With this update, parents of children 12 and under can check their child’s immunization record, make appointments, and email with their child’s doctor all on the go.  Group Health Members can also refill their prescription and have it sent to their home or pick it up in one of Group Health’s 25 medical centers.

Launched in August as a way to help our members have more convenient access to care, the app has been downloaded 22,168 times by Group Health members. In addition, the app was recently named Mobile App of the Year by the TechFlash Flashies Awards.

The free Group Health mobile app includes five key health features in addition to the new child medical record access and prescription updates:

• Mobile access to medical records (including the ability to email your doctor, check test results, view visit summaries, check immunization histories and more),
• Direct access to call or secure message a consulting nurse 24/7,
• Wait times at all Group Health Medical Center Pharmacies and Labs
• Maps to the nearest Group Health Medical Centers,
• Comprehensive symptom checker.

Currently, the Group Health mobile app is available for iPhones in the app store and to Android users in the Android Market.

Group Health should definitely be a sponsor and supporter of BellevueBusinessJournal.com and Eastside Entrepreneurs.  Even if Group Health was only on the Eastside Business Directory, they could be known as the best medical center in Bellevue Washington.

“We are committed to helping meet the growing community needs in this region,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Ford Motor Company has been investing in our communities for decades, and we plan to expand our community engagement efforts in the Northwest.”

The Ford Women’s Health Initiative Mobile Breast Imaging Tour will launch in Seattle in October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month), and travel throughout the Northwest. The tour will provide women with breast screening using a 40-foot, state-of-the-art mobile coach equipped with the latest technology in 3D breast cancer imaging from HealthFair.

The safe, comfortable ultrasound procedure provides consistent, accurate 3D images, regardless of breast density or implants. More than 40 percent of women have dense breasts, which increases their risk for breast cancer. Working with local health and community organizations, this service will be offered to participating women in need on a free or low-cost basis.

“We’re very pleased to provide this service to our Pacific Northwest community,” said Michael Doherty, chairman of the Northwest Ford Stores group. “Some of our local Ford members have been personally affected by breast cancer, so this effort is important to us.”

According to the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, and – although researchers do not yet know why – the Pacific Northwest has the highest rate of breast cancer in the United States.

While mammograms are instrumental in detecting breast cancer, studies suggest 15.5 million breast cancer cases go undetected or under-diagnosed every year.

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. The Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 27,000 Ford employees and retirees each year work on projects that better their communities in dozens of countries. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com.

Reason #1: I will wait until mom gets worse to make a move.

Many families hope their parents will never get worse, or wait from a directive from their primary care physician or the hospital (if a crisis happened before). Here is a reason why waiting is not always the best scenario:

Yes, a move may affect mom’s memory but it will allow her to enjoy the benefits of assisted living (companionship, activities, brain stimulation, good nutrition, nursing supervision) while she still can. It will also make her transition better if in the future she needs to move to the community’s memory care because:

-          Mom may now know the staff and be less reluctant to receive care

-          Mom will have a structured routine that will minimize her fears. She will also have more of a feeling of companionship rather than abandonment.

-          Mom will have by then some familiar faces and friends who will be transitioning with her

-          Most secured memory cares have a wait list and allow the community’s own residents placement before a new resident

Reason #2: Mom wants to stay home.

If financially, your family is able to provide in home care, this may be an option. However, 6 out of 10 people suffering from dementia will wander out of their homes. What will happen if mom leaves the home in the middle of the night?

Providing yourself with  peace of mind is as important as providing mom with the best care.

Home care can become expensive (in average  if you are paying for 7 hours or more of in home care, you could have mom in an assisted living with all the care provided and supervision 24/7), and it doesn’t provide the interaction and stimulation a retirement community could provide.

Short term stays are a great way for seniors to “try” a community and realize that in today’s era, a senior community is more like a cruise ship rather than the old style nursing homes.

Reason #3: Mom can’t afford it.

There are several ways to pay for assisted living and memory care communities: was your parent in the military and may she/he qualify for a VA Aid and Attendance Benefit of up to $1,600 per month? Does she/he have a Long Term Care Insurance? A few communities may also offer to convert to Medicaid but be careful when this promise is made.

Recently I heard a family had been promised to convert to Medicaid if their mom did a private pay stay at their community for a minimum of 2 years. The senior has been there over a year and now the community was sold to a different ownership group who has no intention to convert to Medicaid. Not only this type of promise must be in writing but you must also investigate the stability of the group you are choosing to provide care for your loved one.

