Rural communities across the nation face a critical shortage of primary care doctors and the same is true for Central Oregon. Our region’s health and well-being is in jeopardy. 

This shortage can lead to patients driving long distances for care or visiting the emergency room with routine concerns. Long wait times can also make health problems worse or cause patients to forego care all together. 

Relying on recruitment alone does not work well, because there are simply not enough doctors. Estimates show a shortage of more than 100 primary care doctors in the tri-county area by 2030.

After decades of working to address this issue, health care leaders got creative. St. Charles Health System, partnering with Mosaic Community Health and Indian Health Services in Warm Springs, has created the Three Sisters Rural Track Program. It’s the first graduate medical education program in Central Oregon. This program creates a pipeline of uniquely trained doctors that will significantly transform health care access in Central Oregon.

Doctors applying for this program desire to specialize in rural family medicine which, includes: 

• Primary Care

• Family Birthing

• Emergency Medicine

• Behavioral Health

• Hospital Medicine

These doctors spend the first year of their residency at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and the following two years treating patients at St. Charles Madras, Mosaic Community Health Madras, and Indian Health Services in Warm Springs.

Doctors in training will immediately improve access to health care in Jefferson County when they begin arriving in 2025. Each doctor will care for approximately 300-400 patients, serving 900+ in the first year of the program, and this number will grow as more doctors graduate from the program.

3 doctors

---

Seeing 900+ patients per year

6 doctors

---

Seeing 1,800+ patients per year

23 doctors

---

Seeing 20K-40K patients per year

Statistics show that roughly 55 percent of doctors stay within a 100-mile radius of their residency program site. This means within 10 years, the program is estimated to generate 23 doctors who would reside and care for patients across the region, serving 20,000 – 40,000 more people.

*Source: Fagan EB, Gibbons C, Finnegan SC, Petterson S, Peterson LE, Phillips RL Jr, Bazemore AW. Family medicine graduate proximity to their site of training: policy options for improving the distribution of primary care access. Fam Med. 2015 Feb;47(2):124-30. PMID: 25646984.

How you can help

By making a gift to St. Charles Foundation in support of the Three Sisters Rural Track program, you not only invest in the future of health care services in Central Oregon, you invest in the recruitment, training and education of doctors who may care for you, your loved ones, or your neighbors in their greatest time of need.

Learn more about how you can advance the future of health care in Central Oregon.

Email Angela Saraceno

Heaven Can Wait T-Shirt

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Giving Together: One St. Charles

At St. Charles, we believe that when we come together, we can create a lasting impact that reaches far beyond our hospital walls. Our shared commitment to excellence in care extends not only to our patients, but also to our fellow caregivers.

We are excited to introduce a special "St. Charles Caregivers Only" initiative from St. Charles Foundation – “Giving Together: One St. Charles.” This campaign is an opportunity for each St. Charles caregiver to contribute to the growth and well-being of our St. Charles family, by making a pledge or a one-time donation to St. Charles Foundation.

Why Give?

Giving back to our community gives a sense of pride as we share generosity with others. Through your generous contributions, St. Charles Foundation can provide vital support in three key areas:

1. Caregiver Support: By contributing to this fund, you ensure that your fellow caregivers, who are experiencing economic hardship beyond their control, have access to financial help.
2. Scholarships for Caregivers: Your donations will pave the way for health care professionals by funding scholarships that enable them to receive the education and training they need to excel in their career.
3. Greatest Need: By making a pledge or a one-time donation to the “Greatest Need” fund, you give us the flexibility to direct funds where they are most urgently required, ensuring our ability to respond effectively to emerging challenges and opportunities.

How Can You Contribute?

Participation is simple. Click the button below and complete the Microsoft Form to sign up for payroll deduction. St. Charles caregivers can choose to make a difference through either of the following options:

1. Payroll Deductions: Contribute through convenient payroll deductions, allowing you to make a meaningful impact over 26 pay periods. The first deduction will occur at the start of the new year, ending with our final pay period of the calendar year.
2. One-Time Gift: Make a one-time donation to the area that resonates most with you, knowing that your contribution will help support a fellow caregiver. This option will be drawn from the first pay period of the new year.

Pledge Now

The Challenge

We’re thrilled to introduce an opportunity that will amplify the impact of your generosity. For every caregiver who participates in the Giving Together campaign, St. Charles President and CEO, Steve Gordon will personally donate $20 in your honor to the first 500 participating caregivers. Thank you, Steve, for your tremendous support!

