Press Release Archive

You’ll also be able to see the new:
Lobby, waiting area and gift shop

• Expanded Emergency Department Updated Rehabilitation Department Specialty services are including Cardiology and SHAPES
• Expanded Imaging and Laboratory Services Department

These new and improved areas are part of a 1.4 million-dollar update. For questions about the open house, contact West Valley Hospital at 623-7323.

Hospital Employees Honored

February 13, 2003

At the annual Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital Employee Recognition ceremony held Friday, Feb. 7, at the Wittenburg Inn in Keizer, 226 hospital employees were recognized for their years of service to either Salem or West Valley Hospital.

Top honorees at West Valley Hospital were:

25 Years of Service
Diana Couey, Medical Services
Linda Ott, Laboratory
Michael Pryor, Maintenance
Jeanne Wheeler, Medical Services

15 Years of Service
Pamela Bessler, Emergency Department
Betty Mason, Imaging

Five Years of Service
Adely Chica, Imaging
Terry Hutchinsor, Environmental Services

Awards were also given for 40, 35, 30, 20, and 10 years of service. West Valley Hospital and Salem Hospital serve an area of over 360,000 people, including all of Marion, Polk and portions of Yamhill counties.

Hospital Names New President

February 7, 2003

Pacific Health Horizons Board Chair Katherine Keene announced today that Norman F. Gruber will become President and CEO of Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital in Dallas on March 1, 2003.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Gruber most recently served as President and CEO of the Palomar Pomerado Health Center in San Diego, California. Earlier in his career he was responsible for implementing a new community hospital in Ventura County, California, from its formative stage through facility construction and development of its first medical staff. He then served as the hospital’s chief executive for 20 years.

He has over 30 years of experience in health care and hospital administration and is a diplomat of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mr. Gruber received his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Redlands in Redlands, California, and his MHA (Health Care Administration) from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is married and has four sons.

"Norm Gruber emerged from an outstanding group of candidates for the position of President and CEO," said Keene. "His combination of deep experience, a highly collaborative, open and approachable management style and a commitment to quality, community-based health care made him the clear choice of the search committee and the Board of Trustees. We believe Norm will provide the leadership needed to deliver high quality hospital services, and we are looking forward to having him and his family become residents of our community."

Keene also thanked Interim President Jeff Cushing for the leadership he has provided since assuming the interim position on October 1, 2002.

"Jeff has done a terrific job, and we are grateful for his steady hand during this leadership transition," said Keene. "He has at all times been focused on delivering the best quality of care at Salem Hospital, and we know he will continue to be a great resource as part of Norm Gruber’s team."

Pacific Health Horizons is a nonprofit corporation that owns and operates Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital, serving residents throughout Marion and Polk counties.

West Valley Hospital Passes Recertification Survey with no Deficiencies

February 4, 2003

West Valley Hospital recently received notice from the Oregon Department of Human Services that it passed its Critical Access Hospital recertification survey with no deficiencies. The surveyor looked at a number of things including quality of care, the hospital's policies and procedures, as well as various performance improvement plans.
The hospital just completed its first year as a Critical Access Hospital, and is one of 11 Critical Access Hospitals in Oregon.

"According to our surveyor, not many critical access hospital's receive a deficiency free survey," said Joyce Evans, Site Administrator at West Valley Hospital. "I'm extremely proud to be part of such a great team that has worked incredibly hard to accomplish such a positive, deficiency free survey."

The hospital, which employs approximately 119 people, is currently being renovated. Upgrades include a new main and ambulance entrance, new lobby and waiting areas, remodeling of patient rooms and moving rehabilitation services inside the hospital. Renovations are expected to be completed this summer.

The hospital continues to offer core services such as medical inpatient procedures,
24-hour emergency care, same day surgeries, rehabilitation, laboratory and radiology services.

Designation as a critical access hospital by the Oregon Department of Human Services, Health Division, is provided to rural hospitals to receive reimbursement from Medicare to maintain operations of the hospital.

