Phil Ennen, President & CEO of Community Hospitals & Wellness Centers, was speaker for the Montpelier Hospital Auxiliary Monday, Oct. 13th at 1 p.m. in the conference room. Auxiliary President Joyce Schelling called the meeting to order and welcomed all to the first general meeting for the 2014-15 year, and introduced the speaker. The auxiliary presented a $1000 donation to the CHWC Share Foundation from hospital gift shop funds.
Mr. Ennen gave an overview of recent updates at CHWC-Bryan hospital including welcoming Lisa Fedderke, certified nurse midwife, on staff offering services in the New Beginnings Birthing Center. She received her RN degree from Northwest State Community College, BS degree in nursing from Defiance College and master’s degree in nursing specializing in midwifery from Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky. Lisa’s previous experience includes working as a labor and delivery nurse and charge nurse at the Hicksville hospital.
Lisa joins Dr. Watson on the obstetricians team and works closely with collaborating physicians Dr. Ranson and Dr. Tantoco. Midwife’s philosophy centers on the mother delivering and the midwife “catching” the baby, while providing necessary medical support during the birthing process. Under a midwife’s care, mothers have more choices during labor involving pain relief, nutrition choices and option to labor in a water tub which may increase relaxation and comfort. Preparations for the labor water bath will take 4-6 weeks to complete.
Recently Dr. John Buoncore, an osteopath physician, joined Dr. Thomas Kindl at the CHWC Pain Management Clinic at both Bryan and Archbold facilities. Dr. Kindl was fellowship trained in interventional pain at the University of Michigan and Dr. Buonocore was fellowship trained in pain management at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Both are board certified in pain management and anesthesiology.
Patients come to the Pain Management Clinic for spinal pain (especially low back pain), headaches and discomfort in the extremeties. Many times pain is related to arthritis or spinal stenosis and joint-related pain commonly affects the hips, knees and shoulders. The clinic helps patients manage chronic conditions and resulting pain in a sustainable manner.
Treatments include physical, medical, and occupational therapies, medication management and intervention therapy with spinal and extremity injections. Sedation is available for patients receiving injections if necessary to relieve discomfort, but this is not always necessary. Excellent rehabilitation therapy care continues at the Montpelier hospital. The sleep therapy program has increased participation in various studies. The art collection at both the Bryan and Montpelier hospitals has grown and is certainly an asset in conveying an atmosphere of comfort and interest for patients, visitors and staff members.
As requested by the auxiliary, CHWC administrator Phil Ennen presented two “wish list” purchase requests for the Montpelier hospital—a Continuous Visual Memory Test (CVMT) kit costing $214 for neuropsychological counseling and a flat screen TV monitor for the lab to be connected to the emergency department patient tracking system costing $450. Montpelier’s Hospital Auxiliary approved the donations to purchase both items at the meeting Monday. Mr. Ennen thanked the Montpelier Hospital Auxiliary for their continued support.
Questions and answers followed with topics including the recent Ebola virus situation regarding precautions and protocols. Mr. Ennen remarked “We need to be more vigilant about protection from infection…” overall. Other questions were addressed about insurance, hospitalist doctors on staff, continuing search for more surgeons, and need for a urologist and dermatologist, and the plan to open an urgent care at Archbold.
Following the auxiliary prayer, roll call was answered to “What is your favorite autumn activity?”. Reports were given by Secretary Connie Dunseth, Treasurer Barb Dietsch, Gift Shop Manager & Recreation Chr. Vivian Brown, Sunshine Chr. Deanna Gipe, and Magazines Chr. Ruth Cooley. President Joyce reported the auxiliary would have a display during the Rainbow of Wellness program Oct. 16th at the Veteran’s Memorial Building at the fairgrounds.
The auxiliary’s annual Hospital Gift Shop Open House is scheduled Friday, Nov. 7th from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and volunteers are needed. Plans are under way for the “Lighting the Way to Christmas” Memorial Program scheduled Sunday, Dec. 7th at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Montpelier, sponsored by the auxiliary. This program includes reading a roster of names of deceased family and friends, especially those who have passed away during the past year. Anyone wishing to have names included for the program should contact Barb Dietsch, who is in charge of the angels and luminaries program connected with the memorial service.
More volunteers are needed to help in the hospital gift shop, especially Monday and Friday afternoons, weekends and evenings. Volunteers are also requested to work shifts for the Book Fair open to the public scheduled Monday, Nov. 17th in the hospital conference room 10 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Ruth Cooley, Pauline Brillhart, Carol Oberlin, Carol Ericksen and Janet Bennett were thanked for patient favors July thru October. Vivian Brown will do them in November.
The next regular meeting for the auxiliary will be Monday, Nov. 10th at 1 p.m. with guest speaker Tanya Likens who will talk about Ombudsman program. Roll call will be “Who do you know serving in the military or a veteran and what branch of service?”. Auxiliary members are encouraged to bring guests. Auxiliary memberships are available for a nominal dues amount by contacting Barb Dietsch, 485-3229, at the hospital gift shop, or any auxiliary officer.