Join Us Today

By joining “Giving Together: One St. Charles,” you’re not just contributing financially, you’re demonstrating your commitment to the well-being of our colleagues and the quality of care we provide. Together, we can strengthen our St. Charles family and create positive change that ripples throughout our health care system.

To make your pledge or donation, simply click the button below and select the option that suits you best. Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a crucial role in building One St. Charles.

Pledge Now

Thank you for dedication, compassion and support. Together, we can achieve remarkable things.

A fund of St. Charles Foundation, CAN Cancer provides assistance to cover non-medical living expenses for Central Oregonians fighting all forms of cancer.

Financial burdens are a common source of stress for those with cancer. Survivors attest that fighting the disease requires every ounce of their emotional and physical strength. Your support helps provide financial assistance for expenses such transportation, food or lodging--allowing patients the ability to focus on fighting cancer. CAN Cancer was established by Gil, Stu and Corinne Martinez of Wilderness Garbage in cooperation with the Central Oregon Haulers.

Fundraise for St. Charles Foundation

Take action to support quality health care for our community and for our neighbors. At St. Charles Health System, we’re committed to achieving our vision of “Creating America’s healthiest community, together.” TOGETHER is an important word in that vision. The nonprofit St. Charles Foundation partners with businesses and community members, and together, we’ve raised funds for innovative health services, priority equipment, new facilities and critical programs that a nonprofit health system simply could not provide on its own.

Create your own fundraiser today!

You can raise funds for a variety of programs or projects, including:

• Sara’s Project, breast cancer education and patient support
• Scholarships for caregivers
• Mobility is Medicine, an innovative system-wide program to keep patients moving for better health outcomes
• Cancer Wise, identifying those at increased risk for cancer through personalized assessment, genetic testing and education
• Children’s Heart Fund, support for families of children with heart disorders

Or simply for the Greatest Need, providing St. Charles Foundation flexibility to respond to emerging priorities.

How? It’s up to you.  

Community members have raised funds in a variety of creative ways, such as golf tournaments, walks and runs, classroom loose change collections, mountain biking -- even a pink ribbon tattoo project!

Let us know your plans by filling out this short form. Or give us a call at 541-706-6996 if you have questions.

Together, we can make an impact on the health of our community.

Support the Children's Heart Fund

The Children’s Heart Fund of St. Charles Foundation offers financial support services, a case manager to assist with care coordination and access to community services, coordination of neurodevelopmental follow-up for at-risk children with congenital heart disease, and educational lectures for health care professionals.

A few examples of family support services:

1. A three-month-old baby with heart failure was temporarily transferred to a Seattle Hospital for two months. The Children’s Heart Fund helped his Central Oregon family with travel expenses and temporary lodging so they could be near their heart warrior.
2. The family of a toddler with an erratic heartbeat was making nearly weekly trips to Portland with multiple-day hospital stays, which eventually forced the mother to quit her job. The Children’s Heart Fund helped the family with gas and groceries so they could focus on helping their little one heal.
3. A teenager from Eastern Oregon, who is also a partial provider for his family, needed to travel to Bend for several heart-related appointments. The Children’s Heart Fund made transportation possible and helped close the financial gap for the family by providing grocery cards.

To donate: Send checks to St. Charles Foundation, 2500 NE Neff Rd, Bend, OR 97701 (mark checks for Children’s Heart Fund) or donate online and choose Children’s Heart Fund in the drop-down menu.

DONATE

2023 Saints Gala a resounding success!

St. Charles Foundation's annual Saints Gala was held Feb. 4 at the Riverhouse Convention Center in Bend, where around 300 attendees helped raise more than $200,000 for Cancer Wise: Know Your Risk, a St. Charles program designed to identify those at increased risk for cancer through personalized assessment, genetic testing and education. The theme of the evening was "Hats and Horses," and a good time was had by all. Thank you to all who attended and donated, and especially to the caregivers who worked hard to bring this fun event to life!

NICOLE GEE PHOTOS   PHOTO BOOTH PHOTOS

2023 Beneficiary

Cancer Wise, Know Your Risk is a program of St. Charles Health System. The expanded program is designed to identify those at increased risk for cancer -- through personalized assessment, genetic testing and education.