LAKEPORT, Calif. – Sutter Lakeside Hospital is currently experiencing technical issues with its mammography unit and is temporarily unable to offer mammogram services.
“We are partnering with our sister affiliate, Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, to provide mammography services and ensure our patients continue to receive excellent care,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer, Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
“Because SPMF also uses the Sutter Electronic Health Record, doctors and nurses across the system can communicate with one another and provide continuity of care,” Nelson said. “We hope to have our equipment up and running soon; in the meantime, we will continue to serve our community with compassion and excellence.”
Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s dedicated imaging staff will help patients schedule appointments with Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation in Santa Rosa upon request.
For more information about Sutter Lakeside Hospital, visit www.sutterlakeside.org or call 707-262-5121.
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is updating its warning to consumers regarding certain seafood caught along the California coastline that may contain high levels of domoic acid.
Advisories continue to be in place for:
– Consumers to avoid eating recreationally and commercially caught Dungeness and Rock crabs caught in waters between the Oregon border and the southern Santa Barbara County line, due to the persistent dangerous levels of domoic acid in these species.
– Consumers to avoid eating recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (mussels and clams) from Humboldt or Del Norte counties. The white meat (adductor muscle) of scallops caught in these areas may be consumed; however, the viscera (internal organs) should be discarded.
However, an advisory is no longer in place for bivalve shellfish like mussels and clams or for small finfish like anchovies and sardines caught in the Santa Cruz, Monterey, or Santa Barbara County areas.
Recent testing has determined that domoic acid has declined and remained at undetectable levels in samples of these species from these areas.
CDPH is continuing to work with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which recently issued emergency regulations closing the recreational and commercial Rock crab fishery and delaying the start of the recreational and commercial Dungeness crab fishery between the Oregon border and the Ventura / Santa Barbara County Line due to dangerous levels of domoic acid found in crabs caught from these areas.
Domoic acid accumulation in seafood is a natural occurrence that is related to a ‘bloom’ of a particular single-celled plant in ocean waters.
The conditions that support the growth of this plant are impossible to predict. CDPH will continue its efforts to collect a variety of samples from impacted areas to monitor the level of domoic acid in seafood.
Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days.
In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory (a condition known as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning), coma or death. There have been no reported illnesses associated with this event.
To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at 800-553-4133.
For additional information visit CDPH’s Natural Marine Toxins: PSP and Domoic Acid information sheet and CDPH’s Domoic Acid health information page.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. – REACH Air Medical Services has been named Program of the Year by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS).
Sponsored by Airbus Helicopters Inc., this award is hailed as one of the air medical transport industry’s highest honors and is presented annually to a company whose air ambulance program most clearly exceeds industry standards for safety, patient care, leadership and community service.
On Oct. 19, at the AAMS Awards Banquet in Long Beach, Calif., REACH leadership and staff joined President Sean Russell on stage as he accepted the 2015 award.
In Russell’s acceptance speech, he shared “I’ve come to believe that for any business, achieving excellence boils down to three things. First, everyone in the organization has to be able to honestly align with the company’s values. Next, as a team they have to embrace those values. Finally, and most importantly, they must live those values in all of their interactions. This is not always easy, but it’s worth it. In my experience, the rewards are profound and inspiring.”
He continued, “Being chosen as Program of the Year is one of those rewards. This honor is a testament to the employees of REACH who have demonstrated integrity, compassion, and a pursuit of excellence-- all in the name of doing what is right for the patient. I am privileged to work with such exceptional individuals, and I accept this award on their behalf.”
During the Program of the Year selection process, respected industry experts from AAMS and other air medical transport associations reviewed several areas within each organization including their safety record, customer service ratings, community involvement, service to the industry, and number of years in operation.
REACH’s outstanding reputation is due in great part to its notable safety practices and effective customer service program.
Survey feedback from patients, hospitals, and EMS service providers reflect a satisfaction rating greater than 92 percent.
The organization also demonstrates its commitment to the medical community by sponsoring annual trauma conferences that educate nurses and paramedics on the latest trends in the emergency medical field.
Within the company, REACH has established employee wellness programs, employee appreciation events, continuing education courses and readily-available training opportunities.
REACH, founded in 1987 by Dr. John L. McDonald, has as its mission, “In every situation, do what is right for the patient.”
The company has consistently demonstrated a commitment to patient care and has transported more than 100,000 critically ill and injured patients to date.
The company has grown from one base in Northern California to more than 30 bases in California, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Colorado and Texas.
REACH Air Medical Services is a part of the AirMedCare Network. AirMedCare Network is America’s largest air medical membership network, providing emergency access to the highest level of care for its 1.7 million members. The AirMedCare Network combines the membership programs of many of the nation’s leading air ambulance operators in 32 states from more than 220 locations.
For more information about membership, visit www.airmedcarenetwork.com .
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The leading cause of preventable deaths presents itself to consumers rolled in paper and tucked into a carton the size of a deck of cards.
Cigarettes kill nearly half a million people a year, with 41,000 of those deaths caused by secondhand smoke, according to the Center for Disease Control.
In 2011 and 2012 alone, 58 million people breathed secondhand smoke, with the highest exposure among children ages 3 to 11.
Smoking costs more than $300 billion in lost productivity and direct health care costs a year and increases the risk for nearly every kind of cancer.
The American Cancer Society sponsors the annual Great American Smoke Out, a national initiative that encourages smokers to quit tobacco use and seek the support of available resources to stay committed to a tobacco-free lifestyle.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital is proud to celebrate its commitment to a smoke-free healing environment by emphasizing its tobacco-free policies on Nov. 19, the day of the Smoke Out.
The hospital will also host a free class supported by the Department of Public Health on cessation techniques and support.
“Sutter Lakeside Hospital is committed to our mission of enhancing the well-being of the patients we serve. This includes providing a smoke-free campus to further healing and well being,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer of Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “The first national Smoke Out was held in San Francisco over thirty five years ago, and we’re proud to continue the tradition of connecting smokers with the support they need to sustain a healthy life.”
In Lake County, 20 [percent of women and 25 percent of men smoke, according to the Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation. The county rate for both lung cancer and death due to lung cancer is almost double California’s average.
Smoking harms almost every organ in the body, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and accounts for 90 percent of all lung cancer mortalities and 80% of all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths.
“The hospital’s no smoking policy goes beyond state law,” said Nelson. “We strive to improve the quality of life for Lake County residents. We’re proud to partner with the Department of Public Health to provide resources to those who want to live a healthier life.”
For more information about Sutter Lakeside Hospital, visit www.sutterlakeside.org or call 707-262-5085 to schedule a tour.