/tacomageneral/rss/news News RSS Feed en-us Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:23:48 PDT Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:23:48 PDT /tacomageneral/news/49 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Todd Kelley (253) 403-1716 “The All-Star Celebrity Weekend with Nick Lachey” is coming September 21 & 22, 2008 and will benefit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Tacoma General Hospital and the Mary Bridge Parenting Partnership. Mr. Lachey will host a weekend of fun-filled events that include a celebrity softball game, a dinner and live auction and a Celebrity Golf Classic that will bring together many familiar celebrities from television, motion pictures and sports. In 2006, its inaugural year, the event raised over $630,000 for Tacoma General’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and for the Parenting Partnership Program offered through Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, making it the most successful first-time fundraising event in South Sound history. In 2007, more than $750,000 was raised. The Events Sunday, September 21, 10:30 a.m.Celebrity Softball GameCheney StadiumHome of the Tacoma Rainiers Windermere Professional Partners sponsors the second annual celebrity softball game between celebrities and the local media. The celebrity team will be led by Nick Lachey and will bring together television and film stars, while the media team will unite local sports and media personalities. Tickets are available online at www.tacomacelebrityweekend.org or by calling the Tacoma Rainiers ticket office at (253) 752-7700. Tickets may also be purchased at Windermere Professional Partners offices in Tacoma. Tickets are $15 for general admission or $40 for Reserved Box Seats. Box Seats include reserved seating, food & beverage, reserved parking and a souvenir. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, September 21, 5 p.m.Dinner and Live AuctionGreater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center The celebrities will turn out for a fun-filled dinner and auction with auction items that include luxury vacation packages with golf and spa amenities, intimate weekend getaways, magnums of select Washington wines and A-list sports memorabilia. The evening will also include jazz music by the Kareem Kandi trio. Tickets are $200 per person or $2,000 for a table of 10. Monday, September 22Celebrity Golf ClassicTacoma Country and Golf Club10 a.m. Tee Time This sold out event will bring together the celebrities for a round of golf at the Tacoma Country & Golf Club, the oldest private golf club west of the Mississippi. (Advance reservations for 2009 are available by calling 253-403-1522.) The Cause Tacoma General Hospital has the South Sound\'s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for newborns, providing the highest level of care possible for infants. This year’s event will raise funds to purchase CosyCot with NeoPuff™ infant resuscitators, a specialized infant bed that allows doctors and nurses to set a precise pressure to keep a newborn’s lungs optimally expanded with the correct amount of volume and oxygen. Lung and respiratory development are critical in the first few hours and days for an infant born prematurely. Past All-Star Celebrity events have enabled staff to purchase a variety of technologically advanced equipment for the NICU, including 20 Giraffe OmniBeds™. Each OmniBed serves a dual function that traditionally required changing the infant between an incubator and radiant warmer. OmniBeds reduce stress on the infant and allows better access by doctors, nurses and parents. The Beneficiary The Tacoma General NICU serves more than 1,500 premature and critically ill newborns annually and is the neonatal referral center for all of southwest Washington. Additionally, Tacoma General is nationally accredited in neonatal transport services and provides care and transportation for over 300 premature infants annually. Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center Parenting Partnership provides education, training and therapeutic support through consistent home visits from NICU nurses and professional family support workers and through facilitated group sessions with other NICU families. Staff and parents partner to build a strong, support system that protects and nurtures the child, and fosters good patterns of child care. The Parenting Partnership helps families access appropriate medical care to promote growth and development for each child. For more information on the events and the cause, go to www.tacomacelebrityweekend.org. EDITOR’S NOTE: Stars scheduled to appear are listed on the next page of this release. ### Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center are part of MultiCare Health System. MultiCare is a leading-edge, integrated health organization made up of four hospitals, numerous primary care and urgent care clinics, multi-specialty centers, Hospice and Home Health services, and many other services. A not-for-profit organization based in Tacoma, Washington since 1882, MultiCare has grown over the years in response to community needs. Today we are the area\'s largest provider of health care services, serving patients at 93 locations in Pierce, South King, Kitsap and Thurston counties. 