Leadership Visalia dives into healthcare

By Dave Byl, American Ambulance of Visalia, Operations Manager

From Mental health to simulation labs and all the healthcare legislation you can handle, this past Friday was informative, eye opening and at times disappointing. The 2023-2024 Leadership Visalia cohort was treated to a full day of healthcare, and topics such as navigating a mental health crisis, a display of the awesome simulation lab at Kaweah Health, pending legislation related to healthcare, recruitment and retention, technology and even a brief visit from the Sheriff made for some great conversation and learning. The entire day was devoted to what leaders should know as it relates to healthcare accessibility, affordability and quality of care.

Social issues, substance abuse, the stress of everyday life and physical causes are just some of the reasons why one might undergo a mental health crisis. Dr. Natalie Bolin, Carey Hayes, RN and our very own Petra Gaytan LMFT helped us learn and understand the aspects of a mental health crisis and the limitations and challenges of the local system. The effects of COVID-19 on the local mental health system can result in a long discussion, but knowing how it was affected by the pandemic is certainly important. Additionally, a tour of Kaweah Mental health was provided, to help further understand the process for improving Psychiatric health both during and after a mental health crisis.

“The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.” —Dr. William Osler, Canadian physician, and founder of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Kimberly Sokol and David Marks from the Kaweah Health simulation lab walked us through the high-tech simulation possibilities made available to Kaweah Health employees and resident Physicians. The Kaweah Health simulation lab is packed full of high-tech, high-fidelity manikins to simulate a real medical problem as much as possible and we thank Dr. Sokol and David Marks for taking time to show us this valuable simulation technology.

Heather Gardiner from Employer Driven Insurance Services (E.D.I.S.) graced us with her presence to discuss new and pending laws related to the health insurance industry. SB 770, or simply known as the single payer bill, will end Medicare and Medi-Cal as we know them today and many, for good reason, have serious concerns about an untested state-run healthcare system which requires the redirection of hundreds of billions of Federal dollars. Private health insurance will cease to exist, and it would fundamentally force every Californian into using a state-run health care system. With as many unknowns about the new system, and the lack of reimbursement transparency for already struggling healthcare providers, SB770 provides a questionable healthcare model.

Rounding out the day was a twofold discussion related to healthcare technology and recruitment. We were joined by Katharina Vester, from Valley Children's Healthcare, and JC Palermo and Daniel Baker from Kaweah Health. Efficiencies in healthcare can make it more affordable and we discussed something like patient charting software and its ability to communicate with other platforms can make it less costly and improve the speed in which care is communicated and subsequently delivered. Related to the shortage of primary care Physicians locally, If you’ve ever had to find a new primary care provider, you may already know there’s a shortage of them in California. JC Palermo and Daniel Baker from Kaweah Health discussed some of the local strategies used to recruit Physicians to help fill the growing need for both primary care and specialty care Physicians locally.

California, and Visalia as a community play a pivotal role in shaping the healthcare landscape for not only Visalia, but the surrounding communities and counties. Home to the County’s only Trauma, Invasive Cardiac and Comprehensive Stroke center, leaders and citizens in Visalia and Tulare County must navigate challenges such as accessibility, affordability, and quality of care. This will ensure the well-being of residents and visitors, not only today, but for decades to come. Understanding the intricate interplay between healthcare policies, community needs, and economic factors is essential for leadership to foster a healthier, more resilient Visalia.