The Vancouver Clinic: New Sleep Center
By Ernie Geigenmiller, Editor & Publisher
Latest Medical Research Turning Heads
 

One year into their new state-of-the-art facility at Columbia Tech Center in Fishers Landing, The Vancouver Clinic, Southwest Washington’s largest multi-specialty clinic, is on the cutting edge of medical research and offers some of the latest in medical services and technologies. 

The 60,000 square foot building, which boasts several specialty clinics, is an impressive structure, with its contemporary brick and metallic exterior and roomy, captivating interior. It was designed by The Neenan Company from Fort Collins, Colorado, and is a landmark for the area. 

It’s also another remarkable achievement in a county that has reinvented itself, say many local residents. “It’s just such a beautiful building,” says Sally Lunyard, a longtime Vancouver resident. 

But it’s what’s happening inside that really counts. 

Unique Environment; Quality Research 

The unique interior floor plan creates a “mall” like atmosphere of several clinics housed under one giant roof. Within each specialty clinic rests a lobby, patient rooms, labs, doctor’s offices and all the support teams and operations necessary to run a clinic. 

It creates a synergy of work and research that is somewhat unique in medicine. 

 The clinic is fully committed to providing the most up-to-date pharmaceutical treatments through their federally regulated research programs. The teams of specialists continue their work in these various programs to provide patients with the latest and greatest treatments. 

Many of the physicians are widely respected for their expertise in given specialties, such as Dr. Matt Casimo, a gastroenterologist, who is part of a team of doctors currently evaluating a new treatment for Crohn’s Disease (a inflammatory bowel disease that causes painful inflammation of the large and small intestines). He has saved lives with his quick and thorough analyses of dangerous gastrointestinal disorders in some of his patients and has received high praise from medical professionals throughout the region.

“He’s [Dr. Casimo] a real credit to Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology,” says L. Katherine Moon, FNP of Fishers Landing Internal Medicine. Moon has seen firsthand Dr. Casimo’s work and expertise. 

Doctor Larry Brice is currently comparing an oral compound to aid in improved blood sugar control for Diabetes Type II patients. Dr. Sally Williams is evaluating a new combination therapy for newly diagnosed HIV patients.  And Dr. David Bong is evaluating a new compound for treatment and control of Gout, which is a systemic disease (i.e., condition that occurs throughout the body) caused by the buildup of uric acid in the joints. 

“The Vancouver Clinic should be proud of its accomplishments,” said Mark Magistrale, Executive Director of Family Physicians Group.” They’ve done a remarkable job and have been with this community for a long time.” 

The clinic continues to research new ways to combat and treat diseases and ailments and has been heralded by many periodicals and journals. 

Sleep Center 

Its latest in-house clinic, the Pacific Sleep Center, is also turning heads. The cutting edge sleep lab was established to evaluate sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea (when people stop breathing at night), that affect so many Americans. 

The center, located on the second floor of the Columbia Tech Center clinic, has 12 bedrooms with the capacity of 84 individual studies per week, says Brett Windsor, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT, who serves as The Vancouver Clinic’s Director of Ancillary Services. 

“The patients sleep in very stylish rooms with a Northwestern theme and are hooked up to medical devices that monitor heart rates, EEGS, etc.,” says Windsor. “The techs monitor muscles, restless leg syndrome where muscles move all night long, and they also analyze snoring.” 

And that’s a big deal, says Jonathon Ridley, the sleep center’s supervisor. 

“Snoring is one of the biggest reason patients come in here,” says Ridley. “Spouses have had it and want something done. We announced a seminar in March and 200 people showed up. Snoring is a huge problem.’ 

He says snoring has been a problem for years, but it’s a growing trend and the center is collecting and analyzing data to provide solutions. 

The sleep center opened in 2002 in Salmon Creek and moved over to the new clinic when it opened last summer. Ridley says one of the biggest reasons people have sleep disorders is due to longer and more grueling work schedules. 

It’s a relatively new science, he says, but “we’re excited about what’s happening.” 

Another new addition to the clinic is Physical Therapy. The PT clinic houses a large corner of the building and Windsor says, “it’s really connecting the community with its services.” 

He notes there are five full-time physical therapists that specialize in areas such as women’s health (to help incontinence and pelvic floor issues) and sports medicine. 

In addition to the aforementioned specialties, the Columbia Tech Center facility offers these clinics: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Radiology, Mammography, Dermatology, and a branch of The Vancouver Clinic Pharmacy.  American Medical Response (AMR) has an office there and there’s also a very fine deli. 

The large facility was designed to meet the future growth needs of east Clark County and to serve as a model for 21^st century medical clinics. Many people in the community applaud its design and size, and feel good about its presence. 

Historical Background 

Dr. John Brougher, a Gynecologist and Dr. Frank Boersma, a Family Practitioner founded the Vancouver Clinic in 1936. A year later, their thriving practice was joined by a surgeon and then by a pediatrician in 1939. The group chose The Vancouver Medical and Surgical Center as their name, but officially shortened it in 1941 to The Vancouver Clinic. 

The clinic’s continued expansion throughout the generations has necessitated new physical facilities and medical expansions into many specialties.  Their flagship office, located at 87^th Avenue adjacent to Southwest Washington Medical Center, became the largest facility for private practice in Clark County. That facility was outdone by the Columbia Tech Center clinic, which is going to be outdone by a similar, but larger clinic in Salmon Creek adjacent to Legacy Salmon Creek hospital. 

It is still the largest private multi-specialty clinic in Clark County with more than 100 physicians, as well as more than 300 other licensed medical professionals, including medical assistants, nurses, nurse-midwives, physical therapists and others.

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