They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here’s a good one:

Now, let me provide a bit of context: The pandemic deeply impacted our workforce, just as it did businesses and health care organizations worldwide. We lost colleagues to COVID-related illness and death, many folks switched careers or left the workplace altogether, and the pipeline of new recruits all but dried up. By 2022, St. Charles was battling a significant workforce shortage that was hindering our ability to discharge patients and causing serious capacity concerns in our hospitals and clinics.

This trend started to stabilize last year, but as recently as 12 months ago, as you can see, we weren’t yet rebuilding. Last December, the health system saw two more people leave the organization (62) than we hired (60). Not good, and certainly not good enough to replenish our ranks and restore our teams and our culture.

Since then, we have significantly bolstered our retention and recruitment efforts, and the graph above shows that those measures are steadily paying off. October was our best month yet, with 132 caregivers hired and 37 departures. This is what rebuilding a workforce looks like.

The difference between those numbers – 95 more hires than departures in October – is the highest it has been in a year. Year to date, our number of voluntary departures and our number of new hires are vastly improved compared with during the pandemic.

Over the past year our overall vacancy rate has dropped steadily, from nearly 20% in January to 14% in October – again, our lowest number in the past year. We’ll never get to zero — some level of turnover is healthy — but we are back to pre-pandemic baselines and our pipeline of candidates remains strong.

How are we doing it? There is no simple answer, but factors include our health system’s re-commitment to building a great work culture, supporting our supervisors and managers, our recent expansion of behavioral health benefits for caregivers, our robust education and career-advancement programs and, of course, wage increases we implemented earlier this year. It also helps that, for most people, getting a job with St. Charles means getting to live and work in wonderful Central Oregon.

When we say our priority is our people at St. Charles, we mean it. The progress we are making with our workforce is proof that we back that belief up with action. And we take action because we know that to provide the best possible care for the communities we serve, we need world-class caregivers.

I am grateful to all of them – the new arrivals, the long-timers and everyone in between – for their tremendous work.

Sincerely,
Steve

The Bend hospital’s in-house program – known as Art in the Hospital, but dormant since before the COVID-19 pandemic – has been revived, thanks largely to the efforts of Lee Copeland, supervisor of guest services.

The current installation of wildlife photography can be viewed near the entrance to the cafeteria, where it wraps around toward the elevators on the hospital’s second floor.

With a goal of using local professional artists to create a cohesive program, Copeland visited area galleries and “looked at a lot of art,” she said. The first to accept her invitation to participate was Dawn Emerson, a Terrebonne artist whose art is displayed at the Peterson Contemporary Art gallery in Bend. She contributed pieces inspired by an article Emerson read about circuses no longer using elephants as part of their shows.

“Contemporary art isn't for everybody,” Copeland said, “but I know the bright colors were a welcome sight after years with blank walls.”

The latest installation features wildlife photography by Sue Dougherty of Off Leash Photography, a well-known former veterinarian in town who won the 2020 Audubon Award for Best Professional Photographer Picture. The theme is “fall/winter,” with photos taken in Alaska, British Columbia, Yellowstone National Park and Sunriver.

All the art is for sale, with contact information posted next to each piece, and there are also card packs and calendars of the art available in the Gift Store.

However the viewer engages with the art, Copeland believes the program can provide patients, visitors and caregivers with more than just something to look at as they move through the hospital.

“Whether you’re dealing with tragedy and loss, a stressful situation or just the everyday grind of life, seeing the beauty that can be created by humans is inspirational,” she said. “It's invigorating and is a catalyst to becoming your best self.”

Amanda Davis loves her job as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at St. Charles Madras, but has always been interested in the work that she saw the nurses doing. 

She frequently found herself wanting to be more hands-on in the patient care experience. Having also previously worked in hospice care and retirement homes, Davis had often experienced frustration at the limits to which she could help patients. 

“I wanted to be able to do more for my patients. I wanted to have the knowledge to explain things and work with the doctors to make sure (the patients) were comfortable and getting the best possible care. Getting into the CNA cohort fueled my drive to go further,” said Davis, 25. 

