Sorted by date Results 676 - 700 of 993
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...
On Saturday, the Petersburg Medical Center will host its fifth annual Paddle Battle in the Narrows fundraiser. The event will begin at 9 a.m. at Papke's Landing. The group will continue to Scow Bay, South Boat Harbor and end at Sandy Beach where a barbecue will be held. Participants can sign up online or in the business office at the hospital during the days leading up to the event. Sign-ups will also be held the day of the event at Papke's Landing at 9 a.m., Scow Bay at 12 p.m. and South...
Petersburg Mental Health Services moved into a newly remodeled facility on Fram Street across from the Petersburg Medical Center on June 25. "It's kind of nice being across from the hospital," said Kathy O'Rear, director of financial services. "We work really closely with them." The new facility is in an apartment building that is owned by the clinic. It encompasses three apartments, two of which have been remodeled into one main office. In 2013, the board of directors for the Petersburg Mental...
Philip Hofstetter became Petersburg Medical Center's new CEO earlier this month and already has plans to bring some improvements to the facility. As he begins his first few weeks as CEO, Hofstetter is taking the time to become familiar with the different departments and how they operate, he said. He is also focused on meeting as many people in the facility and in the community to get a sense of what is done well and what needs improvement. "It seems there's a lot of people from the community tha...
June 27 — A sex offender registration was filed. A ring was found at Papke’s Landing. A theft was reported at an undisclosed location. Matthew Boseman, 26, was arrested on a charge of DV Assault 3rd Degree. The owner was contacted to remove a vehicle from a Haugen Dr. location. A theft was reported at an undisclosed location. Police received a harassment complaint. June 28 — Illegal dumping was reported at a Sandy Beach parking lot. Prescription glasses were found on Wrangell Avenue. An aggressive person was reported at a Nordic Dr. location. P...
Kevin Nicholas Volk passed away at Petersburg Medical Center on June 15 2018, from complications due to gastric cancer. His wife and children were holding his hands during the last beat of his heart. Kevin was born July 16, 1955 to Edward Valentine Volk and Rose Magdalena (Axtman) Volk in Rolla, ND, he was the seventh of twelve children. Kevin grew up on the family farm and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1973. In order to get as far away from farm work as possible, he joined the US... Full story
During the closing days of the Legislative session, the Medicaid funding for fiscal year 2019 Medicaid supplemental was reduced from $48 million to $28 million. The Department of Health and Social Services will likely run out of money before the end of the fiscal year, requiring that they suspend payments to large health care providers. “The good news,” according to hospital CEO Liz Woodyard, “is the department will continue to make payments to small rural hospitals, like PMC, and should not see any disruption in payment.” Doran Hammett...
The Petersburg Volunteer Fire Dept. responded to a single vehicle rollover accident in the 800 block of Sandy Beach Road at about 4:40 a.m. Friday. The vehicle was headed toward Sandy Beach Park and apparently flipped and rolled in such a way that the car was headed in the opposite direction. A roadside fire hydrant was struck and broken off during the incident. Fire Dept. spokesman Dave Berg said the driver was ejected through the driver side window, landed in the upper edge of the ditch and...
April 18 — Drywall workers tripped the alarm at Petersburg Medical Center. Police logged a harassment complaint on Lumber St. A subpoena was served. April 19 — Police conducted extra patrols around the schools. A protective order was issued. Keys lost along the Hungerford Hill Rd. trail were turned in to police. A wallet was found at Eagles Roost Park. April 20 — A possible overdose was reported at a S. Nordic Dr. location. Police responded to a report of illegal dumping at Mile 6 Mitkof Hwy. Owners were contacted after a loose dog was found...
A hospital administrator from Nome is slated to become CEO of the Petersburg Medical Center. Philip Hofstetter, who's been vice president of hospital services at the Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome for about six and a half years, was offered the CEO position at the Petersburg Medical Center. He signed a four-year contract, and his salary will be $185,000 annually. Hofstetter has 25 years of healthcare experience, 20 of which in Nome, with the last five in administration, overseeing a...
A Petersburg Samaritan was clipped by an oncoming car on Sunday as he was tending to a distressed man in the middle of the road, who had just swum halfway across the Wrangell Narrows, police say. Sgt. Jim Kerr with the Petersburg Police Department said Jeremy Johnson was floating halfway -- “or a little more” -- across the Wrangell Narrows on Sunday when the dingy he was in sank. Kerr said Johnson swam back to Mitkof Island, crawled up the bank and went into the roadway to seek help. The good Samaritan, Colin Perry, noticed Johnson on Mit...
