FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 8, 2019

ONA to hold informational picket at St. Charles Bend

The Oregon Nurses Association plans to hold an informational picket Jan. 21 at 2500 NE Neff Rd. It is not a labor strike or work stoppage.
St. Charles Health System and the ONA — which represents about 915 nurses on the Bend campus — have been negotiating a three-year contract since early June. The bargaining teams have met 24 times including several sessions with a federal mediator and have resolved most of the language changes in the contract. Nearly all contract language related to nurse staffing has been agreed upon. Outstanding issues include wages, benefits, the grievance process and unit practice committees.

“We respect our nurses and their right to hold this informational picket,” said St. Charles Bend President Aaron Adams. “While we have made much progress on the contract over the past six months, we have not yet reached a final agreement. We look forward to meeting again at the bargaining table later this week.”

The hospital will continue to operate normally during this event and is committed to providing the best possible care to the community.

“The majority of remaining issues have to do with wages and benefits,” Adams said.

The outstanding articles cover the process by which the nurses grieve disputes; continuing education; how nurses are selected for unit practice committees and incorporating some language from St. Charles Prineville’s contract. None of these items relate to patient safety or safe staffing.

“We value our nurses and are proud that they are among some of the highest paid in the nation,” he said. “We are committed to continue the hard work needed at the negotiating table to reach an agreement.”

In order to protect our patients and their privacy, we ask that members of the media stay near the picket outside of hospital property when conducting interviews. Contact Lisa Goodman if you wish to be escorted onto the hospital grounds.

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 and Sisters. 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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Community invited to attend May 16 St. Charles Family Care in La Pine grand opening

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2018

LA PINE, Ore. — St. Charles Health System is celebrating the completion of its newest family care clinic at 51781 Huntington Road in La Pine with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house event May 16 at 5 p.m.

St. Charles Family Care in La Pine will serve the community of La Pine and nearby underserved communities, including Sunriver, Gilchrist, Crescent, Chiloquin, Chemult, Christmas Valley, Silver Lake and Fort Rock. Along with expanding services, the clinic will provide a medical home for the region that coordinates care throughout St. Charles Health System with the central point of access — primary care physicians — close to home.

“We’re so excited to celebrate the grand opening of our new clinic,” said John Weinsheim, president of St. Charles Medical Group. “This clinic, which will provide primary care, Immediate Care, radiology, lab, occupational and specialty services, will be a medical home to south county residents.”

St. Charles Foundation is celebrating raising $1.2 million to help fund the project. The Foundation received cash and pledges from individuals, foundations and businesses who want to see expanded health care in the south county area.

“With the help of our dedicated team of volunteers and the support of the Central Oregon community, we’re making this much-needed clinic a reality,” said Corinne Martinez, capital campaign co-chair. “There are still naming opportunities and bricks available to commemorate this milestone in our community.”

There will be limited parking available at the site for the grand opening celebration. Attendees are encouraged to take a shuttle from the La Pine Senior Activity Center at 16450 Victory Way. Shuttle rides will begin at 4:45 p.m. The event will begin with guest speakers, followed by a ribbon cutting and open house.

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 and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 3,800 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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St. Charles Madras is excited to announce that it has completed the third and final phase of its hospital remodel and expansion. Starting Dec. 11, the new main entrance off A Street is open to all patients and visitors.

The third and final phase of the renovation project included expanding the laboratory, enhancing the hospital entrance and parking areas, and connecting the new central registration and waiting area with the older part of the hospital.

“It’s so exciting to finish a project that we promised to the community,” said John Bishop, president of St. Charles Madras and St. Charles Prineville. “The additions and changes we’ve made to our hospital are truly going to enhance the quality and safety of patient care and serve Jefferson County and beyond for many years to come.”

The news media are invited to tour the newly open areas on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m. with Bishop, starting in the new central registration and waiting area.

In 2014, the St. Charles Board of Directors approved the $16 million project, which has added 26,000 square feet to the facility and enhanced outpatient and primary care services. The 25-bed critical access hospital—which serves 21,000 people in Madras and surrounding communities—was built in 1967 and did not meet standards of care when St. Charles acquired it through an asset transfer in 2013. The transaction included a significant infusion of capital into the hospital for the much-needed facility upgrades.

As part of the same project, the St. Charles Madras Emergency Department was expanded and enhanced, and a new surgical suite and Imaging department were constructed, all of which were completed last summer.

