Rainy Lake Medical Center’s Patient and Family Advisory Council, PFAC, is now taking applications for a new member to join the group.
Area residents who received care at Rainy Lake Medical Center within the past five years and members of their families are invited to apply to serve on the PFAC.
The volunteer group meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month. Patients and their family members who are interested in serving do not need any special qualifications; training will be provided. Some of the council’s goals include continuing the work of reviewing planned changes, working on short-term projects, and serving as ambassadors between the facility Board of Trustees, leadership, staff and the larger community.
Rainy Lake Medical Center administrators see the council’s work as an essential step in enhancing the patient experience at the hospital and clinics in International Falls and Littlefork.
“Our continued support for a Patient and Family Advisory Council underscores our commitment to a culture of patient-centered health care, where patients and their families are considered an integral part of the decision-making process as a valuable part of the medical team,” said Laurie Whitfield-Trautlein, RLMC’s chief administrative officer.
Trautlein said individuals representing a wide cross-section of the extended International Falls and Littlefork communities are encouraged to consider serving as council partners.
Applications can be viewed and downloaded at www.rainylakemedical.com/patient-family-advisory-council/ Completed applications should be sent to Laurie Whitfield-Trautlein at RLMC, 1400 Highway 71 International Falls, MN 56649.
RLMC offers urgent care, emergency care, surgery, cardiology rehab and diagnostics, chemo and infusion therapy, radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, therapy services, audiology, pharmacy, laboratory services, and outreach specialists.
Memorial Blood Centers are asking for blood donors, as a blood emergency has been announced.
The emergency is due to the long-term effects of lower donation numbers.
“There’s a nationwide shortage,” said Kathy Geist, senior executive director. “We currently have only a 3-day supply of blood to offer to more than 30 local hospitals. The long-term impact of the pandemic has meant we’ve had a year of virtually no high school or college first-time donors, and 41 percent fewer donors between the ages of 17-24.”
In addition to this dramatic drop in blood donors over the past 15 months, there has recently been a surge in blood usage as hospitals perform surgeries and patients seek medical care that was postponed during the pandemic. The increased need and significant decrease in donations have created a chronic gap in blood donations locally and nationally.
“As our region reopens, we are increasing our outreach efforts to raise awareness and encourage those who have not donated since before the pandemic to return to donating blood,” Geist said.
Memorial Blood Centers invites all eligible donors to step up and give blood. Donating blood takes less than an hour and costs nothing.
As thanks for the generous gift of blood during this time of need, all presenting donors in June will be entered in daily drawings for Twins tickets.
Staff at the blood center continue to take extra precautions to help prevent person-to-person spread of COVID-19, including continuing to wear face masks.
Interested donors can learn more about these safety precautions, find out if they’re eligible, or schedule an appointment to give at MBC.ORG or by calling 1-888-448-3253.
Memorial Blood Centers has been saving lives since 1948 as an independent nonprofit. MBC relies on the local community to donate blood to help ensure a safe and stable blood supply is available to area hospitals and other partners throughout the country. With operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, MBC is a division of New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe), serving communities across the country. For more information, call 1-888-GIVE-BLD (1-888-448-3253) or visit MBC.ORG. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Corrections
The editorial in the June 6 edition misused the word “Bobcat.” Bobcat should not be used as a noun in place of the common name of the machinery being described, which is a skid-steer loader. Instead, Bobcat should only be used as an adjective to describe genuine Bobcat brand equipment, such as a “Bobcat skid-steer loader.
BURGLARY: Frederick Pihulak, Littlefork, reported June 3 that sometime between May 22 and May 31 his residence on County Road 79 was entered and some items taken. Missing are 200 VHS tapes and two sturgeon fishing rods. There was no sign of forced entry.
NORTHLAND
GALLERY
The Northland Gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 26, featuring paintings, hand painted cards, fused glass items, pottery, and lots of one-of-a-kind gift ideas created by members of Northland Art Society. The gallery is located in the Kantor Electric building on 500 4th St. in International Falls.