2008 Celebrities Slated to Appear* · Nick Lachey, solo artist; #1 on the Billboard Pop 100 and quadruple platinum singer with 98 Degrees and Motown record label, plus Grammy nominee for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals; MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica; SoulO; MTV’s Nick Lachey: What\'s Left Of Me; NBC’s reality show, Clash of the Choirs; host of ABC’s High School Musical: Get in the Picture; and co-owner of the Tacoma Rainiers · Aaron Artman, President, Tacoma Rainiers Baseball Club · Aimee Wright, contestant, America’s Next Top Model · Alonzo Mitz, defensive end, Seattle Seahawks · Bill Krueger, pitcher, Seattle Mariners, senior baseball analyst for Fox Sports Northwest · Bob Gross, forward, and 1977 NBA Champion with the Portland Trailblazers · Brad Goode, anchor, KING 5 TV · Jim Nettles, outfielder, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and Oakland A’s · Chris Daniels, reporter, King 5 TV · Cindy Morgan, actress, Caddyshack, Tron and Falcon Crest · Chris Egan, King 5 TV sports anchor and reporter · Cris Judd, choreographer; lead dancer for Michael Jackson’s Dangerous and History tours, Red Sky Picture’s Goyband (2008 release) · Dave “The Groz” Grosby, sports radio personality · Dave Henderson, outfielder, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and 1989 World Champion Oakland A’s · Frank Burgess, 1961 NCAA scoring champion, two-time collegiate All-American, Gonzaga University alumni · Jeff Nelson, four-time World Series champion with the NY Yankees · Jesse Jones, reporter, KING 5 TV · Kasey Keller, goalkeeper, Seattle Sounders FC, and four time World Cup participant · Kirby Schlegel, Co-founder and Chairman of Schlegel Sports · Lori Matsuakawa, anchor, KING 5 TV · John Curley, host, KING 5 TV’s Evening Magazine · Michael Jackson, linebacker, Seattle Seahawks · Nesby Glasgow, safety, Seattle Seahawks · Norm Johnson, placekicker, Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl XXX Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers · Otis Sistrunk, defensive lineman and Super Bowl XI champion with the Oakland Raiders · Sonny Sixkiller, quarterback and Hall of Famer for University of Washington Huskies, and analyst for FSN Northwest · Randall Morris, running back, Seattle Seahawks · Sarah Larson, model with Nous Model Management Los Angeles, 2008 People Magazine 100 Most Beautiful People, recently signed as the face of Christian Audigier Dresses and a winner of Fear Factor · Stacy Fuson, model and actress, The Good Humor Man, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Shallow Hal and American Pie · Tom Gorman, pitcher, NY Mets, Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres · Vanessa Minnillo, actress, Disaster Movie (2008), Redefining Love (2009), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, hostess, MTV’s Prom Date, and Maxim’s Hot 100 list 2006 · Yuji Okumoto, actor, Karate Kid 2, Pearl Harbor, True Believer, Better Off Dead, SPIKE TV’s Mask of the Ninja, and the Disney Channel’s Johnny Tsunami and Johnny Kapahala. * please note that this list is subject to change without notice /tacomageneral/news/43 MultiCare Express connects you to a new kind of health care convenience. Now you can walk in to your local Rite Aid and be seen by a MultiCare Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) for all kinds of medical care, as well as sports physicals, certain immunizations and laboratory tests.Then fill a prescription and pick up other medications or medical supplies you need, all with a single trip. Most visits are $59 and covered by most insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.Get more information at www.multicareexpress.org. /tacomageneral/news/42 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Todd Kelley (253) 403-1716 (TACOMA) –MultiCare Health System Chief Operating Officer George J. Brown, MD, has announced he will leave MultiCare to become the President & CEO of Legacy Health System in Portland, Ore. Dr. Brown will leave MultiCare by the end of July. Dr. Brown joined MultiCare in 1998 as Vice President of Acute Care Services & Facilities, overseeing all hospital operations of Tacoma General Hospital, Allenmore Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. In 2005, Dr. Brown was promoted Chief Operating Officer, overseeing clinical operations across MultiCare Health System. Before coming to MultiCare, he served as Commanding General of Madigan Army Medical Center, lead agent for Region 11 of the U.S. Army, and Commander of the Army Western Regional Medical Command at Fort Lewis. He retired from active military service in February 1999. During his tenure at MultiCare, Dr. Brown was actively involved in the effort to restore Level II adult