She hoped to complete her college prerequisites and then attend Central Oregon Community College's nursing program, but her life hit a rough patch. She struggled with housing and had to take a break from school without knowing how or when she would be able to continue paying tuition. She credits her manager Kelli Jo Hammack for informing her about all the resources St. Charles had for its employees, including a scholarship fund for employees through the St. Charles Foundation.

“I love Kelli Jo, I’ve never had any boss like her,” Davis said. “She supports everyone in what they want to do and will find ways to help. One day I was telling her that I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to pay for school, and she told me about the scholarship program and even wrote a recommendation letter for me.”

Davis quickly applied and was thrilled to be awarded a scholarship. Davis appreciated that the application, instead of focusing on numbers or basic yes/no questions, provided her with the chance to explain her circumstances and financial need.

“I don’t believe in taking money when I don’t really need it, but I definitely needed help with that," said Davis. “Something I love about St. Charles is the resources they have for their caregivers, and the support you can feel from management. You always have opportunities to train in other departments and grow to become more knowledgeable.”

Davis hopes to complete her nursing degree by 2027 and spend the first 5-10 years of her career getting experience in various fields like hospice, mental health and medical-surgery. She would like to eventually end up specializing in wound care, an area that she became passionate about in her job as a CNA. She also plans to spend her career at the Madras hospital, where she was born and where she spent many years volunteering as a child alongside her mother Angel Davis, who has also worked there for 30 years.

In the meantime, Davis keeps the letter announcing her scholarship pinned above her desk at home where she does her schoolwork. “I’m super grateful and thankful that I was able to get the scholarship and have that extra help to make sure I could afford to go to school. Maybe someone will read my story and be inspired to apply and follow their dreams too.”

Davis is one of 22 individuals receiving more than $55,000 in scholarships in 2023 from the St. Charles Foundation. The scholarship fund is one of many ways the organization helps support the health of Central Oregonians. Learn more about the efforts of the St. Charles Foundation.

This year, the St. Charles Foundation is celebrating one of its largest-ever group of scholarship recipients with 22 individuals receiving more than $55,000 in scholarships in 2023. The scholarships fund secondary education and training for current St. Charles staff members pursuing careers in health care, such as nursing, pharmacy, phlebotomy, etc.  

Amanda Davis, who currently serves as a certified nursing assistant at St. Charles Madras, is one of this year’s recipients and is using the funding to become a nurse. She says receiving the scholarship from St. Charles Foundation allowed her to continue to pursue her goals, after a rough patch forced her to leave school and struggle with housing. Davis keeps the letter announcing her scholarship pinned above her desk at home where she does her schoolwork. “I’m super grateful and thankful that I was able to get the scholarship and have that extra help to make sure I could afford to go to school.”

Jenny O’Bryan, executive director for the St. Charles Foundation, says funding scholarships is one of the exciting ways that philanthropy is strengthening our community.

“On Giving Tuesday, we are excited to celebrate our scholarship recipients and all of the generous donors in our community who understand the powerful positive impact giving can have. This scholarship program is not only enriching the recipients’ lives, but also supporting our local higher education systems, growing our economy and helping develop a highly-trained health care workforce,” said O’Bryan. “These scholarship recipients are hard-working caregivers who just need a little boost to take them to the next level. We are so proud to be able to support them as they pursue their dreams.”

The scholarship fund is one of many ways the Foundation helps support the health of Central Oregonians. Learn more about the efforts of the St. Charles Foundation: https://foundation.stcharleshealthcare.org/.  

About St. Charles Foundation

The mission of St. Charles Foundation is to support St. Charles Health System in the delivery and advancement of world-class health care in Central Oregon and achieve its strategic goals. Philanthropic donations fund innovation in programming, building expansions and initiatives that improve the patient experience. The St. Charles Foundation works with the community to develop and steward philanthropic resources to fund programs and capital projects that improve health, prevent disease, enhance quality of life and provide the highest quality care possible for all St. Charles patients now and in the future.

St. Charles Health System announced today the first round of grant recipients aimed at reducing feelings of loneliness and social isolation while fostering a sense of belonging in the communities it serves. Eight local community organizations received more than $80,000 in grants as part of St. Charles’ Community Benefit grant, Celebrate, Together: Celbrando Juntos. This grant priority will continue for the next three years, and new recipients will be announced each year.

