NORTHWEST NOTES

Academic Scholarships Available

Ten academic scholarships will be awarded for the 2009-2010 school year by the Auxiliary of Group Health Cooperative, and Group Health members are eligible to apply. The application deadline is Friday, May 15.

Scholarships of $1,500 each will be awarded to students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees. All fields of study are considered for undergraduate degrees. Graduate programs must be clinically based and related to health care. The scholarship program is open to Group Health voting members and their dependents, Group Health staff and their dependents, and Group Health volunteers with at least 250 hours of documented service.

See Group Health Academic Scholarships for scholarship guidelines and applications. Or e-mail developmentservices@ghc.org for additional information.

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Faster Help When You Phone

The new call-routing system at Group Health medical centers enables you to choose from a variety of options — and speeds you to the location most likely to answer your question or meet your need. Here's how it works.

* Suboptions can follow after pressing "1" or "4" for seasonal needs, such as flu clinic information.

Cycling for Health — Come Ride With Us

Group Health is sponsoring more than 20 cycling events this year. For a complete list of events, visit our Cycling for Health Web site.

Eastern Washington

• Group Health Yakima Ridges, April 25, Yakima
• Group Health Inland Empire Century, May 9, Tri-Cities
• Group Health Challenge: Cycle for the Health of It, May 30, Goldendale
• 8 Lakes Leg Aches Bike Ride presented by Group Health, Aug. 1, Spokane to Cheney
• Group Health Kids Bike Race Series, Sept. 13, 20, 27, Spokane
• Group Health Wine Country Trek, Sept. 26-27, Yakima

Western Washington

• Flying Wheels, June 13, Redmond
• Group Health Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic (STP), July 11-12
• Bike MS, Sept. 12-13, Mt. Vernon
• Chuckanut Century, Sept. 20, Bellingham

Bicycle commuting events

Group Health Commute Challenge, May 2009. Group Health challenges King County residents to cycle to work. Group Health is also sponsoring Bike-to-Work events in King, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, and Whatcom counties.

Discounts on Cascade Bicycle Club membership

Group Health members who join Cascade Bicycle Club by June 30 get a discount on club membership. And, as a club member, you get discounts on Cascade's events and classes as well as on services and products at more than 50 bike shops, businesses, and cycling tour companies.

Cascade Bicycle Club is a nonprofit organization that promotes health and recreation through bicycle activities, advocacy, and education. For details, visit the Cascade Bicycle Club Web site.

Benefits of a Voting Membership

Group Health is one of a few health care organizations governed by the members it serves. Become a voting member of Group Health Cooperative, and you'll have a say in setting the direction of your health care system.

As a voting member, you'll elect members to serve on the Board of Trustees, which hires the CEO and evaluates his performance. You'll also be eligible to receive Group Health Cooperative eNews — a great way to stay informed about Group Health news and consumer governance activities.

For more information about becoming a voting member, see Member Participation or call 206-448-2888 in Seattle or toll-free at 1-800-252-3305, ext. 14. You have until Aug. 18 to register if you'd like to vote in the 2009 trustee elections.

Contact Lens Refills Online

Got a current contact lens prescription? Then you can refill your lenses online, anytime. Order an annual supply and get free shipping and a guaranteed rebate. To order, visit the Group Health Eye Care Web site and use your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card.

On-the-Job Injury? Occupational Health Can Help

Group Health Occupational Health Services is one of the region's premier organizations for handling on-the-job injuries, with services available to health plan members and non-members. We offer:

• Board-certified occupational medicine clinicians who are experts at treating work-related injuries.
• Case managers and patient representatives to help you complete workers' compensation paperwork and communicate with your employer, doctor, and claims manager.
• Expertise in how to avoid future injuries.

Group Health has 11 Occupational Medicine clinics, and nine additional medical centers have specially trained physicians and staff.

If you're an employer, we can also assist with post-offer employment physicals, drug screenings, and other employment-related services. For more details, see Occupational Health & Safety Services or call toll-free at 1-866-967-9675.

