Above, Dr. Katie Ruth looks over Lindsey Hutchinson of Klamath Falls during an office visit at the OHSU-Cascades East Family Medicine Center in Klamath Falls, 2019. Ruth performed her residency at Cascades East, a collaboration between OHSU and Sky Lakes Medical Center working to improve health access in rural Oregon. Credit: OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

Oregon Health & Science University is in the early stages of creating what is expected to be the first graduate medical education program primarily based in Central Oregon.

OHSU has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources & Service Administration’s Rural Residency Planning and Development Program. OHSU will use the grant to develop a new family medicine residency program in partnership with Bend-based St. Charles Health System. 

“Establishing a family medicine residency program in Central Oregon can help address health care gaps that occur too often in rural areas,” said Joe Skariah, D.O., M.P.H., M.B.A., who directs OHSU’s family medicine residency program and is leading the new program’s creation. “Knowing physicians often choose to stay and practice in the communities where they complete their residencies, this new program could also attract more skilled and compassionate health care providers to Central Oregon.”

Residents are new physicians who have recently completed medical school and receive advanced training in a specific medical field. This program will focus on family medicine, primary care that specializes in caring for the entire family.

After receiving accreditation, the program could welcome its first residents as early as July 2024. The program’s first year, known as an internship, would be based out of OHSU’s Portland campus. The program’s subsequent years would primarily bring residents to St. Charles Madras. Many of the program’s details are still being decided, including the number of residents involved.

The program will build on OHSU’s long-established rural medical education program. Every OHSU medical student completes at least one month of training in a rural setting, including in the Central Oregon communities of Warm Springs, Madras, Redmond, Prineville and Sisters. During OHSU’s last academic year, 42 medical students had clinical rotations with Central Oregon physicians, many of whom are associated with St. Charles Health System. Portland-based OHSU residents have also had rotations in Bend and Warm Springs. 

The new residency program is being organized through the OHSU School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine, which was recognized this year by U.S. News & World Report as the nation’s best family medicine program. OHSU is home to one of the oldest family medicine residency programs in the U.S., and the first family medicine residency program in Oregon.

“I am excited to grow our collaboration with OHSU and create an important avenue for medical education in Central Oregon,” said Robert Ross, M.D., director of provider academics research and clinical service at St. Charles Health System and a clinical associate professor of family medicine at OHSU. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   |   April 14, 2020

St. Charles to begin offering drive-through specimen collection service Thursday

BEND, Ore. – Starting Thursday, St. Charles Health System will begin offering a drive-through specimen collection service for COVID-19 testing outside of the St. Charles Family Care clinic at 2600 NE Neff Road in Bend.

Those taking advantage of this service must have a provider’s order and call 541-699-5107 to schedule an appointment. The ordering provider does not have to be employed by or affiliated with St. Charles.

Individuals who do not have a provider’s order will be referred to their primary care provider, or to an Immediate Care or Urgent Care clinic for evaluation.

Initially, the drive-through will be open weekdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Upon arrival, individuals will participate in a quick registration process, after which a specimen will be collected. All specimens will be sent to the University of Washington for testing, and results should be available within two to four business days.

To use this service, individuals should enter the St. Charles Bend campus from Neff Road and follow the signage on Medical Center Drive to the drive-through entrance.

In addition to offering drive-through specimen collection, St. Charles Bend is now also able to provide rapid on-site COVID-19 testing for eligible patients who are hospitalized. The health system received its first allotment of 120 test kits Friday, allowing its Bend laboratory to begin performing COVID-19 tests on its Cepheid platform on Saturday. The health system is expecting a second shipment of 890 test kits within the next two weeks. Once that shipment is received, the health system expects to expand rapid on-site testing to its hospital laboratories in Madras, Prineville and Redmond.

As a reminder to the community, St. Charles’ Emergency Departments are open to see patients with conditions other than COVID-19. All Emergency Departments have protocol in place to evaluate and triage patients in such a way so as to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. This includes taking patients with respiratory symptoms to areas for care that are separate from everyone else.

“We want to make sure people who need emergent care are getting it,” said Dr. Gillian Salton, an emergency medicine physician in the St. Charles Bend Emergency Department. “We have many processes in place, and are wearing the appropriate personal protective gear, to ensure our Emergency Departments remain safe places for those will emergent medical needs to be seen.”

It is also important to remember that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there continues to be a nationwide shortage of blood supply. Emergency Department and trauma physicians continue to urge Central Oregonians to use caution and avoid activities that could lead to a high likelihood of traumatic injury requiring blood transfusions.

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.

                                                                        ###

Say hello to Charlie the sure-footed penguin! He recently moved to Central Oregon to help people avoid slips, trips and falls this winter.

When conditions are slippery thanks to snow and ice, take a few simple steps to make sure you stay upright. Here are 10 things you can do to avoid falling this winter:

1. Walk like Charlie
Waddle like a penguin to maintain your balance, using short, flat steps. You may feel like it looks funny, but it’s better than falling and hurting yourself.

2. Wear appropriate footwear
Boots or flat shoes with wide heels and slip-resistant soles are best. No high heels! Carry them with you if you’ll need them, or keep a pair in your office.

3. Give yourself more time
When winter weather arrives, everything moves slower. Leave your home a bit earlier so you’ll still get where you need to go on time.

4. Exit your car with both feet
Swing both legs out and place both feet flat on the ground when getting out of your car. Hold on to something for support as you stand.

5. Don't carry too much
Your arms are important for balance! Carry only what you can, and use a bag or backpack to free your hands if needed. Also, keep your hands out of your pockets.

6. Resist shortcuts
Only use pathways that have been cleared. Don’t try to pioneer a path through snow and ice. It’s not worth it!

7. Don’t be distracted
Focus on walking, not your cell phone or some other thing that could take your focus away from walking.

8. Consider using traction footwear
There are many styles of traction footwear that you can strap onto the bottom of your shoes and help you stay upright. Carry some in your car for particularly wintry days. (But don’t wear them inside.)

9. Be safe inside
Remove snow and ice from your shoes upon entering buildings. Watch for puddles and slippery spots. Use handrails when taking the stairs.

10. When in doubt, ask for help.
Nothing makes you feel more stable on a slippery surface than a friendly arm to hold.

BONUS: If you'd like to hang these tips in places that can be hazardous in winter, feel free to print this poster.

What is Comprehensive Primary Care +?

Giving doctors extra support to help you get better care through CPC+, our insurers will give our practice additional resources to help us better manage your care. We hope to provide you the highest quality patient-centered care.

More information for traditional Medicare (Part A and Part B) beneficiaries

To help us take better care of you, Medicare will start sharing some of your personal health information with us. This will help provide us with a more complete picture of your health and allow for better coordination of care.

If you want to stop Medicare from sharing this information, you should call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Your Medicare benefits aren’t changing. You still have the right to use or visit any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time. Your doctor may continue to recommend that you see particular doctors for your specific health needs, but it’s always your choice which doctors you use or hospital you visit.

Questions?

If you have questions or concerns, you can contact us or bring it up next time you’re in the office for an appointment. You can also visit the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website, contact CPC+ Support at [email protected] or 1-888-372-3280, or call 1-800-MEDICARE with questions.