Loans are available for up to $750,000 for those rural facilities experiencing financial hardship due to delayed Medi-Cal reimbursements. The delinquent payments result from the state’s lack of funding—due to the budget impasse.

Rural clinics and hospitals are required to repay the loans within 45 days after the passage of the state budget. The funds are available through the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA), confirmed state treasurer Bill Lockyer. CHFFA has been providing financing since its inception in 1988, and is currently chaired by Treasurer Lockyer.

“Patients and caregivers should not have to suffer because the state has no budget, and these emergency loans will help ensure they don’t,” stated Treasurer Lockyer in an announcement cited by the AP.

Based on the Sept. 2 AP report, loans for eight facilities were approved as of Thursday, Sept. 2. The funding recipients include Innovative Health Services in Chico, the George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers in San Diego and Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka. In July, Treasurer Lockyer announced a similar $750,000 loan offered from CHFF to the Medoc Medical Center, located in the small northeastern community of Medoc, CA.

According to the California State Treasurer website CHFF financing is offered through its Healthcare Expansion Loan Program II, also known as HELP II.  These funds “may be used to purchase or construct new facilities, remodel or renovate existing facilities, and purchase equipment or furnishings.” The site also states the CHFFA has “CHFFA has loaned more than $52 million under HELP II.”

Despite the financial challenges facing a number of California hospitals and community clinics, there is still a significant need for qualified health professionals, including Santa Clara Registered Nurses, throughout the state. Get started on your San Francisco RN career with skilled training from Unitek College. Learn how our quality programs can help you pursue Sacramento RN jobs and other healthcare positions in the Bay Area.

To read additional coverage on the state’s loan program for rural clinics and hospitals, please go to:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/09/02/state/n182004D49.DTL#ixzz0yWc50DdD

For more on the California Health Facilities Financing Authority and the California State Treasure Office, please visit:

http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/chffa/

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In her August 27 article, Robertson describes says the proposed clinics will offer a “convenient, less-expensive alternative to local emergency rooms,” particularly for patients who cannot wait for a doctor’s appointment, or who are without a general physician or health insurance.

Fair Oaks is the first community scheduled to receive a Doctors Express clinic in the Sacramento region. Set to open in early November, the clinic will offer routine medical care along with laboratory and X-ray services. The Fair Oaks and five additional Doctors Express clinics may also provide a number of medical assistant jobs in Sacramento.

In the Sacrament Business Journal feature, Justin Prillwitz, owner of the Sacramento regional franchise territory for Doctors Express, described one of the reasons for the growth of urgent-care clinics.

“As long as there are two-hour waits in emergency rooms, there is demand,” Prillwitz was quoted as saying.

The demand for urgent-care clinics also appears to be increasing along with the number of uninsured Americans. According to a survey released this June by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2008 to 2009 the number of adults in the country without health coverage increased by 2.9 million. This figure brings the estimated total of uninsured in the United States to a staggering 46.3 million.

According to Robertson, Doctors Express and urgent-care centers are “becoming a popular alternative to emergency rooms nationwide.” She cites figures from the Urgent Care Association of America in Warrenville, Illinois, that estimates the number of emergency rooms in the country is around 4,600, while the amount of urgent-care clinics totals 8,700. She also states that by the end of fiscal year June 30 around 300 urgent-care facilities opened across the country.

The expansion of Doctors Express and other urgent-care centers in Northern California may represent greater opportunities for medical assistant jobs in San Jose and other regions in the Bay Area. If you’ve thought of pursuing medical assistant jobs in San Francisco and elsewhere in the state, then see how Unitek can give you the professional training you need to become a part of this growing healthcare field.

For additional information on plans for the new Doctors Express clinics in Sacramento, please see:

http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2010/8/31/urgent-care-firm-to-open-6-clinics-in-sacramento-region.aspx

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/08/30/story8.html

To read more about Doctors Express, please visit:
http://www.doctorsexpress.com

For details on the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, please go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/

To learn more about the Urgent Care Association of America, please see:
http://www.ucaoa.org/

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The annual event, which runs until August 31, is a chance for high-profile members of the retail pharmacy industry to share their insights and market forecasts with associates, political leaders and members of the media. According to the NACDS site, the lucrative industry generates more “$200 billion” in the annual sales of over the counter medication, prescription drugs and “home healthcare” products.

