IN THE NEWS

Michael Herrera, D.O.

Michael Herrera., D.O., was announced April 19, as the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at St. Joseph's Medical Center. Dr. Herrera joined the Medical Staff at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in 1997. During his tenure, Dr. Herrera has been the EMS Director and Physician for the Emergency Department (ED), Medical Director and Chair of the ED, Chairman of the Credentials Committee, Chair of the Integrated Quality Committee, Assistant Medical Director of the ED, Chief of Staff, and currently, Medical Director of Quality and Case Management. In this role, Dr. Herrera has had a significant impact on quality metrics and care processes that have had positive impacts on patient care in our community.

Dr. Williams began her new role as Chief Nursing Officer at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in January 2022. She started her career at St. Joseph’s as a staff nurse in the float pool in 1999. Over the years, she went on to work as a staff nurse in Oncology and in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), where she became the supervisor in 2009. In 2011, Anitra became a Nursing Director overseeing multiple units in the hospital, and in 2016, Anitra was appointed the Director of Nursing Operations, managing the Nurse Staffing Office, Float Pool, and Education.

Dr. Williams has been a strong leader and advocate for education. This is highlighted by the development of the Leadership Academy for Nurse Shift Managers and the foundation of the HOPE program to educate and train new registered nurses, which she founded as part of the

Anitra Williams, DNP, RN

organization’s larger educational efforts with HealthForce Partners and HealthCareer Academy.

On April 6th, Joseph's Medical Center opened a dedicated Electrophysiology (EP) Cath lab. The opening of the EP Cath lab is a state-of-the-art addition to our Heart & Vascular Institute. The equipment works to closely monitor your heart rhythm, identify rhythm problems, and provide insight on how what can be done to control it.

St. Joseph’s is proud to once again receive the nationallyrecognized “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for Spring 2022. The Leapfrog grading is the only ratings program based on prevention of medical errors and coinciding harm to patients and ranges from “A” to “F” on over thirty performance measures including but not limited to errors, accidents, and infections. St. Joseph’s most recently earned an “A” grade in Fall 2021.

Electrophysiology Cath Lab

Dr. James D. Morrissey

St. Joseph’s Medical Center is honoring Dr. James Morrissey, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, for 50 years of service. Dr. Morrissey joined the medical staff at St. Joseph’s in 1972, where he performed the area’s first open heart surgery in 1974. His specialties include cardiovascular, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. Over the course of his 50-year tenure, Dr. Morrissey has completed thousands of heart surgeries at St. Joseph’s Medical Center and led the way for numerous “firsts” in cardiac care. Among his many awards and achievements, he is a recipient of the San Joaquin Medical Society Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and the St. Joseph’s Medical Center Champion of Community award in 2018.

Because of Dr. Morrissey’s leadership, St. Joseph’s Heart and Vascular Institute has become a top program nationally, and the first choice for heart patients in the Central Valley. It has also received many accolades, such as Designate STEMI Heart Attack Receiving Center, Designated Cardiac Center of Excellence, Designated Stroke Center, and in 2022 it received the CommonSpirit Health Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Center of Excellence.

Thank you, Dr. Morrissey, for your dedication and commitment to the health of our community, and for all that you have done and continue to do, to advance cardiac care.

CDC’s most recent numbers paint a grim picture of rising U.S. maternity mortality rates. The total rate in 2020 was 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births compared with 20.1 in 2019. However, risks for Black/African American mothers are even higher – each is nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancyrelated causes than Whites, Hispanics, and Asians. Black/ African American babies die at two times the rate of White, Hispanic and Asian babies before they turn one. The preterm delivery rate among Black/African Americans in San Joaquin County is 13.3 percent.

Health Plan of San Joaquin actively partners with primary care providers as they reach out to every Medi-Cal prenatal patient. Each receives multiple contacts, including at least one phone call and pertinent materials during each trimester. For complex pregnancies, support services are offered with an HPSJ care manager and health navigator. High risk pregnancies are supported with a social worker and case management team. In turn, HPSJ network providers are supported in their care for HPSJ patients with a rich trove of Me + My Baby Prenatal

Program online materials at hpsj.com/prenatal/. Providers also can order supplies of printed materials – including the upcoming, even more culturally sensitive trimester booklets – by emailing healtheducation@hpsj.com.

