issue 03-08
August, 2003
As a Senior Officer Supervisor D with HCA's Environmental Health Division, Linda Pixley's multi-tasking position provides her with many rewards including the opportunity to learn new things and interact with staff from a variety of programs. With the amount of diversity involved, Linda's day is never the same, and she clearly enjoys being able to adapt to each day's current needs.
Linda directs two office supervisors with 21 staff members who support 17 Environmental Health programs and the public by processing paperwork associated with the inspections performed at regulated establishments. She also serves as Building Manager and coordinates the maintenance and repair of the Environmental Health building by working closely with HCA Facilities/Real Estate and the building owner.
Linda recalls a memorable period in 1997 when the entire building required re-painting and carpeting. "Coordinating all the boxes, movers, painters and carpet installers and working with staff to ensure everyone had what they needed, was definitely great training for our upcoming move," said Linda.
Having begun her career with the County in 1980, Linda first worked in the Assessor's office where she used microfiche to code deeds for possible reassessment. She then worked as a Word Processor in the General Services Agency (GSA)/Real Estate
Mark September 3rd on your calendar. That's the "Go Live" date selected for IRIS, HCA's Integrated Records Information System, which will be bringing a host of registration and reporting features to a computer near you.
IRIS training kicked off August 11th and will continue through the month of September in order to accommodate all of the users of the new system. The training is being held in several HCA facilities, including 515 N. Sycamore (the `old' HCA Administration building), the 1200 N. Main building and at #12 Civic Center Plaza.
Leading up to the start of training, HCA staff representing Information
Technology, Behavioral Health, Medical & Institutional Health Services and
many other program areas have been finishing up the details of customizing and
building the system. As "Go Live" draws
nearer,
and training begins, the weeks and months of effort to produce a system
that meets HCA's current and future information needs will be evident to all.
Between the start of training and the "Go Live" date, keep an eye out for e-mail updates, which will provide HCA personnel with the latest information and status regarding the project.
As one of the many catalysts to the success of the IRIS Step 1 implementation, we hope you will take full advantage of the available training. In order to provide the on-going support HCA users will need, Information Technology's Help Desk will be offering customer service and technical assistance by telephone or e-mail to provide users with timely answers to any questions that may arise.
In next month's What's Up, we'll bring you an update on the successful implementation of IRIS, so stay tuned!
Breastfeeding Awareness Month!
Each August, many efforts are implemented to promote and support breastfeeding in Orange County during Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This year, HCA's Nutrition Services Program celebrated by hosting a series of events and displays that helped to educate and inform the women in the community about the benefits of breastfeeding their baby.
The series of events included visits by HCA's Certified Lactation Educators who provided numerous pediatricians in the County with the necessary tools to help them actively support and promote breastfeeding success. Several bookstores and libraries throughout the community also displayed material and books to help enhance the visibility of breastfeeding.
The Hall of Administration played host to a display highlighting this year's theme, "Breastfeeding in a Globalized World: for peace and justice." The display incorporated interesting breastfeeding statistics from other countries including Sweden and Norway where they have higher breastfeeding initiation rates and continue to exclusively breastfeed past 6 months of age.
The Nutrition Services Program continues to provide education and information to help increase the breastfeeding rates in Orange County. One goal is to help undecided women get all the information they can get to make an informed decision about breastfeeding. If you wish to become involved in breastfeeding promotion in the community, visit www.ocbreastfeedingcoalition.org and join the Orange County Breastfeeding Coalition.
For more information about the Nutrition Services Program, call (714) 834-7874.
—George Eliot
A 2003 audit of the County of Orange by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) required that all discrepancies between information on employee W-2 Forms and Social Security Administration records be corrected. This audit covered 3 items: name, date of birth, and gender. The IRS cited homeland security as the reason for the attention given to mismatched W-2 Form information, with fines possible for employers who do not take corrective action.
Our thanks to those of you who took prompt corrective action after being notified of any discrepancies found through the audit. We have heard that other areas, such as Department of Motor Vehicles records, are being affected as well. Right now, we are unsure exactly how this new federal requirement will change the way we do business, but we will try to keep you informed as we learn of the impact on new employee sign-up and current employee name change policies. While correcting this information might be an inconvenience, it does serve as a reminder that it's always in your best interest to keep important records updated and accurate to help eliminate future problems.
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program and also served as a Supervisor A with the GSA/Communications Division, which is now called Sheriff/ Communications.
After taking several supervisory classes and tests, Linda joined HCA in 1993 in her current position as Supervisor D with Environmental Health. Of the many hats Linda wears, she also maintains records of Environmental Health's controlled and fixed assets by conducting inventories, surplussing obsolete equipment and processing location changes.
In her spare time, Linda also serves as Environmental Health's Division Safety Representative and participates on the Disaster Preparedness Committee, Employee Recognition Committee, Environmental Health's Move Committee and the Envision Team Leader Group.
