| OCR Text |
Show GUNNISON VALLEY NEWS h6sPITAL EDITION Mav 23. 1990 Page 3 Administrators report by Mark Stoddard As we celebrate 50 years of caring for our communities, one cannot help but reflect on all that has been accomplished over the past years. What significant changes have been made, not only in numbers and types of physicians, nurses or needed personnel, but in technology and education of our staff. The one thing that has not changed and has been consistanl from year to year has been determination to provide Quality Health Care. As Rural Hospitals face increasdifficult times, especially in reduced ingly reimbursement and increased technology costs, it is important to note that a great deal can be accomplished when we work together towards a common goal. It is our goal to provide the Highest Quality Health Care at the most reasonable price. The Hospital Mark Stoddard has been heading the hospital for the past two years. He also directs the affairs of the hospital in Nephi on shared time with that facility. SPECIAL PRICES FOR YOUR GRADUATE! Luggage Sony Walkmans Stereos VCR's Major Brands as low as $249 AM-F- M Casette AM-F- M Radio with CD Casette $169.00 $39.00 Televisions 13" Color, $24900 Remote as low as VALLEY FURNITURE so 65 South Main - Gunnison 529-781- 1 Board, Physicians, Administration and Employees arc committed to see (hat that goal is met. Each physician and employee that has worked at Gunnison Valley Hospital has had and docs have the hospital's patients welfare foremost in their minds. Dr. Rees, Dr. Stewart, Dr. Pratt, Dr. Christensen, Dr. Inouye, and Dr. Nay have shown year in and year out that they truly care. As Administrator of Gunnison Valley Hospital I would like to thank each person who has contributed to the success of this Wonderful Hospital It is a Monument to all those individuals whos foresight made this day possible. It is my hope that each one of you will join us in celebrating 50 years of Health Care Delivery provided by Gunnison Valley Hospital. May the next 50 years be as successful and rewarding as the first. David Kjar has financial and controlling experience after working for IHC in American Fork. He attends to the everyday operations of the hospital, working very closely with board members. Maternity care sees changes over years Prior to 1940, and prior to the beginning of a hospital in Gunnison, the stork found its way into the home in most cases. This took quite a bit of flying around, as the area covered included Gunnison Valley, most of Manti, Richfield, Wayne County, and some from communities farther away. That spring, however, Dr. Rees sent an announcement that maternity services could be found at the hospital, where a delivery would cost $25 and a 10 day stay would run $3.00 per day. Most responded to his invitation, and soon the upstairs of the new hospital was bulging with patients. Nitrous Oxide and Demerol relieved most child birth pains, and where they did not succeed, a low spinal was added. Improvements in maternity care continued through the 50s and 60s. Fetal monitors helped to measure the babies heart tones and to determine when a baby was in stress. By the 70s, this method of monitoring had become standard care. In the 1970s birthing rooms found their way into hospitals throughout the country, including Gunnison Valley. This meant patients could have a fancier decor and a birthing bed on which the bottom detached for the delivery and patients could stay in the homcicr environment throughout their stay. Along with the changes in decor, changes were also made in the quality of nursing personnel. Nurses attended seminars and Perinatal Outreach classes from Utah Valley Hospital were brought to them. Physicians at the hospital also began adding new skills as they received training in epidural anesthesia. An epidural represents a form of spinal anesthesia which relieves labor pains and at the same time avoids the complications of a spinal thetic. anes- And babies have not been ignored. In 1985 an Ultra Sound machine was purchased which made it possible to visualize the fetus very early and follow a baby throughtout the pregnancy. By this means, many abnormalities could be detected if they occurred. Another device to help the babies was the intrauterine line, designed to monitor the baby before birth. The hospital has developed methods of coordinating with specialists via the fax machine so that problems detected can receive attention. After the babys birth, isolates arc now used to warm and care for newborns during the early hours after birth. Apnea monitors arc often used to monitor the heart tones after birth in order to keep babies well. In addition to improved health measures, babies arc given some cosmetic considerations. They no longer leave with black ink on their feel (inklcss pads arc used for footprinting). And to prove we care about them, they receive a shirt, maybe their first (the shirt says My I ife began at G unni-so- n Valley Hospital), and mom is given several gift packs for their baby. Since this might be a lot to cany, a diaper bag holds mom's admit kii Deliveries have stayed fairly constant over the years. Recent figures show that 173 babies were delivered in 1985 and 154 in 1989. Pauline Sorensen states that The goal of our OB department is to provide quality care and give our patients a very positive experience in our hospital. |
