community - Adventist Health

community
impact
2009 San Joaquin Community Hospital Annual Report
San Joaquin
Community
Hospital’s
Leadership
Governing Board
Robert J. Beehler
Brian Brenner, MD
Donald Cornforth, MD
Frank Dominguez
John Dovichi
Chris Frank
Kenneth Gibb
Marshall Hollingsead, MD
Hormuz Irani, MD
Joe MacIlvaine
John Owens, MD
Jerry N. Page
Scott Reiner
Kevin Rhamie
16
Executives
Robert J. Beehler
President and CEO
10
Brent Soper
Vice President of Finance and CFO
Debbie Hankins
Vice President of Nursing and CNO
Martha Samora
Vice President of Ancillary Services
Sam Itani
Vice President of Support Services
Jarrod McNaughton
On the cover: Twins Maximus
Joseph Rodriguez and Mary Jane
Mackensie Rodriguez in the NICU at
San Joaquin Community Hospital.
2
Vice President of Marketing and
Development
Foundation Board
Robert J. Beehler
Marjorie Blake
Kevin Burton
Janet Clary
Donald Cornforth, MD
John Dovichi
Chris Frank
Ron Fraze
Paul Fuller, MD
Jarrod McNaughton
Debbie Moreno
Bob Price
Monique Rogers
Brent Soper
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This annual report is published as a
community service for the friends and
patrons of San Joaquin Community
Hospital, 2615 Chester Ave.,
Bakersfield, CA 93301.
Telephone: 661-395-3000
Web site: www.SJCH.us
Jarrod McNaughton
Executive Editor
Jimmy Phillips
Editor, Writer and Production
Coordinator
Teresa Adamo
Writer
Henry Barrios
Photographer
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Copyright © 2010 Coffey Communications, Inc.
HSM24750h
3
make an impact
Changes that
Dear Friend,
Whether it was good or bad for you personally, there’s no doubt that 2009 was an
eventful year.
A historic presidential inauguration, the struggles of the American auto industry, and
the local successes and hardships we’ve endured here in Bakersfield—among other
things—have certainly made this year of change one I’ll never forget.
Change for the right reason
What is it about the enticement of change, of something new, that provokes us to make
rash decisions? No matter how many times our mothers told us that the grass isn’t always
greener on the other side of the fence, we’ve all manufactured change for the sake of change.
What we should be doing is asking ourselves if this change—a move, a new job or an
addition to the family—will better our lives or the lives of those around us.
In 2009, we experienced a lot of change here at San Joaquin Community Hospital
(SJCH). But in every instance we asked ourselves one big question: Will this
change positively affect the people of Bakersfield and Kern County? Wherever
possible, when the answer has been yes, we haven’t hesitated to respond.
Although the process began in 2008, 2009 marked the official opening
of the SJCH Grossman Burn Center—the first full-treatment burn center
in Kern County. After six months of operation, we’d already quadrupled
our expected patient numbers. Obviously, opening this center was a
change born out of need.
Our Chest Pain Center received national accreditation from the
Society of Chest Pain Centers, and our Maternity Care Center added a
neonatal intensive care unit. Both of these changes have helped our
hospital become a facility that can care for your entire family.
And then there’s our Children’s Mobile Immunizations Program,
which has been providing free immunizations to the kids of Kern
County for more than a decade. I guess there are some things that
should never change.
Making a difference together
The goal of our hospital is to have a lasting impact in our community.
The ironic thing is that without the support of you—our community—
our efforts would be in vain. So really, you’re the ones making a
difference.
On behalf of the leadership team here at SJCH, I want to thank you for
your help in 2009. As we move into a new decade, let’s continue to work
together to create changes that have an eternal impact on our community.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Beehler
SJCH President and CEO
4
Robert J. Beehler
making a
difference
You are
in our community
Chris Frank
Dear Friend,
Neighbors helping neighbors. That is what makes this community vibrant and strong. For the people of Kern County, this
sense of stewardship is visible through the generosity of those who support the San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH)
Foundation.
We have been fortunate that the philanthropic nature of our community has enriched the services and medical expertise
offered by SJCH, allowing us to provide the highest-quality care and leading-edge technology.
The best care is right here
In 2009, the community supported the opening of the SJCH Grossman Burn Center, establishing a state-of-the-art burn care
and rehabilitation center right here in Bakersfield. In the first six months of operation, more than 200 patients were treated in
the burn center, saving our neighbors and friends agonizing two-hour commutes to Los Angeles or Fresno for treatment, as
well as the worry about paying for gas, lodging and food during tough times.
The generosity of our neighbors also ensures that vital health and wellness programs continue to flourish. Underprivileged
children have access to free immunizations countywide through the Children’s Mobile Immunizations Program. In nine years,
SJCH has immunized more than 55,000 children, and today statistics show that 70 percent of Kern County children are now
up-to-date with their required childhood immunizations.
Because of you
Whether you have participated in one of our special events, remembered the SJCH Foundation in your estate plan or provided a
gift to support our Mission, you are making a difference in the lives of those who live and work in Kern County.
On behalf of the SJCH Foundation Board of Directors, I thank you—individual donors, local businesses and organizations,
major corporations, employees, physicians, and volunteers who have partnered with us to bring the best care to those in our
community.
All the best,
Chris Frank
Chair, SJCH Foundation Board of Directors
Member, SJCH Governing Board
5
“We completely changed the
way we do things and the way
we think of cardiac care. And it
all benefits our patients.”
—Stella Williams, RN, coordinator, Chest Pain Center
6
champions
Cardiac care
SJCH’s Chest Pain Center
has a winning team
In this game of life, our score depends on a number of
factors: eating well, exercising regularly and just plain taking
good care of ourselves.
Experts pass along these rules in hopes that we all rack up
points and enjoy many healthy, happy years.
But what happens when you fall behind in the game of life?
When your cholesterol goes up and your heart health goes down?
