|
GOLD -
Tied between Eddie Brandow and Pam Burnham
Eddie Brandow - Health 
The Health Services Agency acquired cutting edge technology with the implementation of
the EPIC practice management and health records system more than three years ago,
providing better service to clients, providers, nurses and other users. Eddie is the
Site Specialist for the County's clinics, working one-on-one with individual providers,
teaching and training nursing staff in the County's various clinics, and working with the
lead physician mentor and practice management specialist to keep the Health Services
Agency staff up-to-date and well trained. As a skilled Registered Nurse, Eddie is well
positioned to blend her sense of clinical demands and work flows and apply that knowledge
for the benefit of users and patients alike. She is an empathetic guide who is able to
assess individual employee skills and weaknesses so that she can teach staff to use the
EPIC system to improve their abilities and increase their effectiveness. Eddie is also
willing to share her knowledge with clinics outside of the county when they need a real
expert in the EPIC system to solve a problem. Eddie has done a truly exceptional job
supporting staff in the County's clinics as they continue to master the EPIC system, and
her efforts are to be commended. |
Pam Burnham - Health
As an Assistant Departmental Administrative Analyst with Health Services, Pam has
consistently demonstrated her ability to adapt quickly to tackle an ever-increasing
variety of difficult tasks--with seemingly unlimited capacity. She has taken on a number
of key assignments, including personnel coordination; analysis of data systems for grants
and reports; support for highly complex projects of the Health Improvement Partnership
Council and the County, such as the federal physician shortage designation; and capacity
building grants. Whether working with HSA staff or personnel at outside agencies, Pam
uses humor, creativity, and teamwork to advance important community projects, serving as
an example to all HSA staff while bringing praise and recognition to the County. At
every turn, she is reliable and professional and draws on her excellent analytic skills
to solve problems. As a result of her extraordinary talents, Pam is considered the hub
of HSA Administration and a genuine asset to the work of the Health Services Agency and
County government. |
|
|
SILVER -
Members of the Pandemic Influenza (H1N1) 2009 Team, including:
Back Row: Ruben Chavez, Will Forest, Marco Cabezuela
Middle (standing): Jessica Oltmanns, Fritzi Nelson, Denise Parodi, Angela Camunez
Front (sitting): Beth Landes, Gerrod Murai, Jamie Riggs-Nagy, Argelia Soria
Inset: Cece Reinhardt
Not Pictured: Socorro Gutierrez, Gerald Landers, Julie Rudge, Deborah Wechsler
On April 28, 2009, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency activated its
Departmental Operations Center to coordinate the County's response to the H1N1 influenza,
including enhanced surveillance, increased laboratory testing, and consultation with
health care providers on treatment and prevention. This response also required
coordination with local hospitals, community clinics, county schools, the Agricultural
Commissioner, Environmental Health, law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical
services, as well as increased communication with local residents. Once the vaccine
became available, effective measures were taken to ensure that the at-risk target groups
could get vaccinated first, followed by opportunities for others to receive the vaccine.
Members of the H1N1 Team planned and implemented several free, walk-in immunization
clinics at County clinic facilities in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, and at various
locations in the community, and consistently provided leadership and guidance to help
prevent the spread of the H1N1 influenza. As a result of the ongoing efforts of each
member of the team, health providers and members of our community have been able to take
appropriate actions to minimize the risks associated with the H1N1 influenza.
|
|
BRONZE -
Shared by Staff in the Watsonville Health Center, including:
Alice Arredondo,
Richard Buddington,
Gabriela Gallegos,
Imelda Gallo,
Lynn Johnson,
Adrienne Keane,
Alice Kollmann,
Alice Lawrence,
Gerald Landers,
Aida Manjarrez,
Neftali Mendez,
Joann Moschella,
Kitzia Orozco,
Catalina Padilla,
Andrea Ratto,
Shelby Scott,
Maria Vazquez,
Michele Violich
Pictured:
Top Row, Left to Right: Michele Violich, Neftali Mendez, Richard Buddington, Joann Moschella
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Kitzia Orozco, Adrienne Keane, Andrea Ratto, Lynn Johnson.
In the face of the economic downturn and the resulting steady increase in patient demand
during the fall and winter months of fiscal year 2008-09, the staff and management of the
Watsonville Health Center agreed to expand the hours the clinic was open so they could
offer evening appointments. In order to provide this extended coverage, all staff agreed
to support the efforts of this team of employees who adopted individually tailored
schedules and rotations that address peak patient demands and personal availability. As
a result, nearly 20 additional hours of patient care are provided each week. Because of
this extraordinary effort, parents of pediatric patients now have a choice about whether
their children miss school to get health care, working adults no longer have to take
valuable time from their work lives, and clinic patients are using the resources of the
clinic rather than visiting the local Emergency Department for non-emergency services.
These employees are true heroes for making modifications to their personal lives, asking
their families to adjust, and adapting to accommodate these changes for the greater good
of all concerned. By expanding clinic hours, the Watsonville Health Center has saved
positions, increased revenue, and, most importantly, improved the care of patients.
|
