Lucas Organizational Performance Team (OPT), a division of local project services leader Lucas Engineering and Management Services, Inc. (Lucas), rebranded for 2021, highlighting the growth the organizational performance improvement services that developed over the past ten years. “I’m extremely proud of the team we’ve assemble for our Organizational Performance Team,” states Ken Lucas, CEO & President. He continues, “2020 was extremely challenging for our clients as they struggled with many of the same challenges we did. What our team has accomplished last year will only continue into this new year.”
Last year started with the grand opening of the Richland training facility. The pivot from in-person development, assessments and mentoring to virtual, happened quickly. “We were not immune to the effects of last year. Our specialists, who thrive in the personal nature of our work, had to adjust to be effective. The launch of this re-branded Lucas OPT is our success story,” says Chris Lucas, VP & COO. The spaces in which OPT specialize are present in every organization. “We have the language we’ve been looking for to describe the OPT. Our clients have always understood our capabilities, now the larger environment, safety, health and quality (ESH&Q) ecosystem can access our information,” continues Chris. With over 80 active employment opportunities locally in ESH&Q, the need to develop talent has never been more apparent. Lucas has the tag line Performance Delivered. This tag line reflects our over 25 year commitment to providing our clients high-performance services in engineering, project/construction management, operations, and environmental services on a variety of public and private high-risk projects. Building on this real-world experience Lucas’ OPT is now Driving Performance by serving as catalysts for change within their client’s existing organizations. “Our clients know their business inside and out. Often an outside catalyst is what is needed after an adverse event happens, or quality controls marks are not met, to look at the 10,000-foot view of a process and determine where improvements can be made. We don’t make the improvements; we provide our clients with a path to excellence. It is up to them to deliver their own performance,” concludes Ken Lucas. The OPT promises an exciting year to come with the introduction of regular free to the public training check-ins on topics surround Human Performance Improvement (HPI), Conduct of Operations (ConOps), safety, organizational culture, and First Aid. Visit their website, www.lucasopt.com for more information on their upcoming public events or to learn more about how their team can drive performance in your organization.
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Baker Boyer wants to show leadership in the community by encouraging all businesses to urge their employees that can, to get vaccinated against Covid-19. This is seen as increasingly important as vaccines become more widely available. “Maximizing vaccinations will enable life for everyone in Eastern Washington to get back to the new normal as rapidly as possible,” said Baker Boyer President/CEO Mark Kajita.
Baker Boyer is focusing its resources on helping the vaccine initiative through education. The Eastern Washington bank is hosting a video on its website bakerboyer.com that explains vaccines targeting Covid-19 (https://www.bakerboyer.com/coronavirus). It will also host an online forum late February with health experts on Covid-19 vaccine efforts to help businesses plan for the days ahead. Included will be:
For its employees, Baker Boyer is granting each that gets vaccinated an additional two days of paid time-off for doing so. “We all want the same thing, a healthy and safe community for all of us,” said Kajita. “Getting to the vaccination levels needed for herd immunity will help keep people safe and enable all businesses to open up so we can eventually get this pandemic behind us.” New U Women's Clinic Healing Hands Project and Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities Team Up1/28/2021 When Dr. Rachel Fidino accepted an opportunity in Seattle to advance her Gynecological career, little did she know where that path might lead? While expanding her certifications in Women’s healthcare, breast cancer, cancer prevention and genetics, she became aware and involved in the plight of homeless and low-income women in King County. Wanting to help those women in need, Rachel and her husband Andrew founded a nonprofit called The Healing Hands Project.
The Healing Hands Project is a 501c3 approved nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower homeless women with dignity, knowledge, and basic human rights by improving menstrual health, access to necessities, and quality of life. Dr. Fidino moved back to the Tri-Cities in 2018 to open New U Women’s Clinic and Aesthetics and brought a division of The Healing Hands Project with her to help women in need that live in South Eastern Washington. Recently HHP received a donation of 30,000 organic menstrual pads from the LOLA organization to support their mission. HHP has become a primary resource for women across Washington State, and has been blessed with community and private donor support allowing them to increase their distribution and outreach during the pandemic. “Our headquarters is full of pad donations and there is a need to get those systemically to low-income women free of charge so we contacted Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities to see if they could help.” explained Dr. Fidino. “The Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities has a similar mission as The Healing Hands Project to empower women and children to create healthy families and a vibrant community through raising awareness of the unmet needs of women and children”. Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities began in 2000 granting over $2.6 million to 138 programs benefitting women and children in Benton and Franklin Counties. Alysia Johnson, Executive Coordinator for WHWFTC, agrees that a distribution partnership would be advantages to the community. “Our network of organizations that serve the Tri-City area women in need is a perfect match. We love being able to connect our community with resources.” Fidino and Johnson have collaborated to start the distribution process. Grace Clinic, Domestic Violence Services of BF Counties, Communities in Schools of Benton Franklin Counties, Mirror Ministries, SARC and the Union Gospel Mission (Women’s & Children’s Shelter) will receive the pads. “We are so thankful for the donation of sanitary pads. This is something people forget about, but when it is not available it can be very frustrating. This donation will not only help those staying at the shelter, but will also help those on the street who are in need” stated Lisa Godwin with the Women and Children’s Center TCUGM. Trios Health is pleased to announce that the hospital’s designations as a Level I Cardiac Center and Level II Stroke Center have been retained.
