Behavioral health is a public policy priority with a significant impact on other policy priorities: access, financial challenges, emergency services, governmental mandates, and workforce.
Community health is impacted by myriad policy issues including access to care, care coordination, pre- and post-acute service availability, community support service availability, as well as the social determinants of health status such as poverty, housing instability/affordability, food insecurity, lack of physical activity, race/ethnicity, education, health literacy and documentation status.
Many of the barriers to effective emergency care systems are also barriers to effective population health management and the Associations’ vision of an optimally healthy society. Pre-hospital care and services, emergency department crowding, alternate destinations and treatment sites as well as post-acute transfer options impact the effectiveness of emergency departments and the ability of residents to receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
Secure, effective exchange of patient health information is critical to increase coordination of care and decrease costly duplication of services. Issues involved include: data ownership; privacy; connectivity; access; and local vs. statewide HIEs.
Without sufficient, well-trained health care professionals at all levels of the care continuum, access, quality, timeliness and safety for patients and staff is compromised. Shortages include specialty nurses, clinical lab scientists, respiratory and physical therapists, radiology technologists and more.
Nearly 16 months ago a handful of people stood atop the three-story parking garage at Kaiser Permanente’s Santa Rosa hospital, awestruck as they witnessed flames from the Tubbs fire destroy their trailers at Journey’s End mobile home park. (The Press Democrat)
Sitting in a living room in Oakland, a cute robot with giant eyes gazes at a 65-year-old with heart failure and asks how he’s doing, making conversation about the patient’s family and the weather while gathering daily details about his health. (Fast Company)
Marin General Hospital has deployed a real-time location system (RTLS) to boost the hand-hygiene rate among its 1,800 health-care workers and physicians. Since the system was taken live, the facility’s hand-hygiene compliance has increased, on average, from 45 percent to 77 percent. The hospital has achieved a reduction in the rate of infections since the system was installed, and while it can’t necessarily correlate those results with the technology itself, that reduction in infections rates was the facility’s goal.
Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health sealed the deal Friday on their prolonged courtship that lasted more than two years, according to the new system’s website.
The Chicago-based not-for-profit system—now known as CommonSpirit Health—has 142 hospitals, 150,000 employees, nearly $30 billion in revenue and more than 700 care sites across 21 states, including 30 hospitals in California. (Modern Healthcare)
Kaweah Delta Healthcare District has joined forces with Cleveland Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute, the No. 1 ranked heart program in the U.S. (Fox 26)
The Hospital Council of Northern and Central California is the unified voice of our members, acting as a catalyst to empower hospitals to act together on issues affecting patient care and the health status of communities. We are dedicated to advocating for our member hospitals at the local and regional level and in support of California Hospital Association (CHA) at the State and Federal level.
We strive to be an invaluable partner, convening groups across multiple sectors to address health and quality of life challenges within our communities.
