LATEST NEWS
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Low-Cost Health Screening
Monday, February 20, 2012 from 7-10am
No Appointments Necessary
Health Screening includes:
*Blood cholesterol screening with glucose test
*Vital signs
*Nursing consultations available
Come fasting for blood draws
$40 at time of service-screening is a $140 value!
Heart healthy refreshments provided
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IIMC Patient Receives Honors!
IIMC staff are extremely proud of our patient Roy H. Matsumoto!
We learned that Mr. Matsumoto will be traveling to Washington DC to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on November 2 in recognition of his incredibly bravery and heroism in WWII.
In WWII Mr. Matsumoto served as a Nisei Patroit in the Military Intelligence Service. He was a member of an elite Army Ranger group known as "Merrills Marauders" and as a direct result of his bravery and heroism over 800 lives were saved. His story is incredible!
Mr. Matsumoto was inducted into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame in 1997. Now on November 2, he will be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service.
Mr. Matsumoto's daughter let our staff know that it means so much to her Dad that "his good friends at the clinic" care so much about him. We are looking forward to hearing about the events from Roy upon his return to the island.
Congrats, Roy! We are so proud of you!
Enjoy the pictures of Roy in WA DC:
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New Medication Refill Policy
As your primary care physician, it is of utmost importance that we maintain current records of your medications and ensure that you do not run out. In order to facilitate this, we request the following:
- If you need medication refills it is best to ask your provider or nurse at the time of your six-month or yearly visits.
- In general, your physician will prescribe enough medicine to last you until he needs to see you again. Once you start your last refill, it is time to contact our office. Please do not allow your medicine to run out. Plan on scheduling an appointment at least 7-10 days before you run out. This allows your physician time to review your records, order any necessary labs/x-rays.
- Refills on controlled substances (i.e. narcotic pain medications) may only be provided by your primary physician and must be obtained in person. (Unless otherwise specified in your narcotic contract).
- To maintain the highest possible level of care, your healthcare provider does not phone-in antibiotic medications without an examination.
- Prescription refills will be handled during regular business hours only, ending at 4:00 p.m. Requests received after 4:00 will be handled the next business day.
If you need a refill between office visits:
- Please allow at least 48 hours for refill processing
- Call your pharmacy to request a refill. The pharmacy will contact our office if necessary. The pharmacy can fax a request to our office at 378-3655.
*Refill requests are addressed only between 9am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Any requests called in after 4pm will be addressed the next business day. Prescriptions are NOT refilled after hours, on weekends, or on Holidays.
The physician on call is available for EMERGENCIES ONLY.________________________________________
New website helps Spanish-speaking patients communicate more effectively with their medical providers
Conozca las preguntas (Know the questions), a new Spanish-language website of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) located at www.ahrq.gov/preguntas, offers Spanish-speaking patients tips to improve their communication with their medical providers.
The website also features downloadable public service announcements (PSAs) from AHRQ's nationwide campaign with the Ad Council.
A special website for mobile phone users is also available at http://4in.fo/Y9SAwg and those interested in receiving biweekly tips on talking with their doctos can get them by texting 80676/Preguntas.
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Save the Date: July 23!
Ground-Breaking Ceremony for New
Peace Island Integrated Medical Center
The ground-breaking ceremony will honor the spirit of the community and island leadership, the generosity of the project donors and the richness of the PeaceHealth heritage of serving and healing.
Peace Island Medical Center will consist of a 10-bed critical access hospital and provider-based clinic. The facility will be operated as a satellite of St. Joseph Medical Center and PHMG-Bellingham. Construction of the new 38,000 sq ft facility will take 16 months with opening slated for Decembert 2012. Philanthropic donations from San Juan Island residents will pay for $10 million of the $17 million construction project.
Ground-Breaking Event-Saturday, July 23, 2011
12 noon to 3:00pm
Ceremony 1:30-2:30pm
1049 San Juan Valley Road Friday Harbor, WA
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Becky Bird, IIMC Medical Coder:
2010 Employee of the Year & Retires May 31
Becky has worked at IIMC since May 1984. After 27 years of service, she has decided to retire. Becky and her husband, John, have decided to move to Bellingham to be closer to their son. We will greatly miss her, her positive attitude, and professional coding skills.
