issue 06-05
May, 2006
Inside this issue...
PH
Lab enters the Information Age - Page 1
CAST welcomes new Medical Director - Page 1
Employee separations and transfers - Page 2
EMS Week is May 14 - 21 - Page 2
June Health Observances - Page 2
Groundbreaking held for Back Bay Science Center -
Page 3
OC Detection Partnership hosts education classes
- Page 3
Help TUPP mission to stop youth access to tobacco -
Page 4
Celebrate World No Tobacco Day - Page 4
Do's / Don'ts for mileage claims - Page 4
Introducing HCA's LMC Workplace Enhancement Subcommittee
- Page 5
Carusillo named Nurse Recruiter - Page 5
Recognition Ceremony honors employees - Page 6 & 7
National Nurse Week 2006 - Page 8
Spotlight on Excellence - Page 8
An automated system is not too far away for the 17th Street Public Health Laboratory. On April 18, 2006, the Orange County Board of Supervisors gave HCA the green light to move forward with Cerner Corporation for the implementation of a new laboratory system called PathNet. That means the Public Health Lab and more than 600 HCA Clinic staff will be cruising down the information highway in 2007.
Douglas F. Moore, Ph.D., Division Manager of the Public Health Laboratory, described the advantages of the new PathNet system over the current manual system. "The current manual system uses paper forms to issue test results and can take several days to make results available," said Dr. Moore. "PathNet will provide real-time reporting as soon as a test is completed. Users will be able to register patients, request lab tests, and transmit and receive test results electronically with just the touch of a button." More efficient data processing means less handwritten paperwork. It also means that test results that currently take up to a week will be available in about 2 days.
"Implementation of the PathNet system represents a significant step forward in terms of technology, productivity and efficiency," said David Riley, Assistant Agency Director. "This truly brings us into the 21st Century."
Another major benefit of the PathNet system is the ability to link all of the departments within Public Health. Clinic staff will soon be able to access test results and patient records quickly and easily, allowing for better exchange of information, improved patient data management, and increased security and confidentiality of patient records. The PathNet system also provides the security restrictions required under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ensuring that our laboratory information systems are HIPAA compliant.
"The new system is widely used in labs across the country and has proven its effectiveness in automating the reporting of test results," explained Kindra Dimitriadis, Public Health Information Technology Project Manager. More than 2,000 laboratories have implemented this system since it was first introduced more than 26 years ago. In August 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense began a 10-year contract to utilize the laboratory information system in the Military Health System's more than 100 hospitals and 400 clinics in the United States and around the world. "This is an exciting chapter for the Lab. We look forward to a successful implementation and a completely positive user experience," said Dimitriadis.
. . . continued on page 8
Orange County's Child Abuse Services Team (CAST) has welcomed Frederic W. Bruhn, M.D., as its new Medical Director, expanding the level of expertise available to the program.
Dr. Bruhn, a board certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, previously served as Medical Director of the SCAN Team at Children's Hospital Central California. His distinguished career has included serving as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at several medical schools. In Orange County, Dr. Bruhn will serve as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the UCI School of Medicine. He also served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, retiring with the rank of Colonel.
CAST is a multi-disciplinary program involving the Social Services Agency, Health Care Agency and District Attorney's office that serves as a center of expertise in the diagnosis of child abuse. Funding for the medical director's position was provided by the Children and Families Commission of Orange County, the Social Services Agency and Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian.
Do you know what to do when one of your employees gives notice? When an HCA employee separates or transfers from the Agency the employee and the supervisor are responsible for certain tasks listed in HCA Administrative Policy & Procedure III-3.04. These steps protect assets, maintain security, and promote smooth transitions. Common questions about the separation process are listed below.
Q. Besides planning a farewell luncheon, what needs to be done for
employees leaving HCA?
A. Supervisors/managers should review the HCA Separation Policy and
complete the Workforce Separation Checklist—visit HCA's Intranet at
http://balsam/intranet/P&P/03-304.doc to view the P&P checklist.
Q. Who needs to know that an employee is leaving?
A. Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT), and Facility
Support need specific information listed on the Workforce Separation Checklist.
Q. What happens if I forget to notify one of these departments when an
employee leaves?
A. If the departments are not notified, there could be a delay in receiving their
final check, access privileges might not be updated in a timely manner, and security could
be compromised. IT needs to remove access rights to the HCA Network and/or other
HCA systems. Facility Support needs to collect parking cards, keys and/or key cards
upon separation to keep our worksites secure and to reissue these items to new employees.
