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| FHCN's Ceo retiring after three decades - Monday, April 22, 2013FHCN's CEO retiring after three decades
Harry Foster plans volunteerism, some fishing
Article from Porterville Recorder
dadalian@portervillerecorder.com
After more than three decades at the helm of Tulare County’s second-largest health care provider, Harry Foster is calling it a career at Family HealthCare Network.
FHCN’s roots are in Porterville, where the series of medical and dental clinics in Tulare and Kings counties got its start in a former gas station. Just eight people were on board at that inauspicious start. Today, more than 800 people work under the FHCN banner, and most of the growth came under Foster’s watch.
“We take care of one in three people in Tulare County,” he said. “Those people would go without health care if we weren’t there.”
FHCN is also one of the county’s largest employers, contributing some $420 million in wages to the local economy, according to Foster.
“We contribute significantly to the local economy,” he said.
While Foster is quick to brag about FHCN’s accomplishments, he is slower to sing his own praises.
“I feel like I accomplished some of the things I wanted to accomplish,” he said.
Besides providing care to some 150,000 people, many of whom would otherwise be forced to go without, Foster has also overseen the establishment of Tulare County’s first four-year school of higher learning. FHCN is home to a medical collage and is currently working with staff at Sierra View District Hospital to establish a residency program there.
So far, two classes have seen 20 new medical doctors receive their degrees in Porterville.
“We’ve created a pipeline,” Foster said.
If not outright regrets, Foster said there are some things he hoped to accomplish that were left undone.
“I really wanted to see if I couldn’t do more about living conditions,” he said, “and the environment, specifically air quality.”
FHCN also attracted 57 new health care providers to the county in the last year, yet the establishment of the school and residency program are particularly important in Porterville, as attracting qualified individuals to the area can be particularly difficult, Foster said. The residency program would directly address the problem, as 55 percent of doctors stay in the area where they complete their residency because of the personal attachments they create.
Foster has served in leadership positions with national, state and local boards of directors and committees during his tenure at FHCN. He has received national, state and local awards, and recognition, including the National Association of Community Health Centers’ Administrator of the Year award, Cornell Scott Excellence in Leadership Award and the Louis Garcia Health Service Award. He was also inducted into the National Association of Community Health Centers’ Grassroots Hall of Fame in 2005. In addition to these awards, he has been the recipient of state level recognition, including the California Primary Care Association’s Clinic Legacy Award and the Central Valley Health Centers’ Founders Award, as well as the California Rural Health Associations’ Advocate of the Year award.
In 2002, Foster was chosen to carry the Olympic Torch in the Winter Olympics in recognition of his years of dedication to serving those who would otherwise go without.
Foster says he is confident FHCN will continue meeting its primary mission of caring for patients, as well as growing and thriving after his departure.
“I’m leaving the organization in very capable hands with the senior management we have,” he said. “I feel good leaving for that reason.”
Planning the transition has been a three-year process, Foster said. He will be replaced by Kerry Hydash.
“Kerry’s going to be a great CEO, and we have a strong board,” Foster said.
She will also continue to have his experience at hand, as Foster said he will be “available” when needed.
However, those consultations will have to be done remotely, as Foster and wife Walline are moving to Oregon in the wake of his retirement on April 23. The couple has already constructed a new home there.
Foster, of course, will not be idle. He plans to do volunteer work, specially to help homeless military veterans, as well as working with placing homeless animals with new owners. His new hometown also has a community health center, though not on scale with FHCN, and its management has already asked Foster to join its board of directors. Yet, Foster is reluctant.
“I’m not sure former CEOs on boards is a good idea,” he said. “They tend to micromanage.”
Foster’s new main avocation will be to enjoy his retirement.
“And, do some fishing,” he said.
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| Joint Commission awards FHCN two gold seals - Tuesday, April 16, 2013Joint Commission awards FHCN two gold seals
ARTICLE BY THE PORTERVILLE RECORDER
Family HealthCare Network has received two gold seals of approval from the Joint Commission for demonstrating compliance with commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in ambulatory care organizations, and as a primary care medical home, a special certification for accredited ambulatory care organizations that offer PCMH, the FHCN announced Friday.
Family HealthCare Network is the only community health center in Tulare and Kings counties to receive the dual recognition for its ambulatory care program and PCMH. There are only five other community health centers in California and only 45 other health centers with this unique dual recognition in the nation. Family HealthCare Network has been accredited by the Joint Commission for its ambulatory care program since 1997 and has since been successfully reaccredited.