Who can get you off the sidelines and back into the game?
Team San Joaquin!
In 2009, San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH) was officially
designated a Nationally Accredited Chest Pain Center.
The process to acquire this status actually began in August
2008, when the hospital developed cardiac care procedure
improvements and set an implementation timeline. The hospital
had to meet stringent criteria, and a review team from the
Society of Chest Pain Centers had to approve the hospital’s
application.
In November 2008, the application was sent off. Six months
later, SJCH received the good news. Now, in addition to its
Nationally Certified Stroke Center (established in 2008), the status
of SJCH’s Chest Pain Center shows yet another commitment to allinclusive care for this community.
Although this latest milestone meant significant changes—
including new ways to assess treatment, Emergency Department
protocols and follow-up care—they’ve all been changes for the
better.
“We completely changed the way we do things and the way
we think of cardiac care,” said Stella Williams, RN, coordinator of
SJCH’s Chest Pain Center. “And it all benefits our patients.”
Teamwork saves lives
“Team San Joaquin” is a moniker that Williams has lovingly and
proudly given to the hospital’s dedicated cardiac staff and all the
personnel who have committed to these new ways. The nickname
illustrates that the accreditation status as well as
the high-quality cardiac care at SJCH are a team
effort, she said.
“Studies have consistently shown that when
procedures are performed in a very specific
way—the same way—each and every time,
they work,” Williams said. “This is true for all
top-performing hospitals, and that includes us,
thanks to our whole team.”
LEFT: Emergency Department personnel wheel in a
patient. RIGHT: Stella Williams, RN, works in the
cardiac catheterization lab.
Those procedures include echocardiograms (EKGs) taken
within five minutes of a patient arriving at SJCH’s Emergency
Department. Future plans possibly include partnering with local
emergency medical services personnel as part of the ongoing
efforts so that heart attacks can be diagnosed before the patient
even arrives at SJCH.
Cheering on the team
Much like a coach cheering on her players after each match,
Williams routinely sends out e-mails to rally “Team San Joaquin”
after the emergency treatment of a cardiac patient.
“I just like to let them know how we did, how what we do makes
a difference in the positive outcome for our patients,” she said. “It’s
instant feedback that points out what we accomplished.”
Williams added that perhaps the most important part of those
positive outcomes is following the cardiac care adage, “Time is
muscle, i.e. heart muscle.”
Nowadays, it’s not just about treating a heart attack and saving
a person’s life. It’s also about saving the quality of that person’s life.
And to do that, permanent heart damage must be prevented.
“We’re always looking for new ways, new medicines, whatever
it takes to get that artery opened again and oxygen flowing to
prevent damage to the heart,” said Todd Peterson, DO, medical
director of the Chest Pain Center, referring, in part, to the
90-minute door-to-balloon guideline used in emergency cardiac
care to unblock clogged arteries for optimum patient outcomes.
A winning season
What really makes the difference is “Team San Joaquin’s”
complete and total dedication to SJCH’s efforts to earn its
Nationally Accredited Chest Pain Center status, Dr. Peterson said.
“Stella’s term ‘Team San Joaquin’ is a good way to put it,
because it really is a team effort, where everyone has to be
dedicated to the team,” he said. “And I’ve used this word a
lot, but it’s the word that really comes to
mind—everyone, all the mobilized resources
involved in the cardiac care of our patients,
also has to have one thing in common:
passion.
“That’s really what we’ve achieved here:
We have passion. We not only want to be
good at what we do, we want to be better.”
Dr. Peterson said that through this network
of passion, a new level of cardiac care has
emerged at SJCH.
Some might even call it a championship
level of care.
7
Looking
back at
2009
Last year, San Joaquin
Community Hospital...
Brought Bakersfield its first and only
full-treatment burn center facility, in
partnership with the world-renowned Grossman Burn Centers.
Major donors such as Aera Energy, LLC; Chevron; and Occidental
Petroleum Corp. helped make the burn center a reality.
Became the only hospital between
Los Angeles and San Francisco to have both
a Nationally Certified Stroke Center and Nationally Accredited
Chest Pain Center under one roof.
Was named to the 2009 HomeCare Elite
list. Adventist Health Home Care Services at SJCH
ranked in the top 25 percent of home care services in the
nation for the fourth straight year.
Coordinated Christmas at Home, an
initiative in which employees donate funds to provide the
Christmas experience for needy co-workers and their families.
8
Created the Lights and Sirens Golf
Tournament in collaboration with local firefighters,
law enforcement and Hall Ambulance personnel. The
tournament and Fill the Helmet campaign raised nearly $70,000
for the SJCH burn center.
Sponsored GospelFest, a celebration of
Christian music from national and local artists, featuring
award-winning artist Matthew West. More than 4,000 attendees
turned out for the first concert festival of its kind in Kern
County.
In 2009, San Joaquin Community Hospital
donated $11,653,000 to directly impact our
community. These funds provided free and
low-cost medical services to the poor and
underinsured, and created partnerships with
local charitable organizations, such as CASA
and March of Dimes.
Celebrated “Lookin’ Fine in 2009,” the
fifth annual Bariatric Solutions Reunion with Pat Wynn
Brown, nationally acclaimed author and speaker. Bariatric
Solutions was also awarded 19 Gold Standards by Health
Management Resources.
Was awarded $1.8 million for the
continuation of the Children’s Mobile
Immunizations Program for 2010 to 2013 through
First 5 Kern. In 2009, the program hosted 172 clinics and
administered 14,623 free immunizations to 5,066 children.
Participated in the Bakersfield Business
and Technology Expo, Kern County Fair, JDRF
Walk, American Heart Association Heart Walk, State Farm
Health Fair, Bakersfield City Employee Health Fair, Cardiac
Bootcamp and Day of Hope diabetes education workshop.
