issue 08-09
September 2008
Inside this issue …
Dorothy Hendrickson appointed to the NAMI Board of Directors
Earthquake exercise a success for Lestonnac Free Clinic of Orange
Get automated with Training Partner!
Training Partner, the County’s learning management system, is rolling out to all departments and agencies throughout the County as the former Online Registration Syste
m is phased out. Given the many mandated and continuing education units required for our licensed staff, one of the key benefits of Training Partner is its capability to create a comprehensive transcript of classes for each employee. HCA introduced Training Partner in January 2008 through its use in course registration for HCA’s Leadership Development Program and Training Partner will soon be added to other HCA program courses.
To ensure you receive automated enrollment, cancellation, and wait list clearance confirmation emails, make sure your correct email address is defined in the system. To do this, simply follow these steps:
Open Internet Explorer http://trainingpartner.ocgov.com
Click on “GO”
Enter “User Name” — FIRSTNAMELASTNAME with NO spaces or middle initial, as your name appears on your pay stub
Enter “password” in lower case, as the 1st time login password
Click “OK”
From the menu on the left, click on “LEARNER” down arrow
Click on “CHANGE EMAIL”
Enter your County email address
Click “OK”
Supervisors and managers: Are you receiving emails when your staff registers for classes? If not, you probably haven’t assigned your employees to you in Training Partner. Please take one minute to do so now following these simple steps: After login, click on “REVIEW” down arrow from the menu on the left Click on “LEARNERS” Click on “FIND UNASSIGNED LEARNER” Find your employee and click “OK” To learn more about creating a comprehensive online transcript, or for complete information and detailed instructions on more functionality of Training Partner, go to HCA’s online tutorials at http://intranet.ochca.com/hr/TSD/TP2000/default.asp.
Infection Prevention Fair set for October 8th
In 1986, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the third week in October as National Infection Control Week and called on all “federal, state, and local government agencies, health organizations, communications, media, and people” to take part in educational activities and programs during this designated week.
An Infection Prevention Fair is planned for Wednesday, October 8th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in observance of Infection Prevention and Control Week. The fair will be held in the Public Health Education Center, 1725 W. 17th Street, Santa Ana, in Training Building 1729E, behind the 17th Street Clinic. The goal of the fair is to increase health care worker safety through promotion of infection prevention practices and products. The latest infection prevention materials will be on display, including sharps safety equipment, hand sanitizers, disinfectants and cleaners and personal protective equipment. Free flu shots will be available to HCA employees during the fair.
Avoiding contagious diseases like the common cold, strep throat, and the flu is important to everyone. Here are five easy things you can do to fight the spread of infection.
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizers if soap and water is not available.
Make sure health care providers clean their hands.
Cough or sneeze into your sleeves. If you use a tissue dispose of it in the trash and wash your hands.
If you have flu like symptoms, avoid close contact with others.
Make sure your vaccinations are current to avoid disease and fight the spread of infection.
The 2007 Infection Prevention Fair was a huge success.
The HCA Office of Compliance is pleased to announce the appointment of Shelley Wallevand to the position of Compliance Analyst. Shelley was selected through a competitive process, which attracted over 180 applicants from within and outside the Health Care Agency. Shelley was chosen from among several strong finalists for the position, and will assume responsibility for coordinating Agency compliance training and sanction screening, as well as assisting in conducting compliance audits and reviews.
Shelley brings excellent credentials and experience to the Office of Compliance. Shelley graduated from California State University, Long Beach in 1997, where she majored in Physiology. She started with the Health Care Agency in Environmental Health in 1999 after some work in private industry. Shelley held several positions in Environmental Health, starting as a restaurant and pool inspector, and then working in the Illness Prevention Section, and most recently working as a supervisor for Environmental Health Plan Check. In her various positions and employment with HCA, Shelley has had the opportunity to conduct and track training for new Environmental Health employees, research new legislation and regulations as they pertained to her job responsibilities, serve on the Labor Management Committee, and work as a Technical Administrator for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
We hope you will join the Compliance Program in welcoming the Agency’s new Compliance Analyst. Shelley may be reached at (714) 568-5614.
Dorothy Hendrickson appointed to the NAMI Board of Directors
Orange County Health Care Agency Administrative Manager Dorothy Hendrickson was appointed to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, California (NAMI CA) Board of Directors at the 2008 Annual Conference held in Burlingame, California.
NAMI California is a grass roots organization of families and individuals whose lives have been affected by serious mental illness. It provides leadership in advocacy, legislation, and policy development on issues related to mental illness. The organization also provides education and support for individuals living with mental illness and their families throughout California.