For the Council on Aging of Central Oregon, receiving a grant for $10,000 helped transform the nonprofit’s Caring Connections program, which started during the pandemic to combat social isolation among seniors. The program currently pairs 45 seniors with volunteers for weekly phone calls. Thanks to the grant, the council hosted the first of many in-person meeting for these pairs, some of whom had been talking to one another weekly for two years but had not met in person.

“Seeing those first hugs and moments of connection was incredible,” said Emma Fried-Cassorla, director of communication and programming for the council. “We can’t do these programs without this kind of funding. We rely on our partner organizations like St. Charles who understand the importance of connection and the powerful positive difference these programs can make in our community.”  

Organizations receiving grants in this first round include:

• Council on Aging of Central Oregon, which received funding for in-person meetings of Caring Connections (which pairs participants with volunteers for weekly connections)

• La Pine Middle School, which received funding to bring social connections through Challenge Day

• National Alliance of Mental Illness of Central Oregon, which received funding to help fund the NAMI Gather program to help those with mental illness and their loved ones forge new social connections  

• Oregon Adaptive Sports, which received funding to help individuals with disabilities to participate in a variety of summer programs

• Parousia, dbaSriPonya, which received funding for a variety of youth activities in Warm Springs

• Redmond Senior Center, which received funding to increase opportunities for social engagement and interaction

• Shepherd’s House Ministries, which received funding to support community and connection activities for individuals who are experiencing homelessness

• Trust for Public Land, which received funding to support a community schoolyard at Madras Elementary School

“We recognize that community members are craving opportunities to come together, meet new people and rebuild their social networks coming out of COVID. From in-person social events for seniors to new youth opportunities in Warm Springs, we believe that these grants will help make a positive impact in reducing loneliness and bolstering belonging in Central Oregon,” said Carlos Salcedo, St. Charles manager of community partnerships.

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, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, nonprofit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,500 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.

Vestibular (inner ear) Physical Therapy is a science-driven, evidence-based specialty area of Physical Therapy that addresses common disorders of the vestibular and central balance systems. Our team of physical therapists includes certified neurologic specialists, and therapists experienced in vestibular rehabilitation and BPPV repositioning maneuvers. Our therapy programs are based on a comprehensive musculoskeletal, balance, gait and vestibular assessment. This allows us to develop a customized plan to address patients’ unique challenges.

We can help address dizziness and related issues, such as vertigo, lightheadedness, imbalance, oscillopsia (visual blurring) and motion sensitivity. We have diagnostic and exercise technology for vestibular rehabilitation, including infrared goggles that record eye movement and a Neurocom Balance Manager to assess use of balance systems.

Our vestibular specialist team of Physical Therapists have experience working with diagnoses of:

Inner Ear Problems

• BPPV
• Vestibular Neuritis
• Labyrinthitis
• Vestibular Hypofunction
• Acoustic Neuroma
• PPPD

Neurologic Disorders

• Parkinson’s Disease
• Cerebellar Disorders
• Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
• Concussion
• TBI
• Stroke
• Multiple sclerosis
• Vestibular Migraine

UPDATE: Tickets have been sold out!

Tickets are available now for the 32nd annual Prineville Hospice Auction at the Crook County Fairgrounds indoor arena in Prineville on Dec. 2. The auction raises funds to support St. Charles’ hospice programs. The popular event includes a live auction of elaborately decorated Christmas trees and handmade quilts, as well as a buffet dinner, raffle and silent auction.  

“This is a wonderful tradition that builds community and celebrates the holiday season, all while raising money for a worthwhile cause,” said Jenny O’Bryan, executive director for the St. Charles Foundation. “Tickets are selling out quickly, so we encourage anyone interested in getting one while they still last.”

Starting this year, individuals can now purchase tickets online at hospiceauction.org. Advanced tickets are required.

Doors for the event open at 4:30 p.m., dinner begins at 6 and the auction begins at 7 p.m. A preview of the trees and quilts will take place Saturday from noon to 1 p.m.

