October 14-27, 2014 Section B

Celebrating Community Hospital Long Beach

90th Anniversary

CommunityHospitalLayoutFinal_Layout 1 10/10/14 3:47 PM Page 1

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WELCOMECommunity Hospital Long Beach has always strived to en-

sure access to high quality health care for Long Beach – in1924, today and well into the future.CHLB is committed to providing the highest standards of

medical care without losing the warmth of the human touch.As you will read, CHLB continues to expand its innovativeprograms to meet the needs of the community in East LongBeach. As a not-for-profit community hospital, CHLB –recently acquired by MemorialCare – is constantly re-in-vesting in itself to expand and build these programs thathelp keep our friends and family healthy and happy.We are grateful for your support and look forward to you

joining us as we celebrate this wonderful milestone in ourhospital’s history!

INSIDE4 The History Of Community Hospital Long Beach

6 Community Hospital Long BeachTimeline Of Events

8 Epic Electronic Medical Records Launched

8 A Community Emergency DepartmentWith Something Special

10 Community Hospital Long Beach Partners WithCabrillo High School For Occupational Job Program

11 High School Students’ College DreamsSupported Through CAMEO Program

12 Not Easy Times For The Practice Of Psychiatry – Closing The Gap In Long BeachBy Dr. Clifford R. Feldman

Diana Hendel, PharmD, CEO,

Community Hospital Long Beach

Krikor Jansezian,Ph.D., Administrator,



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13 Second-To-None Surgery Experience By Dr. Jeffrey Solomon

14 Link To Health Care By Dr. Gregory Bush

14 Community Hospital Long Beach “Originals”

16 Foundation Provides Support To Keep Hospital At Cutting Edge Of Health Care

17 Legacy Wall: Honoring Those Who Give Back

18 Hospital Creates A Healing Environment To Improve Patient Outcomes

19 Introducing A New Level Of Patient Care: Addiction Medicine Program

ABOUT THE COVERCommunity Hospital Long Beach Administrator KrikorJansezian, Ph.D., is joined by a few dozen of the hospital’snearly 600 employees and physicians to help mark the hos-pital’s 90th Anniversary.

1720 Termino Ave. Long Beach, CA 90804 • 562/498-1000www.memorialcare.org/CHLB


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The History Of Community Hospital Long Beach

Fillmore Condit was a visionary and philanthropist who

moved with his wife and family to Long Beach in 1919.

Within a year and a half he was asked to run for city council

and later was elected mayor of the city.

Along with his many other pursuits, Condit was a firm be-

liever that the City of Long Beach should have its own non-

profit hospital to take care of the health care needs of the cit-

izens of the community. So with great energy, enthusiasm

and generosity he began the process of raising funds for what

would soon be called Community Hospital Long Beach. He

formed the Long Beach Community Hospital Association to

raise the $369,000 necessary to construct the hospital.

On July 15, 1924, after a successful fundraising campaign

by local civic leaders and businesses, the hospital opened

with 100 beds and 175 surgeons and physicians on staff. The

stated mission of the hospital was to provide low-cost, com-

munity-based health care for those with little or no insurance.

Mayor Condit served as the first president of the new hos-

pital and over the next 10 years visited daily to ensure that it

kept to the highest standards of patient care. During this time

he also generously donated funds for the continued operation

of the hospital. In total, he gave more than $150,000 to sustain

CHLB. Condit passed away at age 80 in 1939.

Over the years, the hospital survived several crises while it

continued to expand its programs and services. In 1933, a 6.4

magnitude earthquake struck Long Beach. Damage to the city

was extensive, with 120 lives lost and an estimated fifty mil-

lion dollars' worth of property damage. The hospital escaped

with little damage and provided medical care to hundreds of

residents following the disaster.

In 1937 the hospital established the area’s first tumor and

cancer diagnostic clinic. The hospital’s annual report for that

year stated, “For this service, the patient is charged a small

fee, the money thus obtained being used for stationery,

postage and the necessary clerical work. It is hoped that this

endeavor will continue to prosper in its humanitarian work

and merit the continued support of the friends of Commu-

nity Hospital.”

The hospital completed its first major expansion in 1942

with the completion of a new hospital wing, which boosted

the number of beds at the hospital to 150. In 1956 the citizens

of Long Beach approved a $10.5 million bond measure to

Fillmore Condit, above, received this let-ter, dated November 4, 1922, from W.R. Ramsey of Oklahoma City confirmingthe transfer of eight acres of property, al-lowing the City of Long Beach to moveforward on plans to develop a new hos-pital. Condit later served as mayor.

Below is the rendering of the proposedhospital by Architect Hugh R. Davies.

Construction of CommunityHospital is underway in 1923


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provide for the expansion and remodeling of the hospital.

A new $2.5 million hospital wing marked the first improve-

ment under the bond measure. It housed an additional 170

beds and included space for laboratories, an x-ray depart-

ment, physical and occupational therapy facilities, office

areas and a central lobby and waiting area. The total number

of beds rose to 320.

In the 1960s and 1970s the hospital continued to add new

programs and services. An intensive care unit was added

along with a nuclear medicine department. Later, a coronary

care unit was opened and the hospital purchased one of the

area’s first CT scanners. In 1980 the City of Long Beach des-

ignated the Community Hospital Long Beach as a historic

landmark. The 1990s were turbulent years for the hospital,

which went through several ownership changes and was

briefly closed in 2000. The hospital quickly reopened after a

nine-month “Save Our Neighborhood Hospital” community

effort raised the needed funds to revive the hospital. Then, in

2011, Community Hospital Long Beach was purchased by the

MemorialCare Health System.

Since its purchase by MemorialCare, CHLB has received an

infusion of more than $12 million in capital improvements.

