Like all organizations, MCMC has had to pivot to the realities of a new and different environment.  Our organization is responding to increased cost pressures, the changing nature of work, the dramatic advances in the utilization of technology, the advances in science, new changes in care delivery, new consumer expectations and the promotion of prevention and wellness. Your care is at the core of our mission statement, and we give thanks to our community for your support.

Physical Therapy Patient Satisfaction

Striving for excellence is a cornerstone of MCMC, especially when it comes to our patient satisfaction. I want to commend our physical therapy team for achieving the 99^th percentile ranking in our Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Surveys in six categories and achieving above goal in all categories, when compared to other hospitals in rural communities with a population of less than 50,000. This means that we performed higher than 99 percent of physical therapy teams nationwide in the communities specified above during the third quarter of 2022. These rankings are based on feedback from the surveys sent to our patients through letters, emails, and texts. The results are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees in making our patient experience a positive one.

Mid-Columbia Health Foundation

Our annual fundraiser, the Festival of Trees, is a beloved kickoff to the holiday season here in The Dalles. Hosted by the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation, the Festival takes place each year on the first Friday in December at The Dalles Civic Auditorium. The fun starts on Wednesday, November 30^th when the decorators, who are donating decorated trees for the auction, get together to create their entries, which will then be auctioned off at the live auction and gala on Friday, December 2^nd.. The Friday evening auction and gala portion of the Festival of Trees is a 21 and over event, however all ages are welcome to the Community Open House the following morning, Saturday, December 3^rd, 9 am to 12 pm. Community residents can view all the trees and vote on the People’s Choice Award before they go to their forever homes.

Auction/Gala tickets are $20 per person. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online or at the door the night of the event. Proceeds from the event benefit the many programs our foundation supports. We hope to see you at this year’s event.

Community Partnerships

Mid-Columbia Health Foundation is joining with our community partner, Columbia Gorge Toyota and Honda, for their 2^nd Saturday Cleanup, Saturday November 12^th at Thompson Park at 10 A.M. Every month, Columbia Gorge Toyota and Honda organizes this effort to pick up litter and keep our community beautiful.   I invite all our team and community members to join in with this important effort. Picking up litter not only shows pride in our community, but it makes a difference to the environment and protects our wildlife.

Veterans Thank you

November 11^th is Veterans Day, a day where we pause and reflect on the sacrifices our military men and women have made for our country.  We send them our gratitude not just on Veterans Day, but every day for protecting our country and our freedom.  I would also like to personally thank our employees who have served their country.  Thank you for your service!

A Final Note

The Holiday season can be a bit frenetic. Although the season centers around gratitude, that sentiment can get lost in the shuffle as we try to juggle the miles-long list of tasks required to pull off the perfect Thanksgiving dinner, pick the perfect gifts, find the perfect tree – it can all be overwhelming. So, let’s take this opportunity to remember that the holidays are about giving thanks and sharing gratitude for friends, family, and health.

Happy Thanksgiving!