Partnered with and sponsored
community organizations, including the
American Heart Association, JesusShack, Boys & Girls Clubs of
Kern County, Links for Life, The Bakersfield Museum of Art, the
Bakersfield Homeless Center, and many others.
9
Getting to know
Monique Rogers
Age:
34
Occupation: corporate
administrator and marketing
director for ARRC Technology.
Family: husband, Alex;
children, Riley and Samantha.
Hobbies: gardening, reading,
writing and “raising my kids.”
Something few people
know: She grew up in a
small town of 7,000 people
and was valedictorian of her
eighth-grade class as well as
in high school. She graduated
with honors from Cal State
Bakersfield. Her husband
was also her high school
sweetheart.
On her iPod right now:
Eric Clapton; Eagles; Tom
Petty; tobyMac, a Christian
rapper; and a few glam rock/
hard rock tunes. “I guess I’m
an old soul.”
Her inspiration:
“Developing people and
organizations. To take
someone and watch them
learn and grow—I just love
that!”
10
The power of
compassion
Monique Rogers doesn’t see her work with the San Joaquin
Community Hospital (SJCH) Foundation Board as work at all.
Far from it.
“For me, being involved with this hospital, and the people
associated with it, is: ‘Wow! I get to do this—I get to be a part of
something so good,’” said Rogers, corporate administrator and
marketing director for ARRC Technology in Bakersfield. “When
so many other hospitals are talking about the numbers, numbers,
numbers, here’s [SJCH] talking about the people.”
Rogers, who has served on the Foundation Board for about a
year, recently experienced SJCH’s personable medical services
firsthand.
Up close and personal
It was a Sunday evening—normally a night reserved for winding
down from the weekend, enjoying some family time and getting
ready for another busy week ahead. However, at the Rogers
household—made up of Monique; her husband, Alex; and their
two children, Riley, 11, and Samantha, 3—things just weren’t
right.
The normally bubbly, bright Samantha was anything but.
Flu-like symptoms had the toddler down and out for a few
days, but it seemed like she was getting better—until she
refused to eat or drink.
That’s when it got a bit scary, her mother said.
“She was fading pretty quickly, becoming really pale,”
Rogers said. “I knew she needed fluids, and I knew,
since it was a Sunday, I would have to take her to an
emergency room to get them.”
From the moment Rogers and her little girl arrived
at SJCH’s Emergency Department (ED), a cocoon of
compassion enveloped them.
Even the walls in the ED help create a caring
atmosphere, with messages posted about how
SJCH provides medical treatment to everyone,
whether or not they can pay, Rogers noticed.
“When you’re in an emergency room and
worried about your health or a family member’s,
the last thing you should be thinking about is how you’re going to
afford medical care,” Rogers said.
The faith-based aspect of SJCH—with its companywide
principles of Sacred Work—was also a comfort, Rogers said.
“There are no qualms about bringing in Christ at SJCH,
which I think is great,” she said. “I have found that this hospital
is involved in just about every good thing being done in our
community—they actively seek out ways they can help. That’s
huge to me.”
A positive outlook
Though her worry about Samantha lingered, Rogers’ initial fright
lessened—all because the staff at SJCH treats patients “like people,
not cattle,” she said.
“It was very busy, and yet they kept the flow going, treating
the more serious injuries first, while remaining very task-minded,”
Rogers said. “There is definitely a process, but I didn’t feel
processed. The way they can organize the chaos is so reassuring.”
As if that weren’t enough to confirm her involvement with
SJCH, Rogers also observed what she called “positivity” in this
working environment, despite a room full of sick and injured
visitors.
“Believe me. When there is a workplace culture where
employees are happy, like what they do and feel supported by their
employer, everyone wins,” Rogers said. “They were all cheerful with
each other too.”
And just as this concerned mother had hoped, once her little
girl received some fluids via an IV—administered with lightning-fast
nursing skills—she instantly began to perk up, even asking Mommy
and the nice nurse for a snack.
Although Rogers went to SJCH’s ED as a concerned parent that
Sunday evening, she left as an even prouder Foundation Board
member, filled with excitement for all the good work and good
deeds to come in 2010.
“No one there knew I am on the Foundation Board, or that I
have anything to do with the hospital, and we couldn’t have had a
better experience,” Rogers said. “I feel really blessed to be a part
of this.”
“I have found that this hospital is involved in just about every good thing being
done in our community—they actively seek out ways they can help.”
—Monique Rogers
11
care
Unforgettable pain,
worth remembering
Bakersfield’s first burn center changes the landscape of local health care
The night of Sept. 7, 2009, is one that Devinder Toor will
never forget. And even if he could blot the memory from his
mind, the scars are a constant reminder.
It was 8 p.m., nearly the end of a long day. Devinder, a
dedicated employee at a Wasco gas station, was cleaning water—
or what he thought was water—out of a hole near the station.
But the water was actually gas that had leaked from a nearby
pipe. Without warning, an explosion burst from the empty pit and
engulfed Devinder, who was bent over the opening.
Immediately, he began doing the only thing he could think
of: stop, drop and roll. But this fire was too fierce for elementary
measures. Fortunately his wife, Kuldeep, saw him rolling around
in the parking lot. Thinking and moving swiftly, she grabbed a fire
extinguisher and quenched Devinder’s charred body.
Minutes later, an ambulance arrived and rushed Devinder to
the nearest trauma center. At 3 a.m., after a few hours during
which the trauma team did their best to stabilize him, Devinder
was transferred to the new Grossman Burn Center at San
Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH). With third-degree burns on
65 percent of his body, the situation was touch-and-go.
“There were a couple of days where we thought we might lose
him,” said Jacqui Pitt, RN, manager of the burn center. “The family
had gathered to say their good-byes.”
But Devinder survived—though he spent the next 77 days in
the burn center.
The human element
On Oct. 29—about midway through his time at SJCH—the burn
center staff decided it was time to get creative.
