"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!

 

Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections, "road trip"!

Vicky Janssen                                             January 23, 2013

District Director

Honorable California Assemblyman Achadjian

35th Assembly District

Thank you for your invitation to present my advocacy to prevent Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veteran’s Hospital’s interest in the development of some form of "Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections" at the California Department of Public Health(CDPH).

The "need", California’s healthcare system is currently expensive and dangerous, HAI is a very large part of the expense and the cause of tens of thousands of serious injuries and deaths in California annually.

The "root cause", currently every healthcare facility in California is responsible to develop their own HAI prevention program and the catastrophic results are clearly stated in the currently funded surveillance system at the California Department of Public Health(CDPH). Due to the thousands of indigenous processes the surveillance system can do little more than identify and penalize poorly performing facilities. Training and turnover without some form of standard process is beyond my comprehension.

The "practical solution", adopt one proven process to be made available to all California healthcare facilities, hosted at the CDPH and covered by the freedom of information act, continually improved due to large scale implementation and feedback from the current surveillance system at the CDPH. The improved efficiencies of the participating healthcare facilities should encourage further participation.

Enclosed you will find a brief description of something close to a "Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI" from the CDPH website, the inclusion of the process to prevent Centerline Associated Bloodstream Infections(CLABSI) that successfully prevented CLABSI for seven years is a significant step further in my opinion and should be the first "best practice" adapted be the State of California.

The inclusion of Anthem Blue Cross’s "Patient Safety First" program demonstrates the effective development and use of standardized processes on a large scale, now the University of California’s Medical system and Anthem Blue Cross have a plan to "collaborate" to further improve healthcare efficiencies and patient safety, "who will have access to these gains"?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awaiting and sometimes funding "best practices" being developed at the State level, the origin of the term "Best Practice" Funding is also available at the World Health Organization, their opinion "HAI will sooner than latter be the demise of the modern hospital"!

What to do? Could your office please deliver my request to the Honorable Governor Brown and corroborating information to the Honorable State Senator Monning and Honorable Governor Brown? "Let’s get healthy California" is a good start, California is far behind other states concerning the prevention of HAI, to help our Veteran’s, my advocacy will not breach the gates at the V.A. but good science will!

Michael H. Slavinski


The picture, Christmas with a U.S. Peace Corps kid, all hand made and a sory of their own1

 

 

CLABSI, first "Best Practice"

January 13, 2013

 

Honorable Edmond G. Brown

The Great State of California

c/o State Capitol, suite 1173

Sacramento, CA 95814

 

Regarding: Prevention of Centerline Associated Bloodstream Infections "Best Practice"

 

Dear Governor Brown,

 

The Advocacy for the Prevention of Hospital Associated Infections(HAI) in our Veteran's Hospitals has identified the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) as a key organization not only in the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act but also in my advocacy(hai-five) efforts to prevent HAI in our Veteran's Hospitals.

 Currently we are advocating for the development of  a "Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI" to be maintained at the CDPH and covered be the freedom of information act. The CDPH has greatly expanded its efforts as a resource concerning the prevention of HAI but it has come to our attention that a process for the prevention of Centerline associated Bloodstream Infections(CLABSI) developed at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville CA has effectively prevented CLBASI for the past seven years making the process well suited for the first "Best Practice for the Prevention of HAI".

 Many of the findings of the "Let's get healthy California" taskforce add to the need for standardized, sustainable and trainable processes to significantly reduce healthcare costs in California in addition to preventing the needless loss of our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and Veterans.

 Healthcare facilities that choose to implement suggested "best practices" should operate more efficiently, pay less to their underwriters and be verified by our currently funded surveillance system for possible process improvement.

 Once again, thank you for all that you do for California, I really appreciate it!

 

Respectfully,

 

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

                                                   Continued on page 2

 

 

 Page 2 Prevention of Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections, Best Practice!

 

Honorable California Senator Ed Hernandez

Chair, California Senate Health Committee

 

Honorable California Senator William Monning

 

Honorable California Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian

 

Diana Dooly

Secretary,

California Department of Health and Human Services Agency

 

Ron Chapman, MD, MHA

Director,

California Department of Public Health

 

“Let’s get Healthy California” program

 

Pam Kehaly,

President, 

 Anthem Blue Cross

 

Sophie Harnage

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, our kid is home for the holidays, she wants me to hang on to some disks, hard copies, no problem, I got enough here to keep this blog going for years!

UC medical + Anthem Blue Cross + CDPH + SHEA = Sustainable Progress

January 2.2013

Jan Patterson, MD, MS, FSHEA

President of the Board of Trustees

Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America

 

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

 

Dear Dr. Patterson,

 Once again, please allow me to thank you and the entire staff at the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America(SHEA) for all that you do for patient safety. Your recent support as a resource for the Hospital Associated Infections(HAI) program at the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) marks a much needed first step in the creation of some form of “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” to be accessible to all healthcare professionals not only in the state of California but worldwide in my opinion.

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

Your body of knowledge contained at SHEA is now available for the recent agreement between University of California and Anthem Blue Cross to develop improvements in healthcare efficiencies and patient safety. Added to the great efforts by the staff at the CDPH the program should move the entire healthcare community just that much closer to preventing HAI and preventing needless loss of life and suffering to our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and Veteran’s.

