KV Healthcare

Your Home for Health

Cle Elum

Home Again: The old Cle Elum Hospital operating lamp’s journey back to Upper County

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On September 27, 2022, a large crate with the words, “FRAGILE” imprinted on the side arrived at the KVH loading dock. So large that it had people guessing what could be inside. An item of this size wasn’t expected to arrive. Affixed to the outside of the pallet was a small 4×6 photograph of the contents…a large operating lamp from the old Cle Elum Hospital. As it was carefully opened, there was a handwritten note inside with such penmanship as was hard to distinguish every letter. It read, “Our family is so pleased to donate this piece of Cle Elum history to your hospital. The Fassero family were pioneers in Cle Elum…Peter Fassero was born there in 1905. After raising a family with his wife, Mary (children Delona & Donn) Peter retired and sold his Economy Grocery Store and Wrote weekly columns in the Tribune.”  The lamp had been a gift to the family upon Peter’s retirement. After his passing, the family felt it was only right to donate it back to its home. As layers of bubble wrap, shrink wrap, and many, many layers of tape were moved aside, a beautiful operating lamp from the 1930s was discovered.

The lamp was long and slender with a bulbous counterbalance on one end. This was to help keep the lamp steady during procedures as it was hung from the ceiling. Along the slender metal body, were found two switches protruding from metal casing looking every bit of their nearly 100-year-old age. At the base of the long, slender portion, it began to branch out, almost like tree branches but looking more alien as the moments went along. A large lamp surrounded by what looked like a metal colander was the centerpiece. On either end of this lamp was a framework that supported three individual mirrors angled just so, making six mirrors in all. Inside the center lamp was an intricate series of small mirrors that seem to be angled to refract the most amount of light from a single light bulb as possible. One can imagine it hanging in place and providing enough refracted light for the surgeon to see even the tiniest detail while miners, loggers, and farmers were lying on the table as families hoped everything was going to be alright.

The lid was carefully closed, and the crate was moved to storage, tucked away for safekeeping. Kittitas Valley Healthcare had a large, cast iron, vintage operating lamp with no immediate plan.

In 2024, the KVH Family Medicine – Cle Elum decided to revamp its lobby. This plan involved updating the wall hangings and removing the too-faded photographs that had become hard to distinguish, to hang posters that share the KVH values reminding patients and visitors that we all have a unified goal across all clinics, and to make it feel warm and inviting once more. With the posters hung, and old faded photographs from the area removed, the clinic was missing something. It was missing the people. It was missing the people and places that brought life to the Upper County in the first place. Turning our attention towards bringing the history back to the walls, the Central Washington University Archive was contacted. They supplied hundreds of images from all of Upper County. Combing through these images was like being transported back to a time when people worked hard out in the elements every day, where large parades celebrated culture and holidays, where boys and girls basketball teams played after school, where new inventions were tried out, and where the culture of the Upper County began.

Two large frames were secured to the walls with many photographs from that time, courtesy of the CWU Archive. They are like stepping back in time and reconnecting to the life that is rooted in that place. But something was still missing, the operating lamp. With careful planning and approval, the lamp made its way back to Cle Elum where it oversaw so many medical moments in the history of Upper County. It was headed back to where it belonged. On July 24, 2024, the lamp made its journey to its destination. After some unique engineering, it was suspended from the wall right next to the archive photos of people who may have seen it long ago. It points towards every patient who walks into the clinic doors welcoming them to take a step back in time. To the Fassero family, we thank you. We will be good stewards of this donation. To the community, our clinic is feeling just a little more complete today. The lamp has made its way home at Your Home for Health. 

Kristl Densley, Marketing Coordinator
Kittitas Valley Healthcare

Let’s talk about vaping

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Contributor: Chelsea Newman, PA-C, KVH Family Medicine – Cle Elum

The news has recently been inundated with stories of a mysterious illness affecting those who use vaping products. The illness has led to serious lung disease and death in several previously healthy individuals. The CDC and FDA are currently investigating these vaping-linked illnesses and as of October 8, 2019 there are more than 1,299 lung injury reports and 26 confirmed deaths in the US linked to vaping products. Many of these cases involve vaping products containing nicotine and THC, the principle psychoactive ingredient of cannabis. Symptoms of the illness include coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Currently, no specific ingredient or chemical has been identified as the cause of the lung disease but all those affected have used vaping products.

Rates of vaping have been on the rise for several years and the most rapid increase has been with teenagers. Among the current vaping associated epidemic, more than 1/3 of reported lung injuries are in those 18 and younger. The 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey found alarming increases in e-cigarette use among middle and high school aged students and 68% of kids using e-cigarettes are using flavored vape products. Manufacturers of these devices are directly appealing to children with flavors like bubble gum, cotton candy and watermelon. Devices are also made to resemble USB drives in order to discretely use without notice and deceive parents and teachers. Most e-cigarette and vapes contain nicotine, an extremely addictive substance that only reinforces the desire to smoke or vape. Nicotine also has a host of negative health impacts in the body and can alter the development of the maturing adolescent brain.

So what can be done? How can we as healthcare providers, teachers, parents, family members and friends help discourage vaping and e-cigarette use among those that we care about?

One strategy is to talk about it. Don’t assume the sweet, 14-year-old volleyball player sitting in front of you wouldn’t do that kind of thing. Kids are impressionable and easily swayed by peer pressure. Whether you are talking with your patient, student, child or friend, don’t be afraid to ask about vaping use. Be non-judgmental and give advice out of concern. Learn about the variety of vaping products and delivery systems available so that you can recognize them.

We should also be talking with adults who vape. Vaping has been touted as a smoking cessation aid for some but there are significant health risks associated with continued use of nicotine and with so called nicotine-free vape. There are several carcinogens in the agents used to aerosolize the vapor. Also, kids with parents that vape are more likely to think it is safe or acceptable.

