Nurse Judith Keyssar Now an Author —Posted Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 10:10 am—
I’m always gratified to see people advance their careers, especially those who tap a whole new reservoir of talent and create something really wonderful. I’m speaking in particular of Judith Redwing Keyssar, R.N., who worked at MCDH for 12 years, 11 in the ICU.
Judith’s Last Acts of Kindness: Lessons for the Living from the Bedsides of the Dying has just received a prestigious Book of the Year Award from the American Journal of Nursing, which has been publishing an annual list of the best in nursing publishing since 1969.
Judith Redwing Keyssar, R.N.
Selected as one of the most valuable texts of 2011 in the field of Hospice and Palliative Care, Last Acts of Kindness is comprised of twenty-seven true stories that take place in hospitals, residence facilities, and homes that reveal the challenges and rewards that face the dying, their loved ones, and the professionals who care for them.
First Baby of 2012 Arrives! —Posted Monday, January 2nd, 2012 at 2:17 pm—
Jeanna Cauckwell, RN - House Supervisor with newborn Anthony Gomes
The entire MCDH family welcomes Anthony Gabrielle Gomes to the world and congratulates his parents, mom Menthie and dad Chris Gomes, third generation residents of Fort Bragg.
Little Anthony arrived at 4:31 pm on New Year’s Day. He weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21 inches long.
This is Menthie’s first child.
We also want to acknowledge the generosity of local businesses who donated gifts to the Gomes Family as a way to welcome the hospital’s first baby of 2012. They include:
Harvest Market — gift basket Oh baby — silver spoon, rattle (goodies) Relish — gift certificate Gallery Bookshop — gift certificate Laurel Deli — gift certificate Bowen of Mendocino — gift certificate MCDH Gift Shop — receiving blankets
Happy New Year to the Gomes and to all our friends and neighbors on the Coast.
Video Tour of DI Center Underway —Posted Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 at 7:06 am—
With the opening of the new diagnostic imaging center still a few weeks away (awaiting final state approval before we can see patients), the hospital’s marketing team has been busy creating a video tour of the center. Once completed, you’ll be able to visit our website and meet the imaging technologists who will care for you when you come to the hospital. You will also learn about the advanced technology and many new services we will offer, such as digital mammography.
Ribbon Cutting Celebrates New Diagnostic Imaging Center —Posted Monday, May 9th, 2011 at 11:06 am—
Pictured are MCDH CEO Raymond Hino, Ruth Valenzuela (Assemblyman Wes Chesbro), Jeff Tyrell (State Sen. Noreen Evans), Christine Anderson (Congressman Mike Thompson), MCDH Board Chair Sean Hogan, Diagnostic Imaging Manager Helena Coello, Chief Clinical Officer Roni McDermott and Fort Bragg Mayor Dave Turner and UnitedHealthcare Group Senior Medical Director William Olson, M.D.
On Friday, May 6, nearly a 100 people, including government officials, hospital employees, members of the project team and the public, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate completion of the $7 million, 8,000-square-foot diagnostic imaging center that has been two years in the making. The actual opening will be in two to five weeks, depending on how soon the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development completes required inspections. Once completed, Mendocino Coast Hospital will have one of the most modern, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging centers in all of California.
At the ribbon cutting, Chamber Ambassador Vicky Watts from KOZT (The Coast) Radio opened the event with introductions and then turned it over to me to introduce the many people who helped make the DI Center a reality.
I was particularly pleased to have Fort Bragg Mayor Dave Turner on hand to help with the ribbon cutting, along with representatives from the offices of State Sen. Noreen Evans, Rep. Mike Thompson, and Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, as well as Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra De Graw.
Mendocino Coast Hospital Board of Director Chairman Sean Hogan detailed how far the hospital has come the past five years, building a solid financial foundation while adding new new services and technology to support the people along the Mendocino Coast.
Another featured speaker was William Olson, M.D., senior medical director for UnitedHealthcare Group of California, which purchased the bonds to help finance the diagnostic imaging center and donated $500,000 in state planning fees. “United Health Group is very proud to be able to support the work of the Mendocino Coast District Hospital,” said Dr. Olson. “We are committed to investing in California’s hospitals and infrastructure to help maintain a high standard of patient care across the Golden State.”
