Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy Releases 2023-2024 Report to the Community
November, 2024: Nehalem Bay Health Center is pleased to share our 2023-2024 Report to the Community. The document, which was distributed with a year-end letter from the President of our Board of Directors, lays out highlights and accomplishments, as well details on finances and grant funding.
You can read the document here: 2023-2024 Report to the Community.
If you would like to donate to help support Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy, here’s how you can contribute: nehalembayhealth.org/contribute
Nehalem Bay Health Center Continues to Successfully Meet Federal Health Center Program Requirements
September 16, 2024: Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy is pleased to announce a successful Operational Site Visit by its primary funder, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), noting full compliance with all Health Center Program requirements.
As a federally-qualified health center, Nehalem Bay Health Center is required to submit a detailed report every three years detailing its performance and operations to ensure compliance with HRSA’s Health Center Program requirements. The report is followed by an in-person visit by several HRSA representatives who tour the facility to review operations first-hand and meet with the leadership team and the Board of Directors. This Operational Site Visit took place August 13-15, 2024.
The compliance assessment included a thorough review of nearly 20 operational areas, and numerous elements within each of these areas, including sliding fee discounts, provider credentials, quality improvement/assurance, accessibility, continuity of care, financial management, board authority, and collaboration with other health care agencies. The review included both Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy in Wheeler, Oregon, and the Neah-Kah-Nie Student Health and Wellness Center, the school-based health center Nehalem Bay Health Center operates at Neah-Kah-Nie High School in Rockaway Beach, Oregon.
The final site visit report from HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care noted full compliance in every category and an accompanying note from HRSA stating “Thank you for the critical work of your health center in providing high quality, comprehensive, and patient-centered primary care to your community and its vulnerable populations.”
“To have the good work we do recognized by HRSA means so much,” stated CEO Gail Nelson. “Staff’s commitment to our mission is clear, and I could not be prouder of the Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy team.”
The positive report of full compliance from HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care means continued federal funding to help support the work of Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy.
Are you looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity?
June 20, 2024: Nehalem Bay Health Center’s Board of Directors is seeking additional members. If you have a passion for volunteering and believe strongly in our mission and vision, we invite you to apply to serve on our board.
The current Board of Directors also has a strong interest in broadening the board’s membership so it is more representative of the community Nehalem Bay Health Center serves. We recognize the value of patient voices and perspectives and hope to also include additional patients on the Board of Directors.
Here are the details:
Members need to reside within Nehalem Bay Health Center’s service area (from Manzanita to Tillamook);
Board members are expected to attend monthly board meetings and participate in subcommittee work that takes advantage of their experiences.
How to apply: If you are interested in volunteering to serve on Nehalem Bay Health Center’s Board of Directors, please submit a letter of interest that includes information about yourself, your background, and why you would like to join the board. Email your letter and any back-up materials to boardofdirectors@nehalembayhealthorg.
Mission: Delivering compassionate team-based health care and wellness education to improve the lives of ALL in our community.
Vision: A community in which all people achieve their full potential for health and well-being across their life span.
A Notice for Patients Covered by Medicare:
May 20, 2024: Nehalem Bay Health Center providers recently became a part of the Accountable Care Organization through the Oregon Network of Community Health Centers, and we wanted to share information about what this means for our patients who are covered by Medicare.
What is an Accountable Care Organization? An Accountable Care Organization (or ACO) is a group of health care providers who agree to work together with Medicare to make sure our patients covered by Medicare have the best possible care. It is not a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).
The goal of the ACO is to support all your doctors in caring for you by making sure they have the most up-to-date information about your health and your care, and by making sure your care is coordinated across all the places you get your health care services. This coordination could mean less paperwork to fill out at the doctor’s office, avoiding unnecessary tests, and more awareness of treatment options for various health conditions.