Another strategy to curb use is to make these products less appealing and less available. Earlier this month, the Washington State Board of Health passed emergency legislation to ban the sale of all flavored vape products. This legislation lasts only until February 2020 and will be up for renewal. While it helps to address some current safety concerns, it is also a strategy to curb adolescent use and to make these products less appealing and less available while investigators look for the cause of this vaping epidemic.

If you or someone you know is vaping and would like to quit, there are abundant resources to help. Washington also has several resources including counseling with a smoking cessation coach at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or www.quitline.com. There is also a new free app called 2Morrow cessation with a customized quit plan with lessons, daily messages and reminders and access to a live coach. Healthcare providers are on the front line of treating nicotine addiction and a great resource for behavioral and medical strategies to help abstain. Please contact your local health care provider or health department for more help on smoking cessation.

Managed by Kittitas Valley Healthcare, HealthNews does not provide medical advice. For medical advice, please see your healthcare provider.

Collaborative Care

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KVH Contributor*

Auren O’Connell, DNP, PMHNP
KVH Family Medicine – Cle Elum

In a medical emergency or when you are not feeling well, one word often comes to mind, “doctor”. According to Merriam-Webster, “The word doctor comes from the Latin word for ‘teacher,’ itself from docere, meaning ‘to teach.'” 

Patient education and teaching are not my first expectation when I seek medical care. “Give me something to feel better” or “make me better” is often on my mind.

Thankfully, many medical conditions are easily treatable and only require brief treatment or interventions. Other conditions are not so simple, requiring occasional follow-up and/or chronic management.

As a society we are living longer, and as we age we are more vulnerable to chronic conditions and mismanagement thereof. If managing our health condition didn’t seem like enough, then comes the cost and coordination of various visits, all of which can snowball and seem overwhelming. 

As a whole, healthcare and funding are transitioning from volume-based (fee for service) to value-based (fee for value). Within this paradigm shift, evidence-based practice models of team-based collaborative care are being deployed, most targeting chronic conditions and/or mental health problems.

There are many terms being tossed around: integrated, medical home, collaborative care, chronic care management, etc. All these terms are important, but all emphasize patient-centered, collaborative, and team-based interventions.

At the core of these models is an emphasis on teaching and collaboration by all members of the care team, including the patient, who teaches the care team about his/her own strengths, needs, and preferences.

The primary care provider is the head coach on the team and is empowered to deliver comprehensive and connected healthcare through a shared treatment plan with measurement-based targets. Nurses and/or care managers help to coordinate the treatment plan, offer self-management support, and answer questions by phone and in person visits.

All of this equates to more value and resources for both the patient and the team.

Quality and collaboration are core values of Kittitas Valley Healthcare. In my experience as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, whole health and value-based healthcare is at the core of what drives both leadership and providers within Kittitas Valley Healthcare. Fortunately, reimbursement models with payers are emerging which will allow for expansion of value-based healthcare that emphasizes quality evidence-based interventions, care coordination support, and collaboration for patients who need it most.

Your primary care provider may approach you about participation in our new chronic care management program or our collaborative behavioral healthcare program, which will be launching in the future. I plan to share more on collaborative behavioral healthcare at a later date, but these are my thoughts on value-based healthcare and collaboration as a whole. 

*Opinions expressed by KVH Contributors are their own. Managed by Kittitas Valley Healthcare, HealthNews does not provide medical advice. For medical advice, please see your healthcare provider.

Tips to beat the winter blues

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KVH Contributor*
Auren O'Connell 
Auren O’Connell, DNP, PMHNP
KVH Family Medicine – Cle Elum

Beat the winter blues
Snow Covered Tree — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

Winter solstice is fast approaching, and it already feels like winter across Kittitas County. December 22 will mark winter and the darkest day of 2018, as we are at the farthest point from the sun in the northern hemisphere. In the new year, we will slowly regain our light until the longest day of light during summer solstice on June 21, 2019.  

The seasons are marked by cycles of cold and heat, darkness and light. Some of us are more susceptible to these cycles, especially during the winter, when there is less light. Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are most common during the winter months, but can occur with any season change. “Winter blues” often refers to the symptoms of SAD, which can be decreased energy, difficulty with focus and concentration, social withdrawal, sleeping problems, and changes in appetite. Many of us will commonly experience some elements of SAD during the winter months.

All of us can benefit from a wellness plan and interventions designed to alleviate symptoms of “Winter blues.” Here are some tips to keep your mood, energy, and motivation steady during the winter:

Stay active: Exercise is vital to our brain power and mood. It is preferable to dedicate 30-minute time blocks to exercise at least three times per week, but even a 10-minute walk during lunch in the daylight can be helpful.

Get outside: There is no substitute for natural sunlight and fresh air. If you are able, try to get outside daily.

Light therapy: Light boxes can be helpful on overcast winter days, and dawn simulators can be the missing link in getting out of bed on time during dark mornings. (There are numerous consumer light therapy products on the market that may or may not be helpful, but it is vital to consult a healthcare professional if you are seeking such products for treatment of SAD or depression .)

Stay social: Try to maintain regular social engagements at least a few times each week. This may be going for a walk with a friend, attending a community event, or simply eating a meal with someone with no distractions. Whatever it is, try to keep it regular.

If you feel stuck, or when symptoms interfere with daily activities and relationships, it is vital to get help from a qualified health professional; seeking help and advice from your primary care provider is a good first step.

*Opinions expressed by KVH Contributors are their own. Managed by Kittitas Valley Healthcare, HealthNews does not provide medical advice. For medical advice, please see your healthcare provider.