Page 4 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - June 2016
P. 4
4
HEALTH/WELLNESS
Chehalis tribal health care evolves
Contributed by Denise Walker, referral package. This was The pharmacy process submit to regular/random
Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center accomplished during the past will take a little longer. I have urinalysis if they are on long-
Health Director year. We are now able to move been working with Indian term narcotics. This is not to
forward with phasing out Health Service to obtain single anyone out.
Icompleted my one-year paper charts. approval to add a pharmacy to
employment in March, the Chehalis Tribe’s funding It is important to check
and I am honored to Formulary implemented agreement and obtain access your liver and kidney functions
serve as Health Director for to use the Government Prime on a regular basis, and it also
the Chehalis Tribal Wellness Another area of concern Vendor account to purchase will ensure narcotics are taken
Center. What a beautiful facility was the high cost of medications at a reduced as prescribed. It is easy to take
and community you have. I pharmaceuticals. When price. more than prescribed when
have had such a warm welcome I arrived, there wasn’t a you are hurting, but it is our
from all tribal departments formulary being utilized for As soon as I have these provider’s job to ensure your
and the community. Here is a prescribing medications. approvals, we will start the health and safety.
follow-up on my year and plans process by hiring a pharmacist
for the future. Without a formulary, a and a pharmacy technician. Future goals
provider can write for all of the My hope would be there is
Meetings name brands, which are quite a Chehalis tribal member Another area we are
expensive compared to other interested in becoming a working on is to become
Upon arriving, one of the brands. pharmacy tech and train into accredited with the
concerns from the community the position. Please contact Accreditation Association
and your leaders was patients To contain costs, we me at the Wellness Center if for Ambulatory Health Care,
having difficulty getting implemented a formulary and you have any questions. We which is an organization that
appointments. I felt there were cut back on expensive name- will use an advertisement and holds health care facilities
too many meetings during brand drugs. application process. to specific standards and
the week on different days. inspects our delivery of health
We changed the meeting to Also, we do not pay for Narcotics check care. Our goal is to pass
1-2 p.m. every Monday. We over-the-counter medications accreditation in spring 2017.
also have a one-hour meeting yet local pharmacies were Narcotic prescribing
every other Thursday with the putting them in patient bags continues to be an issue and I also want to start an
Behavioral Health Staff for and billing the Wellness is not limited to the Chehalis urgent care clinic for after
collaboration. Medical staff Center. Tribe. This is a global concern. hours and weekends. The
will not be available during I am pleased with the low laboratory and pharmacy
those times. We changed the way we amount of narcotics prescribed will be instrumental in this
order patient medications. To out of the Chehalis Tribal process.
In 2015, the Wellness contain costs, we have to set Wellness Center. As DEA rules
Center increased patient visits financial boundaries. and laws change, providers Another interest I have is a
with 1,537 more visits than in have to get tighter with their wing to provide wellness care,
2014. This resulted in $260,000 prescribing practices. where we see you for health
savings in pharmacy costs. prevention or nontraditional
The tradeoff for fewer Patients are required to medicine such as acupuncture,
meetings during the week is In-house lab, pharmacy herbs, cultural medicines, etc.
once per quarter, we will have
all-day staff meeting away Two exciting additions the I am pleased with the
from the clinic. The clinic Health Board supported and support I have received from
will be closed that day. We the Business Committee has the Health Board, Business
will conduct required staff approved are to implement Committee and General
trainings, such as HIPAA, an in-house laboratory and
infection and safety control, a pharmacy. Managers to bring
etc. these two beneficial
We recently programs to the
This also will be a time for hired a laboratory Chehalis Tribal
staff to discuss issues and seek technician who Wellness Center.
resolutions as a team. also will serve as a Please feel free to
computer applications
Electronic records coordinator to enhance stop and see me any
and maintain the medical time at the center to discuss
We have been focusing part of the electronic your ideas or concerns.
efforts toward enhancing health records. There is a lot of potential
the electronic health records growth for the health care
process. With the in-house lab, services provided on the
we will have machines to Chehalis Reservation,
The first two goals I gave spin blood tests at the clinic and I am always open to
the staff when I started were and get quick results. This suggestions.
to implement the scanning will eliminate the need for an Again, I am honored to
process and the electronic emergency room visit. serve as the Health Director
for the Chehalis Tribe.
The new lab tech started
June 6, and we are working to
have the lab up and running.
