Look of Times-News Writer Safer RUPERT — As Minidoka Memorial Idaho Highway Hospital Officials Near X-Ray Technician Gayla Staker Examines a Patient S Film Sept
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84 / 51 Faces of BIG RED the 116th ROLLS Children struggle to cope with Nebraska D vexes Vandals >>> Sports 1 Sunny. parents deployment >>> Family Life 1 Business 4 BEST TOOLS’ >>> South-central Idaho to expand urban renewal efforts, BUSINESS 1 SUNDAY $1.50 September 12, 2010 TIMES-NEWS Magicvalley.com Roads The getting new By Laurie Welch look of Times-News writer safer RUPERT — As Minidoka Memorial Idaho highway Hospital officials near X-ray technician Gayla Staker examines a patients film Sept. 1 at the end of their year- fatalities drop Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert. long quest to convert care the county-owned By Bradley Guire hospital to a nonprofit Times-News writer corporation, their attention now turns Americas roadways are With its governance transition becoming safer. Idahos are no toward their end goal exception. nearly complete, Rupert hospital focuses on renovation of completing a A study released by the U.S. $6 million renovation Department of Transpor- project. tation reports that 2009 saw The hope is that the reno- the fewest number of fatalities vation will boost the Rupert from motor-vehicle crashes hospitals desirability in a since 1950. In 2009, 33,808 competitive health-care people died on American market by upgrading its highways, down 9.7 percent emergency department and from the previous year. improving patient privacy. In Idaho, there were 226 As technology has made highway fatalities in 2009, the world smaller and health down from 232 in 2008 — a 2.6 care more specialized, rural percent decrease. According hospitals such as Minidoka to additional studies conduct- Memorial have been tasked ed by the Idaho Transpor- with adapting to changing tation Department, the 2009 patient needs. When it figure is the lowest in 25 years. opened in 1960, Minidoka In Region 4, which encom- Memorial served as the pri- passes Twin Falls, Jerome, mary treatment and recovery Gooding, Lincoln, Blaine, option for county patients Cassia and Minidoka coun- suffering heart attacks or ties, the number of fatalities myriad other ailments. was 42, down from 57 in 2007. Today, the same patients can “Yes, the numbers have quickly be transported to declined again,” said Idaho larger hospitals with more State Police Region 4 Capt. specialized care, while others Rob Storm. “Id like to think may avoid hospitalization that there are a couple of altogether through advances things going on: the increased in prescription drugs. use of seat belts, which has “Now there are many ail- decreased the fatality rate.The ments that can be treated by second is the safety improve- drugs rather than invasive ment of vehicles.” Photos by DREW NASH/Times-News procedures and you get a Minidoka Memorial Hospital Administrator Carl Hanson points out hospital renovation plans Sept. 1 in Rupert. The hospital is better outcome,”said See DEATHS, Main 2 moving toward a nonprofit model of governance and plans to pursue a $6 million renovation project to upgrade its emergency Minidoka Memorial department and improve patient privacy. Administrator Carl Hanson. MORE ONLINE “We wouldnt want to go back to what it was.” READ the U.S. Depart- Such advances improve ment of Transportations health care across the board. 2009 report and the But for rural hospitals unable Idaho Transportation to constantly update expen- Departments 2009 report. sive, increasingly specialized MAGICVALLEY.COM equipment, they have also led to seismic shifts in facili- ties approaches to patient care. Hanson used his own mother and sister as exam- Army of ples, as each underwent gall- Minidoka Memorial Hospitals $6 million bladder surgery 20 years renovation plans mainly focus on apart. volunteers improvements inside the building, but Hansons mother stayed in the hospital five days after the Rupert facility will also receive new her surgery and recovered for helps seed entrances to its emergency room, above, nearly six weeks after. When and south side, below, in these architec- his sister had the same sur- tural drawings. At left, the additions are gery years later, she arrived Auger highlighted with color in an aerial view. at the hospital on a Thursday, went home that night and returned to work Falls Park the Monday morning after. “It makes a difference in By Laura Lundquist what we need to provide here Times-News writer at the hospital to meet these needs as theyve evolved,” On Sept.11,some Twin Falls Hanson said. Courtesy of Houston Bugatsch Architects of Nampa residents chose to sew the While hospital staff has seeds of the future rather than shifted focus to address dwell on the past. those needs, the next shift More than 400 volunteers in will be more concrete, as the buses bounced down the dirt road to Auger Falls Park on See HOSPITAL, Main 5 Saturday morning. They