Effort pays off in needed donations
  Leticia Beutler saw a need and an opportunity and acted. Because of her above and beyond effort, Tulare District Hospital has supplies of inhalers and other medical necessities and medications to give to people who otherwise could not afford them.
  Motivated by a little boy who had visited the hospital’s mobile van and was having difficulty affording his inhaler, Leticia, who is the medical assistant for the van, came upon a Los Angeles Times article about medical supplies that might be available to give to the poor.
  “The mobile health clinic is run on grant money and we could use the help. We help those with no insurance and sometimes they have no money for their medications,” said Leticia.
  So, she went into action. She wrote a letter to the author of the LA Times story and found out that the inhalers were available as part of the Aspire Campaign. She got the contact information, which ended up with her working with Direct Relief International.
  Direct Relief had just received $34 million from the trust of a long-time donor who had passed away and it was using the money for exactly what Leticia was seeking.
  On June 29, Tulare District Hospital received a large shipment of supplies and medications.
  “Let me tell you I couldn’t believe it. Neither could my boss. There were boxes everywhere,” said Leticia.
  Approximately $63,000 worth of supplies, ranging from books, thermometers, vitamins and more medical items were included.
  The 110 asthma inhalers came a few days later and then Longs Drugs chipped in with more donations. The inhalers are the latest on the market. They are the new environmentally-friendly albuterol inhalers that don’t use chlorofluorocarbons.
  Bret Lyons with Sepracor will be donating asthma kits with spacers for the van, added Leticia.
  The donation was made through the hospital Foundation and the items are being stored in a secure location, not in the van.
  “I have this good feeling there is more out there, generosity that is. Imagine if everyone believed in this, what a great world this would be,” said Leticia.
  She thanked Carol Thiel, RN, PA, who assisted her and supported her in her quest, Dr. Anil Patel for also being supportive, and Teresa Menezes of the Foundation for believing in her.
  Her next task is to locate the little boy to give him his inhaler.

Hospital shines in care measurements
Core Measure results posted on the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and CMS (Medicare) websites show Tulare District Hospital outshining other hospitals in our area.
  Of the two websites, JCAHO has the most current comparison which is reporting the four quarters of  2006, with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reporting the four quarters of October, 2005 through September, 2006. 
  On either website, anyone can compare healthcare quality for any number of hospitals.
  In comparing Tulare District Hospital, Kaweah Delta District Hospital and Sierra View District Hospital in Porterville for the Core Measure diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, SCIP and Pneumonia, TDH scored better in all four areas than did the other two hospitals. In fact, TDH scores are above the national average for quality patient care heart failure and pneumonia while KDDH and Sierra View scores are below the national averages.
  “Every day, staff is doing what a hospital should do – providing the care a patient should expect,” said Valle Lee, Core Measures compliance manager.
   “It’s a huge team effort. Nurses need to communicate with the physicians and the physicians need to communicate with the nurses,” she added. Valle’s job is to be out on the units, reviewing patient charts to identify Core Measure patients and to ensure staff and physicians are meeting criteria. “I’m also a constant reminder to be compliant,” she said.
  JCAHO and CMS developed Quality Improvement Goals (Core Measures) as part of the upcoming Pay- for- Performance initiative. This is the way they establish which hospitals are providing better care and which are not. Patients who receive care based on certain desirable evidence-bases practices are more likely to improve or avoid other medical problems. “When everything is said and done….It’s all about best patient care,” said Valle.