*In The Spotlight* Physical Therapy Manager-Beth Schafer, PT, ESA
Physical Therapist and Educational Staff Associate, Beth Schafer, is the manager of the Physical Therapy Department at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center, where the goal is to return people to their optimal function. Beth has been a dedicated employee of OMHC for 32 years and is credited for starting the Physical Therapy department.
When she started, the Physical Therapy department was located upstairs in what is now our family room. They offered everything we have now, but without all the fancy equipment. Patients did exercises and ultrasound. Beth and Diane Whitman, who worked as Beth’s aide, moved the department downstairs to PT which at the time was an apartment. The ambulance was parked in what is now the Atrium. In 2003 the Board voted to remodel and the Physical Therapy space has been downstairs since.
Beth has treated everything from rattlesnake bites to gunshot wounds. She says the job is never boring due to the wide variety of challenges. From the year the Physical Therapy Department started until now, every year the number of population served, which is very impressive. Beth loves working with the people. The interactions with patients and staff and helping people are what make her day.
When Beth is not at work, she can usually be found chasing around grandkids, doing yard work, helping on the farm, quilting, riding her bike, snow skiing, water skiing, hiking and her favorite of all is traveling. Her most interesting trip to date was with her husband, Reid along with Clark & Charlene Kagele when they went to South Africa. The animals on the safari were absolutely fantastic. Besides South Africa, Beth’s other favorites have been Australia, New Zealand, and Italy.
OMHC and the Physical Therapy department are grateful to Beth and her many years of service and the facility would not be the same without her. Thank you Beth!
When she started, the Physical Therapy department was located upstairs in what is now our family room. They offered everything we have now, but without all the fancy equipment. Patients did exercises and ultrasound. Beth and Diane Whitman, who worked as Beth’s aide, moved the department downstairs to PT which at the time was an apartment. The ambulance was parked in what is now the Atrium. In 2003 the Board voted to remodel and the Physical Therapy space has been downstairs since.
Beth has treated everything from rattlesnake bites to gunshot wounds. She says the job is never boring due to the wide variety of challenges. From the year the Physical Therapy Department started until now, every year the number of population served, which is very impressive. Beth loves working with the people. The interactions with patients and staff and helping people are what make her day.
When Beth is not at work, she can usually be found chasing around grandkids, doing yard work, helping on the farm, quilting, riding her bike, snow skiing, water skiing, hiking and her favorite of all is traveling. Her most interesting trip to date was with her husband, Reid along with Clark & Charlene Kagele when they went to South Africa. The animals on the safari were absolutely fantastic. Besides South Africa, Beth’s other favorites have been Australia, New Zealand, and Italy.
OMHC and the Physical Therapy department are grateful to Beth and her many years of service and the facility would not be the same without her. Thank you Beth!
*In The Spotlight* - Clinic Manager, Barbara Schlimmer
Perhaps one of the most interesting interviews to date is for Clinic Manager, Barbara Schlimmer. Anyone who has visited the Odessa Rural Health Clinic in the past 40 years has likely been helped by Barbara Schlimmer. An OMHC employee for the past 31 years, Barb was part of the original clinic staff that operated independently for 9 years. Barb was raised in Odessa. She started school here in kindergarten and just attended her 50th class reunion. Barb took the very first Nurse’s Aide class, which at the time took 1 full year of high school to complete. In 1966 Barb had the opportunity to work in every department in the hospital and later became certified with the state as a Certified Medical Assistant. She worked during her last 2 years of high school and was allowed to work weekends and until 10pm on week nights. Barb was married a week after high school, moved to Spokane and then later to Bellingham for 5 years and moved back to Odessa in 1978 and has been a constant friendly face here since.
The Odessa Rural Health Clinic, built in the 50s, had over a dozen different providers while it operated privately under the Odessa Community and under the guidance of Dr. Gugdel (family doctor) and Dr. Tank (dentist), who originally lived in the apartments below the clinic that we now use for temporary staff stays. The hospital was built in 1987 and the “new” clinic, built and attached to old clinic in 1976, became part of the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center at that time.
Many of you will remember the funny and kind Larry Sayrs, PA-C who was here 22 years. Mr. Sayrs along with the help of Barb, kept the doors of the clinic open for an entire year (24 hours a day and 7 days a week) with Mr. Sayrs as the only practitioner and Barb as the sole support staff. During this time, the Odessa Clinic was overseen by Davenport. This meant that patients would call Mr. Sayrs at home for an ambulance, call Barb at home late at night to make an appointment for the next day, etc. Barb contributes being able to do all that she did because of an amazingly supportive husband, Clarke, who sadly passed away in 2000. During this, under the leadership of the gracious Dr. Linda Powell, Barb was permitted to do her work largely from home for almost 14 months while she cared for her husband.