What kind of information is shared between health care agencies? Shared information can include test results, treatments, health center and hospital visits, and prescriptions. This type of coordination can help prevent medical errors and potentially harmful drug interactions. It lets your health care providers know what services you have already received, understand what additional services may be needed. It also helps your health care teams work together to make the transitions as smooth as possible if you need to go to the hospital, or if you need to switch doctors. It can also help save time and money by helping patients avoid duplicate tests and appointments.
It is important to note that Medicare will continue to protect the privacy of your health information. If you don’t want Medicare to share information with your health care providers for care coordination, you can ask Medicare not to share your information. (Medicare may still share general information in order to measure provider quality.) For more information, visit www.medicare.gov/basics/reporting-medicare-fraud-and-abuse/privacy-practices-original-medicare
Do I need to enroll in the ACO? No, there is no need to sign up. Our Medicare patients are automatically included since we are members of the ACO through the Oregon Network of Community Health Centers.
Does being a part of the ACO change Medicare benefits? No. You can still see your regular Medicare provider, and you can still go to any medical provider, hospital, or other health center that accepts Medicare. Nobody can restrict which providers you see, and you will still have all the same Medicare services, benefits, and protections.
If you would like more information on the Oregon Network of Community Health Centers’ Accountable Care Organization, here is an information sheet with answers to frequently-asked questions:
New Pharmacy Pick-up Locker up and running
April, 2024: The Nehalem Bay Pharmacy prescription pick-up locker is now operational. This new system allows patients to pick up certain prescriptions directly from a secure prescription locker without visiting the pharmacy. The locker is located in the lobby of the Nehalem Bay Health Center and provides a safe, contact-free way for patients to pick up prescription medicines
For those individuals who are interested in this new service, but want to learn more, the Pharmacy Team has scheduled a tutorial/demonstration. Attendees can see how the new prescription locker works and ask the Pharmacy staff any questions they have about it.
Pharmacy Locker Tutorial/Demonstration: Thursday, May 9, 2024 at Noon
in the lobby at Nehalem Bay Health Center (230 Rowe Street, Wheeler, OR)
The new Nehalem Bay Pharmacy prescription locker is made possible in collaboration with Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization (part of the CareOregon family)
More information about the pick-up locker system, including a how-to guide and enrollment form, is available here: nehalembayhealth.org/pharmacy-pick-up-locker
Pharmacy Pick-up Locker will start service soon.
March 12, 2024: Starting in March, Nehalem Bay Pharmacy will begin using a new Pharmacy Pick-up Locker that allows patients to pick up certain prescriptions directly from a secure prescription locker without visiting the pharmacy. The locker will be located in the lobby of the Nehalem Bay Health Center and will provide a safe, contact-free way for patients to pick up prescription medicines. The new pick-up locker is scheduled for installation on March 19, 2024.
Patients who want to use this new service can skip their pharmacy visit, which should save time and make it more convenient for patients to get the medicines they need. Plus, patients won’t need to pick up a pharmacy pager if they use the Pharmacy Pick-up Locker.
Nehalem Bay Pharmacy staff will still be available for those patients who want to visit the pharmacy to pick up their prescriptions in person.
The locker display will be available in a choice of English, Spanish, or French. More information about the pick-up locker system, including a how-to guide and enrollment form, is available on the Pharmacy section of our website: nehalembayhealth.org/pharmacy-pick-up-locker
Notice to the Public of Finding of No Significant Impact
December 6, 2023: The following documents relate to U.S. Health and Resource Services Administration (HRSA) Grant C8ECS44904 pertaining to proposed construction of Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy, Wheeler, Oregon.
2022-2023 Report to the Community
November 1, 2023: We are pleased to present Nehalem Bay Health Center’s 2022-2023 Report to the Community, which highlights our accomplishments over the past year and provides information on finances.
The report also includes an important letter from the Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy Board of Directors, sharing plans for our new and expanded facility.
If you would like to help support Nehalem Bay Health Center, please visit: nehalembayhealth.org/contribute
What new services would you like to see at Nehalem Bay Health Center?
