March 20 ribbon cutting ceremony marks opening of new specialty clinic, part of Salem Health’s expansion plan in Polk County
(Dallas, Ore. – March 20, 2024) – Expanded outpatient services are soon to be available at Salem Health’s West Valley Hospital in Dallas with the opening of its new specialty clinic on the hospital campus.
As part of its continued Polk County investment, Salem Health has renovated the building at 1050 SE Uglow Avenue, Dallas, across the street from the hospital, to house West Valley Hospital’s outpatient services for wound care, anticoagulation, infusion, medication management and outpatient rehabilitation.
Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics marked the grand opening of the specialty clinic for West Valley Hospital’s outpatient services, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m. This new clinic builds on the expansion at West Valley Hospital, beginning with the opening of 25 swing beds at the hospital as of June 2023. The ceremony featured comments from Cheryl Nester Wolfe, president and CEO, Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics and Lane Shetterly, past-chairman, Board of Trustees, Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics, followed by a tour of the new specialty clinic.
“In the last decade, Polk County’s population has grown by nearly 20%, and this growth is only one part of the equation as we consider the ways in which Salem Health must show up for our community,” said Cheryl Nester Wolfe, president and CEO, Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics. “We want to continue to provide care that is timely, accessible, affordable, and most importantly, improves the health of our community. We have a dedicated team ready to serve the community in this newly renovated clinic space.”
“As the health system for our region, our job is to look to the future, and assess what healthcare needs each part of our community will face in the coming decades,” said Lane Shetterly, past-chairman, Board of Trustees, Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics. “That foresight and planning not only led us to expand hospital beds, but also crucial outpatient services.”
The outpatient services at the specialty clinic include:
Anticoagulation
Salem Health’s anticoagulation program is a specialized service run by a pharmacist treating patients who are on a variety of anticoagulation therapies. In 2023, the anticoagulation clinic saw 3,500 patients from the West Valley community alone.
Advanced Wound Care
Advanced wound care treats patients with both acute and chronic wounds. Open seven days a week, they care for an average of 10 patients a day. Last fall, they hired two nurse practitioners to extend their services. This space will allow them to care for more patients in more expansive surroundings.
Infusion
A specialty clinic providing patient infusion treatments such as antibiotics, hydration, blood products and multiple immunosuppressant therapies. Infusion is also open seven days a week.
Medication Management
In our medication management clinic, clinical pharmacists work closely with primary care providers treat and manage patients who are taking multiple medications for chronic health conditions, such as diabetes.
Outpatient Rehabilitation
The new space will house rehabilitation, which provides physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology. With more than 8,000 visits each year, this new space allows for a larger gym, more treatment rooms and natural light.
West Valley Hospital, which joined Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics in 2002, annually has 19,000 emergency department visits, 35,000 imaging cases, and 27,000 other outpatient visits including infusion, wound, rehabilitation, anti-coagulation and medication management.
About Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics
Salem Health offers exceptional care to people in and around Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley. It comprises hospitals in Salem and Dallas, a medical group of primary and specialty care providers, plus other affiliated services. Visit us at www.salemhealth.org; “Like” us on www.facebook.com/salemhealth; follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @salemhealth; and view us at www.youtube.com/salemhealth.
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