John Muir Health News

John Muir Health Awarded Triple Gold Recognition by American Heart Association/American Stroke ...

John Muir Health News — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Concord and Walnut Creek Campuses Two of Three California Hospitals Awarded Triple Gold Recognition

Walnut Creek, Calif. (August 12, 2010) - For the second consecutive year, the John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus and John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's prestigious "Get With The Guidelines" Triple Gold Performance Achievement Award for treatment and discharge of patients with coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure. John Muir Health's medical centers are two of the three hospitals in California and two of 33 in the country to receive this distinction in 2010.

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"Each year, 325,000 people suffer a recurrent heart attack, 5.7 million suffer from heart failure and nearly 800,000 suffer from stroke," said Neal White, M.D, cardiologist and heart failure medical director at John Muir Health. "By implementing the Get With The Guidelines program measures, we ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment and are discharged with an understanding of how to manage their risk factors to live a healthier life."

Currently more than 1,400 hospitals participate in the Get With The Guidelines (GTWG) hospital-based quality improvement program, which helps ensure that treated and discharged patients receive quality care in accordance with the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations that will reduce the risk of a second heart attack or stroke. The program is designed to take advantage of the "teachable moment," the time soon after a heart attack or stroke, when patients are most likely to listen to their health care professionals' treatment recommendations.

"Receiving Get With The Guidelines Triple Gold Recognition demonstrates John Muir Health's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart disease and stroke patients," said Raymond Stephens, M.D., neurologist and stroke program medical director at John Muir Medical Center -Concord Campus. "We are proud to be recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. This award is a tribute to our skilled and caring physicians, nurses, and staff."

This accomplishment signifies that John Muir Health's medical centers have reached an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure patients with 85 percent or better compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines and recommendations. According to GWTG treatment guidelines, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics and anticoagulants in the hospital. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.

Both John Muir Health medical centers have consistently and successfully implemented these quality measures for 24 consecutive months since participation began in the program. John Muir Health's staff develops and implements acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools enables both John Muir Health medical centers to improve the quality of care provided to heart disease and stroke patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce health care costs by lowering recurrence of heart attacks or strokes.

In addition, John Muir Health's medical centers received the Stroke Gold Plus award for achieving 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Performance Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with six Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Measures, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care. These measures include aggressive use of medications, such as tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs and smoking cessation, all aimed at reducing death and disability and improving the lives of stroke patients.

"With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award demonstrates John Muir Health's commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care," said Steven Holtz , M.D. neurologist and stroke program medical director at John Muir Medical Center -Walnut Creek Campus.

About John Muir Health
John Muir Health is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that includes two of the largest medical centers in Contra Costa County: John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus, a 330-bed acute care medical center that serves as Contra Costa County's only designated trauma center; and John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus, a 254-bed acute care medical center in Concord. Together, they are recognized as preeminent centers for neurosciences, orthopedics, cancer care, cardiovascular care and high-risk obstetrics. Other areas of specialty include general surgery, robotic surgery, weight-loss surgery, rehabilitation and critical care. The John Muir Behavioral Health Center offers psychiatric treatment for adults, children and adolescents who are experiencing emotional or behavioral problems. All three hospitals, including the John Muir Behavioral Health Center, are accredited by The Joint Commission, a national surveyor of quality patient care. In addition, John Muir Health provides a number of primary care and outpatient services throughout the community and urgent care centers in Brentwood, Concord, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.

About Get With The Guidelines
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based quality improvement program that empowers healthcare teams to save lives and reduce healthcare costs by helping hospitals follow evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. For more information, visit heart.org/quality.

'America's Best Hospitals' Survey By U.S. ...

