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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2016)
S moke S ignals MAY 15, 2016 Broken Appointment Policy for the Health & Wellness Center PURPOSE: Broken or missed appointments create a barrier to ac- cessing timely care for our patients. This policy allows the Health & Wellness Center to maximize our patient’s access to care by specifying the patient’s responsibilities in regards to broken appointments. POLICY: It is the responsibility of each patient to keep scheduled appointments or to notify the Health & Wellness Center of his or her inability to keep a scheduled appointment at least 24 hours in advance. PROCEDURE: A. Broken Appointment Deinitions: 1. A patient fails to keep a scheduled appointment; 2. A patient shows up more than 10 minutes late; 3. A patient fails to give 24-hour cancellation notice. B. Consequences: After the third broken appointment in a 12-month time frame, the patient will not be allowed to schedule routine care appointments. However, patients will be offered a same day sit-and-wait appointment without a guarantee that a timeslot will become available and they will be allowed to utilize emergency hours for any dental emergencies. This probationary period will last for four months. The clinic will strive to notify patients of appointments the day be- fore. This is a courtesy; if the call is not received it is not an acceptable excuse for missing an appointment After each broken appointment the Provider Team will evaluate the appropriate action and notify the patient. The notiication should be in writing, with the dates of any missed appointments within the past 12 months listed. It is the responsibility of the Provider Team to evaluate and document any action in the medical record. When the third broken appointment occurs within a 12-month time frame, the Provider Team will notify patient registration and have an alert added to the record indicating the date the patient may resume routine scheduling. Schedulers are to review alerts before scheduling. The policy was put in place clinicwide in December 2014 to ensure that patients are able to get in to see their providers in a timely man- ner. Call and cancel your appointments at least 24 hours in advance, if at all possible. Health & Wellness Center Entrance Reminder: The drive-through entrance at the Health & Wellness Center is for loading and unloading only. The entrance was built with our Elders and those with mobility issues and their ease of ac- cess in mind. If you are coming to the center to pick up prescriptions, please park in one of our regular parking spaces. Skin Cancer Awareness Month Any mole, birthmark or blemish can become melanoma, a dangerous skin cancer that affected 250,000 people globally last year alone. Melanoma can often be quickly and easily treated. In most cases, simple screening of high-risk areas could have prevented the cancer from spread- ing and, in many cases, from even forming. The treatment of melanoma is vastly different at earlier stages than later, when it’s advanced and can possibly spread. Often simple outpatient surgery can avoid life-altering circumstances later. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Current estimates are that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their life- time. On average, one American dies from melanoma every hour. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone check their skin regularly for any new or suspicious spots. The importance of drinking water Water helps your body: • Keep your temperature normal; • Lubricate and cushion joints; • Protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues; • Get rid of wastes. Your body needs more water when you are: • In hot climates; • More physically active; • Running a fever; • Having diarrhea or vomiting. Tips to add more water to your daily routine: • Carry a water bottle for easy access when you are at work or run- ning errands. • Freeze some freezer-safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice cold water all day long. • Choose water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. This can also help with weight management. Substituting water for one 20-ounce sugar-sweetened soda will save you about 240 calories. • Choose water when eating out. Generally, you will save money and reduce calories. • Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water. This can help improve the taste and help you drink more water than you usually do. Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center Lab/X-ray hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. – closed 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. – closed 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thank you, Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center Administration Important Skookum information Letters have gone out seeking information and documentation on pri- mary health insurance coverage to Tribal members who do not have other primary coverage information available in the Skookum Health Assistance Program (SHAP) information system. Requests for this information will continue on an annual basis. If you have received a letter, please respond to the request or call with questions. SHAP is not insurance. It is a health assistance program and payer of last resort for members without primary health insurance coverage. We realize this is an inconvenience, however, in order to make SHAP sustainable for generations to come, we need everyone’s cooperation. We appreciate and welcome your questions. Thank you, Tresa Mercier Contact information: tresa.mercier@grandronde.org or 503-879-2008 – Skookum Health Assistance Program manager barbara.steere@grandronde.org or 503-879-2487 – Tribal Member Health Care specialist loretta.meneley@grandronde.org or 503879-1359 – Certiied Application assister or call toll free at 800-775-0095 25 TЭnas Intervention Services to be provided to babies & moms-to-be: Checkups Cleanings, if applicable Injection-free fillings, if needed and appropriate Cavity prevention treatment Age-appropriate goodie bags Raffle ticket for one of two blankets to be raffled every six months Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Dental Clinic Pregnant women and babies under 2 Tribal members: pregnant women or 0-2 year olds (teeth or no teeth!) who come in for a scheduled dental checkup or other appointment will be entered in a raffle for a baby Pendleton Blanket! To schedule call: 503-879-2020
