With the need for assistance likely to last for months, Group Health is sending both medical assistance and cash donations—as we did in the wake of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Medical assistance
This kind of natural disaster brings much illness and despair. Working through Medical Teams International, a well-respected local organization, we will assemble teams of clinical volunteers to go to Haiti over the next four months.
In addition to their medical skills, the medical teams will deliver valuable supplies and equipment provided through Group Health Global Health (GHGH)—a program that supports health-related volunteer efforts by all Group Health employees.
Financial donations
Together Group Health Cooperative and Permanente are donating $50,000. The funds will be split evenly between the American Red Cross—which is already on the ground in Haiti—and GHGH. The money allocated for GHGH will fund our volunteer medical teams’ work in Haiti (at a cost of about $5,000 per team).
What you can do
If you would like to make a contribution please see the links below. Or Group Health staff can go to the Haiti relief web site on InContext where you can find more information.
Group Health Home Health & Hospice will host its second annual Valentine’s Day Tea on Saturday, Feb. 6, 10:30 a.m.–noon, at the Weatherly Inn, 6016 N. Highland Blvd., Tacoma. The event is a grief support gathering for people who have lost a spouse or partner.
To attend, RSVP to Janet Hedgepath, Tacoma/Kitsap coordinator of Bereavement Services, at 253-274-4627.
Group Health Hospice Bereavement Services provides grief support gatherings in the greater Puget Sound Region throughout the year. Support groups and gatherings for special times of year are also offered.
“This is a fantastic opportunity provided to these kids by Group Health,” said Peter Ellis coordinator of fitness & health for Spokane Public Schools. “Many of these children have never stepped foot inside the arena for an event, let alone being able to see these world class athletes competing in our nation’s most prestigious figure skating event right in their home town.” (more…)
Study is first to examine how overdose risk differs by prescribed dose
SEATTLE—More and more Americans with chronic pain not caused by cancer are taking medically prescribed opioids like Oxycontin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (hydrocodone). The January 19 Annals of Internal Medicine features the first study to explore the risk of overdose in patients prescribed opioids for chronic noncancer pain in general health care. The study links risk of fatal and nonfatal opioid overdose to prescription use—strongly associating the risk with the prescribed dose. (more…)
2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships Medical Sponsor
As the official medical sponsor of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane (Jan. 13-24), Group Health is providing medical care to approximately 700elite athletes, coaches and officials who make the championships a reality.
Medical Directors:
Ed Reisman, MD, is a past competitive pairs figure skater who has volunteered many hours as the team doctor for U.S. Figure Skating at competitions around the world.
Alisa Hideg, MD, is a past amateur ice skater and hockey skater who also volunteered as a team doctor at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
What does it take to be a medical sponsor? More than 70 providers
Group Health Providers
11 Physicians
1 Physician assistant
5 Medical residents
1 Medical student
5 Nurses
15 Physical therapists
3 Medical assistants
2 Medical venue coordinators
Community Providers
12 Athletic trainer students from Whitworth College
2 Students from Eastern Washington University
2 Athletic training coordinators
5 Chiropractors
6 Massage therapists
1 Orthopedic specialist (on-call)
1 Dentist (on-call)
On call 24/7
There is always one doctor, one trainer, one physical therapist and one student with their teacher waiting by the ice during the 18-hour daily skating schedule.
1,400 hours of medical staff time is required to ensure coverage at each venue and at the athletes’ hotel.
Dr. Ed Reisman is the medical director of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships coming to Spokane next week. Dr. Reisman, along with Dr. Alisa Hideg have been planning and preparing for the championships for more than a year. Dr. Reisman is also a past professional ice skater who skated pairs with his sister during the first year of medical school and now travels as the team doctor for U.S. Figure Skating.
Alisa Hideg, MD, and assistant medical director of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, is a past amateur ice skater and hockey skater who also volunteered as a team doctor at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She volunteers for local ski team, competitively surfs and is active in the local foster parent community.
Due to power outage, non-essential services in the ambulatory care setting, specialty, and family health care clinics will be closing for the afternoon beginning at 1p.m.
The following remain open: Urgent Care, Family Beginnings, the special care nursery, and extended observation services. To support these areas, selected services in pharmacy, lab, and radiology will also be open.
Patients with appointments scheduled for this afternoon at Capital Hill Campus are in the process of being called. We urge those patients who have not been contacted by their clinic to call to confirm the status of their appointment.
Capitol Hill Campus will be open tomorrow morning, December 23, for regular business hours.
James Hereford, Executive Vice President of the Group Practice Division of Group Health
New leadership will oversee all medical practices
Group Health has selected James Hereford to be executive vice president of the Group Practice Division, which encompasses Group Health’s 26 Medical Centers in Washington and North Idaho.
Hereford is a 17-year veteran of Group Health and is currently executive vice president for Strategic Services & Quality, where he has overseen advances in Group Health’s electronic medical records and targeting care quality goals.
He will be replacing Peter Morgan, who recently announced his retirement as executive vice president of the Group Practice Division, effective January 1. (more…)
Every two years, 2,000 senior Group Health patients check in with the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study. The joint project between Group Health Research Institute and the University of Washington (UW) focuses on finding ways to delay or prevent dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and declines in memory and thinking. It aims to deepen understanding of how the body—especially the brain—ages. More…
