Parkview Whitley Hospital invites the residents of Whitley County to a free educational workshop at the hospital to hear Stephen Brown, MD, of Fort Wayne Cardiology, discuss “Improving Cardiovascular Health for Men and Women.”

 The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, March 17, and will be held at Parkview Whitley Hospital, 353 N. Oak Street, Columbia City, in lower-level auditoriums A, B and C, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

 Topics will include, among others, how to be nutritionally heart healthy and what procedures are available for detecting heart disease.

 Light refreshments will be provided and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call Parkview Whitley Hospital Community Relations at (260) 248-9400, or (800) 325-1338, Ext. 89400.

Seen at right is an artist’s rendering of Parkview Whitley Hospital’s Medical Office Building.

The Columbia City Plan Commission recently held a Development Plan Review in regards to the 53,400 square-foot building that will be located at the south and east of the new hospital.

Foundation Director Candice Yeakle “pins” Sheila Keener, LPN, one of the first to be recognized as a Guardian Angel.

Parkview Whitley Hospital has been busy lately honoring employees who have been named as former patients’ Guardian Angels. Physicians James Stapel, DO, Timothy Chamberlain, MD and Sheila Keener, LPN, were recently “pinned” with the symbol that denotes they are someone’s special Guardian Angel.

Through Parkview Whitley Foundation’s new Guardian Angel program, patients and families can say “thank you” to the people or even the departments that provided them or their loved ones with excellent care at the hospital.

The Guardian Angel gift to the hospital through the Foundation can be for any amount, and is used to enhance care for other patients at Parkview Whitley Hospital. Employees who are honored by Guardian Angel gifts are publicly recognized in front of their peers at the hospital.

“Patients and families are often searching for a gesture that adequately reflects the amount of regard and appreciation they have for their caregiver,” said Candice Yeakle, Foundation Director, “and the Guardian Angel program provides just that; it’s a win-win-win. Patients feel great about saying thanks for the excellent care provided them, and team members feel great about being recognized for their caring spirit. Also, as a not-for-profit community leader, Parkview Whitley Hospital benefits from the gift made in the team member’s name.”

From left: Guardian Angel Timothy Chamberlain, MD, and Foundation Board of Directors member Clark Waterfall.

In the past two years, through donor contributions the Foundation has funded more than $125,000 in new equipment, program costs and staff training.

For more information about the Guardian Angel program, call Parkview Whitley Hospital Foundation Director Candice Yeakle at (260) 248-9802.

Guardian Angel James Stapel, DO

Steel for framing the new Parkview Whitley Hospital under construction at US 30 and SR 205 in Columbia City was delivered to the site on Monday, Feb. 1, with erection of the first sequence beginning Tuesday, Feb. 2. Steel erection will continue until the end of April with the sixth and final sequence of steel erection. Sequences represent the various stages of erection that take place throughout the project.

 Sequence one and two, for example, encompass construction at the west third of the building and comprise the first floor, second floor and roof. Sequence three and four involve construction work in the middle third of the building and also comprise the first floor, second floor and roof, and so on. Moving west to east, work continues sequentially until the final, sixth sequence is completed.

Steelworkers assemble steel framework for the first third of the new hospital building, which comprises the first floor, second floor and roof at the west end of the structure.

 A total of 430 tons of steel, purchased by steel contractors Almet Inc. Engineers and Fabricators of New Haven, Ind., is being used to construct the hospital framework. Almet purchased more than 200 tons of the steel from Steel Dynamics, Inc., of Columbia City, with a large portion of the steel fabricated as I-Beams to construct the floor framework.

 The new 105,218 square-foot facility is a $41.5 million investment in Whitley County and includes, among many other innovations:  

• 30 beds
• A 53,300-square-foot attached Medical Office Building
• Three large surgical suites
• A larger, more private Emergency Department with two private trauma rooms and eight emergency exam rooms
• A Family Birthing Center that includes five private labor, delivery and postpartum rooms with family amenities
• Outpatient care that is more convenient, private and welcoming in a healing environment

 Completion of the new Parkview Whitley Hospital is scheduled for fall 2011.

