Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/541205
President's Perspective BEN KOPPELMAN CHI St. Joseph's Health Board of Directors M Excellence President Ben Koppelman CHI St. Joseph's Health Reverence Integrity Compassion Continuing Our Healing Mission Daryl Beehler, DO, FACOEP-D Chief of Sta Kevin Brauer Park Rapids Jerey Drop Catholic Health Initiatives Senior Vice President Regional Division Executive Ocer Kathy Henry Board Vice Chair Park Rapids Ben Koppelman CHI St. Joseph's Health President Sr. Doretta Meier Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Clay Peterson Board Chair Park Rapids Marty Peterson Park Rapids Michele Thieman, MD Family Medicine Physician John Warren Walker Janine Weideman Park Rapids Welcome to the latest issue of HealthLine. Our mission calls us to make the communities we serve healthier— it's the focus of everything we do. This issue of HealthLine features many examples, including CHI St. Joseph's Health efforts to improve the health of the communities through our commitment to reduce underage alcohol use in Hubbard County through Hubbard in Prevention (HIP). This is the fifth year of this work through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Community participation includes community members, law enforcement, schools, social services, businesses, local government, healthcare providers, media, parents, and others. The prevention plan is making a difference in our community. As health care experiences a shortage of physicians and other providers, especially in rural areas, CHI St. Joseph's Health is working proactively to ensure our communities have access to services by investing in our future workforce. This is the 14th year of our scholarships to area students entering the healthcare field. This year 23 scholarships totaling $21,750 were given to students from Park Rapids, Nevis, Menahga, Sebeka, Laporte, Ackley, Hackensack, and Walker. Scholarships are funded by employee donations, former employee memorials, and CHI St. Joseph's Health Foundation annual golf benefit. Another project supporting our healing mission is a Catholic Health Initiatives collaborative program utilizing federal Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant funds. Through this grant, CHI St. Joseph's Health has placed 14 automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, throughout our service area. In our rural area, where terrain, weather, distance, and spotty communication services serve as barriers to emergency care, AED placement can help save the lives of people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Once again, I am pleased to spotlight the tremendous effort CHI St. Joseph's Health staff members make to meet and exceed national and state safety and quality standards, as evidenced in our receipt of the 2015 Minnesota Hospital Association Patient Safety Improvement Award for our SafetyFirst program. We take great pride in this and similar accomplishments because they translate into high quality care for you and your family. As always, I welcome your questions, concerns, and suggestions regarding CHI St. Joseph's Health. Please contact me directly at 218.616.3500 or email me at BenKoppelman@CatholicHealth.net. Thank you for allowing us to serve you! CHI St. Joseph's Health | www.SJAHS.org 2