This has included new patient beds, additional medical

equipment and improvements to the physical plant of the

hospital, such as painting, electrical upgrades and improved

patient care technology. Krikor Jansezian, Ph.D., administra-

tor of CHLB, states, “This hospital has been serving the clin-

ical needs of the community for the past 90 years. Under the

MemorialCare System, I look forward to having it serve at

least another 90 years. We’re here for the long term and are

already planning for our future.”

That future includes the expansion of the hospital’s Cen-

ter for Mental Health & Wellness, an increase in the number

of patients seen in the emergency department, the contin-

ued growth in the number of physicians on the medical

staff, and ongoing efforts to ensure that patients get the best

clinical care at the best cost. �

5

Advertisement in the

Press-Telegram

announcing the op

ening of the hospit

al.

Many of the physicians and

administrators working at Community Hospita

l

Long Beach moved to the o

ffice building when it was completed.

Photograph taken soon after Community Hospital opened

in 1924


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CommunityHospital Timeline Of Events

During its 90-year history, Community Hospital Long

Beach has had many memorable experiences, firsts and

milestones. Here are a few of the many notable events from

its illustrious 90-year history:

1924 On July 15, 1924, after a successful fundraising

campaign by local civic leaders and businesses, Community

Hospital Long Beach opened its doors with 100 beds and 175

surgeons and physicians on staff. The stated mission of the

hospital was to provide low-cost, community-based health

care for those with little or no insurance.

1937 Members of the Board of Directors of Community

Hospital Long Beach and the Medical Executive Staff estab-

lished the Tumor and Cancer Diagnostic Clinic, operating

under the auspices of the hospital. The clinic met on Thursday

morning of each week with nursing personnel provided by

the hospital. Patients were admitted to the clinic for diagnos-

tic purposes only, and the reports of the physical and labora-

tory findings were then forwarded to the patients’ private

physicians. Patients were charged a small fee which was used

for stationery, postage and clerical support.

1942 During the height of World War II, Community

Hospital Long Beach opened a new patient wing. This general

medical/surgical unit increased the hospital size to 150 beds.

1959 In 1956, the citizens of Long Beach approved a

$10.5 million bond measure to provide for the expansion and

remodeling of CHLB. In 1959, a new $2.5 million hospital

wing (pictured below) marked the first improvement under

the bond measure. It housed an additional 170 beds and in-

The 20th Anniversary newsletter included one article – Nurses AnswerCall – that lists the names of Community Hospital nurses “now servingtheir country in all parts of the world” during WW II, and a second arti-cle – Our Service Flag – listing the names of 62 of the hospital’s physicians“serving now with distinction on the battle fronts of the world.”

City officials, dignitaries and the general public gathered to celebrate the opening of a newhospital wing in 1959. Included, at right, are Councilman Tom Clark, O.D., and his wife, Lois,who served for many years as the Community Hospital librarian.


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cluded space for laboratories, an x-ray department, physical

and occupational therapy facilities, office areas and a central

lobby and waiting area. Advanced features of the new building

included telephones in all of the patient rooms that allowed pa-

tients to call outside the hospital without having to go through

the hospital switchboard. In addition, an intercom system en-

abled patients to talk directly to the nurses’ station. The state-

of-the-art x-ray department featured a “semi-automatic” dark

room where x-ray films could be developed automatically or

manually. The total number of beds in the hospital rose to 320.

1960-1970 Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the

hospital continued to add new programs and services. An in-

tensive care unit was added along with a nuclear medicine

department. Later, a coronary care unit was opened and the

hospital purchased one of the area’s first CT scanners.

1972 In 1972, Jess Grundy, a long-time supporter of

CHLB, and three other local business executives – Vail “Bud”

Young of Buffums’, Robert Matheny of Bank of America and

Jim Gray of Jim Gray Volvo – founded the Community Hos-

pital Long Beach Foundation to serve as the philanthropic

arm of the hospital.

1980 The City of Long Beach designated Community

Hospital Long Beach as a historic landmark. The Long Beach

City Council, on the advice of the Long Beach Planning Com-

mission and the

Long Beach Cul-

tural Heritage

C o m m i tt e e ,

named the hospi-

tal building as city

cultural landmark

No. 10 on October

28, 1980.

2011 On April 29, 2011 the MemorialCare Health Sys-

tem announced that it would be taking over administrative

and financial responsibility for the independent Community

Hospital Long Beach. With this purchase, Community Hos-

pital became MemorialCare Health System's sixth hospital in

Los Angeles and Orange counties and the third hospital that

it owns in Long Beach.

2013 The behavioral health unit at Community Hospi-

tal Long Beach is renamed the MemorialCare Center for Men-

tal Health & Wellness. The newly named center offers

programs and services to maximize the continuum of care for

each patient, including a Psychiatric Acute Treatment Pro-

gram; a Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Pro-

gram; a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program; a

Geriatric Psychiatric Program; and an Outpatient Psychiatric

Clinic. A treatment recently added to the center is the intro-

duction of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy

– a non-invasive, non-drug treatment for patients who have

not benefited from antidepressant medication.

2014 And Beyond Not content to rest on its

recent standout successes, CHLB administrators have laid

out a plan for the hospital to expand upon its current pro-

grams and services. This plan is being designed to meet and

exceed the health care needs of the community that the hos-

pital serves. Included are the further remodeling of the hos-

pital’s emergency department, the launch of a pediatric

psychiatry program to meet the needs of children and teens,

and the continued expansion of the use of technology in the

workplace to further raise the level of care provided to hos-

pital patients. �

In 1972, Jess Grundy, left, a local businessman and staunch hospital supporter, convinced threeother business executives to join him in forming the Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation.

Community Hospital Long Beach hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an open house eventon September 19, 2013, for the new MemorialCare Center for Mental Health & Wellness. Thecenter offers a full spectrum of programs and services, including an outpatient psychiatric clinic,a partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient program, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ther-apy and more. These programs and services help treat issues from depression, anxiety, mooddisorders and other mental health issues.


