September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month which serves as a reminder that we all need to be prepared for a variety of emergencies that we could potentially experience.  Emergencies can affect us where we live, work and places we visit. 

Does your family know what to do in the case of a disaster or emergency? Do you have an emergency bag ready?  Do you have a plan in the case that your family is not together when an emergency happens?

What can you do?

• GET A KIT - Water, food, battery powered radio and extra batteries, flashlight, first aid kit, whistle (to signal for help), filter mask, moist towelettes, tools, can opener, plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place), medications and other unique family needs.
• MAKE A PLAN - Plan in advance. What will you do in an emergency? Develop a family communications plan. Create a shelter in place plan. Create a plan to evacuate or leave - determine where you will go and options on how you will get there
• BE INFORMED - Begin a process to learn more about specific threats in order to prepare yourself for what to do in an emergency. 
• GET INVOLVED - Help inform your community by becoming involved.

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AB2024 Allows Critical Access Hospitals to Hire Physicians

Sacramento – AB 2024 by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) was signed by the Governor. Recruiting physicians to practice in rural communities is a significant challenge. Only 16 of California’s 58 counties have enough primary care physicians. As a result, only one-third of Californians live in a community where they have adequate access to health care. Adequately staffing these hospitals is absolutely necessary for the health of its residents and the viability of the community. This bill will allow federally certified “critical access hospitals” – hospitals with less than 25 beds and typically located in remote, rural areas – to employ physicians and bill for those services, a practice currently prohibited in California. Current law does not allow the employment of physicians, with only a few exceptions. “Preserving the conventional mode of practice is short-sighted,” said Wood. “Other states have shown that the sky will not fall and hiring physicians who want to practice as an employee has been mutually beneficial, especially in rural areas where operating a private practice may not be financially feasible.” “I introduced AB 2024 because people in rural California deserve access to health care. Creating a pathway and incentive for physicians to practice in these communities is a great first step,” said Wood, “and we are very pleased that the Governor recognizes this challenge in rural communities. Source:  GovBuddy Assembly Bill No. 2024

CHAPTER 496

An act to amend Section 2401 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

[ Approved by Governor  September 23, 2016. Filed with Secretary of State  September 23, 2016. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2024, Wood. Critical access hospitals: employment.

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, restricts the employment of physicians and surgeons or doctors of podiatric medicine by a corporation or other artificial legal entity to entities that do not charge for professional services rendered to patients and are approved by the Medical Board of California, subject to specified exemptions. Existing law establishes the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, which succeeds to and is vested with all the duties, powers, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the State Department of Public Health relating to health planning and research development.

This bill, until January 1, 2024, would also authorize a federally certified critical access hospital to employ those medical professionals and charge for professional services rendered by those medical professionals if the medical staff concur by an affirmative vote that the professional’s employment is in the best interest of the communities served by the hospital and the hospital does not direct or interfere with the professional judgment of a physician and surgeon, as specified. The bill would require the office, on or before July 1, 2023, to provide a report to the Legislature containing data on the impact of this authorization on federally certified critical access hospitals and their ability to recruit and retain physicians and surgeons, as specified. The bill would, on and after July 1, 2017, and until July 1, 2023, require a federally critical access hospital employing those medical professionals under this authorization to submit a report, on or before July 1 of each year, to the office as specified.

Volley for the Cure

Mayers Memorial Hospital District (MMHD) is excited to invite you to local THINK PINK Volleyball events!  Each of the three local high schools will host a THINK PINK volleyball game in October and MMHD will be right there with them.

Fall River Senior Grace Lommen had a purpose in mind when she chose her senior project. Making a difference in Breast Cancer Awareness and honoring a Breast Cancer survivor was something that meant a lot to Grace. She hosted a volleyball camp, but to culminate her project, she will be organizing the Fall River High School THINK PINK Volleyball game. 

Fall River's THINK PINK game will be October 6th and will help kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Burney's is set for October 18th and Big Valley's game will be October 26th. 

MMHD will be present at each of the three games and will sponsor giveaways, drawings, information on Breast Cancer and will also give out FREE t-shirts to the first 50 fans at each game.

Please join us!

Community Education Series

MMHD will be hosting a Community Education Series beginning with a Medicare Open Enrollment Informational Meeting on September 26, 2016.  There will be two sessions; one in Fall River Mills at 10:00 am and one in Burney at 1:00 p.m. The meetings will be in the board rooms at the respective facilities. 

