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Quality of care is directly related to a commitment to excellence.
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MCHC demonstrates an organization-wide commitment to excellence...
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Through continued pursuit of JCAHO accreditation; MCHC's most recent review occurred in August 2006
and all three of our health centers achieved accreditation.
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Through ongoing organizational education and improvement to maintain compliance with the
National Patient Safety Goals.
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Through active participation in educational opportunities made possible by federal Performance Reviews.
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Through implementation of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Collaborative model of care.
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Through ongoing Performance Improvement initiatives and clinical program innovations.
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Through its strong corporate compliance program.
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Through sound fiscal management.
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Through deployment of solid and serviceable technological infrastructure,
including electronic practice management and health records systems.
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Through vigorous assessment of community health needs
and sound strategic planning to prudently address identified needs.
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Through in-house training programs for staff at every level.
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Through the vigorous pursuit of funding resources.
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Through participation in a broad network of community, health services and political organizations.
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Accredited by JCAHO
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All three of our health centers are accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the nation's leader in establishing recognized "best practices" in the field of healthcare. By demonstrating compliance with JCAHO's standards for health care quality and safety, MCHC earned the accreditation and the right to display the Commission's Gold Seal of Approval. Our last review took place in August of 2006.
MCHC seeks accreditation because it provides a strong structure for ongoing education in clinical excellence. To achieve it, our staff works diligently in pursuit of excellence. JCAHO accreditation is an independent acknowledgement of the time and effort MCHC devotes to quality improvement.
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Strengthening patient safety:
The National Patient Safety Goals
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By establishing the National Patient Safety Goals, JCAHO has identified new measures to support increased patient safety. These focus on a variety safety challenges that medical facilities face daily; they highlight problematic areas in health care and describe evidence and expert-based solutions to these problems. In its August 2006 JCAHO review, MCHC was recognized for meeting all goals relevant to ambulatory care facilities. To view MCHC's report on the National Patient Safety Goals, click here.
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2006 Highlights & Accomplishments
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Following our third review by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), all three of MCHC's health centers achieved accreditation, providing strong evidence of our commitment to patient safety and to quality of care.
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With the rise of childhood caries has been a concomitant reduction in access to pediatric and sedated dentistry. To improve patient access to these services, maintain relationships with out-of-area services providers, mobilize supporting resources and advocate for this vulnerable patient group, MCHC created a Dental Case Management position.
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MCHC responded to new and expanding definitions of privacy and excellence by transforming its Performance Improvement Department: Quality Improvement collects and reports on clinical performance data; Corporate Compliance has expanded duties to bolster MCHC's program to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse.
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To keep pace with the technological changes affecting medicine, MCHC completed first-stage implementation of a comprehensive practice-management/medical-records software system. Though attended by significant costs and training requirements, NextGen is already improving scheduling, billing, and data collection and reporting. A second communication technology, Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is supporting clearer communication at reduced costs.
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To improve communication with patients, and between staff at our three rural health centers, we implemented an in-house call center. Today, during working hours, callers connect with a knowledgeable person who can make patient appointments, connect them to others and solve problems.
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Responding to significant reimbursement changes and a steady decline in patient numbers, MCHC closed its once-successful Opioid Treatment Program. To meet the needs of addicted patients, it transitioned treatment to office-based Buprenorphine therapy.
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Increasing our patients' access to care, providers' in-clinic hours expanded as on-call duties were relieved following the institution of Hospital Specialist Programs at two local hospitals.
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Major facilities improvements for the year included a new roof and four new medical exam rooms at Lakeside Health Center; Hillside Health Center received a $346K grant from the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) to expand its obstetrics and pediatrics units and improve patient reception areas.
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Expanding our connection within our communities, community health outreach programs had a greater emphasis in 2006: Lakeside Health Center hosted a children's weight-loss summer camp; Hillside Health Center hosted La Buena Vida, a Latino health fair. As part of local solution to childhood caries, MCHC's Dental Department increased their outreach to schools, labor camps and special needs agencies via in-the-field assessments and treatment. MCHC continued to participate in local, regional, state and national health solutions and policy advocacy.
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2005 Highlights & Accomplishments
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To meet underserved community need for psychiatric services for those with serious mental illness, MCHC hired psychiatrist Brian Thomas, MD. Patients exhibiting more serious depression and anxiety disorders are showing improved levels of social functioning, improved compliance with medical treatment and increased general enjoyment of their lives.
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Two significant expansion projects were completed at our Lake County facility, Lakeside Health Center: Three new dental operatories were built and Lakeside's behavioral health services expanded with two additional counseling offices.
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Weaving the safety net a little more tightly, MCHC began homeless community outreach using new van services made possible through Healthcare for Homeless grant funding. Our drivers go where the homeless gather, bringing them to our centers for healthcare services. The program has established MCHC as a resource of value that sensitively serves the unique needs of the homeless.
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We strengthened our obstetrics and gynecology unit, Care for Her, by hiring an additional certified nurse-midwife. The department fully implemented a Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP) to meet the needs of our community; the program includes childbirth preparation, infant safety and breastfeeding.
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Working collaboratively with other community health centers, we continued making group purchases of employee health benefits, medical malpractice and Worker's Compensation insurance. By joining with others, we have been able to realize significant savings and maintain our position as a regional employer of choice.
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2004 Highlights & Accomplishments
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A grant from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) of over $498K will significantly expand access to care in the years ahead. An expanded program component provides for outreach and health services for
Lake County's isolated farm workers. The grant will also guarantee access to health services through the purchase of a patient transportation van, absolutely crucial in light of the sprawling geography and community isolation that characterizes Lake County.
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A grant from Delta Dental of $91,570 made it possible for MCHC to expand access to dental services in Lake County. The money was used to fund the salary of a new dentist, Dr. Duc Minh Tran. It also provided some funding for support staff and program expenditures. The new services are expected to support the oral health of almost 800 patients in the Northern Lake County area,
a region overwhelmed by high rates of dental cavities and difficulties in obtaining all types of health care, particularly oral health services.
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A project providing health care for the homeless was funded by the HRSA.
The grant offers MCHC $149,167 to provide medical, dental and counseling/psychiatric services at Ukiah's Buddy Eller Center. MCHC pursued the project as an outcome of collaborative work done with the Homeless Services Planning Group facilitated by Mendocino County Department of Social Services. The group's work made it clear that if access to health services is to meaningfully increase for the homeless, care must be delivered where they gather. According to Mark Rohloff, Executive Director of the Ford Street Project, the organization that operates the Buddy Eller Center, "For the homeless, barriers to care are tremendous. We are sure MCHC's clinic will have a major impact because when an individual becomes healthier, it is easier for them to maintain hope and pursue a healthier life."
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La Buena Vida, a health fair for Latinos, was held at Hillside Health Center in Ukiah. The event was developed collaboratively with Nuestra Casa Family Resource Center and was held in conjunction with BiNational Health Week. MCHC has had a long commitment to providing culturally appropriate health services to the Latinos in our community, but this was the first time we held a Spanish-language event. Approximately 300 Latinos came to participate in screenings and educational activities; numerous community organizations participated.
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Responding to the changing nature of our clinical practice, MCHC hired Family Medicine practitioners at all three of its health centers. At Hillside Health Center, we established a pediatric care pod.
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