Parkview Whitley Hospital recently granted $14,000 to the Whitley County Community Foundation (WCCF), which the foundation in turn designated to be used for the Whitley County Cares Fund. In addition, the WCCF’s Board of Directors matched the gift dollar for dollar to help make a greater impact during what are extreme hardships for many caused by the current economic climate.

 The matched grant is a year-end gift that was approved by the hospital’s Community Health Improvement Committee, whose members agreed that food banks in the county would greatly benefit from the funds. “Our Community Health Improvement Committee reprioritized our budget allocations to respond to this urgent need in our service area,” stated John Meister, Parkview Whitley Hospital Chief Operating Officer.

Parkview Whitley Hospital’s Community Health Improvement Committee granted $14,000 to the Whitley County Community Foundation to help food banks in Whitley County continue their work. From left: John Meister, Parkview Whitley Hospital chief operating officer; Tai Felger, Parkview Health Community Health Improvement coordinator; Lisa Hatcher, MD, Community Health Improvement Committee member; Kendra Zickafoose, WCCF communications officer; Kay Fleck, Community Health Improvement Committee chair; Laura LeFever, Parkview Whitley Hospital Board of Directors chair; and Jerry Reiff, Community Health Improvement Committee member.

 The Whitley County Cares Fund exists to help food banks and other Whitley County charitable organizations cope with increased needs for their services as local residents experience hardships due to job cuts, jobs loss or home foreclosure.

 ”The rainy day is now,” said September McConnell, executive director of the WCCF. “While we are hopeful that the economy is beginning to rebound, it appears to be a slow process. The unfortunate reality is that many of our neighbors in Whitley County are still struggling and still hurting.”

 The Whitley County Cares Fund is a non-permanent fund at the WCCF, which means that gifts made to the WCCF fund will be expended based upon immediate need. “The WCCF’s Board of Director’s recognized the poor economy was creating difficulties for many in our community last December, and made a similar matching challenge at that time,” explained McConnell.

 Almost $46,000 was raised locally in 2008, and all but $2,000 has been expended. “The generosity of local residents allowed us to distribute money where the needs are truly greatest,” she added.

Parkview Whitley Hospital’s Post Partum Pals, a breastfeeding support group for mothers and babies, has restarted. The program was briefly suspended due to safety concerns during the recent H1N1 influenza pandemic.

 The group meets in the hospital’s Obstetrics Department classroom on the second floor from 10 a.m. to noon every Monday. There is no cost to attend.

 Mothers are encouraged to bring their babies with them to the support group, where they receive reinforcement, help with breastfeeding and mother-to-mother support. Free baby weight checks are offered exclusively during the meetings, and B.A.B.E. coupons also are available.

 For more information, call (260) 248-9426.

If you happen to notice that Parkview Whitley Hospital EMS paramedics and EMTs light up like Christmas decorations, it’s because of the new coats they now wear.

New high-visibility winter coats were purchased for all of the EMS co-workers this fall, which improves their level of safety at scenes such as roadside emergencies. The new coats replace the older blue coats, which were collected and put to good use to provide warmth for others.

Advanced EMT Matt Bock models one of the new high-visibility winter coats, which replace the older blue coats that were donated to The Salvation Army.

Paramedic Debra Brice contacted DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home in Columbia City, which collects coats every year during the holiday season for redistribution. The funeral home volunteered to remove the reflective striping and embroidery stitching from the old coats. The coats were then returned to the hospital, where they were cleaned in the hospital’s laundry department. Finally, the coats were donated to the Whitley County Salvation Army for distribution.

The Parkview Whitley Hospital Foundation Board of Directors’ History Committee is accumulating timeline facts, stories of healthcare delivery and caregivers, as well as illustrative photos.

The purpose is to gather material to help tell the history of healthcare leading up to the creation of Whitley County Memorial Hospital and what has brought the hospital to where healthcare is today in Whitley County.

The committee also is putting together the story of the leaders who possessed the vision to develop healthcare in Whitley County, and who shared their resources in order to make the hospital possible. If you have any information you would like to share, please contact:

• Clark Waterfall – (260) 244-7197
• John Hatcher – (260) 691-3371
• Kay Fleck – (260) 248-8278

New volunteer Joyce Lawrence, left, and Gail “Speedy” Martin, both of Columbia City, prepare to leave Parkview Whitley Hospital with coolers of Meals on Wheels entrées to deliver to shut-ins in the community. The hospital is in need of additional volunteers for the program.

