themselves in need of health care afterhours , on weekends and holidays . When their primary care physician is unavailable , and their health needs can ’ t wait , De Paul is the go-to facility .
Valley Health Center in Gilroy is one of 11 outpatient clinics operated by Santa Clara Valley Medical Center . Patients can be referred there by primary care physicians to receive specialty care in urology , cardiology , endocrinology , neurology and other areas . It also offers family medicine , pediatrics , dental services , OB-GYN , behavioral health , and other services .
The Foothills Community Health Center in Gilroy welcomes Medicare and Medi-Cal patients and those who are uninsured . The center offers pediatric , adolescent , adult and elder care services , as well as optometry and podiatric care . Children can receive the full immunizations as required by the Center for Disease Control , at no cost to the family . The center also offers state-funded programs for perinatal care and family planning services .
Knopf pointed out that Santa Clara County has three trauma centers , all to the north , at Santa Clara Valley Medical , Regional Medical Center , and Stanford . These facilities have earned high-level trauma center ratings by providing access to specialist medical personnel for emergency medicine , trauma surgery , critical care , neurosurgery , orthopedic surgery , anesthesiology , and radiology , along with sophisticated surgical and diagnostic equipment .
Our “ Healthcare Safety Net ”
When healthcare providers and policy makers speak of California ’ s healthcare safety net , it ’ s not marketing jargon . According to John Hennelly , Chief Administrative Officer at Saint Louise Regional Hospital , this safety net is defined by a mutual understanding among providers to ensure healthcare services are accessible to everyone in the community .
Hennelly described how Saint Louise is stronger because it is part of Verity Health , a six-hospital system .
“ Like health systems do , Verity negotiates contracts , builds partnerships and shares best practices . Every hospital has to innovate to find effective and efficient ways to do things . No one has all the answers . You share the best of the best across the system . Our ability to obtain new equipment and technology at the best possible value , like our new mammography units , is an example of a system advantage .”
He said the system also has the ability to calm the financial waters .
“ Hospitals go through peaks and valleys . For example , insurers don ’ t always pay on time but we still have to pay our employees and vendors . Being part of a larger system flattens that out so individual hospitals can focus on services .” Not a day goes by that Hennelly doesn ’ t get asked about Congressional attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act .
“ When it comes to improving the design of the federal healthcare system , the Affordable Care Act was a great first step . I ’ m generally optimistic that our government representatives will eventually find the best way forward . At the regional level , planning is challenging , but on a day-to-day basis , the hospital staff is focused on providing care . The California Hospital Association does a lot of modelling to identify models that provide more access to care . We ’ re very open to innovating based on those models .”
Along with innovation , Hennelly explained that the hospital is undertaking new initiatives to connect with the community .
“ Many people got insured under the Affordable Care Act but chose plans with huge deductibles so they could afford the monthly premiums . Fundamentally they are insured for catastrophe , not for day-to-day medical and dental care needs . We want to facilitate preventive care , because taking care of day-today needs , is how we stay healthy and productive as individuals and as a community .”
“ Like other hospitals located outside major urban centers , we want to attract more physicians with sub-specialties . For example , there ’ s a widespread shortage of behavioral health professionals . This month , Saint Louise is excited to be bringing a second neurology specialist , Dr . Ibrahimi , to our staff .”
“ Our challenge is to find the right recipe for connecting people with the information and care they need at the right place and time in their lives . Preventive education and care encourages families to start healthy and stay healthy .
“ Kaiser Permanente ’ s Gilroy Medical Offices recently celebrated 30 years of serving our members — part of our strong commitment to caring for the fastgrowing community in Southern Santa Clara County . There are 35 providers at the 62,000 square foot Arroyo Circle facility , offering high-quality care in allergy , family practice , internal medicine , obstetrics and gynecology , optometry , pediatrics , physical therapy , adult psychiatry , and radiology . In addition , members at the Gilroy Medical Offices can consult with other specialists throughout Kaiser Permanente using video visits . With Kaiser Permanente ’ s electronic medical record , your physician at the Gilroy Medical Offices and any others in Kaiser Permanente can access your medical history , so there is exceptional coordination of care . Recently , our Gilroy Medical Offices were remodeled — creating a calm , healing environment for our members .”
Irene Chavez , Senior Vice President and Area Manager , Kaiser Permanente San Jose
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 gmhtoday . com
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