WSHA Community Health Leadership Silver Award for Medication Takeback Program.

CONFLUENCE HEALTH | CENTRAL WASHINGTON HOSPITAL RECEIVES WSHA COMMUNITY HEALTH LEADERSHIP SILVER AWARD FOR MEDICATION TAKEBACK PROGRAM.

Wenatchee, WA. – Confluence Health received the Washington State Hospital Association’s 2017 Community Health Leadership Silver Award for its innovative approach to reducing opioids and prescription medication in North Central Washington.

The association gives the Community Health Leadership Award annually to health care organizations that are serving their community’s broader health needs in innovative and lasting ways. More information about the Community Health Leadership Award can be found on the WSHA website at http://www.wsha.org/our-members/awards/community-health-leadership-award/.

“Health care is traditionally thought of in terms of hospital stays or visits to an outpatient clinic, but a major focus of health care today is community wellness,” WSHA President and CEO Cassie Sauer said. “Hospitals such as Central Washington have become important community partners when it comes to proactively helping residents live healthier lives.”

The Confluence Health Hospital | Central Campus program places medication disposal boxes at pharmacies throughout Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. In their first weekend of use, the disposal sites located in Wenatchee collected nearly 70 gallons of unused and unwanted medications. Since April, more than 340 gallons of prescription medications have been deposited into active medication boxes. Funded by the Confluence Health Foundation, Confluence Health Hospital | Central Campus plans on deploying 27 new medication disposal boxes with the next five years.

“Confluence Health Hospital | Central Campus is setting an example of how Washington’s hospitals and health systems are stepping up with new ways to meet the needs of their community,” said Nancy Gorshe, incoming chair of the WSHA Hospital Governing Boards Committee. “We are extremely proud of Confluence Health Hospital | Central Campus and the work they have been doing, which continues to make an impact.”

Watch WSHA’s Community Health Leadership Award video on the WSHA website at http://www.wsha.org/events-resources/videos/.