In July 2012, Family HealthCare Network also became the first community health center in California to receive recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a level-three, patient-centered medical home. This is the highest level granted by the NCQA.
“We recognize the Joint Commission’s accreditation as the gold seal of approval for providing safe, high-quality patient care. Now, by achieving the PCMH certification from the Joint Commission and the NCQA, we are operating within a framework to provide the best care possible to our patients and the communities in Tulare and Kings counties,” said Harry Foster, president and CEO for Family HealthCare Network, in a press release.
The PCMH is a an innovative program for improving primary care that focuses on organizing care around patients, working in teams and coordinating and tracking care over time. PCMH is a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients and their personal physicians, and when appropriate the patient’s family. Care is facilitated by registries, information technology, and other means to assure that patients get the indicated care when and where they need and want it in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
Patients benefit from this model because they have increased access to the services of the clinician and interdisciplinary team, including dental, behavioral health, nutritionists and health educators; the care provided by other clinicians and facilities is tracked and coordinated; and evidence-based treatment protocols guide their care. This care model also focuses on education and self-management by the patient, noted Foster.
“Organizations that pursue the PCMH option from the Joint Commission are demonstrating the highest commitment to delivering primary care in a comprehensive, coordinated and accessible model,” said Michael Kulczycki, executive director of the Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program for the Joint Commission, in a press relase. “I commend Family HealthCare Network for successfully achieving this pinnacle and for its dedication to continually improving patient care.”
Family HealthCare Network underwent a rigorous on-site survey in January to receive the dual recognition. A team of surveyors evaluated Family HealthCare Network’s compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management, and compliance with standards related to how effectively the primary care clinician and the interdisciplinary team work in partnership with the patient to provide comprehensive, coordinated and patient-centered care.
Family HealthCare Network is a private, nonprofit, community–based organization established in 1976 in Porterville to serve mainly poor farmworkers and their families.
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| DDS Henry Cisneros of FHCN Recognized Nationally - Monday, April 15, 2013
LOCAL FAMILY HEALTHCARE NETWORK DENTIST RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO MIGRANT HEALTH AND COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH CARE.
HenryCisneros, DDS of Family HealthCare Network selected to receive the
2013 Outstanding Migrant Health Public Service Award from the
National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc.
![]() Visalia,CA –Family HealthCare Network’s Interim Chief Clinical Officer, HenryCisneros, Jr., DDS, has been selected to receive the 2013 Outstanding MigrantHealth Public Service Award from the National Association of Community HealthCenters, Inc. (NACHC). The award recognizes outstanding achievements andcontributions of individuals to the migrant health center mission and to community-basedhealth care overall. Cisneros will berecognized during NACHC’s upcoming 2013 National Farmworker Health Conference,May 8-9, 2013 in San Diego, California. “I am humbled and honored by thisaward. I feel it is a privilege to workwith migrant farmworker families everyday”, stated Cisneros.
Cisneros joined Family HealthCare Network in 1992 as the Chief DentalOfficer but his commitment to migrant health began long before joining theNetwork. He received his Doctor ofDental Surgery degree from the University of Minnesota and since has devotedhis career to advocating for health and wellness of underserved communitieswhether in private practice or through his extensive involvement with FamilyHealthCare Network.
“Dr. Cisneros has successfully built a large farmworker dentalpractice from the ground up. Hetranscends dentistry and is a valuable asset to all of the staff at FamilyHealthCare Network and all of the patients we serve”, stated Harry L. Foster, Presidentand CEO.
Cisneros also plays a vital role on the Network’s Senior Leadershipteam, leading improvement initiatives focused on safety, customer service, andFamily HealthCare Network’s unique dual recognition as a Patient CenteredMedical Home (PCMH) by The Joint Commission and the National Committee forQuality Assurance (NCQA). “I am happy to work for an organization that is aleader in advocating for this population but also one that offers innovativeprograms that are a culturally competent and patient-centered to address theirneeds”, stated Cisneros.
In his current position, Cisneros provides leadership to allclinical staff within the Network, supporting integration between disciplinesand fostering patient-centered care. The Family HealthCare Network dental modelhe has led is an integrated team based approach with primary care. Hours are extended to offer services duringnon-traditional hours when needed most by the farmworking community. He also has been a leader in developing communitybased health approaches to reach the population through the use of communityhealth workers and promotoras, and was a leader in developing Family HealthCareNetwork’s KinderCare Program funded by First 5 Tulare County. “Dr. Cisneros hasdedicated his career to working with the very special population ofagricultural workers and rural area residents in the Central Valley ofCalifornia. Their loyalty to FHCN is in large part due to their satisfactionwith his care to them and to their families”, stated Kerry Hydash, associatepresident and CEO.