John Muir Health News — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:00:00 -0500

John Muir Medical Center-Walnut Creek Campus in Top 50 for Orthopedics and Digestive Disorders

Walnut Creek, Calif. (July 15, 2010) – For the fourth consecutive year, John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus has been ranked one of the nation's top hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its annual list of America's Best Hospitals. The John Muir Medical Center – Walnut Creek Campus was named #40 in Orthopedics, the only non-academic medical center in northern California to appear in the Top 50, and #50 in Gastroenterology, making the medical center one of the top-ranked facilities on the West Coast in those specialties.

"As we proudly celebrate the "Best Hospital" distinction, we thank the entire John Muir Health family - our physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers - for their ongoing dedication to the health of our patients and the community," said Jane Willemsen, president and chief administrative officer of John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus. "This recognition is a tribute to their talent, skills and commitment to outstanding patient care that have made John Muir Health a health care leader."

John Muir Medical Center – Walnut Creek Campus was among 4,852 hospitals evaluated by the survey and among just 152 medical centers nationwide to be ranked even in a single specialty. The annual list of America's Best Hospitals can be viewed online at www.usnews.com today and will be available on newsstands on July 27.

According to U.S. News & World Report, "the rankings were developed and the specialties chosen explicitly to help consumers determine which hospitals provide the best care for the most serious and complicated medical conditions and procedures - not for those that are relatively commonplace."

"John Muir Health will continue to provide a range of high-quality services to the community so patients and families can stay close to home for their care," said Willemsen. "As a community partner, we are also investing more than $800 million in our Walnut Creek and Concord Campuses to provide a healing environment for patients, enhance patient care and safety and be adaptable to rapidly changing treatments and technology."

Orthopedics

With one of the Bay Area's largest and most comprehensive orthopedic programs, John Muir Health is recognized for providing the latest technology and innovative treatment options. Highlights include:

Board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons on staff providing innovative and compassionate care in such areas as total joint, spine, shoulder and hand, foot and ankle, trauma and sports medicine.
Dedicated Orthopedic Certified Nurses, therapists and staff to care for patients.
Advanced traumatic reconstruction procedures, as well as minimally invasive surgical techniques for spine, total hip and knee replacement.

Gastroenterology

John Muir Health is also a regional leader in diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal disorders. Services include:

Highly-trained specialists such as gastroenterologists, surgeons and other health care professionals committed to delivering innovative and compassionate care.
Technologically-advanced treatments such as minimally invasive colorectal surgery, liver resections, small and large bowel procedures, stomach, esophageal, pancreatic, duodenal and other digestive system procedures.

Application from John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus for Magnet designation now available ...

John Muir Health News — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Public Notice

Magnet Recognition Program® Site Visit

John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus has applied to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for the prestigious designation of Magnet. The Magnet designation recognizes excellence in nursing services.
Patients, family members, staff, and interested parties who would like to provide comments are encouraged to do so. Anyone may send comments via e-mail, fax, and direct mail. All phone comments to the Magnet Program Office must be followed up in writing.

Your Comments Are Confidential And Never Shared With The Facility. If You Choose, Your Comments May Be Anonymous, But Must Be In Writing.

Your Comments Must Be Received By July 9, 2010.

Address:

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Magnet Recognition Program Office

8515 Georgia Ave., Suite 400

Silver Spring, MD 20910-3492

Fax:

301-628-5217

E-Mail:

magnet@ana.org

Phone:

866-588-3301 (toll free)

John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus has submitted information for the appraisers to review. That information is available, twenty-four hours a day, to you for review at, or in, the Hospital Library.

John Muir Health and John Muir Health Foundation publish 2009 Annual Report

John Muir Health News — Mon, 17 May 2010 07:00:00 -0500

John Muir Health and John Muir Health Foundation publish 2009 Annual Report

Main Entrance to the John Muir Medical Center-Concord Campus off of Almond Avenue is re-opening ...

John Muir Health News — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Main Entrance to the John Muir Medical Center-Concord Campus off of Almond Avenue is re-opening on Monday, May 3

The Parent Project®: A program for parents raising today's strong-willed and ...

John Muir Health News — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Are you feeling angry, confused, desperate, frightened or frustrated with the challenge of parenting your out-of-control teen?

