Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2019

Jon Asper Nature’s Veil Kootenai Health 2003 Kootenai Health Way Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814 KH.org (208) 625-4000 Kootenai Hospital District Board of Trustees Terence Neff, M.D., Chair Robert Colvin, Vice Chair Katie Brodie, Secretary and Treasurer Cindy Clark, Trustee Thomas deTar, M.D., Trustee James Eisses, Trustee Teri Farr, Trustee Liz Godbehere, Trustee Administration Jon Ness, Chief Executive Officer Karen Cabell, D.O., Chief Physician Executive Jeremy Evans, Executive Vice President of Operations Daniel Klocko, Executive Vice President of Human Resources Ron Lahner, General Counsel Patricia Richesin, President, Kootenai Care Network Joan Simon, Chief Nursing Officer Ryan Smith, Chief Information Officer Kim Webb, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer John Weinsheim, Executive Vice President of Kootenai Clinic Executive Regional Editor Kim Anderson Regional Editor Andrea Nagel Cover photo Andrea Nagel Published as a courtesy of Kootenai Health four times a year. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Kootenai Health complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Translation assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Please call (877) 746-4674 . Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al (877) 746-4674 . Ako govorite srpsko-hrvatski, usluge jezicke pomoci dostupne su vam besplatno. Nazovite (877) 746-4674 . 2019 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Health “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” —Benjamin Franklin Kootenai Health has been providing emergency care to our community for as long as we’ve been in existence. In 2011, staff members began going through the steps needed to receive designation as a trauma center, first earning Level III designation from the American College of Surgeons, then Level II from the state of Idaho. Since that time we have been tracking injuries most common in our region and working to help prevent them. For our trauma services outreach team, that means helping seniors improve their balance to reduce their risk of fall injuries, getting helmets on the heads of bicyclists and skiers, and making life vests available to boaters, among other things. You can read more about the program, including the most common injuries, on page 16. It is important to note that in Ben Franklin’s famous quote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” prevention is not without some work—even if it is only an “ounce.” While small in comparison to the work needed to correct a situation that has progressed, prevention does require some intention and effort. What does an ounce of prevention look like for you? On page 23, you can find a list of classes, activities and support groups that can help you be more active, learn better ways of caring for your health and connect with people who have similar interests. Whether you consider your physical, mental, spiritual or social well-being, take time to consider how small efforts today will reap great rewards down the road. Make a daily habit of exercise, learning something new, taking time to reflect on the positive things in your life, and connecting with others. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can tip the scale an ounce in the right direction. Wishing you good health, Jon Ness, CEO November 2019 4