Summer 2002

100 Years of Caring: A Community Celebration
St. James Manor, 1902
There are certain milestones when reached that require a celebration. Then there are certain milestones when reached that require a BIG celebration. And a big celebration is what Perham Memorial Hospital and Home has planned to commemorate its 100th anniversary. We invite you to join us for food, fun, and festivities as we celebrate a 100-year tradition of caring for our neighbors and friends.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

  • Courtyard of Caring Open House – 6 to 7:30 p.m.
    Raised flower and vegetable gardens, a wheelchair-compatible glider swing, and hundreds of plants and flowers are just a few of the amenities residents enjoy. Visit the NEW Courtyard of Caring and see what a community can do when it comes together.

  • Street Dance – 8 p.m.
    Music for all ages. The Whitesidewalls have been knocking the bobby sox off of their audiences for 30 years. If you like dynamite songs from the 50's and 60's, bad jokes, great choreography, crazy skits and pure unadulterated fun, then you won't want to miss this. The Perham Lions Club and Perham Jaycees will be on hand serving food and spirits. All on Main Street Perham.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

  • Family Fun Day – Pioneer Grounds, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    Bring the whole family for a day of fun. An inflatable obstacle course, moon walk, and giant slide for the kids, clowns, face painting, horse and buggy rides, square dancing, face painting, magic, and wacky hair are just some of the planned festivities. Lunch and old-fashioned ice cream cones included!
Watch for a special publication in August highlighting Perham
Memorial Hospital and Home's 100 Years of Caring.

A Message
From The
CEO

It's an honor being the CEO while PMHH is celebrating its centennial. But it's very humbling to think what a small part I've had in this rich history. From the time the Franciscan sisters opened the doors of St. James Hospital in 1902, they have blessed us with rich traditions and values. The commitment they inspired and the values they instilled are still with us today.

This facility has certainly gone through its ups and downs. I'm told stories of surviving during a time with no local doctors. I'm told of surviving times when we had to borrow enough money to make payroll and then take five years to pay the loan back. I'm proud to say that on this 100th anniversary we are strong and doing well. Our care is excellent and we receive very high marks from the many agencies that assess our quality. We have grown from a small hospital to a mid-size health continuum with a hospital, nursing home, supportive housing, home health, ambulance, retail pharmacy, numerous outpatient services and a strong relationship with MeritCare Clinic. Financially, we are stronger than we have been at any point in our history and are geared for growth and expansion.

As I shared with staff at a recent meeting, there is nothing magically I can do from my office to make PMHH a success. It's the kind words of a caregiver at the bedside. It's the smile we give as you come through the door. It's learning our skills well so you feel confident while in our care. It's having a clean room and a well-maintained facility. It's making sure the supplies are well stocked when the caregiver reaches for a needed item. Each person at PMHH has an integral role and when we do it well, that is when you feel that "hometown touch" we talk about in our marketing. That is when you truly feel the caring in "100 Years of Caring." I'm very proud of everyone at PMHH. Each individual puts in a tremendous amount of effort and truly cares about each patient, resident, and client. Our dedicated and caring staff has truly made PMHH a success.

Perham Memorial Hospital and Home Scholarship Recipients for 2002

 

JANUSZEWSKI
Jacob Januszewski, Perham High School, plans to pursue a career in nursing at North Dakota State University.

WACKER 

 
Sarah Wacker, Perham High School, plans to pursue a career in biology at the University of Richmond, Virginia.

 

ESSER
Sue Esser, Perham, is pursuing a degree in practical nursing at Northwest Technical College.

MAASJO 

 
Nicole Maasjo, Perham High School, plans to attend Concordia College in Moorhead and pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon.

 

MEYER
Jessica Meyer, Perham, is enrolled in the nursing program at St. Scholastica, Duluth.

Health Clips
Patient Safety is top priority

Consumers and health care providers must work together to reduce the rate of medical errors.

You can play a part as a consumer by keeping a few things in mind:

  • Empty out cabinets of old medications and check that your most recent medications are up-to-date.

  • Check your prescriptions twice and ask your pharmacist questions.

  • If you have avoided going for health care because of fear of the unknown, make your appointment for this week.Bring a friend or family member to the doctor to help ask questions and help you listen.

  • Learn about your own health issues – become an informed consumer.

  • Contact PMHH with any questions you have about patient safety.

Physician Assistant:
A whole new health care

Barb Heier, PA-C
Many people look to a physician as their primary care provider, but now many people are making use of the availability of a physician assistant.