October 3, 2023: As plans move forward for a new and expanded Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy, we want to hear from our community about the kinds of health care services you would like to see at the new facility.
Please take this short survey (it should take 3-5 minutes) and let us know what services are important to you. Your feedback is essential to make sure we are serving the community’s needs.
Survey in English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GJLY9PB
Encuesta en español: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJG5LMG
Newest COVID Vaccines on Order
September 21, 2023: Nehalem Bay Health Center has the newest Moderna COVID vaccines on order. We do not have a firm date on when they will arrive, but we are hopeful it will be within the next week or two.
Once we have the vaccines in stock, we will provide an update here on our website and on our Facebook page.
Here is a recent post from the Oregon Health Authority regarding the newest COVID vaccines, including guidance on who should get it, and when:
https://covidblog.oregon.gov/what-to-know-about-the-2023-2024-covid-19-vaccines/
COVID/Flu Vaccine Update
September, 2023: Nehalem Bay Health Center’s clinical team is working with our suppliers to make sure we are able to offer the most updated COVID vaccine as soon as it has been approved and authorized for use, and our suppliers are able to ship them to us. We will provide updates here and on our Facebook page as we have more information.
Flu vaccines will be available at Nehalem Bay Health center beginning in October.
We also have a good supply of free COVID tests and N-95 masks. Patients or community members who need them can stop by during our regular hours and pick them up. (But if you are experiencing symptoms and think you might have COVID, please call first at 1-800-368-5182.)
Friendly reminder: If you have tested positive for COVID (or any other highly-infectious virus), or if you have been exposed to someone who has, or if you are experiencing symptoms, please do not come in to the health center of pharmacy without calling first. When you call, we will connect you with the appropriate team member who can help. (Thank you for helping us keep our patients and our staff healthy!)
NKN Student Health & Wellness Center opens for the school year
August, 2023: Neah-Kah-Nie (NKN) Student Health and Wellness Center will open for the 2023-2024 school year on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
Nehalem Bay Health Center operates the student health and wellness center, a certified School-Based Health Center at Neah-Kah-Nie High School in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. This is the center’s third year in operation, offering medical and mental health services to students (Pre-K through 12th Grade) who live within the NKN District, as well as district staff.
To learn more about NKN Student Health & Wellness Center, visit nknhealth.org.
Updated Hours for Nehalem Bay Pharmacy
July 25, 2023: Nehalem Bay Pharmacy has new hours of operation: Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5:30 pm (with no closure for lunch).
This is a temporary change of hours. Any additional updates will be announced here on our website, on our Facebook page, and in our monthly newsletter.
The hours of operation for Nehalem Bay Health Center have not changed. They are Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm.
Nehalem Bay Pharmacy Hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 5:30 pm (no lunch closure)
Nehalem Bay Health Center Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 6 pm
Behavioral Health Team back in-clinic
June, 2023: For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire Behavioral Health/Mental Health Counselor team is now back in-person at Nehalem Bay Health Center. Telehealth (video) appointments are still available, so patients have a choice of in-person or virtual appointments.
Visit our Meet the Team page to learn more about our counselors.
New facility for Nehalem Bay Health Center in the early planning stages
June, 2023: In May, Nehalem Bay Health District voters approved a bond measure that will help fund a new facility for the Nehalem Bay Health Center (formerly Rinehart Clinic). Since that time, members of our board and administrative team have met regularly with the board of the Nehalem Bay Health District, and both organizations are continuing to focus in project plans for the new health center.
Planning efforts will include gathering input from the community through town hall events and other feedback sessions to keep the community informed, answer questions, and collect feedback.
For the latest updates on the bond-related projects, visit the Nehalem Bay Health District’s website: https://www.nehalembayhd.org/
North County Walking Group - Tuesdays at 10 am
May, 2023: The community is invited to join the Wellness Team from Nehalem Bay Health Center for our weekly North Tillamook County Walking Group. The weekly walks take place at 10 am every Tuesday at a different North County Location. The walks usually last 30-45 minutes, depending on the location.