HEALTH/WELLNESS
Chehalis tribal health care evolves
Contributed by Denise Walker, referral package. This was The pharmacy process submit to regular/random
Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center accomplished during the past will take a little longer. I have urinalysis if they are on long-
Health Director year. We are now able to move been working with Indian term narcotics. This is not to
forward with phasing out Health Service to obtain single anyone out.
Icompleted my one-year paper charts. approval to add a pharmacy to
employment in March, the Chehalis Tribe’s funding It is important to check
and I am honored to Formulary implemented agreement and obtain access your liver and kidney functions
serve as Health Director for to use the Government Prime on a regular basis, and it also
the Chehalis Tribal Wellness Another area of concern Vendor account to purchase will ensure narcotics are taken
Center. What a beautiful facility was the high cost of medications at a reduced as prescribed. It is easy to take
and community you have. I pharmaceuticals. When price. more than prescribed when
have had such a warm welcome I arrived, there wasn’t a you are hurting, but it is our
from all tribal departments formulary being utilized for As soon as I have these provider’s job to ensure your
and the community. Here is a prescribing medications. approvals, we will start the health and safety.
follow-up on my year and plans process by hiring a pharmacist
for the future. Without a formulary, a and a pharmacy technician. Future goals
provider can write for all of the My hope would be there is
Meetings name brands, which are quite a Chehalis tribal member Another area we are
expensive compared to other interested in becoming a working on is to become
Upon arriving, one of the brands. pharmacy tech and train into accredited with the
concerns from the community the position. Please contact Accreditation Association
and your leaders was patients To contain costs, we me at the Wellness Center if for Ambulatory Health Care,
having difficulty getting implemented a formulary and you have any questions. We which is an organization that
appointments. I felt there were cut back on expensive name- will use an advertisement and holds health care facilities
too many meetings during brand drugs. application process. to specific standards and
the week on different days. inspects our delivery of health
We changed the meeting to Also, we do not pay for Narcotics check care. Our goal is to pass
1-2 p.m. every Monday. We over-the-counter medications accreditation in spring 2017.
also have a one-hour meeting yet local pharmacies were Narcotic prescribing
every other Thursday with the putting them in patient bags continues to be an issue and I also want to start an
Behavioral Health Staff for and billing the Wellness is not limited to the Chehalis urgent care clinic for after
collaboration. Medical staff Center. Tribe. This is a global concern. hours and weekends. The
will not be available during I am pleased with the low laboratory and pharmacy
those times. We changed the way we amount of narcotics prescribed will be instrumental in this
order patient medications. To out of the Chehalis Tribal process.
In 2015, the Wellness contain costs, we have to set Wellness Center. As DEA rules
Center increased patient visits financial boundaries. and laws change, providers Another interest I have is a
with 1,537 more visits than in have to get tighter with their wing to provide wellness care,
2014. This resulted in $260,000 prescribing practices. where we see you for health
savings in pharmacy costs. prevention or nontraditional
The tradeoff for fewer Patients are required to medicine such as acupuncture,
meetings during the week is In-house lab, pharmacy herbs, cultural medicines, etc.
once per quarter, we will have
all-day staff meeting away Two exciting additions the I am pleased with the
from the clinic. The clinic Health Board supported and support I have received from
will be closed that day. We the Business Committee has the Health Board, Business
will conduct required staff approved are to implement Committee and General
trainings, such as HIPAA, an in-house laboratory and
infection and safety control, a pharmacy. Managers to bring
etc. these two beneficial
We recently programs to the
This also will be a time for hired a laboratory Chehalis Tribal
staff to discuss issues and seek technician who Wellness Center.
resolutions as a team. also will serve as a Please feel free to
computer applications
Electronic records coordinator to enhance stop and see me any
and maintain the medical time at the center to discuss
We have been focusing part of the electronic your ideas or concerns.
efforts toward enhancing health records. There is a lot of potential
the electronic health records growth for the health care
process. With the in-house lab, services provided on the
we will have machines to Chehalis Reservation,
The first two goals I gave spin blood tests at the clinic and I am always open to
the staff when I started were and get quick results. This suggestions.
to implement the scanning will eliminate the need for an Again, I am honored to
process and the electronic emergency room visit. serve as the Health Director
for the Chehalis Tribe.
The new lab tech started
June 6, and we are working to
have the lab up and running.
