Healthcare

Press release:

Des Moines residents who want to participate in National Drug Take Back Day can drop off unwanted or expired medicines, including pain relievers and other controlled substances, on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. by the Des Moines Police Department at the Bartell Drugs at two locations on Pacific Highway South. The stroes are located at 22001 and 21615 Pacific Hwy. S.
Additional information on facilities accepting unused or old prescription and over-the-counter medicines can be found at www.takebackyourmeds.org/dea-events.
National Drug Take Back Day highlights the critical need for ongoing and sustainable safe drug disposal programs to reduce the rising rates of prescription drug abuse, overdoses, and accidental poisonings. Sponsored by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with local law enforcement agencies, the one-day event provides communities with free, anonymous medicine returns for unused medications, including dangerous controlled substances. Take-back programs also help protect the environment, while they safeguard public health.

Press release:
American Pain Foundation
Please JOIN US in Seattle for this exciting PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENT!
SPEAK OUT for the Rights of People with Pain_Saturday, April 16, from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm
Cedarbrook Lodge_18525 36th Avenue South_SeaTac
DON'T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY - REGISTER TODAY
AT THIS EVENT YOU WILL:
· Learn about the pain care YOU deserve
· Hear from experts and your peers
· Network with others affected by pain
· Visit with exhibitors
· Take home valuable information and free printed materials
· Find out how you can be part of improving pain care in Washington - TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Cedarbrook Lodge is handicap accessible. Please know there will be people ready to assist where needed.
Cost: $10 per participant in advance, $15 at the door, space permitting. A limited number of scholarships are available. Lunch will be provided for all pre-registered participants. NOTE - Pre-registration deadline is Saturday, April 9.
To register and for more information, visit: www.painfoundation.org/speakout

Highline Medical Center Foundation will host its 3rd annual Hats On for Highline, a Kentucky Derby Day fundraiser at Emerald Downs racetrack in Auburn

This year's presenting sponsor for the event will be Merchant Credit Association (MCA). Hats on for Highline was launched in 2009 to raise awareness of Highline's Cancer Center. Attendees come to enjoy live horse racing, a silent auction, and buffet. Many are adorned in beautiful hats ready to participate a competitive hat contest. All of this takes place trackside in the VIP tent.

"We are honored to play such a vital role in supporting Highline's healthcare in the community," says MCA's President Dave Quigley.

Tickets are $60 per person and advance reservations are required. Reservation deadline is April 25th. For more information and tickets, contact the Foundation at 206-901-8500 or visit www.highlinemedicalcenter.org/support-highline. Since Highline Medical Center does not receive any tax dollars, event proceeds will benefit Highline's Cancer Center and other patient care programs.

Bartell Drugs in Des Moines and Take Back Your Meds are offering resources to help local communities stay safe. From 3-5 p.m., on Saturday, March 26, Mr. Yuk will be passing out Mr. Yuk stickers to put on poisonous products at the Des Moines Bartell’s, 21615 Pacific Highway S.
As part of Poison Prevention Week, Bartells and Take Back Your Meds offers safety tips to Protect families from accidental poisoning.
Poisonings are the leading cause of accidental deaths in Washington, surpassing car crashes and falls. Poison Prevention Week is designed to reduce illnesses, injuries, and deaths due to poisonings; build safer communities; and reduce unnecessary health care costs.
Poison Prevention Tips
Children, teens, adults, seniors, and pets are all at risk for accidental poisonings. Here are a few tips from the American Association of Poison Control Centers to help Washington families to stay safe.

Highline Medical Center and its affiliated network of physicians will provide in-network medical care to Medicare Advantage members enrolled with Humana beginning on Jan. 1 under terms of an agreement announced Monday, Dec. 20.
Under the new contract, members of Humana's Medicare Advantage PPO plans will have in-network benefit access to the medical center and more than 200 affiliated physicians, including approximately 80 primary care physicians and 120 specialty care physicians. The system includes 69 physician clinics and two hospital-owned health care campuses across southwest King County.
"Humana is excited about expanding our health care provider network in the Seattle area, as it will result in broader choice for our Medicare Advantage members here," said Oraida Roman, Humana regional president for Senior Products. "This addition to Humana's network makes the Choice PPO Medicare Advantage plans an even more attractive option for people with Medicare in King County."
Highline Medical Services Organization's network of physicians includes primary care physicians and specialists from a broad array of medical specialties.