8 Epic Electronic Medical Records System Launched At Community Hospital Long Beach

A three-year-long journey to bring an electronic medical

records system to Community Hospital Long Beach culmi-

nated on September 1 of this year with the successful

launch of the Epic EMR system.

This $6 million

investment in

computer hard-

ware, software

and staff training

brings CHLB to

the forefront of

patient care

practices.

The system

allows doctors, nurses

and patient care-

givers the ability to

connect with each

other and provide

an unprecedented

level of patient care re-

gardless of their location.

Replacing the traditional paper

record, the Epic system spans

hospital departments and pro-

vides each member of the patient care team seamless access

to a patient’s complete medical record. It ensures that clinical

decisions are based on the most up-to-date information and

promotes care that is safe and well coordinated.

All of the components of this system work together to in-

crease patient safety, automate manual processes, and im-

prove communication amongst clinicians. This will result in

more informed and effective treatment and decision making

for CHLB patients.

Epic is used by all MemorialCare facilities so physicians at any

of the system’s hospitals and outpatient clinics will be able to

keep track of their patients’ lab results, order prescriptions and

update patients’ records from their own office. Hospital nurses

and clinicians use mobile workstations on wheels (WOWs) to

update patient records from anywhere on their unit.

The system is being used in the emergency department for

operating room management, in the laboratory for imaging and

therapeutic services, and in the pharmacy. In fact, CHLB is the

first MemorialCare Hospital to use the Bar Code Medication

Administration feature of the system. This module improves

patient safety by using bedside verification to confirm patient

identity and medication information against data stored in an

online medication administration record. It uses bar code scan-

ning to increase the accuracy and efficiency of the administra-

tion of medications. It also provides physicians faster and easier

access to critical information to manage patient care.

Training on the Epic system has been ongoing for physi-

cians and hospital staff since July. Eighteen “Super Users” re-

ceived four days of intensive training to support the

implementation phase of the program. In addition, staff mem-

bers received content-specific training tailored to their jobs.

Adrian Taves, MSN, RN, director of Education and Clinical

Transformation at CHLB, states, “The implementation of the

program went very smoothly. Everyone has been very sup-

portive of the introduction of the Epic System and it has been

very exciting to watch our staff and physicians taking to it so

quickly.” The introduction of the Epic EMR system is just an-

other example of how MemorialCare is supporting the health

care needs of the community. �

A Community Emergency Department WithSomething Special

No one looks forward to making an unexpected trip to a hos-

pital ED. However, more than 300,000 Americans on average

are treated in our nation’s emergency departments every day,

according to the latest government statistics, with patients

being treated for a wide variety of medical conditions. So, isn’t

it nice to know that the Community Hospital Long Beach’s

Emergency Department (ED) is available 24/7 to meet your

emergency medical issues?

Whether a patient walks in alone through the glass doors,

is brought in by family or private ambulance, or arrives via

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city paramedics, the 21-bed newly remodeled ED is a special

place for our patients. The new front lobby space is spacious

and calming with comfortable furniture and a triage nurse

stationed right there ready to help each patient with his or

her medical emergency. Every part of the newly redesigned

front lobby area was carefully thought out to provide the

most efficient use of space to quickly see and treat patients.

Meeting with the specially trained triage nurse is the first

step in the process of being quickly seen in the ED. Triage is

the process of determining the priority of a patient’s treat-

ments based on the severity of his or her condition. This al-

lows for the efficient treatment of patients by determining the

order and priority of emergency treatments. At CHLB the

triage system is used in conjunction with a rapid medical

screening process that allows patients to be seen by an ED

doctor in 30 minutes or less.

The ED’s board-certified physicians are part of the Memo-

rialCare System and have clinical privileges at both CHLB

and Long Beach Memorial. Jennifer DeSimone, RN, BSN, and

director of the emergency department, says, “We have 20 new

ED doctors on staff who are able to see patients at both

MemorialCare hospitals in Long Beach. The skill level that

they provide lifts all of our clinicians to a higher level of pa-

tient care. We are able to see a higher volume of patients with-

out losing any of the quality outcomes that our community

expects from us.”

Since the purchase by

MemorialCare, the num-

ber of patients seen on a

daily basis at the CHLB

ED has risen from approx-

imately 50 per day to its

current level of 70 to 80

patients daily. This

equates to more than

20,000 patients annually.

Typical patients seen in

the ED include older

adults who come in with

symptoms like shortness

of breath, chest pain or

sudden dizziness, or with

mental health issues.

CHLB’s ED is a certified

Emergency Department

Approved for Pediatrics

(EDAP). An EDAP facility is licensed by the County of Los

Angeles to receive pediatric patients through the 911 sys-

tem. There are only 42 hospital emergency departments in

Southern California that meet the stringent requirements

necessary to receive EDAP certification.

“We have a program of continuous improvement in place

to constantly review and upgrade our ED readiness,” DeSi-

mone continues. “We provide our patients with specially

trained physicians and nurses in-house 24/7. We have in-

stalled new equipment and we require ongoing education for

our clinical staff. It’s because of these efforts that our physi-

cians and staff produce the high level of care seen in our ED.”

But the future holds more changes for the ED. With patient

census increasing and beds always full, CHLB administration

is looking to totally restructure the patient treatment areas of

the ED. The second phase of the remodeling project is sched-

uled to begin before the end of this year and will include bet-

ter use of treatment space, improved workflow areas and

more effective use of the Epic EMR system via the introduc-

tion of additional workstations on wheels (WOW) units.