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Inter Island Medical Guild 2011 Wish List
Thanks to the generous fundraising efforts of the Medical Center Guild, IIMC was gifted comfortable furnishings for our telemedicine room. Other items on the wish list include a new spirometer with interface to our electronic medical record (EMR) and thanks to the generosity of one member, a new mobile coumadin clinic cart.
IIMC is fortunate to have the support of many medical guild volunteers to make sure the clinic has equipment and healthcare promotional support to benefit our patients. Medical Guild volunteers also take care of our landscape and recently were given a new hose reel by a generous member of the community in appreciation of their efforts.
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Good News from Medicare!
Starting in 2011 enrollees in Medicare will be offered FREE physicals and other preventative services. Free means the visit is paid by Medicare-no deductible and no co-pay applies to this visit. This supports our effort to focus on preventative measures and address issues before they become health care problems.
One-time "Welcome to Medicare" Physical Examination: First time enrollees are entitled to a free "Welcome to Medicare" examination during their first year of enrollment. Having this initial consultation will then provide a baseline health record and include a checklist for a plan of action, such as further cancer or diabetes screenings and vaccinations.
Yearly "Wellness" Exams: Annual checkups, which Medicare calls wellness exams, will still be offered after you have been enrolled for 12 months. These visits are also free. This is an opportunity for you to develop or update a prevention plan just for you, based on your current health and risk factors.
If you are turning 65 in 2011, or you are already 65 or older, call our clinic to make an appointment to take advantage of Medicare's new preventative care benefits.
*Note: Some preventative benefits may have restrictions. Check with Medicare or our business office before scheduling.
More detailed information can be found at The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare: www.medicare.gov.
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Warm Support for the Inter Island Healthcare Foundation
A message to the community from Claudia Weybright, RN, IIMC Coumadin Clinic Coordinator:
As a member of the Inter Island Medical Center team, I wanted to do something to support the Inter Island Healthcare Foundation in its mission to financially support IIMC while it faces current financial challenges.
I decided that I would knit, and that perhaps there would be people kind enough to buy one of my scarves and I could donate the money to the Inter Island Healthcare Foundation. The Foundation has been instrumental in providing the Medical Center with financial support and various medical equipment. All of us here in the community have benefited from their generous gifts. I ask that each of us look into our hearts and see if there is a small donation, whether you need a scarf or not.
If you would like a scarf or if you have yarn that you would be willing to doante for the cause, please stop by the Medical Center. I would also be willing to knit a scarf for someone if they would buy the yarn! Thank you to each of you who have helped us so far and let's keep up the good work!
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2010-2011 Flu Vaccination Information
We have plenty of flu shots available for all ages. Call 378-2141 to schedule an appointment for yours today!
*Flu Prevention
The most effective way to protect against the influenza virus is to get a flu shot.
Although the flu vaccine is not 100% effective, it can lessen the severity of illness.
This year a high dose vaccine is available to seniors 65 and older, and helps to give a stronger immune response.
If you are over 65 and exhibit symptoms of the flu, call your physician for advice.
The rule is to stay home, review the health maintenance tips below, and avoid going out into crowds.
*Health Maintenance Tips
Get plenty of rest. Your immune system needs at least 7-8 hours a night.
Eat healthy balanced meals and drink plenty of fluids.
Wash your hands before you eat and after you use the restroom.
Get plenty of exercise; it can boost your immune system.
During the peak flu season, it's best to avoid large crowds.
*Additional Resources
To find out more information about flu vaccines and flu prevention, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU
You can also contact your local public health office, doctor's office, or senior center for more information on the flu.
Local Contact Phone Numbers:
Inter Island Medical Center: 378-2141
SJC Health & Community Services: 378-4474
Mullis Community Senior Center: 378-2677
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WA State Department of Health
Tabacco Prevention & Control Program
To see more information from the WA State Department of Health on the state's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, visit: http://www.doh.wa.gov/tobacco/intro.htm
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