California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of January 23, 2015
Alameda Health System
Atlantic Philanthropies has awarded the Alameda Health System a three-year, $10 million grant to support its youth development programs for introducing underprivileged kids in Oakland to health care careers, according to a health system release.
The money will be used to expand workforce development programs at the health system's Highland Hospital and Trauma Center and boost a partnership with the Emergency Medical Technicians and Health Coach programs at Alameda County's Health Care Services Agency (AHS release, 1/22).
Daughters of Charity Health System
California Attorney General Kamala Harris (D) has been given an extension to decide whether to approve or reject the contentious sale of six safety-net hospitals operated by Daughters of Charity Health System to Prime Healthcare Services, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Harris now has until Feb. 20 to make a decision.
According to Harris' Chief of Staff Elizabeth Ashford, the attorney general's office requested the extension to ensure a comprehensive review of the sale (Seipel, San Jose Mercury News, 1/22).
Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo
Ambulance diversions from Doctors Medical Center have increased patient traffic, transportation times and wait times at other local emergency departments, according to data from Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Amid a worsening financial situation, DMC's board in August 2014 decided to stop accepting ambulance traffic, which has added pressure on surrounding hospitals, including Alta Bates Medical Center, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Kaiser Richmond Medical Center (Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, 1/15).
Meanwhile, four bidders have come forward with offers to purchase Doctors Medical Center and continue its operation. The bids are from three private hospital groups and the city of San Pablo (Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, 1/21).
Huntington Hospital Trauma Center
The Huntington Hospital Trauma Center has been re-certified as a Level II trauma center by the American College of Surgeons, according to a hospital release.
According to the release, ACS first verified the trauma center in 2011. The center is re-verified every three years (Huntington Hospital release, 1/20).
Providence Health & Services, Southern California
All of Providence Health & Services eligible hospitals in California have received Healthgrade's Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for the second consecutive year, the Santa Monica Mirror reports.
The five hospitals were among 261 medical centers nationwide to receive the distinction.
The hospitals include the Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, the Providence Tarzana Medical Center, Providence Holy Cross in Mission Hills, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance and Providence Saint Joseph in Burbank. The health system's sixth hospital was not eligible (Santa Monica Mirror, 1/20).
Veteran Affairs Northern California Health Care System
The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded Veteran Affairs Northern California Health Care System and UC-San Francisco's School of Nursing and Health Professions a $4.6 million grant to establish a five-year program to train new VA nurses, according to a release.
The VA Nursing Academic Partnership will consolidate clinical and academic resources, increase nursing student enrollment at UCSF and expand the VA system's training capacity (UCSF release, 1/20).
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