“We had been talking for a while about helping Devinder do
something nice for his wife because of all the time she’d spent at
his bedside,” Pitt said. “So we decided to set up a surprise date for
them.”
That day, one of the burn nurses called Kuldeep, telling her that
Pitt wanted to meet with her to discuss her husband’s care. She
also told her to bring her husband’s favorite food.
“I didn’t know why I needed to bring food to meet with Jacqui
12
about my husband’s care,” Kuldeep said.
When she arrived that evening, the staff began setting up
the date in an adjacent room while Kuldeep met with Pitt. When
Kuldeep was ushered in minutes later, she found her husband—
bandages and all—holding a red rose. The room was outfitted with
a dinner table, flowers and a card from her husband. It was the
first time he’d written since the accident. There wasn’t a dry eye in
the house.
“I was just so happy,” Kuldeep said.
Though the date at Café ICU, as the burn staff affectionately
referred to the setting, was a touching moment for everyone,
Devinder’s hospital stay was anything but roses. In his time at
SJCH, Devinder had seven surgeries, including multiple skin grafts.
“We had to take skin from his back, chest and upper thigh in
order to have enough for his arms and legs,” Pitt said. “Throughout
the process, we had to wait and let the skin heal, because he didn’t
have enough healthy skin left to graft from.”
“Our staff stays
with the patients
throughout their
entire treatment.
We get to
know them and
their families.
That creates a
connection and
an atmosphere
where they feel
cared for as
people, not just
patients.”
—Jacqui Pitt, RN
M. Brandon Freeman, MD,
works with Devinder Toor.
On Nov. 24—almost three months after the accident—Devinder
finally got to go home.
“The day he went home, the smile on his face was like a
1,000-megawatt bulb,” Pitt said.
Shared resources
Before the burn center opened in the summer of 2009, no one—
burn center and SJCH officials included—knew exactly how many
patients would be treated, and few were prepared for the overload
the center would experience.
As of Dec. 31—almost exactly six months after opening—the
burn center had already treated more than 250 patients, including
more than 700 outpatient visits and more than 100 surgeries. With
such demand, assistance from the community has been a crucial
component to the burn center’s success.
“The community support has been amazing,” Pitt said. “We
had a guy come into Human Resources who said he had a family
member who’d been burned a few years back and knew how tough
it was, so he just wrote us a check for $500.”
Support from individuals in the community has perhaps been
eclipsed only by local organizations that have stepped up to help.
In 2009, three local oil companies—Aera Energy, LLC; Chevron;
and Occidental Petroleum Corp.—donated a combined $700,000
to benefit the burn center (read more about their contributions
on page 15). Countless other organizations and businesses have
also answered the call for help, including the city and county fire
departments.
The Bakersfield City Fire Department hosted the First Annual
Burn Survivors Christmas Party at Fire Station No. 15; the county
plans to follow suit by putting on a summer picnic for local burn
victims. The firefighters have also donated their time, bringing fire
trucks to the hospital to cheer up children who have been burned.
They also joined burn center staff in visiting elementary schools
to educate kids about fire safety and what to do when they get
burned. None of it has gone unnoticed.
“It’s a fantastic partnership that shows the community we work
together to prevent burns,” Pitt said. “But it also shows that if you
do get burned, we are going to work as hard as we can to get you
back to normal.”
M. Brandon Freeman, MD, a plastic surgeon at the burn center,
said the staff always “makes the best decision for the patient.”
—Continued on page 14
13
In its
first six
months,
the burn
center
treated
more
than 250
patients.
San Joaquin Community Hospital Grossman Burn Center staff members (from left) Silvia Rodriguez, RN; M. Brandon Freeman, MD; Jacqui Pitt, RN; and Erika Garza
—Continued from page 13
Though the burn center can handle all burn injuries,
Dr. Freeman notes that other factors can come into play.
“It’s important to recognize that some patients have multiple
injuries: burns, broken bones and organ damage,” Dr. Freeman
said. “From a burn standpoint, we can handle any level of
burn. That said, in cases where a patient has multilevel trauma,
transferring them to a comprehensive trauma center with orthopedic
trauma surgeons is sometimes the right course of action.”
Dr. Freeman points out that those cases are rare.
“Out of more than 200 patients, we’ve transferred three,”
Dr. Freeman said. “So nearly 99 percent of the people that have
come to us have been cared for by us.”
For the burn center staff, that’s just the way they like it.
“Our staff stays with the patients throughout their entire
treatment,” Pitt said. “We get to know them and their families. That
creates a connection and an atmosphere where they feel cared for
as people, not just patients.”
14
Inspiring by example
During his latest appointment at the burn center, Dr. Freeman
called Devinder into an examination room. But it wasn’t to look at
his wounds—in fact, quite the opposite. When Devinder walked
in the room, he was met by the sad eyes of a man who’d suffered
severe leg burns—just like him.
Dr. Freeman thought Devinder would be an inspiring
example to the other patient, who’d been experiencing
depression. Pitt remembered when Devinder was in a similar
spot. With tears in her eyes, Pitt could hardly believe how far he
has come.
“I don’t think he ever thought he would get to the point where
he would be able to give support to another patient,” Pitt said.
Though Devinder isn’t fully healed yet, there’s no doubt that
he is well on his way to a full recovery. And though the scars will
never let him forget what happened that September night, they’re
also a constant reminder of the expert, compassionate care he
received at SJCH’s burn center.
And that’s something worth remembering.
Businesses join forces
in the fight against burns
You don’t need to look very hard to notice the impact Aera
Energy, LLC, has made on the San Joaquin Community Hospital
(SJCH) Grossman Burn Center. After all, it’s right in the name of
the burn center’s outpatient clinic.
Since opening in June 2009, The Aera Clinic Grossman
Burn Center at SJCH has been a busy place. With more than
700 outpatient visits, it’s easy to see the community need that
Aera Energy helped meet by sponsoring a $300,000 donation
through the Aera Energy Fund administered by the Kern
Community Foundation to help build the clinic.
