JULY 2019 COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Petersburg Medical Center Newsletter
▲ PMC staff learned about the telehealth model of care in July during a presentation by two visiting experts who have used telehealth extensively in rural Alaska. The system uses technology to give patients real-time access to specialists and other care providers from a distance.
▲ Eleven 2019 Paddle Battle participants started from Papkes Landing. Troy Larson was the event's fastest paddler.

▲ Paddle Battle participants met in PMC's Dorothy Ingle Conference Room for a safety briefing from Coast Guard officials before the race.
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
Support education for PMC staff, get a chance to win travel
ALASKA AIRLINES RAFFLE: The Petersburg Medical Center Foundation is doing a raffle in correlation with the 2 019 Paddle Battle. All proceeds will go toward furthering education for PMC staff. Alaska Airlines has donated two roundtrip tickets for travel to be booked in the next year. Raffle tickets are priced at $50 each. The drawing will be done live on KFSK on Thursday, Sept. 5. Support a great cause and you might win some free travel!

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: Petersburg Mental Health Services and PMC are working closely together to develop the Medical Assistive Treatment (MAT) program in line with requirements of a state grant recently received. PMC received full funding to increase access to MAT and “wrap-around” services. PMC is moving forward with both Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau and PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center to add services that will increase access to care. These services will begin with tele-psychiatry and general surgery (colonoscopy, endoscopy) clinics. 

SOLARIUM PROJECT : The Petersburg Medical Center Board recently approved the capital budget. The remodel of Long Term Care's solarium was among the approved projects. Construction began Monday, July 26, and workers have been repairing the solarium's sorely dilapidated outer "skin". We anticipate this project to be completed in early August.

— Phil Hofstetter, CEO, PMC
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Wind, clouds didn't deter 26 paddlers in 2019 Paddle Battle
The 6th annual Paddle Battle was Saturday, July 27. Eleven paddlers started from Papkes, eight started from Scow Bay, and seven started from South Harbor. The weather was a mix of overcast skies, tailwinds, and a solid headwind coming into Sandy Beach.

Troy Larson paddled the fastest, completing the 13 miles in about 2.5 hours. The event wrapped up with a barbecue at Sandy Beach, where we raffled off prizes including a grand prize of a $200 Chamber Bucks gift certificate.

Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors who support this event, which raises funds to support continuing education for Petersburg Medical Center employees.

Thank you to Guardian Flight for sponsoring the 2019 Paddle Battle swag and for helping at the event.

Thank you to Hammer & Wikan for food donations, and to our cooks, Adrian Buller and Melva Randrup.

Thank you to our safety boats: a Coast Guard boat; a boat operated by Rocio Tejera, Belinda Chase and Sue Erickson; and our third boat, manned by Chad Wright, Blake Saxson and Hunter Campbell.
Kaitlin DuRoss and Matt Pawuk paddle boarded the race from Papkes!
▲ Jessica Hyatt and Riley Little were among the Guardian Flight representatives who helped before and the day of the Paddle Battle.
▲ Matt Pawuk paddle boarding at the Paddle Battle. Summer is a great time to get out and get fit with an outdoor adventure or a simple walk.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Stay fit all summer!
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:
Mondays 12:10-12:50pm — Strong
Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm — Zumba
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays 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
MEET THE STAFF
And she even loves the rain: Janet Kvernvik committed to Petersburg and PMC
Born and raised in Montana, Janet Kvernik thought she would come to Alaska to work for just a year or two after finishing college.

Thirty years later, Janet is still in Petersburg, and still in the same job she accepted in 1989: Health information manager at Petersburg Medical Center.

"She's a go-getter—not only at work, but for her community as well," says Tammy Strickland, a medical coder on Janet's staff.

It all started during Janet's last few months of schooling, when she was assigned to send out resumes. Interested in branching out from Montana and intrigued by Alaska, she sent resumes to Juneau, Ketchikan, Fairbanks and Kodiak.

But it was Pete rsburg Medical Center that called her, about a job as health information manager. Knowing there was an opening at PMC, Juneau had forwarded Janet's resume to Petersburg.

Janet went to her local library to look up Petersburg, Alaska. "Oh—rainy and small," she thought. "Looks great!" Janet sold her two horses and moved to Petersburg with her dog Blue in 1989 to begin her new job.