HR needs the final performance evaluations and to offer Exit Interviews/Surveys.
Q. I understand the importance of these procedures during employee
separation, but what if the employee is simply promoting or transferring to another Agency?
A. These procedures apply to all separating/transferring employees.
Removing individual access to information systems, networks and facilities upon separation
and/or transfer is an industry best practice. In addition, Federal HIPAA regulations
require that we prevent unauthorized access to protected health information (PHI) and to
facilities that house PHI.
Other items on the Workforce Separation Checklist include retrieving parking access cards, laptop computers, blackberry or cell phones and specialized County equipment assigned to the employee. Making sure that we collect the equipment will help the next employee have the right tools to do the job.
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
To celebrate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week from May 14-21, 2006 several organizations including HCA EMS have partnered together to plan a week of public information and outreach about the many vital emergency services and trainings that are available throughout the County of Orange.
Planned again this year is the 4th
Annual EMS Tailgate Celebration on Saturday, May 27
at 4:30 p.m. at Angel Stadium. Held under the
Big-A, attendees will enjoy free music, food and refreshments, as well as have
the opportunity to view fire engines, ambulances, police cars and more.
After the festivities, visitors can plan to attend an Angels game when they take on the Baltimore Orioles at 7:05 p.m. An order form for tickets to attend the game can be found online at www.ochealthinfo.com/emsweek/downloads/ticket_order.pdf. Terrace level seats are $20 and pavilion level seats are $10. For more information about ordering tickets, contact Kathaleen Hiller of the office of HCA EMS at (714) 834-3500 or khiller@ochca.com.
Other events planned include a Super CPR Sunday on May 21 at Angel Stadium and a Saddleback Memorial Half Marathon and 5K run on May 28 and 29. For more information about these events or EMS Week, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/emsweek/.
Each year EMS Week honors doctors, nurses, police officers, fire
personnel, paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians
(EMTs), health
educators and many others who provide emergency services to the public.
HCA EMS partnered with the Orange County Fire Chiefs Association, Orange County Fire Authority, Anaheim Fire Dept., Orange County Sheriff's Dept., American Red Cross-OC Chapter, Garden Grove Police Dept., Orange Fire Dept., Orange County SAFE KIDS and the Ambulance Association of OC to bring this year's EMS Week events and activities to the community.
June Health Observances
Home Safety Month
Latino Health Awareness Month
National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Scleroderma Awareness Month
Vision Research Month
National Cancer Survivors Day ...4
National Headache Awareness Week ...4-10
National Men's Health Week... 12-18
National ASK Day... 21
Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week ....June 25-July 1
National HIV Testing Day... 27
The annual Earth Day celebration took on new meaning this year as officials from the County of Orange, City of Newport Beach and California Department of Fish and Game gathered April 23rd at Shellmaker Island to break ground for the new Back Bay Science Center.
The start of construction on the long-awaited Science Center will have to wait a little longer, until Osprey chicks nesting nearby are able to take flight. But the delay did not dampen the enthusiasm of those who see the groundbreaking as the realization of a dream for a permanent water quality laboratory serving the Health Care Agency's testing programs.
Public Health Laboratory Director Dr. Douglas Moore was among those speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, along with Orange County Supervisor Thomas Wilson (Fifth District). Others attending included HCA Director Julie Poulson; David Souleles, Chief of Public Health Operations; and staff from both Public Health and Environmental Health who are involved in the water quality program. The County is one of the major financial contributors to the project, which will also house educational facilities and space for the State Fish and Game Department. Once construction begins, the facility should be complete in less than a year.
The Orange County Cancer Detection Partnership recently collaborated with The G.R.E.E.N. Foundation and St. Joseph Hospital Breast Center to host a breast cancer education class tailored to African American women who have a higher mortality rate from breast cancer than white women. On April 15, 10 African American women learned about the basics of breast cancer and the importance of early detection through clinical breast exams and mammograms.
Wooden bead necklaces illustrated the significant size difference in lumps typically found by accident vs. by a yearly mammogram. Participants also received valuable information about the Cancer Detection Programs: Every Woman Counts, which provides these breast cancer screening services free of charge to women who qualify.
On May 6, the Partnership also presented its first breast cancer education class tailored to Native American women in collaboration with Alianza Indigena (Indigenous Peoples Alliance). The Cancer Detection Partnership offers these free breast cancer education classes tailored to African American, Native American, and Asian and Pacific Islander women, which are identified as priority populations by the California Cancer Detection Section. For more information about these classes, please contact Rhonda Folsom at (714) 834-7635 or rfolsom@ochca.com.
