Mendocino Coast District Hospital News!

The Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation Donates $218,000 For New Ambulance

From left to right: Mendocino Coast District Hospital CEO Bob Edwards, Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation Executive Director Michelle Roberts, MCDH Director or Nursing Lynne Finley, MCDH Director of Ambulance Services David Beak

Michelle Roberts, Executive Director of the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation (Foundation), presented a check for $218,000 to Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) for the purchase of a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Ambulance.  The new ambulance replaces an 11 year old vehicle that had traveled well over 200,000 miles and had reached the end of its useful life.

“It is difficult to switch from one ambulance type to another. The new ambulance is very similar to our other ambulance, allowing our caregivers to be more efficient and effective. This will ensure that we will be able to quickly respond to medical emergencies for many years to come,” commented David Beak, Director of MCDH Ambulance Service.

The Foundation maintains an Ambulance and Emergency Services fund for the purchase of vehicles and emergency equipment necessary to respond to emergencies throughout the healthcare district.  Funded through community donations, the “911” raffle, and by contributions from the Mendocino Coast Ambulance Support (MCAS), the Ambulance and Emergency Services fund has purchased the last four ambulances in the fleet. 

“The purchase of this ambulance ensures that we will have a reliable vehicle to provide much needed EMS service throughout our area. We can’t thank our Foundation and the Mendocino Coast Ambulance Support Fund enough for all of their contributions to support the hospital and help us make a positive difference in the health of our community members,” said Bob Edwards, MCDH CEO.

The Mendocino Coast Healthcare District serves residents and visitors to our coastal area, from inland to Comptche, south past Elk and north past Westport. The Foundation raises funds for MCDH in a variety of ways, and these funds are used to reimburse the hospital for purchases of needed equipment.  For more information about the Foundation, visit www.mchfoundation.org or call 707-961-4671.

Mendocino Coast District Hospital Invests In Patient Safety with New Surgical Video System

 

1588 AIM Platfrom by Stryker

One of the most important objectives at Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) is to provide patients with the highest quality of care and best possible outcomes when undergoing surgery. Recently, MCDH invested in the 1588 AIM Platform made by Stryker, a connected surgical video system used in our minimally invasive surgeries. This system reduces risk to patients by helping surgeons see and safeguard critical anatomy.

The 1588 AIM integrates five unique advanced imaging modalities for use across six surgical specialties: laparoscopy, arthroscopy, urology, gynecology, ear/nose/throat, and gastrointestinal surgeries. These five imaging modalities enhance visualization of anatomy intra-operatively, thereby reducing risk to the patient during surgery:

• Infrared Illumination System. IRIS is a visualization technology designed to reduce the risk of ureteral damage.
• ENV. Endoscopic Near Infrared Visualization. ENV is designed to reduce the risk of common bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomies by safeguarding critical anatomy and help reduce the risk of gastric, colorectal, and esophageal anastomotic leaks.
• Clarity is a real-time video enhancement device designed to improve visualization of anatomy by enhancing tissue level detail and intra-body structures. This technology helps surgeons see through smoke and murky fluid, thereby improving image quality.
• Dynamic Range Enhancement. DRE is designed to improve visualization in the surgical field by creating a brighter image in dark and posterior compartments.
• Desaturation decreases the saturation of color in the image, which is a preference that varies by surgeon and specialty.

“The 1588 AIM Platform has made noticeable improvements to our minimally invasive surgeries here at MCDH. The new system allows me to see better, cuts down on fogging, and gives me more control,” commented Linda K. James, MD, one of the surgeons at MCDH. “This system is more efficient so it cuts down on the time that a patient is under anesthesia.”