May Community Newsletter
Petersburg Medical Center Newsletter
▲PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter speaking at the community cafe.

▲Sue Paulsen, foundation president, highlighted 2018 successes at the Petersburg Medical Center Foundation's annual meeting.
▲ Phil Hofstetter, CEO and Senator Sullivan at the finish line for the 7k Lop the loop run.
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
 Partnering with the community to improve health care at PMC
COMMUNITY CAFE: Petersburg Medical Center's third Community Cafe was held Thursday, May 9, at the Borough Assembly Chambers. This community-driven strategy session focused on recent proposed budget cuts and the potential impacts to PMC. You can find the cafe presentation and a summary of the community input on the PMC website.

FOUNDATION ANNUAL MEETING: The Petersburg Medical Center Foundation held their annual meeting on Thursday, May 2. Sue Paulsen, foundation president, gave a presentation on all the success of the foundation in 2018. The foundation raised $25,000 towards furthering staff education. We have been able help 8 employees financially with schooling and certification. The annual meeting ended with a presentation from the four foundation scholarship-funded students graduating from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE: Our team is evaluating the needs of the facility and services in the community, seeking ways to improve care in systematic and efficient ways. We continue to take feedback from the community cafés and input from outreach engagements or patient concerns. Through community involvement and local partners we are able to identify issues with care coordination, access to care (specialty and primary), behavioral health, and navigation of health systems and financial benefits.

We are working closely with the school on health issues, providing therapy services and other screening opportunities. We will be expanding services to the schools of Metlakatla and Petersburg for therapy. 
Petersburg Mental Health Services is helping to develop our integrated care models in the primary care clinic. PMC and PMHS will be working closely together on the MAT SOA grant that was awarded.  

— Phil Hofstetter, CEO, PMC
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
UAA nursing students celebrate graduation
Instructors, family members, and co-workers joined Adam Axmaker, Carolyn Kvernvik, Valaree Nilsen and Audrey Morton to celebrate the completion of the students' associate of applied science degrees in nursing from the University of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, May 2, at a pinning ceremony at the Elks Lodge.

Nichole Mattingly, RN and UAA adjunct faculty, started the event by introducing the students and describing all the obstacles they overcame. Phil Hofstetter, PMC CEO, gave the commencement speech. He explained that serving your own community really extends the quality of care for patients and said he is thrilled to see more community members staying to work at PMC. Jennifer Bryner, PMC chief nursing officer, spoke of fellow nurses and the legacy the students are about to embark on. She then led the graduates and all nurses present in reciting the nurses' pledge of ethics. Finally, RN and UAA adjunct faculty Rosa Niemi pinned each individual student.

▲ Rosa Niemi, RN; graduating students Valaree Nilsen, Audrey Morton, Carolyn Kvernvik, and Adam Axmaker; and Nichole Mattingly, RN, at the pinning ceremony.
▲Jennifer Bryner, PMC chief nursing officer, speaking at the UAA nursing pinning ceremony.
▲ Phil Hofstetter, CEO; Meg Lister, Accounts Payable; and Matt Pawuk, IT, at the finish line of the 7k Lop the Loop run.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Jump into summer with fitness activities in the community!
T ake advantage of fitness activities at Parks and Rec!
• Flex Fit: Mondays & Thursdays 8:30-9:30am, and Saturdays 10:15-11:15am.

Mitkof Dance Studio offers more then just kids' dance classes. Check it out!
• Zumba:
Monday 12:10-12:50pm — Strong
Tuesday 5:30-6:30pm — Zumba
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Friday 9:30-10:30am — Zumba Gold
• Barre: Wednesdays 10:45-11:45am and Saturdays 10:15-11:15am
• Pilates: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 5:45-6:30pm

WAVE wellness classes meet at the Community Center from 10am-1pm the first Saturday of every month.
• Saturday, June 1: Forest Bathing
MEET THE STAFF
Sarah Wright
In 2015, Sarah started working as the Business Office front desk receptionist. She then moved to accounts payable and in the last year has taken on more tasks and roles in the finance department.

