The seminar will be at the Senior Center from 5 to 8 p.m. and is intended for parents and grandparents of infants and preschoolers.

Free childcare at the Senior Center, as well as free pizza and refreshments, will be provided for attendees. The event is sponsored by the Orcas Medical Foundation.

“We’ll review, then pick up where we left off, focusing on infants and preschoolers,” said Catherine. “New attendees are welcome. There are no prerequisites.” Last October, more than 20 Orcas Island moms, dads and grandparents attended Henderson’s first seminar.

“We barely scratched the surface,” said one attendee. “Catherine had so much to offer, responded to so many questions, and stimulated so much discussion. We all wanted more!”

Tamara Joyner, R.N., San Juan County public health nurse, added, “I thought it was fabulous how Catherine broke things down into easily understandable parts. This is a great new resource for parents and expectant parents on Orcas Island. I hope the Foundation continues to offer health-education programs such as this.”

Ms. Henderson is an advanced registered nurse practitioner with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She is a training and supervising child and adult psychoanalyst at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Institute and a faculty member at the Center of Infant Mental Health at the University of Washington.

Her private practice is in Bellevue, where she sees mothers and infants, children, adolescents and adults for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Catherine is a member of the Orcas Medical Foundation board of directors.

Alison Shaw, left, of Orcas Medical Center and Erin O'Dell of the Orcas Family Resource Center.

At least 25 more Orcas Island children will have new winter coats this year, thanks to an ongoing program sponsored by employees of Island Hospital of Anacortes, with contributions of $1,000 from the Orcas Medical Center (OMC) staff and Orcas Medical Foundation (OMF) members.

According to Erin O’Dell, Orcas Family Resource Center Director, the 25 new coats were delivered to the Resource Center on December 2 by Alison Shaw, the Medical Center Practice Administrator.

“These coats are going to families in need, with children who did not receive one of the many winter coats donated earlier this year by Island Hardware and Supply,” said O’Dell. “So many families are in need right now. This additional program came along at just the right time.”

According to Alison Shaw, the Island Hospital program has been operating successfully in Anacortes for several years. “The systems are all in place,” she said, “Now, through our OMC affiliation with Island Hospital, our personal contributions go further and we are able to bring the program to Orcas. Erin and the Family Resource Center make sure that the coats get to Orcas families and children who need them.”

Erin O’Dell explained, “Through local pastors, the school counselor and our Family Resource Center, we were able to identify and contact families in advance. We listed each child’s color and style preference. Then, using our list, Island Hospital employees and volunteers did all of the coat shopping.”

Catherine Henderson, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., leads discussion with parents and grandparents who attended October seminar on infants and preschoolers.

More than 20 Orcas Island moms, dads and grandparents attended a  free, two-hour seminar on October 15, entitled “Knowing Your Child and Your Child Knowing You.” The seminar was presented in the Madrona Room at Orcas Center by Catherine Henderson, Ph.D., A.R.N.P. and sponsored by the Orcas Medical Foundation.

The focus was on infants and preschoolers.

“I thought it was fabulous how Catherine broke things down into easily understandable parts,” said Tamara Joyner, R.N., San Juan County public health nurse, who attended. “This is a great new resource for parents and expectant parents on Orcas Island. I hope the Foundation continues to offer health-education programs such as this.”
According to Joyner and OMF Board Member Mary Riveland, who also attended, parents and grandparents at the event were actively engaged in the presentation. Riveland said, “Moms and dads, including some expectant parents, asked questions and eagerly participated in discussions, which Catherine encouraged throughout.”

The seminar presenter Catherine Henderson is an advanced registered nurse practitioner with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She is a training and supervising child and adult psychoanalyst at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Institute and a faculty member at the Center of Infant Mental Health at the University of Washington.

Her private practice is in Bellevue, where she sees mothers and infants, children, adolescents and adults for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Catherine is a member of the Orcas Medical Foundation board of directors.

Henderson stressed, “Recognizing and acknowledging infants’ and preschoolers’ thoughts and feelings builds ‘emotional muscle’ in parents and children.”