So, if you or a loved one thinks you need emergency care,

come to the emergency department and have a doctor exam-

ine you. If you think the medical condition is life threatening

or the person’s condition will worsen on the way to the hos-

pital, then you need to call 911 and have your local Emer-

gency Medical Services provider come to you. �

Dr. Gregory Bush, medical director, Emergency DepartmentCommunity Hospital Long Beach, consults with a patient.


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CHLB Partners WithCabrillo High School For Occupational Job Program

Since early 2008, Community Hospital Long Beach and

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo High School in Long Beach have

partnered to provide occupational workforce training op-

portunities to special education students working towards

high school graduation. Students in the Special Education

program can be up to 22 years old and may have either

mental and/or physical exceptional needs. Students are

placed in this program in order to give them every oppor-

tunity to succeed in their transition to adulthood.

Four to five program students come to the hospital an-

nually and are assigned to jobs throughout the hospital.

Students may find themselves working in the food serv-

ices department, providing clerical help in one of the hos-

pital’s administrative departments or supporting the

staff in the medical records department. During the

school year, the students usually work one to two hours

per day and up to 5-½ hours per day in the summer. The

students receive a small cash stipend for their efforts

from the Long Beach Unified School District and also re-

ceive class credit towards high school graduation.

To date, a total of 50 students have come to the hospital to

gain real world job experience in the health care setting. Dur-

ing their time at CHLB, the students learn to develop appro-

priate work habits and behavior, build their self-confidence

and acquire socially responsible behavior. Joseph Gawel, ca-

reer transition specialist with Cabrillo High, says, “Our stu-

dents are really motivated to succeed in the work place and

CHLB is their first choice to come and get their work experi-

ence. They are incredibly interested in learning about the

health care field and look forward to coming to the hospital.”

Depending on the student’s needs, a teacher may accom-

pany them to act as a “job coach” while they are at the hos-

pital. The job coach may spend their time providing positive

reinforcement to the student or may actually work with the

student in helping them to perform their assigned tasks.

The goal of the work exploration program is to prepare

Long Beach high school students with exceptional needs for

their future by enabling them to improve their ability to func-

tion as independently as possible at home, in school, in the

community and in the workplace setting. The staff at Com-

munity Hospital Long Beach is proud to be able to participate

in this program and looks forward to having many more stu-

dents participate in the future. �

High School Students’College Dreams Supported Through CAMEO Program

For the past 25 years, the CAMEO Program, an auxiliary or-

ganization of the Assistance League of Long Beach, has been

providing one-on-one mentoring opportunities for academi-

cally talented high school and Long Beach City College stu-

dents. The group, comprised of working and retired

professional women from throughout the city, has supported

more than 30 students during its history.

CAMEO’s chair-elect, Mary Alice McLoughlin, who also

Janet Nelson, above, is a Cabrillo High School student who also works as a janitor five days a weekat Community Hospital Long Beach. The hospital provides occupational workforce training opportu-nities to special education students who are working towards high school graduation.


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serves as Community Hospital Long Beach’s

manager of volunteer services, states, “Our

mentors provide educational, practical and

emotional support to the students that they

mentor. Once assigned a student, they stay

with them throughout their high school or

community college career.”

CAMEO mentors use their personal and

business experience to provide tips on items

such as how to take the SAT test, how to

apply to college, and how to pursue potential

career options after graduation. They also ac-

company their students on tours of college

campuses and to cultural events throughout

the community.

Students who are accepted into the

CAMEO program receive a myriad of sup-

port services in addition to their one-on-one

mentorships. They attend career-oriented workshops

and cultural activities, receive financial aid for educa-

tional scholarships, computer equipment and school

supplies, and are offered paid summer internships

with local business partners such as Community Hos-

pital Long Beach.

“CHLB has been very generous in its participation in

the CAMEO program,” McLoughlin states. “Two of our

students were placed in internships at the hospital this

last summer and we look forward to placing additional

students here in the future.” The students worked a full

40 hours per week from June through August and were

paid a stipend by CHLB and the CAMEO program. Stu-

dents also received money to purchase business-appro-

priate attire to wear while at the hospital.

High school student Amazi Briggs worked throughout

the summer in the hospital’s Health Information Man-

agement Department. While there she assisted hospital

staff by doing an assortment of filing, charting and re-

search projects. Fellow high school student Gizel Ramos spent

her time in the Information Systems Department. There, she

worked throughout the hospital helping in the implementa-

tion of the Epic electronic medical records system.

Ashley Davis, a former nursing student at Long Beach City

College, is an excellent example of the success that comes from

the CAMEO program. Through the help of her CAMEO men-

tor, she earned her R.N. degree and is now working for Com-

munity Hospital Long Beach as a nurse in the critical care unit.

In addition to their mentoring support, the women of

CAMEO also provide financial scholarships to students who

go on to college. Last year more than $18,500 was provided

to deserving students.

CAMEO is always looking for bright, motivated students

who are interested in pursuing professional careers to

apply to their program. They are also looking for profes-

sional women who would like to give their time and energy

to be mentors. �

Mary Alice McLoughlin, manager of Volunteer Services at Community Hospital Long Beach, is flanked by CAMEO programstudents Amazi Briggs, left, and Gizel Ramos. CAMEO, which provides one-on-one mentoring opportunities for high schooland Long Beach City College students, is a program of the Assistance League of Long Beach.

Ashley Davis, R.N., is an example of how the CAMEO program can lead to success. With help from aCAMEO mentor, she completed her education, recieved her degree as a registered nurse, and is nowemployed in the critical care unit at Community Hospital Long Beach.


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Not Easy Times For The Practice Of Psychiatry – Closing The Gap In Long Beach

� By Clifford R. Feldman, M.D., Medical Director,

MemorialCare Center for Mental Health & Wellness


When an argument can be made that mental

health programs are needed more than ever, hos-

pitals and municipalities are eliminating care to

the mentally ill. A very large tertiary care center

in the heart of Los Angeles closed down its de-

partment of psychiatry and all relevant mental

health programs less than two years ago. Another smaller

community hospital with a geriatric psychiatry unit closed its

doors in Thousand Oaks. The list goes on and on.