“When the opportunity came up for a Grossman Burn Center
to actually be here in Bakersfield at a great institution like
[SJCH], we said: ‘This is fantastic. Let’s figure out a way to help
so we can have world-class facilities right here in Bakersfield,’”
said Gaurdie R. Banister, Aera Energy president and CEO.
Caring for kids
A large portion—nearly onethird—of the burn center’s
visits have been by children.
That’s why Chevron decided
to donate $200,000 to
create The Chevron Fund, an
endowment to help children
recover from burn injuries.
The opportunity to provide a
way for all children to receive
high-quality burn care close to
home was something this oil
Tanner Parsons and his mom, Jessica giant felt called to.
“With The Chevron Fund,
children will be able to start and finish their medical treatment right
here in Bakersfield,” said Bruce Johnson, Chevron vice president.
“We want to see kids recover from their injuries as quickly as
possible, so they can go back to doing what they love to do.”
Committed to community
The most recent donation to the burn center was from Occidental
Petroleum Corp. (Oxy) this fall. The $200,000 gift will fund the
completion of the inpatient center, currently operating in the
SJCH intensive care unit.
Although Aera Energy, Chevron and Oxy compete for market
share in the business world, they are all committed to creating a
healthier community, said Susie Geiger, Oxy manager for regional
media and community relations.
“There’s no doubt that we’re all quite competitive,” Geiger
said. “However, when it comes to enhancing our community, we
value partnerships. It’s not about competition; it’s about coming
together for a cause that makes our community a better place.”
15
kids
For
a healthy
tomorrow
starts today
Laurie Hrachovec, RN, takes care of twins Maximus Joseph
Rodriguez and Mary Jane Mackensie Rodriguez in the
San Joaquin Community Hospital NICU.
16
The new NICU
“is a great resource
we now have
at [SJCH]. We
can help more
families in our
community.”
—Janet Babb, RN, NICU manager
Maximus Joseph Rodriguez and Mary Jane Mackensie
Rodriguez
At San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH), we value the
precious children we treat as if they were our own.
With our new, state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care
unit (NICU) and the continuation of our Children’s Mobile
Immunizations Program—including the recent $1.8 million grant
from First 5 Kern—2009 was yet another banner year of providing
excellent care for children.
Little miracles
In the NICU at SJCH, it truly is the little things that count.
Babies born as early as 23 weeks—known as micropreemies—
can now receive the highest level of treatment right here at home,
thanks to the nine-bed NICU that opened in March 2009.
“Kern County has grown tremendously, and with that growth
comes an overwhelming need for more hospital beds to care for
premature and sick babies,” said Grace Kwasman, RN, director of
the Maternity Care Center at SJCH.
About 10 percent of all newborns will require admission to a
NICU because of prematurity and other conditions, Kwasman
said.
Before the opening of the NICU at SJCH, babies needing critical
care in Kern County were often transferred to hospitals in Fresno,
Los Angeles and even as far away as San Francisco.
“Families of these sick infants are heavily affected financially,
emotionally—and are extremely inconvenienced by the distance,”
Kwasman said.
The new NICU eases these burdens.
“It’s a great resource we now have at [SJCH],” said Janet
Babb, RN, NICU manager. “We can help more families in our own
community.”
Of course, along with the joys of new parenthood comes a whole
new set of overwhelming worries.
To help ease parents’ concerns, SJCH offers classes on
childbirth, infant CPR and breastfeeding. The hospital also
employs three lactation consultants to help new mothers bond
with their babies through breastfeeding and keeps babies in
the room with their moms—not in a nursery—to help the family
bond.
Mom Margarita Rodriguez (left) and Jessica Prather,
RN, watch over twins, Maximus Joseph Rodriguez and
Mary Jane Mackensie Rodriguez.
The continued successes of the SJCH Maternity Care Center are
reflected in improved and steadily rising patient satisfaction scores,
Kwasman said.
“This is all due to the staff’s effort to provide excellent,
compassionate care to all our patients,” she said. “It is a true
example of Sacred Work. I am very proud of my staff.”
Immunization program gets big shot in the arm
Melissa Vega would be happy to see the need for childhood
immunizations reduced. But in the meantime, the SJCH Children’s
Mobile Immunizations Program coordinator is happy to see the
message about the importance of vaccinations is getting through—
loud and clear.
SJCH has vaccinated more than 55,000 children in Kern
County through the Children’s Mobile Immunizations Program,
the only hospital-based program of its kind in the San Joaquin
Valley.
The program immunizes every child free of charge and with
no appointment necessary at any of SJCH’s countywide mobile
clinics.
The program’s success helped it earn $1.8 million First 5 Kern
grant money—awarded in December 2009 and slated to arrive in
July 2010, Vega said.
Topping the wish list for 2010 is a new set of wheels—a larger
motor home that can hold more staff members, equipment and
supplies and, perhaps most important, cover more territory.
“We’ve been able to go all over Kern County, to rural areas such
as Lamont, Arvin, Delano, Shafter, McFarland and Taft,” Vega said.
“But our service area and patient numbers are growing. We need
something bigger.”
The goal is to expand the clinics to southwest Bakersfield, the
Kern Valley, Tehachapi, Ridgecrest and beyond, Vega said.
Of course, a program doesn’t reach this level without the hard
work and dedication of a whole team.
“Our nurses and family advocates do a great job,” Vega said.
“Not only do they get the immunizations out there, they get the
education on the importance of immunizations out to the parents
too.”
17
thank you
to our 2009 donors
Champions
Berry Petroleum
Company
Mohammad Davarifar
Ray and Joan
Dezember
Itani Design Concepts
Donald and Diane
Lake
Quest Imaging
Medical Associates
Inc.
U. R. Varanasi, MD
Donald and Bonnie
Fitzgerald
Larry and Chris Frank
John and Karen
Garner
Golden Living Center
Peter Grossman, MD
Jeanell Guenther
Gurdwara Guru
Angad Darbar Inc.
