Health
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Though the COVID-19 pandemic takes the focus from health care organizations, local hospitals continue to see emergency department visits due to opioid dependence and withdrawal symptoms.
Adventist Health Clear Lake’s leadership said the hospital is committed to treating the underlying disease of addiction and combating drug use.
Adventist Health Clear Lake routinely treats patients battling opioid use disorder in the emergency department, and there were 19 deaths in Lake County in 2018 due to drug overdose.
People in rural communities have minimal resources for treating opioid use disorder and the barriers to receiving treatment can be high.
Adventist Health Clear Lake, among other hospitals in California, is changing this through the Naloxone Distribution Project and the California Bridge Program grants.
These programs provide training and resources to expand Adventist Health Clear Lake’s existing Medication Assisted Treatment program.
The California Bridge Program is an accelerated training program for health care providers facilitated by the Public Health Institute’s Bridge Program, which aims to enhance access to around-the-clock treatment for substance use disorders.
Program sites such as Adventist Health Clear Lake will receive funding, training and technical assistance to improve and increase access to facility-wide treatment and referral of acute symptoms of substance use disorders.
The Bridge Program is funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant to the California Department of Health Care Services.
At Adventist Health Clear Lake, the Bridge Program employs a substance use navigator, or SUN, who works full-time at Adventist Health Clear Lake.
The SUN, Tina Allen, a certified substance counselor with 17 years’ experience, meets people in the emergency department as they enter care and helps them coordinate the treatment they need after discharge from the hospital.
The Narcan/Naloxone Distribution Project, or NDP, is also funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and administered by DHCS to combat opioid overdose-related deaths throughout California.
The NDP aims to address the opioid crisis by reducing opioid overdose deaths through the provision of free Narcan/Naloxone in its nasal spray formulation.
Narcan/Naloxone is a medication used for the complete or partial reversal of an opioid overdose.
The grant provides training and distribution of Narcan/Naloxone at the Adventist Health Clear Lake emergency department.
These grants offer an opportunity to treat addiction like other medical conditions by building treatment for addiction into the health care system.
When patients present at the emergency room with signs of opioid withdrawal, they can be offered immediate treatment with buprenorphine or Suboxone, an FDA-approved medication that treats both withdrawal and cravings.
Studies have shown that people who were started on Buprenorphine in the emergency department were twice as likely to still be in treatment one month later, compared to “detox” or referral for counseling alone.
Patients are then connected with outpatient addiction treatment options with same-day, next-day or within 72-hour appointments.
“For the first time, instead of just discharging a patient from the emergency department we will be able to provide an opportunity for them to get into recovery and connected to services the same day or next day,” said Allen.
Allen sees each patient presenting with addiction symptoms and offers recovery services. During the weeks from March 13 to April 23, she worked with 26 patients with substance use disorder, and 13 were bridged to recovery. Six of the seven with opioid use disorder were bridged to Medication Addiction Treatment followup appointments.
Susan DeSalvo-Reed is a registered nurse who serves as the project coordinator for Adventist Health Clear Lake’s Medication Addiction Treatment program after previously serving as a coordinator for SafeRx Lake County’s opioid coalition.
“It is gratifying to be evolving from prevention into treatment and recovery with the highest level of care, support and resources to those seeking addiction treatment,” DeSalvo-Reed said. “We will now be able to offer Medication Addiction Treatment in the emergency department to a person in crisis on the spot. This approach has shown a 60 percent success rate.”
The hospital offers continued addiction treatment through its Live Well Program in Clearlake with Dr. Melody Law and Dr. Robert Gardner and Live Well MAT Navigator, Denise Newman, who provides recovery resources to patients with substance use disorders.
At the Live Well Program, the patient receives continuing care including suboxone, medical care and counseling for substance use. The model is a comprehensive treatment program that supports patients at each step of their recovery.
Dr. Marc Shapiro, Adventist Health Clear Lake medical officer, is the champion for the Bridge Program.
“Many of our patients start to use prescription opioids for the treatment of real pain, especially after an injury or surgical procedure. Dependence on the prescription medication is often unintentional,” Shapiro explained. “Often, they cannot stop the medication without severe pain and withdrawal and feel they have no options but to continue use. These grants offer our patients new expanded options through Medication Assisted Treatment both in the emergency department and at outpatient clinics.”
Those who would like to find out about treatment options for substance use disorder may go to the emergency department at Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital at any time. Narcan/Naloxone distribution kits are available 24 hours a day in the emergency department.
If you are experiencing withdrawal you can be treated immediately and will be connected with a Substance Use Navigator who will assist you in finding the recovery option that works best for you.
Alternatively, you can contact Tina Allen, substance abuse navigator, at 707-349-4340.
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- Written by: Covered California
The pace of sign-ups has been nearly three times the level that Covered California saw during the same period in 2019.
“We want to remind consumers that they can get access to the care they need during this crisis, either through Covered California or Medi-Cal,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We know there are hundreds of thousands of people out there who have either lost their health insurance or were uninsured when this crisis began, and we want them to know there is a path to coverage ready for them.”
