SPRING 2017
Samaritan
All of us,
for eachof you,
every time.
the
Samaritan
All of us,
for eachof you,
every time.
the
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Platteville, WI
Permit No. 7
Samaritan Healthcare
Foundation
801 E. Wheeler Road
Moses Lake, WA
98837
A WARM
WELCOME
To baby Emmanuel,
the first baby of
2017. See page 2
FIRST
THINGS FIRST
Virginia Trujillo says
think physical therapy
first. See page 6
B
y the time this issue of
The Samaritan
reaches your home, we may be nearing the
launch of our newest service line—Flex Care.
Flex Care is an addition to Samaritan
Healthcare’s emergency department (ED) and aims
to improve wait times, enhance safety and provide
excellent care to our patients and families.
Improved wait times.
In EDs, patients with less
emergent medical issues may wait in line while life-
threatening cases take precedence.This increased wait
time can leave other patients feeling frustrated.
With the opening of Samaritan’s Flex Care sys-
tem, patients who visit the ED with minor issues
such as ear infections, sore throats or low-grade
fevers will be seen in a timely manner by one of our
skilled mid-level providers.This process will be facili-
tated through a remodel of the current ED admitting
area and consultation room.The remodel will create
three Flex Care rooms that utilize chairs instead of
beds and are much smaller than current ED exam
rooms. Patients needing less emergent care can avoid
long wait times and have a more positive experience.
Enhanced safety.
Today quality and safety are at
the forefront of every health care discussion, and they
are the primary focus of the design of the treatment
rooms within the main part of the ED.
Samaritan must be prepared to treat every patient
that comes through our doors. With the upgrades in
safety to the patient care rooms, we have the ability
to safely monitor and care for behavioral and mental
health patients.These rooms are clinically designed to
offer high-quality care while maintaining safety.
Excellent care.
Our job as your community
hospital is to provide the best possible care to pa-
tients. In the past, EDs were designed to handle
specific illnesses or injuries in specific rooms. Our
ED was no different; however, the needs of patients
have changed. To overcome long wait times, we must
adapt to a system that allows us to provide excellent
patient care in a more efficient manner.
This project focuses on creating generic rooms that
give our staff the flexibility to treat any injury or ill-
ness. Care will be administered through the use of a
case cart system. Carts containing the proper supplies
specific to an injury or illness type can be trans-
ported to where the services are needed.This system
increases efficiency and ensures a higher standard of
safety and quality.
Get the care you
need fast with
Questions about Flex Care?
See the back page for answers!