Reason 4: Mom will hate me if I do this to her.

Although a move is not an easy transition, it is better to do it when you have a choice rather than being forced to do it (like if mom goes to the E.R. and they will only discharge her to a community).

A senior will take any time between 4-8 weeks to fully transition and feel comfortable in a new environment. Transitions are definitely harder when a senior is more progressed in dementia, and a sudden change at this stage may start behaviors that some senior living communities may not accept, therefore your options may be more limited.

A senior housing provider who has training in memory care can help you with the transition, from sending you email updates as needed or letting you know what time of the day your parent is in a better mood for a visit.

Conclusion

Recognizing that your parent needs a change to remain safe or healthy can be traumatic – on both of you.  The best time to talk to your parent is way before it is actually necessary.  It is important not to rush the decision and to recognize that seniors want to hang onto their independence for as long as possible even though that may not be what is best for them.  The good news is that there are options out there to help your parent get the care needed.  And there are people to help you with the process.  Your parent needs you whether they admit it or not.  Continually reassure them that you are there for them and always will be.  Throughout the process, keep your sense of humor and keep the communications lines open.  To help you through this process, you can talk to a support group (Aegis Lodge in Kirkland holds one free of charge on the Third Thursday of each month at 3:00 p.m.) or  attend a Laughter Yoga class (held the Second Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. also at Aegis Lodge).

The office, located at 12816 SE 38th Street, opened on November 18. It is the fourth office in the Seattle area and the 12th in the Emergency Dental Care USA group, according to Michael Obeng, D.D.S, owner.

Publisher’s Note: This Bellevue location of the Emergency Dental Care USA Group should have a listing in the Eastside Business Directory.

“We continue to see the need to serve people in the Seattle area and make it as convenient as possible,” said Obeng. “The Bellevue office provides another option for patients who don’t work or live in downtown Seattle, and for those who may not want to deal with the traffic and parking there.”

In addition to the offices in Bellevue and downtown Seattle, Emergency Dental Care USA also has locations in Everett and Puyallup.

The Bellevue office is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., including holidays. Appointments can be made by calling 425-562-9911.

The dental urgent care center is staffed by personnel experienced in handling emergency dental care. Treatments offered include:

• Cavity fillings.
• Common extractions and surgical extractions.
• Root canals.
• Crowns and bridge repairs.
• Broken teeth.
• Periodontal surgery.
• Periodontal cleanings.
• Wisdom tooth extractions.
• Burning or sore gums and swollen jaw.
• Prosthetics, including adjustments of dentures and partials.

Emergency Dental Care USA offers several payment and financing options, including cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. The office also accepts insurance on an indemnity basis.

Other financing options include Care Credit, Chase Health and Springstone. Confidential in-house financing with no credit check is also available.

About Emergency Dental Care:

Founded in 1996, Emergency Dental Care USA focuses on serving walk-in patients and those seeking immediate treatment for their dental emergencies. Emergency Dental Care USA now has 13 offices in seven states. More information about the Seattle-area offices is available at http://www.seattleemergencydental.com/bellevue.html. The company’s blog can be found at http://www.asktheemergencydentist.com/. Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SeattleEmergencyDental

As of November 17^th, families on the Eastside of Lake Washington will have fewer options available during labor and delivery. The Center for Women’s Health at Evergreen (CFWH), a private practice with offices at 12303 NE 130^th Lane, Suite 500 in Kirkland, WA, previously offered a full-service midwifery option for prenatal care and labor & delivery. Now they will be making drastic changes to their midwifery practice due in part to budget cuts. Some of these changes include:

• The number of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) is reduced from 5 to 2.
• The CFWH will not guarantee a CNM will attend their patients’ birth because the CNMs now share on-call duties with 6 other Obstetricians (OBs).)
• The CFWH has limited the length of time a CNM may spend with their prenatal patients.
• The CNMs are unable to offer continuous care during labor and delivery because they are required to see patients during office hours.
• The CNMs are no longer able to support patients who wish to have a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) because there is no longer dedicated OB back-up which is essential for a VBAC.

In the recent past, Evergreen Hospital showed interest in creating an in-house midwifery practice. However, the hospital suddenly and unexpectedly decided not to pursue the in-house clinic, eliminating the chance for true midwifery support during Labor and Delivery at Evergreen Hospital.

