Douglas County Health Care Providers Take Steps Toward Forming Organization- Community Health Alliance- to Coordinate Patient Care

The Community Health Alliance was officially 
announced today by health care providers in 
Douglas County to coordinate care for Medicaid 
patients across the county. This non-profit 
organization, which will cover primary and 
specialty care, hospital and dental services, 
mental health and addiction treatment, is poised 
to become one of Oregon’s first Coordinated Care 
Organizations (COO) as health care reform 
efforts take shape in the state.
“Our alliance is excited to continue our work in 
spearheading new methods of delivering the best 
health care, at the right time and at the lowest 
cost,” said Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, CEO of DCIPA, 
The Physicians of Douglas County, one of the 
organization’s members. “The formation of the 
Community Health Alliance is an important step 
in establishing a new model of more effective 
and efficient health care delivery for our 
patients.”
Dr. Dannenhoffer added that many of the alliance 
members began working together a number of years 
ago in implementing various initiatives aimed at 
facilitating the coordination of patient care. 
This includes the county-wide rollout of an 
electronic health records system that is used by 
physicians, clinics, labs, pharmacies and the 
hospital. 

“Having worked to integrate and coordinate care—
with many local medical community partners— it 
is exciting to formalize and expand this in a 
way that truly will benefit local patients,” 
said Bruce Piper, CEO of ADAPT.
The Community Health Alliance includes Umpqua 
Community Health Center, ADAPT, Douglas County, 
Douglas County Health and Social Services, DCIPA-
The Physicians of Douglas County, ATRIO, Mercy 
Medical Center, Greater Oregon Behavioral Health 
(GOBHI) and Advantage Dental. All of these 
entities currently provide health care to 
Medicaid patients in Douglas County. A Community 
Advisory Board will be established to aid the 
new organization. 
“We are pleased to be a partner in this 
groundbreaking effort to launch the Community 
Health Alliance," said Kelly Morgan, president 
and CEO of Mercy Medical Center. “By working 
together, we hope to improve and enhance access 
to health care services for our community 
members. Our collective goal is to improve the 
health and well-being of our residents.” 　
Alliance members acknowledge that a wide range 
of health care reform issues remain at the state 
and national level that will impact the success 
of coordinated patient care efforts. Adequate 
funding for systems infrastructure and training, 
regulatory relief from burdensome administrative 
and privacy requirements, and greater 
flexibility to innovate new delivery procedures 
are critical to the success of the CCO vision. 

 “Improving the health of our community members 
will have a huge positive impact on the quality 
of life we enjoy in Douglas County.  Improving 
the delivery of all the various components of 
health care in coordinated ways that meets the 
needs of the whole person will lead to better 
outcomes at a time when resources are being 
reduced,” said Linda Mullins, CEO of the Umpqua 
Community Health Center. “Although this 
represents a tremendous challenge, it is at the 
same time very exciting that the health care 
delivery partners in Douglas County have joined 
together to take it on.”  

Douglas County Commissioner Susan Morgan is 
hopeful that the CCO will result in better 
health outcomes for the county’s Medicaid 
patients. “The organization that we are forming 
is quite limited in scope. It provides us a 
forum to examine patient information and to 
design pilot projects that will test our ideas. 
The State’s challenge is to improve healthcare, 
while saving money. We have been doing that for 
several years now in Douglas County and we are 
happy to have our state partners pulling in the 
same direction.”

For further information, contact:

ADAPT, Bruce Piper- (541) 672-2691

Advantage Dental, Mike Shirtcliff- (541) 504-3911

ATRIO, Ruth Bauman- (541) 957-3076

Douglas County Health and Social Services, Peggy 
Madison- (541) 440-3625

Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Susan 
Morgan- (541) 440-4201

DCIPA, The Physicians of Douglas County, Dr. Bob 
Dannenhoffer- (541) 464.4490

GOBHI, Kevin Campbell- (541) 298-2101

Mercy Medical Center, Kelly Morgan- (541) 677-
2467

Umpqua Community Health Center, Linda Mullins- 
(541) 672-9596

Mercy Medical Center Elects New Medical Executive Committee

	Mercy Medical Center’s 2012 Medical 
Executive Committee was recently elected and 
includes Faye Ameredes, D.O., chief of staff; 
Sarah Agsten, D.O.., vice chief; Kurt Brickner, 
D.O., secretary; Scott Segal, DO., member-at-
large; Gary Holt, M. D., member-at-large; and 
Marc Smith, M.D., past chief.
	The Medical Executive Committee members 
volunteer their medical expertise to oversee the 
credentialing and privileging process, monitor 
and improve quality and performance, and ensure 
smooth operation of the 233-member medical 
staff.  They are responsible for the quality of 
medical care offered to patients, and act as a 
liaison between the medical staff and the 
hospital board.  The posts are held for one year.

Amy Palm Joins Mercy Medical Center Board

Mercy Medical Center is pleased to announce that 
Amy Palm has joined Mercy’s board of directors.  
Palm will serve a three-year term. 
	
•	A Roseburg High graduate, Amy attended 
Linfield College where she earned a Bachelor of 
Arts in Finance in 1998.  She went on to earn 
her masters in business, at the University of 
Phoenix, Scottsdale, AZ in 2001.  She is a 
financial advisor with D.A. Davidson, and a 
partner with the Coen-Leonard-Palm Group. 

An active member of the community, Amy has been 
involved as a volunteer with many organizations, 
including the Douglas County Friends of 
Doernbecher, SMART program, Roseburg Area 
Chamber of Commerce Greeters, Roseburg Rotary, 
Family Development Center, United Way, Roseburg 
Co-Op Playschool board, ESD Early Intervention 
Council, CASA, and Cobb Street.

“Amy is a talented, energetic and committed 
member of our community and we are pleased to 
have her join our board.” said Kelly C. Morgan, 
Mercy’s president and CEO.

Members of Mercy’s board of directors include 
Bret Hansen, M.D., Mark Herscher, D.O., John 
Powell, M.D., Joyce Aske, Tom Davidson, Dave 
Leonard, Gary McCormack, Kelly Morgan, Brian 
Pargeter, Sr. Gabrielle Jones, RSM;  Joe 
Wilczek, and Mercy’s Chief of Staff, Faye 
Ameredes, D.O. 
	Mercy’s board members play an important 
role.  As a governing board, they are 
responsible for ensuring that the hospital 
fulfills its mission; protects its assets; 
maintains a high standard of patient care; and 
conforms to legislation and standards set by 
regulatory and advisory agencies. Board members 
also help develop and update a strategic plan 
for the hospital, and monitor and evaluate plans 
or programs to ensure that they meet the 
hospital's priorities, goals and policies.  

 

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2700 Stewart Parkway - Roseburg, Oregon 97471 - (541) 673-0611