The Joint Commission 2007 National Patient Safety Goals identify assessing patients for suicide-risk if they are are being treated for emotional or behavioral disorders. Roseann Giordano, RN, MSN, Director of SGH Behaviorial Health Services, recently presented the results of her work on this project.

The ED has been identified in the literature as an opportunity in suicide prevention. The Institute for Medicine reports that, from 1992 to 2005, the number of ED visits by individuals with a primary diagnosis of a mental disorder increased 68%.

The instrument being used in the SGH ED is the Modified SAD Persons Scale (MSPS 1987) developed by Hockberger and Rothstein. A copy of that tool is included in the complete report attached via the link below.

Wednesday
February 27
Doctors' Dining Rm
7:30 am - 9 am

All physicians are invited!

Penny-wise and Pound-foolish Cuts in Medi- Cal
By Albert Ray MD, February 20, 2008

Ray, who practices Family Medicine, is President of the San Diego County Medical Society.

With the state facing a budget deficit of at least $14 billion, a 10 percent cut in Medi-Cal payments to doctors and other health care providers is being rushed through the Legislature. These cuts will have a significant negative impact on patients whose health care is the responsibility of the state of California, and it will impact all patients in California through increased waits in emergency rooms and increased pass-through costs.

There are a number of reasons to stop these cuts.

Since the federal government matches every California Medi-Cal dollar, cutting $544 million from California's Medi-Cal budget results in a $544 million cut in federal matching dollars. A $544 million cut becomes a $1.1 billion cut, a classic example of a budget cut that ends up costing more than it saves. (more...)

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Friday, March 7
Main Auditorium
12:30 pm - 2 pm