issue 02-08
August, 2002

Luncheon bids farewell to Ken Hohla

To bid farewell and a happy retirement to Ken Hohla, HCA Chief Information Officer, a festive luncheon was held on July 23^rd at Yen-Ching Restaurant in Orange. With a turn out of more than 90 people, HCA and County employees packed the banquet room to wish Ken good luck and send him their best wishes on the conclusion of his 28-year career with the County of Orange.

A video featuring hilarious excerpts and outtakes of the HCA Executive Team wishing Ken farewell was the hit of the party. Equipped with a background of surfing music to illustrate Ken's love of the ocean and surfing, it included photos of the units that comprise our Information Technology Division. A memory book filled with a collection of warm wishes and memories from friends and collegues, along with photos of his work groups, staff and HCA's management team, was presented to Ken, along with a collection of specialized retirement planning gifts.

Ken plans to remain an Orange

County resident, and hopes to spend more time traveling and fishing. He leaves the Health Care Agency and his

many years of dedicated service to the County of Orange, with warm wishes for a retirement filled with good health and joy!

… more photos on page 6!

HCA leaps into a big win at OC Fair!

HCA leaped right into this year's Orange County Fair and came out a big winner for the Agency's elaborately decorated booth and amicable staff.

This year, HCA scored high points in the judging and placed third in an overall booth category that included theme, educational value and knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Adorned with frog themed inspirations including a live human frog (in costume that is), a makeshift pond and blue-sky background, HCA's booth was decked out to coincide with this year's fair theme of "Leap into the Fair." Booth visitors enjoyed playing HCA's own version of Jeopardy and even a velcro dart game, which gave them the opportunity to learn more about leading healthy lifestyles.

After waiting in long lines for fresh

A group of students enjoys taking the HCA Jeopardy challenge as Kim Pickering from the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention program educates them about the importance of healthy living.

… continued on page 6




			Spanish language website debuts
			Spanish language website debuts

New systems require planning			Orange County's Hispanic population is growing at a fast pace with Latinos representing nearly one third of the county's population, according to the latest Census data. To further reach this emerging group, a new Spanish language based website, OC ¡VIVE!.com, makes its appearance on the World Wide Web to offer its Spanish speaking visitors a taste of Orange County lifestyle and flair. Similar to the English language website www.ocnow.com, this Spanish language based website is a one-stop central source of information for Orange County residents. OC ¡VIVE! provides information on local and national news, the latest immigration issues, sports and entertainment and offers a virtual space to meet, conduct business, shop and share ideas. The website's locally produced content is an innovative and informative way to serve the hundreds and thousands of people from Mexico and other parts of Latin America who call Orange County their home. So, if your looking for the next spot to take your vacation, in search of classified listings or want to view and share health tips and family recipes, visit www.ocvive.com the next time you're surfing the web.

An old proverb says a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. That's also the case with initiating a System Request with HCA Information Technology (IT). If you're requesting a new report or even a whole new system, your first step is to complete an IT Projects Request form. This form provides the general description of what is wanted, its justification, and is used to obtain management approval. Following approval of the request by the appropriate Deputy Agency Director, IT conducts an analysis and a rough estimate of the monetary and human resources needed. A key part of the process is a meeting between the IT systems analyst and the requestor to gather details of the project. When enough information is obtained for the cost estimate, an approval is required from Program Support, and another approval may be required from the Deputy Agency Director (if the resources required exceed $10,000). The amount and type of information needed to estimate costs depends on the complexity and scope of the request. The requestor should be prepared to answer the following questions: • Who will need to receive this report? Should you include them in discussions regarding how the report will be developed? • What information should be included? Drawing a picture of the information you need is very helpful to the analyst creating your new report. Be sure to describe items that are specific to your service area. • How often will the report need to be produced? Weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually? Are there time restrictions imposed by county, state, or federal regulations? • Where will the information from this report be used? Is a hardcopy needed locally and a report needed for delivery to the State? Who is the State contact person for this report? Does the State have a required report format?	• Will this information be used in an Excel spreadsheet? Would you prefer the information be provided in an Excel spreadsheet instead of a hardcopy report? • Where will the information come from _ a local system or the Enterprise system? Do you need to discuss data entry cutoff times with the data input staff? • How should the information be sorted? Do you need subtotals, grand totals or both? Working your way through questions like these will allow IT to develop a product that will meet your expectations. After final approval of the Systems Request form, another meeting will be scheduled with the systems analyst. You may think you've answered all the questions, but you and your IT co-worker need to ensure a mutual understanding of the project. A successful project also needs your hands-on involvement when it comes to testing. Checking the information to ensure its completeness and accuracy will produce a more successful end result when you implement your new report. A larger system request will require the IT systems analyst to perform a "Feasibility and Requirements Study," working closely with Program staff. The study will cover: • Description of Current System • Description of Proposed System and its Requirements • Alternatives for Solution • Cost Benefit Analysis • Recommendations Once the study is completed and the project given final approval, IT will take the necessary steps to purchase or develop and implement the system. And the journey that began with a single step will be closer to completion!