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (Dec. 8, 2009) – Parkview Whitley Hospital is in need of volunteers to drive for its Meals on Wheels program in Columbia City. Volunteers load the meals, which are stored in coolers, into their vehicles and deliver them to residents in Columbia City and no further than one mile outside of the city limits. Following deliveries, the coolers are returned to the hospital.

There are three routes delivered each day, Monday through Friday, with an average of 25 meals delivered each day. More than 6,000 meals have been prepared and delivered in 2009.

“The volunteers are very dedicated to their work,” said Lea Ann Herron, volunteer coordinator at Parkview Whitley Hospital. “They use their time and fuel to ensure that shut-ins have a hot meal every day. It’s a very rewarding service to others.”

Gail “Speedy” Martin of Columbia City has been volunteering for 17 years, delivering meals for the hospital because, he says, “I enjoy the people and it is a necessary service for the community.” He also drives for the Columbia City United Methodist Church and the Cancer Society.

Volunteers generally drive the same route one day a week, which takes about an hour to complete. As a token of the hospital’s appreciation, Meals on Wheels volunteers receive a free lunch on the day they deliver.

To volunteer for meals on Wheels, call Lea Ann Herron at (260) 248-9803 to have an application packet mailed to your home.

CHURUBUSCO, Ind. (Dec. 1, 2009) — Whitley County Emergency Medical Services, operated out of Parkview Whitley Hospital, will host a Free Family and Friends CPR class on Tuesday, Dec. 8, in Churubusco at the Mountaintop Coffeehouse, 209 S. Main Street, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required.

Since February 2007, Whitley County Emergency Medical Services has provided free CPR classes, training more than 2,000 people in the county. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is an emergency medical procedure for a victim of cardiac arrest or, in some circumstances, respiratory arrest.

For 50 years, CPR has consisted of the combination of artificial blood circulation with artificial respiration, that is, chest compressions and lung ventilation. However, in March 2008, the American Heart Association and the European Resuscitation Council, in a reversal of policy, endorsed the effectiveness of chest compressions alone – without artificial respiration – for adult victims who suddenly collapse in cardiac arrest. Parkview Whitley Hospital teaches both procedures, but emphasizes that chest compression alone is adequate.

“Along with the resuscitation change, it is recommended that anyone who has been trained in CPR re-take the instruction every two years,” said Debra Brice, paramedic and CPR program coordinator. “It is an opportunity to get refreshed on the techniques required to perform CPR, as well as to learn of any new changes in policy and procedure.”

Classes also may be held at churches, businesses, organizations and civic groups in Whitley County. To register for any of the classes or for more information, call (260) 248-9351 or send an e-mail to learn.cpr@parkview.com. Funding for the CPR classes is provided by the Parkview Whitley Hospital Community Health Improvement Program.

Chef Jacob Kemery

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (Nov. 23, 2009) – Parkview Whitley Hospital will present a free program for the public titled “Healthy Holiday Leftover Recipes,” on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m., at the hospital in lower-level auditoriums A and B. The hospital is located at 353 N. Oak Street, Columbia City.

Join chef Jacob Kemery of Parkview Whitley Hospital’s Food Services Department as he shares tips for preparing tasty and healthy snacks, appetizers and sandwiches from holiday leftovers. Chef Kemery also will share his favorite recipes and offer food-preparation tips.

Food samples and recipes will be provided, as well as iced tea, coffee and bottled water.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call Rick Beemer at (260) 248-9400, or (800) 325-1338, ext. 89400.

With the help of a crane, Weigand Construction workers lower a foundation concrete form into place for the new Parkview Whitley Hospital.

In addition to Weigand Construction, Inc., which has moved ahead quickly with concrete work in spite of several delays due to inclement weather, additional subcontractors have been selected for various aspects of construction, and include:

• Almet, Inc., a steel fabricator company located in New Haven, responsible for the structural steel scheduled to arrive in February 2010
• Otis Elevator, a worldwide elevator company with an office located in Fort Wayne
• A. Hattersley & Sons, Inc., of Fort Wayne, responsible for plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and medical gas delivery system installation
• Votaw Electric, an electrical contractor located in Fort Wayne
• Smith Erectors, Inc., a steel erection and concrete steel reinforcing contractor located in Markle

“We are thrilled to see our new hospital taking shape,” said John Meister, chief operating officer of Parkview Whitley Hospital. “All of our ideas and plans to deliver the best patient experience are becoming a reality. In two short years Whitley County residents will enjoy the benefits of a model community hospital.”