H & S Towing
Donna Haberkern
Rob and Debbie
Hankins
Jaco Oil Company
Chevron
Benefactors
Adventist Health
Angelica Corp.
Bakersfield Family
Medical Center
Bakersfield Fire
Fighters Burn
Foundation
Bakersfield North
Rotary
Bakersfield Police
Officers Association
Kelly Barber
Ben and Gayle Batey
Robert and Myrna
Beehler
Janice Bowles
Rheta Carter
Castle & Cooke
California Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. Donald
Cornforth, MD
Carl and Jan Jarrett
Kaiser Permanente
Kern County
Detention Officers
Association
Kern County Fire
Fighters Union
Kern Oil
& Refining Co.
Chelcia Lambert
Latham & Watkins, LLP
Leader Emergency
Vehicles
Sue Lewis
Jim and Iris Lumsden
Mann Transportation
Inc.
Christina Maupin
Jarrod and Heidi
McNaughton
Phyllis McQuilliams
William Mosesian
Barbara Smith
Brandi Stanley
Amarjit Singh Tut
Union Truck Driving
School Corp.
Barbara Vargas
Wal-Mart Foundation
Robin Walsh
Donald and Dona
White
Sue Whitmore
Sheryl Wiggins
Laura Wilkerson
Darwin and Fern
Williams
Patrons
Advance Beverage/
Budweiser
Advanced Drywall
Rolando and Angelita
Almendares
ARRC Technology
Krystal Ball
Alicia
Banuelos-Martinez
Bernard Barmann Sr.
Meranda Batista
William and Donna
Berlin
Kathrine L. Biezad
Chris Bruff
Construction
Doug and Janet Clary
Karen Coyle
Judy Crafton
CWC Equipment &
Design
Maria Dimalanta
Linda Fama
Linda Fischer
Jassar Farms
Jagjit S. and Jagjit K.
Jattana
Diane Johnson
Parkview Julian
Lindsey Klingenberg
Lavera Knowles
The Law Offices
of Gurujodha S.
Khalsa
Seana Nagatani
Adela Osteen
Michael Pelzer
Ashley Pettie
Steve Potter
Precision Pump
Alethia Ragle
Richard T. Smith
Living Trust
Jenny Rosales
Lynda Rush
San Joaquin Bit
Service
San Joaquin Refining
Co. Inc.
Bhajan and Rabinder
Sandhu
Ken and Cindy
Stevenson
Sudhir Patel, MD, Inc.
Richard and
Emmayawati
Thompson
Tony’s Pizza
Elizabeth Uy
Westar Trucking
Kenneth Williams Jr.
Friends
Ali M. Agha, MD
Amanda Aguirre
Oscar Alano
Herminia Benavides
Boundtree Medical
Nancy Bourguignon
Billy Braisher
Gursewak Singh Brar
Robert and Nora
Bruhl
Marlo Burres
Diane Chapman
Sandy Cleaver
Frank Colatruglio
Colombo
Construction
Company Inc.
Morre Dean
Raghbir Dillon
Patricia Eccles
Ed and Fran Ederra
Maria Enriquez
Dawn R. Evenson
Michael Evertse
Sheila Fair
Agnes Faria
Victoria Farris
Irene Felix
Ferno–Washington
Inc.
The Firehouse
June Francis
Stephanie Franey
Joy Fulenwider
Greg Gallion
Andy Garner
Gazelle
Transportation Inc.
Laura Gigante
Grimmway
Enterprises Inc.
Matthew Guenther
Cassie Haberkern
Dr. and Mrs. Robert
Hall
Robert D. Hartshorn
Patsy Hughes
Kim Ince
Hartono Irawan
Ryan E. Ivanoff
Richard James
Ric and Sandy
Johnson
Teresa Jones
Barbara Judd
Edgar Jue
Jane Kach
Elton and Ann Kelly
Marsha Kennedy
Wanona Kennedy
Kern Trophies
Jana King
Larry Kizziar
Naser Singh Kooner
Marlene Kreidler
DeAnn Larroque
Kellie Logan
Susie Lomas
Vicky Long
Sylvia Lozano
Francis Lyons
Marilyn Mariano
Michael Marquez
Lyle Martin
Marijane Martin
Robert Martin
Kathy Mashburn
John and Norma May
Linda McClellan
Deborah McCoy
Brenda McVay
Kathleen Mershon
Model T Ford Club of
Kern County
Ken and Donna Murray
Harjinder and Kuljit
Natt
Vickie Nunlee
Rod NuQui
Sherry NuQui
Marilyn Nyein
Robert Oatway
Jimmy Oei
Daphne Orbe
Pacific Health
Education Center
Rita Padilla
Megan Parnell
Mike Payne
Premier Lighting
and Home
Misty Prokuski
Lourdes Rangel
Kimberly Reynolds
Theresa Richert
Kirk Ryan
Sandra Samarripas
Irene Sanchez, MD
Suzanne Satterfield
Amit Shah, MD
Sierra Printers Inc.
Steven and Shelley
Simrin
Debra Smith
H. A. and C. K. Staley
Olga Stanley
State Bank of India
Sturgeon and Sons
Dr. Anthony Tarango
Pastor Tyree D.
Toliver
Anabel Torres
Gwen Triplett
Ed Trogdon
Varnet Inc.
Kathleen Wagoner
Edward Wells
White Wolf Land
Service
Kern
James Witzig
Law Offices of Young
and Nichols
Kelly Zielsdorf
Contributors
Sherry Acord
Sheila L. Adams
Agape In Home Care
Inc.
John Aguirre
Abegail Alano-Canlas
Ernie Fay Alesso
Maria Alfaro
Lisa Allen
Tony and Carla Allred
Anna Almejo
Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Sheila Davis
Sandy Delarosa
Katie Delmore
Daljit and Paramjit
Dhaliwal
Dillon & Sons Inc.