Midwifery care is a more holistic approach to birth. Traditionally, midwives stay with women throughout their delivery, supporting their patients in physiological birth. Midwife-attended births also tend to have little to no interventions, with great outcomes for mothers and babies. Because of the lower rates of interventions, midwife-attended births are also a lower-cost option for expectant families. The cesarean section rates for midwife-attended births also tend to be much lower than those births attended by OBs. The Cesarean Section rate for the midwives at the CFWH during the original midwifery model was a low 15% so far this year (source: Midwives at The Center for Women’s Health at Evergreen), as compared to the 30% rate at Evergreen Hospital overall in 2010 (source: The Washington State Department of Health). It is projected that these numbers will be going up soon due to the elimination of VBACs and due to the on-call changes at that practice.

Although many patients chose midwife-attended births at home or in a birth center, the option of a midwife-attended birth in a hospital is an excellent middle ground for those who want a more holistic experience, yet also want to be in a hospital setting in case interventions are necessary. These changes at the CFWH and Evergreen Hospital eliminate the option for higher-risk groups to birth with a midwife since they are not eligible to birth at home or in a Birth Center.

The community support for a midwifery program at Evergreen has been overwhelming. An organized grassroots effort to encourage the Hospital to create an in-house midwifery program has included the formation of a Facebook page, which now has more than 500 supporters and includes testimonials from families who delivered at the CFWH with the midwives, an online petition (http://tinyurl.com/midwiferypetition), a letter-writing campaign to the Board of Commissioners, the establishment of a website and more. The first public display of support is planned for November 15^th with the rally and board meeting attendance.

For more information visit www.supportevergreenmidwifery.org and www.Facebook.com/SupportMidwiferyAtEvergreen.

Today, the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS), an initiative of Seattle Children’s, announced a new Grand Challenges in Global Health program that will seek to discover and develop interventions to prevent preterm birth and stillbirth by limiting infection and improving nutrition. The program, called the Preventing Preterm Birth initiative, is supported by a commitment of US$20 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Globally, prematurity is the leading cause of death for newborns, every year taking the lives of one million babies before their first month of life. The Preventing Preterm Birth initiative will mobilize the scientific community to discover the reasons behind prematurity and support research into novel technologies and approaches that provide real-world solutions. The initiative was announced at a joint session of the Annual Grand Challenges Meeting and the Keystone Symposia Conference, in New Delhi, India.

“The objective of the Preventing Preterm Birth initiative is to inspire new scientific research and discover causes of preterm birth that we have never known,” said Craig Rubens, MD, PhD, co-founder and Executive Director of GAPPS. “By uniting the scientific community to combat and prevent prematurity, we have the ability to make an enormous impact on global infant mortality rates.”

Smoking cessation and progesterone therapy are the only interventions proven to reduce preterm birth; two interventions difficult to deploy around the world. The Preventing Preterm Birth initiative aims to uncover at least two new maternal interventions that set prevention measures in motion for the developing and developed world.

“Preterm births claim far too many lives each year, particularly in the world’s poorest countries,” said Gary Darmstadt, Director of Family Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We urgently need new, groundbreaking ideas that ensure mothers receive the necessary health interventions to help their children have a healthy start to life.”

Under the initiative, GAPPS will solicit ideas from scientists around the world through January 31, 2012. The most promising applications will be selected by a review committee of experts and asked to submit full proposals for further consideration and funding from the pool of resources provided by the Gates Foundation.

“Prematurity and stillbirth are complex global health problems that require an interdisciplinary research approach and an international commitment,” said Alan E. Guttmacher, MD, Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. “NICHD is pleased to see this new initiative that is so closely aligned with the Institute’s goals.  Discovery science, whether funded by the Preventing Preterm Birth initiative, NICHD or other funders, is the foundation of long-term strategies to prevent preterm birth.”

Members of the scientific community can apply to be a sub-grantee at http://www.gapps.org/healthybirth where information on the rules for grants can be found. Applicants will be required to also submit their ideas for catalyzing further investments in prematurity research. A video with Dr. Rubens about the Preterm Birth initiative can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/7k_-wnLIgls

About Grand Challenges in Global Health

Grand Challenges in Global Health is a global partnership first launched by the Gates Foundation and others in 2003 that seeks to engage the world’s most creative minds to work on scientific and technological breakthroughs for the most pressing global health and development challenges.