Pictured (above) back, left to right: Ernesta Wright, Executive Director of The G.R.E.E.N. Foundation, daughter, Kobina, and granddaughter, Addae.
HCA's Tobacco Use Prevention Program mission is to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke in Orange County. One of its activities is helping to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco to minors in Orange County. The program partners with community groups to conduct youth purchase surveys in Orange County cities every year and educates tobacco merchants to increase compliance with the law.
While it is illegal in California for anyone to supply tobacco to persons under the age of 18, youth are still able to buy cigarettes in Orange County about 25% of the time they request it. The penalty is the same, whether or not a cigarette is given to a minor or a merchant sells a pack to a minor. The fine for furnishing tobacco products to a person under the age of 18 starts at $200. For an individual, it is costly, but for a merchant that sells tobacco products to youth, it's not. According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, cigarettes are the #1 profit item, bringing in almost three times as much as the next most profitable item, food.
All merchants that sell tobacco are required to post a sign at each register that states it is illegal to sell tobacco products to persons under 18 years of age; it must also contain the phone number to call to report an illegal sale (1-800-5-ASK-4-ID.) These signs are provided free of charge by the California Department of Health Services and HCA's Tobacco Use Prevention Program by calling (714) 541-1444.
A number of California cities and counties have adopted stronger regulations that require retailers to obtain a license to sell tobacco products and tobacco paraphernalia. The fees from these licenses are then used to fund enforcement of laws controlling tobacco sales to minors and can also be used to deal with alternative tobacco shops and stores that sell tobacco products illegally to underage purchasers. Communities that have adopted ordinances with adequate enforcement provisions have seen dramatic drops in the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors.
If you see someone selling tobacco to a minor, call 1-800-5-ASK-4-ID. If you have questions about this or any other tobacco related matter, please call the Tobacco Use Prevention Program at (714) 834-7408. For free help to quit smoking call HCA-funded 1-866-NEW-LUNG (639-5864).
It's time to celebrate! World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is a World Health Organization proclaimed festivity held on May 31 each year to raise
awareness of
how
destructive tobacco is to your health, others, and the environment. This year's theme,
"Tobacco: Deadly in any Form or Disguise," focuses on the many forms of tobacco, not only in
cigarettes and cigars, but also in products disguised under healthier names, fruity flavors or more
attractive-looking packaging.
To celebrate WNTD, the Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition, whose members are comprised of health, environmental and educational organizations will host an informative event during lunchtime on Wednesday, May 31 at Civic Center Plaza in front of the Hall of Administration building in Santa Ana. Booths will showcase tobacco control advances made over the years, a report card on how Orange County compares with the world in tobacco control, as well as many other information topics such as secondhand smoke.
When WNTD was first proposed in 1987, people smoked and exposed non-smokers to deadly toxins on domestic airline flights, work places, bars and restaurants, practically everywhere. Now non-smokers and smokers are protected in these places and all the municipal beaches in Orange County are smoke-free too. For more information about WNTD or the upcoming event on May 31, contact Herm Perlmutter from HCA's Tobacco Use Prevention Program at (714) 834-2904.
The following is adapted from a recent memo from the Auditor-Controller Central Payroll Unit regarding frequent errors found on mileage claims. As you may know, errors can cause a delay of your reimbursement by one to three pay periods.
DO verify personal information
entered on your mileage claim. For example, a saved template may
include incorrect personal information, such as an incorrect social security number.
Every time that template is used for a mileage claim, the same errors occur
month after month. Carefully review all information entered each time a claim is created.
DON'T use your Employee ID Number in place of your social security number. Your social security number must be used.
DO include your entire social security number (not just the last four digits), and review your social security number for accuracy (e.g., ensure numbers are not transposed).
DON'T put any numbers in the APPTS (11) field. Please leave it blank.
DO write legibly. Depending upon how they are written, a 6 or a 9 can look like a 0, a P like a D, a 5 like an S, and so on. If using an electronic template, be sure to use a large enough font for easy reading. If those who are keypunching your claim cannot read it correctly, your claim will be rejected by the system and be returned to you.
DON'T remove the MI under the RATE/CODE column, and do not include decimals after the MI. Simply put the appropriate code next to it (for example, use MI485, not 485, and not MI.485).
DO include your org and correct job number. Without this information, the claim will be returned to you for completion.
DON'T forget to use the electronic mileage claim form found on the HCA Intranet under Forms/Payroll.
