•
1 1 11 11 1 1 1
Molly Rhea steps down as Home Health and Hospice
director; Robanai Disque to assume duties
■ • > l i i i i i l h l m l
By April Sykes
Bessie Wetzel I Newspaper libran
l Inis ersity of Oregon
Eugene. OR 0741b
M orrow C ounty
Health District CEO Mi
chael Blauer announced
Monday night that Molly
Rhea, director of nursing
services. Home Health and
Hospice for the district,
has elected to step down as
Home Health and Hospice
director. Blauer said that the
HEPPNER
imes
VOL. 128
NO. 48
8 Pages
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Health department to begin public H1N1
vaccinations for high risk populations
The Morrow County
Health Department w ill begin
giv ing H1N1 flu shots to the
general public that fall into
the high risk priority groups
starting on Thursday, Decem
ber 3. The health department
will also have seasonal flu
shots on hand. The shots will
be offered at each of the
regularly scheduled clinics
on Monday and Tuesday in
Boardman and Thursday in
Heppner each week.
Follow ing is the
high risk population that
can receive the vaccine:
-Pregnant women
-Household mem
bers and caregivers of in
fants less than 6 months
of age.
-Anyone 6 months
through 24 years of age.
-Persons age 25-
64 years who have health
conditions associated with
higher risk of complications
from influenza.
-Healthcare work
ers and law enforcement.
The health depart
ment anticipates being able
to offer H1N1 vaccination
to the entire population
w ithin the next several
weeks.
So far 1,269 doses
have been given in the
schools. Below are the to
tals given out so far:
H 1N 1 S c h o o l C lin ic s 2 0 0 9
School
D ate
lone School Dist.
H eppner E lem entary
A C H oughton
Sam B oardm an
Irrigon E lem entary
M orrow E ducation C enter (EC )
W indy River
H eppner H igh School
Irrigon H igh School
R iverside H igh School
School P od
11/12/2009
11/12/2009
11/13/2009
11/13/2009
11/18/2009
11/18/2009
11/18 & 24/2009
11/23/2009
1 1/24/2009
11/24/2009
T o ta l
# D o ses G iv e n
165
196
265
324
198
70
218
224
336
428
99
95
195
186
108
43
157
78
108
157
2424
1226
D ayC 'are, P r e sc h o o l, H ea d S ta r t
C reative D ay Care
H eppener D ay C are
Irrigon H ead Start
Sam B oardm an H ead Start
B oardm an H ead Start
B oardm an Early H ead Start
1 1/12/2009
1 1/12/2009
1 1/13/2009
11/13/2009
11/13/2009
11/13/2009
T o ta l (N o t D iv id e d bv F a cility )
move would enable Rhea to
concentrate
more fully
on her du
ties as direc
tor of nurs
ing services
at Pioneer
M e m o ria l
Hospital in Mo|ly
Heppner.
Rhea
‘ Rhea, 51, has been
director of nursing services.
Home Health and Hospice
for the past five years. She
has been with the district
since 1977, when she start
ed at Pioneer Memorial as
a nursing assistant. She has
been Home Health director
since 1986 and Hospice
director since 2002.
Blauer said that
Robanai Disque, 53, who
has been a nurse w ith Home
Health and Hospice for the
last 26 years, has agreed to
become the director. “She
is very well qualified,” said
Rhea.
Changes were ef
fective Tuesday.
The board learned
from Chief Financial Offi
cer N icole M ahoney that the
district had a $61,658 profit
for the month of October.
The district saw $621,118
in gross patient revenue
for the month, $83,312 in
total revenue deductions,
$95,521 in tax revenues and
$24,787 in other operating
revenue for $658,114 in
total operating revenue. On
the expense side, the district
had $607,326 in total oper
ating expenses, a $50,788
profit from operations and
a $10,870 non-operating
profit. Mahoney said the av
erage monthly year-to-date
profit was $238.51.
Also at the meet
ing, the board also discussed
the importance of offering
Medicare Part D counseling
to the public. Last year the
district offered Medicare
Part D counseling sessions
around the county free of
charge and open to the
public. Board member John
Murray said that the ses
sions were vital because of
the complexity of the sign
up process. He explained
that different M edicare
Part D plans cover different
prescriptions, so if people’s
medications change, their
plans may need to change
as well. He added that phar-
macists are not allowed to
select plans
for patients,
w h ic h is
w h y th e
district has
offered the
information
as a p u b Robanai
lic service. Disque
D e a d li n e
for signup
for Medicare Part D is De
cember 31.
The district plans
to offer Medicare Part D
counseling two days in
Heppner, One day in lone
and Irrigon and by appoint
ment in Boardman. The
board also discussed out
reach in Wheeler County.
In other business,
the board:
-heard from Blauer
that he has been in touch
with Dr. Flanlon, who pre
viously offered cardiol
ogy services through the
district. However, he said,
purchasing equipment and
hiring a tech would most
likely be required. He said
he also spoke with a cardi
ologist from The Dalles.
-heard from Ma
honey that the district’s
contract with the current
auditors is expiring and she
plans to put out requests for
auditors.
-learned from Rhea
that two nurses have been
hired to fill previously va
cant positions, which will
cut down on employment
of temp nurses.
- le a r n e d fro m
Blauer that they are making
progress on the punch list
for the earlier construction
project. Mahoney said there
has been a problem with the
quality of the flooring in the
patient rooms. She said that
the flooring installed during
the construction project was
not designed for the weight
that it must bear.