Cisneros is community and mission driven and volunteers muchof his free time. He is a board memberof the National Network for Oral Health Access, and a former board member ofthe Migrant Clinicians Network. Heparticipates through workgroups through the California Primary Care Association,and a member of the Western Clinicians Network. Locally, he has served as aboard member of the Community Services Employment Training (CSET), is member ofthe California Dental Association/Tulare-Kings Dental Society, and serves as amentor for the College of the Sequoias Puente Program where he mentorscommunity college students. Cisneros isalso an avid Triathlete and competes with the Visalia Triathlon Club. |
| The Hanford Chamber of Commerce recently named Family HealthCare Network as its Business of the Year - Thursday, April 11, 2013The Hanford Chamber of Commerce recently named Family HealthCare Network as its Business of the Year.
The private, non-profit organization operates 12 community health centers in Tulare and Kings counties. Founded in 1976, Family HealthCare Network offers services including family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine and more.
Family HealthCare Network was honored by the chamber at the 74th annual Distinguished Citizen and Business Awards Dinner on March 30.
“We are very honored to be named Business of the Year by the Hanford Chamber of Commerce and are proud to be part of the Hanford Community,” said Harry L. Foster, President & CEO of Family HealthCare Network, in a statement.
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| 14th Annual Health and Safety Fair Sunday April 14th in Woodlake - Tuesday, April 09, 2013 |
| Dr. Delima honored by First 5 Tulare County - Tuesday, April 09, 2013Child advocates honored by First 5 Tulare County
(Article by Visalia Times Delta)
First 5 Tulare County is recognizing a pediatrician, preschool teacher, two CASA volunteers, a social worker and the Tulare County Child Abuse Prevention Council as Hands-On Heroes
First 5 Tulare County helps pay for programs that benefit children from before theyare born to when they are 5 years old, thanks to a tobacco tax passed by California Proposition 10 in 1998. For each pack of cigarettes sold, 50 cents goes toward First 5 agencies throughout the state.
The money is well-spent, said Janet Hogan, executive director of First 5 Tulare County.
In fiscal year 2011-12, this independent public agency spent $7 million on programs that benefit the health, welfare and school readiness of children upto 5 years old. Programs range from breast-feeding programs at Tulare Regional Medical Center and Sierra View District Hospital to preschool programs inTulare, Cutler-Orosi and Traver.
There’s no better way to make the world a better place than by investing in young children, she said.”You can do so much more with them,” she said.
With the Hands-On Heroes awards, First 5 Tulare County shines a light on outstanding individuals who work directly with children. In general, people who work with children are not well-paid and recognition is fleeting, Hogan said.
“Child-careworkers and volunteers do it because they love it,” she said. They will be honored during a special dinner April 18 at the Visalia Holiday Inn.
The Doctor
Pediatrician Patricia Delima enters an exam room and gives a storybook to a mother and her baby. She explains the importance of reading aloud to children as young as 6 months old and tells them the book is for the baby. “Look,” she says in Spanish to Yareli Gonzalez, 1, as she flips through the pages.
She quizzes the baby’s mother about prevention and whether she keeps the poison-control phone number handy. Delima asks about the baby’s eating habits.Then the physical examination begins.
Delima puts a stethoscope to Yareli’s chest. The baby looks up at her and touches her own nose. Delima laughs
“Idon’t know why people would want to work with adults,” she said. “We have the best job. They are innocent.” Delima, 50, said the award was unexpected. “You’redoing what you enjoy,” she said. “ You don’t expect anything like this.”
She was a pediatrician in private practice in her native Philippines before coming to the United States. After a three-year residency in El Paso, Texas, she washired by Family HealthCare Network to work at its clinic in Porterville. She’sbeen there 11 years. “Most of the patients already know me,” she said. “The kids I’ve seen since they were born.”
She establishes a rapport with her patients and they trust her, she said. It also means she cannot get through an examination quickly because she visits withfamily members as well as the patient. “It’s really hard to say ‘Hi, bye,’ ” she said.
She works late and finishes two to three hours of paperwork at home each night. Her husband acts as a shock absorber for her, she said. “The moment I see my husband, I start talking about everything at work,” she said.“He’s the reason I can be nice.”
About 80 percent of her patients have parents who don’t know how to speak or read English. In Spanish, she tells them about the English as a Second Language classes offered at the Porterville Adult School and hands them a slip of paper with the phone number on it.
