Letter to the Honorable Governor Edmond G. Brown, Jr.

Honorable Governor Edmond G. Brown Jr.                               December 29, 2013
The Great State of California
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814

　

Dear Governor Brown,

Thank you and your entire staff for your commitment to create a safe and efficient healthcare system. The California Department of Public Health(CDPH) has become the "go to" portal, world-wide, for best practices for the prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI), a preventable and costly set of diseases in measurable fiscal cost, patient suffering and the loss of life of thousands in California annually.

From what I have learned over the past couple of years through my advocacy for the prevention of HAI in our Veteran’s Hospitals is that HAI will not be defeated by science, management decision or fear of punitive actions. Despite popular belief, healthcare varies little from other industries exiting a period of easy money and questionable quality.

Systems that have achieved measurable success preventing HAI such as Anthem Blue Cross’s "Patient Safety First" program have one thing in common, beaming passion for the task at hand from the custodian up to the C.E.O. with access to proven, standardized processes.

The passion expressed by the CDPH concerning the prevention of HAI is impressive, on a small scale healthcare staff have proven to be capable, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses has set the standard for advocating for workplace safety to its members and encouraging members to assume a leadership role in process execution. The yet untapped asset of the educated patient, more positive movement in my opinion.

Early on Ms. Kehaly, C.E.O. Anthem Blue Cross, expressed that the cure for HAI lies in the "will" of Healthcare, the attitude at the CDPH gives me confidence, as a group, Healthcare shall prevail.

Once again, thank you and your entire staff for your interest and commitment to patient safety for all of us here in California, your efforts will and are having an impact on our Veteran’s Hospitals via the freedom of information act, again, "thank you"! "Let’s Get Healthy California", "thank you"!

Respectfully,
Michael H. Slavinski                                               http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com



　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Page 2 December 29, 2013

cc:
 Honorable California Senator Ed Hernandez
Chair, Committee on Health Care

Honorable California Senator Mark Wyland

Honorable California Senator William W. Monning

Honorable California Assembly member Rocky J. Chavez

Honorable California Assembly member Katcho Achadjian

Diana S. Dooly
Secretary
California Department of Public Health

Ms. Kathleen Billingsley
Chief Deputy Director
California Department of Public Health

Ms. Vicki Good
President,
American Association of Critical Care Nurses

SEIU-UHW
Executive Board

Mr. Chuck Idelson
Communication Director
California Nurses Association

Mr. Eddie W. Hartenstrin
Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Times
Publisher and Chief Executive Officer,Tribune Company

Ms. Pam Kehaly
Chief Executive Officer,
Anthem Blue Cross

Staff, Anthem Blue Cross



"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars." 

The picture, home sweet home courtesy U.S. Peace Corps in Northern Ghana 

 

Doom, gloom, and Happy Holidays!

 

We compare healthcare to the aviation industry safety, we can see the progress in cancer survival, the third on N.P.R.'s top ten I highlight on my blog, our kid's in the U.S. Peace Corps, M.I.P. through Bard college, mission is focused on resource management working on the shea industry in Ghana, Africa, all women. She is with us for the holidays, I just e-mailed her this! 
 Perhaps some day the gains in preventing Healthcare Associated Infections will make the list! 

 

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/256615983/tired-of-doom-and-gloom-here-s-the-best-good-news-of-2013

 

Happy holidays!

Healthcare Associated Infections, Leadership as a "Best Practice"!

 

December 15, 2013, 

Jorge Palacios

California Department of Public Health (CDPH-CHCQ-HAI)

Re: Leadership “Best Practices for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections”

Dear Mr. Palacious,

Once again, thank you and the entire staff at the California Department of Public Health for all that you do for the people of California.

 There was a very interesting argument on “Leadership” in healthcare on Linked-in, the comments led me to this work from England, they closely track the fourteen traits of leadership all U.S. Marines memorize in boot-camp. Upon having cultural issues in our humble machine shop we review them in a classroom setting, it has made a difference over the years, schools do not teach this vital survival tool.

 Again, back to a “Best Practice for the Prevention of HAI”, from what I have learned in my advocacy is that all the technology is useless without a highly motivated culture, muck like the Marines, the National Association of Critical Care Nurses(AACCN) seem to be on the same page.