These categorizations are up for review every three years by the Washington State Department of Health within the state’s Emergency Cardiac and Stroke (ECS) System, and re-categorization indicates that Trios Health continues to meet or exceed the requirements for these levels of care. The categorization period is effective from Dec. 23, 2020, through Dec. 22, 2023. “We are pleased to continue to be recognized as a Level I Cardiac Center and Level II Stroke Center. These categorizations are evidence of the high level of care provided by our skilled teams of doctors, nurses, and professionals who are committed to caring for our patients and our community,” said John Solheim, Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud of our teams and all they do and are grateful for the trust and support of our community.” The Level I Cardiac Center designation is the highest ranking available and indicates that Trios Health is ready 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to provide rapid and comprehensive treatment for cardiac emergencies. Some of these services include diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization, cardiac rehabilitation services, targeted temperature management, and providing an interventional cardiac team that is available within 30 minutes of notification. As a Level II Stroke Center, Trios Health adheres to several stroke service standards. Some of these include 24/7 diagnostic capabilities, IV thrombolytic therapy, advanced stroke education for staff, and providing an acute stroke team made up of physicians and nurses that are able to respond within 15 minutes to assess and treat stroke patients. “Trios Health is committed to providing the best possible care for our patients. Designation as a Level I Cardiac Center and Level II Stroke Center demonstrates our commitment to our patients and our community by adhering to these service standards,” said Bryson Casale, Trios Stroke & Trauma Coordinator. “Meeting these rigorous standards is no easy task, and we are proud and thankful for all the teams who come together to provide this high level care for our patients and community.” Washington State’s ESC system was established in 2021 and was designed to reduce mortality and morbidity for stroke and cardiac patients. Virtual Cooking Class Series Focused on Meal Prep Being Offered by Tri-Cities Cancer Center1/25/2021 The Tri-Cities Cancer Center is excited to announce that we will be offering virtual cooking classes again in 2021. Our first offering of the year will be a 4-part meal prep series starting on Wednesday, February 3rd from 5:30 to 7:00PM on Zoom. Cooking classes will be led by Chef Kyle Thornhill of Tsunami Catering. This cooking class series will be fun, educational, and focused on helping participants prepare nourishing and delicious meals.
Education regarding cancer fighting properties of ingredients will be provided by a Lourdes Health Dietician or the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Lindsey Josephson. Each class will be held from 5:30 – 7:00PM on Zoom. Each cooking class will be unique, focusing on a different meal. Registration is required. To register or for more information, please call (509) 737-3440 or visit tccancer.org/cuisine When: Wednesdays – February 3rd, February 17th, March 3rd and March 17th from 5:30 – 7:00PM Where: Comfort of your own home Cost: $200 for 4-part series; $60 for individual session. Cost includes One Bite at a Time Cookbook; Apron, Insulated Freezer Bag and Main Ingredients to prepare meals.
Registration for today’s vaccination clinic is now closed. The limit of 500 people in line has been reached. Vaccinations will continue tomorrow at 8:30am. The mass vaccination site is scheduled to be open Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm each week, dependent on vaccine supply.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) pushed out information that individuals could make an appointment for a vaccine. This appointment system is not operational and the site will remain a first-come, first-serve location until further notice. The recent press release from the DOH also had incorrect information on the planned days and hours of operation. Individuals are asked to determine eligibility for the vaccine utilizing the DOH’s Phase Finder Tool. AS OF 1/22/2021 ALL VACCINE CLINIC APPOINTMENTS HAVE BEEN FILLED FOR THIS WEEKEND. FUTURE CLINIC DATES WILL BE DETERMINED WHEN MORE VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE.
