What's New

San Francisco Business Times - by Chris Rauber Alameda County Medical Center is finally moving ahead with a $668 million rebuild of Highland Hospital in Oakland. Demolition of some existing structures has started, and a $300 million bond issue is slated to go out in October. ...

Quality Report Card FY 2009 ...

Chief Information Technology Officer Appointed at Alameda County Medical Center ...

Alameda County Medical Center Chief Nurse Executive Appointment ...

New Chief Financial Officer Appointment at Alameda County Medical Center ...

ACMC Named Medical Provider of Inaugural Oakland Running Festival ...

2010 Regular Board & Committee Meetings Matrix

Oakland, CA. - In 2007 Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) received a $1.57m grant for the development of a clinical electronic documentation system with software and laptops to use at the patient bedside. ACMC contributed an additional $1m enabling the project to include Lab and Radiology results as well as notes from Respiratory, Physical Therapy, Speech, Occupational Therapy, and even Pastoral Care. The system; MERLIN - Managing Electronic Records goes live on September 22nd in Highland's Intensive Care Unit and Step Down Unit, and on the 29th on 5 East and the 7th floor. The roll-out will continue until all ACMC nursing units are engaged. ...

Oakland, CA. - Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) has entered into an expanded agreement with Healthcare Security Services of California, Inc. (HSS) to provide security officers at Highland Hospital. ...

Lease agreement preserves urgent care.provides physical rehabilitation services..... ...

Board of Trustees meeting calendar, including committees meetings. ...

Oakland - It was the final gift of slain Oakland Police Officer John Hege. For four Bay Area residents, it meant the world. One man has Hege's heart. Two men have his kidneys and a fourth has his liver. ...

A noted leader in healthcare, Dr. Sang-ick Chang has been appointed Chief Medical Officer of Alameda County Medical Center, effective April 20, 2009. ...

Highland Hospital, a member of Alameda County Medical Center has been awarded an accreditation by the Commission on Labortory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists (CAP). ...

Valerie Ng, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) begins a two year term on September 24th as President of the ACMC Medical Staff. She succeeds Thurman Hunt, MD. ...

Gino Correa, RN, has taken the position of Director of Psychiatric Nursing at John George Psychiatric Pavilion. ...

The County of Alameda and the Alameda County Medical Center invite the public to review and comment on the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the proposed Highland Hospital Acute Tower Replacement Project. ...

On May 30, Alameda County health care leaders and elected officials spoke out against dire health care cuts included in Governor Schwarzenegger's most recent proposals for the California budget. In a news conference at ACMC's Highland Hospital campus, the leaders denounced the proposals as foolish, unhealthy and dishonest. ...

"ACMC and the members of the ACMC Board of Trustee applaud the ruling today from Judge James Robertson in the case of Alameda County Medical Center et al v. Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. ...

Scott Zeller, MD, Chief of the Psychiatric Emergency Service, is President-Elect of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry. Zeller assumes the presidency in 2010. ...

Alameda County Medical Center physician Mini Swift, MD, and nurse manager Menbere "Fefe" Tequame, RN have been selected for the Disparities Leadership Program (DLP), a year-long fellowship that trains leaders to understand and overcome racial and ethnic inequalities in healthcare. ...

Alameda County Medical Center is the lead plaintiff in a major federal lawsuit to stop the Bush administration from cutting $5 billion in needed funding for safety net hospitals.

"Time is running out" said CEO Wright Lassiter, III, describing the proposed new rule restricting the Medicaid program (Medi-Cal in California). "If this rule becomes a reality, we will take very serious actions in terms of our staffing levels and the services we provide, and I am afraid our patients will pay the price." Congress has blocked the rule from taking effect, but that moratorium expires May 25, 2008.

The County of Alameda and the Alameda County Medical Center invite the public to review and comment on a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) prepared for the proposed Highland Hospital Acute Tower Replacement Project. ...

John Thomas has been appointed Executive Director of Ambulatory Care for Alameda County Medical Center. ...

A group of middle school students organized a sock drive that provided 253 pairs of new white socks for homeless patients at ACMC's Highland Hospital ...

Alameda County's Office of AIDS Administration has recognized ACMC's Tasha Thibodeaux and Caitlin McCarthy, RN with the HIV/AIDS Community Service Award for 2008. Seven other Alameda County Medical Center staff and physicians received nominations. ...

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) a grant in the amount of $1,568,000 to support the implementation of a clinical nurse electronic documentation system. ...

Alameda County Medical Center's Emergency Department snagged Top Honors in the Process Improvement category of the Quality Leadership Awards, conferred by the California Association of Public Hospitals (CAPH) and its sister organization the Safety Net Institute (SNI). ...

Local and state leaders stressed the importance of HIV testing, as well as the tremendous improvements in HIV treatment options, at a panel discussion hosted by Alameda County Medical Center.

The event, staged in advance of World AIDS Day, December 1, was covered by four area television news programs and several newspapers, including this article in the Bay Area News Group papers. ...

Alameda County Medical Center is teaming with the DAISY Foundation to bring the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to ACMC.

Chief Nurse Executive Arlene Kiepek calls the award "a great recognition our front-line staff nurses, who care for the patients day to day and respond to their needs." ...

Physician/author Robert Wachter, MD was the keynote speaker at an ACMC Continuing Medical Education event, "The End of the Beginning: Patient Safety in 2007."

