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Bend Chamber Weekly
November 27, 2009
By Courtney Linville, Communications Coordinator
This Week's Highlights
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Bend Chamber hires Sales Representative
The Bend Chamber is pleased to announce Diana Haffner will return to the Chamber staff as the new Sales Representative.
"We are pleased to have Diana back on board at the Chamber," said Executive Director Tim Casey. "Diana comes back to our organization with 10 years of experience selling Bend Chamber products. I look for her enthusiasm and professionalism to energize our organization."
Haffner will start on December 7 and will be responsible for the development and implementation of advertising sales for Chamber publications, programs, and events. |
Town Hall Recap: Healthcare: Where is Central Oregon Headed?
Last Friday's Town Hall Forum entitled "Healthcare: Where is Central Oregon Headed?" allowed Chamber members the opportunity to speak with Jay Henry, Chief Executive Officer of St. Charles Medical Center Bend about the state of healthcare in Central Oregon, and what the future might hold. This interactive forum had questions ranging from the availability of doctors and nurses to prevention and education to tort reform.
Listed below are just a few questions asked at Town Hall with abbreviated answers:
Q: There has been some discussion about the capacity of nurses and doctors, and bringing them into the system. How is the capacity in Central Oregon?
A: Henry: We struggle with capacity, but we are not as bad as some places in the country. Bend is not such a terrible place to live. As the baby boomer generation accesses healthcare in an aggressive manger, we will see doctors and nurses retiring and demanding more services. The best thing we can do is make this a wonderful place to work as a doctor or a nurse and try to be more compelling than other places in the country.
Q: You talked quite a bit about prevention and community education. In my experience, nobody wants to pay for that. Insurers have not figured it out yet. How do you move forward with prevention and education in Central Oregon?
Henry: In talking with various insurance companies throughout the state, many are feeling the same pinch and push that we are. We are seeing ER doctors ordering extra tests because they are terrified of getting sued. That creates a challenge for us.
We have found pilot projects can be taken on. We are talking to insurers about getting better outcomes, better patient satisfaction, and lower costs with the projects. They are saying yes, and are willing to consider those things. If you try to eat the elephant all at once, it just will not work. We are getting more traction on these pilot projects.
Q: How does Cascade Community Health Care plan to employ its initiative to educate youth about preventative healthcare?
Henry: One of the things we are not doing overly well at is a strong push for prevention and education. Youth is where it starts. If you can show them how to eat better, exercise better, and stay healthy, the outcomes would be incredible. It can be as simple as having youths monitor how many steps they take with a pedometer.
For most in this room, we will not make huge legs up in the lifestyle choices we have made. It's more impactful on how we focus on the kids and the next generation. If we focus on the kids over 10 to 15 years of age, then we will change the dynamics of the local economy, and have happier, more productive workforce.
Q: One of things I think is key, is tort reform. And that's on the macro scale. If at all, can you deal with it on a local level and how?
Henry: This is a dangerous challenge we face right now. There is a community health standard. So, if all the local emergency rooms said this is how we will treat a patient, there is some defensibility. If a doctor treated a patient's back pain and decided not to radiate or see how things are going, regardless of the standard, what will happen is the there will be a patient who has blown out a disk that we miss. When we talk about tort and malpractice, we have to look at it at a national level. There is financial exposure and liability risk. What's coming out of Congress, not to be disrespectful, is the tip of the iceberg and liability reform needs to be a part of this.
Q: What does Cascade Community Healthcare plan to do to help offer higher education for nurses and doctors? How do you plan to keep them here rather than see them go out of the area for training?
Henry: We are trying to develop more teaching opportunities for residents as they come around, and we are looking at deeper training for physicians down the road. Right now we subsidize the Central Oregon Community College program, and we are part of the reason why the program got started. Another component comes from the community relationship. Even as early as elementary and middle school, we have nurses and doctors talking to children about what it's like to be in the medical profession and how you can change lives everyday.
Going beyond that, we are working with OHSU to get students over here to see what we have to offer through scholarships etc. I think what we have always tried to do is invest in the local folks. They already know the area, and more than likely they prefer to stay near their family. |
Take advantage of great deals with the Bend Chamber Member Holiday Party
| Bend Chamber Holiday Party is brought to you by: |
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You've made the decision to attend the Bend Chamber Member Holiday Party, but several questions remain. Can you get a babysitter, do you really want to drive yourself to the event, and can you get some Christmas shopping done while at The High Desert Museum? You are in luck because there are answers to all of your questions!
The Bend Chamber and Kiddoz, Inc. have a solution to your childcare problem. During the Bend Chamber Member Holiday Party, Kiddoz, Inc. is offering free child care (a $16 value) for children ages 30 months to 9 years.