DO submit your mileage claim in a timely manner so you can get paid in a timely manner!
If this article has been helpful to you, or if you have suggestions for future topics, please send your comments to HCAPAYROLL@ochca.com.
Does your work place need enhancement? If so, the HCA-OCEA Labor Management Committee (LMC) Workplace Enhancement Subcommittee is here to help!
The Workplace Enhancement Subcommittee (WES) was created by the LMC to facilitate creative workplace solutions to items submitted by HCA staff. The following are some examples that WES has helped to facilitate:
· Designate a parking and entry area at a building as a smoke-free area
· Keep reserved parking spaces for the assigned employees
· Increase office space for HCA employees at the jail
· Make it easier for clinicians in Children and Youth Services (CYS) to obtain psychological testing materials
· Eliminate a foul odor at Public Health
· Facilitate control of the rodent population in the jail by exterminators
How to Submit a Workplace enhancement request:
Submitting an item to the WES is easy! Click on http://balsam/intranet/lmc/issues.asp to access the Workplace Enhancement Solutions Form on the LMC website. Completed forms can be mailed to OCEA or to HCA HR, or be given to any LMC member (addresses and a current member roster are available online). Enhancement items can be submitted anonymously.
To learn more about past items the WES has addressed, click on http://balsam/intranet/lmc/issuesindex.asp and review the Workplace Issues Index.
It would NOT be appropriate to submit a workplace enhancement to the LMC if the following criteria apply:
· Issues concerning only one employee (examples: evaluations, PIP awards, disciplinary actions or interactions with fellow employees).
· Issues involving the classification of one or more employee (including reclassification issues)
· Suspected violations of the Code of Conduct, operational policies, laws or regulations which should be reported to the Compliance Office. The LMC is always seeking new enthusiastic members. If you are interested in joining, please apply at www.ochealthinfo.com/admin/lmc/application.asp.
Congratulations to Rhena
Carusillo, MSN, RN, PHN, on
her new role as HCA Nurse Recruiter in Human Resources.
The nurse recruiter position, formerly held by Kathleen Parris, is
responsible for seeking, identifying and recruiting the most qualified
nurses throughout Orange County to fill vacancy needs within the Agency.
Prior to her new position, Rhena was the Lead Clinical Coordinator for the Orange County Cancer Detection Partnership where she was responsible for maintaining a geographically and linguistically balanced regional healthcare provider network. Her role encompassed provider recruitment, professional education, technical assistance and continuous quality improvement activities.
Rhena's new position will allow her to explore various venues for recruiting nurses including career conferences, job fairs and working closely with nursing schools.
What's UP is a newsletter for employees of the County of Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.
Editors
Tricia Landquist Landquist
Howard Sutter
Anne Fialcowitz
Phone (714) 834-6644
E-mail TLandquist@ochca.com
FAX (714) 834-7644
Pony Bldg. 38-S, 4th Floor
An Employee Recognition Awards ceremony was held on Thursday, April 27 at the Hall of Administration to honor HCA staff
for their dedicated years of service and outstanding contributions to the Agency. The following is a list of service awards
presented:
5 Years of Service-53
10 Years of Service-10
15 Years of Service-12
20 Years of Service-10
25 Years of Service-7
30 Years of Service-2
Susan Cremeans from Public Health celebrated 30 years of service to the Agency and received recognition from Family Health Division Manager Tony Edmonds and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon during the Employee Recognition Awards ceremony on April 27.
Institutional Health Services Division Manager Maureen Robles and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon recognized Medical and Institutional Health's Sharon Linderman on her 25 years of dedicated service to the Agency.
Public Health staff Bouaphan Channita and Marlyn Lovell received 25 year certificates and pins for their dedicated years of service to the Agency from Family Health Division Manager Tony Edmonds and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Celebrating 20 years of service with the Agency, James Strozier from Environmental Health received recognition from Environmental Health Director Steven Wong and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Environmental Health's John Hiramoto celebrated 20 years of dedicated service to the Agency and received congratulations from Environmental Health Director Steven Wong and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Lori Funke from Public Health Services celebrated 20 years of service with the Agency and received recognition from Family Health Division Manager Tony Edmonds and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon during the Employee Recognition Awards ceremony on April 27.
Celebrating 20 years of service to the Agency, Barbara Bauman from Medical & Institutional Health Services received recognition from Institutional Health Services Division Manager Maureen Robles and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Public Health staff Noemi Hawkins and Jane Beynart celebrated 15 years with the Agency and received recognition from Family Health Division Manager Tony Edmonds and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon and MSI Project Director Bob Gates recognized Maggie Rawlins as she celebrated her 15 years of dedicated service to the Agency.