SOLUTIONS ARE AVAILABLE!

The Parent Project is a nationally proven program for changing destructive and out-of-control adolescent behavior. This program has helped hundreds of families in Contra Costa County and the adjacent areas. It is designed for any care provider dealing with serious adolescent acting-out. Learn effective parenting skills and get the support you need.

Parents Who Complete The Course Will Learn How To

Restore love & unity to their family
Improve the self-esteem of their teen
Improve school performance & attendance
Identify & intervene with drug & alcohol abuse
Confront problematic behaviors without arguing
Reduce family conflict & improve family relationships
Actively deal with negative peer associations & gang involvement
Effectively respond to threatening, destructive & assaultive behaviors

The PARENT PROJECT is presented over an 10-week period. Current classes are held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at two John Muir locations in Contra Costa County.

For more information, or to register for this powerful program, please call:
John Muir Women's Health Center
(925) 941-7900 (option 3)

or visit the following website:

www.johnmuirhealth.com/whcclasses

Facilitator:
Gabriel Welcher M.A.(925) 383-4669

Want a few tips that might help with parenting your strong-willed child?

John Muir Health News — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Loving Solutions ^®

Help is on the way !

For parents raising children 5-12 years old

Loving Solutions (aka Parent Project Jr.) is an award winning program that offers parents a concrete framework for working with children. Your children can grow up safe and confident! Get the support you need for highly emotional and impulsive younger children. This program is designed for people who want the best for their children.

Parents who complete this course will know how to:

Identify ideals,rules, and tools for the family
Respond appropriately to children's choices
Structure concrete solutions for challenging situations
Understand more about ADHD/ADD
Recognize and support success

Loving Solutions will be presented over a 7-week period. Classes are currently held in two locations:

Please contact the joh Muir Women's Health Center located in Walnut Creek for more information about the classes and how to register (925) 941-7900 (option 3).

You can also register by visiting the following website:

www.johnmuirhealth.com/whcclasses

More information is available by calling Mr. Gabriel Welcher M.A. at (925) 383-4669

Visitor Restrictions lifted at John Muir Health facilities

John Muir Health News — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Important Message from John Muir Health

Starting the week of March 22, visitor restrictions (no visitors under the age of 16) put in place last October to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu have been lifted on the John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus, John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus and at the John Muir Behavioral Health Center.

Given the low levels of flu activity in the community and at our hospitals currently, John Muir Health infectious disease specialists and members of our H1N1 Task Force decided to lift the restrictions.

To protect the health and safety of our patients and staff, and in keeping with existing hospital policy, we will continue to recommend that visitors who are ill not enter our hospitals to visit patients. Visits by children under age 12 are also discouraged except in circumstances when the visit may benefit the patient and child. Any person under the age of 16 will continue to be prohibited from visiting the Intensive Care Newborn Nursery.

We understand that the more stringent visitor restrictions enforced during the flu season were difficult for families and friends who had loved ones in our hospitals. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your understanding. Our top priority will continue to be the health and safety of our patients, health care workers and community.

John Muir Medical Center Auxiliary Gives $1 Million Toward $2.5 Million Pledge

John Muir Health News — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500

Long-Time Walnut Creek Campus Volunteer Organization Names Architectural Focal Point

Walnut Creek, Calif. (March 8, 2010) – John Muir Health Foundation, the charitable fundraising organization for all John Muir Health programs and services, has received a $1 million installment from the John Muir Medical Center Auxiliary, Walnut Creek towards their $2.5 million Capital Campaign pledge to support the current $621 million hospital expansion at the Walnut Creek Campus. In recognition of their leadership Campaign gift, a central rotunda in the new patient care tower will be named in honor of the Auxiliary.

"The Auxiliary has played a pivotal role in the establishment and development of the Walnut Creek Campus," said Sis Connolly, president, John Muir Medical Center Auxiliary, Walnut Creek and member of the Foundation's Board of Directors. "We are proud to continue our enthusiastic support of the medical center and its extraordinary commitment to our community. We look forward to the opening of the rotunda as the centerpiece of the expanded medical center."