Dorothy serves as the Health Disaster Management (HDM) Division’s Outreach Manager for Communities and Special Populations. Her HDM responsibilities include serving on several committees to build collaborations with special populations to ensure that all Orange County groups are adequately prepared to respond effectively in case of health-related disasters and other emergencies.
PHS has new Family
Health Medical Director
Dr. Eric Walsh has joined Public Health Services as the Family Health Medical Director. He most recently served as the Medical Director of Urgent Care at the Loma Linda Family Medicine Group and provided clinical care to patients in a variety of settings. Dr. Walsh holds an MD from the University of Miami’s School of Medicine and is board certified inFamily Medicine. He has also completed a Preventive Medicine residency, holds an MPH from Loma Linda University School of Public Health, and is currently completing his Doctoral Degree in Global Health.
As the Medical Director for the Family Health Division, Dr. Walsh will serve as the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Director, the Childhood Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program Director and the Immunization Director, with responsibility to plan, implement, evaluate, coordinate and medically manage MCAH services in Orange County. Please welcome Dr. Walsh to the HCA Team.
Nguyen
appointed
new Dental
Officer
The HCA Family Health Dental Program is pleased to announce the appointment of Victor Nguyen, DDS to the position of Dental Officer.
Dr. Nguyen graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. As an undergraduate, he double majored in Biology and Psychology. He brings with him experience as a practicing dentist to both children and adults at city, county and community clinics, including the City of Austin Community Care Clinic and the Harris County Hospital District Dental Program.
In addition to being the Children’s Dentist for the HCA Family Health Dental Program, in his role as Dental Officer Dr. Nguyen will provide oversight and direction of the professional standards and practice for the Adult Emergency, Children’s, and Ryan White dental programs.
A recent “California transplant” from Houston, Dr. Nguyen’s hobbies include music and tennis.
The HCA Family Health Dental Program is located at 1725 W. 17th Street, Building 50, Suite 101-L. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Nguyen to our HCA Family.
Public Health Laboratory
welcomes new Director
The Public Health Laboratory welcomed its new Director this month. Rick Alexander, MS, MPH, was previously the Director of Public Health Laboratory Services in Contra Costa County for over 20 years. Prior to that he served the County of San Bernardino as the Public Health Laboratory Director and as Program Manager for TB Control and Refugee Health, and some HCA staff may remember when he was a microbiologist and virologist with the Health Care Agency for 12 years.
Mr. Alexander brings a wealth of experience in management of labs, training and development of staff, and development and refinement of laboratory techniques. He holds an MS from Cal Poly Pomona in Biological Sciences and an MPH in Epidemiology from UCLA. In his new role, he will oversee the operations of Public Health Laboratory Services including full implementation of the new Water Quality Lab at Shellmaker Island.
World Breastfeeding Week & Awareness Month
Mother Support: Going for the Gold!
While athletes from all over the world were going for the gold in Beijing, HCA staff from Public Health Community Nursing (PHCN) and Women’s, Infant, and Children (WIC) Programs went for the gold as well, celebrating World Breastfeeding Week and Awareness Month in August. More than 120 countries around the globe joined this effort to raise awareness and promote the benefits of breastfeeding.
Opening ceremonies held on August 1st included a jointly sponsored in-service attended by over 100 program staff, partners and a local legislative representative. The PHCN and WIC Programs engaged in various activities throughout the month, including outreach to over 170 medical providers, and breastfeeding displays at Social Services Agency sites, HCA WIC sites, and county and city libraries, to provide up-to-date breastfeeding resources and information.
Data supports that breastfeeding is a major factor in the optimal growth and development of children. We encourage all moms to breastfeed. Who knows? Maybe their children will be the future Olympic athletes of America. For more information or to speak to either partner, you may call PHCN at (714) 834-7747 or WIC at (714) 834-7986.
Hats off to Jane Grametbaur, Senior CCN with Correctional Medical Services, for achieving the status of Certified Correctional Health Professional – Advanced (CCHP-A) through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. Advanced certification requires a detailed application and a four-hour proctored essay examination. Jane is now one of only approximately 40 people in the United States with CCHP-A status.
Jane also authored an article that was published in the Spring 2008 issue of Correct Care, the magazine of the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. Her article is entitled “Into the Future: Skill and Competency Testing in Corrections.” Way to go, Jane!
