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As we strive to keep our SJ Health team members apprised of our collective work, I’m thrilled that we continue to have so many positive highlights to share with you each month when we consider content for our “Pulse” newsletter. When several of us came together in recent weeks to brainstorm items of interest, we knew there were discussions from our recent board meeting that are relevant to our full team and demonstrate the progress we’re making as we continue to build SJ Health’s capacity to serve our community.
Positive Financial Audit Outcomes
SJ Health’s leadership team was pleased to share with the SJ Health Board of Directors the completion of our first independent financial audit since separating financially from San Joaquin General Hospital. The audit included a thorough review of our financial operations and internal financial controls and an assessment of our financial outcomes for Fiscal Year 2021 (ending June 30, 2021). Importantly, the audit is required by HRSA for FQHC Look-Alike health centers such as SJ Health.
The final results of the audit? SJ Health is performing very well financially and ahead of projections. Even better, our near- and long-term fiscal outlook are trending favorably. You all play a role with these positive outcomes through efficient care delivery and patient assistance, judicious use of our resources and supplies, and your support of our efforts to promote new patient growth while retaining those we serve. Bravo!
SJ Health’s FQHC Look-Alike Renewal Application to HRSA
Significant work has gone into the development of the SJ Health Look-Alike renewal application due to HRSA in early October. This application seeks a 3-year renewal of our certification as an FQHC Look-Alike.
I would note that the amount of effort that goes into this renewal application can’t be understated. While it is a “renewal,” the submissions are nearly as substantial as the initial application that was submitted in 2013 to support the need for additional health centers in San Joaquin County – and the creation of SJ Health. The application places priority on demonstrating the ongoing need for primary care health services in our service area, our capacity to meet federal program requirements, and our plan for collaborating in the community and within the local healthcare delivery system to reach and provide services to underserved residents. We look forward to working with HRSA to address any questions or concerns and anticipate a full renewal. We’ll report back to the team as we learn more, but I want to take a moment to thank everybody who has contributed to the nearly 160 page application and supplemental data and reports.
Grant Proposal Submissions Approved
SJ Health’s Board of Directors also approved the submission of grant proposals for several key initiatives that would not only enhance our services and outreach to our patients and county residents, but also allows us to bring significant external financial resources into our health centers to support community health.
KidsVaxGrant
SJ Health will submit a proposal in October for up to $50,000 in funding made available by the California Department of Public Health for support of COVID vaccination efforts reaching children ages 6 months to 5 years old.
Test to Treat Equity Grant
A proposal was submitted in late September for up to $1 million in funding that would enable SJ Health to collaborate with community partners toward timely testing of vulnerable populations for COVID with a goal of quickly connecting positive patients with therapeutic treatment to decrease serious illness and death. This grant has an equity focus – specifically to reach communities disproportionately impacted by COVID – and encourages applicants such as SJ Health to partner with community-based organizations, shelters and encampments, faith-based organizations, and other agencies working with area residents at risk.
As you can see, it was an eventful September board meeting! None of these items would be possible without your contributions—you’re all helping to build the success story that is reflected in our financial outcomes, our ability to renew our FQHC Look-Alike designation, and our capacity to deliver critical grant-funded services to our community.
I encourage you to review several other key initiatives below in this issue of “Pulse,” including our important work toward promoting quality improvement for our patients, our leadership role in October’s Binational Health efforts, and our focus on vaccination outreach this fall.
Thank you for taking a moment to learn more about our shared work!
Quality improvement (QI) in healthcare is a significant focus, but what does it mean? Put simply, QI is a systematic approach, guided by data, to improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery. Healthcare program such as Medi-Cal and Medicare, regulators, payors, and providers pursue quality improvement initiatives to promote better care and outcomes related to issues such as diabetes, prenatal care, immunizations, well child visits and more.
Angela Ayala and Vanessa Macias both work on quality improvement at SJ Health and both have much to be proud of as they endeavor to help patients access important preventive care. The two are actively collaborating with Health Net, Hill Physicians, and Health Plan of San Joaquin toward a state initiative called the Affinity Project – an effort to ensure newborns are being seen by providers concurrently with their mother’s postpartum visits.