A Physician Assistant (PA) provides health care services under the supervision of a physician. PAs are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by a physician. Working as members of the health care team, they take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order and interpret laboratory tests and x-rays, make diagnoses, and prescribe medication.

Barb Heier, Certified Physician Assistant, is the newest member of PMHH's medical staff. The timing of her joining the medical staff couldn't have been better. She's had two months to acquaint herself with the facility, other members of the medical staff, and co-workers, in time to help lighten the load ofthe physicians during the extremely busy summer months. Her presence also offers women an additional option for their health care needs.

A native of Perham, Barb most recently served as a PA in the pulmonary department at MeritCare Medical Center Broadway Clinic in Fargo for 10 years. She received her PA degree from the University of Iowa. Barb, along with her husband and daughter, reside outside of Perham.

Appointments with Barb can be made at MeritCare Clinic Perham by calling 346-4040 or at MeritCare Clinic New York Mills by calling 385-1800.

Nursing Home residents enjoy the outdoors

Perham Memorial Nursing Home residents will be able to enjoy the outdoors on a regular basis. Chuck Hofius, PMHH CEO, accepts keys from Mary Melo, manager of the Perham Subway, for a golf cart donated by Melo's brother, Mike Boedigheimer, to the residents of Perham Memorial Nursing Home. Boedigheimer (standing, second from right) is the owner of the local Subway franchise. The golf cart will be used to pull a specially-designed trailer - similar to the one pictured - which is being donated by the Perham Lakes Lions Club, to transport nursing home residents to community outings and for rides around town. Boedigheimer donated the golf cart to PMHH wishing to model a program that Marshall, Minn., nursing home residents enjoy there. The trailer will accommodate about 10 residents, including some in wheelchairs.

Seven board positions up for election
Board of Trustees supervises operations

Come November, the Perham Memorial Hospital and Home board of trustees could have a different look. Perham Hospital District voters residing in Dent, Perham, and Richville and the townships of Gorman, Ottertail, Dora, and Perham, will be asked to elect representatives to the board of trustees. These seats account for one-half the seats on the board.

"I encourage anyone who
is interested in PMHH's
future, as well as the
future of health care in the
community, to consider filing
for the board of trustees."
Chuck Hofius, CEO
Current board members Gil Ebner, Richville City, and Jane Aschnewitz, Dora Township, have announced they will re-file. Jerry Kunza, Perham City; Perry Coleman, Dent City; LuAnn Carow, Gorman Township; Betty Cordes, Ottertail Township; and Bill Cavanagh, Perham Township; have indicated they are undecided about seeking re-election.As a trustee, chosen officials are elected to four-year terms overseeing the operations of the hospital, nursing home, Briarwood, home health, East Ottertail Pharmacy, and the ambulance management contract. Terms are staggered so only half the representatives come up for re-election during any given polling period. In addition to the above, Pine Lake, Edna, Corliss, Rush Lake, Star Lake, and Dead Lake townships and an at-large position round out the board. Trustees meet the last Wednesday of each month.

Board members have an opportunity to serve on at least two of the governing body's several committees. These committees oversee such areas of concern as personnel, finance, building and grounds, and bylaws.

"PMHH will see some exciting times over the next couple years as we undergo major facility and cultural changes to keep pace with what our patients, residents, and clients expect from their health care," stated PMHH CEO Chuck Hofius. "I encourage anyone who is interested in PMHH's future, as well as the future of health care in the community, to consider filing for the board of trustees."

Filing for the PMHH board of trustees needs to take place with the city clerk or township clerk in which one resides.


Thank You!
The employees and board of trustees at PMHH extends an expression of appreciation to Lynette Grismer who has done such a tremendous job of collecting and saving the history of PMHH for all of us to enjoy today. She took this volunteer project on as a labor of love and is doing a spectacular job. We encourage all of you to stop into our nursing home at any time to see a sample of her work. Lynettehasfaithfully updated a displaynear the front entrance with historical memorabilia that honors our 100-year tradition. Thank you, Lynette! We sincerely appreciate all that you have done.

Dear Health Fair Presenters,

Thank you for the informative presentations. The fifth graders learned many things and remembered a great deal of what you told them. We were impressed by the things they could tell us about the sessions.

We appreciate all the time and effort you put into the Health Fair. Thank you, also, for the gifts – they were a "big hit"!

Sincerely,
Gr. 5 Teachers
Prairie Wind Middle School

Perham Memorial Hospital and Home 665 3rd Street S.W. Perham, MN 56573 (218) 346-4500

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Perham Memorial Hospital and Home, 665 3rd Street SW,
Perham, MN, 56573, (218) 346-4500

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