had come to help the Twin Falls City Parks and Recreation Depart- ment restore the 550-acre open space area, more than 80 per- cent of which burned in the July New administrator takes over at Cassia Regional 22 Auger Falls Fire. The volunteers, wearing By Laurie Welch the 25-bed facility in Burley, board. I think it will be a key ing former administrator Ken neon-green T-shirts, stepped Times-News writer while backed by the resources component,” Barton said. “I Harman, who resigned in out into the staging area in the of Intermountain Healthcares also look forward to the ability April after holding the posi- middle of the blackened BURLEY — Cassia Regional network of 26 hospitals to pick up that phone and have tion since December 2004. almost-lifeless landscape and Medical Centers new admin- throughout Idaho and Utah. all those resources Barton said Intermountains were greeted by a grateful istrator says he has the best of “Im a firm believer that Intermountain Healthcare network allows it to offer each Parks and Recreation director. both worlds. primary health care should be offers.” of its hospitals greater Rod Barton oversees local. So I really look forward Barton, 54, started at Cassia See AUGER FALLS PARK, Main 5 Barton intensely local health care at to working with this local Regional on Tuesday, replac- See BARTON, Main 3 Bridge ..............Classifieds 7 Kids Only ........Family Life 6 Obituaries............Nation 6-7 Crossword ......Classifieds 5 Jumble ............Classifieds 4 Sudoku ............Classifieds 2 A DAY TO REMEMBER Dear Abby........Classifieds 6 Movies ....................Nation 8 Your Business ....Business 2 Unsettled nation marks 9/11 > Nation & World 1 MORNINGMORNINGMain 2 Sunday, September 12, 2010 BRIEFINGBRIEF- Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Pat’s Picks TODAY’S HAPPENINGS Three things to do today CHURCH EVENTS Pat Marcantonio Christian Education and Sunday School kick-off celebration, water slides, inflat- FIND MORE ONLINE ables, jump houses and food provided, Check out our online calendar where you • It’s not too early to • View soccer action at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Grace Community think Christmas, so lend the Magic Valley Soccer can submit events and search by category Church, 100 N. Meridian, Rupert, for your talents to the Oakley Cup championship at 6:30 for specific events and dates. ages preschool through sixth grade, Valley Arts Council p.m. at Jerome High School. www.magicvalley.com/app/calendar/events/ Christmas Concert. Choir And if you want to play, families invited, 312-0088. rehearsals start at 7 p.m. at Magic Valley Soccer is the Howells Opera House, accepting adult registration FESTIVALS Historicaljeromecounty.com. To have an event listed, please submit 160 N. Blaine Ave., Oakley. for the 2010-11 indoor sea- the name of the event, a brief descrip- • For color and scenery, son. Jerome County Historical Society’s Live take the Ponderosa Pine History Days continue at the Idaho MUSEUMS tion, time, place, cost and contact num- Scenic Drive as it crosses 131 Have your own pick to Farm and Ranch Museum, northeast of ber to Mirela Sulejamnovic by e-mail at miles through the Stanley share? Something unique to the junction of U.S. Highway 93 and Rock Creek Station and Stricker home- [email protected]; by phone, Basin and rolls past Idaho the area that may surprise Interstate 84, Jerome, nondenomina- site, guided tours, 1 to 4 p.m., 3715 E. 735-3278; by fax, 734-5538; or by mail, City. They dont call it a people? E-mail me at tional, community church service at 11 3200 N., Hansen, the store, built in Times-News, P.O.Box 548, Twin Falls, ID scenic drive for nothing. [email protected]. a.m., followed by picnic (bring your own 1865, was the first trading post in Magic 83303-0548. Deadline is noon, four lunch), 324-5641 or Valley, no cost, 731-3895. days in advance of the event. Two people die Where, indeed, are the grown-ups? in rollover crash et’s start by stipulat- with canes or walkers at which two fathers of play- ing that the “Me” YOU their side. ers on the same team generation persists They couldnt have engaged in a shoving Times-News unsafe speed. She lost con- L unabated. Notwithstand- DON’T SAY stood up through a two- match that spilled over trol of the Mitsubishi ing, what obligation do hour concert on a bet. onto the field. Their kids Two people are dead after Eclipse she was driving, adults have to behave like Steve Crump “Drove 140 miles, spent were the pitcher and the a single rollover crash exited the road, and rolled adults in public? $150, submitted to a search catcher, respectively. Saturday morning north of the vehicle. The question arises of all belongings and a The fight was over Richfield. Both occupants were pro- because myself and 3,900 check that our chairs were whether the catcher was Idaho State Police nounced dead at the scene, DO TELL other people attended a short enough, all to get in relaying clear-enough responded at 7:25 a.m.