About Seattle Children’s

Consistently ranked as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s serves as the pediatric and adolescent academic medical referral center for the largest landmass of any children’s hospital in the country (Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). For more than 100 years, Children’s has been delivering superior patient care and advancing new treatments through pediatric research. Children’s serves as the primary teaching, clinical and research site for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The hospital works in partnership with Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation. Together they are Seattle Children’s, known for setting new standards in superior patient care for more than 100 years. For more information visit http://www.seattlechildrens.org.

About GAPPS

The Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS), an initiative of Seattle Children’s, leads a collaborative, global effort to increase awareness and accelerate innovative research and interventions that will improve maternal, newborn and child health outcomes around the world.

“We are ecstatic,” said Jim Ladd, chair of Seattle Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees. “Children’s has always relied on the community to sustain its mission of caring for all children and finding cures and better treatments. These gifts help ensure Children’s can continue this critical work.”

$50 Million Anonymous Gift Will Fuel New Discoveries at Seattle Children’s Research Institute

Support from charitable donors has helped the Seattle Children’s Research Institute catapult to one of the top five pediatric research institutions in the nation. Since its inception, Seattle Children’s Research Institute has made significant progress in research that is advancing science and enhancing pediatric medical care. The next steps for the Research Institute are to uncover new treatment options, discover new cures, and save more lives.

Thanks to an anonymous donor, Seattle Children’s Research Institute will be able to make an even greater investment in its most promising initiatives through a $50 million estate gift that will endow the research enterprise. The endowment will benefit the greatest needs fund, which enables the Research Institute to provide critical infrastructure, recruit and retain the best and brightest scientists, and invest in early stage medical treatments for childhood disease. This new gift will help Children’s push the frontier of pediatric medicine.

$15 Million Commitment Supports Nursing and Eastside Pediatric Clinical Care

Earlier this year, Mrs. Reid pledged $1 million for the staffing needs of the Urgent Care Clinic at Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center. She most recently made an additional estate pledge valuing approximately $14 million to endow the greatest needs of Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center and to support the continuing education of the hospital’s nurses. Of Mrs. Reid’s estate pledge, 25 percent will support nurses’ advanced training needs while 75 percent will fund clinical care priorities of Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center.

Robert and Jean Reid have been very committed to nursing education throughout the years, having supported scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Washington School of Nursing. They also donated to the University of Washington School of Nursing to establish the school’s first endowed deanship: the Robert G. and Jean A. Reid Endowed Deanship in Nursing.

Robert Reid, who passed away in January 2011, was a leader in the construction industry on the Eastside and was active in forming the City of Bellevue. The Reids were thrilled to learn about last year’s opening of Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center, and its ability to provide Eastside families with easier access to pediatric speciality care. When Mrs. Reid toured the facility, she expressed great admiration for its child- and family-focused design, its efficient and effective healthcare delivery, and how the center’s construction incorporated several sustainable principles.

“It is most fitting to name Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center in honor of Robert and Jean Reid. Aside from being pillars of the City of Bellevue, they have demonstrated through their extraordinary philanthropy how deeply committed they are to the health and well being of local families,” said Ladd. “We are also extremely grateful to Mrs. Reid for her support of Children’s nursing program. Children’s nurses are courageous and highly skilled at what they do, performing miracles every day. This gift will give them additional tools to do what they do best – provide the finest care possible to critically-ill children.”

Children’s Foundation Celebrates 30 Years of Fundraising

These major gifts were first unveiled over the weekend at a Children’s “Celebration of Hope” gathering which took place at the Fairmont Hotel. The event, which was attended by 300 friends of Children’s, also marked the 30^th anniversary of hospital’s fundraising division – the Foundation.

“Since its formation in 1982, Children’s Foundation has received over $1 billion in gifts and future commitments. This represents all contributions both big and small,” said Candy Marshall, vice chair of Seattle Children’s Foundation Board of Trustees who emceed the Celebration of Hope event. “Our community has been exceedingly generous to Children’s over the years. We are so incredibly grateful for this unwavering support.”

About Seattle Children’s

Seattle Children’s delivers superior patient care, advances new discoveries and treatments through pediatric research, and serves as the pediatric and adolescent academic medical referral center for the largest landmass of any children’s hospital in the country (Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). Consistently ranked as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Children’s is comprised of Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation. We are internationally recognized for advancing discoveries in cancer, genetics, immunology, pathology, infectious disease, injury prevention and bioethics. Children’s also serves as the primary clinical, research and teaching site for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. For more information visit: http://www.seattlechildrens.org.