Our state has lost more than 3,500 inpatient psychiatric beds

in the last 10 years. Insurances cut payments to psychiatrists

and minimized availability of psychological services to pa-

tients as well. This has resulted in many of our health care

providers getting out of this business and instead contracting

for these services with a third party.

Psychiatric patients are left to pay the price. After each

tragedy in the news, there are calls in the media for improved

access to psychiatric care for patients. It goes on for a couple

of weeks and then fades away. Nobody speaks up for the

most vulnerable of patients: the psychiatric patient.

In 2012, I got a call, which ran counter to the above, from

Krikor Jansezian, PhD, the administrator of Community Hos-

pital Long Beach (CHLB). He asked me to join the medical

staff of CHLB and help build new psychiatric programs and

expand on its current offerings. What? Not just work in the

existing 28-bed adult inpatient unit, but improve and enlarge

psychiatric services in the Long Beach Area? Improve the

quality of care and nurture academics and preventative care

also? It was the call I had been waiting for.

I had known Krikor since 2006 from our work together at

another major institution in the San Gabriel Valley. We had a

history of starting programs and innovating together for the

benefit of the community's mental health patients. When

Krikor started at CHLB in 2011, I knew I would eventually

get that call, so that together we could explore the multitude

of possibilities in providing that excellent quality care to the

community of Long Beach.

Without hesitation, I joined the medical staff at CHLB and

waited for the right moment. The call came around noon the

day before the Super Bowl. A day later, the Giants would dis-

mantle the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI and a day after that I

would touch down at LAX and drive directly to CHLB to

begin work. For the next six weeks, with the demands of the

services, I took calls every night, admitted and discharged

every patient, wrote every note and did every consult, until

another, as excited and as motivated, psychiatrist joined our

medical staff. We then had a team to start building the vision.

During the past two years, with the support of Long Beach

Memorial and the MemorialCare Health System, we have

been able to do remarkable things. While we improved the

existing unit, we introduced a new Geriatric Psychiatry Pro-

gram, as well as a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder Pro-

gram for new mothers with depression, anxiety or other

symptoms too difficult to manage on their own.

We have brought new teaching programs to CHLB by train-

ing third-year USC/Keck medical students and by affiliating

with the University of California, Irvine Psychiatric Residency

Program. Third-year UCI psychiatry residents now run the

newly established outpatient psychiatric clinic. We started a

long-acting injectable antipsychotic clinic for schizophrenic

patients who have a problem with medication compliance.

We opened an Intensive Outpatient Program/Partial Hospi-

talization Program for patients who prefer group therapy and

need a higher level of care than the clinic can offer. These pro-

grams all help reduce the relapse rate, which is a real problem

in this community.

Furthermore, we are one of only a handful of hospitals in

Southern California that offer Transcranial Magnetic Stimula-

tion (TMS) therapy under the leadership of Todd Hutton, M.D.,

a psychiatrist and the medical director of this care. All of these

programs are located on the CHLB campus in East Long Beach.

The future looks very bright. Soon, we will be proud to open

our Addiction Medicine Program for patients struggling with

withdrawal issues. Next will come an adolescent psychiatry

inpatient/outpatient center with a world-class program to ad-

dress this under-served population.

This forward thinking, coupled with the supportive envi-

ronment and mission of MemorialCare, shines as a beacon of

hope in uneasy times. �


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13

Second-To-None Surgery Experience � By Jeffrey Solomon, M.D.

Medical Director, Anesthesiology


The team of highly-skilled surgeons, anesthesiologists,

surgical nurses and technicians at Community Hospital

Long Beach (CHLB) have been hard at work raising the, al-

ready high, standard of surgical care provided at our hos-

pital. Comprised of a mix of surgery veterans, who

embody the community aspect of CHLB’s patient experi-

ence, as well as new surgeons, nurses and technicians –

who bring the latest information and technological ad-

vances with them – the surgical team at CHLB is ready to

handle whatever cases come our way.

At CHLB, patients can expect attentive, personal and quality

care from the surgical team that is capable of performing a

wide variety of routine

and specialized surgi-

cal procedures includ-

ing, but not limited to:

Bariatric; Cardiac pro-

cedures; Dental; ENT;

General surgery;

GI/Endoscopy; Gyne-

cologic; Ophthalmic;

Orthopedic; Plastic;

Podiatry; Thoracic;

Urology; and Vascular.

In an effort to provide

patients with the best

possible surgical expe-

rience, CHLB has

begun actively building

the general, orthopedic

and plastic surgery

specialties by attracting

talented new surgeons

to join the surgical

team. CHLB also has

recently begun working with California Anesthesia Associ-

ates, which has a group of 32 board-certified anesthesiolo-

gists. We purchased three new advanced anesthesia

machines that help to carefully monitor our patients’ vital

signs during surgical procedures.

Specific to cosmetic surgery, CHLB is now offering

overnight stays for eligible patients. Patients staying

overnight are treated to the same quality nursing care as

our other inpatients and avoid having to be transferred to

a separate hospital for their post-operative care. In addition

to the changes in cosmetic surgery, we are developing a

new ophthalmology program for advanced cataract surgi-

cal procedures to help not only improve vision, but de-

crease surgery and recovery times.

Another improvement that will greatly impact the quality

of care received at CHLB is the introduction of the new in-

tegrated electronic medical record (EMR) system, Epic®.

With the integration of Epic®, CHLB is now electronically

linked to the rest of the MemorialCare Health System’s hos-

pitals and outpatient centers, which helps to provide safe,

quality care and create a more consistent patient experience

before, during, and after surgery.

