JUNE 2019 COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Petersburg Medical Center Newsletter
▲PMC managers attended a financial training with Cynthia Brandt.

▲CEO Phil Hofstetter speaking at the PMC employee forum on June 6.

▲Petersburg Trooper Cody Lister leads a mental health first aid training. Participants learned skills that can help prevent suicide.
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
Seattle firm selected to coordinate new hospital project plans
MASTER PLANNING: Several firms submitted project coordination proposals for the new Petersburg hospital project. NAC Archi tecture, a Seattle-based firm, was selected at a special session of the board. Grant funds from the Denali Commission are making these early planning steps possible!  

We are still in the first phase of the master planning process: project articulation. We continue to stress the importance of a smart design, particularly in the current climate of budget cutting. Planning for critical access hospital status is becoming more important as we prepare for the future of healthcare in rural Alaska.

INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE: Our team at PMC is evaluating the needs of the facility and services in the community to make needed improvements in a systematic, efficient manner. Through community involvement and coordination with local partners, we are identifying needs in the areas of care coordination, access to care (specialty and primary), behavioral health, and navigation of health systems and financial benefits. 

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID: On June 18, PMC hosted Alaska's Area Health Education Center (AHEC) to provide mental health first aid training. Staff from PMC, WAVE, Public Health, Mental Health and the Borough were present. This 8-hour training teaches participants to recognize signs of mental illness or substance use disorders, as well as how to provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or crisis. 

— Phil Hofstetter, CEO, PMC
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Annual Paddle Battle to fund education for PMC staff
The Petersburg Medical Center Foundation was established in April 1990 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to support and assist PMC. 

Every year the foundation hosts the
Paddle Battle in the Narrows fundraiser. This year's Paddle Battle—set for Saturday, July 27—will raise funds to help PMC employees advance professional health and wellness education. This will help PMC meet ongoing community needs. 

A community barbecue will follow the Paddle Battle, which has three starting places and times. Here is the schedule:

• Papkes: 10:00am 
• Scow Bay: 12:00pm
• South Harbor: 12:30pm 
• Sandy Beach BBQ: 1:00pm 

Get involved! Register online at www.pmcak.org or at the PMC business office. For more information, to sponsor the event or to volunteer, please call Kelsey Lambe @772-5737 or email klambe@pmc-health.org 
Our 2019 Paddle Battle logo contest winner was Emma Engell with this logo.

▲2018 Paddle Battle participants.
Petersburg Parks and Rec Color Run is scheduled for July 4.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Stay fit all summer!
T ake advantage of summer health and wellness events
• June 29: Tongass Toughman Triathlon (Wrangell) 
• July 4: Color Run
• July 27: Paddle Battle
• July 28: Bearfest Run (Wrangell)


WAVE wellness classes meet at the Community Center from 10am-1pm the first Saturday of every month.
Saturday, July 6: Outdoor Painting

MEET THE STAFF
Coming to the clinic?
Sheena Canton will get you where you need to go!
Sheena Canton has spent the last nine years in the Petersburg Medical Center Clinic as the front desk receptionist.

Sheena spends her day answering phones, scheduling appointments, and pre-checking appointments and insurances for the current and next day. She checks patients in and helps people navigate to the right assistant or physician based on their needs.

" She goes above and beyond in everything she does—not only for patients, but for her coworkers as well," notes Abi Johnson, from PMC's Medical Records Department.

"Sheena takes the extra step to comfort and care for patients and works to build positive relationships with them," Johnson explained. "As a coworker, she brightens up each day with her sense of humor, sparkling 'good morning!' and persevering attitude!"

S heena was born in Petersburg. She spent her younger years in Petersburg but moved away to Washington. After graduating from high school, she moved back to Petersburg. That summer she ventured to Bristol Bay to gill net, but once again returned to Petersburg and has lived here every since.

Sheena married Logan Canton in August 2017. They bought a home earlier this year for themselves and their two dachshunds, Moses and Walter.

Sheena spends her free time reading books, taking the dogs for walks, learning to raise chickens, volunteering at PMC's fire department as an ETT 1, and occasionally assisting patients outside of the clinic. Sheena also has a passion for music and singing.
▲ When she's not brightening the PMC clinic front desk area with her positive attitude, Sheena Canton is learning to raise chickens at home!

▲The Clinic staff having fun!
▲ Dietary staff members (from left): Fillmore Evenson, Brandon Wagemaker, Shaylyn Buller, Jean Osborne, Shara McMullen and Marvetta Ronimous.

▲ Dietary staff members (from left): Becky Meyers, Jean Osborne, Lidia Wickersham and Cindy Fisher.
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
Dietary staff create nutritious and delicious meals for PMC patients and residents
Good nutrition is critical for hospital patients and people living in a long-term care facility.

Petersburg Medical Center's Dietary Department specializes in serving these patients and residents daily meals that are a ttractive, flavorful, and nutritious !

Staff dietitian Margaret Fleming makes quarterly visits to assess individual needs of each resident and patient. The dietary staff then carefully ensure that PMC residents and patients are served healthy foods they will enjoy. Special diets are accommodated, and staff pay attention to personal likes and dislikes.

The department is managed by Shara McMullen. In addition to the staff dietitian, her team includes:
• Shaylyn Buller, assistant manager;
• Cooks Becky Meyers, Marvetta Ronimous, Brandon Wagemaker, and Cindy Fisher;
• Prep cook Jean Osborne;
• Lidia Wickersham, steam table aide; and
• Dietary aides Fillmore Evenson and Teddy Hutchison.

PMC's kitchen is open from 5:00am to 8:00pm. Staff members spend their days prepping meals and snacks for residents and their visitors. When setting up trays, staff make sure each resident receives the correct food for their diet—including the foods they like the best. When not prepping meals, staff are cleaning, doing dishes, and restocking foods in the kitchen and at Long Term Care.

The Dietary Department has high standards for cleanliness and infection control, and takes pride in keeping the kitchen clean and prepared for frequent inspections by regulatory agencies.

The standard meal schedule is:
• Breakfast: 8:00 am
• Lunch: 12:30 pm
• Supper: 5:30 pm
• Snack: 8:00 pm
LONG TERM CARE UPDATE
Sunshine, pets, picnics, and fun outings make summer special at LTC
Happy SUMMER!  The residents got out and about and socialized at their first picnic of the 2019 summer season at Sandy Beach. They were joined by many staff and community members as well! Thank you to all who joined the picnic or volunteered time to make this a fun outing for residents.
 
The month of June has brought sunshine and some special occasions. Two residents had birthday celebrations with special cakes in the company of friends, family and staff. Activities staff members have been helping residents soak up the sun with impromptu outings; you may have seen our folks sitting outside the hospital covered area, hanging out at the whale observatory eating ice cream, going on walks about town, or enjoying van or car rides. For Father’s Day, residents enjoyed a coffee klatch with friends and relations to honor the fathers, grandpas, and special men in their lives. Many animal visitors stopped by this month for snuggles and pets. Residents continue to enjoy the birds and fish here at LTC—and especially enjoy the company of the children that stop in to see these pets! 
 
The residents look forward to wrapping up the month with a picnic at noon on Friday, June 29, at Blind Slough. If you plan to attend and would like to help transport items to the picnic, please contact activities staff at 907-772-5747.
▲ June Vick celebrates her dice game win.

▲ LTC Activities volunteers were celebrated with a party in June.

▲ LTC resident Raymond Dugaqua and Adam Axemaker, RN, at a picnic at Sandy Beach.
Petersburg Medical Center | 907-772-4291 | pmcweb@pmc-health.org