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The results of an audit conducted on the Petersburg Medical Center were presented at a board meeting last week showing that a high standard of internal control of financial reporting and compliance to laws and regulations were being kept. “That’s really a testament to everyone in the hospital,” said PMC CFO Doran Hammett at a hospital board meeting on Oct. 24. “There’s nobody in the hospital that doesn't affect the finance in some way. Either you’re in the revenue generating department or you’re in the department that spends money. There...
The Petersburg Medical Center has invested just under $1.5 million in three United States Treasury Bills with a yield rate of over 2 percent after board approval was given at last month’s hospital board meeting. The treasury bills will each mature throughout 2019 and reach $500,000 each. Those with a later mature date cost the hospital less, said PMC CFO Doran Hammett at the hospital board meeting on Oct. 24. All of the hospitals investments have a combined total annual interest of $51,853.21, which Hammett said could cover most of the cost o...
The borough assembly met with the Petersburg Medical Center board of directors to discuss the feasibility of a new facility or a remodel to the current facility last week. “I think it would be great if we could all agree that we need something new, different than what we have now,” said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. At the meeting the PMC board and staff spoke to assembly members about some of the challenges the current hospital is facing. The number one issue was being able to avoid an event that would cause the hospital to shut down. A shut dow...
There were about 170 participants in the Beat the Odds race on Saturday morning, which raised over $20,000 to support local cancer patients. "A Race Against Cancer isn't just a race, but a race to Beat the Odds," said Michele Parker, chairperson for the volunteer committee that hosted the event. Since the event began 19 years ago, $223,000 has been raised, which has gone towards support groups and services for local cancer patients. During the preregistration for the event, all 225...
The 19th annual Beat the Odds event offers residents the chance to walk or run in a 2.5 race against cancer this Saturday. "Our mission is to bring awareness and education and support to those affected by cancer," said Michele Parker, chairperson for a volunteer committee that is hosting the event with help from the Petersburg Medical Center Foundation. The proceeds of the event will go towards support groups and services for cancer patients, said Parker, who is a cancer survivor. The race will...
The borough assembly passed resolution #2018-12, which supports the Alaska salmon hatchery program and urges the Alaska Board of Fisheries to further its understanding of the importance of the program to all Alaskans. “As we know, salmon is the life blood of this community,” said Vice Mayor Jeigh Stanton Gregor at an assembly meeting on Monday. “Making our stance clear in support of this salmon hatchery program seems like a straight no-brainer to me.” A motion was made to amend the resolution to acknowledge the Northern Southeast Regiona...
The Petersburg Medical Center is currently vaccinating the public, six months and older, for influenza. "This is typically when we start vaccinating as soon as we get the vaccine, which can be in September, October and then we try to vaccinate people sooner rather than later," said Joy Janssen Clinic manager Jenna Olsen. Residents are encouraged to schedule an appointment to be vaccinated. PMC also has a supply of the high dose for people 65 years of age or older, said Olsen. A flu shot clinic...
The Petersburg Medical Center board of directors passed a motion on Sept. 19 to invest up to $1.5 million at the CFO and CEO’s discretion in bonds and treasuries. The decision came at the suggestion of hospital CFO Doran Hammett. He said that PMC’s operating cash in an account at First Bank was increasing at a rate of .5 percent in interest per month, but the bank was only crediting the hospital a sufficient amount to offset bank charges. “Over the last 13 months, we earned almost $11,000 in excess of our bank charges, and that’s money that we...
The Petersburg Medical Center board of directors passed a motion for hospital CEO Phil Hofstetter to form a working document with DOWL, a professional project management firm, for the management of the facility project. The vote brought cheers from those present at the PMC board meeting on Sept. 19. “I love it, action,” said Hofstetter. In a letter submitted to the board of directors, Kendall E. Gee, senior project manager with DOWL, proposed an initial projectbudget of $20,000. Hofstetter said that the company would not invoice the hos...
Bill Tremblay General Information Name: Bill Tremblay Age: 64 Experience: My past experience includes 9 years on the Petersburg City Council (1999-2007), and 2 1/2 years on the City Council for Craig, Alaska (1985-1988). In addition to my 36 year work experience with the Forest Service, I have been a part of several groups or organizations that provide a benefit to the Petersburg community. At this time I am the President of the Board of Directors for KFSK Public Radio, a board member for the...
On Thursday, a cruise ship docked in Petersburg that sent several passengers to the ER. The first patient was tested positive for influenza. Petersburg Medical Center was waiting until the end of September or Oct. 1 to start immunizing staff members. "On Thursday, we decided to do it that afternoon," said director of nursing Jennifer Bryner at a Petersburg Medical Center board meeting on Wednesday. About 75 staff members were vaccinated on Thursday, and there are only a few left who needed to...
Petersburg Medical Center laid forth its high priority goals at a strategic planning board retreat on Friday. One priority was the construction of a new facility. “It’s really important to set goals and priorities,” said PMC CEO Phil Hofstetter. “There’s long term goals and there’s short term goals.” At the meeting, Hofstetter, the hospital board and department heads began discussion on what early steps need to be taken to begin planning a new facility. Community input and the location of the new facility were two beginning steps that everyone...
High school students in the certified nursing assistant program through Petersburg Medical Center began their training last week. CNAs work directly under a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse and provide the more hands on care to patients and residents, such as help them get up in the morning, brush their teeth, eat meals and do exercises. They also take measurements and monitor vital signs. Since CNAs spend so much time with patients and residents, they are able to identify when something is wrong with them and can alert the nurse. ...