Swedish Medical Center/Ballard’s new Emergency Department and medical office building, located at 5350 Tallman Ave. N.W., will be open for public tours and a slew of other fun and beneficial community health activities on from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 6.

Here is what’s planned:

Tour the Emergency Department and Medical Office Building (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

The best time to see an ER is when you’re not a patient – and also when there’s someone there to point out all the cool stuff to see.

Ask the Doctor (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Have a medical question you’ve always waned to ask? The doctors from Swedish Medical Group’s Ballard Primary Care clinic will be on hand so you can do your asking for free.

Take a Baby Bite of Ballard (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Some of Ballard’s favorite restaurants will be on hand, serving bite-sized samples of their most popular menu items. Restaurants include Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers, Great Harvest Bread, India Bistro, Plaka Estiatorio, Ray’s Boathouse, Scandinavian Specialties, The Hi-Life, The Counter and Thai Siam.

Get a Free Soccer Scarf

When Ballard native Electa Anderson's husband Norm was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 1999 at the age of 56, she became aware firsthand of the misconceptions and lack of understanding associated with the disease.

"Something as simple as going to dinner and reading the menu for them and ordering for them and having the waiter looking at you like you are trying to run your husband's life," Anderson said.

She said people who do not have to deal directly with those suffering from Alzheimer's make wrong judgements about the situation. They see someone who still looks normal and healthy despite the loss of memory and body function, she said.

Anderson said the husband of a friend of hers was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when he was in his 40s. Eventually he had to have his driver's license taken away. He was still mentally aware enough to complain to friends, and they nearly sued his wife for guardianship because they were convinced she was mistreating her seemingly normal husband, Anderson said.

Nearly 300 pharmacists from across the country descended on Washington, D.C., to meet with their congressional and senatorial delegations as part of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists' 16th annual Compounders on Capitol Hill conference and legislative event in June.

One of the pharmacists who made the trip was Debra Smith of Ballard Plaza Pharmacy, which is located inside the Ballard branch of Swedish Medical Center.

“This trip gave us a chance to speak directly to members of Congress and voice concerns that affect our patients, whose health relies on compounded medicines,” Smith said in a press release. “We may not have an army of lobbyists like the pharmaceutical giants, but we do help millions of patients every year, and that gives us a pretty loud voice on Capitol Hill.”

Republished from June 30.

For most people, Fourth of July means barbecues, flags and fireworks. For members of the medical community, it can also mean burns, facial injuries and amputations.

"I can share war stories because these are war-like injuries," said Dr. Raymond Jarris Jr., an emergency medical physician at Swedish Medical Center in Ballard.

He said fireworks that are not handled properly and with care can result in destroyed hands and faces, amputated tissue, injuries from flying debris, burns, loss of an eye, loss of hearing and tattooing, which occurs when powder or chemicals from fireworks get underneath the skin and cause discoloration.

Jarris said Ballard is fortunate in that it is a very responsible community, and Swedish/Ballard does not typically see a lot of injuries from fireworks, though they do occur.

Residents should focus on prevention and safety and let the medical community be there to cover the mishaps, Jarris said.

First, Fourth of July celebrators should stick to "safe and sane" fireworks, he said. Illegal fireworks particularly cause hand injuries that may require amputation.

Swedish Medical Center's new five-story, 90,000-square-foot Medical Office Building on its Ballard campus is taking shape and headed for an early-November grand opening.

Construction started on the Medical Office Building in September 2009. The building, located at the intersection of Market Street and Tallman Avenue Northwest, will house an expanded emergency department and medical imaging center, primary-care clinic and specialty physicians.

The Medical Office Building is part of a movement by Swedish/Ballard to revitalize its campus and meet the healthcare needs of the growing Ballard community into the future.

"The community now has visible evidence of a long-term commitment to Ballard, which was not the case before," said Dr. Rayburn Lewis, executive director and senior medical director of Swedish/Ballard during a June 23 tour of the half-completed Medical Office Building.

Highlights of the tour included:

• A wall of windows that will light the main entry off Tallman Avenue.