Sarah spends her work day paying bills, reconciles accounts payable, contacting vendors, bookkeeping for the Hospital, Foundation and Beat the Odds, covers the front desk when needed and verifying that the Medical Center is being billed accurately. On average, Sarah handles 236 invoices a month. Sarah is also in the process of learning to cover for Controller Ro Tejera.
 
Sarah has been busy finishing online school. This past month she received an A.A.S degree in Business Administration with an accounting emphasis from the University of Alaska Southeast. "I'm taking a break from school for now, but my learning isn't over." Sarah says.
 
When Sarah isn't at work or taking online classes, she is going to roller derby, riding her bike, camping, spending time outdoors with her husband, Chad Wright, and their dogs Khaleesi and Merle. She also enjoys spending time with her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews.
 
Sarah's favorite part about Petersburg is the community. She loves that everyone helps take care of one another. "Petersburg is home, I love it here and can't imagine living anywhere else."
▲ Sarah Wright with husband Chad Wright.
▲Sarah and Chad Wright at the beach.
▲Nancy Higgins, Peggy Reddy, Carol Martinez, Juan Pablo, Ben Linschoten, Margaret Agner and Laurie Miller.
▲ Miriam Swanson
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
Laboratory
The Petersburg Medical Center laboratory is a Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services  Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-certified laboratory. 

The laboratory is operated by Laurie Miller, manager; lab technologists Nancy Higgins, Margaret Reddy, Miriam Swanson, Margaret Agner, and Juan Pable; Carol Martinez, lab assistant; Ben Linschoten, Medical Student; and Maria Wagemaker, lab and imaging receptionist.

Because of Petersburg's unique location on an island in Southeast Alaska, the PMC lab offers a diverse test menu to serve the needs of our small community. Our laboratory testing menu has been specifically designed to meet most routine and emergency patient needs. 

Diagnostic test procedures performed on site are chemistry, hematology, special chemistry, immunohematology, blood gases, toxicology (limited), microbiology, immunology (limited), urinalysis, endocrinology (limited), coagulation, pulmonary function tests, and e lectrocardiogram (ECG).

Cholesterol, triglyceride and blood sugar give more accurate results when performed after fasting (one may not eat anything for 8 to 12 hours before testing but should continue drinking water), most tests do not require fasting and can be collected at a patient's convenience between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., weekdays.

You can find your Lab results on the PMC Patient portal. It is always best to call the Lab if you have any questions prior to your testing.
LONG TERM CARE UPDATE
Spring brings music, Mayfest and sunshine to LTC residents
Residents have been enjoying getting outside, whether on van rides, walks around town, or simply sitting in the fresh air enjoying the sunshine on the 1 st Street “porch.” If you are interested in becoming a volunteer to help take residents to sit in the fresh air this summer, please contact ua at 907-772-4291 ext. 5747 for more information!

So far this May, residents have enjoyed weekly activities such as pet visits, sing along, bingo, devotions, and group dice games. They also enjoyed their monthly baked potato bar with all the fixings, and had their monthly resident council meeting to plan events for next month.

Mayfest was a very busy week of events for the residents! The party kicked off with the annual Hospital Guild Silver Tea in honor of PMC staff. The Hospital Guild has provided much-needed items to our residents, including digital clocks for rooms, a flat-screen for announcements of the day’s weather forecast and scheduled activities, and an attendant-powered wheelchair to assist with getting residents out in the fresh air!

Mayfest brought lots of musical talent to LTC. Many thanks to R.O. Shapiro & Lauren Tronick, Sarah C. Hanson Hofstetter, and Ray Troll & The Ratfish Wranglers for gracing the residents with their musical stylings! The Girl Scouts stopped by and did a gardening project in the raised flower beds, adding plants for the bees and the residents to enjoy throughout the summer. Residents and their guests then enjoyed a party on the “porch” with milkshakes as they watched the Mayfest parade go by. Residents also enjoyed getting out and about and seeing the festivities with friends, family, volunteers, and activities staff throughout the weekend.
▲ Julia Evens, Visitor, Gladys Olsen, LTC resident and Jenna Olsen, clinic manager, visit at LTC on Mothers Day.
▲ LTC resident Annie Lewis having fun with Petersburg Vikings Aaron Phillips, Carolyn Kvernvik and Jake Hammer
Petersburg Medical Center | 907-772-4291 | [email protected]