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Who’ll Be “The Biggest Loser”? We’re Halfway to Knowing the Answer
—Posted Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 at 3:47 pm— «

MCDH Teams Continue To Shed The Pounds During Heated Home Stretch Competition

As we enter the halfway mark of the 12-week “Biggest Loser Challenge”, the pounds are evaporating, and competition among MCDH teams is heating up.

In case you haven’t heard, 60 MCDH staff and volunteers are participating in the County of Mendocino’s 12-week “2013 Biggest Loser Challenge” that began May 6.  The challenge is part of an effort to improve the health of residents here on the coast.

Halfway Mark Results Are Impressive

With 11 MCDH teams in the running, a collective 285.6 pounds have been shed — and we’re only half way there. “At this rate we could reach over 500 pounds!” says MCDH Wellness Coordinator Donna Schuler. Here are the stats:

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Posted in Health and Wellness, Uncategorized | No Comments »

MCDH AND UFCW 8 Agree on Modification to 3rd Year of MOU; Bankruptcy Exit Expected Sooner
—Posted Friday, June 7th, 2013 at 10:14 am— « »

Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) and its employee union, United Food and Commercial Workers 8 Golden State (UFCW8), have agreed on a package of wage modifications for the final year of the previously negotiated three-year contract, MCDH CEO Wayne C. Allen announced today.

“Thanks to the union leadership and all our UFCW8 employees, we will realize annual expense and cash flow reductions of about $1.8 million annually,” said Allen. “This negotiated agreement is a major accomplishment and improves our bankruptcy exit timeline.   The pending motion in the bankruptcy court to reject the MOU will now be withdrawn.”

“I am very pleased we were able to handle this matter outside the courtroom and can’t give enough credit to our employees and the union leaders who made it possible,” Allen added. “This is a significant step toward improved financial performance for the hospital, which is good for the community and employees.

“The MCDH employees are our most valuable resource,“ said Allen.  “The financial sacrifices they have made demonstrate their personal commitment to this hospital and their community.  My most sincere thanks to each employee.”

The Mendocino Coast Health Care District Board of Directors unanimously approved the negotiated changes to the MOU on May 30 during a closed-door session to discuss progress on the bankruptcy. Urged by union leadership to approve the MOU modifications, hospital employees ratified the changes June 6. (more…)

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Employees Honored for “Positive Difference” They Make to Patient Care
—Posted Friday, May 17th, 2013 at 3:49 pm— « »

CEO Wayne Allen, Foundation CEO Jeri Erickson and Benefits Manager Will Lee served lunch to employees Friday

Two kinds of pasta, green salad and cupcakes for dessert drew nearly 200 employees Friday to a free lunch served by the hospital’s managers. The occasion was an employee appreciation lunch during National Hospital Week.

 

Wellness Coordinator Donna Schuler and Credit Coordinator Cindy Schlafer were among employees attending the lunch.

“We are proud of our employees who are our most valuable resource,” said CEO Wayne Allen. “We thank them for the positive difference they make in providing high quality healthcare services to our community.”

Begun in 1921, National Hospital Week celebrates the history, technology and dedicated professionals that make our facilities beacons of confidence and care.

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Our 2012 First Born … 18 months Later
—Posted Monday, May 13th, 2013 at 3:57 am— « »

Anthony Gabrielle Gomes, at birth

Anthony Gabrielle Gomes, Age 18 months

 

A chance encounter in Mendocino recently led to this update about Anthony Gabrielle Gomes, son of Chris and Menthie Gomes, fourth generation residents of Fort Bragg. As you can see, little Anthony is thriving. We tried to get him to look into the camera, but something more fascinating in the distance caught his eye.

Weighing 8 pounds, 10 ounces and 21 inches long at birth, he has been sprouting over the past 18 months. That almost black hair is now light blond.

Little Anthony arrived at 4:31 pm on New Year’s Day, 2012. How times flies.

Posted in Human Interest, Patient Relations, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Ultrasound Wins Accreditation; Nuclear Medicine Passes Inspection
—Posted Wednesday, May 8th, 2013 at 4:04 pm— « »

Often overlooked by the public is the fact that rural hospitals, like ours, must meet the same state and federal regulations and adhere to the same quality guidelines established for all American hospitals, big and small. In other words, MCDH is held to the same inspections by The Joint Commission and accrediting medical societies, which help guarantee a high quality of care locally as a big teaching hospital like Stanford.

Just a month after the MCDH mammogram department was accredited, there was more good news this past week for the Diagnostic Imaging Center and, of course, our patients:

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60 MCDH Employees Join Biggest Loser Challenge
—Posted Thursday, May 2nd, 2013 at 11:14 am— « »

When the County’s Biggest Loser Challenge kicks off Monday, May 6, our hospital will have more than 60 employees participating. Click here for Challenge details.

