The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The last couple of months at the Medical Center have been filled with productivity! We spent countless hours preparing for the conversion, hired new staff, prepared for the Guild Rummage Sale and even had some landscaping done!

We said good-bye to our Clinic Manager, Shayla Vroman this month. She will be missed here at BSMC! Be sure to say your farewells soon, they will be moving to Wisconsin! We have also welcomed Savanna Echols as our Clinic Administrative Clerk. She has been working hard to learn the ropes and is excited to join our staff. Savanna and her husband come to Big Sandy from Alaska. They were excited about their move, as they are able to be closer to family. Visitors will notice a new desk at the main entrance, Brandy Terry will be there during business hours. The vending machines that you're used to seeing there have been moved to the waiting room over by the Emergency Room. We also welcome our nurse Lorraine Hanson-Knudson to the Infection Control position. She has hit the ground running in this position and is excited for the new challenge.

Another change you might notice when you come to BSMC is the new rock bed by the ER entrance. Some landscaping was necessary to prevent water from seeping into the boiler room of the basement. This has been a problem for years and was finally fixed this summer. Mason Ophus with MO Landscaping & Properties cleared away the old rock, corrected the grade of the landscape and placed new rock in the whole space. He also removed the old tree stumps by the front entrance and filled a sink-hole by the Helipad (Mercy flight will appreciate that!). Small changes that make a big difference around our building!

Last week was the Medical Guild Rummage Sale! It was another great year! Awesome deals, delicious pie and great company. The quilt that was up for silent auction was created with the help of our residents and Reggie Jappe. The Margaret Grubb family purchased the quilt. A few of our residents even made and donated pies to the event. The monies collected during this event help to purchase items of need in and around our facility for our residents. In recent years the guild has purchased kitchen supplies, a power washer, supplies for activities, flowers for the courtyard, beds, wheelchairs, recliners, a blood gas machine for the lab; the list is endless! Our residents love helping with all the preparations for the Rummage sale.

We are also beginning our preparations for Halloween! We have some great ideas this year and cannot wait to see all the trick-or-treaters. The costume competition between the staff is getting heated, you won't want to miss it!

As much as we all love fall colors, treats, and events; this is the start of flu season. BSMC would like to remind everyone to be stewards of health during this time. Wash your hands, cover your cough, drink plenty of fluids and stay home if you are sick. Please know that most "colds" are viral infections, meaning antibiotics are not effective to their treatment. We have flu shots available at the facility now! Last year we had a confirmed 62 cases reported in Chouteau County and there has already been one positive case reported this year. For more information, or to follow statistics yourself, please visit https://dphhs.mt.gov.

We appreciate your continued support, your patience, and your faith in us with your health care needs. Thank you for being the heart of BSMC.