 The U.S. Marines did not invent the fourteen traits of leadership nor did they invent the highly chaotic work place so copyright should not be a problem.

“The staff are not to blame”, Deming is on the same page, I learned it the hard way but I now accept is a truism.

 My interest is not directed at healthcare management, it should be used a “grid” for the healthcare practitioner to assume ownership of their process and decision’s that build confidence in proven processes and an environment of trust.  Healthcare management will follow the success bestowed in their staff via a shared interest in patient safety.

Once again, thank you, I really appreciate your and your staff’s patience with my advocacy for the Prevention of HAI in our Veteran’s Hospitals, I really appreciate it!

Best regards,

Michael H. Slavinski                                  http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com

 

 

Https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/berwick-review-into-patient-safety

 

●●Patient safety problems exist throughout the NHS as with every other health care system in the world.

●●NHS staff are not to blame – in the vast majority of cases it is the systems, procedures, conditions, environment and constraints they face that lead to patient safety problems.

●●Incorrect priorities do damage: other goals are important, but the central focus must always be on patients.

●●In some instances, including Mid Staffordshire, clear warning signals abounded and were not heeded, especially the voices of patients and careers.

●●When responsibility is diffused, it is not clearly owned: with too many in charge, no-one is.

●●Improvement requires a system of support: the NHS needs a considered, resourced and driven agenda of capability-building in order to deliver continuous improvement.

●●Fear is toxic to both safety and improvement.

To address these issues the system must:

●●Recognize with clarity and courage the need for wide systemic change.

●●Abandon blame as a tool and trust the goodwill and good intentions of the staff.

●●Reassert the primacy of working with patients and carers to achieve health care goals.

●●Use quantitative targets with caution. Such goals do have an important role en route to progress, but should never displace the primary goal of better care.

●●Recognize that transparency is essential and expect and insist on it.

●●Ensure that responsibility for functions related to safety and improvement are vested clearly and simply.

●●Give the people of the NHS career-long help to learn, master and apply modern methods for quality control, quality improvement and quality planning.

●●Make sure pride and joy in work, not fear, infuse the NHS.

 

 

 

 

 

The picture, "Neem" cream production in Northern Ghana, Neem cream, made from an indigenous plant, is used as a mosquito repellant which carry malaria.   Picture via US Peace Corps volunteer.

 

Another parade, aviation safety and Hospital Associated Infections!

Jorge Palacios                                                                                   December 8, 2013

California Department of Public Health (CDPH-CHCQ-HAI)

Re: Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI)

 

Dear Mr. Palacios,

 

Once again please allow me to thank you and your staff at  the California Department of Public Health for all that you do concerning patient safety, I really appreciated it.

 Below is a comment I made today on Linked-in site put up by the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ). Linked-in  provides a closed discussion group that I routinely introduce my thoughts for my advocacy for the prevention of HAI in our Veteran’s Hospitals.

 There seems to be no proven path for my advocacy and I appreciate the opportunity provided by the California Department of Public Health and all of those in healthcare that I challenge on a daily basis to find one.

Once again, thank you and all of the staff at the California Department of Public Health for all that you do for those in need in the Great State of California!

Best regards,

Michael H. Slavinski             

 

“Lessons from Aviation safety that apply despite differences in Healthcare”

 

OK, a call to action, from a successful organization I belonged to, it was in the aviation field but we were pretty much cannibals, it was the only way those planes would fly, “budgetary problems”!

 “Knowledge is king”, that was part of boot camp, here is the article that launched my advocacy for the prevention of  Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veteran’s hospitals. The positive nature of the article caught my attention, the cost saving , low tech process improvements and inspirational comments from the stake holders inspired me to send a copy to the POTUS(Commander in Chief).

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/23/business/la-fi-hospital-infections-20110823

 

Here is something I am looking into now from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses(AACCN)

http://www.aacn.org/wd/publishing/content/pressroom/pressreleases/2013/nov-ajcc-hwe-hais.content?menu=AboutUs

Hard fought battle, not even close, Pam Kehaly, President Anthem Blue Cross, and her staff, the “hai-five”, had my wife and I down for lunch and the Commander in Chief sent me some cool swag.