DJ Food Mart/Subway
Justin and Carly Doss
18
Jacqui Pitt
Yolanda M. Rendon
Mike Robinett
Frank and Martha
Samora
Schwab Charitable
Fund
Drs. Manjit and
Ravinderjit Singh
Floyd’s Office
Solutions
Jim Burke Ford
Sonia Gil
Glinn & Giordano
Physical Therapy
Michelle Goddard
Stephen Hall
Ray Hanoski
Editha Husain
Nico Altomare
Beatriz Arballo
Lori Ascensio
Teresa Atkison
Bakersfield Police
Department
Steve and Kathy
Barulich
Minhyun Beck
Eileen Bellman
Beth and Bob
Hawkes
Davetta Hayes
Norma Heckathorn
Lorell Hedberg
Nancy Heer
Susan Hernandez
Marshall Hollingsead,
MD
Karen Penney
Tanya Peterson
V. Peterson
Pete’s Seats
James H. and Darla
J. Phelps
Beatrice Pickering
Mary Polanco
Adrianne Alvarez
Jennifer Alvarez
Gloria Anaya
Rebecca Andrews
Michelle Aparicio
Marjorie Aquino
Diana Arias
Angela Armstrong
Christina Arockiam
Sonia L. Avila and
Edwin E. Palma
Rodolfo and Erlinda
Bacarisa
Bakersfield
Cardiopulmonary
Medical Group Inc.
Taniya Banks
Margaret Barberena
Patricia K. Barnes
Patricia Barraza
Debra Barrett
Estefania Barrientos
Rachelle Barrios
Kelley Beglin
Jennifer Benders
Mark and Mary Bent
Richelle Bergonia
Samir Bhavsar
Ethel Bibay
Toni Blagg
Marjorie Blake
Marygrace Bolts
May Anne Bonnin
Clair Bradshaw
Laminda Brannum
Brian Brenner
Ankeya Brenson
S. Annette Brink
Charles Brown
Althea Dichoson
Heidi Dinkler
Trudy Dixon
Michelle Dobbs
Jackie Docker
Frank Dominguez
Richard Dominguez
Dale Douglas
John and Jan Dovichi
William and De An
Drakos
Nick Dunn
Michael and Tiffany
Edgerle
Richard Engel
John and Carola
Enriquez
Rosalle Estrada
Veronica Estrella
Isha Evenson
Sandy Fahsbender
Robert H. Farwell
Dale and Pamela
Ferguson
Kelly Flood
Isabel Flores
Rose Jane Flores
Roy Forbes
Ron and Shelly Fraze
Bertha Bruschi
Misty Buchanan
Heather Bunton
Cheryl Burroughs
Kevin Burton
Rhona Cabangangan
Helen Cabral
Joselyn Caluya
Katie (Marla) Carr
Corina Carrillo
Christie Carter
Esmeralda Castilleja
Dora Castillo
Donna Chan
Virgil and Doris
Chappel
Laura Charlton
Evelyn Ching
Robert and Susan
Christopher, DO
Sherry Clayton
Nida Clemente
Donna Coleman
Virgia L. Cook and
Geneva D. Merrill
L. J. Corby
L. B. Crow
Eddie Davidson
Susan Davis
DBL Entertainment Inc.
