The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—The Columbia County Health System (CCHS) and Ocean Beach Hospital & Medical Clinics were awarded the Rural Quality Everyday Extraordinary Award from the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA). The association recognized the hospitals at its Rural Hospital Leadership Conference on June 28 in Chelan, Wash.

Columbia County Health System was chosen for its innovative approach to improving patient care through its Palliative Care Program. Program leaders set goals and succeeded in reducing emergency room visits and facilitating care goals, including end-of-life planning and spiritual care. Patients and their families have praised the program.

“Both award recipients demonstrated a proactive approach to meet the needs of their patients,” said Darcy Jaffe, WSHA senior vice president for safety and quality. “They recognized challenges in their communities and created programs that reached outside the walls of the hospital to improve the health of their patients.”

”This team is dedicated to providing holistic care to the whole person and their family dealing with the stressors of advancing disease states. Palliative Care’s goal is to assist patients with symptoms, medications, and coordination with Primary Care, hospitals, and Specialty Care,” said program director Dawn Meicher, ARNP. “Our RNs, Community Health Worker, Home Care Aid, and Physical therapist all work together and coordinate care with the goal to keep folks living independently, seek other living situations, or provide a seamless transition to end-of-life care when appropriate.”