“We can all be very proud of this upgraded and renovated hospital, which offers quality health care close to home,” said Mack Gardner, a Madras resident and St. Charles Health System board member. “We can certainly thank those community visionaries back in the mid 1960s and subsequent hospital boards who all laid the ground work for today’s 21st century Madras hospital.”

The Madras community is invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 12 celebrating the completion of the two-year project. The ceremony will be held in the new central registration and waiting area of St. Charles Madras at 8 a.m.

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 and Sisters. 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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BEND, Ore. - St. Charles Health System said Friday it has awarded more than $50,000 in Your Life Matters Suicide Prevention grants to organizations that work to normalize mental health and build resiliency through education, prevention and intervention.
Priority was given to organizations that focus on middle-age men, veterans, seniors and marginalized communities and whose funding priority was either suicide prevention or providing protective factors by creating meaningful connections or building healthy behaviors.
This year’s recipients include:

• Human Dignity Coalition, for LGBTQ suicide prevention
• United Way of Deschutes County, for TRACEs (Trauma, Resilience and Adverse Childhood Experiences) partnership
• Council on Aging of Central Oregon, for congregate dining
• Redmond Area Park and Recreation District, for Hero Pass
• Central Oregon Medical Society, for Central Oregon Medical Society Healthcare Professional Wellness Program
• Big Brothers Big Sisters, for LGBTQ specialty mentoring

Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States and the eighth-leading cause of death in Oregon, according to the Centers for Disease Control. To help combat this preventable public health tragedy, St. Charles’ sole community benefit focus for the 2017-2019 funding cycle is suicide prevention.

Suicide prevention was identified as a priority based on the 2017-2019 Community Health Needs Assessment, which brought together population health data, input from community members, community survey results and analysis of available community resources to address health needs.

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 and Sisters. 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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St. Charles Family Care in La Pine now scheduled to open in April 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 23, 2017

Due to unanticipated changes to the scope and impact of site improvements and infrastructure upgrades, St. Charles Family Care in La Pine will now open in April 2018.

Road, utility and site prep work will begin in March, and structural work will begin shortly thereafter.

“We’re very excited to break ground on the clinic this spring,” said John Weinsheim, president of St. Charles Medical Group. “This clinic, which will provide primary care, Immediate Care, radiology, lab, occupational and specialty services, will be a medical home to south county residents.”

St. Charles Medical Group has begun recruiting for primary care physicians, with the goal of having them hired in time to allow for training in clinical systems, patient flow and St. Charles’ new electronic health record (EHR) system, Epic.

St. Charles Foundation is also continuing to work toward its campaign goal of $1.5 million to build the clinic. To date, the Foundation has received $900,000 in cash and pledges from individuals, foundations and businesses who want to see expanded health care in the south county area.

“The Central Oregon community is generously making this much-needed clinic a reality,” said Corinne Martinez, capital campaign co-chair. “Our team of dedicated volunteers will continue raising money throughout 2017 to support this vital project. We’re looking forward to introducing prospective caregivers to our wonderful community.”

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 and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 3,800 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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St. Charles Cancer Center grand opening Aug. 14

BEND, Oregon — Patients, family members, friends, donors, caregivers, physicians and all those interested in attending are invited to the grand opening celebration for the new St. Charles Cancer Center. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 14 with a short program, ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the facility and refreshments in the healing garden.

“We started this journey many years ago to build a comprehensive cancer center where all services are available in one location,” said Dr. Linyee Chang, medical director of the St. Charles Cancer Center. “It is time to celebrate the incredible amount of time, effort and resources that have gone into making this healing facility a reality.”

The $13 million cancer center was designed and developed with input from caregivers and patients. Floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall of the medical oncology room will give chemotherapy and other infusion patients a healing, peaceful view during their treatment. Exam rooms have separate entrances for patients and staff, so that patients have a direct route with little congestion in the hallways. Work areas for physicians, nurses and other patient care support staff are located in an open, central area where the entire team can communicate easily and better coordinate care.

The new Les Schwab Medical Oncology Wing opened to patients July 1, while the John D. Picchetti Radiation Oncology Wing renovation will be complete this month.

Thanks to community donations, St. Charles Foundation has raised 97 percent of its $5.7 million capital campaign toward the project.

“This event is one way we hope to show our gratitude to the Central Oregon community for coming together and supporting cancer services in our region,” said Lisa Dobey, executive director of St. Charles Foundation. “Please join us as we celebrate the care and service this new center will provide our community for decades to come.”

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras and Redmond, and leases and operates Pioneer Memorial Hospital. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 3,400 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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