This Saturday event will be from 10 a.m. to noon in the Madrona Room at Orcas Center. It is sponsored by the Orcas Medical Foundation and will be presented by Catherine Henderson, Ph.D., A.R.N.P.

“Recognizing and acknowledging infants’ and preschoolers’ thoughts and feelings builds ‘emotional muscle’ in parents and children,” writes Henderson.
Ms. Henderson is an advanced registered nurse practitioner with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She is a training and supervising child and adult psychoanalyst at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Institute and a faculty member at the Center of Infant Mental Health at the University of Washington.
Her private practice is in Bellevue, where she sees mothers and infants, children, adolescents and adults for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Catherine is a member of the Orcas Medical Foundation board of directors.

“Our goal is to enhance patient care and add a major level of financial stability to Orcas Island health care,” said Norm Zimlich, OMF Board President. “On the revenue side,” he said, “reimbursements by government and private insurance are more favorable to a hospital-affiliated practice. On the expense side, Island Hospital can handle many administrative matters more cost-effectively. Their purchasing power lets them acquire medications, supplies and equipment for less.”

Island Hospital and OMC have a history of working together. From 1992 to 2004, the OMC practice was managed by Island Hospital. From 2006 until August 2011, Dr. Tony Giefer’s practice managed the Medical Center practice. The Medical Center building, itself, is wholly owned by the non-profit Orcas Medical Foundation, which contracts for management of the practice.

“We’re thrilled to be back on Orcas Island,” said Vince Oliver, Island Hospital CEO, adding that changes in the economics of health care nationwide make alliances such as this one more beneficial than ever for rural clinics and patients. Oliver stressed that there is no requirement that OMC physicians refer patients to Island Hospital. “We want to win Orcas patients with our quality of medical care and services,” said Oliver.
Dr. Tony Giefer, Dr. Jim Litch, and Jean Bried, PA-C, of OMC support the affiliation with Island Hospital to enhance patient care. They, too, emphasized that each patient’s needs and freedom to choose among medical providers — including hospitals — will continue to be guiding principles of care at Orcas Medical Center.

Island Hospital has recently undergone hospital-wide renovation, including its state-of-the-art Emergency Room, Birth Center, and 43 private (not shared) hospital rooms. A new Medical Arts Pavilion is under construction, scheduled to be operational in early 2012. It will house an expanded Cancer Care Center, a Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center, and new Wound Care Center featuring hyperbaric oxygen therapy units. Unchanged is the large force of volunteers who welcome and assist patients and their families.

OMF is the non-profit organization that owns the Orcas Medical Center building and contracts for the management of its practice, Since 2006, Dr. Tony Giefer’s practice, Orcas Medical Center, PLLC, has managed the Medical Center practice. Before that , from 1992 to 2004, the practice was managed by Island Hospital.

“We believe that affiliation with Island Hospital will add a major level of financial stability to Orcas Island health care,” said Norm Zimlich, incoming OMF Board President.

Outgoing OMF Board President David Sarver and Island Hospital CEO Vince Oliver announced the preliminary affiliation plan, following months of discussion and analysis by the two organizations. The preliminary plan, which begins the process leading to a formal contract, calls for Island Hospital to manage the OMC practice beginning in August. Under the plan, both the medical and the administrative staffs of Orcas Medical Center will become employees of Island Hospital.

“We believe that affiliation with Island Hospital will add a major level of financial stability to Orcas Island health care,” said Norm Zimlich, the incoming OMF Board President. “Rural family practices everywhere are under great financial pressure. Financial stability involves balancing revenues and expenses. On the revenue side, reimbursements by government and private insurance are more favorable to a hospital-affiliated practice, compared to a separate family-practice clinic. On the expense side, Island Hospital can handle payroll, billing and other administrative matters more cost-effectively. Their purchasing power lets them acquire medications, supplies and equipment for less. And they get more favorably negotiated malpractice insurance rates.”

Fundraising will continue to be a fact of life for OMF, according to Zimlich, but over time, he expects the burden will be lessened for Orcas donors by this affiliation. “OMF is working hard to reward Orcas donors’ generosity with all the quality care and efficiency we can achieve,” he said.

