Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1979)
The Library University of Oregon Eugene, Or 97403 The Heppner TTTTYTTi ME Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper Vol. 97, No. 4 HEPPNER, OREGON THURSDAY, JAN. 25, 1979 TWO SECTION-14 PAGES 20 cents TttI Study lists changes needed to keep Pioneer Memorial abreast of changing times Improved management, more doctors, and new wing are recommended Changes in management, new equipment, additional doctors and a new hospital wing will be required in order n'or Pioneer Memorial Hospital to "continue to effect ively serve the health care needs of Morrow County." These conclusions and others were outlined last Thursday by M.J. Blair, president of the Northwest Medical Foundation, in a report to the Morrow County Court, the Hospital's board of trustees and interested citi zens. Northwest was commission ed to survey the county's health care program and make recommendations towards improving it by the Morrow County Court last fall. A public meeting to go over findings in the 103-page report is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Morrow County Courthouse. According to the report, "the present situation that exists at Pioneer Memorial Hospital is not one that is unique to Heppner and Mor row County. This problem of antiquated facilities and organization is one that exists in many communities throughout the United States." Over the years, Pioneer Memorial's "facili ties were not kept in a state of modern condition, equipment became obsolete and the management of the hospital did not keep up with the level of expertise needed within today's health care industry." Continued tax support needed "So, today," the report continues, "there exists a hospital, as well as an organization, that is obsolete to the times that will require a considerable outlay of money as well as substantial organizational change to bring it to the point where it can continue to effectively serve the health . care needs of Morrow County." The report also concludes that "the community should not expect Pioneer Memorial Hospital to be financially self-sustaining. . .Northwest Medical Foundation does not see any alternative in the future for discontinuing the hospital's requirement for financial support. However, it is felt that by seeking addition al physicians in the commun ity, improving the current services, the fine tuning of current operations and a subsequent increased usage of the hospital. ..the hospital's dependence on tax support will most likely stabilize or at least increase at a diminishing rate." In management recom mendations, the Northwest report states that "it is imperative that the hospital obtain the services of an executive highly knowledge able in the health care industry." Such an individual, the report states, should serve either as chairman of the hospital's board of directors or be a counseling member of the board. Another alternative would be to contract with a hospital management corpor ation, the report stated. At Thursday's meeting, Blair stated that another alterna tive was to place such an individual in the administra tor's position. In the report's summary of recommendations, it is stated that "hospital management in the future must be under the direction of well-qualified health care professionals, whether the guidance is through board relationships, consultative arrangements or management contract. The As a result, the uneven physician staffing has worked against the hospital, the report continued, since it "has caused certain citizens to seek regular medical care outside of the community.. .This loss of potential patients to other hospitals has negatively im paired the overall operations citizens and their health needs will result in an ever greater division between the north and south parts of Morrow County, with the probable eventuality of split votes eliminating a primary source of financing the health care program..." When questioned whether it would be possible for North- Plants 1 lnr PIONEER PT"7 Pioneer Oregon 5 MEMORIAL IV A g HOSPITAL , The report did include a wide-range survey of com munity attitudes regarding the hospital, which showed, among other things, that the public has a high regard for the hospital, and "speaks in a commendatory way with respect to the quality of hospital personnel and the level of care provided by them." The report also indi-, cated that the public expres sed "a generalized feeling that the services of the hospital are very limited in scope. "Part icularly mentioned," the re port stated, "were the X-ray facilities as being inadequate and criticism of the conver sion of the surgical suite into an emergency department." A condensed summary of the report's findings is expect ed to be available for public distribution prior to the Feb. 13 public meeting. The hospi tal's board of trustees and the county court are expected to meet within the near future to discuss the ramifications of the report. Heppner Elementary, Jr. High discipline policy meet tonight Discussion of a new Hep pner Elementary and Junior High School disciplinary policy will be the subject of