KV Healthcare

Your Home for Health

patients

KVH Foundation Contributes Over $510,000 to Support KVH Departments and Patient Care

· ·

Ellensburg, WA, December 12, 2024

Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) would like to thank The Foundation at KVH for its significant 2024 financial contributions to Kittitas Valley Healthcare departments, providing critical funding to enhance patient care and support essential services. With a total distribution of $510,938, these donations underscore the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to improving healthcare in our community.

This year’s contributions have enabled the acquisition of vital medical equipment, educational materials, and patient care resources. Highlights of the donations include:

  • Emergency Department: $3,113 for Stop the Bleed kits to enhance emergency preparedness.
  • Nutrition Department: $990 for diabetic nutritional education supplies to support patient education.
  • Family Birthing Place: $1,031 for team leadership materials to strengthen care for expectant families.
  • Cancer Support Group: $890 for community cancer support group materials, fostering connection and resilience.
  • OB/ED/OR: $40,350 for four Glidescopes to improve patient care during procedures.
  • Leadership Team: $5,750 for Valor Training and conference attendance, promoting professional growth.
  • Home Health & Hospice: $18,686 for hospice patient materials and supplies to ensure compassionate end-of-life care.
  • Internal & Adult Medicine: $21,000 for a bladder scanner and supplies to enhance diagnostic capabilities.
  • KVH Imaging: $12,335 to fund mammograms for uninsured patients, advancing early detection of breast cancer.
  • TETWP (Tough Enough to Wear Pink): $702 for breast cancer awareness educational materials.
  • Medical/Surgical Nursing: $1,090 for training programs to elevate nursing expertise.
KVH Foundation

Additionally, The Foundation at KVH spearheaded a substantial $405,000 in 2024 funding for specialized medical equipment and advanced technology, including:

  • Family Medicine – Ellensburg: $10,300 for a bladder scanner.
  • Speech Therapy: $36,000 for a fiberoptic endoscope camera, enabling enhanced diagnostic accuracy.
  • OB/ED/OR: $82,000 for rapid transfusion and blood warming equipment to optimize critical care.
  • Orthopedics: $114,267 for a fracture table and $162,433 as a contribution toward the ARVIS Surgical Navigation System to advance orthopedic surgical precision.

These generous contributions exemplify The Foundation at KVH’s mission to improve healthcare services for the benefit of all.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to The Foundation at KVH for their unwavering support. These donations not only enhance the resources available to our departments but also reinforce our ability to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to our community,” said Jason Adler, CEO at KVH.

The Foundation at KVH continues to be a beacon of hope and a vital partner in driving innovation and excellence in healthcare for Kittitas Valley.  For more information about The Foundation at KVH and its initiatives, please visit https://www.kvhealthcare.org/foundation/ or contact Laura Bobovski at 509-933-8669.

2024.12.12 Foundation Distribution.pdf

KVH Chief Ancillary Officer and Roslyn community member Rhonda Holden named to new Federal Advisory Committee

· ·

On Tuesday, December 13 the Biden-Harris Administration announced that local resident Rhonda Holden, RN, BSN, MSN was one of 17 individuals throughout the country selected to join the Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB) Advisory Committee. This new federal advisory committee was created in November of 2021 to improve the disclosure of charges and fees for ground ambulance services and to better inform consumers of insurance options for such services and protect consumers from balance billing.

Ms. Holden will provide the committee with insight into the unique needs of rural communities that rely on ground ambulance services, not only to respond to accidents and emergencies but also to transport patients long distances to a higher level of care. “I believe we can work together to revise the payment structure for ground ambulance transports which will ultimately alleviate burdensome financial challenges for consumers. Financial concerns should not be a barrier to access life-saving care for any American,” states Holden.

Rhonda’s career as a registered nurse has been spent largely serving rural communities. She is a long time resident of Roslyn with an in-depth experience in advisory roles. She currently serves as the Chief Ancillary Officer at Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) and is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Kittitas County Public Hospital District #2, which operates Medic One, the only advanced life support (ALS) ambulance service in Upper County.

“Ms. Holden is well qualified to articulate the unique challenges that rural ground ambulance consumers and providers experience and will represent the rural perspective,” stated KVH Commissioner Robert Davis in her nomination letter. Ms. Holden’s nomination was supported by Kittitas County Hospital District 1 and 2’s Boards of Commissioners, the Legislators of Washington State’s 13th District, the Washington State Hospital Association, the Washington State EMS and Trauma Steering Committee, the Washington State Emergency Cardiac and Stroke Technical Advisory Committee and the American Hospital Association’s Rural Health Services.

For more information on the Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee appointments see Members of New Federal Advisory Committee Named to Help Improve Ground Ambulance Disclosure and Billing Practices for Consumers | CMS and 2022-27263.pdf (federalregister.gov).

For information on the GAPB committee and charter see Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB) | CMS

For inquiries on the GAPB please contact press@cms.hhs.gov