There is a suggested donation of $5 per child which will be allocated to a local nonprofit agency focusing on children. Children do not have to be potty trained, but parents are asked to leave a diaper bag with essentials and a change of clothes.
Parents also don't need to worry about feeding their children prior to dropping them off because Kiddoz, Inc. will also provide a healthy meal of pizza, vegetables, and snacks!
If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer, please call Kiddoz at (541) 312-4742 to pre-register by November 30. You can start dropping your children off at Kiddoz, Inc. on December 2 at 5 p.m. and pick them up no later than 8 p.m.
If you are not excited about trying to find a parking spot at the Holiday Party, consider carpooling. Shuttle service, provided by Central Oregon Breeze, will begin at 5 p.m. from the southwest portion of the Wal-Mart parking lot. The shuttle service will run round-trips nonstop during the event.
The Member Holiday Party is also a great opportunity to get some Christmas shopping done. Remember to bring some money as there will be a 20 percent discount at the Museum's Gift Shop during the party only. |
Deschutes County sees slight drop in unemployment rate
Crook and Deschutes Counties both saw declines in unemployment for October while Jefferson County saw an increase.
Deschutes County's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 15.4 percent which is down 0.2 percentage points from September. "The county lost 530 jobs in October," stated a State of Oregon Employment Department release. "This time of year it is typical for the county to lose 660 jobs."
Local government and local education saw an increase in jobs during the month of October. |
In the News
"It's in the Bag" lecture looks at economic impact of major recreational events: Oregon State University - Cascades Campus' annual "It's in the Bag" lecture series continues on Wednesday, December 2 with a presentation titled "Biking and Quilting for Joe the Plumber." The lunchtime lecture will be given by Kreg Lindberg of OSU-Cascades' tourism and outdoor leadership program. Using research gathered during the locally hosted Road Racing National Championships and Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, Lindberg will explore how their economic benefits go well beyond the tourism sector. Demonstrating the links between tourism and other local sectors, he'll explain how visitor spending also benefits accountants, farmers, and the proverbial Joe the Plumber. The lecture will be held from 12 to 1:00 p.m. in Cascades Hall, Room 118. The public is invited to bring a brown bag lunch. For more information, visit www.OSUcascades.edu or contact 541-322-3100 or info@osucascades.edu.
Oregon receives "green jobs" grant: The U.S. Department of Labor has given Oregon a $1.25 million grant to strengthen the state's ability to collect, study and distribute labor market information regarding green jobs. The state labor market information improvement grant is offered through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). "Oregon's green industry sector is growing - and it hasn't been by accident. State policies have encouraged this growth, establishing Oregon as a place where businesses know they can locate and thrive," Governor Ted Kulongoski said. "Now, with even more data, we will be able to continue to attract companies that create green jobs by ensuring that we have a workforce ready to go to work." |
Upcoming Events
December 2 - Bend Chamber Member Holiday Party
Brought to you by:
Join fellow Chamber members in sampling delicious food from Awbrey Glen, Baldy's Barbeque, Jake's Diner, Old Mill Bistro, Pine Tavern, and Subway Downtown & Sisters Coffee.. Wet your whistle with Deschutes Brewery microbrews, Grocery Outlet wine, or Bendistillery's martinis and coffee drinks. Top off the evening with desserts from Goody's, The Cake Lady, and Healthy Bites Personal Chef Service. Here is wishing you a wonderful time at the celebration this year and a prosperous 2010! If you are interested in attending, register today at www.bendchamber.org/holiday-party.
December 12 - 13 - Holiday Magic Moves to Summit High School!! Featuring Soloist Lindy Gravelle! A musical concert by the COCC Cascade Chorale and full orchestra to benefit CORIL and presented by SELCO Community Credit Union will be held on Saturday evening, December 12 and Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Director Jim Knox is describing this production as the "rebirth of Holiday Magic," now in its fifth year! "The music this year is filled with wonder, joy and peace and will be clearly presented throughout each performance," he said. The Summit High School Music Department will also be participating in the performances. Knox says, "The concert will include Mark Brymer's, "The Christmas Suite"- a wonderful work scored for choir, soloists, and orchestra." This special salute to the season will feature many cherished pieces such as: Sing we now of Christmas; What Child is this; Master in the Hall; Hallelujah Chorus; Jingle Bells and much more. Lindy's famous song, "Christmas Corsage" will also be featured. Tickets are for open seating and all reserved seats can be purchased through the Central Oregon Resources for Independent Living (CORIL) Web site www.coril.org or by calling the main office at 388-8103. All tickets will be at the bargain price of $15, a tremendous value! |
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