Grande Ronde Hospital | Life & Health | Winter 2020-2021

A word from the Foundation 2020 has not been easy for anyone. And the Hospital and its staff are no different. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the outpouring of love and support from our communi- ties has been heartwarming and humbling. The gift of thousands of hand-sewn masks made to specific standards for nonmedical needs to preserve critical personal protec- tive equipment has proved to be essential. Gifts of pizza, energy drinks, snacks, lunches and so much delicious food have helped boost morale and remind our staff that our community loves us and appreciates our efforts to keep them safe, healthy and happy. On behalf of the Foundation, which has been honored to accept many of these donations for the staff and volunteers at Grande Ronde Hospital, we thank you. Although we aren’t through this yet, please know that we at GRH and the Foundation are dedicated to be here for all of your medical needs and support. We continue to find new ways to serve our communities through expanding services such as our Urgent Care facility on Island Avenue, or by making sure we have the latest and best equipment so you do not have to drive many hours to receive the care you deserve. One example of this is our 3D mammog- raphy machines, purchased in part by the GRH Foundation with community-donated funds. If you would like to help back projects such as these, recognize anyone on our staff or ensure the future of Grande Ronde Hospital, contact the Foundation to discuss how your gift or recognition can have the most impact and go where you would like it to be used and stay local, thus creating jobs and supporting community health. CONTACT THE FOUNDATION. Call 541-963-1431 , email foundation@grh.org , or visit or write to us at 900 Sunset Drive, La Grande, OR 97850. 2021 Gala update As many of you know, the Foundation had to cancel/postpone the 2020 Foundation Gala in March 2020 due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still unable to have any events such as the Gala, and it is impossible to say if situations will allow the 2021 event to be held at the expected time, if at all. To stay apprised of news from the Foundation, please go to grh.org/foundation and click on “Sign up for our news- letter,” complete the form, and make sure the email address foundation@grh.org is in your “safe senders” list in your email system. See The Torch in action. Go to morehealth.org/torch to watch our short video. grh.org 3 Q How would you say we measure up against other hospitals? I may be a little biased, but I think we knock it out of the park! I have visited numerous hospitals lately and paid attention to their methods. For example, our team is very engaged in the “why” behind what we do. Our team is invested in our process and understands the importance of it. Q What is the No. 1 thing you’d like our community to know about the cleanliness and safety of our facilities? We are here and ready to protect them and keep them safe. Right now, going to the doctor at a clinic or a hospital can be concerning to some. We understand that, but we are doing everything we can to protect our patients and visitors. We are working hard to prevent them from getting sick from being in one of our facilities. This is what we’ve always done and will continue to do.