-discussed the im
pact of the recent power
outage, which affected op
erations to a greater extent
than in the past. Rhea said
that previously operations
were “seam less” during
an outage. During the last
outage, the kitchen had no
power at all. Blauer said
that the generators now
only power certain opera
tions during an outage, but
he was not sure why this had
changed and said he would
check into the issue.
-briefly discussed
the tax receipts that the
district will receive from
the windmill projects lo
cated in the district. An
amount has not officially
been determined, however
board member LeAnn Rea
prov ided estimates.
-approv ed the fol
low ing board meeting 2010
calendar: January 25 at the
lone Community Church;
March 1 at the Port of Mor
row in Boardman; March 29
at the Home Health office in
Heppner; April 26 at the
Lexington School District
office; May 24 at the Home
Health office; June 28 at the
Morrow County Annex in
Irrigon; July 26 at the lone
Community Church; Au
gust 30 at the Home Health
office; September 27 at the
Port of Morrow; October
25 at the school district of
fice; November 29 at Home
Health; and December 27 in
Irrigon. All meetings will
be held at 7 p.m.
-heard the follow
ing report for October:
* Pioneer Memorial
Hospital had two admis
sions, three swing bed ad
missions, 22 admitted for
observation, one admitted
for hospital respite, 497
outpatients, 87 total emer
gency room encounters,
1622 lab tests, 117 x-ray
procedures, 27 CT scans, 17
EKG tests, six colonoscopy
procedures, one endoscopy
procedure and 145 respira
tory therapy procedures.
*Home Health had
131 patient visits.
*Hospice had five
admissions.
*P harm acy had
1791 drug doses for $67,818
in revenue.
* Heppner Ambu
lance had 18 total page
outs with 15 transports
for $16,234 in revenue;
Boardman Ambulance had
24 page-outs with 12 trans
ports for $14,566 in rev
enue; Irrigon Ambulance
had 37 page-outs with 15
transports for $14,377 in
revenue; there was one
flight.
* Pioneer Memorial
Clinic had 527 patient visits
with 52 new patients, 76
seen by a nurse and three
“no-shows”; Irrigon Clinic
had 252 patient visits with
23 new patients, 78 seen by
a nurse and 17 no-shows.
Time change announced for Light Parade
The 1 3,h annual will be a special tree light The parade will begin at
Light Parade, sponsored ing ceremony at the tree 5:30 p.m.
Through Thursday,
by Columbia Basin, will outside the post office. Hep
light up Main Street in Hep pner Daycare and Heppner December 17, rew ards cards
pner starting at 5:30 p.m. Elem entary School stu can be collected for the Cel
on Thursday, December 3. dents have their homemade ebrated Heppner Christmas
Local merchants will hold ornam ents hung on the Event to be held at 6 p.m. at
open houses and special tree. There will be caroling the Elks Lodge. A list dona
and can be purchased at activities.
and extended store hours tion items w ill be available
Community Bank, Heppner
At 5 p.m., there throughout the evening. at a later dater.
Chamber and Heppner TV
through Thursday, Decem
ber 17. The w inner of each
basket will be drawn dur
A medical fund has for pneum onia. He was contribute to the fund can
ing the Celebrate Heppner
been set up at Bank of East transferred Monday from do so at Bank of Eastern
Christmas Event at the Elks
ern Oregon to help the Col Kadlec Medical Center in Oregon, or send the dona
Lodge on December 17.
tion to: The Roy Collins
The Elks will be lins family pay for their son, Richland, WA to Doern-
becher Children's Hospital Medical Fund c/o BEO, P
Roy’s, medical bills.
serving lasagna, green salad
O. Box 39, Heppner, OR
Roy, a first grader in Portland.
and garlic bread. The cost
at H eppner Elem entary
Anyone wishing to 97836.
for dinner will be $9 for
School, was hospitalized
adults and $5 for children
12 and under. Those who
purchase a dinner will be
Area pastors invited to submit Christmas messages
given a $10 Rewards Card
The Heppner Gazette-Times invites area pastors to submit Christmas mes
for each meal, up to $50 for
sages
to
be published in the December 23 edition. The deadline is Friday, December
a family.
18,
at
5
p.m.
Santa will be avail
Messages can be dropped off at the Gazette office, emailed to editor@rapid-
able to take pictures ($5 per
serve.net,
or faxed to 676-9211.
picture) from 6-7:30 p.m.
The drawing for
prizes will begin at 7:30
p.m.
43
1269
Celebrate Heppner Christmas
Event to be held Dec. 17
The Chamber Raf- Heppner TV. Raffle tickets
fle Baskets are currently on are available for sale at
display in the window at one for $1 and six for $5
Red for reading
lone Elementary School student Austin C arter applies red
dye to Principal Karl Ostheller's beard while teacher Linda
Neiffer and other students look on. Ostheller agreed to go red
if the students read 150 books by Thanksgiving. They met their
goal, and their principal was happy to mark the event on his
hair. -Contributed Photo
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT
DEADLINE:
rW
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
Roy Collins Medical Fund set up at BEO
Kerosene Forced Air Heaters %
j
*=:
• Thermostat heat control
• Multi-fuel compatible
j y g m „UT 0UTPUT
Fully enclosed oir over motor
$274 00
17S.00 ITU HEAT OUTPUT
2S.00 BTU HEAT OUTPUT
$529.00
$464.00
M orrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 *1-800-452-7396 rttfstatqttpam