From using microfiche and word processing equipment before PC's were born, Linda is grateful for HCA's jump into the technology age. "I have seen HCA move into technology during the past five years at a record pace and sincerely applaud the efforts," Linda added. "With budget always an issue, the technology helps staff do their job in the most efficient manner."
According to Linda's colleagues, she is the epitome of dependability and serves as a valuable resource, always coming up with ideas to improve efficiency. Linda is also seen as a motivating and encouraging individual who allows her staff to take responsibility and full recognition for the job they performed.
In the future, Linda sees herself retiring and spending time with her husband, four children and 11 grandchildren. "I may also have time to finally get those family photos in albums and do some traveling," Linda added. Aside from work, Linda enjoys sewing, crocheting and working on her home computer.
Linda adds that her position at Environmental Health has given her the opportunity to learn new things and work with a great group of staff. "I would like to thank all the Office Services Staff for their dedication through tough times and Environmental Health's program staff for all their patience."
Congratulations to Christine Uyeno of Behavioral Health Services for receiving the Orange County Mental Health Board's quarterly "Exemplary Service Award," which acknowledges staff who demonstrate a personal commitment to quality and serve as an example to others.
Christine is a licensed Clinical Social Worker with Children and Youth Services' Costa Mesa Clinic. Having been with the County for 15 years, she is recognized by her superiors and colleagues as a highly competent professional, worthy of everyone's respect and admiration. She can also be counted on to be the first person to volunteer in performing new and challenging tasks and offer solutions to work related problems.
When CYS recently began a quest to develop clinical specializations to
maximize service delivery, Christine volunteered for a residential placements
clinical case manager position. In the course of a year, she has created and
implemented a case management specialization worthy of recognition
throughout CYS. Originally, the assignment was to include the services of two clinicians.
But, because of Christine's effectiveness, she has since carried the task on
her own. Christine has also volunteered to take on her clinic's Officer of the Day
assignment in addition to serving as the clinic's full-time case manager.
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!
The Health Care Agency's Labor Management Committee (LMC) was established in February of 1999 as a cooperative partnership with the Orange County Employee's Association. The LMC addresses and resolves workplace issues, including those related to the Performance Incentive Program (PIP). The HCA LMC is also involved with the PIP Mediation Process. While the PIP procedure is designed as a collaborative process and encourages communication between staff and their supervisors, at times, staff and supervisors need assistance in reaching agreements on issues such as goal setting and performance feedback. HCA's LMC has members trained to be mediators and are part of the Agency's Mediation Team. The LMC also has designated a "Lead Mediator" who is responsible for coordinating the mediation requests, scheduling meetings, acting as the liaison with Human Resources (HR), and facilitating the mediation process. Currently, HCA's Lead Mediator is Lee Boon, a member of HCA's Behavioral Health Children and Youth Services Division.
For many staff and supervisors, the mediation process may be a bit confusing. To clarify this process, HR has provided the following list of questions and answers:
What issues are eligible for the mediation process?
Performance Planning
Establishment of a Performance Improvement Plan
Goal Setting (including goal modification)
Employee's Coaching & Feedback Review
Determination that PIP goal(s) has not been met on a Final Review of Performance
Non-compliance with timeliness requirements
Overall Rating of "Does Not Meet Performance Objectives" on a Final Review of Performance*
Who schedules the mediation?
Once you have completed the Request for Mediation form and submitted it to HCA Human Resources, HCA HR will forward it to the Lead Mediator who will coordinate the meeting date and time with all parties involved. You will receive a "Mediation Appointment and Information" form with this information. If you resolve your issue prior to the scheduled mediation, you must contact the Lead Mediator to withdraw the request for mediation.
Who attends the mediation meeting?
The employee, the supervisor, the primary mediator and a co-mediator will attend. There may also be a representative present for both the employee and the supervisor, if requested. Neither party may call any witnesses at the mediation.
Who makes the decision about my issue during mediation?
The employee and the supervisor together will determine a mutually satisfactory resolution to the issue. No decision will be imposed upon you by anyone during the mediation.
What is the role of the mediator?
The mediator facilitates the process and remains neutral, neither advocating for the employee or the supervisor. The mediator helps you keep your statements focused on the PIP issue(s) that you are mediating. The mediator assists you in reaching a resolution to your dispute but has no decision-making authority. The mediator prepares any written documentation of the settlement you reach, signed by both parties, which is then forwarded to CEO Human Resources to be placed in a confidential file.
Agency-wide Compliance training will have a new look this year, as the tools of technology are used to make participation in the training easier than ever.
