Here’s a look at top healthcare headlines for the northern San Joaquin Valley in 2023
Although California’s northern San Joaquin Valley continued to face healthcare challenges in 2023, the year was underlined by glimmers of hope for the future
BY VIVIENNE AGUILAR
vivienne@cvjclocaljournalism.org
Although California’s northern San Joaquin Valley continued to face healthcare challenges in 2023, the year was underlined by glimmers of hope for the future.
From University of California Regents greenlighting construction of a new medical education building to train the Valley’s next generation of doctors, to technological developments that influence how patients visit doctors, there was no shortage of news highlighting the myriad efforts to make the region a better – and healthier – place to live.
Before diving deep into 2024, here’s a look at Valley healthcare news you might’ve missed last year:
January
Stanislaus County’s Public Health Annual Report revealed disparities in life expectancy for the region when compared with the rest of the state. Data sourced from 2021 to 2022 shows heart problems, COVID and cancers were among the top 10 leading causes of death in the county.
The Modesto Bee’s Ken Carlson reported a major lack of resources for detection and treatment needed to combat high rates of cancer-related deaths in the San Joaquin Valley.
February
Stockton police addressed trauma-related stigmas head-on when its leadership created a safe space for officers to deal with stress on the job, in the hopes of creating more compassionate interactions between law enforcement and community members.
Equipped with a police psychologist and counseling rooms, SPD’s Officer Wellness Unit opened its doors, The Record’s Aaron Leathley reported.
March
San Joaquin Physician Quarterly highlighted San Joaquin Women Physicians Group leader Dr. Dora Ames Lee and Brooke McCollough, the new president of Adventist Health Lodi Memorial.
Near the end of March, The Sacramento Bee’s Mathew Miranda reported San Joaquin General Hospital improperly billed 64 patients for services that should have been free during the COVID-19 pandemic, after a lengthy investigation by the California Department of Justice. SJGH later updated notices to patients, informing them of financial aid opportunities, as required by law.
April
Healthcare education took center stage with program and public service announcements, plus a farmworker health study.
UC Merced released a Farmworker Health Study, which helped KVPR’s Kerry Klein, in partnership with PBS, report on how the Madera Community Hospital’s closure directly impacts Fresno’s agricultural workers. A 41-year-old farmworker with diabetes shared how he works to stay healthy and contribute to his community.
In the northern San Joaquin Valley, The Record’s Hannah Workman told readers about San Joaquin County leaders’ plan to create a pathway to educate and keep mental health professionals in the area through a $5.2 million grant. The pandemic and pressures of social media revealed a county-wide need for more behavioral health professionals.
Stanislaus County was warned to protect itself from West Nile virus, as mosquitos season began to take hold. The Modesto Bee’s Ken Carlson reported the neurological disease can be avoided by dumping buckets, fixing leaks and contacting the local abatement district.
May
The corporate owners of Doctors Hospital of Manteca announced plans to close its labor and delivery unit, causing expectant mothers to make plans with hospitals in Stockton or up to 22 miles away in Modesto.
June
The summer started off with good news from Golden Valley Health Centers, which adopted COVID-19 practices of telehealth into its normal routine, The Modesto Bee reported. The service allows for video to telephone visits to replace urgent care walk-in appointments.
The nonprofit serves as a safety net for residents of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties.
July
Modesto Kaiser employees took to the streets to demand the company address staff shortages, The Modesto Bee reported. Workers chanted they would shut down the Kaiser centers if patient care continues to be put at risk due to lack of funds.
An anonymous tip to the California Board of Registered Nursing resulted in disciplinary action against a nurse practitioner at The Aesthetic Lab, a medical spa in Modesto. The nurse is accused of using the controlled substance, Ketamine, for hair restoration treatments without a prescription.
The name “Central Valley Doctors Health System” debuted in the Stanislaus area as Tenet Healthcare, the owner of medical facilities in Modesto, Turlock and Manteca decided to create a more identifiable brand name.