			we're on-line! You can check out the latest issues of the Health Care Agency's newsletters by using this URL: http://www.ochealthinfo.com/newsletters/ We will keep current issues on line for a year. Let us know how you like the convenience!

		Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. —Anthony J. D'Angelo

Healthy Aging for All ads target seniors

To encourage positive health behaviors in older adults aged
60 years and up, the Healthy Aging for All campaign
(HAFAC) unveils this month a series of television ads to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases within the senior community.

Thirty-second television spots will begin appearing during the week of August 19^th on channels 2, 7 and 9 as well as the Spanish language station, Univision. The spots will also air on local cable stations broadcasting to residents living in Laguna Woods and Leisure World. The ads will feature a toll-free number for the Office on Aging, which will track and refer callers to relevant programs and services. In addition to the ads, posters and literature will also be available to further complement the campaign.

Working in conjunction with the mass media campaign, St. Jude Medical Center and the Community Development Council will offer Health Risk Assessments within several local communities. These assessments will provide participants with referrals to classes currently being implemented on tobacco cessation and hypertension, with focuses on nutrition, physical activity and social isolation.

The television spots were

developed through a process that included utilizing focus groups of older adults to test the concepts stressed in the commercials. The focus groups included seniors from different age and ethnic groups, all residents of Orange County, to ensure the messages will have the maximum impact. Staff from HCA's Public Health Services Health Promotion Division played an important role in the commercial development process.

The Healthy Aging for All campaign, primarily funded through Tobacco Settlement Revenue, is coordinated by Health Promotion's Chronic Disease Prevention Program. For more information on HAFAC, or to become a member of the HAFAC Advisory Council, please contact Andrea Glabb, Project Health Educator (714) 834-6770.

Researchers offer SIDS education

HCA's Health Promotion Divi-
sion recently collaborated
with Thomas Keens, M.D., a Professor of Pediatrics at the USC School of Medicine, in a new study on infant placement in relation to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Their research provides the opportunity to learn more about what hospital nursery staff in Orange County are practicing and what they are recommending in terms of infant placement.

Research revealed that 7 out of 10 nursery staff correctly identified back sleeping as the safest position for protection against SIDS. However, almost 7 out of 10 also reported placing infants on their sides. Since SIDS is the most common cause of death for infants from one month to one year of age, the study further suggests that additional education is needed among nursery staff and new mothers to emphasize the impor

tance of placing infants on their backs to sleep.

Penny Stastny, HCA SIDS coordinator, and Dr. Keens have been providing presentations on their study's results to interested parties in hopes of continuing to educate the community and hospital personnel on SIDS prevention through the use of proper infant sleeping positions. Furthermore, Penny and Dr. Keens are working collaboratively with Bob Olsen, Health Promotion Program Manager, and Travers Ichinose, Health Promotion Epidemiologist, to publish a peer reviewed professional journal article to further spread the news of their findings and yield changes in infant placement practices among both nurses and the mothers they advise.