Jill Savage from Medical & Institutional Health Services received recognition for her 15 years of dedicated service from Institutional Health Services Division Manager Maureen Robles and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Medical & Institutional Health staff Erin Winger and Cary Clevenger celebrated 10 years of service to the Agency and received years of service pins and certificates from Institutional Health Services Division Manager Maureen Robles and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Judith Davis from Public Health Services received recognition from Family Health Division Manager Tony Edmonds and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon for her 10 years of service to the Agency.
Family Health Division Manager Tony Edmonds and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon recognized the following Public Health staff for their 5 years of dedicated service to the Agency. Pictured (left to right) are Colleen Nguyen, Elizabeth Corona, Silvia Otero, Susie Flores and Carolyn Wadsworth.
Janel Alberts from Quality Management's Research Unit celebrated 5 years of service to the Agency and received congratulations from QM Chief David Thiessen and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Environmental Health Director Steven Wong and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon recognized Regulatory Health Services staff Shyamala Kalyanasundaram, Tung Wong, Robert Curtis and Kar Cheng on their 5 years of dedicated service to the Agency.
Behavioral Health Services staff Kathleen Thomas and Denise Mercurio-Wasserman received 5 years of service pins and certificates from Behavioral Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mark Refowitz and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon.
Institutional Health Services Division Manager Maureen Robles and Regulatory Health Services Deputy Agency Director Mike Spurgeon recognized Medical & Institutional Health Staff for their 5 years of service to the Agency. Pictured (left to right) are Leah McLemore and Ebtesam Khaled.
National Nurse Week 2006
HCA's nurses and staff gathered to gether on Thurs-day, May 11 at the west patio area at the 17th Street Clinic to commemorate National Nurse Week 2006 observed May 6-12. This year's theme of "Nurses: Strength, Commitment, Compassion," emphasizes the true characteristics and dedication of nurses to their profession and the patients and families they serve.
The event featured guest speakers including Diana M. Bontá, RN, Dr. PH, Vice President of Public Affairs for Kaiser Permanente Southern California and former Director of the California Department of Health Services; Chief of Public Health Operations David Souleles and Agency Director Julie Poulson who was presented with a resolution from the Board of Supervisors declaring May 6-12, 2006 Nurse Recognition Week in Orange County.
Attendees enjoyed light refreshments while they listened to presentations from Karen Munoz, Manager of Community Public Health Nursing and Debbie Chitty, Interim Manager of Specialized Public Health Nursing.
To also recognize HCA nurses for their dedication and commitment to the health and well-being of the community, several displays were showcased during the event which featured photos and a video of HCA nurses in action.
Behavioral Health's Cultural Competency program named Dr. Ann Arcay as the recipient of the April 2006 Spotlight on Excellence Award. As a Physician Specialist with HCA's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services program for the past four years, Dr. Arcay is acknowledged for being compassionate, respectful and honoring of her clients needs especially in regards to cultural issues. Per her colleagues, Dr. Arcay is looked upon as one of the best doctors they have worked with.
Dr. Arcay specializes in internal medicine and currently
volunteers as a teacher at UCI Medical School. She earned
her master's degree from Columbia School of Public Health and
her medical degree from U.C. San Francisco. She has worked in
a variety of clinical settings including intensive care and
preventive medicine, as well as community clinics. Dr. Arcay's
special interest within addiction medicine is the psycho-physiology
of the disease.
Pictured (left to right) are Ronnie Kelley, Dr. Ann Arcay, Brett O'Brien and Rafael Canul.
continued from page 1
The Public Health Laboratory conducts approximately 140,000 clinical tests each year. Public Health uses these test results to help control diseases such as tuberculosis, West Nile Virus, rabies, and influenza. "The Public Health Laboratory is one of only eight public health laboratories in California certified to test for bioterrorism agents, including anthrax," explained David Souleles, Chief of Public Health Operations. "The new system will be a tremendous benefit in controlling disease outbreaks and in early identification of a bioterrorism event. The immediate availability of test results will be critical in managing issues such as pandemic flu or bioterrorism agents."
The implementation of the new system is well under way, and the IT department will continue working closely with Public Health Lab staff over the next several months to ensure a smooth and timely implementation process. The system is scheduled to go live in 2007.
|
HCA Home | Accessibility | Directory | Newsletters | What's Up ©2008 Orange County Health Care Agency |