a meeting scheduled for tonight (Thursday) in that school's multi-purpose room. Concerned Parents a citi zens' group formed recently to assist area schools and edu cators and youth set the meeting for 7:30 p.m. On hand to discuss the new policy will be Principal Don Cole and district staff members who were instrumental in forma tion of the policy. They will examine the steps in develop ment of the policy as well as clarify the student conduct code and the discipline options available to school personnel. The disciplinary policy is an outgrowth of a teacher in service work day held last year, according to Cole. "Since that time, teachers in the elementary and junior high school have spent count less hours working on the policy," said Cole, "and we feel it provides consistency throughout the two buildings and clearly defines discipline problems." Infractions are broken down into three categories: major, such as public vulgarity, profanity, purposeful vandal ism, use or possession of drugs and alcohol and skipping school ; minor infractions which include disruptive con duct, minor vandalism, theft and cheating; and petty viola tions such as accidental vul garity, wearing of hats, etc. The code outlines suspen sion and expulsion penalties, or conference needs with parents, as the student in fraction warrants. The presentation by district school personnel will be fol lowed by a question-answer period. Fatality, drug arrest, stolen car among week's police and sheriffs news needs that suggest this plan are most recognizable today and will become more acute with each passing year. This factor, above all others, will do more for the betterment of the hospital. ..than any other element under discussion in this report." It should be noted that Northwest Medical Founda tion provides management contracting service, and is interested in performing that task for Pioneer Memorial. More doctors crucial In terms of doctors needed to serve the hospital, the report stated that the best combination would be one family physician, a second family physician who is also qualified to perform surgery, and an internist. The recruit ment of these physicians, according to the report, "should be pursued aggres sively." Heppner's current physi cians, in interviews with Northwest personnel, stated that they felt no additional doctors were needed in Hep pner, Blair said. But, the Northwest report concluded, obtaining the appropriate mix of physicians in Heppner should not be left "to chance or to the caprices of private health care professions." According to the repor, "the single most overriding factor relating to medical care in Morrow County is the qualifications and availability of physician personnel. Over the years there have been varying numbers of phys icians serving Morrow County. At times the availabil ity of medical care has varied due to the number and specialties of physicians and their respective qualifications and interests. This has had a marked impact on the hospital, both in patient activi ty and financial viability." and finances of Pioneer Mem orial Hospital." In North Morrow County, Northwest recommended re cruiting one family physician and a nurse practicioner or physician's assistant. The re port suggested recruiting an additional physician and a part time nurse practioner for Condon. Fossil should be served by a full-time nurse practicioner resident, with Condon's doctor available for part-time service, the report suggested. Gilliam and Wheeler County medical needs were taken into account in the report, accord ing to Northwest's recom mendations, since the Condon and Fossil areas have tradi tionally been a part of the hospital's service area. The Condon and Fossil areas, the report concluded, "must be included in the overall plan for their medical well-being, as well as for the economic benefit of Pioneer Memorial Hospital and the overall health care plan. of Morrow County. A close relationship between Wheeler and Gilliam counties will be an advantage and benefit to them both and will greatly benefit Morrow County as well." As far as North Morrow is concerned, the report stated that Irrigon and Boardman area residents "should not be expected to utilize Pioneer Memorial... on a regular basis," since hospitals in Umatilla, Hermiston and the Tri Cities are more accessible. "It's just a matter of geography," Blair told those attending Thursday's meet ing. However, the report noted that it was important for the county to recruit a physician to staff the Boardman clinic. "The Boardman-Irrigon com munities," it stated, "must be served in a special way by the health facilities and personnel directed by Morrow County. ...Ignoring or giving less than careful attention to these west to recruit the recom mended mix of physicians and nurse practicioners, Blair responded that it was "ex tremely likely." Pioneer Memorial "should continue as an acute-care hospital serving the general, medical, surgical and obstet rical needs of the south part of Morrow County and also the citizens of Gilliam and Wheel er County..." the report con cluded. In order to do so, and to meet state codes, Blair said