For more information regarding SIDS or infant sleeping positions, contact the Orange County SIDS program at (714) 834-4429.

What's UP is a newsletter for employees of the County of Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.

Editors Howard Sutter Tricia Landquist
Anne Fialcowitz

Your Input

Phone (714) 834-5109

E-mail HSutter@ochca.com

FAX (714) 834-7644

Pony Bldg. 38-S, 4th Floor

Mom was right!

Eat your fruits and vegetables!

National Five-A-Day Week is celebrated September 22nd-
28th, and Orange County will be part of the effort to encourage Californians to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day and to stay physically active in order to improve their health.

Locally, the Five-A-Day Program, coordinated by HCA Nutrition Services, will host food demonstrations at area supermarkets to encourage shoppers to include fruits and vegetables in their diet. Orange County residents will also be seeing media messages promoting Five-A-Day in support of the state's effort to promote healthy eating and physical activity.

California's "largest salad bar" will be unveiled during a news conference at the State Capitol and the public will be invited to take a "Five-A-Day Pledge" by signing cards indicating their commitment to eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables and being physically active everyday. The California Nutrition Network for Healthy, Active Families, the California Five a Day Campaign and California Project LEAN will also release the latest research information related to eating habits and the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

There are at least five good reasons

ACS wins ASPCA award!

Orange County Animal Care Services (ACS) recently won a $1,000 prize in the first ever American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Friskies® Pet Protectors contest. The ACS honor is for their award winning PowerPoint presentation to educate local law enforcement on the importance of responding to animal cruelty calls and following through with investigations. As a result of providing the presentation to local Police Departments and Deputy District Attorneys, Orange County has seen a marked improvement in the outcome of animal cruelty cases and investigations. Congratulations ACS on a job well done!

Prestigious fellowship awarded

to eat fruits and vegetables. They are:

1. low in calories

2. naturally fat-free

3. full of many vitamins and minerals

4. rich in fiber

5. helpful in reducing the risk of certain types of cancers

Congratulations to Casey Dorman, Clinical Psychologist with Behavioral Health's Children and Youth Services (CYS), and Training Coordinator for the CYS Quality Review and Training (QRT) program. Dr. Dorman has been selected for the University of Chicago's prestigious Health Partners Fellowship Program. The fellowship is a two-year leadership development program to prepare leaders committed to creating organizational collaborations between communities and academic institutions to improve health.

Health Partners Fellows focus on exploring the nature of communities, academic institutions, the linkages between them and strategies for leading a redirection of health professions, education and health services in order to build bridges between institutions and communities. Dr. Dorman is recognized in both HCA and the academic community as a leader. His participation in the fellowship program will be a tremendous boost to our goal to broaden partnerships with local universities and colleges for the benefit of HCA's employees. Best of luck, Casey!

Training course receives high rating

Increasing awareness of early breast cancer detection and improving the quality of breast examinations has always been an objective for the Orange County Cancer Detection Partnership. To further educate clinicians on the issue, the Partnership recently co-hosted its 7^th course on Clinical Breast Examination: Proficiency & Risk Management at the West Coast Breast Imaging Center in Santa Ana, bringing with it an overwhelming attendance of clinicians from both LA and Orange Counties.

A line-up of exemplary faculty well recognized in the field of women's health contributed to the success of the class by bringing considerable knowledge and depth of experience to those attending. The class provided participants with training to improve the quality of clinical breast examinations and increase the clinician's awareness of patient satisfaction

and risk management issues related to breast cancer screening and diagnosis.

Rated as being a highly valuable learning and educational experience by its attendees, this continuing education course is recommended for primary care clinicians who regularly perform clinical breast examinations. Participants may recieve up to 5 CME credits for this 7-hour training course.

The educational training course is co-sponsored by the Orange County Cancer Detection Partnership, Department of Health Services, West Coast Radiology Breast Imaging Center and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For more information regarding the course or to register for the next class slated for Saturday, November 2, call the Orange County Detection Partnership at (714) 796-0157.

