Change is here. All that is possible lies before us.

Change is here. All that is possible lies before us.

Greetings friends and colleagues,

Today is not only the start of the new year, but also the dawn in a long-awaited era of affordable health coverage and care for families across America.  Today, amidst hard economic times when there are many around us who are struggling to make ends meet, at long last, much needed help is on the way. Today we move forward as a nation on the basis of our shared ideals.  

As our community’s health system, we will continue to ensure the smooth implementation of health reform (Affordable Care Act) . Our goal is to provide care for our patients that is of the highest quality, coordinated and integrated, that will allow for earlier intervention, fewer avoidable emergency department visits and hospital stays and, ultimately, a healthier population while containing costs across our system and our community.  

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers (CCRMC & HC) will continue to expand access to health care and enhance quality through our Delivery System Reform program, also known as DSRIP. The improvements we are implementing as part of this plan are seen as key concepts of health reform. This critical effort builds on the extensive and innovative work that is well underway at CCRMC & HC and contributes to important knowledge for our country.  Our investment in innovative care models and technology, along with the many improvement efforts underway, have helped us become more able than ever to provide care on a larger scale, doing so in better ways than we ever thought possible.   

In the coming weeks, we will be seeking input for the CCRMC and HC's five year strategic plan. This plan will incorporate your feedback with recommendations from the 2010 Sustainability Study and the DSRIP.  There is still more work to be done, but we should not forget how much we have accomplished this past year. We have made great strides in safety and quality, and we have increased access to health care for our community.  

I want to give special thanks to those among us who serve our community on holidays, after hours and on weekends – those whose commitment to our mission has them assisting those in need. I could not be more thankful for the privilege of working with such a dedicated and caring community of professionals and partners. Your commitment and partnership are making a difference every day in our community.  

Please accept my sincere best wishes to you and your families for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Together, let us welcome a new year. Together, let us welcome those who have long waited for the opportunity to access health care. Together, let us move forward.

 

Anna