Helmsley Charitable Trust grants $226,144 to help CHI LakeWood Health purchase state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Helmsley Charitable Trust grants $226,144 to help CHI LakeWood Health purchase state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment

Baudette, MN — The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has granted

$226,144 to CHI LakeWood Health to purchase general ultrasound equipment and two point of care ultrasound devices as part of a $26.4 million ultrasound initiative in Minnesota. The initiative includes nearly $18.3 million to help Minnesota hospitals and health centers purchase ultrasound imaging devices and an additional $8.1 million to boost sonography and point of care ultrasound (POCUS) training opportunities across the state.

Jeffry Stampohar, President at CHI LakeWood Health, said “We strive to provide high quality health care to our community with state of the art technology and we are grateful for this opportunity through the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures inside the body. This safe, cost-effective tool supports other clinical information to help providers make timely diagnoses and provide appropriate treatment.

Walter Panzirer, a Trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust, said the grants will help improve access to exceptional medical treatment for all Minnesotans, whether they live in the heart of Minneapolis or a smaller rural or underserved community.

“Our hospitals and health centers need to stay current with rapidly advancing technology so they can continue to provide top-notch healthcare close to home,” Panzirer said. “These grants help ensure that facilities across Minnesota have the latest and greatest ultrasound equipment and training.”

The grants were announced Tuesday during a news conference at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis.

More than half of the 196 devices purchased through the grants (109) are POCUS machines, which are used by providers at the bed or tableside for immediate assessment of a patient to quickly determine a course of action. The grants will also provide 69 general ultrasound systems and 18 cardiovascular ultrasound systems, which aid in imaging of the heart.

The initiative also includes more than $8.1 million to train new sonographers, offer continuing education to sonographers and ultrasound technologists, and provide comprehensive POCUS training to doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. The training grants include more than $917,000 to the Minnesota Rural Health Association to support sonographer training in rural and underserved areas of the state, more than $1 million to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to expand St. Cloud Technical & Community College’s sonography program, and nearly $6.2 million to the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation which will partner with High Quality Medical Education (HQMEDED) to provide POCUS training across the state.

“These grants are a game changer for rural hospitals across the state,” said Thomas Pahl, PA-C, an emergency department clinician, instructor with HQMEDED, and member of the Minnesota State Trauma Advisory Council. “Clinicians and sonographers will not only have access to the newest ultrasound equipment on the market, but they will also be able to pursue educational opportunities to become more proficient at use of the equipment, expand the studies they can perform, and incorporate these skills into their clinical practices.” 

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About the Helmsley Charitable Trust

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $3.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program funds innovative projects that use information technologies to connect rural patients to emergency medical care, bring the latest medical therapies to patients in remote areas, and provide state-of-the-art training for rural hospitals and EMS personnel. To date, this program has awarded more than $600 million to organizations and initiatives in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, and Nevada. For more information, visit www.helmsleytrust.org.

About CHI LakeWood Health

CHI LakeWood Health has been an integral part of the Baudette community since 1950. The campus includes a 15-bed acute-care Critical Access Hospital, a Skilled Nursing Facility, and a family-practice Rural Health Clinic. LakeWood offers a variety of medical services including: Cardiac Rehab, Public Health, Physical and Occupational Therapies, Behavioral Health, Telemedicine, Visiting Nurse and Ambulance Services. LakeWood is a member of CommonSpirit Health, a faith-based national health care system that was formed in February 2019 through the merger of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health.

CHI LakeWood Health Care Center and Parker’s ARC COVID-19 Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: May 11th, 2021

CHI LakeWood Health Care Center and Parker’s ARC COVID-19 Update

LakeWood sees COVID-19 regulation changes impacting much of the Care Center and Parker’s ARC resident daily life. “We are excited to see the changes that are happening, giving a glimpse of what daily life was like before the pandemic hit,” says Jeffry Stampohar, President of CHI LakeWood Health. “In order to promote a safe environment for all, we ask that visitors please follow the expectations and guidance that we have put in place.”

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Service (CMS) and the Minnesota Department of Health released new guidance impacting the following areas at the Care Center and Parker’s ARC.

Indoor Visitation

  • Will only be suspended if we have an outbreak within the facility. An outbreak is classified as one positive employee or resident. In the event of an outbreak, visits will be suspended until one round of outbreak testing has occurred.
  • Visitation must take place in the resident room or in an outdoor setting such as our courtyard area.
  • Visitors must wear their masks at all times when moving through the facility.
  • If a visitor and resident are both vaccinated they may remove their masks when in the resident room or courtyard area. They also do not need to practice social distancing.
  • If at all possible, please avoid visitation during resident meal times which are 11:30 am and 5:30 pm.

Non-Medical Outings

  • Residents are able to enjoy non-medical outings when our county CMS positivity rate remains below 5%.
  • Residents will be required to wear masks while on an outing and practice social distancing when able.
  • Resident/family member must sign out at the front desk and notify the nurse on duty when leaving.

Resident COVID-19 Testing

  • Residents who are vaccinated will no longer need to participate in routine facility COVID-19 testing. However, if LakeWood has an outbreak, all residents will be tested regardless of vaccination status.

Communal Activities and Dining

  • Communal activities and dining have resumed for our residents.
  • Social distancing and mask requirements for communal activities and dining are dependent on vaccination status. For example if all residents at an activity are vaccinated they do not need to wear a mask, nor social distance. If a non-vaccinated resident is present for a communal activity, all residents must wear a mask and social distance.
  • Visitors are not allowed to attend communal activities, including church and bingo at this time.
  • Visitors must not congregate in areas where communal activities are happening, this includes church and bingo. All visitation must take place in the resident room or outdoor area.

Although vaccination is not required for visitors, LakeWood encourages all visitors to get their vaccine. LakeWood’s Public Health Department continues to hold COVID-19 vaccine clinics – it is free, safe and effective. Anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to receive the vaccine. Please call 218.634.3457 to schedule your vaccine appointment.

CHI LakeWood Health has been an integral part of the Baudette community since 1950. The campus includes a 15-bed acute-care Critical Access Hospital, a Skilled Nursing Facility, a family-practice Rural Health Clinic and a 10-unit Senior Living Facility. LakeWood offers a variety of medical services including: Cardiac Rehab, Behavioral Health, Public Health, Physical and Occupational Therapies, Telemedicine, Visiting Nurse and Ambulance Services. LakeWood is a member of CommonSpirit Health, a faith-based national health care system which was formed in February 2019 through the merger of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health.

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Contact: Carrie Davidson

Email: carriedavidson@catholichealth.net

Phone: (218)634-3454

Community Health Needs Assessment

Our commitment to the communities we serve is demonstrated through the care provided to uninsured and underinsured individuals, and through community partnerships, programs and services we provide to the Baudette, MN area.

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