trauma care to Tacoma in 2000. Dr. Brown also led projects that brought new operating rooms to Tacoma General and Mary Bridge in 2004 and helped establish Tacoma General as the first hospital in the South Sound to offer robotic-assisted surgery for prostate and gynecological procedures. And, in 2005, the newly expanded Mary Bridge Children’s Health Center opened. In 2007, MultiCare’s electronic health record system was expanded from the outpatient clinics to Tacoma General Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Allenmore Hospital, providing a single, electronic health record for MultiCare patients. “Over the last ten years, we have grown and successfully implemented many initiatives that improve health care services to our community,” said MultiCare President and CEO Diane Cecchettini, RN. “Dr. Brown has been a catalyst for many of these initiatives, and I commend him for his many contributions over the last 10 years. We wish him well in his new endeavor.” ### MultiCare is a leading-edge, integrated health organization made up of four hospitals, numerous primary care and urgent care clinics, multi-specialty centers, Hospice and Home Health services, and many other services. A not-for-profit organization based in Tacoma, Washington since 1882, MultiCare has grown over the years in response to community needs. Today we are the area\'s largest provider of health care services, serving patients at 93 locations in Pierce, South King, Kitsap and Thurston counties. /tacomageneral/news/34 See the June issue of South Sound Magazine for profiles of several MultiCare physicians who were named in the article, “Eight doctors who make a difference.” The article featured several South Sound physicians who make a positive impact with their patients, the community and the world. MultiCare affiliated and employed physicians featured include: Dr. George Tanbara, Co-Founder, Pediatrics Northwest Dr. Brian Kott, Interventional Neuroradiologist, TRA Medical Imaging at Tacoma General Dr. Donald Mott, Medical Staff Consultant at Good Samaritan Dr. Champ Weeks, Urologic Surgeon with MultiCare Dr. Glenn Tripp, Medical Director of the Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics and Neurodevelopment Center at Mary Bridge Several other physicians nominated for the distinction were also mentioned: Dr. Ronald K. Woods, Chief of Mary Bridge/Swedish Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Dr. Chris Stefanelli, Director of Pediatric Cardiology, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Katherine Cleveland, PA, Mary Bridge/Swedish Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Patti Fuchs, RN, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Wendy Jacobs, RN, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Lynne Nelson, RN, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital Mary Kessler, RN, Hematology/Oncology, Covington MultiCare Clinic Dr. Lauren Colman, Oncology, Gig Harbor MultiCare Medical Park Dr. Gregory Popich, Orthpedic Surgery/Sports Medicine, Pacific Sports Medicine Dr. Min-Chun Chen, MultiCare Regional Cancer Center Anne Flynn, OTR, MultiCare Adult Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Karen Perz, PT Program Coordinator, Vestibular & Balance Clinic, MultiCare Neuroscience Center Dr. Mario Alinea, MultiCare Occupational Medicine Paul Brimhall, Program Manager, MultiCare Transfusion-Free Medical and Surgical Program Dr. David Embrey, Program Research Coordinator, Children’s Therapy Unit, Good Samaritan Hospital Congratulations to our winners! Magazines are available at local newsstands or go to www.southsoundmag.com. /tacomageneral/news/32 To celebrate our one-year anniversary, we are giving away a unique spa package including a Wild Organic Hydrating and Detox Body Cocoon and Sunless Tan.This 1-1/2 hour pampering experience starts with invigorating exfoliation, followed by detoxing muds, a luxurious 14-jet Vichy shower, and ends with an incredible natural-looking spray-on tan. ($185.00 value).Enter to win!View other spa services available. /tacomageneral/news/27 FOR RITE AID:Cheryl Slavinsky(717) 731-6566FOR MULTICARE HEALTH SYSTEM:Todd Kelley(253) 403-1716 Tacoma, WA – Rite Aid Corporation and MultiCare Health System today announced an agreement to open MultiCare Express Clinics inside two Rite Aid stores in Tacoma and Lakewood, WA, this summer. At MultiCare Express Clinics certified nurse practitioners will provide patients with wellness services and quality care for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear aches, flu, bladder infections, bronchitis and allergies as well as laboratory tests, immunizations and health screenings. “Like Rite Aid, MultiCare is dedicated to enhancing the health of the communities it serves and to upholding its mission of providing and setting the standard for quality patient care in the region,” said Andrew Baron, MD, Primary Care Medical Director for the MultiCare Medical Group. “These new MultiCare Express Clinics will offer convenient, walk-in care for the whole family with minimal wait times at affordable prices. The clinics are affiliated with the resources of the locally based MultiCare Health System, including Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.” With the patient’s permission, the MultiCare Express Clinics can provide treatment information to the patient’s primary care provider. Those who need additional services can access the physicians, clinics and hospitals of the MultiCare Health System, the largest health system in the south Puget Sound region.