Visible now to passersby from the road is Smith Erectors’ 200-ton crane, which is used to hoist and move steel reinforcing bar for the construction of the lower-level foundation wall. The crane will be on-site until completion of the steel structural framing of the hospital.

Also, an additional 13,000 square feet have been added to the lower level of the original hospital plans to accommodate the new Medical Office Building, The expansion plans maintain the overall design integrity of the hospital complex, and the construction timeline has been synchronized with the opening date of the new hospital.

WHITLEY COUNTY, Ind. (Nov. 23, 2009) – Parkview Whitley Hospital invites the Whitley County community to share its warmth this winter with the children of the county by participating in the hospital’s first “Mittens for Munchkins” Christmas program.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 23, a Christmas Giving Tree will be located in the hospital lobby and outpatient services area, upon which visitors may hang a new pair of mittens or gloves, a hat or scarf.

“Christmas comes but once a year, and although we believe it is essential to reach out to others at all times, the holiday season is a special time in which to share our blessings,” said John Meister, Parkview Whitley Hospital chief operating officer. “It is our pleasure to invite not only the co-workers of Parkview Whitley Hospital, but the community as well to play a part in this special giving program.”

Sock hats and gloves are available for purchase in the hospital’s Gift Shop, located near the front entrance to the hospital. The gifts will be distributed to families by the Salvation Army of Whitley County following the hospital’s giving deadline of Monday, Dec. 15.

CHURUBUSCO, Ind. – Since February 2007, Whitley County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), operated out of Parkview Whitley Hospital, has provided free CPR classes for county residents. Recently paramedic Debra Brice, who coordinates the program, and Duane Ginder, EMS manager, presented a gift to Whitley County’s 2,000th trained citizen in CPR, Robin Smallwood, a Churubusco Youth League board member.

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is an emergency medical procedure for a victim of cardiac arrest or, in some circumstances, respiratory arrest.

For 50 years, CPR has consisted of the combination of artificial blood circulation with artificial respiration, that is, chest compressions and lung ventilation. However, in March 2008, the American Heart Association and the European Resuscitation Council, in a reversal of policy, endorsed the effectiveness of chest compressions alone — without artificial respiration — for adult victims who collapse suddenly in cardiac arrest. Parkview Whitley Hospital teaches both procedures, but emphasizes that chest compression alone is adequate.

To mark Parkview Whitley Hospital training its 2,000th person in CPR in Whitley County, CPR-trained Robin Smallwood (third from left), a Churubusco Youth League board member, was presented with a gift from Parkview Huntington Hospital EMS manager Duane Ginder (second from left) and Debra Brice, paramedic and CPR coordinator. Also pictured is Kathy Shively (right), an EMT at the hospital as well as a CPR instructor. The presentation took place at the Churubusco Fire Department.

“Along with the resuscitation change, it is recommended that anyone who has been trained in CPR re-take the instruction every two years,” said Brice. “It is an opportunity to get refreshed on the techniques required to perform CPR, as well as to learn of any new changes in policy and procedure.”
“In 2008 in Whitley County, 47 percent of patients in cardiac arrest had CPR initiated within four minutes of the call to 911,” said Ginder.

“That’s 10 to 15 percent higher than in surrounding counties. Early CPR is now and has been one of the most important links in out-of-hospital survival of cardiac arrest,” Ginder added. “The more saturated the community becomes with individuals capable of starting CPR on a friend or loved one – because that is generally who is with the patient when they have a heart attack – the better the chance for survival.”

“Many lives have been saved that otherwise may not have been saved had this training not existed,” said John Meister, chief operating officer of Parkview Whitley Hospital. “Sponsoring this free program for the communities we serve is well worth our efforts.”