Earthquake exercise a success for Lestonnac Free Clinic of Orange
On July 25, 2008 at 9:00 a.m., a magnitude 8.0 “earthquake” shook the Lestonnac Free Clinic in the City of Orange. This simulated earthquake drill was a planned exercise coordinated by the clinic staff to test their capabilities to respond to the emergency needs of their community during a large scale event. To assist in this realistic scenario, over 40 community members volunteered to simulate injured victims and to test the clinic’s ability to use the newly learned incident command structure. Many other critical disaster systems were tested, including the effective use of mobile communication devices to direct supply requests and transportation of injured patients to ambulances. Local police and fire personnel also were present to play active first-responder roles in the mock exercise. The exercise provided an opportunity for Lestonnac Clinic to partner with the Health Care Agency’s Health Disaster Management team to exercise the set-up of surge tents and cots from the disaster preparedness equipment cache.
This successful event provided a valuable tool for capacity building for our local community clinics. Staff members were able to participate and provide simulated care for a large number of individuals in an emergency. In addition to practicing emergency plans, the drill also helped staff identify areas for improvement that will allow the clinic to better meet the needs of the public during an emergency. HCA's Health Disaster Management Division Manager Terre Duensing noted that “Lestonnac Free Clinic is to be commended for their outstanding leadership approach in local disaster planning for community clinics. We are proud of their exemplary commitment to plan for these emergencies in the community and look forward to working with other clinics in the future.”
For further information, please call Joe Vargas at (714) 667-8324.
 |
 |
|
Lestonnac Clinic staff tested their ability to respond to a health care emergency. |
 |
National Children’s Study spotlights OC
The National Children’s Study is a federally funded 25 year study designed to follow 100,000 children in 105 communities throughout the country from before birth to age 21 in order to better understand how children’s genes and their environments interact to affect their health and development. Orange County, one of the first Study Centers selected for the nationwide study, will recruit 1,250 study participants from 15 neighborhoods with equal birth rates and diverse ethnic, socioeconomic status and family structures. One of the primary goals of the National Children’s Study in Orange Country is to work closely and to share information with local medical, social and public health practitioners to ensure that results from the study are shared with the community.
By tracking children through infancy, childhood, and early adulthood, the study hopes to determine the causes of many diseases including birth defects and pregnancy related problems; injuries; asthma; obesity; diabetes; and learning and mental health disorders. Findings from the study will benefit all Americans by providing researchers, health care providers, and public health officials with information to develop prevention strategies, health and safety guidelines, and possibly new treatments and cures for diseases.
Local partners involved in the National Children’s Study include the University of California, Irvine, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, the Children and Families Commission of Orange County and the Orange County Health Care Agency.
HCA Exec Team cooks up some fun!
HCA Exec Team cooks up some fun! Get ready for the annual HCA Executive Team Lunch! This very popular outdoor event will feature woodfire-grilled hot dogs, live music, and more! Join the HCA Executive Team on Tuesday, September 30 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in the parking lot of the Old County Courthouse, at the corner of Civic Center and Broadway.
Each lunch ticket includes a Jerry’s Signature Wood-fired Dog or Veggie Dog, a bag of chips, a cookie, an apple and a drink. HCA United Way Coordinators will pre-sell tickets for $7 each from September 2 to September 23, and for $8 each at the event. Live music will be provided by OC Community Resources’ “The OC BAND” (formerly known as the Plumbobs). The event is open to all County employees – see you there!
“Talk About Prescriptions” Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Halloween Safety Month
Healthy Lung Month
Let’s Talk Month National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
National Chiropractic Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Medical Librarians Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
Sarcoidosis Awareness Day—4
Fire Prevention Week—5-11
Drive Safely Work Week—6-10
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week—6-10
National Child Health Day—6
Stop America’s Violence Everywhere Today—8
World Mental Health Day—10
Bone and Joint Decade National Action Week—12-20
National School Lunch Week—13-17
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day—13
National Mammography Day—17
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week—19-25
Respiratory Care Week—19-25
Interstitial Cystitis Awareness Week—20-26
National Drug-Free Work Week—20-26
National Health Education Week—20-24
World Osteoporosis Day—20
International Stuttering Awareness Day—22
Red Ribbon Week—23-31
Lung Health Day—22
Interstitial Cystitis Awareness Day—31
Quote
Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population.
—Albert Einstein
Quote
Jumping at several small opportunities may get us there more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along.
—Hugh Allen
What’s UP is a newsletter for employees of the County of
Orange, CA, Health Care Agency.
Editors
Tricia Landquist
Howard Sutter
Anne Fialcowitz
Phone (714) 834-6644
E-mail tlandquist@ochca.com
FAX (714) 834-7644
Pony Bldg. 38-S, 4th Floor
|
HCA Home | Accessibility | Directory | Newsletters | What's Up ©2009 Orange County Health Care Agency |
