Food & Nutrition Services

Food and Nutrition Services prepares and serves all inpatient meals and provides cafeteria service for employees and visitors. Specialty nutrition services are provided by a registered dietitian who conducts inpatient nutrition screening and assessment, and provides education and follow-up consultation as needed. Physicians also refer patients on an outpatient basis for nutrition counseling by the dietitian. Diet consultations for any dietary problem can be provided. Patient insurance will be billed for the consultation. All patients requiring a special (therapeutic) diet, as ordered by their physicians, will be served foods appropriate for their nutritional needs. Patients' food preferences are also considered, as appropriate.

Home Care of Kittitas County

Included under the umbrella of this broad KVCH agency are: Home Health, Home Respiratory Services, Hospice Services, the Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Program, Cancer Outreach, and Home Infusion Services.

Home Health brings into patient homes skilled nursing services and rehabilitation services such as Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Therapy.

Home Respiratory Services is designed to keep lung disease and oxygen-dependent patients active and involved. Many different types of equipment are available so that patients can get out and about.

Hospice Services provides care to persons in the final phase of terminal illnesses. With pain and other discomforts under control, a patient can spend important time at home with his or her family.

A Geriatric Nurse Practitioner works in collaborative practice with physicians, visiting patients in nursing homes.

Cancer Outreach is a free community service provided to patients diagnosed with cancer. A nurse specifically trained regarding cancer assists patients and their families with information regarding symptoms, treatments, and other questions they may have.

Home Infusion Services provides intravenous (IV) therapy in the home, providing antibiotics, fluid, pain medication, nutrition, or chemotherapy.

Including nurses, trained aides, and therapists, Home Care of Kittitas Valley employs 18 people. Home Care currently provides care to 260-280 people per month in Kittitas County.

Imaging Services

The Imaging Department provides diagnostic procedures including x-rays, ultra-sound, CT scans, MRI scans, mammography, and echocardiograms. A staff of registered radiological technologists is supervised by physicians specializing in radiology.

Laboratory

A full staff of laboratory professionals are available for inpatient and outpatient services. The lab is staffed 24-hours-a-day. Services include hematology, chemistries, blood banking services, urinalysis, coagulation, and microbiology.

Family Birthing Center

KVCH has three Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Post-Partum (LDR/P) rooms where babies are born in a home-like atmosphere in the hospital.

The concept combines a more relaxed, comfortable atmosphere with the medical security of being in the hospital to offer the best of all experiences to new parents.

Designed also to encourage family participation, up to five family members or friends, including the birth coach, can be present. Each room has a private bath with Jacuzzi tub and shower; a birthing bed that moves to accommodate any position of comfort for the woman; and other comforts such as a rocking chair; and furniture to accommodate family members.

A nurse is with the mother throughout her labor. KVCH primarily handles low-risk births, babies delivered at 34-35 weeks and above.

Epidurals are one option available for child birth at KVCH. An epidural is a local anesthetic delivered through a tiny tube placed in the small of the back. Most women who receive epidurals are able to maintain some mobility and fully participate in the birth experience, continue to feel pressure, and push when necessary. About 52 percent of women giving birth at KVCH are administered epidurals. Nurse anesthetists are available on a 24-hour basis.

Pharmacy Department

The Pharmacy Department provides staffing by a clinical pharmacist from 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., seven days a week and on-call coverage at all other hours.

The KVCH clinical pharmacists spend their day moving through the different nursing areas of the hospital reviewing medication charts, supervising delivery of medication, counseling patients as to the correct method of drug use, ensuring cost effectiveness by measuring outcomes of drug therapy, and reviewing adverse drug events. The medical practitioners, nursing staff and other health care professionals of the hospital and the community confer with the clinical pharmacist on the use of appropriate medication.

When appropriate, KVCH pharmacists counsel patients prior to their discharge, on the appropriate methods of administering discharge medication and of monitoring its effects, in order to obtain optimum therapeutic outcomes when no longer under professional supervision in hospital.

KVCH pharmacists regularly deliver informative lectures dealing with every aspect of Medication Management to nursing staff and to medical and paramedical practitioners.

KVCH pharmacists also service nursing homes, where their prime task is medication review - an ongoing evaluation of patients' routine as well as intermittent or new medication.

Your comments are always welcome, please mail them to the Director of Pharmacy, Terry Clark, RPh at tclark@kvch.com.

Physical Rehabilitation Services

KVCH Physical Rehabilitation Services can mean the difference between illness or injury and becoming fully functional, by providing restorative care in the clinic, your home, or the hospital.

KVCH Physical Rehabilitation Services provides a network of quality therapists to the residents of the county.

Clinic Hours

Upper County Clinic

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence, and get on with the "job of living."

Highly trained Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants are available to provide services for clients of all ages. Children may receive services to help with delays in development. Adults may benefit from services to help prevent and treat work-related injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Work site evaluations are also available. Home evaluations and recommendations for modifications or adaptive equipment may help keep adults safely in their homes. Education and training is provided to family and caregivers as well.

Physical Therapy

Physical Therapists specialize in the treatment of movement dysfunction. Muscles can be strengthened, circulation improved, motion restored, deformities corrected and prevented, pain relieved, rate of recovery increased, and your long-range outlook for physical activity improved.

Speech Therapy

Speech and Language Pathologists assess and treat your ability to swallow, your ability to speak, and your ability to form your thoughts, as needed.

Respiratory Therapy / EKG

Respiratory care professionals provide hospital staffing from 6:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., seven days a week, and on-call coverage at all other hours.

Inpatient and outpatient services are provided through this department, including Holter monitoring, EKGs, cardiac stress testing, pulmonary function testing, oximetry, medical gases, mechanical ventilation, and the delivery of pulmonary medications to patient airways.

Surgical Services

Surgery and Outpatient Surgery

Whether your surgery is planned, or unexpected, at KVCH you can depend on a highly skilled surgical team dedicated to your recovery.
Our surgical specialties include:
Orthopedics
Ophthalmology
Laparoscopy
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Plus a broad range of outpatient services.

Since our newly completed renovation and addition, larger operating, recovery and outpatient rooms and a dedicated patient cooridor enhance patient privacy, convenience and comfort. New automated systems for dispensing supplies and medications increase efficiency, cut down on paperwork and allow our staff more time caring for patients.

List of Services

Kittitas Valley Community Hospital offers healthcare services designed to serve you and your family. The following is a list of services available at KVCH: