The "Commander and Chief" and the top 12

June 4, 2012

The Honorable President Barack Obama

The White House

Re: The eradication of Hospital Associated Infections (HAI) in our V.A. hospitals

Dear President Obama,

Please allow me to once again thank you and your staff for the efforts currently underway in the struggle to eradicate Hospital Associated Infections (HAI) in healthcare facilities across our nation.

 My advocacy led me to the news release issued by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses that the Critical Care Societies Collaborative, (CCSC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded twelve facilities with:

“2012 Outstanding Achievement and Leadership award concerning H.A.I.”

HTTP://WWW.AACN.ORG/HAIAWARDS

My advocacy, to date, has been dedicated to “support those who help others” and a few Jarheads, the fact that the entire system will more than likely have to be fixed for me to achieve my goals, well, the fact that our local community hospital, Twin Cities, made the top 12 in the country is most encouraging!

 Please forgive me for my enthusiasm for the good work of the good people at Twin Cities Community Hospital and the thousands of professionals nationwide but I did promise Ms. Aylett, the author of the news release, that her work as well was going to the “Commander in Chief’s” desk!

 Once again, “thank you” to you and your staff, hopefully, some day the goal of “reduction” will be replaced with “eradicate HAI” and the “statistics”, in my opinion, these are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and Veterans. Please keep up the good work!

Respectfully,                                  

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


Continued on page 2   


Page 2, Eradicating HAI in our V.A. Hospitals      June 4, 2012

 

 

Honorable United Stated Senator Dianne Feinstein

Honorable United States Senator Barbara Boxer

Honorable Majority Whip United States Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Honorable Governor Edmond G. Brown Jr.

Honorable California Senator Sam Blakeslee

Honorable California Senator Ed Hernandez

Chair, Health Committee

Honorable California Assemblymember William W. Monning
Chair, Committee on Health Care

Honorable California Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian

Ms. Donna M. Beiter, RN, MSN

Director,

V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Systems

Mark R. Chassin, M.D., F.A.C.P., M.P. P., M.P.H.

President

The Joint Commission

Ms. Amy Panagopoulos

Senior Director

The Joint Commission

Ms. Pam Kehaly

President,
Anthem Blue Cross

Mr. Eddy W. Hartenstrin

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Times

President and Chief Executive Officer, Tribune Company



Ms. Mary Stahl, RN, MSN, CCNS-CMC, CCRN, ACNS-BC
President,
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

Rick Lyons
Chief Executive Officer,
Twin Cities Community Hospital

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"!

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

"Knowledge is King"!

May 22, 2012

Ms. Pam Kehaly,

President, Anthem Blue Cross

1 Wellpoint Way

Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

Regarding: National Healthcare Safety Network

Dear Ms. Kehaley,

Please allow me to thank you for your detailed description of the workings of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and the good work of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) at the CDC. My knowledge of the work of the C.D.C. has been greatly enhanced thanks to your detailed descriptions, my advocacy will continue to support their efforts with regards to patient safety.

In the near future my advocacy will be looking at the work of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) and the Partnership for Patients with their efforts concerning hospital acquired infections (HAI).

Anthem Blue Cross's Q-HIP ( Quality Hospital Insights) and the origins of my advocacy, "Patient Safety First" will still be a point of focus!

My advocacy will only progress as far as the leaders of the medical communities such as yourself and our elected officials wish for it to go, so far it has truly exceeded my expectations! This information will help me in my advocacy to ensure our Veteran's Hospitals have the best tools to combat H.A.I. in their facilities!

Once again, "thank you" for your time and the inspiration you and Anthem Blue Cross have given me to develop my advocacy and our mutual interest in it's success.

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

Michael H. Slavinski

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

Page 2 National Healthcare Safety Network

Honorable President of the United States Barack Obama

Honorable United Stated Senator Dianne Feinstein

Honorable United States Senator Barbara Boxer

Honorable Majority Whip United States Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Honorable Governor Edmond G. Brown Jr.

The Great State of California

Honorable California Senator Sam Blakeslee

Honorable California Assemblymember William W. Monning

Chair, Committee on Health Care

Honorable California Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian

Ms. Donna M. Beiter, RN, MSN

Director,

V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Systems

Mark R. Chassin, M.D., F.A.C.P., M.P. P., M.P.H.

President

The Joint Commission

Ms. Amy Panagopoulos

Senior Director

The Joint Commission

Mr. Eddy W. Hartenstrin

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Times

President and Chief Executive Officer, Tribune Company

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."

"Doom and Gloom"! News flash!

5.23.12

DRAFT: I do not know what I am going to do with this, if anybody has any ideas let me know! More than likely I will send it up the chain of command after I complete my last mailer! Ms. Aylett, let me know if we have any copyright problems here, saving money and above all, saving the lives of our mothers, fathers, daughters, sons and a few jarheads seems to be pretty important to everyone, all the way to the White House!

(I have no idea why this is all in caps but it is late, I will fix it as we go, it is not in caps in the editor)

 

 

"News release issued by American Association of Critical-Care Nurses"

 

Thank you to AACN, the rest of the Critical Care Societies Collaborative and HHS.

 http://www.aacn.org/haiawards

 

Best practices in efforts to eliminate healthcare-associated infections honored in national awards program

Orlando, Fla. — May 21, 2012 — The Critical Care Societies Collaborative (CCSC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced awards recognizing 12 hospital and healthcare facilities for their efforts to prevent — and eventually eliminate — healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a leading cause of death in the United States.

http://www.aacn.org/wd/publishing/content/pressroom/pressreleases/2012-may-hhs-ccsc-hai-awards-at-nti.content

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

Thank you Ms. Aylett! See the rest of the story and please update your files, it is time to shift the goal from “reduction” of Hospital Associated Infections (HAI) with “eradication of HAI”, in my opinion, “eventually eliminate”, the direction is good!

Also, in my opinion, we need to certify these facilities as “HAI Free”, they are far safer medical facilities and more efficient, given a choice, where would you spend your money as a customer?

Intensive Care Unit

Twin Cities Community Hospital

Templeton, California

Your kidding me, Twin Cities, that is our local hospital, how cool is that! V.A.P. is one of their award winners, even better yet, V.A.P. really dose not belong in our hospitals!

 Perhaps it is time to start recruiting, I know, "for what", I am still working on it!

Have a nice day!

Michael H. Slavinski

Mosquito nets, "thank you U.S.A."!

One small part of Africa now has mosquito nets, “thank you U.S.A.”!

Request to Congresswoman Lois Capps

May 11, 2012

Honorable Congresswoman Lois Capps,

1411 Marsh Street, Suite 205

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Re: Eradication of Hospital Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veteran's hospitals

Dear Congresswoman Capps,

 As I was voting last night I noticed your name on my ballet. Although my efforts to eradicate HAIs from our Veteran's Hospitals are apolitical to date I have restricted my efforts to my elected office holders and committee chairs.

 Fortunately, as a nurse, I will not have to bring you up to speed on the efforts by thousands of professionals nation wide, but, should you become my representative I would humbly ask for your support for all of those who have accomplished so much, both in the private and public sector. If you or your staff have time my interests are clearly spelled out in my blog. Our greatest need today is support for President Obama's budget for the N.H.S.N. under the C.D.C.

 Hopefully you will have patience with my efforts to develop my advocacy and my interest in supporting those who help others, including yourself, in an effort to rid our Veteran's Hospitals and perhaps every medical facility in the great country we live in of HAIs.

 Once again, thank you for your time and potential interest and above all, "welcome to Paso"!

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

Michael H. Slavinski

Cc:                                                                                                             

The Honorable United States President Barack Obama

      

 The Honorable United States Senator Barbara Boxer

The Honorable United States Senator Dianne Feinstein

Ms. Pam Kehaly

President, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield

Support for FY 2013 budget request for N.H.S.N.

Final

May 5, 2012

Honorable Majority Whip United States Congressman Kevin McCarthy

5805 Capistrano Avenue
Suite C
Atascadero, CA 93422

Regarding: Support for FY 2013 budget request for N.H.S.N.

                  

Dear Congressman McCarthy,

 Please allow me to thank for you interest and patience as I develop my advocacy for the eradication of Hospital Associated Infections (HAIs) in our Veteran’s Hospitals. As you know, in order to improve the patient safety in our Veteran’s hospitals “best practices” have to be developed at the state level according to the Department of Health and Human Services. In the 2013 fiscal year budget request for the National Healthcare Safety Network under the C.D.C. you will find:

“Support for state, tribal, local, and territorial public health”

 The return on investment on the $27.5 million, in my opinion, would be exponential.

 Due to the good work in both public and private sectors the cost in loss of life and impact on our economy on all levels has improved. My only reservation is that the word “reduction” as a goal is dated, “eradication” has been achieved on a small scale as I have noted in my previous communications and should be the “bar” and the consumer has a right to know if the facility is above that “bar”!

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

 Once again, “thank you” for all that you do for the great country we live in!

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

Michael H. Slavinski                                                    

    

                                                                  Continued on page 2

                                                             

  

                          Page 2          Regarding: Support for FY 2013 budget request for N.H.S.N.

Honorable President of the United States Barack Obama

Honorable United Stated Senator Dianne Feinstein

Honorable United States Senator Barbara Boxer

Honorable Governor Edmond G. Brown Jr.

The Great State of California

Honorable California Senator Sam Blakeslee

Honorable California Assemblymember William W. Monning

Chair, Committee on Health Care

Honorable California Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian

Ms. Donna M. Beiter, RN, MSN

Director,

V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Systems

Mark R. Chassin, M.D., F.A.C.P., M.P. P., M.P.H.

President

The Joint Commission

Ms. Amy Panagopoulos

Senior Director

The Joint Commission

Board of Directors

Wellpoint  Inc.

Ms. Pam Kehaly

President

Anthem Blue Cross

Mr. Eddy W. Hartenstrin

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Times

President and Chief Executive Officer, Tribune Company

Staff,

Anthem Blue Cross

Support for National Healthcare Safty Network!

Sorry, I did not want to modify this correspondence from the Honorable United States Senator Dianne Feinstein, the font for the header did not come through, I Just wanted everybody to see this and ask that you support the efforts on the Federal level, that will be the next stop!

 

Dear Mr. Slavinski: Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond. I understand you would like me to support President Obama's $27.5 million Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 budget request for the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), at any given time, 1 in 20 U.S. hospital patients have a healthcare-associated infection (HAI). HAIs can occur in any place that health services are delivered and HHS estimates HAIs cost $28 to $33 billion in preventable healthcare expenditures every year. You may be pleased to know that the CDC has announced that recent efforts to combat the incidence of HAIs have reduced the rates of all major forms of HAIs in the United States. The most dramatic decline has been demonstrated in central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in intensive care patients. The CDC has measured a 58% decline in CLABSI infections between 2001 and 2009, a result that is believed to have saved approximately 27,000 lives and close to $2 billion in healthcare costs. I applaud recent successes in attempts to reduce HAIs, but believe more must be done to ensure reductions in the number of infections in healthcare settings. Please know that as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have carefully noted your comments and will keep them in mind as the FY 2013 appropriations process proceeds. Again, thank you for contacting me. If you should have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards. Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein United States Senator Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the nation are available at my website, Feinstein.senate.gov. You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list. Click here to sign up. And please visit my YouTube, Facebook and Twitter for more ways to communicate with me.