We are currently in Phase 1B, Tier 1 of the rollout plan that has been developed with recommendations that closely align with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This includes risk stratification given the limited supply of the vaccine for COVID-19 for the first two months. These guidelines are provided by the CDC. For more information, please call Prosser Memorial Health Chief Communications Officer Shannon Hitchcock at our dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic number, 509.788.6035 or email connect@prosserhealth.org Additional COVID-19 resources can be found on our website at prosserhealth.org. Phase 1b, Tier 1 includes: • All people 65 years and older. • People 50 years and older in multigenerational households. You can visit the Department of Health’s website to learn more the vaccine rollout plan: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/WA-COVID-19-Vaccination-Plan.pdf Junior Achievement of Washington is partnering with the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the STEM Education and Innovation Alliance, and Career Connect Washington to launch the State of Innovation Challenge. This virtual, career-connected problem solving challenge invites Washington state youth to design and share their solutions to some of the biggest issues Washington’s employers and communities are facing now. From COVID-19 to the state food supply, to creating sustainable communities, students will explore these issues in-depth and work with educators and industry leaders to design solutions.
“Washington has always been a state of dreamers, doers, and innovators,” Gov. Inslee said. “This year, as we face some of the biggest challenges our state has ever faced, we want to invite the next generation of problem solvers to help us find the way forward.” Junior Achievement of Washington’s program focus on financial empowerment, career readiness, and entrepreneurship is the ideal complement to support youth in the Challenge, helping them connect classroom topics with real-world issues. JA is providing the JA Be Entrepreneurial and JA Launch Lesson programs, particularly as they introduce the concept of design thinking and prepares students for engaging with entrepreneurial leaders. “We’re thrilled to partner with so many statewide education groups to launch the State of Innovation Challenge,” said Natalie Vega O’Neil, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of Washington. “JA programs are uniquely positioned to help guide youth in their research and work as they innovate and create solutions that can have a profound impact on the future of Washington state. Furthermore, the Challenge creates pathways for youth who may face barriers to further education and opportunity. We need to be tapping into the potential of this next generation of leaders to pave the way for brighter tomorrows.” Youth in middle school, high school, and alternative education programs are eligible to participate in the State of Innovation Challenge. In addition to working directly with JA and other educators, other partners include Career Connect Washington, 4-H Washington, and other education and youth-focused community partners across the state. The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia (CRFMC) with support from Numerica Credit Union will be distributing thousands of books to the community on January 20th from 9am-4pm at the Numerica Pavilion at the Southridge Sporting Complex.
On December 31st The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia challenged the local community to make the resolution in 2021 to read 20 minutes every day with a child through the social media champaign, Resolution Read. To support the community in meeting this resolution, CRFMC will donate 12 books to the first 2000 families who register on their website by January 19th. Over 600 book bag requests have already been hand delivered to people’s homes through the support of volunteers, the remaining 1400 book bags will be distributed at the Resolution Read event on January 20th from 9am-4pm at the Numerica Pavilion at the Southridge Sports Complex. “Resolution Read has taken off in a way we never expected,” said Elizabeth Barnes, CRFMC Executive Director “we were only anticipating about 200 families. We are really excited that so many families are making the resolution to read 20 minutes every day with their children.” CRFMC is partnering with Numerica Credit Union to bring Resolution Read to life. “Numerica is passionate about supporting children and their families so that they can fulfill their dreams,” said Andy Stirling, senior vice president of Central Washington at Numerica Credit Union. “Helping Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia provide books to thousands of families is the first step to encourage households to read together 20 minutes each day.” Numerica employees have supported the event through the distribution of thousands of books directly to people’s homes. CRFMC and Numerica would like to thank all the volunteers who have supported this event including Team Battelle, Washington River Protection Services, Kennewick Kiwanis Club, Kennewick Parks and Recs, and many other individuals. Press is invited to attend Resolution Read on January 20th. Trios Health is pleased to announce that patients can now make urgent care appointments through online scheduling.
The online scheduling tool allows patients to skip the line and waiting room and show up at their scheduled appointment time for their visit. “We are excited to be launching this resource for our patients and make our urgent care services more accessible for patients by allowing them to select convenient times that work with their schedules for their urgent medical needs,” said Lorie Orozco, Director of Trios Medical Group Operations. Walk-in patients will still be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone with a scheduled appointment, though, will be seen ahead of walk-in visits, with the exception of patients who have more emergent needs. “We would encourage our patients to utilize online scheduling for their urgent care needs,” said Ann Bradley, Urgent Care Clinic Manager. “The convenience this tool will bring will not only allow our patients to know approximately what time they will be seen, but will allow us to have our clinic days more scheduled. We of course will continue to serve all patients, whether they schedule online or walk into our clinic.” Patients utilizing the online scheduling tool have multiple options for scheduling their appointment. These include logging into their Trios Patient Portal (for established patients); using the urgent care online scheduling link at trioshealth.org/online-scheduling, or calling the Trios Urgent Care Center at 509.221.6900 to speak with a receptionist who can help them schedule. Online scheduling for urgent care visits is only available up to 24 hours in advance. Trios Urgent Care Center is located at 7201 W. Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick and is open daily from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. |
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