With all of the recent additions and changes to the surgi-

cal care programs at Community Hospital Long Beach, it is

safe to say that we are creating a patient experience that is

truly second-to-none. �


14

GROWING

OUR

LEGACY

Link To Health Care� By Gregory Bush, M.D.

Medical Director, Emergency Department


The emergency department is often the last place someone

would want to be. However, when circumstances cause you

to be there, you are typically thankful there is a place to go.

The emergency de-

partment is the link

between the commu-

nity and the hospi-

tal. The majority of

patients who need

care enter the hospi-

tal through the

emergency depart-

ment. With that in

mind, at Commu-

nity Hospital Long Beach, we are taking great strides to im-

prove your experience in the emergency department, as well

as the care you will receive.

Your comfort is important to us. We know the last thing you

want to do is sit in a waiting room in pain or distress won-

dering when you or your loved one will be able to see the doc-

tor. Because of this we have revamped our front-end

processes to ensure you will be seen as soon as possible. But,

there will be times when there will be some waiting; this is

just an unavoidable fact of emergency departments in this age

of health care. If you are in this situation, we have remodeled

our waiting room to improve your comfort and help you pass

the time more quickly. We also put procedures in place, that

bring our doctors out to you if we cannot get you back to us

in order to speed up the delivery of your health care.

We have been upgrading our technology and equipment in

the emergency department. We now have access to an elec-

tronic medical record system that allows us to better track

your health care, cut down on unnecessary tests and prevent

medical errors. We can now share medical records with a

large number of area hospitals, as well as others throughout

Southern California including Long Beach Memorial and

Kaiser Permanente. Should you need advanced cardiac mon-

itoring, we now have all of our emergency department beds

equipped with telemetry monitors so that we will know im-

mediately if you are having a problem.

We are getting ready for exciting changes as we prepare

to remodel our nursing and physician workstations to cre-

ate an even more modern and hygienic environment

within the treatment area. New workflows and procedures

also are being developed to reduce the amount of time you

will have to be in the emergency department so you can re-

turn to the comfort of your home or one of our inpatient

rooms as quickly as possible to keep your comfort levels

up while recovering. �

Community Hospital Long Beach ‘Originals’

Are you an “Original?” Fillmore Condit, founder and first

president of Community Hospital Long Beach, had a grand-

daughter who was one. If fact, she was the very first Original

born at the newly opened Community Hospital Long Beach.

So how do you know if you are an Original? It’s simple. Any-

one born at CHLB during the last 90 years is considered an

Original baby.

Kathy Berry, development officer at the hospital, states, “We

like to keep track of all of the babies who were born at the hos-

pital. Our records go back all the way to the founding of the

hospital in 1924. We keep the names, birthdates and contact

information in a big ledger book in the foundation offices.

We’re still missing quite a few from over the past 90 years, but

more and more Originals are checking in with us all the time.”

One such Original is John McWilliams, the 66th baby born

at the hospital on November 11, 1924. John, was born at 8:25

p.m., weighing 9 lbs., with Dr. Doe as the attending physi-

The “baby floor” at Community Hospital Long Beach in the 1950s


GROWING

OUR

LEGACY

15

cian. John has lived and worked in Long Beach for most

of his life. He spent two years, seven months and eight

days in the army and then attended Stanford University

where he received a degree in mechanical engineering.

He then went to work for McDonnell Douglas until

1980, when he retired.

Berry also recently interviewed another Original as part

of the hospital’s 90th anniversary celebration. Helen Gra-

ham Freeborn was born on October 25, 1929, making her

the 1,875th baby born at the hospital. While still a child,

her mother brought her next door to the Tichner Clinic to

treat her flat feet. Helen and her two sisters grew up near

Wilson High School, where she took nurse’s aide classes.

In fact, Helen spent a year at CHLB as a candy striper!

Her middle son, who just turned 60, was born at the hos-

pital as well as her 26-year-old grandson. Helen retired

from Schmitz School after a 25-year career of teaching pri-

marily the 3rd and 4th grades.

If you were born at Community Hospital Long Beach

and want to add your name and story to the growing list

of Originals, please contact Berry at the CHLB Founda-

tion, 562/494-0576 or by e-mail at kberry2@memorial-

care.org. She would love to hear from you! �

Pictured above is Page 1 of the book listing babies born at Community Hospital Long Beach from 1924 through 1936. Baby #1 was born to Mrs. Robert Smith on July 27, 1924. The right pageof the ledger shows the weight, sex, physician’s name, birth number and any remarks about the birth. During August 1924, 17 babies were listed, as the tabulations at bottom left indicate.


16

GROWING

OUR

LEGACY

CHLB Foundation Provides Support To Keep Hospital At Cutting Edge Of Health Care

The Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation

(CHLB), which serves as the philanthropic arm of the hos-

pital, was founded in 1972 by four local business executives:

Vail ”Bud” Young, president and later chairman of the board

of Buffums’ department stores; Robert Matheny of Bank of

America; Jim Gray, an auto dealer at the time; and Jess

Grundy, who managed a securities/investment firm. The

Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has

raised more than $33 million for hospital programs, services

and equipment since its formation.

By reaching out and tapping into the generosity of indi-

viduals, corporations and organizations, CHLB Founda-

tion is able to provide the cutting-edge equipment and

invaluable programs that are so critical to the hospital. Pro-

ceeds from events, such as the long-running Community

Classic Annual Golf Tournament, ensure that CHLB con-

tinues to provide quality health care for the diverse needs

of our community.

In addition to the funds raised by the Foundation directly,

there are several affinity groups of philanthropically minded

organizations that also dedicate their time and effort in host-

ing independent fundraising events in support of the hospi-

tal. The oldest of these groups is the Community Hospital

Long Beach Auxiliary. For more than 50 years, the members

of this organization have been committed to supporting the

hospital through the staffing of the hospital gift shop. The 120

members of this group have provided thousands of hours of

volunteer service with all of the profits from the hospital gift

shop going directly to the Foundation to support hospital

programs and services.