The redesigned Member Incentives Program, myRewards, is now available via the member portal, www.hpsj.com/ myrewards/. There pregnant HPSJ patients can earn $25 gift card incentives for timely prenatal care visits throughout their pregnancy. Providers can strongly encourage their HPSJ patients to engage with the website for myReward incentives, plus a wide range of prenatal and postpartum information and support. HPSJ patients also have warm hand-offs to local resources including San Joaquin County’s Black Infant Health Program at Public Health Services of San Joaquin County (sjcphs.org) and the High Risk Maternal and Child Health division of Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, at www.schsa.org/PublicHealth/programs/pages/ highRiskMaternalAndChildHealth.shtm. Referral forms for all of these programs are available at www.hpsj.com/formsdocuments/.

HPSJ Credits Its Network Providers: “THANKS! Once again, we could not have done this without you!”

In April 2022, Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) received from the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) its Measurement Year (MY) 2020 Timely Access Report. The MY 2020 Timely Access Report presented unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, overall appointment availability increased in comparison to previous years, in part due to a greater number of appointments available through telehealth during the public health emergency. Health Plan of San Joaquin said it is proud to consistently have high scores across “Commercial, Individual/Family, and Medi-Cal plans combined” for urgent and non-urgent appointments.

• Across Commercial, Individual/Family, and Medi-Cal plans combined, HPSJ achieved 90% for both urgent and non-urgent appointment wait times across all provider types (primary, specialty, non-physician mental health, and ancillary).

• Across Medi-Cal plans, HPSJ achieved 96% across all provider types (primary care, specialty, non-physician mental health, and ancillary) for non-urgent appointments.

• Across Medi-Cal plans, HPSJ achieved 85% for urgent appointments across all provider types (primary care, specialty, and non-physical.

For a second year, HPSJ points for this success to the active partnership with their providers. This is a partnership that not only promoted urgent and non-urgent care access for HPSJ patients, but it also illustrates how each provider partner went the extra mile to respond with accurate, complete reporting of timely compliance data. That they did so while safely reopening to welcome patients back during the pandemic is even more impressive.

NOTE: Urgent is defined as 2 days with no required prior authorization and 4 days with required prior authorization. Non-urgent care is defined as 10 business days (primary care physicians), 15 business days (specialists), and for mental health 10 business days (non-physician) and 15 business days (ancillary providers).

In order to facilitate well care exams, HPSJ is this summer engaging providers and members at local community events with Caravan for Health (CFH). Events include local baseball games through Modesto Nuts and Stockton Ports partnerships, the 27th Annual Tracy African American Chamber Juneteenth Festival and more opportunities throughout the summer. HPSJ is notifying their members they can make an appointment with their primary care physician to complete their well care visit or attend a local health fair. At these CFH events, HPSJ members will receive giveaways that include backpacks for school-age children with school supplies, women’s/men’s self-care items and other health education material.

Members have two options to receive a child’s backpack. HPSJ will provide backpacks with school supplies to provider network partners. If a provider cannot store the items in their practice, they will be given vouchers to pass along to their HPSJ patients after they complete their back-to-care office visit. Or HPSJ members can visit a Caravan for Health summer event, complete an exam or screening and pick up their backpack (with a photo ID, member ID card and Child Immunization Card). For more information, HPSJ providers can visit www.hpsj.com/care.

Adventist Health has reaffirmed its intent to maintain a two-hospital healthcare system in San Joaquin County by announcing a new five-year management services agreement contract with Dameron Hospital in Stockton. Originally established in January 2020, the agreement places administrative oversight for Dameron’s operations and planning in partnership with Adventist Health’s leadership structure. This agreement also includes an option for full hospital acquisition at any time over the life of the contract.

“This contract extension represents a significant commitment by Adventist Health to the people of San Joaquin County,” said Dameron Hospital Board President Bill Trezza. “This new extended window of opportunity for continued improvements at Dameron and integration with Adventist Health Lodi Memorial will provide our community with more healthcare options in the future. Considering the positive changes and investments in Dameron that we have already seen, we’re excited about where our hospital will be five years from now.”

“This is really great news for everyone in the community,” said Adventist Health San Joaquin County President and CEO Terri Day. “By combining the strengths of Adventist Health Lodi Memorial and Dameron Hospital, we’ve been able to expand many of our services over the past two years despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

AH Lodi Memorial Cancer Center

The Cancer Care Center at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial has launched the use of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT imaging technology, bringing the most advanced prostate imaging to the Lodi community.

Using PMSA Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, advanced imaging agents that contain a radioactive tracer are injected into the body. The antigen then attaches to PSMA proteins, which in tandem with a CT scan, effectively shows where cancer may be present. The Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Cancer Center is the first in the area to offer PSMA PET/CT imaging.

Using PYLARIFY® (piflufolastat F 18), an FDA-approved radioactive diagnostic agent, the team at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial can identify suspected metastasis or recurrence of prostate cancer more effectively than ever before.