 My advice, stay positive and a comment I stole from  Ms. Kehaly’s statement to the six or seven thousand nurses that work for her at Anthem Blue Cross  here in California, “have fun”!

Ps profound knowledge gained from my advocacy,

The V.A. only answers to the commander in Chief.

The only way for my advocacy to help the Vets is to prevent HAI worldwide, no problem! We ask of the VA to do far too much with far too little in my opinion.

Where does do all of these cost and life saving strategies go to be monitored and continuously improved (please support the “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” currently housed at the California Department of Public Health. Jorge.Palacios@cdph.ca.gov

Never write when your team is losing and per Deming, “no one comes to work wanting to do a bad job”!

 

Vista, CA 2013 Christmas parade--

  The happy crowd including the wife, windy, 50deg, pouring rain, in front of Battery World!

 

These kids are freezing!

Guess who!

 

Veterans

 

Happy holidays!

Can public agencies help educate the patient in an efficient manner?

Diana S. Dooly,                   Draft  11/3/13

Secretary

California Department of Public Health

 

Re: Opportunity to enhance efforts of the California Department of Public Health’s Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI) program.

 

Dear Secretary Dooly,

 Please allow me to thank you for all that you and your office do for the wellbeing of all California citizens, I really appreciate it.

At this time my humble advocacy for the prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veterans Hospitals has identified an opportunity to enhance the excellent work currently underway at the California Department of Public Health’s(CDPH) HAI program.

 Due to the CDPH’s being a public agency and its relationships to private, philanthropic and public health organizations it is rapidly becoming premier resource portal for the prevention of HAI in the world. Having access to real-time monitoring would also place the CDPH in a potential position of leadership of large scale process improvement hopefully leading to standardized and efficient processes.

 All forms of HAI, according to the U.S. Department of Public Health and Human Services, are preventable and should be treated as any other preventable disease with the largest contributor, as with the rest of healthcare, being a well-educated patient.

 Technically, the CDPH’s HAI program is second to none, user friendly and inspirational to the non-healthcare consumer like myself, it is not.  Please review the great done by the Washington State Hospital Association(WSHA) concerning HAI,  should I advocated for the State of California to develop a completely redundant portal? My understanding is that U.S. Department of health and Human Services funds were in part responsible for the development of the site,

 Thousands of citizens in California will needlessly lose their lives or be seriously injured by HAI this year, preventing HAI has been accomplished in many facilities in California, at this time I am advocating for the CDPH to include a link to the good work of the WSHA on their current HAI website as a practical starting point for patient interest.

 Once again, than you and your staff for what you do and especially for your efforts concerning “Lets get Healthy California”.

Best regards,                                                              http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com

Michael H. Slavinski

 

Honorable Governor Edmond G. Brown Jr.

The Great State of California

Honorable California Senator Ed Hernandez

Chair, Committee on Health Care

Honorable  California Senator Mark Wyland

Honorable California Senator William W. Monning

Honorable California Assembly member Rocky  J. Chavez

Honorable California Assembly member Katcho Achadjian

Ms. Pam Kehaly

President, Anthem Blue Cross

 

Staff, Anthem Blue Cross

 

"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars."

Those of you who have been following these pictures, well, just cool stuff! "Knowledge is king", that came straight out of boot camp, books were actually called "knowledge" and trust me, you did not want to show up without your "knowledge"!

 

5's for patient safety!

Mr. Palacios, thought you might be interested in this as more public support for your efforts!

Dear Ms. Fraser,

Thank you Ms. Fraser for highlighting a critical issue, the fact that it was posted in the U.T. is most heartening. My wife and I just moved back here to Vista, northern San Diego County, good to know there is something in that paper other than the “Filner Headlock”.

http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/5-steps-create-culture-patient-safety/2013-10-17?goback=%2Egmp_1854742%2Egde_1854742_member_5797068599990444034#%21

 You have to choose between the L.A. Times and the U.T., which absorbed the North County Times so we get the L.A. Times delivered daily and the U.T. on the weekends for $20 a year. Here is what inspired my advocacy, “hai-five” dedicated to the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veteran’s Hospitals:

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/23/business/la-fi-hospital-infections-20110823

And now the U.T. kicks out this article, cool stuff, I guess I forgot to mention my wife was a bean counter for Coply News services, they owned the U.T. back in the day.