At a borough assembly meeting on Tuesday, the assembly voted to fund member Jeff Meucci’s travel to Southeast Conference in Ketchikan later this month to advocate for a seat on the board of directors. The assembly is already sending Mayor Mark Jensen to SEC because he is Petersburg’s representative; however, Jensen has stated that he will not be voting for Meucci in the run for the board of directors. At the Aug. 20 assembly meeting, the assembly failed to approve funding for Meucci’s travel to SEC. Since the motion failed, the motion was r...
Don "Scott" Bagley, 69, went to be with the Lord on August 3, 2018. He was born on July 28, 1949 in Yreka, California to Virginia and Don Bagley. Scott remained living in Northern California and attended Leggett Valley High School where he graduated in 1967. He worked at local gas stations and became a firefighter for the State of California. At age 19, he was in a terrible car accident and broke his back becoming a paraplegic and was confined to a wheelchair. He absorbed this tragic accident... Full story
In the month of July, Petersburg Medical Center continued to offer a high level of quality of care. There were zero patients, the same amount as June, diagnosed with a catheter associated urinary tract infection, according to a quality report presented to PMC’s board members on Thursday. A urinary tract infection resulting from a catheter is one of the most common types of health care associated infections. Again, zero patients, in both June and July, had stage 3 or higher pressure ulcers, or bed sores. Also, hand hygiene scored a 98 percent in...
Earlier this month, Gov. Bill Walker signed Senate Bill 105 into law, which improves transparency in healthcare costs. “Healthcare costs are a critical issue in Alaska,” said Walker in a press release from Aug. 7. “Trying to keep costs sustainable is an important issue for individuals and families, but also for businesses and our economy. Seeking care is often hard enough – our medicals bills shouldn’t hurt, too.” Under the new bill, healthcare providers and facilities will have to publicly post the costs of their most common procedures,...
This week, the students in the nursing program at the Petersburg Medical Center began their second and last year in the program. "Nursing school is stressful no matter where you go," said Rosa Niemi, a registered nurse staff generalist and adjunct faculty with the University of Alaska Anchorage. "They seem to be doing really good. They are a close knit group." The program is with UAA. Half of the course is done online through teleconferencing, readings and group projects. The other half focuses...
Petersburg Medical Center will partner with Petersburg Mental Health Services to bring mental health counseling to the Joy Janssen Clinic beginning in September. “We’re looking forward to working with the hospital on it and we think it’s a great deal for the community,” said PMHS financial officer Kathy O’Rear. Building off a strong working relationship, PMHS will send Pat Feffa one day a week to PMC to begin an effort to have mental health to be a part of primary care, said O’Rear. By having a professional available at the hospital to...
Last weekend was the annual Rally For Cancer Care golf tournament, organized by the Wrangell Medical Center Foundation. The tournament on Saturday was less of a serious competition and more for fun and socializing. Several holes on the 9-hole course had a different, fun challenge to compete in. Hole No. 2, for example, required golfers to play the entire hole with just their driver. Hole No. 5 required players to tee off with their foot in a bucket. Along with these challenges were...
Through a variety of methods, including a fundraiser July 27, First Bank has raised a total of $18,030 recently for the Petersburg Medical Center Foundation (PMCF). Attendees at the Friday evening fundraising event contributed $7,000. Due to that show of generous community support, First Bank President Bill Moran announced that he would increase the bank’s match of those donations from $2,500 to $5,000. Included in the $18,030 total was a $5,000 community development grant. Accepting the grant funds were Sue Paulsen, PMCF Board President and B...
On Thursday, Petersburg Medical Center CEO Philip Hofstetter addressed the hospital’s board of trustees and gave an executive summary detailing what his priorities were for his first month at the hospital. Hofstetter spoke about the feasibility of a new facility, access to care, staff and physician recruitment and his public relations efforts. “In this first month I have had over 101 meetings to get up to speed with the top priorities and to move initiatives forward,” said Hofstetter in his report. Hofstetter suggested setting a board retreat d...
A doctor of chiropractic position has been created at the Petersburg Medical Center to offer a wider range of holistic treatments. “You want to make sure you’re allowing other options for your patients,” said PMC CEO Philip Hofstetter. Previous hospital CEO Liz Woodyard stated that Rodney Anderson was in the process of being hired for the position after a hospital board meeting in May. Anderson operated his own practice until health issues forced him to close his office last year. In accordance with fair hire and labor laws, the hospital must...
WRANGELL - The hospital's charitable foundation is planning a big weekend August 11 and 12 for its annual golf tournament, hoping to boost its cancer care travel fund. The Wrangell Medical Center Foundation was established in 2007 with three goals in mind, among them supporting equipment needs at the hospital and providing health career scholarships to prospective students. It also has over the past decade distributed $97,000 in grants to individuals undergoing treatment for various iterations...
William "Bill" Kenneth Stedman, 94, one of the last post war Alaskan pilots, took his last and final flight July 30, 2018 at the Petersburg Medical Center. Bill was born to William Reuben and Elvia Agnes Bratseth Stedman on September 27, 1923 at the Petersburg General Hospital, the first baby born in the facility. Bill was a commercial pilot for over 40 years, spending most of his flying time in and out of Petersburg. From an early age Bill had a fascination with airplanes and was lucky enough...
