILL LINE: 503-879-2342
Managing Your Cholesterol & Triglycerides
Steps for Blood Lipid Control: Along with choosing a better
diet, there are other steps you can take to improve your blood lipids.
You can be sure you are maintaining healthy blood lipids by taking
all these steps:
• Lose extra weight;
• Exercise regularly;
• Reduce other heart risks;
• Get your blood lipids rechecked.
Watch Your Weight: Do you weigh too much? If so, your body stores
more fat and cholesterol. This may cause your blood lipid levels to
rise. Losing weight can help lower your triglyceride level. It also may
raise your HDL level. Remember, the quickest way to lose weight is
to decrease your calorie intake.
Ask your health care provider what your target weight range should be.
If you need to lose weight, it is best to lose it slowly and avoid fad diets.
Why exercise? Frequent exercise helps lower your triglyceride
level. It also can help you lose weight and can help lower other risks
to your heart health. Walk, jog or swim most days for at least 30 min-
utes. This is aerobic exercise that strengthens your heart and lungs.
• Before starting to exercise, work with your provider to plan a
program that is right for you;
• Warm up for five minutes or so. Mild stretching or slow walking
helps warm up muscles and joints;
• Exercise aerobically for 30 minutes most days of the week;
• Cool down by repeating your warm-up for five to 10 minutes.
Reduce Other Heart Risks: High blood lipids are one of the many
risk factors for heart disease. You have no control over factors such
as your family’s history of heart attacks or your age. But you can
control other risks, such as:
• Quit using tobacco products. Smoking, chewing and dipping
can raise blood lipids and make them harder to control. Daily
exposure to tobacco smoke puts you at risk as well.
• Control high blood pressure and diabetes through diet, weight
loss, exercise and medicine.
• Frequent monitoring can help you track your efforts.
• Reduce the stress in your life. Ask your health provider for in-
formation about handling stress.
• Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and
triglycerides.
Get Regular Check-ups: Visit your health care provider often to
be sure that your blood lipids and other risks for heart disease are
under control.
• Talk to your health care provider about how often you need to
have your blood lipids checked.
• If your levels are not in a healthy range, your health care provider
will want you to have them rechecked often or until they reach
a healthy range.
Taking Medicine: Even if you keep up with lifestyle and diet
changes for six months, your blood lipid levels may not reach your
target range. If this is the case, your doctor is likely to prescribe
medicine to lower your lipids.
• You may be put on medicine sooner if you have heart disease,
diabetes or a combination of other heart disease risk factors.
• Even if you take medicine, stick with the changes you have made.
That way you will be sure to get the best results.
Do you want to make these health changes? Avoid losing in-
terest as time passes. Commit to your goals and make a plan.
• Be specific about your goals. Set goals that address the results
you want. What do you want to have happen? Example: I will
walk three days a week and swim one day a week.
• Choose goals that have results you can measure. Set a deadline
like six weeks or three months from now. Example: I will time
how long I walk each day.
• Can you meet your goals? Keep in mind that you can always
raise the bar once you have reached your first goal. Example: I
will walk for 30 minutes each time I walk.
• Will you reward yourself along the way? Try sticking to nonfood
rewards. Example: When I reach my goal, I will buy myself a
new pair of walking shoes.