August
A Merced County-based nonprofit, Livingston Community Health, became available in Modesto this summer after years of coordination with Stanislaus County, Modesto Bee reported. The clinic accepts patients with Medi-Cal, Medicare, private and no insurance.
McClatchy D.C. reporter Gillian Brassil reported multiple bipartisan bills from California representatives across the San Joaquin Valley are looking for a federal solution to the region’s “doctor desert.”
September
As autumn began, hospitals around the region faced scrutiny.
San Joaquin is one of six counties where Kaiser Permanente has been found to improperly dispose of medical waste and documents revealing patient information, Bay City News reported. The company was required to pay $49 million to pay civil penalties and retain a third-party auditor who will ensure compliance with disposal laws, and more.
When Fresno Bee’s Melissa Montalvo followed Madera’s Community Hospital bankruptcy case, she found American Advanced Management Incorporated, a Modesto-based company and one of the hospital’s creditors, sent the hospital’s chief executive an unsolicited job offer and signing bonus of $150,000. It was not received well, and the company has been accused of improper influence.
On a positive note, law enforcement agencies in and around Modesto saw a revival of funding for mental health professionals joining officers in the field, The Modesto Bee’s Kevin Valine reported.
Also during September, Merced County launched its fentanyl “One Pill Will Kill” awareness campaign, The campaign is a collaboration between the Merced County District Attorney’s Office, Merced County Office of Education, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Merced County Fire Department and Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team.
In the last two years, 44 Merced County residents died from overdosing on fentanyl, District Attorney Nicole Silveira said. The youngest victim was 16 and the oldest was 64.
October
An announcement went out to Modesto residents about mobile kidney health testing by DaVita Kidney Care from Dominique Williams at The Modesto Bee. She alerted the community of the company’s plan to stop at the Vintage Faire Mall during its national health tour.
Stocktonia News Service’s Cassie Dickman covered San Joaquin County’s ongoing fight against fentanyl. Public officials said hospitalizations and deaths from fentanyl usage in the area are increasing with over 70 thousand people already dead.
November
The City of Stockton made plans to combat its opioid crisis by granting millions of dollars to Community Medical Centers’ Respite Center over the next three years, The Record’s Hannah Workman reported. The money will be used by the facility to ease people out of withdrawal symptoms over a 2-week period with medical staff on site.
CMC’s mobile medical unit was shadowed by CVJC. The CareLink team tracks down unhoused Stocktonians to provide check-ups and referrals, while case managers attempt to locate patients and warn them about impending Caltrans clearings.
San Joaquin County granted $4.5 million to San Joaquin General Hospital to keep it on track with its recent developments in healthcare management, CVJC’s told readers.
UC Merced announced the $300 million construction of a medical education building set to be finished in 2026, CVJC’s Rachel Livinal reported. Medical education is a necessity for the region, since the San Joaquin Valley is critically low on doctors.
ABC10’s Gabriel Porras reported San Joaquin Emergency Food Bank and DoorDash partnered to help residents with diabetes.
Manteca’s mayor addressed the lack of resources at the Kaiser Manteca Hospital, the Manteca Bulletin reported.
December
CVJC reported how data shows plasma centers are increasing their numbers the northern San Joaquin Valley, particularly in areas with higher numbers of low-income residents.
Plus, CVJC reported how UC Merced is overseeing $18 million in funding to help San Joaquin Valley educational institutions and businesses create more career pathways for students interested in medical professions.
Like Modesto, Stockton has implemented a mobile crisis team to aid officers as behavioral-health-related cases are called in, CVJC reported.
To round off the year, CVJC’s Mental Health Reporter Marijke Rowland reported how historic changes to California’s conservatorship law, which will expand who can be placed in involuntary care and treatment, are being delayed in some San Joaquin Valley counties.
Are you dealing with chronic health issues, have trouble accessing care in rural areas, or work in healthcare? Reach out to our Health Equity Desk with any questions or tips.
Vivienne Aguilar is the health equity reporter for the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, a nonprofit newsroom based in Merced, in collaboration with the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF).