BCH/SMFM Clinic Receives MultiPlan Rural Health Grant!

BCH/SMFM Clinic Receives MultiPlan Rural Health Grant!

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St. Maries Family Medicine was 1 of 4 recipients of the MultiPlan Rural Health Grant!

SMFM received another grant to go towards the well child program at the clinic.

The grant was open to Rural Hospitals and Clinics to help address the healthcare needs of people in their community.

The MultiPlan Rural Health Grant dollars will be used to purchase a new refrigerator in the clinic in hopes to offer pediatric vaccines during well-child visits in the future.

Since the program’s inception in 1995, MultiPlan has been helping hospitals in rural areas and the populations they serve. Grant recipients use the funds to introduce or expand services, educate their populations, provide screenings and undertake other endeavors that support the healthcare needs of people in their communities.

MultiPlan helps healthcare payors manage the cost of care, improve their competitiveness and inspire positive change. Leveraging sophisticated technology, data analytics and a team rich with industry experience, MultiPlan interprets clients’ needs and customizes innovative solutions that combine its payment and revenue integrity, network-based, analytics-based and data and decision science services. MultiPlan is a trusted partner to over 700 healthcare payors in the commercial health, government and property and casualty markets.

SMFM Clinic Receives 2023/2024 RHCAP Grant!

SMFM Clinic Receives 2023/2024 RHCAP Grant!

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St. Maries Family Medicine received a grant with a plan of revamping its well child program!

The 2023/2024 Rural Health Care Access Program Grant (RHCAP) awards funding to projects that help rural communities improve access to primary care. BCH and SMFM thank the Idaho Bureau of Rural Health and Primary Care, and Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for this grant opportunity!

This grant was written to upgrade some pediatric items in the clinic, with an overall goal of revamping the well-child program!

  • New Pediatric Scale and Treatment Table
  • Spot Vision Screener (tests vision as early as 6-months old!
  • New Pediatric Exam Room with Space Theme!
  • Loan Repayment for new Provider, etc.

The St. Maries Rotary Club as well as Valley Vista Care Corp., also supported this project by providing funds for the purchase of books that children will receive during their well-child visits.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Aaron Vizcarra

Welcoming our new Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Aaron Vizcarra!

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BCH is excited to introduce our new CRNA, Aaron, and his family to the St. Maries Community!

Aaron and his wife Victoria have spent most of their life in the northwest, currently moving to St. Maries from Colville, WA.

They have 4 children, Elliot, Juniper, Vera, and Rocky. Aaron loves to hunt, fish, and enjoys fitness. Their family is very outdoorsy, also enjoying camping, hiking, and biking.

Aaron joins BCH’s Surgical Services team to provide Anesthesia Services.

Please welcome the Vizcarra family!

BCH Starts Vaccinating Employees and Medical Staff

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Starting in December 2020, BCH was able to start vaccinating our staff for COVID-19. General Surgeon and Chief of Staff Dr. Bill Wheeler at BCH was among one of the first BCH staff members to receive his vaccine.

Our healthcare workers are taking precautions to slow to spread of COVID-19! Our goal is to stay healthy so we can take care of YOU!

 

BCH Welcomes New CEO!

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Valley Vista Care CEO Chuck Lloyd has taken on the role of CEO at Benewah Community Hospital.  Mr. Lloyd has previously worked as a chief financial officer, chief operations officer and healthcare administrator.  He has also overseen operations and multiple healthcare facilities simultaneously.  According to Mr. Lloyd, it is not uncommon for healthcare facilities, particular in rural settings, to have shared executives.

While he will serve as CEO for both entities, VVC and BCH will remain separate.  The board presidents and Mr. Lloyd agreed that having the same CEO will be a benefit to their relationship.  “We have a great opportunity to improve healthcare for our community at both organizations,” Mr. Lloyd said “We are thinking outside the box which is what small communities need to do. I think this is in the best interest of VVC, BCH and the community.”

Mr. Lloyd signed a one year contract with BCH.  He has another two years under is contract with VVC.

BCH Supports Local Athletics!

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BCH Employees participate in School Events to raise community support for St. Maries Lumberjack Pride! This year, for their homecoming week, BCH staff dressed up in the class colors each day to show support! Our staff also participate in the school’s food drive each year in efforts to fill the local food banks!

