For the fiscal year ending: JUNE 30 2015 COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT REPORT FY2015 1
Palomar Health Community Health Improvement Report FY2015 At Palomar Health we are dedicated to living out our mission through community health improvement activities. Our staff and trained volunteers support that mission every day. From educational programs and charity care to collaborative community health initiatives, we are committed to caring for our communities both inside and out of the hospital walls. Patient First Patient first - that s our priority at Palomar Health. We are honored to touch countless lives across San Diego s north inland region. Whether at one of Palomar Health s hospitals for inpatient care, at Palomar Health s Expresscare Clinics for a walk-in urgent care visits or at a free health education classes, our patients come first. As a public health district, Palomar Health received $14 million from annual property taxes in fiscal year 2015 (FY15), while devoting more than $113 million to the community through community health improvement programs and services. Highlights of our contributions include: Community-based health improvement Health education & training programs Unreimbursed medical care services Palomar Health collaborates with other health systems, government agencies, and community groups to identify the greatest needs within our community. Based upon the 2013 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), the top community health needs in San Diego County are: Cardiovascular Disease Diabetes (Type 2) Mental/Behavioral Health Obesity Although numbers never tell the whole story, Palomar Health reports community health improvement activities as a way to be accountable to the communities we serve. This report offers a snapshot of some of the community health improvement programs offered by Palomar Health in FY15. 2 PalomarHealth.org/Community-Health-Improvement
OUR MISSION: To heal, comfort and promote health in the communities we serve. 2014-15 PALOMAR HEALTH QUICK FACTS 31,135 + 4,585 143,870 20,321 162,740 + 347 3,500 + 100 1,000 3,288 216 inpatient discharges total births ED visits surgeries outpatient visits health classes class participants Ask-A-Nurse resource forums blood pressure screenings flu shots in the community support group meetings COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT REPORT FY2015 3
Reaching Out Palomar Health s commitment to serve the entire hospital district takes healthcare events and education to urban and outlying locations where many residents of our community can benefit. Programs such as free blood pressure screenings, Ask-A-Nurse forums, health education classes and influenza vaccination clinics are just some of the ways Palomar Health promotes health beyond the walls of our hospitals. A hallmark of our community outreach efforts is the highly successful community influenza vaccination program. Directed by community health nurse educator Luanne Arangio-Law, Palomar Health hosted 86 vaccination clinics during the 2014-2015 flu season at locations throughout the district, including churches, senior centers, mobile housing parks, community centers, and our own hospital locations. More than 3,200 people received the flu shot from Palomar Health s vaccination clinics in FY15. Peace of Mind Sara Jones* found herself in an especially frightening position when results from a diagnostic ultrasound came back abnormal. The recent SDSU graduate needed a CT scan and biopsy to determine whether she had cancer, but she had no means by which to pay her high insurance deductible and co-insurance. She spent three weeks agonizing wondering if she could afford to ignore her health - before she finally took a leap of faith and contacted Palomar Health to learn if financial assistance was available. When Sara called, I could tell she was scared and really unsure what she should do, explains Sonya Vazquez, fair pricing specialist at Palomar Health. I spoke with her at length and based on her income, we were able to qualify her for 100% charity care and she moved forward with required procedures immediately. Vasquez received a welcomed voice message from Sara a few weeks later. She wanted to let me know all her tests came back negative and how grateful she was for everything we had done for her. *The patient s name was changed to protect her privacy. 4 PalomarHealth.org/Community-Health-Improvement
First Encounter When 64-year-old Bruce Marquardt stopped at the Escondido Senior Center last summer and took advantage of Palomar Health s free blood pressure screening event, he wasn t at all concerned about his health. He s an athlete who trains in martial arts and Judo, plays competitive ping pong and watches what he eats. But he credits that testing with ultimately saving his life. Community health nurse educator Luanne Arangio-Law found his blood pressure was high. She wrote down my numbers and told me to go see my doctor right away, says Bruce. I put the paper in my pocket and forgot about it. Later that night while playing a in a ping pong tournament, Bruce struggled to breathe. I knew something was wrong, but I pushed through it, he explains. The next day Bruce went to an urgent care clinic and the doctor told him to go to the emergency room right away. But he didn t go. Two days later, on the way to his martial arts training, Bruce finally went to the emergency department at Palomar Medical Center with chest pains. Less than an hour later, he was in surgery. He had suffered a heart attack. My doctor told me that if I had gone to my training rather than the ED I would have died, says Bruce. I didn t take (Arangio-Law s) advice right away, he acknowledges, but without that check-up, I probably wouldn t have gone to the emergency room until I was incapable of taking myself. Today, Bruce considers himself a lucky athlete. He sees his doctor regularly, watches his blood pressure and is back at the ping pong table. This isn t the first time our free screenings have saved a life, says Arrangio-Law. The Marquardt family could have lost a son, husband, father. I m thankful we were able to play a part in preventing that. COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT REPORT FY2015 5
