Edition 36

Incident Command:

Now that the immediate push from the Sinlahekin Fire has settled down, we want to share a look behind the scenes at how our Incident Command team operated during the event. Standing up Incident Command gave us a direct line to regional fire teams and emergency management, allowing us to keep a close eye on conditions minute by minute.

Our choice to shelter in place instead of preparing for an immediate evacuation was made carefully within the team. That call was grounded in our emergency plans, lessons from past fire seasons, and the disaster drills we run throughout the year. Moving acute and long-term care patients always carries real risks, so keeping everyone safe and comfortable right here inside our facility was the clear right choice under those conditions.

Now, we are moving into our After Action Review (AAR) to take an honest look at how everything went. We really need your input here. You were the ones on the floor making things happen, so we want to hear what went smoothly, where our communication had hiccups, and what we can sharpen up for next time. Please send me a note if you have anything you want to share. Your feedback is what actually shapes our response plans moving forward.

Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Funding:

For Year One of the Rural Health Transformation Program, North Valley Hospital was allocated $750,000 for critical infrastructure and IT needs. We are currently pulling together our application packages to lock those dollars in. This funding will go straight toward essential system maintenance, network upgrades, and hardware improvements that help make all of our day-to-day work easier and more reliable.

On top of that $750,000 allocation, we are actively applying for two competitive RHTP grant opportunities. These focus specifically on expanding our technology tools and bringing more specialty care services directly to NVH, saving our patients from having to travel out of town for care.

Lastly, we are waiting to hear back on two "Grow Your Own" program grants we submitted a few months back. If awarded, these will fund local training, tuition assistance, and career pathways for current staff and community members looking to grow their careers with us. We should have news on these in the next few weeks and will pass the update along as soon as we hear.

ED and Hospitalist Staffing:

Back in April I announced that NVH was issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) soliciting vendor information and bids to provide hospitalist and ED staffing. We received multiple responses but ultimately elected to maintain our relationship with ERX. We are happy to announce we have signed a multiple year agreement, and will continue our partnership for many years to come.

I’m sick of pictures of fire and smoke so here is Jamie and Goose.