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Blue Mountain Hospital District in John Day, OR has been recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™.

“We are honored to make the 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital list. With over 1,350 Critical Access Hospitals serving rural areas across the country, it is humbling to be included with this group of hospitals, “said Derek Daly, CEO of Blue Mountain Hospital District. “I am proud of our entire organization and am thankful for all of the contributions of each one of our team members, providers, volunteers, and board members across our District that were necessary to make this happen. The work that our team members have accomplished over the last year during the COVID-19 pandemic has been amazing to see. I also want to congratulate our colleagues at Wallowa Memorial Hospital and Grande Ronde Hospital for achieving Top 100 recognition as well. The fact that all three Oregon hospitals are from Eastern Oregon is a testament to the access to quality health care that exists in our region.”

“Despite unprecedented adversity rural providers continue to display resiliency and a steadfast commitment to their communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Honoring the Top 100 is one of the highpoints of our year. We are delighted to recognize the exceptional performance and innovation of this year’s recipients, particularly in light of the extraordinary challenges facing America’s rural health safety net.”

Over the course of the last 12 years, the INDEX has established itself as the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is trusted by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

SWCC Viral Clinic

Based on the recent decrease in COVID-19 patients coming to the SWCC Viral Clinic, we’ve made some updates to the process. Patients experiencing mild to moderate, non-emergent, viral and/or COVID-19 symptoms, please call Strawberry Wilderness Community Clinic at 541-575-0404 for an appointment. Upon calling, patients will be instructed where to park for testing and can stay in their vehicle.

Symptoms include:

fever or chills

cough

mild respiratory or breathing issues

fatigue

muscle or body aches

headache

new loss of taste or smell

sore throat

congestion or runny nose

nausea

vomiting

diarrhea

SWCC Viral Clinic Hours:

Monday – Friday 9am – 3pm

(541)575-0404

Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

SWCC is still offering COVID-19 monoclonal antibody administration to high-risk individuals who qualify. If you have mild to moderate symptoms, have tested positive for COVID-19, are presumptively positive, or have a known exposure and are a high risk individual, please contact your local Primary Care Provider’s office to discuss as you may be a good candidate for these. Monoclonal antibodies are only authorized for non-hospitalized, high-risk individuals, with mild to moderate symptoms. These antibodies can help prevent progression to severe COVID-19 symptoms and complications. It is best to receive treatment as soon as possible after onset of illness.

Qualifications for monoclonal antibody treatment include:

age 65 or older

elevated body mass index

pregnant

chronic kidney disease

diabetes

immunosuppression

cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure

chronic lung disease such as COPD or asthma

sickle cell disease

neurodevelopment disorders

having a permanent medical device in place

Pediatric cavities are the most common chronic disease in children of all ages. Cavities can have lifetime effects on education, earning potential and social interactions.  Current statistics report that 52% of children, ages 6-9 in Oregon have experienced tooth decay.  Children in Grant County are at a higher risk for tooth decay than the state average because we don’t have fluoridated drinking water in our county. Living in a rural location and having a lower income also doubles the risk of dental caries for our children.  Bringing oral health care into primary care is one way to help reduce the cost of dental treatment through screening and low cost fluoride varnish application. Starting October 11, we will be integrating oral health screening into our pediatric well child checks at Strawberry Wilderness Community Clinic.  Based on their screening; patients may be eligible for fluoride varnish in our office.  Families will receive preventative education, and dental referrals will be made as appropriate. We look forward to providing these new services to our pediatric patients to improve their overall health and quality of care.