"My twins were born there and my first child was born there (in the old hospital). When I first discovered I was pregnant with twins, it was like a month before they were born. So, I had to hurry and get doubles of everything, and it was scary to begin with. They had to be transferred to Portland for a week because they were preemies. They had them on a routine where they were a half an hour apart on things, so that kind of helped when I got them home."

- Barbara, volunteer at St. Charles Prineville, recalling when her twin girls were born more than 30 years ago in Prineville

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2019

BEND, Ore. – Central Oregon health care providers and public health departments are working together to raise awareness of safe sleep practices in response to troubling data that suggest the number of infants dying while sleeping is on the rise.

Between 2012 and 2017, 14 Deschutes County children died by suffocation or strangulation while sleeping, according to statistics provided by the state of Oregon. Five of those deaths occurred in 2016 alone, compared to one death in 2012.

The Deschutes County Child Fatality Review—a team of multidisciplinary community agencies that convene twice a year to identify trends and possible interventions—was motivated by the concerning rise in sleep-related infant deaths to create awareness of the problem.

Spearheaded by KIDS Center and St. Charles Health System, a collaborative effort has begun to more proactively share information about safe sleep practices on social media channels and in clinics through the end of June. Summit Medical Group Oregon, Central Oregon Pediatric Associates (COPA), Mosaic Medical and public health departments in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties are also participating.

Dr. Nancy Heavilin, a pediatrician and KIDS Center’s medical director, said the number of infant deaths is a sobering reminder of the importance of safe sleep practices.

“In reviewing the data, it became clear our community needs to talk more about how to safely prepare a baby for sleep,” she said. “With proper education, fatal circumstances can be prevented.”

The leading cause of death for infants 1 month to 1 year old is Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), which includes sleep-related deaths and SIDS, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Logan Clausen, chief medical officer at COPA, said more than 95 percent of SIDS cases are associated with one or more risk factors. The most common risk factors for babies are sleeping on a soft surface, sleeping on their stomach and exposure to parental smoking. Premature babies and low birth weight babies are also at higher risk, as are those who sleep in the same bed as their parents.

“The safest way for babies to sleep is on their back on a firm mattress without any crib bumpers, stuffed animals, thick blankets or pillows in the sleeping area,” Clausen said. “Exposure to any second-hand smoke should also be limited.”

The best way to prevent SUID is to:

1. Put babies to sleep on their back. When they’re too young to turn themselves over, this is the safest way to sleep.
2. Put them to sleep in the same room as their caretaker, but in their own space.
3. Use a firm, flat mattress.
4. Keep the sleep surface clutter-free (skip the bumpers, blankets, pillows and toys.)

Dr. Brooks Booker, a pediatrician at Summit Medical Group Oregon, added, “Be sure to schedule and go to all well-child visits. Your baby will receive important immunizations at these doctor visits. Recent evidence suggests that immunizations may have a protective effect against SIDS.”

For more information about how to help babies sleep safely, visit HealthyChildren.org/SafeSleep. 

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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Grand Rounds - May 17, 2019
"Diagnosis and Treatment of Tourette Syndrome"

Speaker: Rebecca K. Lehman, MD. Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics (Child Neurology), Palmetto Health-University of South Carolina Medical Group

Accreditation: St. Charles Health System is accredited by the Oregon Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians. St. Charles Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)^TM.

Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Claim Credit

Target Audience: Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Allied Health Professionals

Accessibility/Program Questions: St. Charles Health System encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Continuing Medical Education at 541-706-4680, [email protected]. For CME or Clerkship questions, contact Sheila Jordan, MMGT, CHCP, Manager of Continuing Medical Education at 541-706-6780, [email protected].

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2019

Heaven Can Wait 5K celebrates 20 years of life in Central Oregon
Annual race aims to raise $100,000 this year for cancer awareness and support

BEND, Ore. — Heaven Can Wait, a 5K walk/run that brings the Central Oregon community together in a celebration of life, will be held Sunday, June 2, at 9 a.m. in Drake Park.
The event celebrates 20 years this summer and has become one of the area’s largest outdoor athletic events, raising approximately $100,000 annually for St. Charles Cancer Center. Funds raised support Sara’s Project, which provides education, early detection and support services to ease the challenges of breast cancer for people in Central and Eastern Oregon.

Charlene Levesque, a Bend resident, breast cancer survivor and runner, founded the event and recalled hearing the name “Heaven Can Wait” at a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in which she participated shortly after her diagnosis in 1999.