Another interesting fact, the longest span of the facility operating entirely of all locum practitioners was 1 year. Barb gives all the credit of being able to run things as smoothly as possible for the last 40 years to the staff she works with. Besides the arduous task of running the busy clinic, Barb is also a SHIBA Volunteer & Benefit Exchange Navigator. She is a community resource in assisting people with insurance issues and helping them to get on the right insurance at the right time, which benefits both patients and the hospital. Barb also works on rural resources, referrals, renewals and prescription drug plans with Ted Bruya from the Odessa Drug Store. Barb takes care of roughly 150 people for insurances and Ted does the entire remainder of the community, which is very important because if people miss signing up with the exchange, there is a 1 year delay whereas for Apple health there are monthly renewals. Each of these insurance help meetings takes about an hour to an hour and a half and sometimes longer when patients are new to Medicare and need help enrolling.
Barb is a Certified Medical Assistant and can and has done every job in the Clinic. She credits her success to her awesome team in the Clinic that she depends on to run the clinic properly when circumstances require her to be absent. Barb says she never has to worry when she is gone because her team is a well-oiled machine that works together like a family, lending support and knowledge along with the willingness to be there for anyone at any time. That being said, Barb is very protective of her staff family and always has their best interests at heart. When conflicts arise, Barb is a fair and gentle yet stern hand who tends to protect the underdogs and encourage the timid. Being someone who had has faced other’s torment, she seeks to always have an outstretched hand. Barb loves working at the Clinic and is proud to be part of the OMHC team and hopes that in a few years she can continue to be a resource and continue to help people even into her retirement.
The Odessa Rural Health Clinic, built in the 50s, had over a dozen different providers while it operated privately under the Odessa Community and under the guidance of Dr. Gugdel (family doctor) and Dr. Tank (dentist), who originally lived in the apartments below the clinic that we now use for temporary staff stays. The hospital was built in 1987 and the “new” clinic, built and attached to old clinic in 1976, became part of the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center at that time.
Many of you will remember the funny and kind Larry Sayrs, PA-C who was here 22 years. Mr. Sayrs along with the help of Barb, kept the doors of the clinic open for an entire year (24 hours a day and 7 days a week) with Mr. Sayrs as the only practitioner and Barb as the sole support staff. During this time, the Odessa Clinic was overseen by Davenport. This meant that patients would call Mr. Sayrs at home for an ambulance, call Barb at home late at night to make an appointment for the next day, etc. Barb contributes being able to do all that she did because of an amazingly supportive husband, Clarke, who sadly passed away in 2000. During this, under the leadership of the gracious Dr. Linda Powell, Barb was permitted to do her work largely from home for almost 14 months while she cared for her husband.
Another interesting fact, the longest span of the facility operating entirely of all locum practitioners was 1 year. Barb gives all the credit of being able to run things as smoothly as possible for the last 40 years to the staff she works with. Besides the arduous task of running the busy clinic, Barb is also a SHIBA Volunteer & Benefit Exchange Navigator. She is a community resource in assisting people with insurance issues and helping them to get on the right insurance at the right time, which benefits both patients and the hospital. Barb also works on rural resources, referrals, renewals and prescription drug plans with Ted Bruya from the Odessa Drug Store. Barb takes care of roughly 150 people for insurances and Ted does the entire remainder of the community, which is very important because if people miss signing up with the exchange, there is a 1 year delay whereas for Apple health there are monthly renewals. Each of these insurance help meetings takes about an hour to an hour and a half and sometimes longer when patients are new to Medicare and need help enrolling.
Barb is a Certified Medical Assistant and can and has done every job in the Clinic. She credits her success to her awesome team in the Clinic that she depends on to run the clinic properly when circumstances require her to be absent. Barb says she never has to worry when she is gone because her team is a well-oiled machine that works together like a family, lending support and knowledge along with the willingness to be there for anyone at any time. That being said, Barb is very protective of her staff family and always has their best interests at heart. When conflicts arise, Barb is a fair and gentle yet stern hand who tends to protect the underdogs and encourage the timid. Being someone who had has faced other’s torment, she seeks to always have an outstretched hand. Barb loves working at the Clinic and is proud to be part of the OMHC team and hopes that in a few years she can continue to be a resource and continue to help people even into her retirement.
*In The Spotlight* - Dietary Manager, Marla Mills CDM, CFPP
Devoted long-time Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center employee, Dietary Manager, Marla Mills is the mastermind behind every dish that is prepared. Dietary isn’t just “cooking something up” to eat, but a careful orchestration of balancing the nutritional and caloric needs of every individual patient and resident that resides at OMHC. Meals are colorful, palatable, and tailored to individual needs including pureed, mechanical soft, general regular.
Marla was raised right here in Odessa and graduated from the Odessa High School before studying Foods & Nutrition at Washington State University. Marla also took Food Service Management courses through the University of Florida. Food Service Management included training & managing staff in food services for quality control and sanitation. Marla works in union with Jessica Berger, RD, CD for patient care planning to include diet & menu planning. She was first hired on at OMHC as a candy striper & nurse’s aide in 1989 and has been a dedicated employee for almost 29 years! Marla is a Certified Dietary Manager and Certified Food Protection Professional and has been the OMHC Dietary Manager since 1993. The Dietary staff at OMHC consists of Beth (Betsy) Renfro, Karen Carlson, Brandy Behrens, Lynn Mason, Tina Leffler, Heaven Hicks, and Julie Lambert.
When Marla is not at OMHC, she enjoys cooking, gardening, reading and traveling with her family. She has lived overseas and in southern California, but her heart will always be in Odessa. She enjoys giving back to the community that has supported her throughout the years and feels privileged to be able to serve our residents in their home. Thank you Marla for your service!
