What's new

Obesity surgery now available.
Have you been considering weight-loss surgery? If so, check out Salem Hospital’s new bariatric surgery services. Obesity is a significant risk factor for other life-threatening problems, and shouldn’t be ignored. Learn more about this new service at www.salemhospital.org/bariatric or call 503-561-2129.

Recognized for nursing leadership.
Salem Hospital’s nursing staff was featured in a national teleconference on nurse staffing and patient safety by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. JCAHO was particularly interested in how we evaluate our staffing needs, and the steps we take to retain new nurses, including special efforts that help new graduates be successful.

Rapid-response teams improve patient care. 
We’ve joined a number of other hospitals across the nation seeking to improve patient safety, with our new Rapid Response Teams. Consisting of an intensive-care-trained RN and a respiratory therapist, the teams are available at any time to clinical staff who are concerned about a patient. The team serves as a second set of eyes, offering a second opinion and extra resources if needed, including transfer to critical care.

On the move.
Our Urgent Care Center and Occupational Medicine programs have moved to a new location. Patients and staff have closer access to the hospital from this new location at 1002 Bellevue Street, between Winter and 12th Streets.

We’re now entirely smoke-free.
Last November Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital went entirely smoke-free, with no designated smoking areas. If you smoke, be sure to talk with your physician about nicotine-replacement options. If you need nicotine replacement while visiting a patient in the hospital, please speak with the nurse. For information on our smoking-cessation classes call 503-561-5639 or see the class schedule.

Tar Wars is coming to a classroom near you.
High-school health occupations students from Salem Hospital’s Career Exploration Program are providing tobacco-free education to 2,500 Salem-Keizer 4th and 5th graders. The program, called Tar Wars, was developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

New lab in Polk County.
If you live or work in West Salem, then our new lab at West Salem Family Practice, 1275 Wallace Road NW, may be a more convenient location for you to have lab work done. Our other lab stations are in the Center for Outpatient Medicine at 875 Oak Street SE, Salem; 869 Medical Center Drive (near our Rehab Center) in Salem; and at Inland Shores in Keizer. For details, call 503-561-5390 and ask for client services. We also offer lab services at West Valley Hospital in Dallas and at 180 N. Atwater in Monmouth. For details, call 503-623-7303.

Preparing for a disaster.
A recent federal grant enabled us to purchase a new de-contamination tent that improves our ability to treat the community during a disaster. The tent and other supplies can easily be erected anywhere on the hospital campus.

Cancer DVD available.
Learn what you can expect if you’re undergoing radiation or chemotherapy in a new DVD created by our Regional Cancer Center.

Easy registration—even in your PJs!
You can now complete your pre-admission paperwork at a time that’s convenient to you, by using our online registration. From www.salemhospital.org select “Pre-Register,” to complete your registration. Then, when you arrive for your services, you can go directly to the department you need.