Happy Halloween from MCDH! —Posted Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 1:12 pm—
Gene Simmons AKA Rick in Medical Records
Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year and it is especially fun at Mendocino Coast District Hospital. An Annual Tradition at MCDH is the Halloween Buffet and Trivia Contest that is hosted by our Medical Records Department. It is great to see the smiles and the comraderie as the entire hospital descends upon this department for a tasty snack! You will be greated by Gene Simmons at the front desk who will be happy to give you a San Francisco Giants high-five. Happy Halloween Everyone!
And the Winner Is …….. —Posted Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 at 9:31 am—
Judy Hougland, Marte Tubbs, Arlene Case
Dr. John Kerman called Tuesday night’s MCDH Employee – Volunteer – Medical Staff Recognition and Awards Ceremony “one of his favorite nights of the year.” I absolutely agree. This is the night that we celebrate our entire MCDH family for their contributions to our success. For the 3rd consecutive year the ceremony was held at the Cotton Auditorium in Fort Bragg with an audience filled with honorees and their families and co-workers. The Top Honors for the evening went to Marte Tubbs of Materials Management – Employee of the Year, Sylvia Burlew, Medical Records – Manager of the Year, Jason Kirkman, MD – Physician of the Year, Mary Flannery Kraut – Hospice Thrift Store Volunteer of the Year, Ray Arnold – Hospice Thrift Store Volunteer of the Year, Mark Gardner – Hospice Volunteer of the Year, Holly Kirkman – Junior Volunteer of the Year, and Toni Calavas – Chaplain of the Year. Marte was 1 of 4 very deserving candidates for MCDH Employee of the Year. The other candidates were Judy Hougland (Accounting), Arlene Case (Hospice) and Carol Baiduc (Laboratory).
June 25 is the Anniversary of Custer’s Last Stand —Posted Friday, June 25th, 2010 at 2:02 pm—
Last night our Hospital Attorney, John Ruprecht was telling me about a new book that he was reading. He said that it is so good that it is difficult to put it down. I love books like that so I asked him what he was reading. The book was about Custer’s Last Stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana. That statement immediately brought back many, many (many) very fond memories for me. No. I wasn’t at Custer’s Last Stand! But for 5 years I served as the Hospital CEO at Big Horn County Memorial Hospital in Hardin, Montana. Hardin, at the time, was a community of approximately 3000 people. It is located 10 miles away from the Little Bighorn Battlefield. Now a National Cemetary. For those of you that don’t recognize me in this photograph. I am the one with the cowboy hat and the grey beard. 4 members of our hospital staff and I are dressed for our hospital entry in the Annual Parade. Pictured with me are Judy Morris, Bill Hodges, Jo Engelhart and Sheryl McGurk. Every year during the weekend closest to June 25 (what a coincidence – that’s todays date), Hardin would celebrate “Little Bighorn Days.” The celebration would include a parade, craft fairs and 5 performances of a re-enactment of Custer’s Last Stand!
Remembering Don Tucker —Posted Monday, June 14th, 2010 at 7:15 pm—
Last Friday was an incredibly sad day when the news was received that former MCDH Board Director and Finance Committee Chairman, Don Tucker had passed away. I always thought of Don as a true Southern Gentleman. And I admired his wisdom and his fairness in handling the many difficult issues that we have faced as a hospital on the Mendocino Coast. His many years as a corporate executive in finance, served our hospital very well during the time that Don was on our Board and our Finance Committee. Don was fond of letting us know that he almost went to medical school, but his plans for a career in medicine were thwarted early in life by other obligations. The world missed out on a truly gifted physician, when Don ended up going into finance instead of into medicine.
T.R.U.S.T.E.D. —Posted Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 at 7:38 pm—
Dr. Brian Wong, a Family Medicine trained physician with an extensive background in medical group management and organizational dynamics, and the CEO of a Company called “The Bedside Trust” was our guest at Mendocino Coast District Hospital for 3 days last week. He taught a program entitled “ Collaboration Begins… with Community Intelligence – Relational answers to operational problems.” During the 2 and 1/2 days that he was here, he spoke to physicians, managers and staff level employees. In each group he was able to demonstrate that “at our best,” we exhibit things like “incredible communication, common goals, teamwork, mutual respect, appreciation and preparation and execution.” However, too often we fall into a pattern of “being self serving, entitlement, lack of appreciation and common courtesy, ego, temper and blame.” When that occurs, the costs to our patients, our team, our organization and our community are great.
I’m always gratified to see people advance their careers, especially those who tap a whole new reservoir of talent and create something really wonderful. I’m speaking in particular of Judith Redwing Keyssar, R.N., who worked at MCDH for 12 years, 11 in the ICU.