“Our partnership with MultiCare Health System fits in well with our strategic vision to be the destination for health and wellness services,” said Mark de Bruin, Rite Aid executive vice president of pharmacy. “The MultiCare Express clinics will provide the same quality of healthcare patients would expect from any MultiCare Health System provider.” About Rite Aid Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains with more than 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia with fiscal 2008 annual sales of more than $24.3 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company’s website at http://www.riteaid.com. About MultiCare MultiCare is a leading-edge, integrated health organization made up of four hospitals, numerous primary care and urgent care clinics, multi-specialty centers, Hospice and Home Health services, and many other services. A not-for-profit organization based in Tacoma, Washington since 1882, MultiCare has grown over the years in response to community needs. Today, MultiCare is the area\'s largest provider of health care services, serving patients at 93 locations in Pierce, South King, Kitsap and Thurston counties. Information about MultiCare is available through the company’s website at http://www.multicare.org. # # # /tacomageneral/news/18 Tuesday, April 22, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Todd Kelley (253) 403-1716(TACOMA)—MultiCare Health System is increasingly closer to the goal of raising $25 million to expand and build new Emergency Departments (EDs) for Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. The goal of the campaign amount represents about one-third of the total cost of the new building. Generous lead gifts pledged from board members, employees and physicians have raised total commitments to The Emergency Services Campaign to more than $16 million so far. The expansion will be housed in a new building, named the Milgard Pavilion in recognition of combined $5 million gifts from the James Milgard Family Charitable Fund and the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation. The new emergency departments are expected to be completed in early 2010. The physicians have also responded with a donation of over $1 million and the employees of the MultiCare Health System have raised over $1.4 million. \"The support given by our Boards, employees and physicians has been remarkable,\" said Sara Long, Vice President of Philanthropy for MultiCare Health System. \"It is particularly inspirational, given that those closest to our mission know how very important emergency services are to our community and how critical it is that we expand our facilities.\" The Need for New Emergency Departments Originally built in the early 1980’s, the current Emergency Departments are severely overcrowded, too small and inadequately designed to meet today’s needs and the needs of patients in the future. Designed to accommodate 40,000 patient visits annually, last year the two EDs handled almost 70,000 patient visits, a 42 percent increase over its design capabilities. This situation will only get worse as the population continues to grow. The need for new, expanded, and better-designed facilities is magnified by the population growth of middle and senior age groups that require more health care than other residents. For example, by 2014 the population of MultiCare’s primary service area aged 45 to 64 is projected to grow 32 percent, while the population aged 65 and older is projected to grow 29 percent. This aging of the population will require MultiCare to dedicate an increasingly significant portion of its facilities and services to the treatment of chronic diseases and disorders that affect the elderly. The two hospitals need to upgrade and acquire advanced medical technology to ensure they can meet patient needs with the latest diagnostic and treatment capabilities. In addition, facility improvements are important for attracting and retaining expert physicians and other medical personnel. The Plan for the New Emergency Departments Designed with the input of MultiCare doctors and nurses, the new Emergency Departments and an Express Care Center (ECC) will be more than five times the size of the existing Emergency Departments, expanding from its current combined 13,000 square feet to 73,500 square feet. The Emergency Services Campaign MultiCare Health System is a locally-based and governed not-for-profit health care organization. It operates cost-effective, efficient, and high-quality hospitals, but financial pressures do exist. The projected cost of constructing and equipping the two new Emergency Departments and Express Care Center is $72 million. The project will be funded through a combination of cash reserves, operations, and debt, leaving a shortfall of $25 million to be raised from community support. \"We are very encouraged by the progress of the campaign so far,\" Folsom said. \"Our community has responded favorably and we are well on our way to building Emergency Departments that will serve our community’s growing needs now and well into the future.