 With any luck and advocacy these gains will be posted at the CDPH and made available to all healthcare professionals to not only implement but to challenge and improve in my opinion. The development of a “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” should yield a standardized process which will require a significant investment but could be the basis for training all healthcare professionals in the future, the return on investment would be exponential in most aspects, including my advocacy, preventing HAI in our Veteran’s Hospitals.

 Little do I know about the healthcare industry but over the past year I have learned a lot about the character of the professionals within allowing me the opportunity to offer my support to those who help others, much like you and the entire staff and membership at SHEA.

Sincerely,

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

 

The picture, our kid came home for the holidays after one and a half years in the bush in the U,S. Peace corps, mom is pretty happy and I got some pretty cool handmade swag for presents, even a "Bolga Basket", I guess I am pretty happy as well, we got some kayaking done at Morro Bay over the weekend, not much of a shopper myself, the picture is actually at the mall on State Street in Santa Barbara.

HAI Prevention, your input will save lives!

December 15, 2012

Jan Patterson, MD, MS, FSHEA

President of the Board of Trustees

Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America

 

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

 

Dear Dr. Patterson,

 

 Please allow me to thank you for the work you are doing concerning patient safety, I really appreciate it! Due to my lack of knowledge concerning healthcare my advocacy for the prevention of healthcare associated infections(HAI) in our Veteran’s hospitals is dedicated to “supporting those who help others”, much like yourself!

 Currently I am advocating for the establishment of some form of “Database of Best Practices for the prevention of HAI” at the California Department of Public Health(CDPH), it is covered by the freedom of information act and will be available to our Veteran’s hospitals and any professional interested in the state of the art science concerning the prevention of HAI.

 Any input from your organization would be most appreciated, this week I will be adding:

 

1.      Proper gauge of gloves operations to avoid micro cracks in the glove.

2.      Wireless, disposable contact leads, just 5s in general.  

3.      No name badge cords

4.       Proper water supply monitoring.

 

 

Email your response to:  Jorge.Palacios@cdph.ca.gov

 

Anthem Blue Cross recently partnered with the University of California concerning patient safety, good things should come from this, hopefully adding to the database,

 Healthcare facilities that implement these best practices should be easy to identify in California’s surveillance system, the public and big businesses will flock to these safe and efficient facilities.

 Constantly improving a known process will result in saved lives of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and Veteran’s. Using the current system to do little more than identify poorly performing facilities is a tragic waste of taxpayers’ money, developing thousands of individual processes is beyond comprehension, the statistics prove it in my opinion.

 Once again, thank you so much for your efforts!

 

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”

 

Ps: this effort will not be without cost, your support would be critical, the database already exists but your input and support will change the modern healthcare industry, management is already heading back the “innovation” camp, time is not on our side.

 

The Picture, food security youth camp via U.S. Peace Corps!

The price of not having a "Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections"!

December 9, 2012    

Jorge Palacios

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

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

Dear Mr. Palacious,

 Once again please allow me to thank you and the entire staff at the California Department of Public Health for the work you do to improve patient safety. After the recent report of the case of five Healthcare Associated Infections(HAI) due to, according to the media, a “lack of a national standard” concerning the prevention of HAI as the root cause allows my advocacy to “rest my case” in the creation of some form of “Database of Best Practices for the prevention of HAI” at the CDPH, “just kidding”, I want to make sure proper glove usage is added to the database, hopefully your office is way ahead of me. This week I made my first call to Assemblymenber Achadjian office, I will keep your office informed.

 Below is my comments to a new hand hygiene video put out by Jefferson University Hospitals, pretty cool. My wife makes me watch everything “Jackson”!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmMGwO4N0Vc

Not only wash your hands but just as important dry them as well. What did we do to ensure the entire medical community benefits from this profound knowledge, post it on line, make a video and forget all about it in a month or two.

 How about micro cracks in surgical gloves being used by a doctor with an active infection on his or her hands? Spend a few hundred grand repairing the damage(patients) and blame the medical system for not having a national standardized process, you can rule out a video but hiding the evidence is much more complicated via the law requiring the California Department of Public Health’s(CDPH) state of the art monitoring system, no credit in the media, report and the freedom of information act!

 Ok, we only use our state of the art monitoring system to penalizing healthcare facilities with poor statistics(mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and veterans), great! Anthem Blue Cross has partnered with the University of California Medical system to improve patient safety and efficiency, how about the CDPH developing some form of “Database of Best Practices for the Prevention of HAI” to be constantly improved by all and verified by the current(funded) surveillance system and actually benefiting the medical system worldwide.

 Yes, in my opinion it would save billions of dollars in California in addition to saving tens of thousands of lives annually, do you think underwriters might buy into the concept, "oh yea, they are driving the process"!

 

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

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/12/cedars-sinai-doctor-infected-5-patients-during-surgery.html

 

 

“hai-five” and “have fun”, just be sure and wash and dry your hands first!

 

Sincerely,

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

 

Ps: Happy holidays, here is something I ran across in my research, the colors are relevant for the season, the message is for all of those who will not be with their families for the holidays, fortunately, our kid will be home with us, mom is pretty excited!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eAk2rWjGrE

 

Semper Fi!

 

The picture, our kid and other P.C.V.s organized a “food security youth camp”. The chief, in a show of his appreciation for her efforts, gave her a chicken, a high honor in that area, mom asked her today “what happened to the chicken, “I ate it”!

She is coming home for Christmas, I have to be careful, she is probably going to see all this stuff!