Publisher’s Note:  a HUGE THANK YOU to Mrs. Jean Reid for her kindness and generosity – way to represent Bellevue!

Holding titles such as vice president and owner, his background spans industries from health care to consumer products. For the past four years, Moody directed marketing and communications at Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, Wash.

“Patrick’s broad strategic perspective and expertise is a welcome addition to our senior leadership team,” said Kathleen Deakins, president of JayRay. “Patrick has proven that he not only knows how to develop marketing plans and growth objectives, he is a strong leader and consistently exceeds business goals.”

At Overlake Hospital, Moody managed the hospital’s SEO and SEM programs and created a multi-tactic cardiac care marketing campaign that included a launch of the region’s first and only cardiac-care blog. Additionally, he oversaw Overlake’s redesign and launch of a new website that was the first health care site in the region with a mobile-optimized version. The launch resulted in a 17 percent increase in unique visitors to the primary site and a 12 percent increase in mobile visitors.

Prior to Overlake Hospital, Moody merged his passion for literary fiction with marketing when he acquired an independent bookstore. He implemented a turnaround plan resulting in average annual sales gains of 23 percent.  He also managed marketing and sales for HBO and was responsible for the commercial and brand development for HeraldNet.com, website of The Daily Herald in Everett, a Washington Post Company newspaper.

Moody is a member of Marketing Communication Executives International and the Healthcare Program Committee of the American Marketing Association’s Puget Sound Chapter. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics at Whitman College and his MBA in Finance at University of California, Los Angeles.

Prior to Overlake Hospital, Moody merged his passion for literary fiction with marketing when he acquired an independent bookstore. He implemented a turnaround plan resulting in average annual sales gains of 23 percent.  He also managed marketing and sales for HBO and was responsible for the commercial and brand development for HeraldNet.com, website of The Daily Herald in Everett, a Washington Post Company newspaper.

Moody is a member of Marketing Communication Executives International and the Healthcare Program Committee of the American Marketing Association’s Puget Sound Chapter. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics at Whitman College and his MBA in Finance at University of California, Los Angeles.

Congratulations Patrick and JayRay!

“We are committed to helping meet the growing community needs in this region,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Ford Motor Company has been investing in our communities for decades, and we plan to expand our community engagement efforts in the Northwest.”

The Ford Women’s Health Initiative Mobile Breast Imaging Tour will launch in Seattle in October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month), and travel throughout the Northwest. The tour will provide women with breast screening using a 40-foot, state-of-the-art mobile coach equipped with the latest technology in 3D breast cancer imaging from HealthFair.

The safe, comfortable ultrasound procedure provides consistent, accurate 3D images, regardless of breast density or implants. More than 40 percent of women have dense breasts, which increases their risk for breast cancer. Working with local health and community organizations, this service will be offered to participating women in need on a free or low-cost basis.

The first breast imaging session will take place on the Eastside on Saturday, Oct. 1, in an event presented by Ford of Kirkland.

Amy Walen, Kirkland City Council member and Ford of Kirkland controller, has a personal reason to get involved with the Ford Women’s Health Initiative Mobile Breast Imaging Tour: “As a breast cancer survivor, preventive care is a top priority for me, so we’re thrilled to help support the first stop of the tour and work with Hopelink to identify women who could benefit from this service.”

“We’re very pleased to provide this service to our Pacific Northwest community,” said Michael Doherty, chairman of the Northwest Ford Stores group. “Some of our local Ford members have been personally affected by breast cancer, so this effort is important to us.”

According to the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, and – although researchers do not yet know why – the Pacific Northwest has the highest rate of breast cancer in the United States.

While mammograms are instrumental in detecting breast cancer, studies suggest 15.5 million breast cancer cases go undetected or under-diagnosed every year.

Participants can pre-register at www.Active.com  or www.GetMeRegistered.com . Registration on the day of the race will start at 7:30am. The 5K race starts at 9am, and the Kids’ Race at 10am. The Bellevue College campus is near 148^th Ave. SE and I-90 in southeast Bellevue. The address is 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, 98006.

Proceeds from the BC 5K will help provide tuition assistance to students and support high-impact educational programs like worker retraining that equip individuals with relevant job skills to get them back into a family-wage job.

More information is at https://bellevuecollege.edu/foundation/events/