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The dreaded cold and flu season is upon us! When someone says they have a cold or the flu, what is actually happening in their body? For most people, the “common cold” is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. In other words, a stuffy nose, head pressure, sore throat, and a cough. There usually is no fever or chills, and maybe just slight body aches. In most cases, this will pass in 5-10 days and over the counter treatments will help to ease symptoms. The “flu,” also known as Influenza, does usually bring fever and chills, body ac...
The Medical Guild is gearing up for the 55th annual rummage sale! The sale is the main fundraiser for the Guild every year, proving successful with last years sale topping $10,000. Guild funds are used to help purchase items for the Big Sandy Medical Center. They donated $20,000 for the kitchen remodel project, have purchased patio furniture, helped with paint and flooring to update the insdie of hte building, and supported countless other projects and needs. The community of Big Sandy has been so great in supporting the Guild, between...
September 10-16 is Environmental Services Week. While Environmental Services (EVS) may sound like a part of the EPA, it is blanket term used to include a facilities housekeepers, maintenance, and laundry departments. EVS is the unsung hero of any building, but especially important in a hospital setting. EVS at Big Sandy Medical Center is responsible for cleaning and surface disinfection, waste management, laundry, pest control, safety and security, maintaining the flooring and fixtures, grounds management, including mowing the lawn and...
The date has been set for the 2023 Harvest Festival! This is the third annual event hosted by the PCW (Parish Council of Women) from the Catholic Church in Big Sandy. PCW hosts Harvest Festival as their only fundraiser of the year. They use the money raised for scholarships to graduating seniors, maintenance and improvements to the church, funeral services, and other services throughout the community. From its inception, Harvest Fest was designed as a multi-purpose event. To raise funds for the...
The Big Sandy Medical Center has seen many changes over the last few years. From the transition to a Critical Access Hospital, adding an electronic health record system, the coming and going of providers and staff, remodeling projects, the opening of the Wellness Center, and the future opening of the Rural Health Clinic building. All of these changes are overseen by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is a team of five community members, who volunteer their time to ensure operations at the facility are in the best interest of the...
As always, the summer months seem to fly by and this year is no different. Harvest is in full swing and our children are already back in school. Soon loud cheers will echo across football fields and volleyball courts. What a great time of the year! And what a great time at Big Sandy Medical Center! In just a few short weeks, we will have a brand-new kitchen with ample food storage space and food prep areas. Korb construction has been working continuously, despite shipping delays, to keep this project moving. The addition is complete and now...
What’s “The Tea”? It is the 411, the low-down, the news, the happenings... it’s the latest here at Big Sandy Medical Center. People have always been the heart of BSMC, so you are invited to Tea, right here, with all the latest information about your home town Medical Center. If you’ve drove by the facility recently, you’ve seen the progress made by Korb Construction on the kitchen addition. The foundation has been poured and they are preparing the external walls. While the final touches are being made to the exterior part of the addition, a...
Everyone looks for ways to save a few bucks, especially when it comes to medical bills. BSMC Laboratory is here to help by now offering Patient Directed Testing (PDT). PDT is a process where you as the patient get to choose which lab tests you’d like completed without a doctor’s order. Yes, you read that right. You, the patient, get to walk to the lab, ask for the tests you’d like, and get them done! Our Lab is regulated by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), a sector of CMS. This regulation, along with compliance of State...
Essential workers took on a whole new meaning during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In healthcare though, we’ve always known and recognized that CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) are essential to the daily operations in any medical facility. Especially the week of June 15-21 when we celebrate Nursing Assistant Week. A CNA assists patients with all the tasks most of us take for granted daily. Things like bathing, dressing, moving from a chair to bed and the like. Because of their close involvement with each patient, they become very a...
In 1962, a plan was devised to build a medical center in the Big Sandy Community. The folks recognized that keeping a doctor around was vital for the town. They knew a sure way to do that was to provide a space for them to work with patients needing medical care. The community came together, raised the funds, and built the Big Sandy Medical Center in 1965. While having a doctor in town was sure handy, the goals of the facility have always revolved around the care of the people it serves. As patients, family members, or the community as a...
Do you know what to do if your loved ones heart stops? Of course you’d call 911, but what will you do while you wait? If CPR is started within one minute of a person becoming unresponsive, they have a 90% chance of survival. Those are pretty good odds, but survival rates dwindle quickly. Their chances decrease by 10% for every minute that the heart is not beating. Living in rural Montana means you can drive from one side of town to the other in just a couple of minutes, however, it also means that help may be hours away. Especially on rural roa...
This week is the 49th Annual National EMS Week. The week was first designated by President Gerald Ford in 1974 with the intention to celebrate all that EMS practitioners do in the community. In Big Sandy, our Emergency Medical Services are provided solely by volunteers. Currently the following names are on the volunteer roster: Dusty Allderdice, Paula Amsbaugh, Tim Bahnmiller, Maggie Cline, Chris Horton, NP, Pete Jerrel, Krystyl Kulbeck, PA, Nathan Merrill, Jessica Ophus, Heather Plenninger, Jim Robertson, and Melanie Schwarzbach. Your passion...
