By Faughn Education • Health/Medical • Manufacturing • Top Stories 0 Comments

Fresno State engineering students help make protective gear for health workers

Engineering students, faculty and alumni from Fresno State’s Lyles College of Engineering have been working up to 10 hours a day in recent weeks to design and produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for Central Valley health care workers. They plan to donate about 1,000 face shields to Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno. Last week during Fresno State’s spring break, the team completed the final design and began production of the face shields — the first part of a three-phase, innovative project to support the community at a time when protective equipment is scarce for doctors, nurses and other health care providers.

https://files.constantcontact.com/2cb20f61601/682ecac7-bbb8-4d8e-80e1-8808a64214e8.pdf

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical 0 Comments

Standing Tall Against the Surge-Sutter Health

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently unveiled a guide outlining when and how California may lift various coronavirus restrictions based on a set of six criteria, including hospitals’ ability to handle any potential COVID-19 patient surges. However, Newsom cautioned against moving too fast, saying “we can’t get ahead of ourselves.” While social distancing guidelines and sheltering in place orders appear to be helping flatten the curve in California, we don’t know whether recently reported holiday gatherings for Passover or Easter that were outside these guidelines, may cause spikes in COVID-19 cases.

https://www.sutterhealth.org/newsroom/standing-tall-against-the-surge

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical • New Location 0 Comments

AMOR to break ground on $8M Mendota Health Center

Fresno-based nonprofit AMOR (Alliance for Medical Outreach & Relief) is hosting a groundbreaking next week for a health clinic and neighborhood resource center in Mendota. The two building, 20,000 square-foot clinic will provide youth, behavioral health and social services in addition to primary medical and dental care. It will also include a day care, public food pantry, nutrition education, specialty care, violence prevention classes, substance abuse counseling and parenting education.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/amor-to-break-ground-on-8m-mendota-health-center/

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical • Top Stories 0 Comments

Fresno Hospital First in Central Valley to Use New Hybrid Operating Room

The healthcare industry is constantly evolving and improving and community regional medical center is the only facility in the valley with two hybrid operating rooms able to perform highly complex, advanced surgical procedures.  But, it’s the team inside the operating room that really makes the difference. We got a first-hand look at what it takes and what it means for patients. Alfredo Gomez is an interventional radiology technologist who’s worked in the hybrid operating room since 2014.  The room is a combination of a traditional operating room and an image guided interventional suite– providing all the necessary capability and personnel in one space.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/med-watch-today/medwatch-today-a-first-look-at-a-hybrid-or-and-its-team/

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical 0 Comments

Fresno Cancer Center Earns ‘Astro’ Accreditation

The Fresno Cancer Center has received a prestigious accreditation given to less than 5% of such facilities in the U.S. The American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) Accreditation Program for Excellence (APEx) can take up to a year to complete and focuses on five “pillars” of patient care. These include the process of care, the radiation oncology team, safety, quality management, and patient-centered care, according to a news release. Fresno Cancer Center was one of three such facilities in the state to recently achieve APEx status, along with Rohnert Park Cancer Center and South Sacramento Cancer Center. The three centers comprise the practice of US Cancer Management Corp. (USCMC), which operates the facilities.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/health-care-roundup-fresno-cancer-center-earns-astro-accreditation/#:~:text=The%20Fresno%20Cancer%20Center%20has%20received%20a%20prestigious%20accreditation%20given,%E2%80%9Cpillars%E2%80%9D%20of%20patient%20care.

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical 0 Comments

Central California Blood Center starts experimental treatment to fight COVID-19

The Central California Blood Center announced that they will be the first blood center in the United States to produce pathogen-reduced plasma from patients who have successfully recovered from the Coronavirus. The Blood Center said people who recover from the Coronavirus infection have developed antibodies to the virus that remain in the plasma portion of their blood. The experimental treatment is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used on an emergency basis.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/central-california-blood-center-starts-experimental-treatment-to-fight-covid-19/

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical • Top Stories 0 Comments

Report: Visalia’s Kaweah Delta hospital generates $1 billion a year locally

Kaweah Delta medical center in Visalia does more than provide healthcare services to the region and the Central Valley — it also infuses nearly $1 billion into the local economy each year, according to a new study. Kaweah Delta makes an estimated $973 million annual economic impact and accounts for $550.4 million or 3.2 percent of Tulare County’s economy, says an economic impact analysis commissioned by the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation and prepared by Impact DataSource of Austin, Texas.

https://thesungazette.com/article/health/2020/04/01/kaweah-delta-generates-1b-in-local-economy/

By Faughn Economy • Education • Health/Medical • New Developments 0 Comments

Plans for Valley medical program moving closer to fruition, says Assemblyman Gray

Assembly member Adam Gray, D-Merced, this week convened the San Joaquin Valley Coalition for Medical Education at UC Merced to discuss burgeoning plans of a San Joaquin Valley medical school. The program’s plans have been on the drawing board for decades, but until recently they’ve been largely conceptual. Gray and other program proponents were recently given a boost of $15 million from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who included those funds as part of his proposed 2020-21 state budget.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/plans-for-valley-medical-program-moving-closer-to-fruition-says-assemblyman-gray/ar-BB103IYh

By Faughn Economy • Health/Medical 0 Comments

Comprehensive Heart Care at Doctors Medical Center Unifies Under New Cardiovascular Institute

Today marks the unveiling of the Cardiovascular Institute of Doctors Medical Center, a single, identifiable name that integrates the comprehensive heart services provided by Doctors Medical Center under one brand. “Unifying our cardiovascular services under one umbrella name shows the communities we serve that we offer advanced, comprehensive heart care right in their backyard. There is no need to travel to surrounding areas for care that is provided here in Modesto,” said Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center. “Our goal is to continue providing seamless heart care for the patients we treat every day.”

https://www.dmc-modesto.com/news/newsroom/comprehensive-heart-care-at-doctors-medical-center-unifies-under-new-cardiovascular-institute

By Faughn Education • Health/Medical • Workforce 0 Comments

Taft College receives $156,000 gift from Chevron to expand Allied Health and Sciences Lab

Chevron will present a $156,000 check to Taft College to help fund the development of the Allied Health and Sciences Lab, specifically by providing medical equipment for expansion of its anatomy and physiology curriculum. This donation will strengthen Taft College’s collaboration with Kern County schools by expanding classes for science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/taft-college-receives-gift-from-chevron-to-expand-allied-health/article_ac3dd1a4-4235-11ea-83bf-77f8eb50d861.html#:~:text=Taft%20College%20receives%20%24156%2C000%20gift%20from%20Chevron,Allied%20Health%20and%20Sciences%20Lab&text=Chevron%20will%20present%20a%20%24156%2C000,its%20anatomy%20and%20physiology%20curriculum.