Marla was raised right here in Odessa and graduated from the Odessa High School before studying Foods & Nutrition at Washington State University. Marla also took Food Service Management courses through the University of Florida. Food Service Management included training & managing staff in food services for quality control and sanitation. Marla works in union with Jessica Berger, RD, CD for patient care planning to include diet & menu planning. She was first hired on at OMHC as a candy striper & nurse’s aide in 1989 and has been a dedicated employee for almost 29 years! Marla is a Certified Dietary Manager and Certified Food Protection Professional and has been the OMHC Dietary Manager since 1993. The Dietary staff at OMHC consists of Beth (Betsy) Renfro, Karen Carlson, Brandy Behrens, Lynn Mason, Tina Leffler, Heaven Hicks, and Julie Lambert.
When Marla is not at OMHC, she enjoys cooking, gardening, reading and traveling with her family. She has lived overseas and in southern California, but her heart will always be in Odessa. She enjoys giving back to the community that has supported her throughout the years and feels privileged to be able to serve our residents in their home. Thank you Marla for your service!
*In the Spotlight* - Quail Court Manager, Amy Reeves, LPN
Our Quail Court Manager, Amy Reeves, LPN has been an LPN for the past 10 years and has worked at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center for 6 years. Before OMHC, Amy was a Nurse at Pediatric Services of America in Longview, WA. Amy has been the Manager of Quail Court for 1 year and wanted this job because she wanted to serve the community members of Odessa in a different capacity than she did in the hospital, and because this is a way she can give back to the residents and families in Odessa.
When Amy is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her kids. Their favorites are going to water parks and Friday night movie nights complete with popcorn and treats. They are very excited to be going to watch the Titanic in one of their movie nights coming soon.
Amy’s favorite part of the job is getting to taste test all the deserts, although over all other options, the residents’ favorite desert is plain old vanilla ice cream. Amy loves being able to celebrate with the families during potlucks and making Quail Court a place where families feel welcome.
Amy and her staff of Kris Buchman, Suzette Coleman, Chris Miller, Stacey Bretches, Leslie Gies, Julie Williams and Amanda Anderson all make sure that the residents have a quiet and homey living space, have staff on hand 24 hours a day, make freshly cooked meals and deserts, and provide fun activities. Some things that the residents enjoy doing are going on outings, such as to lunch in the community and attending senior meals. Recently Quail Court hosted a Memorial Day Celebration Picnic for residents, families, the community and veterans which included 2 of our own veterans. Coming up on July 24th at 10am there will be a Quail Court senior activity featuring Mugs, Muffins and Trivia, and on July 30th at 10am there will be a light brunch and free Bingo (with prizes). These events are open to the community and the residents welcome visitors to come share in their activities.
Currently, Quail Court has 3 Apartments open. If you are in the neighborhood and would like to stop by and check it out or just grab a cup of coffee, please feel free to stop in and chat with Amy about if Quail Court is the right place for you or your loved ones for the next stage in life. If you would like to reach Amy by phone for more information about Quail Court and what it has to offer, please call 509-982-2271.
When Amy is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her kids. Their favorites are going to water parks and Friday night movie nights complete with popcorn and treats. They are very excited to be going to watch the Titanic in one of their movie nights coming soon.
Amy’s favorite part of the job is getting to taste test all the deserts, although over all other options, the residents’ favorite desert is plain old vanilla ice cream. Amy loves being able to celebrate with the families during potlucks and making Quail Court a place where families feel welcome.
Amy and her staff of Kris Buchman, Suzette Coleman, Chris Miller, Stacey Bretches, Leslie Gies, Julie Williams and Amanda Anderson all make sure that the residents have a quiet and homey living space, have staff on hand 24 hours a day, make freshly cooked meals and deserts, and provide fun activities. Some things that the residents enjoy doing are going on outings, such as to lunch in the community and attending senior meals. Recently Quail Court hosted a Memorial Day Celebration Picnic for residents, families, the community and veterans which included 2 of our own veterans. Coming up on July 24th at 10am there will be a Quail Court senior activity featuring Mugs, Muffins and Trivia, and on July 30th at 10am there will be a light brunch and free Bingo (with prizes). These events are open to the community and the residents welcome visitors to come share in their activities.
Currently, Quail Court has 3 Apartments open. If you are in the neighborhood and would like to stop by and check it out or just grab a cup of coffee, please feel free to stop in and chat with Amy about if Quail Court is the right place for you or your loved ones for the next stage in life. If you would like to reach Amy by phone for more information about Quail Court and what it has to offer, please call 509-982-2271.
*In the Spotlight* - Housekeeping/Laundry Manager, Heidi Kuch
When you walk in the door at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center, you are greeted with the welcoming scent and cleanliness of a well-cared for facility. This is largely in part due to Housekeeping/Laundry Manager, Heidi Kuch and her staff of Amy Heynig, Kim Lovvik, Elsa Aquino, Becky Reyes, Zach Southard, and Tina Leffler. Heidi grew up in Odessa, attended Odessa High School and then lived in the Seattle area. She moved back and began working at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center 5 years ago and was hired as the manager after long time manager, Marilyn Smith retired.