Investing in the Future The health care field is projected to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the U.S. as the demand for health care continues to rise. Palomar Health is committed to supporting the health care workforce of tomorrow through educational programs today. Palomar Health collaborates with local high schools, colleges and universities to help students explore health care careers through the Pathmaker internship program. In hospital settings, students gain hands-on experience in healthcare under the guidance of Palomar Health staff. Hours accumulated through the competency-based internship provide students with a running start in their education for roles including nursing, medical technician, and physician assistant. PALOMAR HEALTH PATHMAKERS IN FY15 More than 1,000 + Pathmakers More than 165,000 internship hours Students from 29 high schools & 26 colleges Discovering Her Path After a successful career in sales and marketing, Brandi Cloyd decided to pursue her first calling nursing. She began taking the pre-requisite courses for nursing school at night, and in an information session, she came across a brochure for Palomar Health s Pathmaker program. I wanted to be a nurse, but I hadn t spent any real time in a hospital, explains Brandi. The Pathmaker program was my chance to see if nursing was really for me. Brandi arrived for her first day of the Pathmaker program, nervous but determined. 6 PalomarHealth.org/Community-Health-Improvement As I worked with the patients and staff, I couldn t get enough. I called my husband after my shift, crying; the whole experience felt so right, so natural. It had solidified my desire to care for people. Brandi said her experience as a Pathmaker made all the difference to be part of a care team. I don t know that I would have had the confidence to pursue nursing if I hadn t participated in the Pathmaker internship, she says. Four years and 1,012 internship hours later, Brandi is a registered nurse at Palomar Medical Center caring for patients on 6 West.
No One Goes Without Care Access to health care remains a serious problem for some in our community, but Palomar Health strives to ensure that everyone receives medical help, whether or not they can afford it. Palomar Health offers financial assistance programs for those who are uninsured, underinsured, ineligible for a government program or are otherwise unable to pay for medical-necessary care. As a reflection of our commitment to Patients First, Palomar Health provided uncompensated care for patients unable to pay for services and the unreimbursed costs of public programs such as Medi-Cal, Medicare, Tri-Care, and San Diego County Medical Services (CMS). PALOMAR HEALTH FY15 CHARITY CARE TOTALS 478 1,320 85 Inpatients Surgeries Outpatients ADDITIONALLY Palomar Medical Center has proudly served as San Diego County s designated Trauma Center for North County for more than 25 years. The Center cares for all trauma patients, regardless of ability to pay, within the 2,200 square mile trauma region east of Interstate Highway 5 and north of State Route 56. COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT REPORT FY2015 7
Getting in Front of Community Health Needs Since their inception in 1992, the Community Action Councils (CACs) have given Palomar Health a direct connection to the community s needs on a regular basis. The five regional CACs bring together leaders from more than 75 agencies, including local governments, social services, law enforcement, health agencies, schools, community clinics, senior centers, faith communities, businesses, and community members to work collaboratively on health-related issues. By working collaboratively with community members, the CACs allow Palomar Health to accurately identify and effectively address the health care needs across our district. HELPING MENTAL HEALTH CAREGIVERS. The Community Alliance for Healthy Minds (CAHM) was founded by Rex and Connie Kennemer after their son Todd - who struggled with bipolar disorder - took his own life. The one-day CAHM Forum, which is supported by the Poway/Rancho Bernardo/ Rancho Penasquitos CAC, brings together mental health and suicide-prevention professionals who provide inspiration, resources, and support for individuals and families struggling with mental illness. Laurie Soto Levy knows the value of the CAHM Forum. She first attended one nearly five years ago, seeking a better understanding of her son s newly-diagnosed mental illness, and how she might improve her care for him. She was deeply impacted by the program where she received invaluable information on the clinical aspects of mental health in keynote presentations, breakout educational sessions, and at a resource fair. But the highlight of the event was the sense of community and support she experienced. At the Forum I realized that I am not alone as a caregiver for someone with mental illness, says Laurie. There is a real sense of strength in knowing others are experiencing the same things as you. I walked away from the Forum empowered and hopeful. Since that time, Laurie has become an advocate for mental health issues within the community. Today she s actively involved with the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and participates weekly in Palomar Health s Friends in the Lobby program, where trained volunteers offer educational support for family and friends visiting loved ones in the inpatient behavioral health unit. Laurie has even joined the planning committee for CAHM and served as a workshop speaker at the Forum. The CAHM Forum helped me put more tools in my toolbox for handling stressful situations with my son, says Laurie. I am grateful for the opportunity to share with others, and help supply them with some of the tools they might need in dealing with mentally ill family members. For more information about the Community Health Improvement Report, contact Elly Garner, Government Affairs Manager, Elly.Garner@PalomarHealth.org. PalomarHealth.org/Community-Health-Improvement