Vanessa takes the Affinity Project very seriously. “We are working on combining a mother’s postpartum visit with the infant’s pediatric appointment. One trip to the clinic instead of two,” explained Vanessa. About 300 mothers have been enrolled in the project so far, and Vanessa works with about 15 mothers a week.
“Having gone through the experience myself, I can relate to their struggles,” noted Vanessa of the new moms she’s trying to reach. “It’s hard not to get caught up in what they are experiencing. It takes a lot of compassion and patience working with mothers in their post-partum state,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Angela is focused on exploring how the data related to the members and their visits can guide systems improvement and adds, “It’s all about changing workflows and processes to improve patient care.” While systems change is challenging, Angela is inspired by the process. “We collaborate between non-clinical and clinical staff, all working towards the same goal. In the end, it’s really about the patients we serve.”
Collaborative efforts and process and workflow changes can yield positive outcomes, as demonstrated by improved measurements. Pediatric BMI is just one example. December 2021 data showed that BMI measures were completed for only 32% of eligible patients, far below the 54.7% completion goal. Comparatively, August 2022 data showed that 64.89% completed this assessment, surpassing the goal by over 10 percentage points. Angela credits the outpatient clinical assistants for this improvement, noting “Conversations about the importance of this measure, workflow modifications, as well as consistent documentation, made this possible.”
While there are successes to celebrate, Angela and Vanessa also acknowledge the need for further improvements. They are working closely with Rohini Mehta, LVN, who supports the Diabetes Titration and Congestive Heart Failure clinics, and they would like to see pediatric well care visits increase.
Angela reflected on her work by saying, “At the end of the day, it’s all about the patients. Knowing that we have done what we can to make sure they are better served is important to me. It feeds my soul to take part in this, and as much as I can contribute, I will.”
That kind of commitment and conviction, coupled with an organizational-wide focus on improvements, are the springboard for SJ Health’s continued success toward quality improvement. And with Dr. Jonathon Diulio’s clinical leadership in the QI space, SJ Health is on track to achieve that. The team welcomes feedback and are happy to explore new ideas, so reach out to them!
A Celebration of Wellness – that’s the focus of a collaborative community event being held October 29th in recognition of 2022 Binational Health Month. SJ Health will be joining partners including Health Net, Health Plan of San Joaquin, San Joaquin General Hospital and nearly 50 other organizations to connect important health services to the community we serve.
Beginning over two decades ago, Binational Health Week is a movement that began with advocacy work and partnership between the State of California, the Health Ministry of Mexico, and the Health Initiative of the Americas. San Joaquin County was among the first counties to engage in what was a week-long observance aimed at addressing health issues among those who live and work both sides of California’s southern border. Binational Health has since grown into an international movement with more communities identifying ways to bring awareness and engagement to the week of recognition.
In San Joaquin County, the Board of Supervisors now proclaims the full month of October as Binational Health Month. For many years, SJ Health has provided leadership for the Binational Health Coalition of San Joaquin County, and after many months of planning the group will support each other in hosting events throughout the month to promote access to health. SJ Health will hold the culminating activity, the Celebration of Wellness, on Oct 29th from 10am to 2pm in SJ Health’s French Camp parking area.
How can our SJ Health team members engage? Staff volunteers are needed who can provide services or help with logistics on the day of the event. Reach out to Joan Singson (jsingson@sjhealth.org) to find out how you can assist. If you can’t be there that day, you can still support our efforts by sharing information on your own social media (download and share the event flier!) so our community learns of the event, and by inviting our patients to come.
We’re proud to be joining our community partners in engaging in this progressive health movement and to build events and activities to help our community find health resources. Let’s make San Joaquin County’s Binational Health Month the most successful ever!
As the Fall season moves in, we are again on high alert for influenza, as we continue to address COVID and
promote the recent availability of the latest COVID booster. SJ Health is offering vaccinations at both health center locations with the Stockton Health Center even holding vaccination clinics on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. This is open for anyone 6 months old or older.
How can you help? Let your patients, friends and family know about the clinics. And don’t forget – our Mobile Health Center offers both flu and COVID vaccinations. You can find the Mobile Health Center schedule on the SJ Health Facebook page and at www.sjhealth.org/mobile