“I don’t usually want to use an interpreter,” she said. “I communicate to them [in Spanish] and they know I’m sincere. It’s an eye-to-eye contact.”
(Read Remaing part of Article at http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20130406/INSPIRE/304060001/Child-advocates-honored-by-First-5-Tulare-County?nclick_check=1 |
| National Doctor Day March 30th! - Friday, March 29, 2013 |
| We are excited to announce that Family HealthCare Network is a provider of choice for TulareCare - Monday, March 25, 2013We are excited to announce that Family HealthCare Network is a provider of choice for TulareCare.
The Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency was able to access Federal funding to expand their TCMS program and Family Healthcare Network has partnered with them to provide primary care services as a provider of choice. The new program called TulareCare is meant to be a bridge towards the Affordable Care Act upcoming in 2014. One of the most important benefits of thisprogram is that a majority of TCMS patients, who were unable to receive care through FHCN, will now be able to choose our services as part of their enrollment into TulareCare.
Who is eligible for TulareCare?
· Persons between the ages of 19 to 64 years.
· Who are uninsured and live in Tulare County.
· Who are not eligible for Medi-Cal, Children’s Health Initiative Program (CHIP) or currently receiving SSI.
· Not pregnant.
· Can meet residency and citizenship requirements.
· Low or no income.Eligibility is based on family size and income for those residents whoare under 75% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
Where can patients apply for TulareCare?
Patients can apply through TulareCounty Eligibility Workers stationed at our health centers or at any TulareCounty eligibility office.
Is there a co-pay for TulareCare?
Patients who qualify for the TulareCare Program do not have a share of cost or a co-pay and they do not have to pass an asset test to apply (which means property is not counted to determine eligibility) and there is no property lien.
What services will be covered?
Comprehensive medical coverage will be provided for primary care services through the patients PCP, specialty care by referral and hospitalization. Attached above is the TulareCare Member Guide that provides a complete description of the program and services.
Who will be the administering the program?
The Foundation for Medical Carefor Kings and Tulare Counties will be administering the program. We will beable to verify eligibility and process referral authorizations through their electronic program called Cerecons |
| 14th Annual Health & Wellness April 5th- Ivanhoe - Thursday, March 21, 2013 |
| 7th annual Health & Safety Fair- April 6th Hanford - Wednesday, March 20, 2013 |
| Champions for Change - Wednesday, March 13, 2013 |
| Champions for Change - March/April 2013 - Wednesday, March 13, 2013 |
| Woodlake Mural Project - Tuesday, March 05, 2013Woodlake’s Mural Committee, headed by Veronica Sanchez with Family HealthCare Network, invites the community to attend a ceremony initiating Woodlake’s newest mural behind the First Choice Foods Shopping Center on March 1 at 3:00 p.m. The Fire Department will blast the wall with fire hoses to prepare it for its new mural. Artist Erik Gonzalez, 37, founder of Urbanists Collective in Tulare County, and contractor and artist for this project stated, “This is a dynamic start to an exciting work which will make a positive impact in this community.”
For more information, please refer to the below document:
Woodlake Mural Project.pdf |
| FAMILY HEALTHCARE NETWORK ANITA de la VEGA SCHOLARSHIP FUND NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2013 - Monday, January 21, 2013FamilyHealthCare Network is seeking applications from high school students graduatingin 2013 and junior college students from Tulare and Kings County, as well asits Network employees for
the Anita de la VegaScholarship Fund’s 2013 funding cycle.
Family HealthCareNetwork established the Anita de la Vega Scholarship fund in 2009 to honor thememory Anita de la Vega, a clinician of the Network, who dedicated her life tounderserved populations
in Tulare County.Over the span of a 30 year career with the organization, Anita de la Vega caredfor generations of families, and was also actively involved in severalcommunity organizations and served as an inspiration to her colleagues andpatients alike.
Since 2010, FamilyHealthCare Network has provided $7,200 in scholarships. Scholarship funds areraised from employee and community donations.
Applicants must bepursuing a degree in health or community health and meet all other eligibilitycriteria outlined in the application. Applications are available at FamilyHealthCare Network’s
website atwww.fhcn.org. Applications are due no later than March 15, 2013. FamilyHealthCare Network’s Anita de
la Vega ScholarshipFund Committee will notify selected scholarship recipients by April 1, 2013.
Questions about thescholarship can be submitted to
scholarships@fhcn.org.
2013High School Senior Application Form and Conditions-High School Senior ApplicationForm
2013Application Form and Conditions-Junior College Student Application Form
2013Application Form and Conditions-FHCN Employee Application Form |
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