Sometimes we win one:

            In June, the 4^th District Court of Appeal came in with a verdict dismissing a lawsuit against Dr. Michael Fitzgibbons, brought by the new owners of  Western Medical Center, Santa Ana.  The court found that this was a SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) which is illegal under California law.

            Dr. Fitzgibbons, a former chief of staff at the Medical Center, was supported by many of the organizational members of the Health Care Council.  We are proud to stand with  physicians who advocate for medically appropriate health care for their patients. 

Here’s some more good news:

            After almost eight years of essentially flat funding for the county-responsible medically indigent, the Board of Supervisors agreed to contribute an additional $10 million to the MSI (Medical Services for Indigents) program.  This breakthrough was partly due to the $40 million “windfall” the county received as a result of unexpectedly high state property tax revenues.

            However, we believe it was also partly due to the advocacy of several of our organizational members, including HASC, OCMA, COCCC  and the League of Women Voters as well as the Health Care Council!

Immunization Registry News:

            Orange County is finally beginning to implement an Immunization Registry as part of the regional LINK system to ensure that 90% of kids become immunized against vaccine preventable diseases. Assembly Bill 576 (Wolk) is making its way through the legislature to provide funding for the statewide immunization registry system.

            As the fiscal intermediary for the Orange County Immunization Coalition, the Health Care Council continues to work with its partners in the health care community to bring about a climate of practice where it will be unacceptable for anyone to immunize a child without referring to the registry.

CalPEN Bad News:

            The California Preparedness Education Network has trained faculty and completed curricula on risk, preparation and response for public health emergencies including terrorist events,  bioterrorism preparedness, chemical agents, HAZMAT and radiological emergencies and emerging infectious diseases and control measures, among other issues.

            As the CalPEN coordinator for Orange County, Ken Scott of our staff has provided educational opportunities for groups of health care providers. The Council was funded to pay for faculty transportation and stipends, and provided CME credit.  Unfortunately we are informed that this funding ends this summer.

AHEC News:

            As the Area Health Education Center for Orange County, the Health Care Council works with its academic partners, UCI and CSUF, to develop culturally competent health professionals to serve Orange County’s increasingly diverse community.  

            This year, after many years of planning and hard work, our colleague, Ellen Lewis, RN, MSN, has succeeded in a major endeavor: launching a new baccalaureate nursing program within the UC Irvine School of Medicine.

            Meanwhile, we continue to try to engage the family practice residency programs in Orange County, to join us in supporting the Orange County Coalition of Community Clinics and their vitally needed constituent member clinics.

Minority Nursing Education Support Program:

            The Health Care Council’s second three-year grant from the California Wellness Foundation is coming to a close.  We continue to seek funding so that we may continue to support preceptorships and emergency mini-loans for  minority nursing students. This increases the numbers of culturally competent, well educated nurses and preventing promising  nursing students from dropping out, as a result of unanticipated financial problems.

            Over the last six years, many thousands of hours of preceptorships for nursing students have been provided at community clinics, where often students are able to receive practicum while serving patients from their own culture in their own language.  The Council hopes to continue to support this important program.

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