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Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 939
La Marque, TX 77568
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The Executive
Report |
Phone: 409-938-2401
Fax: 409-938-2243
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| The Executive Report is a monthly summary of key activities and
significant happenings in the Health District overall. This summary of
activities and/or happenings may involve: one of many different
public health
programs, the
Galveston Area
Ambulance Authority (GAAA), the
4C's
federally-funded community health clinics (CHC's), and/or
collaborate efforts among community health partners.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact:
Pisa Lewis , Executive Assistant,
at 409 938-2401, by email:plewis@gchd.org;
or Kurt Koopmann, Public Information Officer,
at 409-938-2211,
by email:kkoopman@gchd.org.
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| July 30, 2003 |
| Archives |
Public Health Response to Hurricane Claudette
Health District Moving Forward on Health
Plan
Kids Health Fest Other News Releases
Rabies Vaccination Changes
West Nile Virus
Air Quality Watch/Health Alert
4C’s Clinic Updates
Senior Health Priority
“Talking Points” for appointment clerks
Establishing a plan to increase walk-ins
at the 4C’s Clinic
An awards and recognition program to be established
Seniors Health Corps
District Business and Operational
Issues
United Board of Health Bylaws
Customer
Service policy approval
Customer Service and Cultural
Diversity training
Current year budget issues
District signed Contracts with TDH
Facts about Ozone
Asthma Services Continue
| Public
Health Response to Hurricane Claudette |
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On July 15, the Health
District maintained a core of employees ready to
respond to potential public threats associated with
Hurricane Claudette. The District posted information
on its website
http://www.gchd.org/ech/emergency.htm,
disseminated flood precautions http://www.gchd.org/ech/flood.htm,
and responded to citizen calls for information and
assistance. Several food establishments in the Kemah,
Clear Lake Shores area were flooded as a result
of high tides and waves. As a result of localized
power outages, refrigerated food items were discarded
by some businesses. Two septic systems on Galveston
Island were reportedly damaged and may require re-permitting.
For more information, please contact Mike Carr,
District Emergency Contact, at (409) 938-2399, or
email mcarr@gchd.org,
Marty Entringer, Director of Environmental and Consumer
Health, at (409) 938-2458, or email mentringer@gchd.org. |
| Health
District Moving Forward on Health Plan |
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This
month, district staffs have participated in many
forums to outline and receive comment on the draft
health priorities. Dr. Guidry has met with Texas
City, League City and Dickinson city officials,
and plans to meet with officials of all member
cities in the Health District. On July 10, Dr.
Guidry and Dr. Shah discussed the draft priorities
with attendees of the Community Health Access
Planning meeting. The planning process and priorities
have been outlined to District employees at two
town hall meetings held on July 9 and July 29.
District staff distributed the draft health priorities
during a UTMB employee event, “Common Threads:
A Celebration of diversity at UTMB.” Commissioner
Stephen Holmes provided opening remarks at the
July 25th Immunization Summit, held with community
leaders, to develop strategies, goals, and objectives
for the District priority to “immunize children
and adults to prevent infectious diseases.”
Many more community forums are planned and welcomed
throughout the Summer period of public comment.
For more information, please contact Brian Rutherford,
Health Planner, at (409) 938-2275, or email brutherford@gchd.org.
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| Kids
Health Fest |
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A “Kids
Health Fest” during the weeks of August
4-15 will make fun and back-to-school immunizations
available. District staff have distributed flyers,
briefed Board of Health members, and informed city
officials. A news release and a letter to editors
of local print media from the Chair of the United
Board of Health, John Zendt, have been distributed
to help publicize the event and stress the importance
of getting children immunized according to schedule.
In addition, the county and some city governments
have supported the efforts through proclamations
which are displayed in the Board Room. For more
information, please contact Shirley Carr, Director
Community Health Nursing, at (409)938-2457, or email scarr@gchd.org
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Other
News Releases
For more
information, please contact Kurt Koopmann, Public
Information Officer, at (409) 938-2211, or email
kkoopman@gchd.org |
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Following the June
United Board of Health (UBOH) meeting, the Texas
City Sun published a story concerning
the
rabies vaccination changes adopted by the
Board at the meeting. Dr. Zamora, UBOH Member,
and Marty Entringer, Director of Environmental
and Consumer Health, are quoted in the story.
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On July 10, 2003,
the Galveston
County Daily News published a story concerning
efforts in the county to monitor the presence
of West Nile Virus in Galveston County. Chuck
Chambers, Epidemiologist, Galveston County Health
District was quoted in the story
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On July 17,
2003, the Health District distributed an “Air
Quality Watch/Health Alert” concerning
Saharan Dust approaching Galveston County. The
notice was published in the Galveston County Daily
News. |
| 4C’s
Clinic Updates |
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To help advance
the Governing Board’s Senior Health Priority,
the 4C’s clinic sponsored a staff in-service
presentation by Dr. Luis Amador, a UTMB geriatrician.
The informative presentation helped inform staff
regarding the health care needs of seniors. For
more information, please contact Dr. Umair Shah,
MD, MPH, Medical Director, at (409) 938-2406,
or email ushah@gchd.org.