The next group to be spotlighted is Las Damas de la Plaza.

This small group of approximately 40 women raises money

for the hospital by holding an annual “Walk the Red Car-

pet” event. This year was the sixth year that they hosted this

musical revue, with all

proceeds benefiting

CHLB. The group was

founded in 1984 to pro-

mote and advance the

welfare of Community

Hospital Long Beach.

A prime mover in phil-

anthropic projects for the

hospital since 1985 has

been the CHLB Employ-

ees Foundation Commit-

Current members of the Long Beach Community Hospital Foundation Board are (not in order of photograph): CHLB Foundation Executive Committee – Interim Chair Ross Riddle of South CoastShingle Co. Inc.; Secretary Kit Katz of St. Mary Medical Center; Treasurer Jeff Wimbish of Kensington Investment Counsel; Community Leader Suzanne Nosworthy; Andrea Caballero of Catalystfor Payment Reform; and Immediate Past Chair John Koenig of The Koenig Companies. Foundation Boardmembers are: Andrew Barber of Crisell & Associates; Beverly Cook, president, Las Damasde la Plaza; MJ Dornford of Zim Lines; Twyla Karkut, president, CHLB Auxiliary; Mary Lockington, Esq., attorney at law; Dennis Mc Conkey of Jalate, Inc.; Brad Miles of INCO Commercial RealtyServices; Jan Miller of the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; Mark Taylor, Office of the Mayor, City of Long Beach; Machelle Thompson of Keen Home Care; Rick Trice, communityleader; Paul Velasco, Esq., attorney at law; and Linda Wallace of Financial & Insurance Solutions.

Businesses throughout Long Beach and beyondhave long supported the Community Hospital LongBeach Foundation. Above, Roger Reyburn, left, aTrustee and Foundation Director, presents a checkfrom his employer, GTE, to Foundation Vice Presi-dent Stewart Bachtelle.

Carl Calkins, who served as Long Beach Police Chief, is pictured in his role as chairman of the Com-munity Hospital Long Beach Foundation’s Community Relations Committee. Committee members in-cluded, from left: Susan Bell, Marni Stegeman, Diane Coltrane and B.J. Arnold.


GROWING

OUR

LEGACY

17

tee. This employee-run organization raises money

through donations as well as bake sales, wine tasting so-

cials, and other events. Since 1985, the hospital's employ-

ees, currently numbering around 600, have made made

more than $1.3 million in tax-deductible contributions to

hospital improvement projects.

Additionally, the CHLB Foundation depends on its

Board of Directors and Trustees to promote excellence and

integrity throughout the organization. These groups of

men and women are vital not only in supporting the work

of the Foundation but also in fostering relationships with

community groups and businesses to facilitate donations

to the hospital. �

Legacy Wall: Honoring Those Who Give Back

The Community Hospital Long Beach Legacy Wall was

created in 2010 to honor physicians, staff members, com-

munity members and volunteers who have shown that they

represent the “community spirit” that has been the driving

force at the hospital since it opened in 1924. The award cel-

ebrates those members of a close community of health care

professionals who embody the spirit of the hospital.

Three to four inductees are selected each year by a com-

mittee of their peers and from the administrative team of the

hospital. In order to be selected, individuals must have com-

pleted 15 years of service at the hospital, whether through

years of employment, philanthropic efforts or volunteer

hours given. They must also have shown that they exem-

plify the commitment and dedication of providing the high-

est quality of patient care to the patients and families who

utilize the hospital.

Located in the main hallway on the first floor of the hos-

pital, the Legacy Wall showcases photographs of current

and past winners.

Krikor Jansezian, Ph.D., administrator of Community

Hospital, says, “Having advanced programs and equip-

ment is important to the hospital, but it’s our physicians,

staff, community members and volunteers who make

Community Hospital Long Beach special. It’s the personal

commitment shown by these men and women that pro-

vides our patients with the exceptional patient care that

they deserve and expect.”

For 2014, the hospital has named two physicians and one

staff member to be placed on the Legacy Wall. This year’s

inductees are Pam Dingwell, Foundation coordinator at the

Community Hospital Foundation; E. Mike Vasilomanolakis,

M.D., chief of staff for CHLB; and Dennis Parmer, M.D., (re-

tired) staff physician in the hospital’s emergency depart-

ment. A formal ceremony was held at the hospital on

Thursday, October 9. Attendees enjoyed light refreshments

as the photographs of the honorees were unveiled to the

public for the first time. �

h Coast Catalyst

s Damas al Realty

mmunity

The Legacy Wall celebrates employees, volunteers, physiciansand community members who embody the spirit of CommunityHospital Long Beach. Inductees are selected each year to honortheir commitment and dedication to the patiencts and familiesthey serve. Previous inductees, pictured at left are, top from left:Jo Whelan Plato, inducted in 2012; Harald Arndt, M.D., 2013;Linda Basile, R.N., 2013; and Suzanne Nosworthy, 2013. Onbottom row is Eugene Temkin, M.D., 2013. Joining them thisyear, following ceremonies held October 9, are, pictured belowfrom left: E. Mike Vasilomanolakes, M.D., Pam Dingwell, CHLBFoundation coordinator; and Dennis Parmer, M.D., retired, Emer-gency Department of CHLB.


18

GROWING

OUR

LEGACY

Hospital Creates A Healing Environment To Improve Patient Outcomes

When you think of a calm, peaceful place, what comes to

mind? A spa? A Japanese garden? Few would think of a hos-

pital. But that’s exactly the thinking behind the healing envi-

ronment philosophy at Community Hospital Long Beach.