M. F. and Dianna
Dean
Pati Del Papa
Bianca Diaz
M. Brandon Freeman,
MD
Alberto and Cora
Frigillana
Paul Fuller, MD
June Gabriel
Meagan Gagliardini
Melinda Gaitain-Villa
Josette Gamatero
Alice Garcia
Garden District
Flowers
Erika Garza
Anita L. Gaston
Kathy Geddie
Cecilia A. Genel and
Janet Blumberg
Claudette Geronimo
Ken Gibb
Natlie Gibson
Melissa Giducos
M. Joyce Girard
Glendale Adventist
Medical Center
Darnel Gonzalez
Debra Gonzalez
Sofia Gonzalez-Post
Renee Goodwin
Michael and Amy
Gray
Frances L. Greene
Lori Greener
Kenneth Griffin
Melissa Groves
Hope Hall
Mary Hanel
Joe and Carolyn
Hankins
Tharon and Linda
Hargrove
Jessica Harkey
L. E. and C. L.
Headley
Elizabeth Hendricks
Herbert Walker Trust
Xochitl Hermida
Rickay Hidalgo
Patricia Hilderbrand
Donna Houston
Lisa Hudnall
Amy Huey
Anthony Hughes
Hormuz Irani, MD
Eduardo and Violeta
Isidro
Olivia Jabonillo
Geraldine Jamison
Misty Johnson
Robert Johnston
M. L. Kuder
Grace Kwasman
Cynthia Lagae
Rebecca Lakeman
Sharon Landers
Renita Lauderdale
Law Offices of Dake,
Monje & Braun
Brent and Julie
Leaman
Ma. Theresa R. Lerias
Judy Littrell
Irina Loftus
Donna Long
Robert D. and
Kathleen Long
Adrianna Lopez
Irma Lopez
Stella Lopez
Trisha Lopez
Mindi Lowe
Marie Lowrie
Dr. and Mrs. Terrance
Lukens
Darrel and Betty Lundy
Lydia Maxon
Judith McCan
Mathias McClean
Georgia McCormick
Janet McCormick
Joe McIlvaine
Gloria Medina
Andres Mejia
Delia Mendoza
Ruth Mendoza
Linda Miller
Wahpaw Miller
Ana Milo-Guinto
Justina Minor
Alicia Mireles
Pamela Moffit
Lirissa Monte
De Ramos
Arcelia Montes
Inji Moon
Larry and Rose
Moreland
Tony and Debbie
Moreno
Shay Morris
Marjorie L. Payne
Angel Pequiz
Rosie Perez
Myrile Piedad
Richard Prater
Bob Price
Terri Prickett
Mary Pryzny
Teresa Randel
Scott Reiner
Mary Jane
Resurreccion
Kevin Rhamie
Marie Ricablanca
Edgar and Beverly
Ridgeway
Jenny Ritter
Dereck Robinson
Sonia Rodarte
Monique Rogers
Isabel Rojas
Patricia Romero
The Rosemary Komm
Revocable Inter
Vivos Trust
Melody Smith
Tammy Smith
Larry Snow
Doug (Clifford)
Stewart
Lorene Stinnett
Arlene Tante
W. Jeff Tape
Patricia Tapley
Mark Tarango
Joyce Tatler
Gary and Karen
Taylor
Adam Theesen
Kurt C. and Melinda
Thomas
Stacy Thome
Amy Thrasher
Juan and Elaine
Tirado
Alvin Tomas
Cynthia Torres
Maria Torres
The Trailor Company
Montisa Jones
Catherine Joseph
Judith Joyce
Richard Judd
Janelle Jung
Michael A. Kaia
Matthew Karli
Ronald and Sandra
Kelbaugh
Danielle Kingston
Bobby Knight
Koman Construction
Jegathesan
Krishnamurthy
Scooter Lusk
Doreen Maddox
Christina Maese
Guillermo Magana
Isabel Magana
Stephan Mann
and family
Orlando Marcial
Rose Marion
Gre Sherri Mars
Linda Martin
Jeanette Martinez
Jose Martinez
Ramon Martinez
William Mason
Gail Mull
Patrick and Reba
Mullen
Toni Musick
Esmeralda Narciso
Ma Elena Nartea
Carrie Navarro
Teresa Negrete
Wayne and Deborah
Newlen
Truc Nguyen
Joseph Nicomedes
Renee Nicosia
Gail Norris
Novartis
Pharmaceuticals
Corporation
Law Offices of Darling
& Wilson
Holly Olsen
David Oragwam
Genice Owens
John and Linda
Owens, MD
Maxine Owens
Jerry N. Page
Sernan Palisoc
Malvin Pallomina
Gerard Parayno
Randy Parks
Floyd and Nancy
Parsons
Dhanlaxmi Patel
Alecia Rosette
Kevin Roshau
Jack Ross
Jeanie Rucks
Juan Salazar
Carlos Salinas
Maria Salum
Amelia Sanchez
Steven and Patricia
Sanders
Aries Santos
Marlyn Santos
Palvinder and
Satwant Sarao
Gladys Sazuelo
M. L. and C. A.
Schwartz
Nancy Schwartz
Sheri Seal-Bailey
Florence Seger
Michele Shain
Manijeh Shakoori
Michelle Shears
Warren and Nelva
Shepherd
Michele Sherer
Melissa Sherman
Ona Sibecas
Marilyn Silignoff
Tobin and Gaylene
Sinclair
Chandler Smith
Christopher Smith
Ione Smith
Donald and Kathryn
Trunkey
Rinel Tumanguil
Gisela Tupino
J. D. and E. Van
Matre
Melissa Vega
Engeline Vellido
Maria Villalobos
Jennifer Walsh
Margaret Weirich
Wells Fargo Private
Client Services
Weringer Family Trust
Cynthia Wickey
Elma D. Wilkinson
Cindy Williams
Danielle Williams
Tammie Williams
Ohnmar Win
Soundra Wood
James and Vicki
Wooster
Robin Word
Darlene Wyrick
Cheryl
Yacopetti-Thomas
Sharon Yero
John and Mary Judith
Yu Ekey Ma
Tammy Zamora
Danielle Zili
Aera Energy Fund–
Community Foundation
Heroes
Raj Gopal, MD
Hall Air Ambulance Service Inc.
Hall Commercial
Vehicle Services Inc.
Mayor Harvey and Lavonne Hall
Hall Medical Equipment Supply Inc.
Klassen Corporation
Law Offices of Young Wooldridge
Sierra Process Systems Inc.
19
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
Numbers to Know
PAID
2615 Chester Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Patient Information/
Main Hospital . . . . . . . . . 661-395-3000
Aera Clinic Burn Center . . . . . 661-869-6130
Bariatric Solutions . . . . . . . . . 661-869-6750
Buck Owens Wellness
Resource Center . . . . . . 661-869-6580
Children’s Mobile
Immunizations Program . 661-869-6740
Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661-869-6570
Home Care Services . . . . . . 661-869-6700
Human Resources . . . . . . . . 661-869-6600
Job Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-744-9313
Patient Billing Office . . . . . .661-869-6800
TTY for the Hearing Impaired. .661-323-7629
Merced, CA
Permit No. 1186
www.SJCH.us
Here’s a
look at how
your generous
gifts help
further great
care at
San Joaquin
Community
Hospital (SJCH)
in 2009.
gifts
in action
The Grossman Burn
Center at SJCH
Last year, SJCH embarked on
a quest to bring the first fulltreatment burn center to Kern
County. Through partnerships
with dedicated organizations
such as Grossman Burn Centers
and Aera Energy, LLC, we’ve
made this necessity a reality.
54%
37%
The Chevron Fund
What’s a new burn center if you
can’t afford the care? Through a
joint venture with Chevron, SJCH
created The Chevron Fund to
offset the cost of care for children
with burn injuries, because—
regardless of economic standing
or insurance coverage—every
child was made to thrive.
Hospital projects
Of course, the burn center
isn’t the only show in town.
Whether sprucing up our chapel,
equipping our neonatal intensive
care unit or bringing Christmas
to many of our own employees,
the SJCH Foundation used your
gifts to work tirelessly on many
fronts.
9%
Would you like to be part
of something special? By
partnering with the SJCH
Foundation, you can play
a key role in the growth
and future well-being of
our community.
To learn more, visit
us on the web at
www.SJCH.us and click
on “Foundation,” or call
661-869-6570.