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IN THE NEWS
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Grant Mellor, MD and Xochitl Mellor
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Pediatrics, a Family Affair
Dr. Grant Mellor, past president of SJMS, is working alongside his daughter, Xochitl Mellor. She is a 4th year medical student at Case Western, completing her outpatient rotations with Kaiser Permanente in Stockton. She is following her dad and older brother into pediatrics. Dr. Mellor is proud to be one of her teachers.
San Joaquin Medical Society Celebrates Residents
February 25 was “Thank a Resident Day.” SJMS distributed goodie bags to every resident in training programs at San Joaquin General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Medical Center as a token of appreciation for their hard work and dedication to providing quality patient care. They serve as an integral part of the healthcare team. Residents enjoy free membership at the San Joaquin Medical Society and the California Medical Society, and they are encouraged to get involved!
SJMS Celebrates Residents
Shriners Children’s Northern California empowers young women to pursue orthopedics
Women make up more than half of medical school entrants but only 6-8% of orthopedic surgeons are female. Among medical specialties, orthopedics may have the biggest gender disparity problem.
Eight female orthopedic surgeons from Shriners Children’s and UC Davis Health organized a one-day workshop for 30 female, high school students to teach them about the field. The students participated in mock surgeries and education seminars as part of The Perry Initiative, a nationwide effort to interest females
in orthopedics and engineering. An October 2021 study said that, while only 16% of active orthopedic surgery residents are female, 20% of those participants in the Perry Initiative who went on to match into a residency program chose orthopedics.
Shriners Children’s provides educational opportunities for current and aspiring healthcare professionals to help change and improve children’s lives.
Reminder: Transition from HPSJ to Medi-Cal Rx
As of January 1, 2022, the pharmacy benefits for Health Plan of San Joaquin members were transitioned to administration by Medi-Cal Rx, the new California State agency. Medi-Cal Rx is responsible for filling most outpatient pharmacy drugs for MediCal plans. Providers can call the 24/7 Medi-Cal Rx Call Center Line, 1.800.977.2273, TTY/ TDD 711, or visit www.MediCalRx.dhcs.ca.gov for help. Prior authorization request forms can be submitted to Medi-Cal Rx via CoverMyMeds, the MediCal Rx Secured Provider Portal, or via fax at 1.800.869.4325.
Access the Medi-Cal Rx Provider Manual at https://medicalrx.dhcs.ca.gov/provider/forms for detailed coverage information such as restrictions on covered medical supplies. Frequently asked questions about Medi-Cal Rx are at https:// medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov/home/faq/. If there are any further questions and Medi-Cal Rx is unable to assist, contact the HPSJ Pharmacy Team at pharmacydepartment@hpsj. com or contact them directly via HPSJ’s secure voicemail at 209.461.2212. The team will respond within one business day. NEW for Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) Members – National Diabetes Prevention Program
Health Plan of San Joaquin is offering a CDC-approved online diabetes prevention program with Melon Health. HPSJ members can self-refer or be referred to the program by their PCP. Throughout the virtual program, members are taking part in weekly program modules, connecting with an online group, texting and calling their personal health coach, keeping a daily health record, and staying active. The Diabetes Prevention Program is NOT for those who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes or are pregnant at this time. HPSJ patients who would like to learn more about the National Diabetes Prevention Program, or self-refer, are invited to contact HPSJ’s Health Education team at 209.942.6356, or healtheducation@ hpsj.com
Shani Hanh Truong, MD Lauren Kendall Brown-Berchtold, MD
Modesto Bee Spotlight – Two local doctors share how women can stay safe from COVID during pregnancy
Lauren Kendall Brown-Berchtold, MD and Shani Hanh Truong, MD are physicians in family medicine at San Joaquin General Hospital and clinics affiliated with HPSJ. In January they coauthored an important Modesto Bee opinion piece which can be read at https://tinyurl.com/425e9h8n.
Improved Payment Experience for HPSJ Providers
In 2022, Health Plan of San Joaquin will implement a new provider payment system. In addition to a more responsive experience, practices have an opportunity to experience faster payments. Payments are offered in the following ways:
• Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) for direct bank deposits (preferred) • Paper checks (by mail) • V-cards (credit cards)
HPSJ encourages providers to sign up for EFTs directly to their bank to prevent delays or checks lost in the mail, and to avoid additional fees that may be assessed by your practice’s credit card company. HPSJ is offering to assist practices that want to consider this EFT choice. If not already completed, HPSJ providers are asked to register for the new payment system at www.hpsj.com/paycontact, or call HPSJ Provider Services for support at 1.888.936.PLAN (7526).
IN THE NEWS
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St. Joseph’s Earns Top Star Rating for Cardiovascular Surgery
St. Joseph's Medical Center has earned a distinguished threestar rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for its patient care and outcomes for both isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) procedures. The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places St. Joseph's among the elite for CABG (top 20%) and AVR (top 5-8%) in the United States and Canada. The latest analysis of data covers a 3-year period from July of 2018 to June of 2021. Learn more about St. Joseph’s award-winning cardiac services at DignityHealth.org/ Stockton/Heart.