Event organizer Barry Zorthian, MD, Medical Director for Quality Services, reports that Dr. Wachter delivered a progress report on patient safety improvements nationwide over the past seven years. ...

Some two dozen Alameda County faith leaders gathered at ACMC's Highland campus for a breakfast hosted by the Medical Center's office of Legislative and External Affairs.The pastors affirmed their future support on legislative issues that impact the Medical Center and its patient population, and also took the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences in providing pastoral care at ACMC hospitals. ...

Chief Human Resource Officer Jeanette Louden has announced the appointments of three new Directors in the Human Resources Department of Alameda County Medical Center.

• Genil Washington is Director of Work Force Planning and Development.
• Gudrun Dybdal has taken the position of Director of Education.
• Inshani Ramsumair has been appointed Director of Compensation and Benefits.

The Alameda County Tobacco Control Coalition honored pharmacist Diana Thamrin, PharmD with its 2007 Health Care Award, in recognition of her leadership in helping Medical Center patients quit smoking. ...

Chief Executive Officer Wright Lassiter, III has released a set of organizational charts illustrating the structure of Alameda County Medical Center, its Board of Trustees, and its medical departments. ...

Alameda County Medical Center pediatrician Jacob Eapen, MD, MPH, a native of India, is a winner of the 2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The medal is presented annually to "remarkable Americans from various ethnic backgrounds who exemplify outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives, while continuing to preserve the richness of their particular heritage." ...

Alameda County Medical Center has released its "Quality Report Card" for calendar year 2006.

The "Read more" link takes you to the download page. ...

Attending Physician Bradley Frazee, MD has returned to the ACMC Emergency Department, almost ten months after suffering a spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident. Frazee is working a half-time schedule.

"It's been great to come back and feel like I'm doing something productive again," he says.

The ACMC Medical Staff has selected Dr. Frazee as Outstanding Physician for 2007. He will accept this annual award June 9 at the Alameda County Health Care Foundation Gala, at the Rotunda Building in Oakland. ...

National Laboratory Professionals Week, April 22-28, is a time set aside to recognize the skills and efforts of laboratory pathologists and clinical professionals. ...

Wendy Favila-Penney, founder and Director of ACMC's Cancer Navigator program, has won the American Cancer Society's Lane Adams Quality of Life Award, a prestigious national prize for cancer caring. The award recognizes individuals who have made a difference through innovation, leadership, and consistent excellence in providing compassionate, skilled care and counsel to persons living with cancer and their families. ...

Highland Hospital employees, patients, and neighbors are enjoying a new transit option: free shuttle service to and from the Lake Merritt BART station. ...

Jeanette Louden has joined Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) as the organization's Chief Human Resources Officer. Her extensive background in human resources includes leadership positions at Kaiser Permanente, other corporate environments, and in the federal government. She begins her new duties February 12. ...

James Sondecker has been appointed Associate Administrator over two of Alameda County Medical Centers campuses: Fairmont Hospital, including its acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing units, and John George Psychiatric Pavilion. He begins his new job on Monday, January 29th. ...

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors has appointed Valerie D. Lewis, JD and Kirk Miller, JD to vacancies on the Alameda County Medical Center Board of Trustees. ...

David Altman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Alameda County Medical Center, issued a statement in response to an article in the Alameda Newspaper Group papers, December 24, 2006 ...

On December 22, 2006, the Montclarion published an opinion piece by Barry Simon, M.D., Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Alameda County Medical Center. Dr. Simon writes:

"Just like our local police and fire departments, California hospital emergency departments (ED) are on the front lines, responsible for the health and safety of their communities, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And they are fulfilling this mission despite growing challenges from overcrowding and overstretched resources."

Read the article here. (See disclaimer below "About Outside Links") ...

The California Association of Public Hospitals has recognized Alameda County Medical Center with two awards, recognizing the new "Asthma Lounge" in the Emergency Department, and conferring a technology award for ACMC's leadership in making quality care available to limited-English speaking patients. ...

On November 15, Alameda County Medical Center's three hospital campuses joined over 100 other organizations around California in a disaster preparedness exercise. The premise of the drill was that a major earthquake, 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck at 5:12 a.m. Chief Medical Officer, David Altman, MD, says the staff responded well to the challenge of carrying out a building evacuation and responding to other crises that could emerge in the event of a major quake or other mass-casualty event. ...

Alameda County Medical Center has opened a Gift Shop on the Highland Hospital campus.

The Gift Shop offers cards and magazines, flowers and plants, balloons and other gifts, as well as personal items such as socks and underwear. Free same-day delivery is available ...

Twenty-two year old pilot and ACMC patient Quincey Carr of Oakland got a day pass from his Rehabilitation activities at the Fairmont campus to meet the Navy's elite Blue Angels flight team during Fleet Week. ...

Alameda County Medical Center will open a new Infusion Center on the Highland campus October 11. The facility, on the first floor of the hospital building, will offer significant advantages for patients, and will help ACMC meet its goals for revenue enhancement and financial stability. ...

When Ebbin Dotson reviews the intensive five week summer program, he sees one clear measure of success: All 28 youth who completed the program are planning to pursue professional careers in health care. ...

Alameda County Medical Center Quality Report Card FY 2009 ...

Colin Feeney, MD of the Internal Medicine department wins Excellence in Teaching award;

Surgery Suites named for Claude H. Organ, Jr., M.D. ...