Kvernvik has taken on many responsibilities during her 30 yea rs with PMC. Her current added daily duties include running medical staff meetings and doing inpatient and emergency room coding.

Shortly after moving to Petersburg, Janet met her Kurt Kvernvik at the local bar, Kitos. Kurt invited Janet to dinner the next night and they were married that October 1990. Kurt and Janet have two daughters, Carolyn and Adanna.

Though Janet thought she would be in Alaska only for a year or two, she quickly realized Petersburg was home for good. She loves how the community takes care of one and another.

And she "loves the weather," she says as it rains outside. 
▲ Janet Kvernvik (center) and medical coding staffers Belinda Chase and Tammy Strickland dressed up as doctors for Halloween 2017.

▲ Janet Kvernvik with husband Kurt and daughters Carolyn and Adanna.
▲ Dr. Cortney Hess and Dr. Jennifer Hyer.

▲ The clinic staff includes (from left): Medical assistants Jessica Franklin and Abbey Hardie; Elizabeth Poole, nurse practitioner; Sheena Canton, receptionist; and medical assistants Vikki Franklin, Steven Aikins, Bessie Johnson, and Kelly Bieber.
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
Joy Janssen Clinic keeps Petersburg healthy
If you live in Petersburg, chances are good you've visited Petersburg Medical Center's Joy Janssen Clinic.

Our skilled staff members—from doctors to social worker to medical coders—work together as a team to deliver services ranging from acupuncture to minor surgery to preventive screenings.

Here are some of the services available at the clinic:
  • Preventative care and screening tests
  • Women’s health and obstetrical care
  • Botox
  • Acupuncture
  • Diabetes screening and monitoring
  • Holter monitoring
  • Department of Transportation and sports physicals
  • Osteopathic manipulation 
  • Minor surgical procedures 
  • Pediatric care
  • Chiropractic care
  • Psychotherapy
  • Medication assisted treatment

Our clinic staff includes:
  • Patrick Sessa, licensed clinical social worker;
  • Rodney Anderson, chiropractor;
  • Elizabeth Poole, nurse practitioner;
  • Four doctors: Dr. Selina Burt, Dr. Cortney Hess, Dr. Jennifer Hyer, and Dr. Mark Tuccillo;
  • Lena Odegaard and Jenna Olsen, registered nurses (Olsen also manages the clinic);
  • Ten medical assistants: Steven Aikins, Kelly Bieber, Jessica Franklin, Vikki Franklin, Abbey Hardie, Julie Hursey, Bessie Johnson, Valaree Nilsen, Anthony Vinson, and Whitney Wood;
  • Two clinical medical records coders: Belinda Chase and Abi Johnson;
  • Three receptionists: Kari Baekkelund, Sheena Canton and Kari Petersen.

The clinic also currently has two students: Alex Pelman, a physician's assistant, and medical student Lingga Adidharma.

We're open six days a week to provide medical care to the community! Our hours:

  • Monday through Friday, 8am–5pm 
  • Saturday walk-in clinic: 8am–12pm
  • Saturday by appointment only: 1–4:30pm
LONG TERM CARE UPDATE
Blind Slough picnic and new songbooks among July highlights at LTC
In July, PMC's Long Term Care residents celebrated Independence Day with a parade-viewing party and root-beer floats. Some participated in the parade as well!

Our July picnic at Blind Slough brought a nice change of scenery for the residents and an opportunity to socialize with old and new friends from the community. Despite the rain, residents stayed warm by the fire and dry under the shelter, enjoying live music from Alec and Nicole McMurren and Sarah and Phil Hofstetter. A big thank you to all the community members and staff that joined them for the picnic or volunteered their time to make this a special and memorable day for the residents.

Residents continued to enjoy their weekly scheduled activities throughout July, including sing-along hour on Tuesdays. Activities staff have completed new song lyric books that include old favorites and some new special requests. The residents invite the community to come join them for sing-along fun every Tuesday at 1pm! 

The residents are now looking forward to their August picnic, scheduled for Saturday, August 24, at noon at Sandy Beach. To attend or help with the picnic, please contact Activities at 907-772-2345, extension 5747 .
▲ Grace Bieber, LTC Activities assistant, with LTC resident Donald Ramsay.

▲ LTC resident Annie Lewis and Liz Bacom, Quality/Infection Prevention manager, at the Blind Slough picnic.
Petersburg Medical Center | 907-772-4291 | pmcweb@pmc-health.org