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
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