"We greatly appreciate this donation and the ongoing support we receive from the Auxiliary," said Jane Willemsen, president and chief administrative officer, John Muir Medical Center – Walnut Creek Campus. "The rotunda's symbolism – joining the existing hospital lobby with the new main lobby – is a fitting tribute to the Auxiliary. Its members led the drive for the construction of John Muir Medical Center more than 50 years ago and continue to support the Walnut Creek campus in many ways as we move into a new chapter of our history."

Designed by Ratcliff Architects, the rotunda will be an architectural focal point as well as a useful wayfinding feature in the new patient care tower. The rotunda will be enclosed in a glass atrium and will feature lush bamboo stalks and running water, providing a light-filled garden sanctuary for patients and their families in the center of the hospital. Construction for the rotunda and the expanded hospital is currently underway and will be completed in December with an anticipated opening in the spring of 2011.

"The Auxiliary's gift is just one example of our community's deep commitment to supporting John Muir Health's programs and services," said Milt Smith, president of the John Muir Health Foundation. "The beauty and comfort that the rotunda will provide to our patients and visitors will be yet another extension of the personal assistance and care the Auxiliary volunteers already provide throughout the hospital every day."

Formed in 1959, the Auxiliary raises funds for state-of-the-art medical equipment and for outreach programs for patients and community members on the Walnut Creek Campus. Sources for Auxiliary funds come from The Garret Thrift Shop, The Muir Galleria Gift Shop and, the Auxiliary's Annual Golf Tournament, fundraising events through The Guilds, and additional special projects.

For information about how to support the "Breaking New Ground Right Here" Capital Campaign, call (925) 947-4449 or visit www.johnmuirhealthfoundation.org

About John Muir Health Foundation

John Muir Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1979 to secure philanthropic support for the not-for-profit John Muir Health organization, which serves communities in Contra Costa County, and parts of Solano County and Marin County.

As a leader in high quality patient care, locally governed John Muir Health continues to help make possible a number of "firsts" in the region, including the first oncology center in Northern California to offer breakthrough technology in the diagnosis of lung and esophageal cancer, the first Novalis stereotactic radio surgery system in Northern California, the first Level III neonatal intensive care nursery in Contra Costa County, and the first and only designated Trauma Center for Contra Costa County.

John Muir Health Offers Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

John Muir Health News — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:00:00 -0500

At the forefront of lung and chest care, surgeons offer innovative robotic procedures

Concord, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2010) – As part of John Muir Health's Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery program, a minimally invasive thymectomy – removal of the thymus gland – was successfully performed recently at the John Muir Medical Center – Concord Campus. This procedure, designed to minimize trauma to patients, uses the latest generation da Vinci^® Si Surgical System to help surgeons see vital anatomical structures more clearly and to perform a more precise operation.

"The less invasive nature of the procedure offers a tremendous benefit for patients because they experience less pain and scarring, less risk of infection and blood loss, shortened hospital stays, and faster recovery," said Murali Dharan, M.D., a cardio-thoracic surgeon and medical director of the Cardiac Surgery Program at John Muir Health who performed the thymectomy using robotic technology. "Robots enable surgeons to have a wider degree and higher precision of motion in manipulating instruments, which results in smaller incisions and less trauma to the patient's chest wall."

John Muir Health has been at the forefront of providing robotic surgery options to patients since 2002. Surgeons at John Muir Health use two state-of-the-art da Vinci Si robotic systems, one at the John Muir Medical Center – Walnut Creek Campus and one at the John Muir Medical Center – Concord Campus, for a variety of urologic, gynecologic, gyneocologic/oncologic, and gastrointestinal procedures and now for thoracic procedures.