According to the Office of Rural Health, some of the criteria Critical Access Hospitals must meet include:

• Being located 35 miles from another hospital (15 miles in mountainous terrain or areas
  with only secondary roads); or certified by the State as being a necessary provider.
• Limiting bed size to 15, except in swing-bed facilities, which may have up to 25
  inpatient beds that can be used interchangeably, provided not more than 15 acute care beds are used at any time.
• Having an annual average length of stay of less than 96 hours.
• Making available 24 hour emergency services and nursing services but not needing to
  meet all the staffing and service requirements that apply to other hospitals.

Other Critical Access Hospitals in Oregon are:

• Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day
• Cottage Grove Hospital in Cottage Grove
• Harney District Hospital in Burns
• Lake District Hospital in Lakeview
• Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport
• Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner
• Providence Seaside Hospital in Seaside
• Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City
• Southern Coos Hospital in Bandon
• Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise
  

West Valley Hospital Foundation Appoints Three New Board Members

January 27, 2003

Diana George, Stan McKinley and Gigi Starbuck have joined the West Valley Hospital Foundation Board of Directors in Dallas.

Diana George is the Manager of Guest Services at Spirit Mountain Casino and is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. She is an active participant on tribal boards and special events. She is also a board member for the non profit organization Children Made Visible.

Stan McKinley is the manager of the Weyerhaeuser mill in Dallas, and is an active member of the LDS church and Kid's Inc.

Gigi Starbuck is a long-time community volunteer in Dallas, and is involved in the Polk County Republican Women's organization, as well as various non-profit groups.
Other board members include Majduddin "Mo" Jaffer, Chair Becky Jacroux, Vice Chair Eldon Neufeld and Treasurer Ray Brodersen.

The West Valley Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization that supports medical and medically related projects. Board members help raise funds and manage the resources of the Foundation to assist in providing healthcare to Polk County residents.

Groundbreaking Ceremony Scheduled for November 6

October 14, 2002

A groundbreaking ceremony for West Valley Hospital's $1.5 million expansion and renovation project will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Noon, at the new front entrance of the hospital, located at 525 SE Washington Street in Dallas. The project is being partially funded by at $300,000 donation from the Weyerhaeuser Corporation.

Members of the West Valley Hospital Foundation and Salem Hospital Board of Trustees are expected to attend, including Rep. Lane Shetterly, and Katherine Keene.

The project involves remodeling the Emergency Department, including revamping the ambulance entrance, relocating the outpatient services entrance to Washington Street, as well as a number of updates to the hospital's appearance, including new paint and carpet.

General contractor for the project is James W. Fowler Company of Dallas. The architect is Arbuckle Costic of Salem.

West Valley, which employs approximately 115 people, is designated as a critical access hospital by the Oregon Department of Human Services, Health Division. This designation is provided to rural hospitals to receive reimbursement from Medicare to maintain operations of the hospital.

The hospital continues to offer core services such as medical inpatient procedures,
24-hour emergency care, same day surgeries, rehabilitation, laboratory and radiology services.

Gala a Huge Success

August 9, 2002

On Friday, Aug. 9, The West Valley Hospital Foundation in Dallas held its third annual summer gala, Moonlight and Vines, at BeckenRidge Vineyard in Dallas. The event raised over $7,000 for the West Valley Hospital Foundation.

At this summer garden party, over 120 people enjoyed an international dinner of Italian, Mediterranean and Japanese food with fine area wines and microbrews while dancing to the jazz, blues and folk music of Rolobomi.

During the silent auction, participants bid on a number of items including a weekend getaway at SunRiver, a metal sculpture, as well as a number of gift baskets created by West Valley staff including a backyard BBQ basket, and a goin' fishin' basket.
Gala sponsors were Arbuckle Costic Architects, Inc., J.W. Fowler General Contractors, Salem Hospital, Van Well Building Supply Co., West Coast Bank (Dallas Branch) and Weyerhaeuser. Table sponsors were Hayward Ford, Eldon and Frieda Neufeld and Weyerhaeuser.

"The success of this event is really a testament to the support the hospital has from the people of Polk County," said Martin Morris, Ph.D., Executive Director of the West Valley and Salem Hospital Foundations. "We look forward to a bigger and better event next year."