Medicare Open Enrollment is October 15 - December 7, 2016. This will be an opportunity to learn about plans that may have better coverage, higher quality and lower costs. 

You will also have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one counseling with MMHD's Patient Financial Counselor/Registered HICAP Counselor.  It is important to make sure you have the right health and prescription drug coverage. 

For more information contact Colene Hickman 530-336-7552

Environmental Services Week

This week is National Environmental Services Week.

With emerging infectious diseases, contagious viral strains, and antibiotic resistant ‘superbugs’ which are a major threat for healthcare institutions large and small, knowledge of proper infection control measures within the healthcare setting is very important.

In a healthcare environment, harmful or pathogenic microorganisms must be reduced or killed in order to protect and ensure the well-being of patients, staff and visitors.  Disinfection, sanitizing and decontaminating surfaces, whether they are found in the isolation room, operating room, patient room or elsewhere within the facility, can be enormously challenging.  Environmental Services staff plays an essential role in providing a clean and safe environment for all through infection prevention and control practices.

Join us in celebrating and acknowledging our Environmental Services staff at MMHD for their contributions to providing quality healthcare to the patients we serve.  

Art Whitney - Board of Director

Member of the Board - Art Whitney

Art Whitney was born and raised in the Sacramento area.  He graduated from the University of the Pacific, School of Pharmacy in 1973.

In 1983, he took a four year sabbatical from the pharmaceutical business.  Art and his family moved aboard their forty-six foot sailboat and spent the next four years cruising over 12,000 miles.  While visiting the island of St. Lucia, Art became involved with Project Hope, an international health educational organization based in Millwood, Virginia.  He spent nine months working for Project Hope on the island of St. Lucia as a pharmacy educator teaching students from seven different countries.

Upon returning from this four year excursion in 1987, Art founded Pacific West Pharmacy, Inc., a closed door pharmacy.   This pharmacy was developed to service the special health care needs of the long term care patients who reside in nursing facilities.  The company has grown from servicing five hundred nursing facility beds to now servicing over four thousand nursing home beds throughout California.  Art participated in evaluating a humanitarian relief program for United States Aid to International Development (USAID) that had been implemented by Project Hope in Russia.  From this evaluation, Art later returned to Russia for Project Hope to consult on future relief programs in the NIS (new independent states of the former USSR), primarily Central Asia.

 Art also served time evaluating war torn hospitals in Croatia for Project Hope.  His mission was to develop a humanitarian relief program to assist in restoring the hospitals medical supply needs.  He then returned to Croatia and Bosnia in 1994 to help implement hospital relief programs and consult with government health officials regarding non-socialistic health care systems.  

In more recent years, Art developed Advantage Pharmaceuticals, a custom compounding center.  This company’s mission is to provide individual patient care and consulting services focusing on BHRT (bio-identical hormone therapy).  Advantage Pharmaceuticals houses a state of the art, Class 1000 compounding lab meeting the recent revised Federal USP 797 sterile compounding guidelines.

            Art currently lives in Grass Valley and Fall River Mills, California with his wife, Caroline Beteta. Together they have four children, Alexandra, Nick, Corey, Troy and six grandchildren.

            Art has served on the MMHD Board of Directors since 2012.

Allen Albaugh - Board Treasurer

Board Treasurer - Allen Albaugh

Allen Albaugh is a lifelong resident of Mayers Memorial Hospital District.  He was delivered by none other than Dr. Mayer at his local office. He has served on the board since 2008.  Allen is a self employed agriculturist and businessman. He attended Fall River High School and obtained a master degree from Univ. of Calif at Davis.  He has been instrumental in local agricultural development.  He formed the Fall River Wild Rice co-op and the Northern Calif Mint Association, as well as being an active member of the Strawberry Nursery Association.  

Community involvements include Chamber of Commerce,  McArthur Fire District, cemetery district, and volunteer efforts with 4-H, youth baseball and soccer,  school booster clubs and the local fair.

Allen's family was instrumental in the community effort to raise funds, build and support the local hospital.  He has seen it sit empty at times and go through financial hardship. Allen serves on the Mayers finance committee and his efforts are to maintain a viable rural hospital within the turbulent political and regulatory climate that we operate.

Allen and his wife Barbara have 4 adult children and 6 grandchildren.  Beyond ranching Allen enjoys golf, gardening, sports and travel.