\" Campaign co-chairs John Folsom, Bill Philip and Jane Taylor join the Board of Directors of the MultiCare Health Foundation and Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation in launching The Emergency Services Campaign to approach area residents, businesses and foundations for philanthropic support. The Future of Emergency Care The new, much-larger Emergency Departments and Express Care Center will meet the needs of our community now and well into the future. They will provide medical personnel with the capacity to treat the increasing number of adult and pediatric emergency and urgent care patients more quickly and efficiently while providing a comforting and healing environment for patients and their families. \"The vitality of our community depends upon the health of its citizens, said MultiCare Health System Board Chair and Campaign Co-Chair John Folsom. \"One of the most important community services is the availability of quality emergency services, close to home.\" /tacomageneral/news/20 Monday, April 21, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Todd Kelley (253) 403-1716 (TACOMA) – MultiCare Health System President and Chief Executive Officer Diane Cecchettini, RN, has received the CEO IT Achievement Award for 2008 from Modern Healthcare Magazine and the Healthcare Information and Management System Society (HIMSS). Ms. Cecchettini was only one of three CEOs nationally to receive the recognition and the only CEO in Washington State The award recognizes healthcare CEOs who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to using information technology to advance their organizations’ goals. A five-judge panel consisting of two CEOs chosen by Modern Healthcare and three chief information officers chosen by HIMSS selected Ms. Cecchettini and two others out of 37 nominees. \"Diane’s vision of an ideal patient experience is to create a seamless, easy, valued, and sustainable continuum of health care that enhances the experience of both the patient and the provider,\" said Florence Chang, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. \"Technology is one of the core strategies that MultiCare uses to fulfill that vision, and the investment in those technologies not only changes the way we deliver care but makes health care better, safer, and more convenient for the patients in the communities we serve.\" Ten years ago, MultiCare Health System became the first health system in the south Puget Sound to implement an electronic health record (EHR) for patients at its ambulatory clinics in Pierce and south King Counties. In 2007, MultiCare implemented this leading edge technology at Tacoma General Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Allenmore Hospital, providing a single, electronic health record for all MultiCare patients, whether they are seen in a clinic or a hospital. MultiCare is now one of few health systems in the nation to have system-wide electronic health records. Called MultiCare Connect, the system allows immediate, secure access to a single, comprehensive health record each time a patient visits a MultiCare hospital or doctor. \"A health record reflects a lifetime of health care for a patient, including immunizations, allergies, prescriptions, surgeries, lab reports, x-rays and more,\" said MultiCare Chief Operating Officer George J. Brown, M.D. \"This wealth of immediately accessible, secure information helps our physicians assess patients’ needs in order to provide them with the best possible care.\" In addition to the EHR, MultiCare has recently made investments in radiology, imaging, and voice recognition software. With the new Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) a radiologist can read and access images from any computer at any time through a secure web portal. The voice recognition software improves turnaround time of transcribed reports and is another step toward our goal of a film-less radiology system. # # # MultiCare is a leading-edge, integrated health organization made up of four hospitals, numerous primary care and urgent care clinics, multi-specialty centers, Hospice and Home Health services, and many other services. A not-for-profit organization based in Tacoma, Washington since 1882, MultiCare has grown over the years in response to community needs. Today we are the area\'s largest provider of health care services, serving patients at 93 locations in Pierce, South King, Kitsap, and Thurston counties.