For the first time, a majority of Compliance training in 2003 will be offered on-line with a special emphasis on making the training interactive and engaging, as well as educational. A pilot program to offer on-line Compliance training to new employees is expected to begin in August, with feedback from the pilot program to be used to improve the annual Compliance training effort scheduled for October and November. Senior Assistant Compliance Officer Jeff Nagel says the on-line training will have several benefits. "First, it will be more cost-effective than classroom training, saving on parking costs, mileage and time away from work," said Nagel. "It will also improve the ease of scheduling, since employees can take it at their convenience." Another benefit is providing a consistent message, since the quality of training can vary according to the presenter in traditional in-person training. In addition, studies have found that on-line training can be completed more quickly than training offered in person. For those who may not have direct access to a computer, or are not yet comfortable with participating in on-line training, in-person annual Compliance training sessions will still be offered in 2003.
Another HCA program is also taking steps into the world of e-training. Behavioral Health's Children and Youth Services is conducting its annual provider training on a CD-ROM, which has been distributed to CYS clinic locations. The presentation includes tutorials on important subjects including Coding, Documentation, Billing and Diagnosis. CYS is also piloting the use of an interactive learning module on an outside learning management system called Blackboard as part of the effort to make training more convenient and accessible.
In the future, many training efforts will utilize a new learning
management system recently acquired by the County of Orange. However, that system will
not be fully available for use by HCA until
. . . continued on page 5
It would probably be possible to come up with at least one terrific success story a day about how an HCA program or service has made a difference in the life of an Orange County resident. This month, we feature an example from the Senior Health Outreach and Prevention Program (SHOPP) of putting HCA's Mission in Action by "protecting and promoting the optimal health of individuals, families and our diverse communities through Quality Services."
In late June, SHOPP received a phone call from a Utah resident expressing concern about an elderly family member living in Orange County. The call was assigned a high priority, with both a Public Health Nurse and a Behavioral Health Specialist responding the same day to the home. There, they found the individual of concern suffering from significant respiratory distress, despite the use of oxygen. However, the client would not agree to go to a hospital for immediate medical attention because they were also caring for a disabled adult child.
While continuing to work with the client, the SHOPP staff learned the client had a plan to take the life of the disabled adult child and then commit suicide when "things get worse." After notifying the police, a loaded firearm was found within the client's reach. Eventually, the SHOPP staff convinced the client to go to the hospital and arrangements were made to provide care and supervision for the disabled adult child. Today, both the client and the disabled adult are continuing to receive appropriate care and services.
Our congratulations to the SHOPP staff for their life-saving intervention in this instance and to all HCA staff for their tireless efforts to provide quality services.
What's my role?
The role of the employee and the employee's supervisor is to participate in good faith in an effort to achieve mutual agreement to any PIP issues in dispute.
Is anything related to this mediation placed in my personnel file?
No.
What happens during the mediation process?
There are only a few basic guidelines you will be asked to follow.
1) Only one person speaks at a time.
2) Name calling is not allowed.
3) Everything discussed and/or agreed upon during mediation is confidential.
4) All participants of the mediation meeting are committed to confidentiality. At some point during the mediation, you may wish to speak separately with the mediators and your representative (if present) in a private meeting known as a "caucus." Everything said in a caucus is confidential and will not be shared during the mediation unless you choose to share it.
What if we can't resolve the issue through mediation?
In the event you and the other party are unable to reach agreement through mediation, and would like to continue with the process, you may request a hearing before a Neutral Third Party (an outside arbitrator). Following this hearing, the arbitrator will make a final, binding determination of all issues in dispute. Requests for a hearing must be submitted to CEO Human Resources, Employee Relations within 7 calendar days of the mediation.
—Vincent van Gogh
later this year. The new system will provide additional tools to schedule training sessions, notify employees of the availability of training and document participation in educational programs.
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
From its incredible rides, to its irresistible foods and snacks, the 111th annual Orange County Fair, "Red, Ripe & Rockin'," the year of the tomato, has made its way back into Orange County. HCA participated again this year by hosting a booth conveniently located along with other County agency booths, inside the Orange County Building.
Fair goers had the opportunity to stop by HCA's booth and pick-up a variety of resourceful health information from opening day on July 11th until July 16th. After taking a spin on the La Grande Wheel and snacking on strawberry topped funnel cakes and fresh roasted corn, many fair goers wanted to also take their chances on playing the booth's popular Jeopardy Challenge game to see how much they knew about leading active and healthy lifestyles.
Booth staffers also educated visitors about the Health Care Agency and the many services and programs available to them. Special thanks to all the friendly HCA employees who volunteered their time to make this year's fair booth a rockin' success!
September Health Observances
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National Food Safety Education Month
National Sickle Cell Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
National 5-A Day Week 21-27
Family Health and Fitness Days USA 27-30
What's UP is a newsletter for employees of the County of Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.
Editors
Tricia Landquist
Howard Sutter
Anne Fialcowitz
Your Input
Phone (714) 834-6644
E-mail TLandquist@ochca.com
FAX (714) 834-7644
Pony Bldg. 38-S, 4th Floor
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