https://www.mymotherlode.com The Mother Lode's Local News, Sports, Weather, Movies, Classifieds, Yellow Pages, Real Estate Mon, 19 Nov 2018 03:19:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/498633/potential-holiday-treat-being-recalled.html Fri, 16 Nov 2018 01:19:07 +0000 Tracey Petersen https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=498633 A check of the pantry is warranted as a cake mix may be contaminated with Salmonella. more →]]> Courtesy: TCHD[/caption]   County health officials relay that most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection and will recover within 4 to 7 days without treatment. However, for the elderly, infants and those with weakened immune systems, life-threatening complications can develop and require hospitalization. They add that Salmonellosis is one of the most common gastrointestinal infections reported in the U.S., with approximately 4500 reported cases in California every year.]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/497427/cancer-center-clears-final-hurdle-to-open-top-floor-services.html Wed, 14 Nov 2018 22:23:10 +0000 Tori James https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=497427 The Mother Lode’s high-tech treatment hub for cancer patients is now fully operational. more →]]> reported here, when Adventist Health Sonora officials held a ribbon cutting for its long awaited, 64,000 square foot Health Pavilion and Diana J. White Cancer Institute, located at the intersection of Mono Way and Greenley Road across from the hospital’s main campus. By early October, two of the pavilion’s three floors were in service; fully populated with related equipment and staff, as reported here. Spokesperson Karen O’Brien recounts that, at that point, a board of pharmacy licensing delay hampered the ability to open the top floor, which houses the building’s infusion center and medical oncology department. As of Tuesday afternoon, O’Brien reported all three floors as fully operational, also noting that the old cancer center at the main hospital campus closed. While administrators are currently looking at different ideas to use the space, no plans are in place. Clearing Hurdles To Provide 'Streamlined' Services Under One Roof Radiation oncology was the first of the former cancer center’s departments to move over. Located on the first floor of the health pavilion, she says that staff has been seeing patients there for the past two months for radiation therapy treatments. O'Brien explains, “The infusion center and medical oncology are pretty dependent on our in-house oncology pharmacy, so they were not able to see patients [at the new building] until the board of pharmacy license was in hand and after that, it took a couple of days to move things over.” With everything fully open and operational at the cancer center, she emphasizes that adult patients will now receive the streamlined experience intended by design with Adventist Health Sonora’s health care team providing all the services. “The space is huge…able to treat more patients and get them in more quickly for their appointments,” O’Brien enthuses. She adds that a new radiation oncologist from Adventist Health Memorial Hospital in Lodi, Dr. Travers McLoughlin, is now also onboard to help see more patients more quickly. In a nutshell, O’Brien says, expectations are to provide expanded, convenient cancer care-related services all under one roof, including primary care, lab draw work, rehabilitation, and diagnostic imaging. Summarizing with smile, she adds, “If you or a loved one is a cancer patient, know that you will be getting all your care at the health pavilion.”]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/496296/mthcd-touts-stay-vertical-senior-health-program-updates-projects.html Tue, 13 Nov 2018 23:19:04 +0000 Tori James https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=496296 Health care district officials report progress getting seniors out of their lounge chairs, supporting juvenile victim-witnesses, and building a new community health clinic. more →]]> reported here, over the past several months, Mark Twain Health Care District (MTHCD) officials are working on filling service gaps in local rural health care and expanding viable services by funneling increased district dollars and other support means into a variety of projects and initiatives. MTHCD Executive Director Dr. Randy Smart says he is amazed at the response to “Stay Vertical Calaveras,” a recently initiated, free to the public series of open exercise and strengthening classes, specifically designed to help prevent people from falling. Supported by a $60,000 program grant from the district, he says it is an understatement simply referring to it as “money well spent.” Outwitting A Surprising 'Assassin' While for many it is a startling statistic, Smart stresses, “The number one thing that will kill somebody over 65 -- it is not heart attacks or strokes – it is falling and breaking a bone.” These incidents, he says, often trigger what can become a quickly disabling health decline for about 80 percent of elder patients. He adds that injury falls are statistically higher in rural environments where bigger physical challenges exist such as less level ground surfaces, more steps -- and more household animals. Over the past two months, Smart reports that the Stay Vertical program has exponentially grown under the direction of Steve Shetzline, who also serves as the executive director of Murphys Senior Center. Smart says that the phone is ringing off the hook with inquiries and the classes well attended, including by more folks showing up in their sneakers and sweats than whom RSVP’d. To date, he shares, “We have trained 25 instructors, established seven different sites around the county…conducted over 68 classes and worked with over 970 different students.” A few of the instructors are also recording some pre and post-class assessments, which will help provide outcome study metrics. For more details on the latest class information and/or to sign up, Smart advises sending an email to stayverticalcalaveras@gmail.com or call 209 915-2450. A Partnership For Children’s Advocacy Last week, the Calaveras Children’s Advocacy Center held a grand opening event at its new home, located at 1934 Highway 26 in Valley Springs. Through the Resource Connection, it provides free licensed counseling, advocacy and support services for crime victims and witnesses under the age of 18. It also offers education and resources to non-offending parents, guardians, and\or family members. The center’s “new” home is located in a district-owned facility under a partnership agreement. Smart explains MTHCD additionally assists with infrastructural support, some donated equipment and space rental at a more than half-subsidized rate. The latter support, which acts as in-kind donation, provides the center a substrate that enables it to qualify for additional grant dollars. “Rural communities really don’t have these kinds of facilities and Calaveras County is extremely lucky to have it,” he maintains. “[Advocacy center staff members] have already engaged probably three times the number of children that they had projected that they would probably see…this is going to be a long-term thing.” He adds, “It is really tragic when children become victims or witnesses to crimes – or subject to abuse…but the opportunity for the district to step in and help these children and help them get back to a normal life is something we are really excited about.” Valley Springs Wellness Center Update As for the district’s long-awaited $9 million Valley Springs Wellness Center project, Smart estimates it is about ten percent into the construction phases with the pad now set and contractors marking out the 10,000 square-foot building. “I have been working on it for three years and it looks way bigger than I thought it would -- and we are getting phone calls every day,” Smart states. So far, things are on track for a grand opening next June or July, he adds. As reported here, plans are for the new facility to be a regional health care hub that will closely integrate with Mark Twain Medical Center to provide a seamless and customer-friendly patient experience. In other business, nonprofits with potential health care-related proposals that are interested in tapping the district’s annual community grants program should take note that the application process begins again come January. According to Smart, of the total $100,000 available, last year the district awarded only about half of the funds, so plans are to promote the availability more heavily. Asked about what kinds of projects the district might be interest in, he dryly notes, “When you are not using all your grant money, any idea can be a good one.” The only caveat, he emphasizes, is that all proposal applications must promote health and requested monies cannot cover salary costs but must go towards the project work itself. Following a March deadline, funding awards will be announced in April with checks cut in May. Chosen projects will operate under a one-year-contract. For more information, click here.]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/495177/adventist-health-sonora-improves-grade-on-patient-safety.html Mon, 12 Nov 2018 21:14:49 +0000 Tori James https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=495177 A Mother Lode hospital is sharing the results of a national watchdog group’s latest safety assessment from which it earned a significantly higher mark than earlier this year. more →]]> reported here, taking part in the assessment is voluntary and earlier this year hospital officials were surprised to receive a failing grade, noting other recent positive recognition from other healthcare groups. They also pledged to take the information and recommendations as a learning experience and subsequently submit more data and response actions taken to the group in order to participate in the second of its twice yearly grade reports. As Michelle Fuentes, president of Adventist Health Sonora explains, “During the last several months, our department of quality and infection prevention has led teams throughout the hospital to implement processes that meet the Leapfrog Group’s specific requirements -- I am extremely proud of our team’s work and commitment to providing the best possible care for our community.” Overall, the Leapfrog Group assigns safety grades of A, B, C, D or F to more than 2,600 hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms among patients in their care. As part of its process it uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data along with voluntarily submitted survey information.]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/489695/medical-marijuana-dispensary-back-on-sonora-council-agenda.html Mon, 05 Nov 2018 14:57:19 +0000 B.J. Hansen https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=489695 The Sonora City Council is planning to approve the final reading of an ordinance to approve a development agreement with Hazy Bulldog, LLC for a medical marijuana dispensary on Mono Way. more →]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/486437/tuolumne-county-offering-incentives-to-replace-older-wood-stoves.html Wed, 31 Oct 2018 18:58:40 +0000 B.J. Hansen https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=486437 Tuolumne County is implementing a new $135,000 pilot program that will provide vouchers to help offset the costs of replacing old wood burning stoves and fireplaces. more →]]> click here. The cost to replace a wood stove can exceed $3,500, depending on the model. There is also a $345 permit fee in Tuolumne County, which the voucher can help cover.]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/482886/new-family-medical-clinic-in-san-andreas.html Sat, 27 Oct 2018 01:34:03 +0000 Tracey Petersen https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=482886 The new facility is right across the parking lot from the old clinic. more →]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/482418/agencies-collecting-prescription-drugs-this-weekend.html Fri, 26 Oct 2018 17:00:37 +0000 B.J. Hansen https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=482418 Citing the public safety concerns of failing to get rid of them, this weekend there is a coordinated effort to properly dispose of un-needed or expired prescription drugs. more →]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/481866/governor-to-continue-climate-change-cause-once-out-of-office.html Thu, 25 Oct 2018 23:34:28 +0000 Tracey Petersen https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=481866 He will take the helm of a group that oversees the Doomsday Clock. more →]]> https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/477687/democrats-we-want-to-lower-health-costs.html Tue, 23 Oct 2018 13:00:36 +0000 Mark Truppner https://www.mymotherlode.com/?p=477687 During the Democratic Weekly Address, Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) stated Republicans are attacking the health care of Americans with pre-existing conditions by trying to repeal Obamacare. more →]]>