 According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services all forms of HAI are preventable, the answers are buried deep in a silo near you, a hospital is California has not had a Centerline Associated Bloodstream  Infection  (CLABSI) in nearly eight years, thousands in California will lose their life this year needlessly due to CLABSI.

 Currently my advocacy is highlighting the efforts of the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) to develop a “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” to be available and improved by all healthcare professionals worldwide, feel free to contact the CDPH via Mr. Palacios, feel free to use my password, “freedomofinformationact”:

Jorge.Palacios@cdph.ca.gov

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hai/Pages/default.aspx

Once again, thank you Ms. Fraser for making my day, the “5 steps to create a culture of patient safety” is pretty much the answer from what I have found out over the past couple of years, all this for a few old Jarheads. Not too sure what they think of my efforts up at the CDPH, leaves me to assume they have a good sense of humor!

“hai-five”                                http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com

Michael H. Slavinski                     

 

Cc:  Jorge Palacios, C.D.P.H. Healthcare Associated Infections

"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars”

 

p.s. The picture, "good by wine country"

Targets Up(draft)

Dear Ms. Hansten,

Once again, thank you so much for directing my advocacy for the prevention of Healthcare Associated infection(HAI) to the good work of the Washington State Hospital Association(WSHA) concerning patient safety.

http://www.wsha.org/partnershipforpatients.cfm

 While still digesting what the program is and yes, so far I am really impressed by many aspects of the presentation, I would like to exploit the opportunity to ask the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) to at least offer a link to the good work of the WSHA concerning patient safety. In this case my advocacy would start in Governor Browns office with an emphasis on improved patient safety and healthcare efficiencies, emphasized in his “Let’s Get Healthy California” taskforce:

http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17526

 Your offer of contact information for experts in the program perhaps  would be a big help for little do I know about healthcare and as far as the CDPH goes, on its own it is a substantial entity but where it is housed and the public, private and philanthropic organizations surrounding it, well, Darth Vader on his best day could not build something that massive, it is going to take me a few years to even understand how it functions. All this to help out a few old jarheads.

 Once again, thank you for your valuable time and all that you do concerning patient safety, I really appreciate it! Healthcare has to change, all of these great programs, most redundant, in my opinion, are nowhere near their potential, standardize the “known” and commit more resources to pushing past the known, at least that is my opinion.

Best regards,

Michael H. Slavinski

Quality is a function of staffing levels?

 

The question is:

 

I'm seeing a lot of Hospitals cutting staff as a reaction to Health Care reform and related lower reimbursements. What do you think ?

"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars”

Many facilities have had great success, at least with healthcare associated infections, a major cause of readmissions and deaths, more than likely just across the street from a poorly performing facility. More staff does no always equate to higher quality, the knowledge has to be put out there, my wish and advocacy is for these improvement to flow into our Veteran’s hospitals.

http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com         

 

Just getting back into it, the move down south has been a real challenge and we may well survive. Our kid finished up her tour with the U.S. Peace Corps and will stay in Africa for another year to finish up school and work on a Shea project, we will miss her and I include this stuff for the benefit of all of you U.C. alum working up there in the bay area. Anyway, she sent this picture a couple of weeks ago and asked me if I knew this guy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now our kid has finished her commitment in the U.S. Peace corps but she will be staying in Ghana to finish her masters and continue her work in the shea industry. A little worried we were last year, one of her tasks under resource conservation was to “organize farmers”, she just sent us this video, pretty cool!

 

http://www.jergens.com/the-jergens-difference/pass-on-the-radiance.aspx

 

"Do not be first, do not be last and never quit"

The advocacy for the prevention of Hospital Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veteran’s hospitals , as with any advocacy, requires energy and focus. Both critical ingredients have been lacking lately due to short term issues, moving our house and business, but forgotten our Veteran’s I have not.

 The debate is raging in the medical community, the answers are there in my opinion and documented on my blog but healthcare professionals far beyond my medical knowledge continue to tune the challenge as I write, the hundreds of thousands of California residents and our Veteran’s,  I am sure, are very thankful.