A good day for Laundry & Housekeeping is roughly 300lbs of laundry while a slow day is still about 170-180lbs of laundry. Each resident’s personal clothes are initialed, however frequently they are not. Which is what happens when residents get something new, or family members bring in new items from home, so part of what Laundry does is find these freshly washed clothes their home within the facility.
Besides laundry, Heidi oversees and partakes in the efforts of staff to maintain a clean and well cared for facility which also includes shampooing & vacuuming carpets throughout the hospital, emptying garbage’s, cleaning windows, cleaning lights, waxing the floors, providing chemical spill training to staff, and cleaning up messes. Heidi also revises and reviews department policies and procedures and monitors projects for quality improvement. Mostly, cleaning is done with disinfectants and staff can end up using 3-4 different kinds to clean, create a fresh smell, and maintain appearances.
Heidi’s favorite part of the job is getting to visit the residents and really enjoys that every day is different and provides for different tasks for Laundry and Housekeeping. When Heidi isn’t at work, she enjoys spending time with her kids, going on trips to Seattle, going to the lake and indoor water parks, and swimming. Thank you Heidi for your service at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center!
A good day for Laundry & Housekeeping is roughly 300lbs of laundry while a slow day is still about 170-180lbs of laundry. Each resident’s personal clothes are initialed, however frequently they are not. Which is what happens when residents get something new, or family members bring in new items from home, so part of what Laundry does is find these freshly washed clothes their home within the facility.
Besides laundry, Heidi oversees and partakes in the efforts of staff to maintain a clean and well cared for facility which also includes shampooing & vacuuming carpets throughout the hospital, emptying garbage’s, cleaning windows, cleaning lights, waxing the floors, providing chemical spill training to staff, and cleaning up messes. Heidi also revises and reviews department policies and procedures and monitors projects for quality improvement. Mostly, cleaning is done with disinfectants and staff can end up using 3-4 different kinds to clean, create a fresh smell, and maintain appearances.
Heidi’s favorite part of the job is getting to visit the residents and really enjoys that every day is different and provides for different tasks for Laundry and Housekeeping. When Heidi isn’t at work, she enjoys spending time with her kids, going on trips to Seattle, going to the lake and indoor water parks, and swimming. Thank you Heidi for your service at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center!
*In The Spotlight* - Director of Environmental Services/Maintenance/Security/Safety, Alberto Reyes
Born here at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center, Alberto Reyes has been a long standing member of the Odessa community. He began his venture into the healthcare world 8 years ago, right here at OMHC after the Bio Diesel Plant closed. The only position at the time that was available was the groundskeeper position, which he gladly took; however, his past construction/contracting/farming skills soon were put to good use as he was transitioned into the maintenance department, where he soon became manager.
At OMHC, Alberto and the maintenance crew, Roger Sebesta, Lyle Sperline and Zach Southard, take care of the day to day needs of the Hospital, Clinic and Assisted Living facility. This includes, but is not limited to heating & cooling, electrical, plumbing, floors, painting, windows, life safety including fire safety, lighting, sewer, landscaping, and facility grounds care. Besides the maintenance work, Alberto reports safety goals to department directors, he is the safety committee chairman, reports quarterly to the board of directors, reviews and revises policies & procedures, security, hazmat training, fire training, workplace violence training, is involved in emergency preparedness and helps with EMS.
Besides being involved in providing high standards of care and service at OMHC, Alberto enjoys working as part of the group and helping people. Outside of work, Alberto enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, and fishing, and he has been a volunteer for the fire department for 7 years as well as a little league coach and coordinator for 7 years as well. Thank you Alberto for being a dedicated OMHC employee!
At OMHC, Alberto and the maintenance crew, Roger Sebesta, Lyle Sperline and Zach Southard, take care of the day to day needs of the Hospital, Clinic and Assisted Living facility. This includes, but is not limited to heating & cooling, electrical, plumbing, floors, painting, windows, life safety including fire safety, lighting, sewer, landscaping, and facility grounds care. Besides the maintenance work, Alberto reports safety goals to department directors, he is the safety committee chairman, reports quarterly to the board of directors, reviews and revises policies & procedures, security, hazmat training, fire training, workplace violence training, is involved in emergency preparedness and helps with EMS.
Besides being involved in providing high standards of care and service at OMHC, Alberto enjoys working as part of the group and helping people. Outside of work, Alberto enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, and fishing, and he has been a volunteer for the fire department for 7 years as well as a little league coach and coordinator for 7 years as well. Thank you Alberto for being a dedicated OMHC employee!
*In The Spotlight* - Human Resources Manager, Jessica Strode
This week’s “In The Spotlight” employee is Human Resource Manager, Jessica Strode. Jessica has been in HR for 11 years and at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center for 1 year. A Spokane native, Jessica spent 9 years in Seattle during which time she went to the University of Washington HR Extension where she earned her certificate. Jessica is PHR Certified which is a special certification for her demonstrating mastery of Human Resource knowledge.
