Biweekly Briefing Articles

5 Things To Know: San Diego County Budget, State Budget May Revision, Mental Health Awareness Month, Mark Your Calendars, New Substance Use Disorder Resources

SAN DIEGO COUNTY BUDGET: The county has released its 2023-24 budget, which addresses a number of issues — homelessness, building healthy and safe communities, investing in working families, mental health and substance use disorders, sustainability, and justice reform. There is an opportunity for the community to comment and provide input before the board deliberates and […]

Member Spotlight: Capt. Kimberly Davis, MC, USN, Receives Award for Excellence from American Hospital Association  

The American Hospital Association (AHA) presented Capt. Kimberly D. Davis, director of Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), with an Award for Excellence at AHA’s 2023 Annual Membership Meeting. The award recognizes uniformed and non-uniformed federal health care leaders whose innovative achievements and leadership have contributed substantially to the mission of the federal health system.   […]

5 Things To Know: Fentanyl Awareness Day, Hospitals Needed For Performance Improvement Project, Base Station Hospital System And Trauma Center Catchment Area Designations Assessment, Covid-19 Data Reporting, Medi-Cal Scam Alert

FENTANYL AWARENESS DAY: People are dying at alarming rates due to illicit fentanyl, and May 9 is dedicated to raising awareness about this growing problem. Data from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office show that fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased 2,375% in San Diego County, from 33 in 2016 to at least 817 in 2021. […]

Associate Member Spotlight: Falck Mobile Health 

Falck helps people in urgent need and brings peace of mind to its customers. As a partner to local communities, it provides emergency response and health care services wherever they are needed. For more than a century, it has helped keep people and societies safe and healthy.   It is committed to advancing sustainable health care, […]

5 Things To Know: Emergency Medical Services, Kaufman Hall Report, Supplier Diversity Reports, Dementia Care Aware Screening Tool, HCAI Program Eligibility

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES: San Diego County is currently in the process of developing a plan for comprehensive evaluation of the base station hospital system (BSHS) and trauma center catchment area designation (TCCAD). This comprehensive review and evaluation began in January 2023 and is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. The county has hired […]

5 Things To Know: Public Safety Power Shutoffs, Medi-Cal Rx, Minority Fellowship Program, Patient Safety Evaluation Summit, Behavioral Health System

PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTOFFS: San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) is conducting two public safety power shutoff (PSPS) exercises and welcomes the attendance and participation of external stakeholders:    PSPS Tabletop Exercise: April 11, 8 a.m.-noon ​   PSPS Full-Scale Exercise: May 1-2​   If you are interested in participating, please complete the Extent of Play Agreement and […]

HASD&IC Board Meeting Highlights

The HASD&IC Board of Directors convened on March 30. Board Chair Patrick Frias, MD, President & CEO of Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego, officiated. Welcome was expressed to new board member, Frank P. Pearson, DPT, PA-C, director at VA San Diego Healthcare System.   Special guests from San Diego County Fire — Jeff Collins, director, […]

5 Things To Know: COVID-19 Uninsured Group Program, Medi-Cal and CalFresh, Funding Opportunity, Health Plans, COVID-19 Health Orders

COVID-19 UNINSURED GROUP PROGRAM: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is clarifying that coverage for this group expires on May 31 — the last day of the month in which the COVID-19 public health emergency ends — not May 11. California has taken advantage of the “optional COVID-19 group,” which provides uninsured and underinsured […]

5 Things To Know: Overdose to Action Grant, Behavioral Health Workforce Development, Patient Safety Webinars, Medi-Cal RX Update, Equity Working Group Webinar

OVERDOSE TO ACTION GRANT: San Diego County is a recipient of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant, which focuses on overdose surveillance and prevention. Along with community-focused overdose prevention activities, a key strategy of OD2A is supporting San Diego licensed prescribers (i.e., physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and […]