 My advocacy is dedicated to those who help others due to my lack of  knowledge and thankful I am for the patience of those in the medical community to allow my advocacy to exist but sometimes really odd things happen—

 Here I am, sitting at home using my smart phone to find a solution for the “FBI ransom white screen” malware on my Alienware laptop, my wife hands me the “snail mail” which included the attached note for the Honorable U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. Alright, a lot of Jarheads work at the U.S. Post office, “I get it” as far as the move, the house is doing well, the shop, well, my wife asked me how it is going, I said “it will be going better once I get control of my computer but in general, we are going to need a bigger hammer”!  

As far as our Veteran’s are concerned, well, they never gave up on us so I do not see a good reason to give up on them. As for my advocacy, I do not worry about being out in front,  I reflect back to profound knowledge gleaned from those who cared, “do not be first, do not be last and never quit”, Sargent Sanchez, platoon 3086, USMCRD, August 1982.  

 

“hai-five”

Michael H. Slavinski

 

http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com

 

"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars”

 

Ps: again, supporting those who help others, Susan G. Komen Foundation, they may give the term “never quit” meaning to a simple belief in my opinion!

 

"HAI Elimination" via HAI Liaison, CDPH

March 3, 2013

 

Jorge Palacios

California Department of Public Health (CDPH-CHCQ-HAI)

Re: Prevention of Hospital Associated Infections in our Veteran’s Hospitals

 

Dear Mr. Palacious,

 

 Once again allow me the thank you and all of the staff at the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) for all that you do concerning patient safety, I really appreciate it!

 At this time I would like to draw attention to the HAI Liaison program, the technical aspects are most profound, the direction is very encouraging but the logo, “HAI elimination”, as you can imagine, impresses me the most, I do not even know what organization it belongs to but support they will have!

 

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hai/Documents/HAI%20Liaison%20Program%20Summary%20of%202013%20NHSN%20Changes.pdf

 

The advocacy for the Prevention of Hospital Associated Infections in our Veteran’s Hospitals is dedicated to “supporting those who help others” and has identified the CDPH as a critical component in the healthcare’s effort to create a more efficient and safe, not only for California residents but also our Veterans and healthcare facilities world-wide.

 The following link takes you to an active debate contained Institute for Healthcare Improvement LinkedIn forum:

NatashaUnfollowFollow Natasha

You cannot Monitor improvement without Measuring...

Looking for thought leader’s insight on this. It seems everyone has the same goals to make your organization a better and SAFER place, but how?

 Please support the development of some form of “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” one process, one outcome!

Sincerely,

Michael H. Slavinski

 

http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com

 

"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars”

 

Robots in the virtual "Super Hospital"!

February 3, 2012    

Jorge Palacios

   California Department of Public Health (CDPH-CHCQ-HAI)

Re: “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI)”,

                              Another argument!

Dear Mr. Palacious,

 

 

Once again, thank you very much for the good work you and the staff at the CDPH are doing concerning the prevention of healthcare associate infections, as an advocate for the prevention of Hospital Associated Infections in our Veteran’s Hospitals, I really appreciate it!

As healthcare management loses confidence in their ability to develop a culture of safety proactive enough to prevent hospital associated infections(HAI) in our healthcare facilities there will be a race away from incremental improvement to the innovation camp, robots are really flashy but as General Motors found out in the 80s, worthless without a quality culture, the effort is already underway in my opinion. Fast forward thirty years, HAIs are becoming more powerful so perhaps there is a place in the virtual “Super Hospital” for our mechanical friends but without a “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” housed at the CDPH, covered by the freedom of information act we may never know, the scope of the demonstrations are just too small to determine the return on investment.

Here is one of the robots--

 http://www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/more-news/Robot-Fights-Infections-with-Ultraviolet-Light_40885.aspx

 

Here is the question on the Linkedin site Association for Professional Infection Control, I included the hard copy below, the argument is contained with a limited audience. APIC is also listed as a contributor to the CDPH HAI website, “thank you APIC”!  

http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=1854742&type=member&item=207803999&qid=32d0aa5c-798c-4f5c-9cfe-55fe71416246&trk=group_most_popular-0-b-ttl&goback=%2Egmp_1854742

The argument----

How does APIC feel about the use of UV-C light to disinfect patient rooms with the intentions of reducing HAI? Do you think this technology has a future in the Healthcare market?