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Executive management
developed “talking points” that appointment
clerks can use to help deliver an official and
patient-friendly message to citizens who call
for appointments. The “talking points”
help clerks to transfer callers with medical symptoms
to a licensed nurse responsible for assessing
the level of medical urgency and giving the patient
guidance. Future efforts are being made to develop
a patient-friendly brochure and website and to
assess cashier, registration, and other clinic
operations to identify opportunities to simplify
and streamline patient flow in the clinic For
more information, please contact Umair Shah, MD,
MPH, Medical Director at ushah@gchd.org,
or call (409) 949-3406.
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At its June meeting,
the 4C’s Governing Board charged the District
with establishing a plan to increase walk-ins
at the 4C’s Clinic. District staff are making
progress toward developing a plan for future board
review and approval. Currently the plan has two
overall goals: (1) to increase access to ambulatory
health care and (2) to operate the clinic at its
full capacity. For more information, please contact
Harlan “Mark” Guidry, MD, MPH, Executive
Director, at (409) 938-2401, or email mguidry@gchd.org. |
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The Executive Team
has established a team of employees representing
all groups of the Health District to assist in establishing
criteria and other procedures necessary to implement
an awards and recognition program. The program is
a result of the Governing Board’s Senior Health
priority and allocation of $5000 to reward employees
with exceptional job performance toward improving
senior health. For more information, please contact
Kathrine Hall, Human Resources Director, at (409)
938-2230, or email khall@gchd.org |
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The Senior Health Coordinator
has developed a proposal to establish a Seniors
Health Corps comprised of community members who
will help raise community awareness about senior
health concerns and help to link seniors to all
available resources in Galveston County. For more
information, please contact Charles Kelly, Senior
Health Coordinator, at (409) 938-2293, or email
ckelly@gchd.org |
| District
Business and Operational Issues |
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The United Board
of Health Bylaws committee (comprised of board
members, Mary Ann Holcomb, Scott Bentley, Dr.
Milton Howard, and District staff) completed revisions
to its Board By-laws. After nearly ten (10) years,
the bylaws will be revised to meet changes as
a result of the Sunset Review of the Health District
(2000), and to clarify the legal role, responsibilities,
and delegated authorities of the Board. For more
information, please contact Harlan “Mark”
Guidry, MD, MPH, Executive Director,at (409) 938-2401,
or email mguidry@gchd.org |
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The Executive Team
and District Management Team have approved the
following policy in the last month: Customer Service,
which sets expectations of employees and supervisors
regarding both internal and external customer
service. As adopted by both health Boards, Human
Resource policies will be approved by the Executive
Director and brought to the Board on an annual
basis. For more information, please contact Kathrine
Hall, Human Resources Director, at (409) 938-2230,
or email khall@gchd.org. |
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On July 10, 2003, the Health
District began a training program for employees
on Customer Service and Cultural Diversity. This
training initiative was developed and reviewed
by both the Executive and District Management
Teams as a first step in meeting goals to improving
customer/public services. Employees and supervisors
who have attended the training have given positive
feedback. For more information, please contact
Kathrine Hall, Human Resources Director, at
(409) 938-2230, or email khall@gchd.org. |
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Current year budget issues being
discussed with the finance committees of the Board
of Health and the Governing Board include issues
related to GAAA deficits, health insurance premium
increases, loss of Title V Population Base funds
(Asthma program) and Indigent Health Care payments
for services rendered. FY 2004 budget issues include
preparation for potential loss of funds from the
County due to the BP settlement, increased premiums
for health insurance, the loss of patient revenue
in GAAA, indigent health care, and reductions
in funding from TDH. For more information, please
contact Kathy Barroso, Chief Financial Officer,
at (409) 938-2257, or email kbarroso@gchd.org.
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In July 2003, the
District signed Contracts with TDH to provide
services in the following areas: (1) Two TB contracts
were renewed for $47,548 and $36,760 respectively.
Funding remains the same with the exception of
a $9628 reduction on one of the contracts, eliminating
funds for x-ray interpretations and lab work.
(2) Sexually-Transmitted Disease contract was
renewed for the same amount as last year, $57,628.
(3) The FY04 Bioterrorism Contract in the amount
of $409,222. The state contracts for TB and STD
do not cover all expenses necessary to operate
the programs. For more information, please contact
Warren J. Holland III, Chief Operating Officer,
at (409) 938-2401, or email (jholland@gchd.org). |
| Facts
about Ozone |
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At the request of the United Board of Health, the
Health District staff has prepared a one page fact
sheet and a summary of state and federal program
information about
sources
of ozone, its effects and its potential health
impacts in Galveston County. For more information,
please contact Ronnie Schultz, Director of Pollution
Control, at (409) 938-2314, or email rschultz@gchd.org.
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Asthma
Services Continue Despite Loss of State Funds |
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On July 18, 2003,
the Health District was notified that there would
be a 34% reduction in Title V Part B funding (from
$43,000 to $28,540) due to state legislative decisions.
This reduced funding would not fund the total cost
of benefits, travel, or other project expenses.
After careful consideration, a decision was made
to discontinue receiving funds under this state
grant and to reassign duties with existing staff.
Due to the reduction in funding, one district position
will be eliminated. News releases and public awareness
campaigns about asthma will continue using existing
staff, and healthcare and education of asthma patients
and families will continue in the 4C’s Clinics.
The Community Health Nursing department has committed
to assisted with on-going asthma education in the
community. For more information, please contact
Susan Studebaker, Director of Clinical Services,
at (409) 949-3406, or email sstudebaker@gchd.org
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