"The two widely used approaches for a thymectomy require fairly invasive incisions through the neck or a long "Y" shaped incision between the chest and the breastbone," said Wilson Tsai, M.D., a minimally invasive thoracic surgeon and co-director of the Thoracic Program at John Muir Health who assisted on the case. "When you have a minimally invasive thymectomy using robotic technology, you significantly decrease the impact of the surgery. It is like the difference between getting punched by a 5-year-old and getting punched by Mike Tyson."

Gabriella Avina received a minimally invasive thymectomy at the John Muir Medical Center – Concord Campus. "I spent several weeks researching the literature on the thymectomy procedure. I came to Dr. Dharan for a second opinion after being told by another physician that removing my thymus gland would require a surgery that would split open my sternum or chest bone," said Avina. "After meeting with Dr. Dharan and Dr. Tsai, I knew within minutes that they would be my surgeons. With the robot-assisted procedure Dr. Dharan and Dr. Tsai used, I was out of the hospital in four days with three very tiny incisions on the side of my chest. I am continuing to recover very well. I could not be happier with the care I received at John Muir Health."

Armed with advanced high definition digital technology, the da Vinci^® Si Surgical Systems feature four robotic arms: one has a tiny video camera and the others manipulate sophisticated surgical instruments. The robot is controlled by a surgeon seated at a monitor and console. The system provides the surgeon with the intuitive control, range of motion, fine tissue manipulation capability and 3-D visualization characteristic of open surgery, while simultaneously allowing the surgeon to work through tiny incisions typical of minimally invasive surgery.

Located in the upper chest behind the sternum, the thymus gland plays an important role in the development of the immune system. The thymus is usually very active in infants, but loses much of its function as a person gets older. A thymectomy is usually done when a patient is an adult.

To learn more about minimally invasive robotic surgery at John Muir Health, visit www.johnmuirhealth.com/roboticsurgery

About John Muir Health

John Muir Health is a not-for-profit organization that includes two of the largest medical centers in Contra Costa County: John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus, a 327-bed acute care medical center that serves as Contra Costa County's only designated trauma center; and John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus, a 254-bed acute care medical center in Concord. Together, they are recognized as preeminent centers for cardiovascular care, orthopedics, neurosciences, cancer care and high-risk obstetrics. Other areas of specialty include general surgery, advanced endoscopic and robotic surgery, weight-loss surgery, orthopedic and neurology programs. Both hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission, a national surveyor of quality patient care. In addition, John Muir Health provides a number of primary care and outpatient services throughout the community and urgent care centers in Brentwood, Concord, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.

Ken Anderson, John Muir Health's President and CEO, Receives California Hospital Association's ...

John Muir Health News — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:00:00 -0500

Walnut Creek, Calif. (January 11, 2010) - John Muir Health, a community based, non-for-profit health care system serving Contra Costa County and surrounding areas, announced today that Ken Anderson, president and CEO, received the California Hospital Association's (CHA) highest honor. The Award of Merit was presented to Mr. Anderson for his dedicated leadership, exceptional contributions and distinguished service throughout his career to the California health care community and CHA.

"Ken is a proven health care leader in this state and a champion for patients, hospitals and the public," said Duane Dauner, CHA's president. "His leadership at the community, regional and statewide level has been extraordinary, and he is most deserving of CHA's highest award."

Mr. Anderson began his career at John Muir Memorial Hospital in 1974, became the hospital's administrator in 1978 and president and CEO of John Muir Health in 1997. During a career that has spanned more than 35 years, Mr. Anderson has led the development of John Muir Health to include medical centers in Walnut Creek and Concord, an outpatient facility in Brentwood, a Behavioral Health Center, a premier regional Cancer Institute, the John Muir Physician Network with more than 800 primary and specialty physicians, and MuirLab, the largest hospital-based reference library in California.

Outside of John Muir Health, he has served as chair of the CHA board, chair of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California board, chair of the Voluntary Hospitals of America - West Coast board and chair of The California Endowment.