Valley Community Hospital Becomes West Valley Hospital

July 1, 2002

Pacific Health Horizons, the parent company of Salem Hospital, announced today that the purchase of Valley Community Hospital is final. With the purchase, the name Valley Community Hospital will change to West Valley Hospital.

"The new name symbolizes a fresh start for the hospital," said Joyce Evans, administrator at West Valley. "We have big plans for both facilities and programs that will improve the delivery of healthcare here in Polk County."

Renovations, pending final approval from the city, include moving the hospital's main entrance to Washington Street, and revamping the ambulance entrance, as well as a number of updates to the facilities appearance, including new paint and carpet. Renovations are scheduled to begin later this summer.

West Valley, which employs 118 staff members, is designated as a critical access hospital by the Oregon Department of Human Services, Health Division. This designation is provided to rural hospitals to receive reimbursement from Medicare to maintain operations of the hospital.

West Valley will continue to offer core services such as medical inpatient procedures, 24-hour emergency care, same day surgeries, rehabilitation, laboratory and radiology services.

Collaboration Culminates with Lease Signing

June 17, 2002

Salem Hospital, Valley Community Hospital (VCH) and Northwest Human Services (NWHS) announced the signing of a lease today that paves the way for NWHS to provide primary medical care in the Monmouth clinic building.

Northwest Human Services, a leader for over 30 years in providing advocacy, quality health care and social services to those in need in Polk and Marion Counties, has received a federal grant to expand health care services.

Part of the grant money will be used to open a clinic this fall in Monmouth. The clinic, which is scheduled to open in September, will be located at the current site of the Valley Community Hospital (VCH) clinic in Monmouth. The VCH Monmouth Clinic will close effective June 30, when David Childress, M.D., relocates to the Ashland-Medford area.

"Opening a clinic in Monmouth is the culmination of six years of planning by a number of organizations including Northwest Human Services, Valley Community Hospital and Salem Hospital, to be able to provide a sustainable healthcare presence in the area," said Paul Logan, Executive Director of Northwest Human Services.
Currently Northwest Human Services is recruiting staff for the clinic, which will initially include one physician and a physician assistant or nurse practitioner.

"Within the first year we plan to add an additional physician and a mental health counselor," said Logan. "And by the end of the second year, we'll also offer dental services."

"The facility is really a bonus for us," said Logan. "Valley Community and Salem Hospital provided us with such favorable lease terms, and the presence of an existing medical facility to move into saved us at least three to four months of planning in finding a suitable space."

According to Joyce Evans, administrator at Valley Community Hospital, hospital staff are looking forward to partnering with Northwest Human Services in continuing to have a clinic in Monmouth that meets the healthcare needs of area residents.

"We are committed to improving the delivery of health care in our community," said Evans. "This agreement is another example of how healthcare providers can work together to meet the medical needs of our community."

Gift to Hospital Totals $300,000

May 21, 2002

On Tuesday, May 21, officials from the Weyerhaeuser Company presented a check for $100,000 to the Valley Community Hospital (now West Valley Hospital) Foundation. Mike Lowery, President of the Hospital Foundation accepted the gift on behalf of the Foundation's board.

"It has meant a lot for Dallas to have had Willamette Industries as a community partner since the company's beginning," said Lowery. "The generous gift was a large step in securing a health care presence in our community. The Foundation board is extremely grateful to Weyerhaeuser for honoring Willamette's pledge, and helping to ensure that the residents of Polk County will continue to receive quality medical care in our community."

This gift was the third installment of a $300,000 pledge made in 2000 by Willamette Industries, which is now part of the Weyerhaeuser Company. The gift is being used to help fund the renovation of Valley Community (now West Valley) Hospital.

"Willamette Industries has been a strong community partner for Dallas over the years, and now Weyerhaeuser is pleased to continue this partnership," said Rich Hanson, Weyerhaeuser's Executive Vice President for Timberlands. The Hospital Foundation began in 2000 as a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to promote the health of citizens in Polk County.

While Pacific Health Horizons, the parent company of Salem Hospital, purchased the assets of West Valley Hospital, the Hospital Foundation will remain an independent organization.

For more information about the Hospital's Foundation, contact Shelley Charleston at 503-623-7323.