Free Workshop on Advance Directives

"Your Life, Your Choices," in Tacoma on June 4, will cover the durable power of attorney for health care, living wills, and physician orders for life-sustaining treatment — advance directives to ensure that your health care wishes will be respected if you become unable to communicate.

This session will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Tacoma Medical Center. Registration is required. Call toll-free at 1-866-458-5276 to register. Sponsors include the Tacoma and Puyallup/Tacoma South medical center advisory councils and Senior Caucus Tacoma Chapter.

"Your Life, Your Choices" advance directives workshop is also offered at other Group Health medical centers. See the advance directives class page for more information.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Sit down and rest if you experience these symptoms. If they don't go away in 5 minues, call 911 or the Consulting Nurse Service.

Men and women
Feelings of pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center or left side of your chest. Discomfort in the left arm, shoulder, or jaw. Shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, or light-headedness.

More likely in women
Extreme fatigue (for example, you can't walk from your car to your front door without resting). Anxiety, indigestion, or heartburn.

Nail Salon Alert

Take these precautions before getting a pedicure or manicure at a salon, says Group Health dermatologist Steve Greene, MD. "You'll reduce the risk of getting bacterial, viral, and fungal infections from a salon that doesn't properly sterilize its equipment."

Make sure the shop owner and operator are currently licensed by the Department of Licensing for Cosmetology.

Don't get a manicure, pedicure, or foot spa treatment if you have any cuts, nicks, or lesions (skip shaving your legs before the appointment), or if you suspect you have a skin infection.

Don't put your hands or feet on or into an area that hasn't been sanitized and disinfected, and make sure the operator uses clean tools and instruments. Don't stay if the salon doesn't look clean.

Symptoms of an infection include non-healing sores on the feet or hands, or abnormal nail growth. To find out more about nail salon health hazards and precautions, see Nail Salon Alert.

Arm Yourself Against Home Allergens

Individuals who are allergy prone can find themselves under attack year-round from pet dander, dust mites, and molds in their homes, and seasonally bombarded by pollen and grasses when windows open come spring and summer. Even small amounts of allergens can bring on dreaded symptoms.

"However, you can take defensive action on several fronts," says Albert Tsien, MD, an allergist at Group Health Olympia Medical Center. Here are a few of his suggestions:

Clean, clean, clean. Keep dust, pet hair, and mold to a minimum, using gentle cleaning products if you're sensitive to chemicals. Consider wearing a mask as you mop, vacuum, and scrub.

Focus on the air. Dr. Tsien notes that air purifiers equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are especially effective in removing airborne allergens. Change your heating system's air filter about once a month, and consider having the ducts of your heating and cooling system cleaned.

Another option is a dehumidifier. Dust mite allergens often camp out in bedding, furniture stuffing, and carpet — where mites feed on shedded skin cells. Using a dehumidifier while you sleep reduces moisture by 50 percent and makes the environment less attractive to mites.

Create barriers. Apply dust-mite-proof encasings to pillows, mattresses, and box springs. These provide a barrier between mites, their droppings, and your skin cells. Wash bedding in very hot (130-degree) water.

Stock up on supplies. The Group Health Take Care Store carries a variety of products to help you control household allergens. Visit the Take Care Store Web site to check the product catalog, or visit the Care Products Kiosk in the pharmacy waiting area at Group Health medical centers.

Take a Stretch Break

Find yourself sitting at a desk for long periods of time during your work day? Stop every couple of hours for a stretch or two and you'll keep yourself limber and alert. But don't overstretch. These gentle moves should feel good, not painful. Repeat each exercise two or three times per session.

Forearm stretch. Gently press palms together, breathing normally. Hold for 10 seconds.

Shoulder pinch. Sit up tall with your chin tucked in and pinch your shoulder blades toward each other. Relax into a normal position.

Shoulder roll. Roll shoulders in a complete circle — up, back, down, and forward. Reverse direction and repeat.

Give the Gift of Life

One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and one tissue donor can save or improve the lives of up to 50 people. You can sign up to become an organ donor when you apply for or renew your driver's license or state identification card.