“It was the name of a winning team and it really struck a deep chord with me,” she said. “I thought, ‘Yes! I have a lot more living to do. Heaven can wait.’ So many of our race’s runners have since told me they feel the same way.”

Hosted by St. Charles Foundation and a dedicated team of volunteers, Heaven Can Wait is held at Drake Park the first Sunday in June, which is National Cancer Survivor’s Day.

“Funds raised at this event provide vital support services to people in our community who are battling breast cancer,” said St. Charles Community Engagement Officer Kelly Michel. “Heaven Can Wait 5K has become a way for the community to honor and remember those affected by cancer.”

To participate or volunteer in the 5K walk/run, register at HeavenCanWait.org. For questions related to the event, contact Michelle Solley at 541-706-2693 or [email protected].

About St. Charles Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of St. Charles Health System, the Foundation works to support and improve health care in Central and Eastern Oregon. Private donations raised by the Foundation allow St. Charles to build new medical facilities, purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment, keep pace with the latest technological advances and deliver exceptional patient care in a healing environment. The Foundation does more than just raise money for bricks and mortar. The organization also raises money to support many programs that benefit low-income and uninsured patients.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2019

BEND, Ore. – After two years of construction, St. Charles Bend’s new patient tower is nearly complete. The building will open May 19, building the bridge to the next century of care for Central Oregon.

The public is invited to St. Charles’ Sneak Peek Celebration and Discovery Tour of the tower on Wednesday, May 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. Tours will promptly begin at 4:30 p.m. On event day, follow Loop Road and look for signs for parking.

The largest construction project since the St. Charles Cancer Center, the three-level tower is located on the north end of the Bend campus and houses a 24-bed Intensive Care Unit, a 28-bed Progressive Care Unit and shell space for future development.

“So much thought went into the design of the tower,” said Iman Simmons, St. Charles’ chief operating officer. “We asked our caregivers and patients to envision a modern, functional and healing space. The result is a truly innovative addition to our hospital that is going to improve the care we provide to the community.”

Responding to growing capacity issues at the hospital, St. Charles Health System’s Board of Directors approved the $66 million project in July 2016. NBBJ Architects and Skanska designed and constructed the building, as well a 500-stall parking lot and second water line to the hospital.

“This project represents a significant investment in the future,” said Board Chairman Dan Schuette. “It is a commitment by St. Charles to provide the high level of care our growing communities have come to expect.”

For more information about the Sneak Peek or the tower project, visit http://www.stcharleshealthcare.org/Our-Locations/Bend/New-Bend-Tower-Project.

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2019

BEND, Ore. – St. Charles Health System is pleased to announce it is providing $82,500 in safety net grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Central Oregon.

Schools, food pantries, homeless shelters and health and wellness programs for underserved children are among the 13 nonprofits in the region that are helping meet the critical needs of individuals and families, providing services that prevent or end homelessness and break the cycle of poverty.

Some of the largest safety net grants were awarded to:

• Mountain Star Relief Nursery, which received $10,000 for its well-child initiative;
• Family Access Network (FAN), which received $10,000 for FAN advocate services;
• Bethlehem Inn, which received $10,000 for its Restoring Hope project;
• Kemple Memorial Children’s Dental Clinic, which received $7,500 to provide a dental clinic and a school-based screen and seal program;
• The Giving Plate, which received $7,500 for its monthly food box program and Kid’s Korner;
• Boys & Girls Club of Bend, which received $7,500 for its Family Plus Wraparound Youth and Family programs

Since its inception, St. Charles Health System has been contributing to programs that benefit the communities it serves. By collaborating with other nonprofits in the area, St. Charles aims to implement and support best-practice and evidence-based initiatives that address community needs and improve the overall health of the region.

“St. Charles is very proud to be able to provide support these organizations, all of which provide a great service,” said Carlos Salcedo, St. Charles’ manager of community partnerships. “The 13 organizations we’re funding this year are truly meeting the needs of our community.”

To learn more about St. Charles’ community benefit program, visit StCharlesHealthCare.org.

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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Grand Rounds - April 19, 2019
"Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma: Pearls for the ER Provider"

Speaker: Allen Cheng, MD, DDS, FACS, Head and Neck Surgical Associates. Section Chair, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.

Accreditation: St. Charles Health System is accredited by the Oregon Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians. St. Charles Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)^TM.

Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Claim Credit

Target Audience: Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Allied Health Professionals

Accessibility/Program Questions: St. Charles Health System encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Continuing Medical Education at 541-706-4680, [email protected]. For CME or Clerkship questions, contact Sheila Jordan, MMGT, CHCP, Manager of Continuing Medical Education at 541-706-6780, [email protected].