Hats off to Lisa Sipler, and all the staff at BSMC that helped make Hospital Week one for the books. The week kicked off with Neon Day. A day full of colors as bright as the smiles on everyone's faces. The patients got to participate in neon painting with Roberta Edwards and played bingo that afternoon. They were joined by many folks from the community and had a blast. Tuesday was Disney Day. Everyone enjoyed visits from Micky and Mini Mouse, Cruella Deville, Doc the Dwarf, and others. After a...
The American Hospital Association designates a theme for Hospital Week every year. This year: We Are Healthcare; caring for patients, strengthening communities. That is certainly true for the community of Big Sandy and its local medical center, but it is not just a one-way street. The community supports this facility as much as we care for the community. We are pleased to welcome the community back into the facility to celebrate Hospital Week with us, May 8-12. You’ll find spirit week style dress-up days, special meals, and lots of fun a...
Florence Nightingale is said to be the “Mother of Nursing” helping to mold the nursing profession into what we know it as today. She was born on May 12th, 1820. Due to her advocacy for hygiene, nursing care, training, and higher standards she created the foundation of what nursing looks like today. Because of her successful efforts, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) proclaimed May 12th (Nightengale’s birthday) as International Nurse’s Day in 1974. Despite many attempts to recognize nurses in the US-the first documented attempt in 1953...
There are over 100,000 men, women, and children waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, with another person being added to the list every 9 minutes. 17 people die every day waiting for their life saving donation. There is a national system that helps to match those on the list with a donation based on blood type, body size, severity of illness, geographic distance, tissue type, and how long they’ve been waiting on the list. One person who chooses to donate can save 9 lives through organ donation, provide sight for two people, and restore h...
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. With the ice we’ve seen this year we are acutely aware of how quickly a life-changing injury can occur. The first thought is often broken bones, but have you ever considered how quickly your brain health can change? According to the Brain Injury Association of America, 5.3 million Americans are living with a permanent brain-injury related disability. There are at least 2.8 million people in America who suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) every year. A TBI is any alteration in brain function, c...
In fall of 2021, Starle Taylor joined the BSMC team as the Dietary Manager. Prior to her job here, she worked at the Ft. Benton Hospital for 31 years. Working with Star are Patti Pegar, April Reid, Sierra Grimwood, Karla Whetham, Jamie Jones, and Kodi Boone. Each staff member is ServSafe Certified. A certification that provides training in food safety and sanitation. This is not something that is required by the State or CMS but is encouraged by Star for all her employees. Aside from the time spent managing her staff, Star fills her days with...
The first day of spring is only 3 weeks away and while that means green grass and blooming flowers are on the horizon, there is still plenty of cold weather to survive. According to the National Weather Service, today is the day we should begin planning for spring weather and forego our winter weather preparations. If last week showed us anything, it’s that Mother Nature doesn’t abide by the calendar! Big Sandy Medical Center is always here to take care of you, whether you’ve fallen on the ice or suffered a sunburn, but prevention is key....
What’s “The Tea”? It is the 411, the lowdown, the news, the happenings... it’s the latest here at Big Sandy Medical Center. People have always been the heart of BSMC, so you are invited to Tea, right here, with all the latest information about your hometown Medical Center. We’re almost through February and just a little over a month from the first day of spring. We were able to come out of “outbreak” status at the end of January, and due to the low numbers of Covid cases are in a “low” risk status. This means masks are optional inside the facil...
8 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer every year. That is more people than live in the entire state of Montana, according to 2021 data. February is National Cancer Prevention Month. According to the American Association of Cancer Research, preventable causes are the catalyst for over 40% of all cancers diagnosed and almost half of all deaths from cancer. While genetics play a role in your risk and is out of your control, things like smoking, sun exposure, physical activity, and excess body weight are all considered preventable...
Isn't it fitting that Valentine's Day is home to the same month as American Heart Month? American Heart Month is a wonderful time to focus on your cardiovascular health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. For many, the Covid-19 Pandemic led to an increase in heart problems as the lockdown contributed to more sedentary behavior, poor eating habits, increased alcohol intake, and increased stress. People also delayed their care due to the lock down, putting off everything from...
This week, our hats are off to you, the people of our community. What is a hospital without its patients? This facility was built over 50 years ago with none other than the people of the Big Sandy area in mind. It is the people who founded BSMC. It is the people who volunteer on the Board of Directors. It is the people who are employees. But most importantly, it is the people who become patients. The first week of February is Patient Recognition Week. Thank you for choosing us for your healthcare needs. While HIPPA laws prevent us from thanking...
Often when people think of any medical facility, the first people that come to mind are the doctors and nurses providing care there. It makes sense as these staff often have the most contact with the patients. However, there are so many “behind the scenes” people that are involved in your healthcare. That is true at BSMC too. This week, we feature the staff of the business office. This team handles all the billing, deals with insurance, manages the phone, and keeps the facility operational! Along with Ron Wiens, CEO and Karma Hale, HR Director,...
Did you see last week’s article about the generous donation of land for the new clinic building? It is so good to see the community continuing to support this locally owned facility! As the new building gets established and services begin to take place there, the folks in the lab will be making some adjustments to their locale as well. The new clinic space will allow for the current facilities to be used very differently. Dave Korkowski and Mike Mebruer will take it all in stride. Having the lab here in town is beneficial, not just when you a...