There is a growing body of evidence that shows the benefits

of creating a healing environment within the hospital setting.

But what exactly is a healing environment and how does it

affect the patient?

Among other things, a healing environment takes ideas

from environmental psychology, sociology, geography, ar-

chitecture, landscape architecture, interior design, nursing,

medicine, and public health and combines them in a way to

reduce stress in patients, family members and visitors of a

hospital. These changes also can help prevent medical errors

and hospital-acquired infections, while improving staff

morale and efficiency.

Healing environments are de-

signed to promote a harmony of

mind, body and spirit, which posi-

tively affects our health in a number

of ways. For example, a noisy, con-

fusing hospital room might leave a

patient not only feeling worried,

sad or helpless, but also might raise

their blood pressure and heart rate

and increase muscle tension.

There are a number of techniques that CHLB has used to

create a healing environment. These include:

• Increase a patient’s connection to nature by creating an

outdoor healing garden that patients and family members can

utilize during hospitalization;

• Reduce environmental stressors by playing soothing

music in all areas of the hospital. This is coupled with a con-

scious effort to make sure that all extraneous noise in patient

care areas is kept to a minimum;

• Newly admitted patients are hand delivered a flower by

hospital staff;

• Fresh baked cookies are delivered to every patient daily

(alternatives are available for those patients on special diets);

• Hospital volunteers visit every patient on a daily basis to

chat and find out how they are doing;

• Before dinner, hospital EVS staff provides patients with

towels that are heated, scented and moist;

• Food Service provides a fresh loaf of bread to patients

on their day of discharge along with a card signed by all di-

etary staff; and

• Patients are provided with masks and earplugs on request.

According to a statement from the director of the Ancillary

and Support Services, “The Community Healing Program

builds relationships between patients and hospital staff. It en-

courages the cultivation of these healing relationships be-

cause patients may have the same nursing staff during their

entire stay. Thus staff, patients and family members get to

know and become comfortable with each other.”

While the program has only been rolled out since April of

this year, hospital staff and patients have been ecstatic about

the results. As one staffer say, “Employees have really taken

to the program and are continually coming up with new

methods of improving our patient satisfaction levels.”

And as for the patients, well who doesn’t like fresh baked

cookies and hand delivered flowers? �


GROWING

OUR

LEGACY

19

Introducing New Level Of Patient Care: Addiction Medicine Program

Community Hospital Long Beach is proud to announce

the November 2014 opening of a 10-bed Addiction Medi-

cine Program for patients requiring inpatient care for drug

and alcohol addiction.

The stand-alone unit will be located on the first floor of the

hospital and will provide a secure and secluded environ-

ment for patients. The unit itself will consist of a serene area,

combining soothing colors and quiet meditative spaces. Pa-

tients will enjoy private rooms, a patient lounge with a

kitchen area and a wide-screen television, and intimate ther-

apy rooms for meetings with clinicians and family members.

The unit will offer a rapid detox treatment regimen that will

provide 24-hour support and medical monitoring.

Inpatient treatment typically lasts up to seven days, after

which patients are referred to a wide range of follow-up pro-

grams, depending on their condition. This can include long-

term rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics or, for those

patients with psychiatric issues, a partial hospitalization in-

tensive outpatient program such as that offered by CHLB.

The chemical dependency team at CHLB is highly qualified

in addiction treatment. They provide patients with the complete

range of medical, psychological and social services and the sup-

port they need to begin to overcome their addictions and to ad-

dress the often-serious health problems addiction can cause.

Community Hospital Long Beach offers a continuum of

patient care comprised of physicians, nurses, dieticians and

support staff who are dedicated to providing 100 percent

patient satisfaction. The team is led by Medical Director

Mario San Bartolome, M.D., who is board-certified in Ad-

diction Medicine and Family Medicine. He attended med-

ical school at the University of California, Irvine, School of

Medicine and completed his residency at the Long Beach

Memorial Family Medicine Residency program. He recently

joined the medical staff at CHLB after relocating his practice

from Pismo Beach, California.

Dr. Bartolome states, “Addiction is a treatable disease. In my

practice, I use a combination of medications and counseling

to treat substance abuse. I believe in fostering an open-

minded, respectful and secure clinical environment.”

Care for patients is provided by specially trained staff

skilled in treating both the medical and addiction patient.

Staff nurses, licensed clinical therapists and administrative

staff all work closely with each patient and their physician to

help them get the care and support they need. For those pa-

tients requiring additional medical or psychiatric care, refer-

ring physicians are available to meet their needs from the

MemorialCare Health network.

Hopey Witherby, MSN/ED, RN, BC and director of the Center

for Mental Health & Wellness, says, “Approximately 65 percent

of our patients have a dual diagnosis of psychiatric issues as

well as their addiction issue. Our program is designed to suc-

cessfully treat these patients and then transfer them to a follow-

up facility so that they can receive the appropriate level of care.

MemorialCare was passionate about meeting the needs of the

community when it designed this program. We wanted to en-

sure that our patients will have a safe and secure location to re-

ceive treatment and be able to eventually return to their homes.”

CHLB is the only hospital in the Long Beach area that will

offer an inpatient rapid detox program. Typically, patients will

be referred by their physician, by other detox programs, or even

by themselves. Currently, the program is able to provide serv-

ices to patients over the age of 18. However, long-term plans for

the program include the addition of an adolescent program to

treat teens who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction.

The Addiction Medicine Program is just the start of the ex-

panding mental health and wellness services that the physi-

cians and staff of the hospital look forward to providing in

the near future. �

Mario San Bartolome, M.D., is the medical director of the soon to open Addiction MedicineProgram at CHLB, and Hopey Witherby, MSN, ED, RN, BC, is the director of the Center forMental Health & Wellness.



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October 14-27, 2014 Section B

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