One minute you’re fine and the next thing you know you’re not.  Suddenly, your vision becomes blurry, you start to slur your words and your face feels numb. Chances are you’re having a stroke. What do you do now? Call 911 immediately.

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center announced today it has entered into an agreement with Specialists On Call to provide 24/7 teleneurology service to its Emergency Department.  This agreement guarantees that Sierra Vista’s patients suffering a stroke or any other neurologic emergency will have access to a Board Certified neurologist within 15 minutes day or night. The service launched earlier this month is Sierra Vista’s newest telemedicine program serving San Luis Obispo County.

Patients with symptoms of stroke or any other neurologic emergency at Sierra Vista will see and communicate with a neurologist in real time over a high definition video conferencing screen.  The neurologists are currently or formerly from academic medical centers and consult with the local ER physician, patient and their family, view patient medical information including images and recommend appropriate treatment.  For patients suffering from acute stroke, the timely intervention of these neurologists can mean the difference between recovery and possibly death.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the number one cause of disability. Considering most neurologic emergencies and stroke patients’ full recovery are contingent upon timely and appropriate care immediate access to an emergency neurologist is paramount.

“We’re pleased to bring teleneurology to San Luis Obispo and partner with the premier center for neurosciences in the County,” said Dr. Joe Peterson, CEO of Specialists On Call. “We are zealots for clinical quality and as such our affiliated physicians practice evidenced-based medicine in full compliance with nationally accepted standards.  Our goal is to deliver the best medical care to the patients who need it most.  We look forward to working with Sierra Vista and serving its community”

Specialists On Call is the largest provider of teleneurology services in the country and the first private telemedicine company to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval.  Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center maintains the only neurosurgery program in San Luis Obispo County and is seeking to become the area’s only Joint Commission accredited stroke center.

The role of the task force members is to provide expertise and consultation regarding developing and improving stroke systems of care as well as advocacy efforts, stroke messages, and providing opportunities for funding and resources for stroke programs.  Markwith is the first CEO to be part of the task force. 

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Western States Stroke Task Force consists of volunteer members from California, Nevada, and Utah. 

The 2010 Sierra Vista Leadership Awards went to Judy Taylor, a physical therapist and Christina Newsom, unit secretary on the Critical Care Unit. Both were cited for exemplifying leadership qualities and behavior work that motivates others; demonstrating self-confidence; finding creative solutions; demonstrating good communication skills; the ability to inspire others; a desire to lead; ability to make decisions; and, for having a positive influence on others.

“These employees exemplified the ability to identify a problem and find a solution while motivating and inspiring others around them,” said Candy Markwith, Sierra Vista’s Chief Executive Officer.

Janette Jones, RN (Emergency Department), Barbara Pruitt, RN (Medical/Surgical Unit) and Ruth Tonkin, RN (Recovery) were honored for 40 years of service at Sierra Vista, now in its 50^th year of operation. In all, 113 other employees were recognized for years of service ranging from five to 35.

Sue Fortier, RN (Trauma Manager), was honored for her selection as a 2010 Tenet Hero, for her work educating local college and high school students on the dangers of driving while intoxicated and responsible drinking. Fortier’s recognition was announced last month at the annual Tenet Strategy Conference held in Dallas.

Elaine Jacobs, RN was honored as Nurse of the Year at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.  Jacobs, a Charge Nurse in the Medical Surgical Unit, was selected among more than 200 nominations from the nursing staff. As a charge nurse, Jacobs manages the delivery of patient care and serves as a resource to staff throughout the hospital.

Other nurses recognized include:

Clinical Practice Award:                       Ruth Tonkin (Recovery)

Mentoring/Teaching Award:                  Lisa Karamatic-Shaner (Float Pool)

Mentoring/Teaching Award:                  Kim Little (Step Down Unit)

Patient Advocate Award:                      Anne Reposa (Pediatric Unit)

Professionalism Award:                        Penny Whittaker (Labor & Delivery Unit)

Rookie of the Year:                              Kacie Peacock (Surgery)

Before heading to the ER, patients can now access the hospital’s website at www.SierraVistaRegional.com  and check out the average door-to-bed wait time on the hospital’s homepage. Door-to-bed wait time is the average time a patient waits to be escorted to a bed from the time they arrive in the ER.

The time is tracked using a statistical tracker system that transfers data to an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. The feed automatically displays and updates the time online. Wait times reflect a rolling two-hour average and are updated every five minutes. Patients are seen in priority order based on the type and severity of their medical complaint.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average hospital ER wait time to see a physician is nearly 56 minutes. At Sierra Vista, the average wait time is usually under 20 minutes and patients are often in a bed within 15 minutes.

“No one wants to wait to see a doctor,” said Georgette Sabota, RN, Sierra Vista’s Emergency Department Director. “Our nursing staff and physicians work hard to ensure that patients are treated as quickly as possible, and now, just how quickly we can do that is available for everyone to see.”

The technology is designed for patients with relatively minor medical conditions. Patients with potentially life-threatening health problems should call 9-1-1 so they can receive life-saving measures in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Patients with medical emergencies, such as heart attack, stroke or traumatic injuries, are always seen immediately.

Dr. Scott Bisheff, Emergency Department Medical Director at Sierra Vista says the technology is helping the hospital address one of the most common complaints about emergency departments – long wait times. “A trip to the ER is something most people never want to have to face,” he said. “We can help patients with non-life threatening conditions know what to expect when they arrive at the hospital and ease their stress. Another benefit to coming to Sierra Vista is you have the support of a full-service acute care hospital with the largest panel of on-call specialists if something minor turns into something serious.”