Each Spring, BCH provides Free Sports Physicals for middle school and high school students participating in athletics.

BCH is a proud supporter of our hometown Lumberjacks. Go Jacks!!

Congrats to BCH’s Employee and Provider of the Year!

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Each year during the hospital’s National Hospital Week Celebration, BCH staff votes for Provider and Employee of the Year!

This year, the staff who took the titles are Val Sanchez, Certified Pharmacy Tech, and Dr. Cooper Wester, MD.

Val was nominated for going above and beyond, exemplifying the mission, vision, and values of BCH. She is noted as being kind and courteous, and always there to help any department in need. She is self-motivated and is always looking at way to improve her department, as well as the hospital as a whole. Val has a very positive attitude and is always smiling. She is well deserving of this award!

Dr. Cooper Wester is an ER/Inpatient Physician at BCH who also goes above in beyond to help in any way he can. Dr. Wester is fantastic to his patients and is also a joy to work with. He takes great care of his support staff and is always the first one to volunteer to cover an open shift. He has stepped up to help in recruitment efforts as well as the local ambulance services. BCH is very lucky to have Dr. Wester as a part of our Medical Staff.

The employee and provider of the year receive special recognition for this award, and they also receive prime parking in the hospital’s parking lot for an entire year.

BCH feels very fortune that these staff members choose to be a part of our team, and we congratulate them on this award!

Rebekah Myers, FNP to join Benewah Community Hospital’s Medical Staff

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BCH is excited to announce that Family Nurse Practitioner, Rebekah Myers, will be joining our team as a Family Nurse Practitioner March 2019!

Rebekah received her FNP Graduate degree from Gonzaga University in 2018. Prior to pursuing her FNP Degree, Rebekah has been a Registered Nurse for 15 years, working in all areas of care (Med.Surg, ER, Surgical Services, etc).

Rebekah grew up in St. Maries and is so excited to give back and serve patients in the community that she loves!

Please join us in welcoming Rebekah to our team!

To schedule an appointment with FNP Rebekah Myers, please call our St. Maries Family Medicine Clinic at: 208-245-2591.

BCH Raises 2,523.2 Pounds of Food for Local Food Banks

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BCH is proud to announce that we raised 2,523.2 pounds of food to be donated to the St. Maries and Upriver Food Banks! Our Staff, Medical Staff, and Board Members really stepped up to give back to our community!

Every year, St. Maries High School has a rivalry event with Kellogg High School, “Brawl for the Ball.” As a part of this event, the communities have a food drive competition to see who can raise the most food for their community’s food bank. BCH was asked to participate this year and challenged Valley Vista Care Center to see who could raise the most food for the food bank. BCH beat Valley Vista in this challenge raising 2,523.2 pounds of food. BCH thanks Valley Vista for accepting our challenge and for raising over 2,000 pounds of food as well!

Once again, our community proves to be amazing! St. Maries High School reported that our community raised over 20,000 pounds of food for the local food banks! Unfortunately, St. Maries did lose this competition to Kellogg, as they raised over 22,000 pounds for their food bank. Two communities gained an amazing benefit from this rivalry event!

BCH supports our Community and our Schools. GO LUMBERJACKS!

Liz Sellers takes helm at Benewah Community

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With nearly two decades of hospital administration experience, Liz Sellers took the helm of Benewah Community Hospital this week.

Ms. Sellers has held multiple administrative positions, including Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Operating Officer in addition to serving as interim CEO for a collective five years. Her transition into the management position of BCH was a natural one – much like the move from her long-time Colorado home to St. Maries.

“My husband and I got to come up and visit the area, and we love St. Maries,” she said. “It is comparable to where I’m from. We love the outdoors and activities like riding motorcycles, hiking and running.”

Ms. Sellers has a master’s degrees in Nursing and Health Administration and is excited about overseeing the St. Maries hospital. A bulk of her career was spent at Southwest Health Systems in Cortez, Colorado where she worked three decades and served as CCO, CNO and was a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Ms. Sellers said the most pressing issue that she sees at Benewah Community Hospital is the community utilizing the facility’s services. She plans to engage the public directly with forums where she hopes those interested can attend and provide feedback to the hospital.

“We want to keep people here,” she said. “I want to hear from the community how we can serve it better.”

-St. Maries Gazette Record