Island Hospital and OMC have a history of working together. Since 2006, Dr. Tony Giefer’s practice, Orcas Medical Center, PLLC, has managed the Medical Center practice. Before that, from 1992 to 2004, the practice was managed by Island Hospital. The Medical Center building, itself, is wholly owned by the non-profit Orcas Medical Foundation, which contracts for management of the practice.
Island Hospital has recently undergone hospital-wide renovation, including its state-of-the-art Emergency Room, Birth Center, and 43 private (not shared) hospital rooms. A new Medical Arts Pavilion is under construction, scheduled to be operational in early 2012. It will house an expanded Cancer Care Center, a Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center, and a new Wound Care Center featuring hyperbaric oxygen therapy units. Unchanged is the large force of volunteers who welcome and assist patients and their families at Island Hospital.

“We’re thrilled to be back on Orcas Island,” said Vince Oliver at the OMF annual meeting, noting that Orcas Island is already a major source of referrals to Island Hospital. Oliver stressed that affiliation will not include any requirement that OMC physicians refer patients to Island Hospital. “We want to win Orcas patients with our quality of medical care and services,” said Oliver. Dr. Giefer emphasized that the patient’s needs and freedom to choose among medical providers will continue, as always, to be guiding principles of care at Orcas Medical Center.

Dr. Jim Litch

Dr. Jim Litch, MD, DTMH, has joined the staff of Orcas Medical Center. He lives on Orcas Island with his wife, Dr. Rachel Bishop, and their two children.

Jim is experienced in family medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, infectious diseases, men’s health and travel medicine. “I look forward to seeing patients of all ages,” said Litch, “from babies to seniors. It’s what I have trained to do. It’s what I love to do.”

Jim began coming up from Seattle to Orcas in 1994-95 as a locum tenens (temporary physician), filling in from time to time to cover the practice when a physician was away on vacation.

Litch received his MD from the University of Michigan School of Medicine and DTMH (Diploma for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene) in the UK. He has diagnosed and treated patients in some of the most remote places in the world, including Nepal, rural India and Anarctica.

Before receiving his MD degree, Jim spent eight years as an EMT and climbing ranger with the U.S. Park Service, providing emergency medical care and rescue services in Olympic, Denali and other National Parks. He also worked as an EMT and firefighter in the U.S. Forest Service.

“I am delighted to join this longstanding community effort to provide quality primary care locally,” said Dr. Litch.

The meeting will be on Tuesday, April 26 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., with light refreshments until 5:00, in the Madrona Room at Orcas Center.

“It should be an interesting meeting,” added Sarver, “and there will be ample time for discussions, questions and answers with the OMF Board. We will also have a report by Dr. Tony Giefer, MD, MPH, of Orcas Medical Center.”

Orcas Medical Foundation is the non-profit membership organization that helps support medical care on Orcas Island, by supporting the medical practice at Orcas Island Medical Center.

Jean Bried, PA-C, MPH

Physician Assistant (PA-C) Jean Bried of Orcas Medical Center has practiced women’s and men’s healthcare for most of her career. She trained in primary care and worked during the 80’s and 90’s in adult medicine and surgery at Emory University. She also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Emory.

“Each of us has an opportunity every day to do something good for our health.”
Bried believes in helping patients take good care of themselves. In her words, “Whether this involves making a small but tough change or continuing an established healthy lifestyle, we recognize and own that moment. Hearing patients’ stories and helping them determine how to reach their goal is my favorite mission. As I often say, ‘You are the captain of your own ship; my main job is helping you navigate.’ ”

Call 376-2561 for an appointment.
Jean Bried evaluates and treats a variety of medical problems. She welcomes women and men of all ages, from pre-teens to seniors. She has extensive experience in women’s healthcare issues, family planning and pregnancy counseling. At Emory, she also studied chronic disease epidemiology and preventive medicine. Appointments can be scheduled with her by calling Orcas Medical Center.

“Jean is an important member of the OMC team.”
“Our medical center is staffed to provide quality medical care for anyone on Orcas Island,” says Dr. Tony Giefer, OMC Medical Director. “Jean is an important member of our team.”