Last week, St. Charles Madras hosted a team of medical executives from the Japan Association for Development of Community Medicine (JADECOM), who were visiting the area as part of an effort to learn more about rural family medicine in the US. The collaborative visit included seven executives from Japan as well as representatives from OHSU Department of Family Medicine, which has a longstanding exchange program for medical residents, students, and physicians from Japan (learn more about the program). For years, the OHSU exchange program brought physicians to other rural areas in Oregon, but beginning this year, St. Charles Madras will host a portion of the exchange program. This is one of the many benefits of new Three Sisters Rural Track residency program, which will welcome its first class of residents in 2024.

This October, the team from Japan visited the OHSU campus and then came to Madras, so the executives could learn more about how rural family medicine is handled here and see where residents pursuing rural family medicine would train during their visits.

Dr. Daisuke Yamashita, associate professor of family medicine with OHSU, said the visit was successful and the team enjoyed seeing the health campus in Madras, which connects public health, Mosaic Community Medical (the federally qualified health center) and the hospital.

“This is an opportunity to reflect on and recognize the common threads that are universal in our health care systems, despite the differences in circumstances and cultures. This provides an opportunity to recognize strengths and areas of improvement,” Yamashita said.

Dr. Jinnell Lewis, director of the Three Sisters Rural Track Program, said in addition to providing a chance to collaborate and learn, this exchange is also special for the Madras community in particular. For many years Madras has had a sister city in Japan, Tomi City, and students have an exchange program between the two towns.

“This deepening of our connection with Japan and its medical community is one of the many benefits of the partnership we have with OHSU through the Three Sisters Rural Track residency program,” Lewis said.

St. Charles Urology specializes in medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive organs. We provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment or surgical options to best fit your needs.

St. Charles Urology’s highly skilled and experienced team is committed to providing you with exceptional care, because your urological health is important to us. We will partner with your referring primary provider to determine the appropriate course of treatment and ensure the best possible outcome for you.

We offer evaluation and treatment of:

• Urinary tract disorders, including infections

• Kidney stones and kidney disease

• Incontinence and overactive bladder

• Male sexual health

• Prostate health

• Urological cancers

Our specialized services include:

• Urodynamics

• Bladder instillation: BCG, Botox

• Prostate biopsy

• PTNS

• Voiding trials

• Catheterization

• Vasectomy

Because urological conditions can cause embarrassment or discomfort, we emphasize sensitivity and discretion when dealing with all issues and concerns.

I read a story today that warmed my heart.

It was about a St. Charles caregiver named Desiree, who works in our Prineville Family Care clinic, and her 12-year-old daughter Zoe, who was born with an aortic valve that didn’t quite work right.

Desiree always knew Zoe would need heart surgery someday, but a growth spurt accelerated that need to this past summer. The family learned in June that Zoe would need the procedure, and within days it was scheduled for mid-July.

That’s great from a care perspective. But for Desiree, it came with added stress: Not anticipating the surgery, she had used her available time off, and her situation didn’t qualify for family medical leave or short-term disability.

Suddenly, she found herself facing the prospect of a two-week stay with Zoe in Portland, and no paycheck to help cover the bills. For a moment, she thought she might have to choose between accompanying Zoe and paying her rent.

That’s where St. Charles Cares comes into the picture. A fund of the St. Charles Foundation, the Cares fund supports our caregivers who experience economic hardship and are unable to afford housing, utilities or other basic living needs because of circumstances beyond their control.

A colleague encouraged Desiree to apply for Cares funding, and she was awarded $1,500 to help cover her rent, reducing her bills and allowing her to take off work and be with her daughter in Portland, where she could focus on helping Zoe recover. (I’m happy to report that Zoe is doing great, by the way.)

St. Charles Cares distributes about $17,000 annually and is funded by donations from the community as well as our own caregivers, who give generously because they know their money will go to help one of their own when they need it most.

In fact, our annual internal fundraising campaign – Giving Together: One St. Charles – is underway as we speak. If you’d like to support our caregivers and their support of each other, you can do so on the Foundation’s website by using the drop-down menu to designate your donation for “Caregiver Support.”

It is this spirit – caring for each other as we care for the communities we serve – that makes St. Charles a special place. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of it.

Sincerely,
Steve