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SJ Health Team Newsletter #8 – November 2022
With the calendar year quickly passing by, it’s a natural time to think about the year ahead and to set personal resolutions that take us toward new levels. But at SJ Health, we’re also reflecting on the tremendous growth and development we’ve made during our first full year of operations as an independently managed nonprofit health center.
I’ve had the pleasure of updating our board with highlights of some of the progress we’ve made as we began to implement organizational objectives identified in our strategic plan. You’ve each contributed to the milestones in some way, and I want to be sure our team members take a moment to reflect on the great work that’s positioned SJ Health to continue its momentum toward making a bigger impact on improving the health of the communities we serve.
I already shared news of our positive financial audit and outcomes in last month’s Pulse newsletter, but other noteworthy highlights from the last fiscal year deserve mention.
Brand Launch: We have transitioned from San Joaquin County Clinics to San Joaquin Health Centers (SJ Health) with a new brand name, logo, and aesthetic that allows us to be distinctive and visible in our service area. Our brand platform is founded on SJ Health’s unique position in San Joaquin County’s healthcare delivery system, with an emphasis on our specialization and expertise, our improved access to care, and our focus on collaboration with community partners.
Growth in Volume: We’ve realized an 8% increase in billable visits among our patients compared to the prior year. As our patients emerge from the pandemic, more are seeking to access primary care and other healthcare needs, and we’ve expanded our capacity to help them with more providers, staff, modalities (including mobile health outreach and telehealth) and specialty capabilities.
Specialty Expansions: As an extension to our focus on primary care, we are leveraging our clinical staff’s experience to support our patients’ need for extended specialty access and building out numerous programs, including:
Facility and Administrative Improvements: Our health centers in French Camp and Stockton have been refreshed with new paint, flooring, and easier-to-navigate signage. Meanwhile, our leadership has moved to an administrative hub that our supports our longer-term objectives for growth and enhanced collaboration. Finally, we continued to optimize our Access Center for improved scheduling and referral processes to support the patient experience.
Collectively we’ve accomplished so much during the past year – and you’ve each stepped up to support our ambitious goals. You should each be proud of your contributions! They’re making a difference for the patients we serve – many of whom may be friends, family, or neighbors.
The year isn’t over! We’re working toward the reopening of our Manteca health center site, and we have an expanded virtual health program being piloted for a broader launch to the community before the end of the year. Next month, we’ll share more about some of the high-level goals that are currently in-flight and new efforts in view for 2023. I hope that each of you will continue to engage with your supervisors and coworkers to think about new and improved ways that our health centers, processes, and programs can adapt and expand to meet our patient’s and community’s needs.
As another progressive step in SJ Health’s development, we’re pleased to announce Barbara Kissinger Santos as our new director of human resources, or as some would call her, our “chief people officer.” SJ Health is committed to building and sustaining an engaging and inclusive work setting that brings out the best in its team members, and Barbara will be key to those efforts.
Barbara joins SJ Health already very familiar with our service area having worked previously in HR roles at the County of San Joaquin, City of Modesto, and Community Medical Centers (CMC). In addition to her experience working at CMC, an FQHC serving vulnerable populations, she also stepped into an interim role leading HR at San Joaquin County’s Head Start Program – a critical early childhood development and school readiness program serving thousands of area families.
In her new role at SJ Health, Barbara will be working with the leadership to develop a roadmap for employee recruitment and programs that strengthen our ability to attract and retain talent – both increasingly important as SJ Health expands clinical services, opens new locations, and positions to serve more area residents.
Having worked with both Dr. Fadoo and Alice Souligne previously in her prior life, Barbara says that joining SJ Health was an attractive proposition. Not only do her nonprofit, public agency and FQHC experience align, but it’s a gratifying position to be in. “It’s exciting to have the potential to build something from scratch and, at the same time, give back to the community,” says Barbara. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities to do that in your career. Plus, I’m working with people I know!”
Barbara and her husband, Mark, live in Modesto. They have four children and eight grandchildren (ages 4 months to 19 years old). When she’s not tackling new projects at SJ Health, she enjoys walking, reading, and quilting (“I’m also dabbling with knitting, but…not so successfully yet!”).
When you see her, say “Hello” and introduce yourself – she welcomes it. “Everybody I’ve met at SJ Health is amazing – such a good group of people to work with,” says Barbara. “I’m looking forward to getting to know people more.” Sounds like a great perspective from our “chief people officer!”
SJ Health, along with community partners including Health Net, Health Plan of San Joaquin, San Joaquin General Hospital, and others, hosted “A Celebration of Wellness,” a collaborative event on October 29th recognizing Binational Health Month. Attendees had access to services, screenings, vaccinations, and information about health coverage. The event aimed to engage San Joaquin County’s binational residents in focusing on their health and wellness, and to introduce them to resources that can help them achieve their health goals.
Thanks to Joan Singson and many others on the SJ Health team for their months of planning and commitment for this important event!