The enrollment data covers the three-week period from March 20, when Covered California opened the health insurance exchange to any eligible uninsured individuals who need health care coverage amid the COVID-19 emergency, through April 10.
Anyone who meets Covered California’s eligibility requirements, which are similar to those in place during the annual open-enrollment period, can sign up for coverage through June 30.
In addition, Covered California has seen tremendous consumer interest online, with more than 885,000 new users visiting CoveredCA.com, which is twice the number of visits seen during the same time period last year. During the same period, of those coming to CoveredCA.com, there were also more than 129,000 unique page views to the Medi-Cal page.
“While Covered California is enrolling tens of thousands of people, we know that is only a small part of California’s response and that many, many more people will get the health care they need through Medi-Cal,” Lee said.
Signing up for health care coverage
Consumers can easily enroll through CoveredCA.com and find out whether they are eligible for financial help through Covered California or if they are eligible for no-cost or low-cost coverage through Medi-Cal.
People who sign up through Covered California will have their coverage begin on the first day of the following month. Those eligible for Medi-Cal can have coverage that is effective retroactively to the first day of the month from when they submitted their application.
“We are living in unprecedented times, and California is doing everything it can to make sure people have access to care during this public health emergency,” Lee said. “Having more people insured and protected is the right thing for California’s families and helps keep everyone better off as those with insurance don’t delay getting needed care.”
In addition to enrolling online, consumers who need health care coverage can visit Covered California’s “Find Help” page to get assistance over the phone from one of Covered California’s thousands of Certified Insurance Agents. The “Help on Demand” feature allows consumers to get a call back from a certified enroller.
“Right now, when social distancing is the new normal and an essential response to the coronavirus pandemic, health insurance is only a phone call away,” Lee said. “Being restricted to your home does not mean you cannot get personal and confidential help that is free.”
Consumers can easily find out if they are eligible for Covered California or Medi-Cal, and see which plans are available in their area, by using the Shop and Compare Tool and entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage.
Reaching the unemployed
Covered California is also working with California’s Employment Development Department, or EDD, to alert the uninsured that they can get health care coverage through the exchange or Medi-Cal. Covered California produced the following insert, which is being included in unemployment benefits that are being sent to consumers. During each of the next three months, Covered California plans to deliver 3.5 million inserts to EDD for distribution.
Lowering the cost of coverage for those with insurance
Existing Covered California consumers may be able to lower the cost of their coverage if they have experienced a loss of income due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The price of consumers’ monthly premiums is based in part on their income, and if that income goes down, they may be eligible for additional financial help from the federal government, state, or both.
Consumers can report an income change by logging in to their account at CoveredCA.com. Consumers who are having trouble accessing their account can reset their password online.
Coverage you can count on
During this public health emergency, it is important to note that all health plans offered through Covered California and by Medi-Cal provide telehealth options for enrollees, giving individuals the ability to connect with a health care professional by phone or video without having to personally visit a doctor’s office or hospital.
All medically necessary screening and testing for COVID-19 are free of charge. This includes telehealth or doctor’s office visits as well as network emergency room or urgent care visits when necessary for the purpose of screening and testing for COVID-19.
In addition, Medi-Cal covers costs associated with COVID-19 testing, evaluation and treatment services in both its managed care plans and with fee for service providers. Covered California health plans will help cover costs that arise from any required treatment or hospitalization.
In addition, most Covered California plans offer “first-dollar” coverage, meaning outpatient services are not subject to a deductible.
“A core part of our mission is improving access to high-quality health care, and that has never been more important than it is right now in California,” Lee said.
New state subsidies help Californians lower their health care costs
Californians who sign up for coverage may be able to benefit from a new state subsidy program that expanded the amount of financial help available to many people. The subsidies are already benefiting about 625,000 Covered California consumers.
Roughly 576,000 lower-income consumers, who earn between 200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level, are receiving an average of $608 per month, per household in federal tax credits and new state subsidies (which averages $23 per household). The financial assistance lowers the average household monthly premium from $881 per month to $272, a decrease of 70 percent.
In addition, nearly 32,000 middle-income consumers have already qualified for new state subsidies, with average state subsidy to eligible households at $504 per month, lowering their monthly premium by nearly half.
Many of those eligible for the new middle-income state subsidies are an estimated 280,000 Californians who are likely eligible for new state or existing federal subsidies but kept their “off-exchange” coverage.
They are also eligible to switch to Covered California and benefit from the financial help. During this special-enrollment period, Covered California, its health insurance companies and Certified Insurance Agents will be reaching out to these Californians to let them know how they can save money on their premiums – which will help them keep their coverage in challenging financial times.
Covered California had established a special-enrollment period for those who were newly becoming aware of state subsidies or the new California mandate penalty, and sign-ups during the special enrollment period prior to March 20 were up 80 percent over the same period in 2019.
Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also:
– Visit www.CoveredCA.com .
– Get free and confidential assistance over the phone, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
– Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free. Call Covered California at 800-300-1506.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The organization’s work in over 50 communities across America has been credited with double-digit drops in obesity, smoking and body mass index, achieving millions of dollars of savings in health care costs.
This move by Adventist Health comes at a time when public attention is especially focused on the interconnectedness of our health to that of our friends and neighbors in the face of the coronavirus crisis.
Post-pandemic, a focus on improving and strengthening community and public health will be more critical than ever as communities across the nation and globe navigate recovery.
“Adventist Health has always believed in creating environments of belonging and easy access to healthy lifestyles, and we also know that the future of health care goes beyond the role of traditional hospitals by investing in our communities to improve people’s overall well-being,” Adventist Health CEO Scott Reiner said. “Adventist Health’s work with Blue Zones represents the future of health care and is a major component of our plan to redefine the role of health organizations across America and strengthens our commitment to inspiring health, wholeness and hope.”
Blue Zones infuses healthy choices, enhances connections, instills purpose and fuels hope to impact communities where people live, work and play.
This includes leveraging the Blue Zones Power9 lessons of longevity through a comprehensive model for transformational change called the Life Radius, a focus on people, places and policy.
Rather than relying solely on individual behavior change, Blue Zones focuses on optimizing environments to improve health by design.
“Blue Zones is proud to pioneer the advancement of the health of entire cities by systematically improving living environments, so the healthy choice is the easy choice,” said Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder and National Geographic Fellow and Explorer. “Adventist Health shares our values and its vision for community well-being aligns perfectly with our work. We believe that Blue Zones can have an even bigger impact as part of a strong and proven health organization.”
At a time when America is spending significantly more on health care than other countries without that investment translating to better health outcomes, this kind of model can improve the health of individuals and communities, and in turn, make care more affordable.
This transformational move is especially powerful as our society seeks to rebuild and find solutions to restore the health of the nation once the current coronavirus crisis passes.
Adventist Health’s vision to improve individual well-being by investing in healthier communities is rooted in the Seventh-day Adventist cultural heritage.
Since its inception in the 1840s, the Seventh-day Adventist tradition has encouraged a lifestyle of health and wellness.
These practices are infused into Adventist communities across the country, including Loma Linda, California.
The average life expectancy in America is 78, but in Loma Linda, the average male lives to 89 and female to 91.
Dan Buettner identified Loma Linda as one of the world’s five blue zones longevity hotspots in a National Geographic cover story in 2005.
Scott Reiner added, “In addition to our acquisition news, through Blue Zones, we have also concurrently completed an early renewal to continue collaborating to provide Blue Zones Project by Sharecare.”
Jeff Arnold, founder, chairman and CEO of Sharecare commented, “We are excited to extend our partnership with Blue Zones, and now Adventist Health, to advance and grow our market-leading solution for community-driven health."
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Virtual visits can be vital to cope with the growing surge in demand for medical services – and to keep health workers and patients safer.
So, instead of sitting in a waiting room, patients can see their doctor using video from their computer or device from home.
Providers are using virtual visits to screen for COVID-19 cases, handle routine visits and the chronically ill. They are proving to provide comfort for those patients who are anxious about coming to a clinic, especially as the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies.
Virtual visits also save masks, gowns and key supplies, which are in high demand for dealing with the pandemic.
“Virtual care makes accessing doctors and providers even easier with technology-enabled, easy to use tools to connect patients with providers. Patients’ can access care from the comfort of their home with less risk of exposure,” said David Santos, president of Adventist Health Clear Lake. “Our hope is that by making care more accessible and creating fewer barriers, more people will seek care, especially those who may be worried about COVID-19 and those who do not have transportation.
Patients are eagerly embracing this approach, in part to avoid going to clinics and waiting rooms. Limiting face-to-face encounters also helps protect health workers and support staff who are concerned about their exposure to infected patients who may be visiting clinics.
So, how does it work? To participate in a virtual visit, a patient just needs a smartphone, tablet or computer with a working camera and microphone.
The provider sends an email with a link for the scheduled visit which utilizes Microsoft Teams, a technology-enabled, easy-to-use secure platform, which is available as a downloadable app or web-based app. It’s simple and easy to use.
Adventist Health asks patients to log in 20 minutes prior to the scheduled visit so they can answer some intake questions regarding medications and health history. Once the visit begins, the provider and patient can see and hear each other as if they were in the same room.
“There are other medical needs besides COVID-19 and our community needs to know they can see their doctor safely from their home without having to go to a clinic,” said Santos.
Adventist Health’s clinic staff is reaching out to patients to reschedule appointments as virtual visits if possible. Patients who have a scheduled in-person appointment with a provider can also request to have their appointment rescheduled as a virtual visit by contacting their doctor’s office.
Virtual visits are covered by most insurance plans. To learn more about virtual visits, go to www.AdventistHealth.org/VirtualVisits or contact your local provider.
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