Goerndt selected for CCS Therapist award

Public Health's California Children's Services (CCS) Medical Therapy Program has honored Catherine Goerndt, a Registered
Occupational Therapist, as the program's Therapist of the Year.

Catherine works at the Baden Powell Medical Therapy Unit and has been with CCS since July 1995. A native Californian who grew up in Orange County, Catherine received her degree in Occupational Therapy from Loma Linda University. In selecting her for the honor, her colleagues described Catherine as compassionate, knowledgeable and a dedicated professional. Co-workers say there is not a family or child that is too challenging for Catherine and her gentle, calming manner. She is also known for her splinting skills, which she recently demonstrated in making a set of tiny, perfect fitting hand splints for a three-week old baby with arthrogryposis. Catherine is the proud parent of two grown children, a son and a daughter, and stays busy with church activities and her hobbies, which include running and crafts.

CCS established the Therapist of the Year Award eleven years ago to recognize a worthy staff physical therapist, occupational therapist, certified occupational therapy assistant or physical therapy assistant. The award is named in honor of the late Kathy McCarthy, who demonstrated her commitment to children and her profession during her 25-year career as an occupational therapist with the Health Care Agency. CCS staff nominate candidates for the award, with attention given to the nominee's accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service and professional organization participation.

Forms Committee gains site on HCA Intranet

Need guidance on creating a new form or modifying an existing one? Don't know where to turn? Help is just a few mouse clicks away on the HCA Intranet, where you will find a new page dedicated to the efforts of the Agency's Forms Committee.

The Forms Committee reviews all operational and legal documents, patient forms and billing forms to ensure they meet state, county and Agency requirements. The Intranet page, located at http://intranet.ochca.com/
custodian/forms/default.asp

includes links to a Quick Reference Guide to Forms and Documents, which provides information on the required elements and the areas that will be reviewed by the Forms Committee. The reference guide also covers the format issues important to ensure your form is ready for review when submitted to the committee. Along with the guide is the document that must be submitted when requesting a new or revised form.

So the next time you are asked to

work on a new form, don't sweat it! Just check out the Forms Committee page on the HCA Intranet, which is part of the Custodian of Records category under "Intranet Links."

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

—Robert Brault

September Health Observances

Baby Safe Month

Children's Eye Health and Safety Month

Healthy Aging Month

Leukemia Awareness Month

National Cholesterol Education Month

National Food Safety Education Month

National Rehabilitation Week 15-21

National 5 A Day Week 22-28

Family Health and Fitness Days USA 29 and 30

The HCA Compliance Program offers a confidential telephone hotline to voice your concerns about any situation that may conflict with Compliance Program principles. You may call the hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: (866) 260-5636

OC Fair

continued from page 1

Kim Pickering and Nancy Robins team up with Frank Hernandez, who donned his frog costume to help educate fair goers during their visit to the HCA booth. The display was appropriately decorated to encompass this year's OC Fair theme of "Leap Into the Fair."

roasted corn on the cob and strawberry topped funnel cakes, many fair goers flocked to visit the HCA booth inside the Orange County Building to pick up some healthy and resourceful information.

Staffed by representatives from all HCA programs during the fair's 17-day engagement, the interactive booth drew crowds of all ages with the encouragement of friendly, smiling staffers who invited them to partake in one of the many learning games and educational opportunities available.

With all of the excitement, creativity and effort that was clearly demonstrated this year by all HCA volunteers, next year's booth is sure to be another hit and a big winner! Special thanks go out to all HCA employees who volunteered their time to help make this year's fair booth such a huge success!

Fair goers interested in leaping into a healthy lifestyle stopped by the HCA booth to pick up some information on the various programs and services HCA offers including the Guide to Services and other health-related brochures and flyers.

Which way is the healthy way? Frank Hernandez helped point HCA booth visitors in the right direction to leading a healthy lifestyle at the 2002 Orange County Fair.

Agency Director Julie Poulson looks on as retiring HCA Chief Information Officer Ken Hohla models one of his farewell gifts.

Helping Ken complete his retirement wardrobe is Chief Compliance Officer David Riley, who emceed the event.

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