"I am proud to accept this award and would like to thank our board members for their counsel and support and all of our physicians, nurses, volunteers and staff for their collective talent, skills and dedication to patients," said Mr. Anderson. "Their expertise and excellence have made our organization a regional leader in health care. It has been an honor to lead John Muir Health for more than three decades and, as we approach the completion of two exciting hospital expansion projects, I look forward to marking another milestone in the history of John Muir Health."

Under Mr. Anderson's leadership, John Muir Health has grown into a strong, independent community-based health care provider with excellent patient outcomes and high employee satisfaction. In just the past 18 months, John Muir Health has received 44 Awards for Excellence, including the American Heart Association's "Get With the Guidelines" Stroke Gold Plus award, HealthGrades Cardiac Surgery award, and "Best Hospital" ranking by U.S. News & World Report's annual survey.

"During his tenure, Ken's vision and commitment to excellence have transformed John Muir Health into one of the top medical institutions in the country," said Howard Jenkins, chair, John Muir Health board of directors. "He has worked tirelessly to ensure that East Bay residents have access to the highest quality of health care available anywhere and is very deserving of this prestigious honor."

About John Muir Health

John Muir Health is a not-for-profit organization that includes two of the largest medical centers in Contra Costa County: John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus, a 327-bed acute care medical center that serves as Contra Costa County's only designated trauma center; and John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus, a 254-bed acute care medical center in Concord. Together, they are recognized as preeminent centers for cardiovascular care, orthopedics, neurosciences, cancer care and high-risk obstetrics. Other areas of specialty include general surgery, advanced endoscopic and robotic surgery, weight-loss surgery, orthopedic and neurology programs. In addition, John Muir Health provides a number of outpatient services throughout the community including: Brentwood, Tice Valley/Rossmoor and San Ramon. Both hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission, a national surveyor of quality patient care.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Update

John Muir Health News — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:00:00 -0500

John Muir Health continues to have a very limited supply of H1N1 vaccine. We understand that there is a high level of concern about the availability of H1N1 vaccine. Unfortunately, we are only receiving very limited shipments due to production shortages encountered by the manufacturers. Therefore, we are vaccinating those at highest risk first: children, pregnant women and high risk adults. If you are in these highest risk categories and have a physician who is part of John Muir Medical Group, we will contact you to receive the vaccine.

If you are not a patient in these categories, please continue to check this Web site for updates.

If you are a patient with another physician group, please contact your physician's office to inquire further about vaccine availability. You may also wish to check the Contra Costa Health Services Web site (www.cchealth.org) to find information about County H1N1 vaccination clinics.

To protect yourself during the flu season, please follow personal hygiene guidelines:

Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
Cover your coughs and sneezes
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, stay home from work or school and away from other public areas until your fever has broken for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication
Avoid close contact with people with flu-like symptoms
Don't share food, utensils, drinking glasses, or a toothbrush with others

To learn about H1N1 flu, its symptoms, prevention and treatment, please visit: the Contra Costa County Health Services web site www.cchealth.org.

John Muir Health Receives Stroke Program Acheivement Award

John Muir Health News — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0500

American Stroke Association Recognizes Commitment to Stroke Patients

Walnut Creek, Calif. (Dec. 15, 2009) – John Muir Health's Walnut Creek and Concord campuses have earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's "Get With The Guidelines" Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes John Muir Health's exceptional effort and commitment to long-term success in patient outcomes for stroke care.

"Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and when it comes to its treatment, time is a critical factor," said Raymond Stephens, M.D, Stroke Program Medical Director at John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus. "Our multidisciplinary team approach helps improve patient outcomes and takes advantage of the time soon after a stroke to educate patients about how to manage their risk factors to avoid secondary events."

The goal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce the number of deaths and improve outcomes for heart and stroke patients. Through Get With The Guidelines–Stroke, the hospital provides customized patient education materials at the point of discharge, based on individual patient risk profiles. The program also uses the time soon after a patient has had a stroke, when they are most likely to listen to and follow their healthcare professionals' guidance, to teach patients how to manage their risk factors.