“We are really excited about the response from hospital employees,” said Donna Schuler, hospital wellness coordinator and Challenge liaison. “We aren’t technically competing directly with county employees or employees of Frank Howard Hospital and Ukiah Valley Medical Center. But no doubt our teams will want to win the Challenge for the bragging rights alone.”
The real goal is to improve the health of residents on the coast, starting with hospital employees. “Hopefully we will be able to expand it to people in the community,” said Donna.

Credit for the Biggest Loser Challenge goes to Katie S. Ford, Mendocino County Wellness Program Specialist II.

(more…)

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Celebrating Our 307 Hospital Volunteers
—Posted Wednesday, April 24th, 2013 at 12:17 pm— « »

April is National Volunteer Month, a time to reflect on the contributions made by volunteers across the nation and along the Mendocino Coast.

During National Volunteer Week (April 21-27), Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) scheduled two volunteer appreciation lunches, honoring a long list of volunteers who have contributed an estimated 22,000 hours, valued at some $350,000, over the past year.

“Our volunteers make a very positive contribution to patient care,” said Wayne Allen, CEO/CFO at Mendocino Coast Hospital. “We appreciate very much all they do. The volunteer lunch is one small way we can thank them for a job well done.”

A Volunteer Snapshot

MCDH’s more than 300 volunteers can’t be neatly bundled. They come in all shapes, sizes, ages and interests, but share a common bond: they want to help, and they work without financial compensation.

Says Shirley Paoli, a member of Ocean Wave Quilters, which made a blanket for every new-born the past many years: “Trying to estimate or put a value on how much we give each year is difficult because we don’t think much about keeping a tally. We make quilts because it fills a need and the task is something we love.”

(more…)

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MCDH Mammogram Program Wins ACR Accreditation
—Posted Monday, April 8th, 2013 at 8:27 am— « »

Mammogram Technologist Margaret DeMarinis with ACR accreditation.

“The American College of Radiology accreditation is a designation which affirms the quality of the service and reports produced by the MCDH Diagnostic Imaging Center,” explained Diagnostic Imaging Center Manager Noe Hinojosa.

The ACR Mammography Accreditation Program provides peer review and feedback on staff qualifications, equipment, quality control and assurance, image quality and dose. Accreditation is required for all U.S. facilities. To learn more, visit ACR.Org.

(more…)

Posted in Diagnostic Imaging, MCDH Clinical Services, Technology, Uncategorized | Comments Off

MCDH To Participate in County’s Biggest Loser Challenge
—Posted Friday, April 5th, 2013 at 9:10 am— « »

The hospital’s rehab / wellness team has just opened up registration for the Biggest Loser Challenge to employees and volunteers and the response has been enthusiastic, according to Wellness Coordinator Donna Schuler. If you haven’t heard, here’s what’s happening:

Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) will participate in the County of Mendocino’s 12-week “2013 Biggest Loser Challenge” beginning May 6 in an effort to improve the health of residents on the coast.

The announcement came from Sarah Wagner, PT, manager of the hospital’s rehabilitation program, who will facilitate the local program with MCDH Wellness Coordinator Donna Schuler.

Credit for the Biggest Loser Challenge and resource materials goes to Katie S. Ford, Mendocino County Wellness Program Specialist II. Ford is helping manage the MCDH effort and is providing all necessary resource materials at no cost to Mendocino Coast Hospital.

(more…)

Posted in Employees, Health and Wellness, Mendocino County Hospitals, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Stanford Trained Orthopedic Surgeon to Hold Seminar
—Posted Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 at 9:34 am— « »

Jack Bellah, MD, will hold a free seminar at the Hill House Inn in Mendocino from 6:30 pm to 8 pm Wednesday, February 13, on options for regaining your mobility after injury, illness or chronic ailments, such as arthritis.
Physical Therapy Manager Sarah Wagner will describe the hospital’s pre and post surgery support programs.
Dr. Bellah’s seminar will include a discussion of hip and knee replacements and the less invasive hip replacement procedure he performs using the “anterior approach.”
He completed his internship and residency in orthopedic surgery at Stanford Medical Center and has more than 25 years of experience. Dr. Bellah each year performs 50 knee and hip repairs and a total of 250 orthopedic procedures here on the Coast.
Hors d’ouevres and other refreshments will be served. RSVP to the Hill House at 937-0554.
The seminar is sponsored by Redwood Investments and TOSHIBA with no cost to the hospital.

Posted in Health and Wellness, Orthopedic Surgery, Uncategorized | Comments Off

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