Hello West End Community, and Happy Summer! I hope it’s off to a healthy and fun start!

For this seasonal message, I thought it would be best to begin by highlighting some of our recent service expansions in our ongoing efforts to bring medical excellence to Forks, while doing all we can to shorten the distance between access to essential health services.
In May, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Haroon Yousaf and Dr. Fahad Younas to our medical team, both board-certified interventional cardiologists eager to provide high-quality cardiac care to our community.

In a recent article that appeared on our website, Dr. Younas shared, “What I find most fulfilling is helping patients recover from cardiac events and supporting them in improving their overall health through prevention and lifestyle changes.” When asked about why he is committed to providing care to the West End, Dr. Yousaf said, “Rural communities deserve the same level of care available in larger cities. With prevention, early intervention, and strong partnerships, we can significantly improve heart health outcomes.”

In addition to bringing high-quality cardiovascular care to Forks, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Austin G. Friswold to our podiatry services team, who specializes in sports medicine, advanced wound care, and foot and ankle surgery.

Also new to FCH is our collaboration with board-certified dermatologists from DirectDerm. This organization provides expert teledermatology consultation services to FCH healthcare professionals with no extra paperwork for patients, no long wait to be seen by a specialist.

We invite you to stay up to date on new developments regarding services and health professionals by visiting our website often and following us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
There are a few other topics I want to be sure to touch on today, including a reminder that FCH is closely monitoring changes to eligibility for Washington Apple Health, our state’s Medicaid coverage. We continue to encourage patients to connect with our patient financial navigators, who are dedicated to helping them understand their medical bills and payment options, apply for financial assistance, and connect them with our team that can guide you through prior authorization and other financial processes related to receiving care at FCH.

The next item I want to address focuses on referrals and advocating for patients to receive the care and services available here, even if they are seeing a specialist outside our community. As a community-owned hospital, we rely on our West End Community to support local healthcare. With that said, we understand that it is a privilege to earn your trust and that we know you have options. If you are receiving care at another facility and are told that you must, or that it is better, to have labs or imaging done there instead of at FCH, please know that you absolutely have a choice, that FCH offers advanced diagnostic technology, for example, and that our lab capabilities are extensive and accommodating to meet your scheduling needs. Also, our electronic health record system is Epic (the patient portal is MyChart), and your results may be immediately accessible to the physician who ordered your tests or procedure. In all circumstances, our priority is exceptional patient care, and we go the extra mile to ensure that all members of your designated care team receive the information they need on your behalf, following the strictest protocols to protect your privacy.

The last item I’ll talk about today is an invitation. You may remember that, through the hard work of the Forks Hospital Foundation and a small group of dedicated staff and community members, FCH was able to purchase digital mammography equipment. The Foundation’s work is essential, and we need additional volunteers. If you’re looking for a new volunteer opportunity, please consider The Forks Hospital Foundation.

I’ll close out by sharing the words of author Serry Anderson, “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” If you would like to learn more about The Forks Hospital Foundation, donating, or volunteering, please email fchfoundation@forkshospital.org.

I wish you a happy, healthy, safe summer, and I know that FCH is always ready to care for you and your family.

-Heidi Anderson, MBA BSN RN
Chief Executive Officer

Our Vision: Uniting the community, Improving Lives.
Our Mission: Pioneers in rural health, providing exceptional, personalized care.