Salinas Valley Memorial Becomes Salinas Valley Health

A doctor and patient looking at a book


A Salinas hospital which has served the community well over decades has decided to change its name.  Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System has announced that it has changed its name to Salinas Valley Health.  The 263-bed hospital employs more than 2,000 people.  ““We are extraordinarily proud of the legacy and impact our organization has had in our community,†said Pete Delgado, president/CEO of Salinas Valley Health. “As we rise to meet the promise of an even brighter future, Salinas Valley Health is celebrating the connection between community health and individual well-being. We’re rising together in good health.â€

New Book Cost Of Living Explores Healthcare System Inside And Out

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


A new book by Emily Maloney called “Cost of Living†explores the health care system from a unique point of view.  The book’s author tried to kill herself when she was 19 and ended up in a psych ward.  Later in life she worked as an emergency room tech and later in hospital billing, so she has seen the healthcare system from the inside and the outside.  The book explores the financial side of the health care system but also the emotional side where hospital staff can sometimes be callous.  It’s worth a read.

Congratulations To Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System : By Derek Baine


Congratulations are in order to SVMH, which was awarded Magnet recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center this month.  The award is for meeting rigorous standards of nursing excellence and is given to only 8% of hospitals in the U.S.  There are now 34 hospitals in California identified as Magnet hospitals.  “Achieving Magnet recognition, especially in the face of COVID-19, is a testament to our staff and high standard,†SVMH President & CEO Pete Delgado said in a statement.

Hospital Care At Home To Be The New Norm?

A building with the capitol in the background.


There is growing interest to shift hospital services into patients’ homes, a movement that started even prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.  Startups are providing technology to bring medical services into the home and well-known Venture Capital companies are backing them.  Hospitals are finding that some common illnesses like urinary-tract infections can be effectively treated at home.  This is a very common ailment for seniors and it would be great to see them recover from this at home.  Hospital-at-home care hasn’t taken off in large part due to the fact that insurance companies haven’t covered it.  However, many are trying to convince Medicare and private insurance companies with data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showing home hospitalization reduced costs, healthcare use and readmissions, while increasing physical activity compared with typical hospital care.  In addition, Medicare recently introduced a new program whereby hospitals can be reimbursed for home care they provide to patients during the pandemic.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/crop-of-startups-move-hospital-care-into-the-home-11614853803

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver : 1,759 New Cases

A close up of the word coronavirus with an image of a virus


After being completely silent since January 1, Monterey County reported today that there have been 1,759 new cases bringing the total over 30,000 with 20 new fatalities for a total of 216. Natividad has seven COVID-19 patients, CHOMP 10, and Salinas Valley Memorial has 14.  The hospitals have 2, 3 and 8 open ICU beds respectively.   Nationwide, there were 198K new cases for a total of 20.889 million to date, while deaths rose by 3,127 to 355,524.  In California, there were 30,375 new cases for a cume total of 2.475 million while deaths rose by 382 to 27,020.  Please stay home and stay safe!

https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-coronavirus-cases-tracking-outbreak/monterey-county/

 

Please visit us at www.familyinhomecaregiving.com

Monterey, CA Nursing Homes Hit Hardest By COVID-19

A man wearing a mask with yellow warning tape around his mouth.


I recently wrote about the fact that although the number of cases of coronavirus in nursing homes is low as a percentage of all cases, they account for a full 40% of deaths from COVID-19.  California’s Department of Public Health has listed 21 skilled nursing and assisted-living facilities that have reported COVID-19 cases.  The worst by far is Windsor Monterey Care Center at 78, followed by Pacific Coast Post Acute at 72, and Windsor The Ridge Rehab Center which has had 67 patient cases and 62 staff members carrying the virus.  Cypress Ridge Care Center has had 49 patients with coronavirus and 40 staff members, while Windsor Skyline Care Center has had 47 patients and 14 staff members with the virus.

This data shows why local hospitals are discharging many patients to their homes rather than have them go to a rehab center prior to going home.

https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-coronavirus-cases-tracking-outbreak/monterey-county/

https://familyinhomecaregiving.com/long-term-care-facilities-account-for-40-of-covid-19-deaths/