 

Mike Johnson •UVc is a proven technique for disinfection of ORs, patient rooms, etc., as long as, there is sufficient dwell time. In discussion with facility directors, they realize the use of UVc portable equipment may cause a reduction in HAIs but are concerned with "shadowing" (UVc will inactivate only what it sees) and the ability of "housekeeping" staff to sufficiently complete the job through manual disinfection. UVc is part of the answer, not the whole answer. Facility directors are looking for ways to reduce costs and improve results; at this time there needs to be a combination of efforts, in sync and working together. UVc is just one piece of the puzzle.

 

Joseph Schulman •I agree with Mike Johnson, UV-C is one part of the total answer, but an important one. Another important part of the answer is advanced air purification technology that can completely "clear" the air, providing air purity beyond the capabilities of HEPA. This is important because, while HEPA is good, and advanced HEPA is even better, they are filters and even the best of them do not capture the smallest particles and it is the smallest of particles that can be tha most dangerous and illness-causing, according to the HArvard School of Public Health study recently released. A few years ago, during the 1990's, NASA devised a bio-conversion technology that was successful in removing all organic matter and VOC's from the air within the hydroponics lab onboard the space shuttles and ISS, (and it is now on display with all the retired shuttles), which has begun to be used in many industires just as successfully here on Earth. It has the capability to clear the air in a room or space of virtually all organic matter, pathogens, allergens, VOC's, spores, bacteria....virtually everything, and to thereby protect patients and staff from airborn threats. IMHO it should be installed in all hospital OR's, ER's and newborn nurseries, to name just a few places within a healthcare setting in which it could be deployed. This is a true breakthrough technology. I am not here to advertise so anyone interested in learning more please contact me privately. JKS

 

   Michael Slavinski •The shadowing, wad up a piece of paper, turn off the lights, turn on the flash light and illuminate every part of the paper, even the inside, non-visible surfaces, not a chance, another wasted “innovation” strategy.
Ok, now have your sanitation engineer tell you how they disinfected the roof? Air filtration sure is not going to hurt either, perhaps even positive air pressure to keep the bugs out.
Look in a clean room at your local chip manufacturer, cool stuff and sometimes we let dogs run through our hospitals?
Pleased support the development of some form of “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of Hospital Associated Infections”, to be hosted a the California Department of Public Health(CDPH), covered by the freedom of information act.
The “Super Hospital”, if not only virtual, is possible, your ideas on their own may not make it out of your silo but the possible cumulative impact of the right combination will be the answer.
My advocacy for the prevention of HAI at our Veteran’s Hospitals is counting on your input, send your “best practice” here

Jorge.Palacios@cdph.ca.gov

The CDPH is doing a great job concerning the prevention of HAI, their web site and resources are improving but they can only do so much without your input in my opinion!

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hai/Pages/default.aspx

Once again, “thank you”!

Sincerely,

Michael H. Slavinski

HAI robot—the movie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MShAH2ILrcg


"If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost," Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. "These are real dollars”

Quality statement via U.S. Peace corps, some things translate very well!

For those of you number professionals, SAP is very active in the shea industry, providing mobil access to markets and pricing to very hard working people!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWkuaPdXUB0

 

Ps: UCSF/CDPH, just because the Niner’s are getting smoked, no reason to turn off the lights!

"Super Bugs" hit "Prime Time"

 Last year I do believe someone at the World Health Organization claimed that Hospital Associated Infections(HAI), sooner than later, will be the demise of the modern hospital if nothing is done. I guess the national media here in the U.S.A. ran out of stuff so in 8 seconds of inspiration for the masses it is a headline for today anyway but them again, I think I heard it is on 60 minutes tonight as some form of profound new discovery!
Actually, this problem is accelerating due other factors in the U.S.A., not just antibiotics, due to all of the alternatives to our hospitals they now house once the very sick, patients unable to fight the infections.
O.K., I know little about healthcare but the whole “doom and gloom” never did much for me and it turns out I am not alone, stuck in a silo near you are the answers, some of them are pretty impressive and there is a way to share all of these known processes with all healthcare professionals in California by encouraging the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) to host some form of “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI”, here is the first one with a really impressive 7 years without a CenterLine Associated Bloodstream Infection(CLABIS)---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6JbNIhubCg

