Welcome to the COVID Chronicles. These are the behind the scenes stories from Kittitas Valley Healthcare staff at various points in time during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Toni Clayton accepted her new position in the Quality Department in April 2020 as the Clinic Quality Service Coordinator, she was excited for a new challenge and workload. […]
COVID Chronicles: A view inside of Incident Command
Welcome to the COVID Chronicles. These are the behind the scenes stories from Kittitas Valley Healthcare staff at various points in time during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, Kittitas County had its first suspected case of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, and incident command was activated at Kittitas Valley Healthcare. KVH, was able to […]
Colton Harlin (Emergency Surgery)
At the tender age of 10, Colton Harlin was generally used to the bruises and scrapes of pee wee football. And when the goal is a quarterback sack, a little pain for your efforts is to be expected, even during practice. Colton was knocked down on the play. The quarterback remained unscathed. But Colton? “My […]
The Foundation at KVH helps protect healthcare workers in the COVID-19 response
August 13, 2020 Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) would like to thank The Foundation at KVH and its many donors for their support of employee safety through the purchase of 15 Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs). On March 2, 2020, KVH activated its Incident Command Team in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the first tasks […]
Talking about racism to children
Contributor: Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics Racism is front and center now, and parents may wonder how to have important conversations with their child about diversity, equality, and discrimination. It helps to keep your discussion age-appropriate, share your feelings and listen to your child. Under age 5 years – Studies have revealed that even infants […]
Public Health: Take Children to Doctor Appointments
The Kittitas County Incident Management Team (IMT) and Kittitas County Medical Providers want to remind caregivers to continue to take children in for routine medical visits, which include administration of scheduled vaccine. The Washington State Department of Health’s data shows a 30% drop in vaccines during the month of March. According to the Washington State […]
Safe behavior as restrictions ease
Contributor: Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics After what has felt like a very long time “sheltering in place” due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we are on the verge of easing of some restrictions. Whew! The problem is, of course, that if people do not follow the safety rules of social distancing and wearing masks, cases […]
Caring for sensitive skin during COVID-19
Contributor: Dr. Susan Oldenkamp, KVH Dermatology While much of our community falls into the non-essential workforce during this period of shelter-in-place, some business such as grocery stores remain open to serve the community. As these essential workers follow guidelines to keep their hands and work surfaces sanitized, those with skin issues are likely seeing flare-ups […]
COVID, Kids, and Vaccination
KVH Contributor: Dr. John Merrill-Steskal As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads across the United States and our world, I worry about friends, family, and my community in general. The virus has the potential to be truly devastating, with the potential to cause thousands of deaths, especially among the elderly. Fortunately there is a ray of good […]