Jessica originally wanted to be an accountant and was working toward her accounting degree at Spokane Community College. She received a promotion at the Casino where she worked in accounting and was transitioned to an HR/Accounting combination position. After that, as HR Manager, Jessica helped to open another Casino in the Tri Cities and in Spokane. Aside from the Casino industry, Jessica also worked in the Medical Retrieval Industry, Manufacturing, and now Healthcare.
A recruiter for OMHC found Jessica and called her on a Friday night. The opportunity was perfect timing for her family and with her husband working on grain elevators in the northwest, it just fit. Shortly after, she bought a house in Odessa, moved to town, and has become a very valuable employee. A fun fact about Jessica, she and her husband were each other’s first loves. Their families have cabins right next to each other where they became best friends, spending each summer together as kids, starting when they were 12 and 14. They were able to reconnect 5 years ago and the rest is history.
The most interesting resume that Jessica has ever received stated, “I probably make more in a day than you do in a year and I can guarantee I know more than any employee you have.” Needless to say, that applicant didn’t get a call back from Jessica. At OMHC, Jessica’s duties involve the employee recognition program, recruitment and retention of employees, hiring and firing, disciplinary actions, benefits and compensation, mediation, records management, policies and procedures, secretary of the safety committee, preparing reports for the board, promoting the wellness program, handling L & I claims, and the annual employee training program.
Jessica originally wanted to be an accountant and was working toward her accounting degree at Spokane Community College. She received a promotion at the Casino where she worked in accounting and was transitioned to an HR/Accounting combination position. After that, as HR Manager, Jessica helped to open another Casino in the Tri Cities and in Spokane. Aside from the Casino industry, Jessica also worked in the Medical Retrieval Industry, Manufacturing, and now Healthcare.
A recruiter for OMHC found Jessica and called her on a Friday night. The opportunity was perfect timing for her family and with her husband working on grain elevators in the northwest, it just fit. Shortly after, she bought a house in Odessa, moved to town, and has become a very valuable employee. A fun fact about Jessica, she and her husband were each other’s first loves. Their families have cabins right next to each other where they became best friends, spending each summer together as kids, starting when they were 12 and 14. They were able to reconnect 5 years ago and the rest is history.
The most interesting resume that Jessica has ever received stated, “I probably make more in a day than you do in a year and I can guarantee I know more than any employee you have.” Needless to say, that applicant didn’t get a call back from Jessica. At OMHC, Jessica’s duties involve the employee recognition program, recruitment and retention of employees, hiring and firing, disciplinary actions, benefits and compensation, mediation, records management, policies and procedures, secretary of the safety committee, preparing reports for the board, promoting the wellness program, handling L & I claims, and the annual employee training program.
*In The Spotlight - Director of Radiology, Drex Palmer
This week’s in the spotlight features our Director of Radiology, Drex Palmer. Drex has been an invaluable member of the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Staff as a Radiology Technologist since June of 2005. Originally from South Eastern Idaho, Drex has lived in Moses Lake most of his life where he worked as a farmer for 25 years before deciding he wanted to get into the Medical field.
Drex loves trauma and was inspired to find something he could do in the Medical field. Becoming a Radiology Technologist was the logical choice as it required the least amount of schooling time. Drex completed the 2 years of required pre requisites at Big Bend Community College with grades higher than the required 3.5 gpa and was soon accepted into the Wenatchee Valley College, which is one of the Premier Radiology Technologist Schools in the Northwest. They took 33 students that year, one of the largest classes, and Drex was one of them.
When Drex was hired on at OMHC, he was immediately cross trained in the Laboratory under Dr. Powell to help with blood draws after Lois Harp left at noon each day. Then it was to help with blood draws after Marra Schmierer left each day at 2:30pm. While training, Drex earned his Assistant Phlebotomy Certification.
Drex has often been told he could sell ice to eskimos, and this has served him well in his career choice. We often receive compliments of how Drex’s fun humor and matter of fact ways relax patients and make the task of holding perfectly still for Radiographs much easier. Employees are often pranked by Drex as he loves to scare people. Some interesting things that have made their way into Radiographs Drex has taken have been piercings, metal objects, rocks, glass, wood and nails. A really interesting case he once followed involved taking radiographs periodically to monitor progress of batteries that had been swallowed by a young child.
Besides taking Radiographs, Drex performs the Dexa Bone Scans and EKGs, draws blood in the Lab and periodically updates and reviews Radiology Policies and Procedures, and he also works with hospital Department Directors to continually improve care by completing Performance Improvement projects. We are blessed to have Drex as part of the OMHC team.
Drex loves trauma and was inspired to find something he could do in the Medical field. Becoming a Radiology Technologist was the logical choice as it required the least amount of schooling time. Drex completed the 2 years of required pre requisites at Big Bend Community College with grades higher than the required 3.5 gpa and was soon accepted into the Wenatchee Valley College, which is one of the Premier Radiology Technologist Schools in the Northwest. They took 33 students that year, one of the largest classes, and Drex was one of them.
When Drex was hired on at OMHC, he was immediately cross trained in the Laboratory under Dr. Powell to help with blood draws after Lois Harp left at noon each day. Then it was to help with blood draws after Marra Schmierer left each day at 2:30pm. While training, Drex earned his Assistant Phlebotomy Certification.