The CDPH has a pretty good HAI resources section and getting better all the time

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hai/Pages/default.aspx

If you have any “best practice” you think would be an asset send it here---

Jorge.Palacios@cdph.ca.gov

Here is a very promising program currently underway featuring collaboration between the University of California Medical System and Anthem Blue Cross—

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2012/11/14/uc-anthem-blue-cross-health-care-focus.html

Even more, here is California’s “Let’s get healthy California” program—

http://www.chhs.ca.gov/Pages/HealthCalTaskforce.aspx

The good news is that the currently funded surveillance system at the CDPH, provided a single process for the prevention was practiced on a large scale, could be used to do P.D.C.A. (Plan, DO, Check, Action) rather than focus on penalizing poorly preforming facilities utilizing one of the thousands of indigenous processes responsible for tens of thousands of deaths annually in the state of California!

ps: couple of more happy customers at the tree nursery courtisy U.S. Peace Corps! A friend, many years ago, told me of folklore, "only three things you can do will survive you, write a book, have a kid and plant a tree", pretty cool watching this stuff!

More culture from Africa, you rarely see a kid without a smile, not an Xbox in the place!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iK82NkybOk

Honorable California Assemblyman Achadjian!

 

January 24, 2013

 

The Honorable California Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian

35th Assembly District

1150 Osos Street #207

Sam Luis Obispo, CA 93401

 

Regarding: January 23, 2013 meeting

                   Advocacy for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI)

                   in our Veterans Hospitals with Ms. Vicki Janssen, District Director,

                                 35th California Assembly District

 

 

Dear Assemblyman Achadjian,

 

 Please allow me to humbly thank you for all that you do for the great state we live in, I really appreciate it.

 Thank you for the opportunity to present the interest of the advocacy for the prevention of HAI in our Veteran's Hospitals to Ms. Janssen. Due to the complexity of the current healthcare industry concerning the prevention of HAI it has taken a year and a half to get anywhere near a vision of an actionable position.

 The stunning aspect of our meeting was the in-depth appraisal of the evolution of my humble advocacy and a few very detailed talking points that could have only been raised by a professional who has followed every detail of my advocacy for some time.

 My presentation was somewhat challenged, this is the second presentation I have engaged in since the beginning, to leave the meeting with insight and clear direction was far beyond my expectation. Ms. Janssen's offer to collaborate with the Honorable California State Senator Monning's office regarding the prevention of HAI in general was very much appreciated and hopefully will help gain momentum in the Honorable California Governor Brown's "Let's get healthy California" impact on our state.

 From what I have learned there is a bright future in healthcare, my confidence comes from engaging professionals like Ms. Janssen, providing inspiration to continue to advocate for preventing fiscal waste and the tragic and needless harm done by HAI to not only our healthcare system but our Veteran's as well.

 Once again, "thank you"!

 

Respectfully,

 

Michael H. Slavinski                                http://h-a-i-5.blogspot.com

 

                                                                               continued on page 2

 

                                                                                                                                     

                                                                             Page 2    January 24, 2013

 

Honorable Governor Edmond G, Brown Jr,

The Great State of California

 

Honorable California Senator Ed Hernandez

Chair, California Health Committee

 

Honorable California Senator William Monning

 

Diana Dooly,

Secretary,

California Department of Health and Human Services

 

Ron Chapman, MD, MHA

Director,

California Department of Public Health

 

Pam Kehaly,

President,

Anthem Blue Cross

 

Sophie Harnage, RN

Clinical Manager of Infusion Services

Vascular Access Team at Sutter Roseville Medical Center

 

Staff, Anthem Blue Cross

 

 

 

“If we can improve the quality of care, that will translate into lower cost”, Anthem President Pam Kehaly said. “These are real dollars.”

The picture, judgement day a the tree nursury courtsy U.S. Peace Corps, the grant is in for next years crop and should be a legacy for one really proud U.C.R. grad!