Free Blood Pressure Screening

Every Saturday since the beginning of June we have been at the Klamath Falls Farmers Market offering FREE blood pressure screening to the community.

Childbirth Education Classes

Click on this link to go to the Klamath Birth Center Events calendar for our health education classes and other events.  You will see we have our first childbirth education class scheduled for Thursday evening, September 4, 2014 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

House Calls & Meet and Greets

The Klamath Falls Herald and News came to talk to me last week.  During the interview I realized there are a number of things that I offer in my practice that very few contemporary practices offer:  House calls and Free Meet and Greet Appointment.

House Calls:  I do house calls for established patients and clients.  If you are a mom with small kids at home, but know your are ill and in need of a visit from your health care provider, but the effort of packing up all the kids, getting them in the car or finding a sitter, just feels like punishment.  Do not despair, I can come and see you in your home.  You might think this would be more expensive than an office visit, but the fees are comparable.  And some insurances actually cover these visits.

Another scenario is you have just come home from the hospital and are having difficulties with breastfeeding.  Who better to call than a midwife who is already accustomed to doing home visits and knows all about lactation. 

Free Meet and Greet Appointments:  I offer a free 30 minute "get to know you" appointment to all new people considering coming to me as their health care practitioner.  It tells people that the relationship I have with them is important.  I also get to find out if they are a good fit for my practice.  You see, I don't do the customary 5 to 10 minute rushed appointment where I only give you a maximum of 50% of my attention.  You get a full 30 minutes to tell me your story and I tell you mine.  If it is a good fit, we can move forward from there.  I include more that prescription health care in my practice.  We talk about your history, not just your health history.  We talk about your social life, education, aspirations, and what you want from health care. Together we make a plan.

Most of my day to day encounters with my clients and patients are an hour long, sometimes 2 hours.  I want to get to know you, help with with what you want help with, and challenge you to be the best person you can be.

So, I have to say thank you to the Klamath Falls Herald and News for opening my eyes to what I do.

Klamath Birth Center's Birthing Suite

Klamath Birth Center's Birthing Suite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Klamath Birth Center

We are officially licensed by the state of 
Oregon Health Authority.  
We are the first freestanding birth center in south central Oregon and Klamath county.  Yeah!!!!!

Health Insurance, Liability Insurance, & Medical Facility Licensing

Waiting Room At Klamath Women's Center, LLC

What a process.  Trying to get a practice off the ground is hard work.  Even with all the supportive regulations for midwives in Oregon, there is still a lot of politics.  I guess I am guilty of fantasizing that some how all of the negative sides I have encountered in midwifery over the past 30 years were just going to go away.  As some of you may know my plan was to open a health care facility. Let me just say, it is still in process. We managed to get the physical facility passed the preliminary inspection with the Facilities, Planning & Safety committee.  I have sent in more money and we haven't heard anything.
We are also in process of getting health insurance contracts.  I think it has gotten harder than it was 15 years ago.  Most of it takes place online, but no two are the same. Some are done online, others by fax, some by papers, and others yet want a combination of all of them.  Some times I feel like I am chasing my tail.
I advertised some when I first opened in mid-February.  I got few clients, but have stopped advertising because the facility licensing process has been so time consuming. I have been a writing fool.  Sixty pages one weekend and another forty plus the following weekend.  This pass week however because I didn't have very many patients scheduled, I had time to do some networking.
I have not be able to find anyone to do my billing.  The companies that have come recommended are not taking new clients or they have a different world view that does not include the independent practice of midwives who attend births outside of the hospital.  So, when you can't find someone to do the work for you, what do you do?  You do it yourself.  Fifteen years ago I did my own billing, then when I got too busy, my mother, Irene, took it over.  She did a wonderful job, but now at 75 she was not sure she wanted to take it on.  She is working in the office however, answering phones and doing a lots of phone calls, and credentialing. She is my business partner in the LLC.
Now, back to the idea of when you have to do something yourself.  I didn't want to do a half-baked job.  This is my income we are talking about.  So, I am enrolled at Klamath Community College taking a Health Information Management class on insurance billing.  So, on top of everything else I am doing, I go to a four hour class twice a week and do my homework. 
On a good note, I found liability insurance company that writes for independent certified nurse midwives with the limits the health insurance companies require for contracting (1M, 3M).  And, (drum roll) I was approved to participate in the Oregon Rural Health Liability Insurance Subsidy program.  They will reimburse me for 80% of my premiums, just because I am practicing in Klamath County and do obstetrics.  Yeah!
I hope it doesn't sound like I am whining.  I love my work.  However, I hope the health insurance contracts and the facility licensing come through soon.  https://www.klamathwomenscenter.com

Open House

The open house went off without a hitch today. Got lots of help from both my parents who came all the way from Springfield just to help out.  We had lots of visitors, great snacks, and better conversations.  I got to meet some new people and makes some new friends.
Thank you Klamath Falls. 

Our Website

www.jeannestagner.com
www.klamathbirthcenter.com
www.klamathwomenscenter.com

OPEN HOUSE February 15, 2014

This is so exciting, I just moved back to Klamath Falls, OR and am in the process of setting up a new practice.  I am a certified nurse midwife and licensed as a nurse practitioner in the state of Oregon.  I specialize in women's health with out of hospital births. 

Our grand opening and open house is scheduled for February 15, 2014, the day after Valentine's Day.

I hope to post lots of pics in the next few days.