“PSMA will dramatically improve our ability to properly stage and treat prostate cancer,” said Cancer Center Medical Director, Dr. Travers McLoughlin. "It will enable earlier diagnosis and thereby help us provide the best treatment possible for our patients. It truly is a game changer. We are blessed to be able to offer it in our community.”

PSMA PET imaging is the latest in a series of new technologies launched at the Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Cancer Center that includes the Invenia ABUS (Automatic Breast Ultrasound) device and the Sentimag Tumor Localization System.

Dr. DeAndrea Sims

Dr. DeAndrea Sims is a general surgeon practicing with Dameron Hospital in Stockton, California. Originally from Guam, she attended medical school at Howard University of Medicine and completed her post graduate training in Stockton at San Joaquin General Hospital. She is proficient in surgical treatment of benign and malignant breast disease, gallbladder, hernia and intestinal disorders using laparoscopic and robotic surgery techniques. Dr. Sims, a board-certified surgeon, loves helping patients and treating ailments in need of surgery. Her practice as a surgeon allows her to interact with patients and families, directly impacting their health and quality of life for the better. Dr. Sims is currently accepting referrals at the Dameron Specialty Surgery Clinic located at 530 West Acacia Street, Suite 1, in Stockton. For more information, please call 209-242-7098 or visit www.dameronhospital.org/sims.

Dr. Jennifer McNeil is a board-certified surgeon practicing with Dameron Hospital in Stockton and specializes in colon and rectal surgery with an emphasis on abdominal and anorectal disorders. Using laparoscopy and other minimally invasive procedures, she provides surgical treatment for colon and rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pelvic floor issues, fecal incontinence and more. Dr. McNeil also treats patients with anorectal problems to include hemorrhoids, fissure, fistula, anal cancer Dr. Jennifer McNeil and some inflammatory conditions. She offers in-office banding of internal hemorrhoids when appropriate, which can allow for early return to work and avoid surgery for hemorrhoids, if possible. Earlier in her career, Dr. McNeil was a member of the United States Army. During this time, she attended medical school and served in various positions, including as chief of general surgery at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg. She also was recognized numerous times throughout her Army career for her contributions to foreign and domestic operations. Dr. McNeil is dedicated to providing the most minimally invasive and effective care to her patients so that they return to their daily life as quickly and comfortably as possible. Dr. McNeil is currently accepting referrals at the Dameron Specialty Surgery Clinic located at 530 West Acacia Street, Suite 1, in Stockton. For more information, please call 209-242-7098 or visit www.dameronhospital.org/mcneil.

Our interventional radiology team at St. Joseph’s Medical Center can treat many conditions that once required surgery through minimally invasive techniques, resulting in decreased risks, less pain, and shorter recovery times for patients when compared to traditional surgery. Whether your patients are suffering from back pain, chronic kidney disease, heart and vascular conditions, cancer, or men’s or women’s health issues, interventional radiology treatments are available to address many health concerns.

St. Joseph’s interventional radiologists have a wealth of experience and expertise in minimally invasive treatments. Some of those treatments includeperipheral arterial and venous disease, radioembolization for liver cancer, cryoablation for kidney cancer, and balloon kypohoplasty for vertebral compression fractures. For more information, visit dignityhealth.org/stockton/IR or call IR scheduling at (209) 467-6323.

Kelly Haas, M.D., Health Sciences Clinical Professor Specialties: Pediatric Gastroenterology, Pediatric Hepatology, Pediatric Nutrition

From the most delicate robotic and catheter procedures to the latest precision therapeutics, we’re proud to offer up-to-the-minute diagnostic and treatment options for both adult and pediatric referring providers across Northern California and the Central Valley.

Your referred patients benefit from shorter drives, less traffic gridlock, affordable lodging, and more support from local family and friends. We also offer robust telehealth and telemedicine options, for both initial consultations and follow up care.

Referring your patients to UC Davis Health specialty and subspecialty care is now easier than ever. Our physician referral liaison team is here to serve as direct lines of communication — helping to navigate and expedite referrals. Our liaisons can also help to:

■ Facilitate access to our secure

EMR system, PhysicianConnect ■ Arrange meetings and/or webinars with our clinicians

■ Assist with UC Davis Health clinical trials and telemedicine

■ Keep you abreast of new services, providers and research programs ■ Share information about CME and events such as tumor boards, grand rounds, symposiums, etc.

Reach out to your local Physician Referral Liaison today: Joaquin Muñoz | 916-701-7161 | joamunoz@ucdavis.edu