Drex has often been told he could sell ice to eskimos, and this has served him well in his career choice. We often receive compliments of how Drex’s fun humor and matter of fact ways relax patients and make the task of holding perfectly still for Radiographs much easier. Employees are often pranked by Drex as he loves to scare people. Some interesting things that have made their way into Radiographs Drex has taken have been piercings, metal objects, rocks, glass, wood and nails. A really interesting case he once followed involved taking radiographs periodically to monitor progress of batteries that had been swallowed by a young child.
Besides taking Radiographs, Drex performs the Dexa Bone Scans and EKGs, draws blood in the Lab and periodically updates and reviews Radiology Policies and Procedures, and he also works with hospital Department Directors to continually improve care by completing Performance Improvement projects. We are blessed to have Drex as part of the OMHC team.
*In The Spotlight* - Activities Director, Mallarie Bramer-Pierce, NAC
There are fewer things that mean more to a family member than watching someone interacting with your loved ones in a caring and compassionate manner. When your loved ones become our Residents here at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center, they get just that with our outstanding Activity Director, Mallarie Bramer-Pierce, NAC.
Mallarie has been an NAC and worked at OMHC for 4 years. She has been our Activity Director going on 2 years. Mallarie was first inspired to become an NAC by Bruce Haase, who convinced her to take the class here at the hospital because of her love for relationships with older people. Her desire to get to talk to and get to know older people’s stories about life, love, work, the past and the present was not something Mallarie could do as an NAC here because of how busy the shifts are, hence when the Activity Director position became available she was eager to apply.
Since Mallarie already had a year of college under her belt, those credits from the University of Idaho transferred toward her online 160 hour MEPAP Course for Activities Directors. Since then the rest is history. Mallarie manages the volunteers and state regulations for Activities, is part of the Department Directors team where she has a Performance Improvement project to continually better the care offered, she maintains and updates policies and procedures, does charting, care plans, manages the Activities budget, plans activities for residents, prepares 1 on 1 programs for people who can’t participate in group activities, plans and puts on family potlucks, and is in charge of the Pet Therapy program where our wonderful volunteer, Don Saunders of Ritzville comes a few times a month with his very special therapy dogs Blonde, Pistachio, and Taco Bell. Mallarie utilizes her NAC license by helping out on the floor during sick seasons when the hospital is short staffed. She is assisted by her dedicated helper, Alayna Watkins who has been helping in Activities for almost a year.
Mallarie’s activities and projects, often from Pintrest, are always a hit with the residents. The Gardening Club is a favorite where residents grow tomatoes, flowers, onions, ocra, herbs, and garlic, among other home grown ingredients which are then put to use in recipes, such as salsa, made by the residents in Cooking Club. Mallarie has found that the residents love gardening and cooking as many of them have farming backgrounds and it was often something that they did at home. Recently, a resident from Texas requested adding ocra to the garden, as it was something that she really missed from before.
Crafts are another activity that is loved by the residents. Mallarie frequently has them working on holiday themed projects, like loofa sponge monsters or spoon Christmas trees. The end products from the materials always surprise and excite the residents because they never see it coming. Mallarie’s eyes light up and sparkle when she talks about some of their projects, “It is really fun because of the generational gap. Like with sugar scrubs, which I always have had in my bathrooms, but their generation never had. They always want to know if they will make them sticky or how to wash it off.”
There are always new programs being incorporated and a party for every occasion. Mallarie and Alayna made green beer for St. Patricks day, Margaritas (or virgin margaritas for the residents who can’t have alcohol) for Cinco De Mayo. They always have a craft, a game, a movie or food or a combination for every party. There is a resident Cribbage group that plays Bingo and fierce games of Pinocle every Thursday and Bible Study takes place on Wednesdays. Mallarie is a firm believer that routine is everything, so she is always trying to create a solid structure of activities for the residents, and for when the residents miss the country, Mallarie gets out the bus and takes them for a Country drive to look at the canola, wheat, lakes and fields.
It takes a special person to be an Activities Director and to engage the residents and we definitely have that in Mallarie. Thank you Mallarie for all you do, you are much appreciated!
Mallarie has been an NAC and worked at OMHC for 4 years. She has been our Activity Director going on 2 years. Mallarie was first inspired to become an NAC by Bruce Haase, who convinced her to take the class here at the hospital because of her love for relationships with older people. Her desire to get to talk to and get to know older people’s stories about life, love, work, the past and the present was not something Mallarie could do as an NAC here because of how busy the shifts are, hence when the Activity Director position became available she was eager to apply.
Since Mallarie already had a year of college under her belt, those credits from the University of Idaho transferred toward her online 160 hour MEPAP Course for Activities Directors. Since then the rest is history. Mallarie manages the volunteers and state regulations for Activities, is part of the Department Directors team where she has a Performance Improvement project to continually better the care offered, she maintains and updates policies and procedures, does charting, care plans, manages the Activities budget, plans activities for residents, prepares 1 on 1 programs for people who can’t participate in group activities, plans and puts on family potlucks, and is in charge of the Pet Therapy program where our wonderful volunteer, Don Saunders of Ritzville comes a few times a month with his very special therapy dogs Blonde, Pistachio, and Taco Bell. Mallarie utilizes her NAC license by helping out on the floor during sick seasons when the hospital is short staffed. She is assisted by her dedicated helper, Alayna Watkins who has been helping in Activities for almost a year.