By implementing quality improvement measures aimed at bettering the lives and care of stroke patients, hospitals can ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment. These measures include aggressive use of medications, such as tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs and smoking cessation. To receive the award, John Muir Health had to adhere to stringent criteria for at least two or more consecutive years.

"John Muir Health offers the most advanced practices and life-prolonging care services for stroke care and this program is a critical step in improving the outcomes of stroke patients," said Steven Holtz, M.D., Stroke Program Medical Director at John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus. "The American Stroke Association's award is a tribute to the skilled and caring physicians, nurses, and staff who have worked very hard to implement the Association's highest standard guidelines to achieve this recognition."

For more information about John Muir Health's stroke services, including warning signs and treatment options, please visit our stroke services page.

John Muir Health Makes $45,000 Donation to Local Food Bank

John Muir Health News — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0500

On December 9, John Muir Health made the holiday season a little brighter for hundreds of local families in need of food with a $45,000 check to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. The organization helps feed approximately 98,000 people each month and provides hot meals and food boxes to local families and individuals. John Muir Health's donation will provide 135,000 meals for Contra Costa and Solano county residents.

"The devastating rise of hunger and homelessness as a result of the recession is more apparent than ever," said Alice Villanueva, senior vice president of Human Resources. "This donation reflects the generosity of our employees, volunteers and physicians who are committed to helping the members of our community this holiday season."

Vaccine Recall Update

John Muir Health News — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0500

John Muir Health did receive 300 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine (.25 ml pre-filled syringes for children between the ages of 6-35 months) recalled today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are no safety concerns. These doses are part of a voluntary recall of 800,000 doses shipped nationwide after tests indicated that the vaccine lost some of its potency over time.

Infants and children who may have received one of these doses do not need to be revaccinated.

According to the CDC, the vaccine in these lots is still expected to be effective in stimulating a protective response against H1N1 despite a slight reduction in its potency. There is no need to re-administer a dose to patients who received vaccine from these lots. Parents of those children that received the vaccine from the recalled lots do not need to do anything further other than to complete the two dose series recommended for this age group.

The health and safety of our patients is our highest priority and we will continue to provide the H1N1 vaccine to high-risk patients as it becomes available. If you are a patient with a physician who is part of John Muir Medical Group - updates on vaccine availability will be posted on our website as the situation changes.

For additional information about the recall, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/syringes_qa.htm.

John Muir Health News

John Muir Health Awarded Triple Gold Recognition by American Heart Association/American Stroke ...

'America's Best Hospitals' Survey By U.S. ...

Orthopedics

Gastroenterology

Application from John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus for Magnet designation now available ...

Public Notice

Magnet Recognition Program® Site Visit

Your Comments Must Be Received By July 9, 2010.

John Muir Health and John Muir Health Foundation publish 2009 Annual Report

Main Entrance to the John Muir Medical Center-Concord Campus off of Almond Avenue is re-opening ...

The Parent Project®: A program for parents raising today's strong-willed and ...

SOLUTIONS ARE AVAILABLE!

Want a few tips that might help with parenting your strong-willed child?

Loving Solutions ®

Help is on the way !

Visitor Restrictions lifted at John Muir Health facilities

Important Message from John Muir Health

John Muir Medical Center Auxiliary Gives $1 Million Toward $2.5 Million Pledge

Long-Time Walnut Creek Campus Volunteer Organization Names Architectural Focal Point

About John Muir Health Foundation

John Muir Health Offers Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

At the forefront of lung and chest care, surgeons offer innovative robotic procedures

About John Muir Health

Ken Anderson, John Muir Health's President and CEO, Receives California Hospital Association's ...

About John Muir Health

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Update

John Muir Health Receives Stroke Program Acheivement Award

John Muir Health Makes $45,000 Donation to Local Food Bank

Vaccine Recall Update

Loving Solutions ^®