The CPR sessions are available throughout the year, and there is still adequate time to sign up for one of the remaining sessions, said Brice (see sidebar).
SIDEBAR

Parkview Whitley Hospital’s Free Family and Friends CPR Class is held in Columbia City at Parkview Whitley Hospital, auditorium A; in Churubusco at the Mountaintop Café; and in South Whitley at the Public Library. Following is a list of the next available classes.

• Tuesday, July 14, Columbia City, 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, September 12, Churubusco, 9 a.m.
• Tuesday, October 13, South Whitley, 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, November 14, Columbia City, 9 a.m.
• Tuesday, December 8, Churubusco, 6:30 p.m.

Classes also can be scheduled to be held at churches, businesses, organizations and civic groups in Whitley County. To register for a class or for more information, call (260) 248-9351 or send an e-mail to learn.cpr@parkview.com. Funding and support for all CPR classes are provided by Parkview Whitley Hospital and its Community Health Improvement Committee.

Parkview Whitley Hospital invites healthcare professionals, clergy and others who have an interest in learning how a healthcare ministry impacts the well-being of congregations, to attend the hospital’s fourth annual Health Ministry Workshop.

The workshop, titled “Sacred Vessels – Outreach to the World in our Pews,” is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Parkview Whitley Hospital, 353 N. Oak Street, Columbia City, in the hospital’s lower-level auditorium. Breakfast will be provided.

Participants will be able to network with community agency representatives, visit booths to receive useful information, learn how to understand various cultures and how to utilize resources to reach out to diverse populations.

Agency booths participating in the workshop include Catholic Charities, Fort Wayne African-American Cancer Alliance, The Reclamation Project, United Hispanic-Americans, Matthew 25 and Wolf Lake Free Clinic.

Presenters at the workshop will include:

• Rev. Sherri Long, RN, associate pastor, Care Ministries, Huntertown United Methodist Church
• Parish Health Ministry Team, Brookside Church, Fort Wayne
• Agency representatives

The schedule is as follows:

• 8-8:30 a.m. – Welcome and breakfast
• 8:30-850 a.m. – Parish Health Ministry at Our Church
• 8:50-9:40 am. – “Sacred Vessels – Part 1″
• 9:40-9:55 a.m. – Breaks and browse (agency displays)
• 9:55-10:45 a.m. – “Sacred Vessels – Part 2″
• 10:45-11 a.m. – Break and browse (agency displays)
• 11-11:50 a.m. – Panel: “Resources for Reaching Diverse People”
• 11:50 a.m.-noon – Q and A session and closing

Reservations are required and must be made no later than March 13. To make a reservation or for more information, call David Rondeau at (260) 486-2673, or e-mail David.Rondeau@parkview.com.

WHITLEY COUNTY – December 4, 2008 – Teaching old drivers new tricks was the topic at the latest Seniors Club get-together at Parkview Whitley Hospital this past Thursday. Area resident and AARP defensive driving instructor Chuck Jones, was guest speaker.

According to Jones, many older drivers in today’s world have not adapted to the changes in automobile technology, especially with the inclusion of such amenities as anti-lock breaks and cell phones. “These people have been driving for many, many years, however, driving today is not like it was when they first learned,” said Jones. “Vehicles are much different, there are many more drivers on the road and everyone is in a hurry these days. It is so important that drivers know what to do in a situation before getting behind the wheel,” continues Jones.

Chuck Jones speaks to a group at the latest Seniors Club get-together at Parkview Whitley Hospital. Jones is an area resident and an AARP defensive driving instructor.

The Seniors Club, underwritten by the Parkview Whitley Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary, is provided to enhance the health of Whitley County area seniors through monthly education and social opportunities. On the first Thursday of each month, Parkview Whitley Hospital offers a free event to Seniors Club members. These events feature a speaker and a topic of interest to seniors. Events throughout the year include a variety of activities such as luncheons, movies, snacks, and door prizes, at no additional charge to members. New members are welcome.

Senior Club membership is open to Whitley County area adults ages 55 or older. The cost of membership is a $10 annual fee (less than $1 per month) and allows you to attend all Seniors Club functions and receive discounts in the hospital cafeteria (lower level) and gift shop (main lobby). If interested in becoming a part of this organization, leave a message on the Seniors Club Hotline at (260) 248-9900.