Mallarie’s activities and projects, often from Pintrest, are always a hit with the residents. The Gardening Club is a favorite where residents grow tomatoes, flowers, onions, ocra, herbs, and garlic, among other home grown ingredients which are then put to use in recipes, such as salsa, made by the residents in Cooking Club. Mallarie has found that the residents love gardening and cooking as many of them have farming backgrounds and it was often something that they did at home. Recently, a resident from Texas requested adding ocra to the garden, as it was something that she really missed from before.
Crafts are another activity that is loved by the residents. Mallarie frequently has them working on holiday themed projects, like loofa sponge monsters or spoon Christmas trees. The end products from the materials always surprise and excite the residents because they never see it coming. Mallarie’s eyes light up and sparkle when she talks about some of their projects, “It is really fun because of the generational gap. Like with sugar scrubs, which I always have had in my bathrooms, but their generation never had. They always want to know if they will make them sticky or how to wash it off.”
There are always new programs being incorporated and a party for every occasion. Mallarie and Alayna made green beer for St. Patricks day, Margaritas (or virgin margaritas for the residents who can’t have alcohol) for Cinco De Mayo. They always have a craft, a game, a movie or food or a combination for every party. There is a resident Cribbage group that plays Bingo and fierce games of Pinocle every Thursday and Bible Study takes place on Wednesdays. Mallarie is a firm believer that routine is everything, so she is always trying to create a solid structure of activities for the residents, and for when the residents miss the country, Mallarie gets out the bus and takes them for a Country drive to look at the canola, wheat, lakes and fields.
It takes a special person to be an Activities Director and to engage the residents and we definitely have that in Mallarie. Thank you Mallarie for all you do, you are much appreciated!
*In the Spotlight- Special Services Director, Director of EMS and Medical Records, Marcus Horak
If you have ever had to take a ride in an Odessa Ambulance, you have probably been helped by OMHC EMT, Marcus Horak. Marcus began his EMS career over 6 years ago when Brian Finkbeiner was the EMS Coordinator. A class was held in Reardan for people wanting to get into becoming an EMT. Marcus decided then that he wanted to be an EMT as it would be an opportunity to help the community, do something good, and also develop a skill set that normally he wouldn’t have the opportunity to achieve. Marcus became the Director of EMS at OMHC in July of 2016 and currently we have 9 dedicated EMTs and are always needing more, so if this is something you feel that you would be interested in and would like to become an EMT, please contact Marcus at 509-982-2611. A class will be offered this fall for anyone wanting to make a difference and become an EMT. To be an EMT, you must take an EMT class, get/have a CPR Card, be 18 years old or older, pass a national test along with a motor skills test, and if you would like to become a driver, you also need an Emergency Vehicle Incident Prevention certification.
Besides his role in EMS, Marcus is also the Medical Records Supervisor where he oversees Medical Records Clerk, Kristy Watkins. He has been the Medical Records supervisor for 1 year. Medical Records is the “Hub” of the hospital, where every department has ties. In MR, Marcus oversees the analysis of charts, checking for completeness, and approves record releases for doctors and insurance companies as well as for patients needing care through specialists.
Among his other duties, Marcus is also the Insurance Credentialing Specialist, which he started in November of 2016. When patients come in for visits, the providers must be credentialed with each individual insurance company in order for OMHC to bill for their services. So Marcus makes that happen. Marcus is also part of the Compliance Committee, Safety Committee- which includes Disaster Planning, PI Projects with Department Directors, as well as tag teaming IT issues with Administrative Assistant, Jillian Connolly by handling the networking, internet, and phone systems for the hospital.
Fun fact- Marcus was one of many babies born at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center back when we used to deliver babies!
Besides his role in EMS, Marcus is also the Medical Records Supervisor where he oversees Medical Records Clerk, Kristy Watkins. He has been the Medical Records supervisor for 1 year. Medical Records is the “Hub” of the hospital, where every department has ties. In MR, Marcus oversees the analysis of charts, checking for completeness, and approves record releases for doctors and insurance companies as well as for patients needing care through specialists.
Among his other duties, Marcus is also the Insurance Credentialing Specialist, which he started in November of 2016. When patients come in for visits, the providers must be credentialed with each individual insurance company in order for OMHC to bill for their services. So Marcus makes that happen. Marcus is also part of the Compliance Committee, Safety Committee- which includes Disaster Planning, PI Projects with Department Directors, as well as tag teaming IT issues with Administrative Assistant, Jillian Connolly by handling the networking, internet, and phone systems for the hospital.
Fun fact- Marcus was one of many babies born at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center back when we used to deliver babies!
*In the Spotlight- Chief Financial Officer, Annette Edwards, CPA
Annette Edwards, CPA
Meet Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center's Chief Financial Officer of 15 years, Annette Edwards, CPA. Annette is a city-girl-transplant originally from Spokane. She moved with her family to Davenport 29 years ago to raise her family in a small town. Before her OMHC days, Annette's relationship with Odessa was actually as an auditor. Annette graduated from Oregon State University and earned her CPA license in 1982 and actually began working at OMHC in December of 2001. Managing the business side of healthcare is very complex as there are numerous audits throughout the year, reports for Medicare, the OMHC Board of Commissioners, DOH, FEMA, and many other agencies that require data regularly.