We are pleased to be part of the Tillamook County Wellness walking groups again this year. For locations and other details about the walks, visit our website or Facebook page.
For details on other Tillamook County Wellness walking groups throughout the county, visit: tillamookcountywellness.org/move-well/walking-groups
Do you have ideas on how we can make Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy better?
May, 2023: Are you an engaged patient of Nehalem Bay Health Center who wants to help us improve the services we provide? Please consider joining our Patient Advisory Council!
We are looking for additional members to join our Patient Advisory Council. This advisory council helps us gather valuable feedback from a patient’s perspective. Our goal is to use these insights to help improve the experience for all our patients. The advisory council meets every other month with a staff team. The meetings usually last one hour and are held via Zoom and/or telephone (for now).
If you are interested in joining the Patient Advisory Council, please call Leigh Ann, our Communications Manager, at 1-800-368-5182, Ext. 111 or email her at outreach @ nehalembayhealth.org.
Update on Nehalem Bay Health District Bond Measure
April, 2023: For the past two years, Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy’s leadership team has been in discussions with the Nehalem Bay Health District to plan a new and expanded health care facility on property owned by the health district in Wheeler, Oregon, not far from the current clinic location. Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy leases its current building from the Nehalem Bay Health District, and the two organizations have worked together on plans for the new facility to make sure it meets the community’s health care needs.
The health district is asking voters to support a bond measure during the May 16, 2023 Tillamook County Special Election to help fund a new facility for Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy, finance improvements to the Nehalem Valley Care Center, and set the stage for workforce housing on the current Nehalem Bay Health District campus.
The health district is holding several “town hall” type events so community members can learn more about the project and have their questions answered. For more information, including dates and details about the upcoming meetings, visit nehalemhealthcare.com.
Steps have been taken over the last two years to move the project forward. The CEO of Nehalem Bay Health Center (then Rinehart Clinic) secured a $500,000 grant, and the Nehalem Bay Health District Board of Directors has received $3 million in congressionally directed funding to help finance a portion of the new facility.
Marc Johnson, President of the Nehalem Bay Health District, and Gail Nelson, CEO of Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy were recently interviewed for KTIL Radio’s Tillamook Today show about the bond measure and planned projects. If you missed the program, the recording is available as a podcast: https://www.podcasts.com/tillamook-today-on-ktil-386b4ddb6/episode/033123-north-county-health-dist-bond
Oregon Health Authority lifts mask mandate for health care facilities starting April 3
March 13, 2023: The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recently announced that it will be lifting the statewide mask mandate for health care facilities effective, Monday, April 3, 2023. The decision was based on data showing decreases in test positivity for COVID-19, influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The states of Washington and California are also lifting their mask mandates for health care workers on April 3.
Here’s what this means when you visit Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy:
Patients and staff will no longer be required to wear a mask or face-covering in our facility. If you are more comfortable continuing to wear a mask, we will have masks available. We know that wearing a mask is an effective way to reduce transmission of respiratory illnesses and many will want to continue those protections for themselves or family members who may be at risk.
If you are feeling sick, we do ask that you wear a mask when you come in for your appointment or to visit the pharmacy. This was the case long before the pandemic; we respectfully request that all visitors who are sick wear a mask to help ensure the safety of other patients and our staff.
We will continue to offer telehealth visits and parking lot appointments. If you are experiencing symptoms associated with a respiratory virus, we encourage you to schedule your appointment via telehealth or parking lot visit. Pharmacy patients who are sick are encouraged to take advantage of our curbside pick-up option.
We will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccines for any of our patients who need a booster (or their primary doses).
For more information, please read the OHA announcement: 3-3-2023 Oregon Health Authority Health Bulletin
For more information, please read the OHA announcement: 3-3-2023 Oregon Health Authority Health Bulletin