In addition to providing a platform for retail pharmacy leadership, the NACDS Pharmacy and Technology conference offers mass merchants representing over 80,000 associated retail outlets a chance to showcase the latest in pharmacy store goods, services and technologies. Many of products previewed at the NACDS show will benefit industry professionals nationwide, including San Francisco pharmacy technicians.

The Pharmacy & Technology Conference Chairman and Vice President of Hy-Vee Inc. gave the opening remarks in a special address to event attendees. Egeland, himself a registered pharmacist, stressed the importance of meeting customer “health and wellness needs” by collaborating across departments. He also encouraged attendees to appreciate the perspective of retail pharmacy customers.

“I challenge you to look at it from the view of patients and consumers. The fact is that patients and consumers are the same people. They need healthcare products and services, and many other things we carry in our stores. They lead lives – whole lives that can’t be understood in neat and tidy segments. I am better at what I do because I have the chance to engage on the bigger picture. We need to share that opportunity with others we work with back home,” Egeland said.

In San Diego as well other areas in southern and northern California numerous customers of NACDS-affiliated stores count on retail professionals, like Sacramento pharmacy technicians, to assist them with a variety of medication and healthcare needs.

If you’ve considered pursuing a career as a Bay Area pharmacy technician, Unitek College may offer the quality education you need to meet your professional goals. Learn more about the pharmacy technician training program at Unitek College, today!

To learn more about the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the NACDS 2010 Pharmacy & Technology, please visit:

http://nacds.org/
http://meetings.nacds.org/rxconference/2010/about_RxConference.cfm

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The state agency provides an extensive series of tips for pet owners, seniors and other residents, such as Sacramento LVNs, to help treat and combat the effects of high temperatures. Its “Be Prepared California” website recommends valuable heat-safety practices like:

1)    Remaining in cool indoor environments that, if possible, maintain colder temperatures through air conditioners. Public places like shopping malls, movie theaters or buildings like libraries may offer air conditioning if it is unavailable in your living or work space. Cold showers or baths may also provide relief from the strenuous heat.

2)    Avoid dehydration by drinking more amounts of fluids like water, sports drinks and juice. Liquids containing caffeine (black and green teas, caffeinated coffees and sodas) and alcohol (beer, wine, liquor) can actually deplete water from the body; the dangerous effects of water loss can increase significantly during hot weather.

3)    Wear loose-fitting fabrics that ventilate instead of trap heat. Even indoors, sleeveless shirts, shorts and clothing made of lightweight material can be especially welcoming on scorching days. Light-colored clothes may also be less likely to absorb heat and cause you to lose fluids through excess sweat.

4)    Limit outdoor activities like exercising, traveling or walking your dog to typically cooler times, such as early morning or evening. Remaining in the shade during such activities and wearing appropriate levels and amounts of sunscreen may also help reduce the amount of sun exposure and potential heat-related problems.
5)    Take time to check on people who may be susceptible to the effects of a heat wave, such as the elderly and young children. Pets should also be given access to cold fresh water and shady or cool areas on hot days.

6)    Seek immediate medical attention if you or someone around you demonstrates symptoms of heat exhaustion, severe sunburn or heat cramps. Signs may include: extremely red dry skin, dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, confusion, vomiting and lack of coordination. Assistance from a trained professional, like a San Francisco LVN http://www.unitekcollege.edu/vocational-nursing-career-prospects, may help prevent heat-related illnesses from causing long-term serious damage.

For additional information on heat-illness prevention, please visit:

http://bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/EPO/BeInformed/NaturalDisasters/ExtremeHeat/TipsPrevHeatIllness.htm

http://bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/EPO/BeInformed/NaturalDisasters/ExtremeHeat/TipsTreatHeatIllness.htm

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In a press release issued on August 19, the California Nurses Association (CNA), an advocacy group comprised of healthcare professionals like San Francisco registered nurses and San Jose RNs, announced it had filed a complaint with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. A corresponding letter charged Sutter Health and its affiliate CPMC hospital “with employment discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, and national origin.”