Much of what consumes Annette's day to day activities are the internal and external reporting as well as hospital budget. The budget is not just a once a year happening for the hospital, Annette also distributes monthly financials to the Department Directors, Board of Commissioners, and CEO of the hospital, Mo Sheldon, FACHE, LNFA. A large part of these monthly financials involved meticulous attention to detail and working very closely with the individual departments to manage how they fit into the entire hospital budget as it continually changes.
Managing the billing and patient account functions along with the business office in Spokane, is another big piece of Annette's job. This also involves working with Admitting Director, Janie Steward, EMS Director, Marcus Horak, who also handles insurance credentialing and Medical Records, and the clinic staff, to make sure billing is completed timely and compliant with the changing demands from government and commercial payers. Billing for healthcare services is not a simple task and there are many data elements required that are also constantly changing.
Annette also oversees the other financial operations of the District with her small, but very capable staff of Janie Steward and Heather Valverde. You can feel very confident that the community of Odessa is in very capable and experienced hands when it comes to finances and that is largely thanks to the efforts of Annette Edwards.
Much of what consumes Annette's day to day activities are the internal and external reporting as well as hospital budget. The budget is not just a once a year happening for the hospital, Annette also distributes monthly financials to the Department Directors, Board of Commissioners, and CEO of the hospital, Mo Sheldon, FACHE, LNFA. A large part of these monthly financials involved meticulous attention to detail and working very closely with the individual departments to manage how they fit into the entire hospital budget as it continually changes.
Managing the billing and patient account functions along with the business office in Spokane, is another big piece of Annette's job. This also involves working with Admitting Director, Janie Steward, EMS Director, Marcus Horak, who also handles insurance credentialing and Medical Records, and the clinic staff, to make sure billing is completed timely and compliant with the changing demands from government and commercial payers. Billing for healthcare services is not a simple task and there are many data elements required that are also constantly changing.
Annette also oversees the other financial operations of the District with her small, but very capable staff of Janie Steward and Heather Valverde. You can feel very confident that the community of Odessa is in very capable and experienced hands when it comes to finances and that is largely thanks to the efforts of Annette Edwards.
In the Spotlight- Admitting Director, Janie Steward
Janie Steward
One of the friendly faces you will see when you walk in the door at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center is Director of Admitting, Janie Steward. Janie has been a dedicated employee of OMHC for 9 1/2 years and is a local here in Odessa. A typical day for Janie includes overseeing the admitting department, revising & reviewing policies, maintaining and collecting data for Performance Improvement, and assisting Chief Financial Officer, Annette Edwards, CPA with fiscal responsibilities. Janie's work in the Fiscal Department includes working alongside the CBO and coders in billing OMHC patient accounts, working in Meditech, verifying insurances, insurance pre-authorizations, assisting with check requests and requests for reimbursement, compiling data and preparing the Accounts Payable reports for the OMHC Board of Directors, and working extensively with DSHS and Provider One in the transfer of patient accounts which involves very detailed and diligent monitoring of those patient accounts. A large portion of Janie's work in the Fiscal Department involves problem solving within the billing of accounts to help determine if there are errors, where they came from , and fixing them. As patients of OMHC, res assured that you and your loved ones are well taken care of by our Admitting and Fiscal Departments!
In the Spotlight- Emergency Room Director, Caitlin Higley, RN
Caitlin Higley, RN
Meet our Emergency Room Director, Caitlin Higley, RN! Caitlin earned her Registered Nursing degree from Columbia Basin College and is a local, originally from Othello. She has been a nurse for 11 1/2 years and an OMHC nurse for 10 1/2 years. When you visit Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center, you can find Caitlin working as a floor nurse as well as overseeing the Emergency Room and assisting the Clinical Service Director aka Director of Nursing, Megan Shepard, RN. Part of what Caitlin does is data collection and input for the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project, the Coverdell Stroke Program, Peer Review, the Trauma Registry (including our Trauma Level 5 Designation renewal, compliance and reporting), and policy revision and renewals among other things. Be assured that the community is in very capable hands when visiting the ER at OMHC!
In the Spotlight- Director of Nursing, Megan Shepard, RN
Megan, MaryAnne, and Shannel doing patient care at OMHC
Here at OMHC, we pride ourselves with excellent nursing care. That is largely thanks to our dedicated Nursing Director, Megan Shepard, RN. Megan has been on the team here at Odessa Memorial for the last 10 1/2 years and a nurse for 11 1/2 years. A local, Megan was born and raised on her family's farm in Lind, WA and she obtained her RN from Big Bend Community College. As the OMHC Nursing Director, Megan oversees all clinical service departments in the hospital, which includes nursing, laboratory, radiology, infection control, social services, activities, and the emergency room. Our nursing department is here to serve the Odessa Community and surrounding areas and some of the specialty nursing services we provide are outpatient procedures, IV infusions, injections, port flushes, wound care, and catheter changes. Come see Megan and our nursing department here at Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center for quality care close to home!