The emergency department at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center treats approximately 22,000 patients each year. Patients to the emergency department are separated by clinical need into specialized care areas. All patients benefit from advanced technology, quick response and an experienced team of professionals who care for patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sierra Vista is also the only Emergency Room in the County that has a pediatrician available 24/7.

After immediate assessment, patients are assigned a priority based on the nature and extent of a patient’s injury or illness. The triage nurse will then engage the physician or other qualified medical person to continue care based on the assigned priority.

In his role at Cuesta College, Stork heads a student body of more than 13,000 students, nearly 600 full-time and part-time faculty who grant two-year degrees in 64 programs and 119 certificate programs. Cuesta College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and College

Stork has been affiliated with Cuesta College since 1967 when he served as a physical education instructor, assistant football coach and mathematics instructor. He has served in numerous other capacities including Dean of Instruction – Sciences, Mathematics & Physical Education, as well as Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services. He played intercollegiate football at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he earned both a B.S. and M.A. in mathematics. Stork holds an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Brigham Young University.

“We are excited to have Gil join our Governing Board,” said Kristen Yetter, Governing Board Chair. “With his breadth of knowledge of our County’s business and government sectors and his long standing ties to Cuesta College he will add a unique perspective as Sierra Vista positions itself for a successful future.”

Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations.

Under the GWTG–CAD program, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers in the hospital and receive smoking cessation/weight management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before they are discharged. Hospitals that receive the GWTG-CAD Gold Performance Achievement Award have demonstrated for 24 consecutive months that at least 85 percent of its eligible coronary patients (without contraindications) are discharged following the American Heart Association’s recommended treatment guidelines. 

The American Heart Association’s GWTG–CAD program helps hospitals increase the use of and adherence to the association’s secondary prevention guidelines for coronary artery disease. Developed to assist healthcare professionals follow proven standards and procedures before patients are discharged, GWTG–CAD can help Sierra Vista reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks and death in treated patients. The program mobilizes teams in acute care hospitals to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines.

The Get With The Guidelines^SM–Heart Failure (GWTG–Heart Failure) Gold Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association signifies that Sierra Vista has reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients with 85% compliance for at least 24 months to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients.

Under GWTG–Heart Failure, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics, and anticoagulants in the hospital. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.

GWTG–Heart Failure helps Sierra Vista’s staff develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality-improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools will enable Sierra Vista to improve the quality of care it provides heart failure patients, may save lives and ultimately, could reduce healthcare costs by lowering the recurrence of heart attacks.  

“The full implementation of national heart failure guideline recommended care is a critical step in preventing recurrent hospitalizations and prolonging the lives of heart failure patients,” said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. “The goal of the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals like Sierra Vista implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce disability and the number of deaths in these patients.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 5.7 million people suffer from heart failure. Statistics also show each year more than 292,200 people will die of heart failure.

Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure helps Sierra Vista’s staff develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality-improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools will enable Sierra Vista to improve the quality of care it provides heart failure patients, may save lives and ultimately, might reduce healthcare costs by lowering the recurrence of heart attacks.  

Using the $1.8 million da Vinci Surgical System, the surgeon operates while seated comfortably at a console viewing a 3D image of the surgical field. The surgeon's fingers grasp the master controls below the display, with hands and wrists naturally positioned relative to his or her eyes. The system seamlessly translates the surgeon's hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.

“Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center is proud to continue to invest in the health of our community,” said Candy Markwith, Sierra Vista’s Chief Executive Officer. “By bringing state-of-the-art technology generally offered only at academic based medical centers in large metropolitan areas, our community is able to stay closer to home and not have to compromise on quality or the most up to date technology.”

Many surgical procedures performed today using standard laparoscopic technique may be performed more quickly and easily using the da Vinci Surgical System. This is because the da Vinci Surgical System delivers increased clinical capability while maintaining the same "look and feel" of open surgery.

Traditional laparoscopy has never become widely applied outside a limited set of routine procedures. Only a select group of highly skilled surgeons routinely attempt complex procedures using a minimally invasive approach. The da Vinci Surgical System finally allows more surgeons to perform complex procedures using a minimally invasive approach.

A number of procedures that could not be performed using traditional MIS technologies can now be performed using the da Vinci Surgical System. The advanced feature set and extensive EndoWrist^® instrumentation of the da Vinci Surgical System enable surgeons to perform more procedures through 1-2 cm incisions.

By enhancing surgical capabilities, the da Vinci Surgical System helps to improve clinical outcomes and redefine standards of care. Patients may experience the following benefits: reduced trauma to the body, reduced blood loss and need for transfusions, less post-operative pain and discomfort, less risk of infection, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery and return to normal daily activities, and less scarring and improved cosmesis.

Meet the daVinci Team of Surgeons at Sierra Vista

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center is very excited to be able to offer some of the newest technology for breast cancer detection. Digital mammography is different from conventional mammography in how the image of the breast is acquired and, more importantly, viewed. The radiologist can magnify the images, increase or decrease the contrast and invert the black and white values while reading the images. These features allow the radiologist to evaluate micro-calcifications and focus on areas of concern. Digital images can also be easily stored and electronically transferred.

In addition to offering advanced mammography technology, Sierra Vista offers a softer, warmer mammogram by using the MammoPad breast cushion for every patient. MammoPad has been clinically demonstrated to reduce discomfort associated with mammograms, one of the leading reasons many women don’t get regular screenings. This breast cushion is invisible to x-rays and does not interfere with the image quality of the mammogram.

By offering women a softer, digital mammogram, Sierra Vista hopes to increase the number of area women who follow recommendations for regular screenings. Selma Carlson is proud to be fully accredited by the American College of Radiology. To schedule a screening, call 546-7733. Saturday appointments are available.