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2019

BEND, Ore. – Curious about midwifery?

We invite you to take a leisurely stroll along the Deschutes River with a St. Charles Bend midwife. While you get your daily dose of exercise and vitamin D, she’ll explain what makes midwifery services unique and how low-intervention births can be accomplished in a hospital setting.

Starting April 11, our informative new series, “Walk with a Midwife,” will take place the second Thursday of every month—rain or shine—from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at Farewell Bend Park in Bend. We encourage participants to bring water, a snack and lots of good questions!

We hope to see you there.

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2019

BEND, Ore. – Mid Oregon Credit Union has announced it will make a $50,000 gift toward St. Charles Bend’s new patient tower, which is scheduled to open May 19.

“St. Charles is a key community asset that benefits all of Central Oregon, providing access to health care for our members,” said Bill Anderson, CEO of Mid Oregon Credit Union, which serves more than 33,000 people in the region. “Mid Oregon is proud to support the new tower expansion at St. Charles, which will improve access to critical care for our local communities.”

In February, the Tykeson Family Foundation pledged a $1 million contribution toward the project if St. Charles Foundation raises a total of $4 million by April 30. Mid Oregon’s gift is a major step toward helping St. Charles Foundation meet that goal.

“For more than 23 years, Mid Oregon has partnered with us to bring high quality health care to Central Oregon,” said Joe Sluka, president and CEO of St. Charles Health System. “We deeply appreciate the support of Mid Oregon Credit Union and its members, especially as we work to meet the Tykeson family’s challenge.”

St. Charles Health System is responding to the rapid growth of Central Oregon by building the $66 million patient tower, which will feature a 28-bed Progressive Care Unit and 24-bed Intensive Care Unit, as well as another 20,000 square feet of shell space that will be available for future development. The impact of this investment will be immediate. Increasing the Bend hospital’s overall capacity for inpatient care will alleviate bottlenecks throughout the entire health system and help patients receive the focused care they need.

The only level II trauma center east of the Cascades, St. Charles Bend is currently beyond capacity. Nine out 10 inpatient beds are occupied most days. Last year alone, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was forced to transfer nearly 100 patients to other facilities for care.

For more information about the new patient tower or to make a gift to the St. Charles Foundation, contact John Jepson, senior philanthropy officer, at 541-706-6953 or [email protected].

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2019

BEND, Ore. – Pediatric patients have a new advocate and source of support in Jeri Young.

St. Charles Bend’s first-ever child life specialist, Young has already helped a boy with diabetes and needle anxiety do his own finger sticks and injections. She’s prepared a girl needing a tonsillectomy for the operating room and helped assuage her fear and anxiety. And she's helped another girl with needle phobia have an IV started and later, while in the playroom, worked with her to develop a plan for future painful procedures.

Young said her role is to help promote effective coping through play, self-expression activities and age-appropriate medical education. She explains to children what’s going to happen, practices with them deep breathing techniques and talks through the procedure as it’s performed.

“It’s so rewarding to see a situation that’s unfamiliar or can be scary to families and children, and then by the time you work with them and give them the confidence and teach them the skills, they can do it,” said Young, who brings to her position 37 years of experience working as a child life specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs, as well as Shriners Hospitals for Children and Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland.

Funded by more than $140,000 raised by the St. Charles Foundation, the hospital’s child life specialist program was created to help young patients and their families adjust and cope with hospital or clinic settings, illness or injury and the treatments involved. Because children process information much differently from adults, they have distinct needs for managing the effects of stress and trauma.

Child life specialists like Young are trained professionals with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the areas of child life, human development and family studies, child and adolescent development, counseling, special education or similar fields. They have expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events and the importance of their work is well documented.

Reasons to call a child life specialist include:

• Preparation, education and support for procedures or surgeries
• Medical play and therapeutic play needs
• Non-pharmacological pain/stress management techniques
• Difficulty taking oral medications
• Difficulty coping with hospitalization or procedures
• Medical care plan compliance
• New diagnosis or life-changing illness or injury
• Sibling preparation, education and support
• Parent education and support
• Death or impending death

“I think having a child life specialist is something a lot of us have had at children’s hospitals, but it’s an amazing resource you can have that makes the whole hospital more pediatric friendly,” said Dr. Suzanne Mendez, medical director of the pediatric hospitalist program at St. Charles Bend. “For me, it means the kids hopefully can recover faster and they can get through procedures without having to be quite as deeply sedated. And they’re easier for me to examine because they’re not so anxious.”

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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