Health
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UKIAH, Calif. – Where you give birth is important for the health of the mother and the newborn child.
Ukiah Valley Medical Center (UVMC) was ranked as one of the 33 high-performing hospitals in California for its quality of maternity care services, according to a report released by the California Hospital Assessment and Reporting Taskforce (CHART).
The taskforce analyzed data from 262 hospitals and found wide variation in performance in terms of four common procedures related to delivery and newborn care: c-section, episiotomy, breastfeeding and vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC).
Among other things, the data showed that women are more likely to have a cesarean section and are less likely to exclusively breast feed at low-performing hospitals than at high-performing hospitals.
The taskforce also found that an expectant mom is also less likely to have an episiotomy if she gives birth at a high-performing hospital.
“This is a great testament to the quality of care we provide at the Family Birth Center. Our priority has always been patient safety and providing the best possible care to our moms and this just goes to show that expectant mothers do not have to go out of the area to get excellent maternity care,” said Casey Ford, RN, director of the Family Birth Center at UVMC.
The Family Birth Center offers large private birthing suites for labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum care, and is staffed by an excellent team of experienced nurses who provide personalized care for each patient.
Childbirth classes and tours are available for expectant moms and support persons.
For more information about the Family Birth Center please call 707-463-7550 or visit www.uvmc.org/birthcenter .
The California Hospital Assessment and Reporting Taskforce (CHART) was established in 2004 to develop a statewide hospital performance reporting system using a multi-stakeholder collaborative process.
The CHART public report card is available at www.CalHospitalCompare.org , a hospital public reporting Web site maintained by the California HealthCare Foundation.
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SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced, in coordination with California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN), a 30-day public comment period for the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) draft Strategic Plan.
The draft Strategic Plan provides community-driven strategies to reduce mental health disparities in racial, ethnic, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) communities and acts as the blue print for how CDPH will implement the $60 million dollar project.
CRDP works to improve quality of care for multicultural communities. Implementation will focus on funding and evaluating the practices identified through the development of the draft statewide plan as well as advancing the recommendations outlined in the draft Strategic Plan.
“We are excited about CRDP which is a result of polyethnic and multicultural community and stakeholder engagement,” said Jahmal Miller, Office of Health Equity deputy director. “Ultimately, the end goal for everyone involved is to improve health outcomes and quality of care within vulnerable communities through action and increased awareness.”
The draft strategic plan is a culmination of four years of grassroots engagement of five racial, ethnic, and LGBTQ populations and is representative of a community participatory approach to designing a program in partnership with diverse California stakeholders.
The plan identifies culturally appropriate strategies to improve access to services, quality of care, and mental health outcomes for the five (Latino, Asian Pacific Islander, African American, Native American and LGBTQ) CRDP target populations.
A copy of the draft plan is available on the CDPH Web site: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/StakeholdersGeneratedReports.aspx .
Stakeholders may provide feedback at five town hall meetings around the state or via email at
The schedule of CPEHN-hosted town hall meetings is below:
Fresno – Jan. 26
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Fresno Downtown Business Hub
1444 Fulton St.
Register for Fresno: http://cpehn.org/event/425
Oakland – Jan. 28
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Nile Hall, Preservation Park
668 13th St.
Register for Oakland: http://cpehn.org/event/424
San Diego – Feb. 4
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Sherman Heights Community Center
2258 Island Ave.
Register for San Diego: http://cpehn.org/event/427
Los Angeles – Feb. 5
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
California Community Foundation, Joan Palevsky Center
281 South Figueroa St., Suite 100
Register for Los Angeles: http://cpehn.org/event/426
Humboldt County – Feb. 17
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Humboldt County Office of Education Annex
901 Myrtle Ave., Eureka
Register for Humboldt County: http://cpehn.org/event/428
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Community members with questions about health care and what is available to them are urged to attend an event St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake will hold on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
The event, from 1 to 5 p.m., will be held at the hospital campus at 15630 18th Ave.
It is free and open to the public.
Certified Cover California representatives will be available to help community members.
Please bring you California ID or driver’s license, proof of current income and US residency.
Open Enrollment ends Feb. 15.
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California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman warned consumers not to eat certain Santa Barbara Smokehouse cold-smoked salmon products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, which can lead to severe illness or death.
CDPH and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are currently investigating Santa Barbara Smokehouse in Santa Barbara, Calif., due to bacteriologic contamination found in the processing facility.
Santa Barbara Smokehouse has initiated a voluntary recall of two batches of cold-smoked salmon manufactured in August and September 2014, and all cold-smoked salmon packed between December 17 and 24, 2014, after learning about Listeria monocytogenes contamination in product-surveillance samples and environmental samples collected at the processing facility.
No illnesses have been associated with the recalled products at this time.
Santa Barbara Smokehouse’s recalled cold-smoked salmon was packed under the Cambridge House, Channel Island Smokehouse, Coastal Harbor, Santa Barbara Smokehouse and Harbor Point brand names, and has pack dates of 8-22-14, 9-17-14 through 9-19-14, and 12-17-14 through 12-24-14.
The recalled products were vacuum-packed and distributed as both fresh and frozen products.
Due to environmental contamination at the facility with Listeria monocytogenes, CDPH is concerned about other Santa Barbara Smokehouse cold-smoked salmon products that were produced at the facility on other dates, which may be available in stores or in consumers’ homes.
CDPH recommends not eating any cold-smoked salmon manufactured by Santa Barbara Smokehouse with pack dates between 8-22-14 and 12-24-14.
Other brands that may have also been packed during this time frame include: Fresh & Easy, Tetsujin and Imperial House.
CDPH also recommends that anyone in possession of those products with those pack dates place the product into a garbage bag and put it in the trash.
The brands of cold-smoked salmon identified above were likely distributed to wholesale food distributors, airline catering companies and foodservice distributors. Subsequent product distribution may have resulted in retail sales to consumers.
Santa Barbara Smokehouse has voluntarily ceased all manufacturing and product distribution, and is working with CDPH and FDA to address any potential sources of contamination in the processing environment.
CDPH continues to work with Santa Barbara Smokehouse to determine the distribution of potentially affected products.
Symptoms of Listeria infection may include high fever, headache and neck stiffness. Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk for severe illness and death.
Listeria infection in pregnant women can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery or infection of the newborn baby. The CDPH Web site, www.cdph.ca.gov , has more information about Listeria infection.
CDPH recommends that consumers who feel sick after eating cold-smoked salmon products should consult their health care provider.
Consumers that see cold-smoked salmon manufactured by Santa Barbara Smokehouse being sold are encouraged to report the activity to the CDPH toll-free complaint line at 800-495-3232.