Beatriz Vasquez, PhD - Board Secretary

Beatriz Vasquez, Ph.D. was appointed to the MMHD Board on December 2014 and holds the Secretary position. She also serves on the Quality Committee and as ex-officio Board Director at the Mayers Intermountain Healthcare Foundation.

Dr. Vasquez has scientific background and received her education in Argentina.  She did research in Neuroscience for over 19 years at UC Irvine and Loma Linda VA Hospital where authored over 40 publications in the areas of Mechanisms of Tolerance/Addiction, Memory, Learning, Aging , and the effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Circadian Rhythms.   Next she entered the California Community College arena first as a Biology Professor and then as an administrator (Dean, Vice President) at three different colleges.  She retired in July 2014. 

Dr. Vasquez believes in the importance of the Mayers Memorial Hospital to the health of the intermountain area and decided to volunteer for this position knowing that she could transfer her skills sets (leadership, governance, quality, and finances) to accomplish the fiduciary responsibility it requires.

Beatriz resides in Fall River Mills with her husband and both look forward to visits from their two children and three grandchildren.

Current Activities: 

     Member of the Education Committee at the Association of California Hospital Districts (ACHD)

        Board Director of the Spring River Foundation

     Board Director of the Fall River Valley Library

     Member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW)

Mike Kerns - Board Vice President

Mike Kerns - Board Vice President

An experienced business professional, Michael Kerns was employed by IBM Corporation for 29 years. During his tenure with IBM, Michael held positions in Planning, Production Control, Manufacturing, Human Resources, Management Development, and Organizational Development Consulting. His experience included seventeen years in first, second, and third level management assignments in both planning and manufacturing organizations.

After retiring from IBM, Michael’s experience includes managing an electrical products manufacturing plant, teaching leadership and management at a junior college and developing his own organizational development consulting practice.

As an independent consultant, Michael worked in a variety of industries including not-for-profit (United Way), printing, paper manufacturing, injection molding, and wholesale distribution where he focused on human resource processes, executive coaching and leadership development.

Michael received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from San Jose State University. In addition to his University training, Michael attended all of the required IBM management training courses along with technical training in Production Planning, Production Control, Consulting Methodologies, and the design and implementation of both lecture and activity based training.

Michael’s passions are his family, serving on the board of directors for the local hospital and contributing to his local Rotary club.

Current Activities:

1.     Board Secretary of The Spring Rivers Foundation

2.    Serves on the Board of Directors of Mayers Memorial Hospital District.

3.    Past President of the Rotary Club of Burney – Fall River

4.    Partner in Apple Appraisal Inc. – Real Estate Appraisal

5.    Member of the Inter-Mountain Acoustics Band.

Meet Our Board President

Jerry “Abe” Hathaway is the Chairman of the Board of Mayers Memorial Hospital District. He has served on the board since 2011. Abe is a retired high school science and agriculture teacher. He has also spent time as a BC with Burney Fire Protection District, where he has served as a volunteer fire captain and ambulance driver/EMT. He is currently the Interim Fire Chief.

Abe owns a ranch in the Burney valley where he spends the bulk of his time. In 2015, Abe was appointed to the ACHD (Association of California Healthcare District) Advocacy Committee.  He also serves on the Shasta-Tehama Watermaster District Board and the Burney Basin Mosquito Abatement District Board. Abe’s desire to serve on the hospital board grew out of his belief that Mayers is a critical part of his community.

Abe and his wife, Kris, have two grown children and two grandchildren. Their family is the center of their lives. 

Learn more about the MMHD Board of Directors

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate Cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among American men. Prostate cancers usually grow slowly and affect men older than 65 years of age. 

There are different symptoms for Prostate Cancer and some men do not have any symptoms. Symptoms include difficulty in starting urination, frequent urination, weak flow of urine and blood in the urine or semen. 

The older the man, the greater the risk.  African-American men are also at a greater risk, as are those that have had a father, brother or son who has had prostate cancer.

There are two types of screening tests for Prostate Cancer; the Digital rectum exam (DRE) and the Prostate specific antigen test (PSA). 

DRE

This is a manual test of the rectum to estimate the size of the prostate and feel for lumps or other abnormalities. 

PSA

This test measures the level of PSA in the blood.  PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. The level may also be elevated in other conditions that affect the prostate. 

Learn More