that a new wing would be a necessary addition to the hospital's west side. Remodel ing the current structure would also be necessary. "We believe the hospital (the building itself) cannot continue as it is," Blair said. "In fact, I think the state wouldn't allow you to, after a while." Blair said his firm had not included a cost estimate for the proposed wing in its report. A 17-year-old Hermiston girl was killed Friday when she was struck by a pickup truck while hitchhiking along 1-80 near the Boardman inter change, state police said. The victim was identified as Leona Rose Sturtevent of Hermiston. Police said Miss Sturtevent was hitchhiking with a female companion when she appar ently walked into the path of a westbound pickup driven by David Jones Jr. of Portland. No charges were filed. The accident was investigated by the Arlington detachment of the Oregon State Police, assisted by Boardman city officers. Noel G. Harshman Jr., 22, of Heppner, was lodged in Uma tilla County Jail Thursday on a charge of manufacturing a controlled substance marijuana. Cont. on page 3 Morrow County wilderness is topic of Jan. 31 slide presentation and discussion "The Last of Morrow County's Wild Land," a nar rated slide show presented by Heppner's Beryl Stillman, will be shown Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Heppner Elementary Multi purpose room. Stillman, a spokesman for conservation interests and the state project manager for the Elk Foundation, said his slide presentation can help the public visualize areas that will be affected in the Forest Service's upcoming land use plan for the Heppner District of the Umatilla National Forest. Slides will include the wild life, plants and landscapes found in the Heppner District. Stillman will give his interpre tation of how the Forest Service's land use plan will affect these resources. By viewing his presentation, citizens should be better equipped "to make up their own minds" on proposed Forest Service land use plan ning, Stillman said. Stillman stated that current land man agement proposals "may soon greatly diminish any oppor tunity for you and especially your children to ever see wildlife like this in their natural enviroment again in Morrow County." In addition to covering alternatives to the proposed land use plan, Stillman will give a presentation on the RARE II roadless areas. The slide show is free and open to everyone. Ullman seeks bill forcing Navy payment for use of Boardman Bombing Range Oregon Congressman Al Ullman introduced legislation Monday that would require the federal government to make payments in lieu of taxes for Navy use of the Boardman bombing range in northeastern Oregon. Ullman introduced the measure on the opening day of the 96th Congress. The legislation would in clude the 47,500-acre bombing range in the existing program of payments in lieu of taxes for federal lands. It would result in annual payments of about $5,000 to Morrow County. "This tax-exempt land pro vides no benefits to the state or Morrow County, but re quires expenditure of county funds for highway mainten ance, police protection and related services," Ullman said. Ullman said he plans to continue his efforts to have the bombing range closed so the site can be returned to productive agricultural use. "Until this is accomplished, however, I believe that bomb ing range lands merit full payments under the in-lieu federal provisions of Ullman said. law," County gets $69,567 in state road use funds The State Highway Depart ment has distributed $18.7 million in highway user fees to the 36 counties in Oregon during the period of July 1 to Dec. 31, State Highway Engi neer H. Scott Coulter an nounced this week. Morrow County, with 8,456 registered vehicles on file during the period, received an apportionment totaling $69,567. Allocations are based on the statutory 20 per cent, with the appropriation being made to the counties on a monthly basis. Funds come from vehicle registration and oper ator's license fees, gasoline tax monies, motor carrier fees and fines and penalties col lected by Highway Division weighmasters. Inside: Heppner's flood plain A look at Heppner's flood plain with and without the proposed Willow Creek Dam appears on the front of the Gazette-Time's second section this week. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials were in town last week to deliver the new flood plain designations which will be used by the Flood Insurance Administration. Corps officials also spoke on the proposed Willow Creek Dam project. Our reps in Salem The Oregon Legislature, meeting in its 60th session, made committee assignments this past week and area legislators are sitting on some important committees. Page 12 and 13 offer an overview of the legislature's opening days. The week in sports The Heppner High .School Fillies continue to push Pilot Rock in the Columbia Basin Conference Girls Eastern Division standings after last weekend. Coach Sheri Brock's Fillies are 5-1 in league play; Pilot Rock is 5-0. Results of area high school games and other sports news appears on pages five and six of the first section. -.'' '.- i V,.' y ''
