Orchid Health Celebrates 1 Year in Welches

(from L to R): Malika Cox, Julie Lazar, Andrew White, Fran Stier, Cayla Solso, Ryan Ellsworth

Folks in the Hoodland area are a pretty insular bunch. Getting to know us is a big job. Fortunately for all of our collective well being, Orchid Health is wrapping up a year of putting in work at their Welches office.

Orchid Health was founded 11 years ago in the pursuit of a community-focused  approach to healthcare. Their founders hoped to work alongside communities to foster a holistic understanding of healthcare that took into account not just traditional medical care but every aspect of daily life. Over that decade, the organization has slowly expanded into six locations across Northwest Oregon. Last year, Orchid Health brought their mission to the mountain.

Julie Lazar is Orchid Health’s in-house Community Health Worker. it’s a position you’ll find at each of Orchid Health’s locations.

“I help get patients connected to resources outside the practice,” says Lazar. “That can be anything from prescription discounts all the way to food or housing resources and everywhere in between. So things that impact them and their health, but outside of our practice.”

Lazar is the Orchid Health team member you’ll find manning a booth at the Hoodland Farmer’s Market, or helping to organize a Halloween event at the Thriftway in Welches. “I’m involved with different community events to try to be present and visible and therefore be more inviting to those who may be nervous or apprehensive about seeking care.”

Once patients are in the door, they’ll find an eager medical staff that’s focused on bringing more considered care to their patients. 

At the moment, Orchid Health is in a state of transition. After a year on staff, physician’s associate Andrew White is moving out of state at the end of October. Meanwhile, provider Doug Lyon remains on paternity leave celebrating the birth of a new child. He’ll return to his duties December 1. Experienced temporary provider, Dr. Fran Stier, is picking up the slack to ensure that Orchid Health is consistently covering its patients’ needs.

White’s departure, though a tough loss, creates an opportunity for the team, something White himself is the first to mention. He explains that over his time in the clinic, he’s noticed a recent influx of younger families with kids. As a result, when searching for his replacement, the focus is on finding a new teammate who can meet these emerging needs.

“If we can find somebody who has a particular interest [in pediatrics and women’s healthcare], we’d love that,” says White.

There’s also a focus on mental well-being at Orchid Heath. Ryan Ellsworth, the office’s behavioral clinician, is readily available for short-term supportive counseling. 

“Any established patient can schedule an appointment with me without a referral for individual, short-term supportive counseling,” says Ellsworth. “And that could be anything from a new medical concern … to mental health, depression, anxiety, substance use, grief and loss, big life changes, work, or school stress, family, or, personal conflict.”

Though still a newcomer to the Hoodland area, Orchid Health has already made strides to become part of the fabric of the mountain. With each passing day, they further their ongoing mission to improve not just the health, but the lives, of their community.