Eleze Armstrong
Doctors Hospital of Manteca has appointed Eleze Armstrong as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Effective January 3, 2022, Armstrong will assume responsibility for all hospital operations, executive planning and directing medical services.
Murali Naidu, MD, FACS, our current CEO of Doctors Hospital of Manteca, has been appointed as the new CEO of Emanuel Medical Center, our sister hospital in Turlock. He will serve as CEO of both hospitals until Armstrong’s effective date.
Armstrong joins Doctors Hospital of Manteca from Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, our sister hospital in San Luis Obispo, where she has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2018.
She previously served as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Twin Cities Community Hospital, our sister hospital in Templeton. She started at Twin Cities in 2010 as Director of Imaging and Cardiovascular Services, then moved into the role of Market Director of Neuroscience Services before becoming CSO.
Armstrong is a graduate of the Tenet Leadership Academy. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Administration from the University of Ottawa in Kansas and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. She is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Doctors Hospital of Manteca is now offering 3D mammography (breast tomosynthesis) for breast cancer screening. Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis when combined with a conventional 2D mammography has a 40 percent higher invasive cancer detection rate than conventional 2D mammography alone.
The new 3D mammography system is located at the Women’s Imaging Center inside Doctors Hospital of Manteca. The Women’s Imaging Center is a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence in the National Quality Measures for Breast
Centers Program™ (NQMBC™). This distinguished honor represents a commitment by the DHM Women’s Imaging Center to provide the highest level of quality care to patients in the Manteca community and surrounding areas.
3D mammography with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) offers exceptionally sharp breast images, and an advanced design providing more patient comfort. The tomosynthesis platform is designed to deliver superior screening and diagnostic performance for all breast types. It produces a threedimensional view of the breast tissue that helps radiologists identify and characterize individual breast structures without the confusion of overlapping tissue.
Breast tomosynthesis has the potential to benefit all screening and diagnostic mammography patients and is especially valuable for women receiving a baseline screening, those who have dense breast tissue and/or women with a personal history of breast cancer.
The tomosynthesis screening experience is similar to a traditional mammogram. During the exam, multiple, low-dose images of the breast are acquired at different angles. These images are then used to produce a series of one-millimeter-thick slices that can be viewed as a 3D reconstruction of the breast.
Tina Burch
Doctors Hospital of Manteca has appointed Tina Burch as its new Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).
Tina assumes responsibility for all nursing and designated patient care functions within Doctors Hospital of Manteca. She will oversee and coordinate the nursing units and their daily operations. Tina has been serving as the hospital’s Interim CNO since May 2021. In addition to her Interim CNO responsibilities, Tina has also been serving as Director of Clinical Quality Improvement/ Patient Safety, Sepsis Coordinator, Stroke Coordinator and Dialysis Coordinator. Her previous roles at Doctors Hospital of Manteca have included Critical Care Services Director, Clinical and Shift Manager of Inpatient Nursing Services, and Clinical Nurse in Multispecialty Services.
Tina earned her BSN from CSU Stanislaus and MSN from Grand Canyon University. She was named Employee of the Year in 2005 and was a Tenet Hero Nominee in 2010.
Jerry Weiner, MD Retires
A longtime general surgeon at Doctors Hospital of Manteca has retired after 36 years at the hospital.
Jerry Weiner, M.D., started working at Doctors Hospital of Manteca in October 1985 and retired in December 2021. Dr. Weiner has been a wonderful asset to Doctors Hospital of Manteca and the hospital is grateful for his incredible commitment and dedication to its patients, hospital and community for so many years.
“Dr. Weiner has provided expert clinical knowledge, superb surgical skills, and care for this community for 36 years. His contributions to Doctors Hospital of Manteca are very much appreciated,” said Murali N. Naidu, M.D., former CEO of Doctors Hospital of Manteca. “He has served as a mentor to other physicians and a leader for our medical staff. Most
IN THE NEWS
recently, his calm demeanor and expert knowledge were invaluable to our patients and staff during the pandemic.”
“I have been blessed to know Dr. Jerry Weiner for 35 years. He is a devoted, humble, kind, caring and compassionate surgeon. He is well-known for always going the extra mile to help. His contributions to the hospital, the medical staff, patients and the community have been invaluable,” said Marla Terrell, Director of Medical Staff Services.
Operation Access is Seeking Volunteer Surgeons and Specialists
Operation Access organizes medical volunteers and arranges
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surgical and specialty care. They are working to launch in San Joaquin County and have been working with various participating hospitals who have generously agreed to donate charity care that is performed through the program.
Patients are low-income, uninsured, and referred by community clinics. Operation Access provides intensive case management and interpreters to make it easy to volunteer and to patients arrive to their appointments fully prepared.
For more information, consult www.operationaccess.org. If you are interested in becoming involved as a volunteer, please contact Program Director Ali Balick at (415) 733-0062 or by email at ali@operationaccess.org.