Along with calling for an SF Human Rights Commission investigation into CPMC, the professional organization, which represents Sacramento RNs and other registered nurses, filed a class action grievance against the hospital and Sutter Health for contract violations related to discriminatory hiring practices. The California Nurses association also asked Sutter Health to demand CPMC “cease and desist” employment discrimination.

According to last Thursdays announcement, the CNA was joined by more than two dozen leaders of Filipino organizations and community groups in calling for a meeting with the hospital’s CEO Warren Browner and the Sutter Bay West Bay Vice President of Nursing Diana Karner. The groups are also demanding CPMC “publicly renounce its discriminatory practices, and commit to equal opportunity regardless of race or national origin.”

In a press conference last Thursday, CNA revealed testimony from former CPMC nursing professionals, including supervisors with first-hand experience of the discrimination against Filipino nurses. In onestate from the hospital’s former Critical Care Services director, the VP nursing director Karner reportedly advised him “not to hire any Filipinos.”

As further evidence, CNA provided a list of current employees at the CPMC-operated St. Luke’s hospital. The documents show that before February 2008, about 65 percent of the hospital’s registered nurses were Filipino; however, after February 2008, Filipino nurses comprised only 10 percent of the facility’s RN staff.

In the CNA press release, the supporting groups Filipino Community Center and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns expressed their concerns against Sutter Health and CPMC through spokesperson Terry Valen.

“Our community needs access to healthcare and good jobs.  Sutter/CPMC’s discrimination against Filipino nurses is another blatant example of the abuse that Filipino migrant workers face in the United States,” Valen said.

For additional information on the California Nurses Association, please visit:

http://www.calnurses.org/

For details on the Filipino Community Center and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, please see:

http://www.filipinocc.org/
http://nafconusa.org/

To learn more about the California Pacific Medical Center and Sutter Health, please go to:

http://www.cpmc.org/
http://www.sutterhealth.org/

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Described as the “the largest single-state grant award of its kind,” the California Telehealth Network is designed to allow for the safe, reliable and efficient digital transfer of patient information, medical data and other information to facilities that may currently lack the resources for such telemedicine networks, or are located in remote areas throughout the state. The CTN initiative aims to give healthcare professionals, including Sacramento medical assistants and other Bay Area medical assistants, a quicker way to access crucial patient records and other essential materials.

Governor Schwarzenegger shared his support and enthusiasm regarding the state’s innovative project at the recent program launch/press conference:

“California is always leading the way with the most innovative and new technology that is changing the future.  And, what we are launching today is a new era for health care. Through a simple broadband link, this state-of-the-art system will save lives by instantly connecting people from across the state, including underserved and rural areas, with the best and brightest doctors. The California Telehealth Network marks the beginning of a new digital highway that will fundamentally change the future of how health care is provided,” Gov. Schwarzenegger said.

Described as a $30 million “joint funding effort,” the CTN initiative involves a wide range of participants, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), UnitedHealthcare, the California HealthCare Foundation, the National Coalition for Healthcare Integration, and the University of California. Other public and private groups are also contributing to the extensive telemedicine project.

The newly launched CTN project will make the peer-to-peer sharing of medical information easier among the states millions of healthcare providers, from Los Angeles doctors, to San Jose medical assistants. California’s new telemedicine project is also one of 68 eMedicine programs already in place throughout the country.

The U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Assistant to President Barack Obama, Aneesh Chopra, also voiced support of the CTN initiative:

“With the $22.1 million in grant funding from the FCC, along with $3.6 million in matching funds from the CETF, the CTN will help improve access to quality healthcare in rural and medically underserved areas, over a secure, managed network enabling the delivery of emerging eHealth and telemedicine services,” Chopra said.

For additional information on the California Telehealth Network, please visit:

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/23899

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/statewide-california-telehealth-network-launches-100896904.html

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