The graduates represent a broad range of healthcare disciplines, including nursing and allied health programs that prepare students for careers dedicated to patient care, community wellness, and critical healthcare support services. As healthcare systems across California continue to face workforce shortages, MSJC’s newest graduates will play an important role in serving local hospitals, clinics, and healthcare organizations.

“Healthcare professionals are essential to the well-being of our communities, and we are proud to send 157 highly trained graduates into a region where the need for skilled healthcare workers continues to grow every day,” said Roger W. Schultz, Superintendent/President of Mt. San Jacinto College. “These graduates are stepping into careers centered on service, compassion, and excellence, and their work will make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless individuals and families throughout our region.”

In addition to celebrating this year’s graduates, MSJC also recently received a significant investment to expand its nursing program capacity and help address California’s ongoing nursing shortage. The college was awarded approximately $1.1 million through the Rebuilding Nursing Infrastructure (RNI) Grant Round 2 to develop a new hybrid Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)-to-Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) pathway within the college’s ADN program.

The grant will expand educational opportunities for working healthcare professionals seeking to advance their careers while increasing the number of registered nurses entering the workforce.

As a result of the grant, MSJC will be able to admit 12 additional students to the nursing program each year. Beginning in the spring semester, the total number of students admitted into the program will increase to 84.

“This investment strengthens our ability to respond to regional workforce needs while creating additional pathways for students to pursue careers in nursing,” Schultz said. “By expanding access to nursing education, MSJC continues to support the health and economic vitality of the communities we serve.”

MSJC’s healthcare programs combine classroom instruction with hands-on clinical training, providing students with real-world experience in medical settings throughout the Inland Empire. Many graduates will remain in the area, contributing directly to the local workforce and helping address critical healthcare staffing needs.

For more information about MSJC’s nursing and allied health programs, visit https://www.msjc.edu/nursingandalliedhealth

The post Mt. San Jacinto College Celebrates 157 New Nursing and Allied Health Graduates Entering Regional Workforce appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

    An April report released by the California Health Care Foundation found that Riverside and San Bernardino counties continue to lag slightly behind much of California in overall health outcomes, income levels and access to medical care, even as the region has made progress in expanding physician availability.

    The nonprofit foundation, which focuses on improving healthcare access across California, reported that about four in every 10 Inland Empire residents are insured through Medi-Cal, California’s version of the federal Medicaid program serving low-income and disabled residents.

    That translates to roughly 1.88 million people — a population large enough to cover more than two-thirds of the city of Chicago.

    The report also found that 8% of Inland Empire residents remained uninsured in 2023, compared to the statewide average of 6.4%.

    Healthcare officials say the region’s heavy dependence on Medi-Cal leaves local hospitals and healthcare providers especially vulnerable to federal Medicaid funding reductions approved last year.

    Researchers warned those cuts could threaten recent gains made in improving healthcare access throughout the Inland Empire.

    Health outcomes in the region also continue to trail statewide averages in several categories.

    According to the report, approximately 16% of Inland residents described their health as fair or poor, slightly higher than California’s statewide average of 15.5%.

    The Inland Empire’s infant mortality rate was also higher than the state average, with 5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births compared to California’s rate of 4.1 per 1,000.

    Economic disparities remain another challenge tied closely to healthcare access. The report found the Inland Empire’s median household income sits roughly $10,000 below the statewide average, while fewer local households earn more than $100,000 annually compared to the rest of California.

    One area showing improvement is physician availability.

    Between 2015 and 2023, the number of primary care doctors per 100,000 Inland residents increased by 20%, while specialty physician numbers climbed 38%.

    Even with that growth, the Inland Empire still falls well short of the statewide average when it comes to physician availability. The region currently has about 229 doctors per 100,000 residents, compared to California’s average of 358 physicians per 100,000 people.

    The report also highlighted gaps in representation within the medical field itself. While Latinos make up more than half of the population in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, only about 10% of doctors practicing in the Inland Empire are Latino.

    UC Riverside School of Medicine has been working to address the physician shortage since opening in 2013. School officials say the strategy has focused heavily on recruiting students with local ties in hopes they will remain in the region long term.

    Dr. Daniel Teraguchi, executive associate dean for student affairs at the medical school, said 80% of incoming students have connections to the Inland Empire. He added that 51% of students who match with residency programs are staying in the region to complete their training.

    “Because they’re training here, it’s likely those future doctors will stay in the Inland Empire,” Teraguchi said.

    The report also examined hospitals throughout the region. Researchers found the Inland Empire’s healthcare market remains relatively competitive compared to other parts of California, with roughly 40 hospitals serving the two-county area.

    However, the region still has fewer hospital beds available than the statewide average. The Inland Empire averages about 173 beds per 100,000 residents, compared to California’s statewide average of 198 beds per 100,000.

    Researchers noted that while many hospitals remain financially stable, several are facing mounting economic pressure and have already begun reducing services, including maternity care programs.

    Public hospitals continue to play a major role in the region’s healthcare safety net, particularly Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.

    Michelle Decker, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation, said the report accurately reflects both the progress and ongoing concerns facing healthcare providers in the region.

    “It captures how current federal policies clearly threaten those gains without providing any new ideas or money to improve the health of IE residents,” Decker said in an email statement.

    Decker called for increased public investment, stronger collaboration and innovative partnerships between hospitals, businesses, nonprofits, governments and community organizations.

    “We won’t weather this moment if we work in silos, and we need innovation to come from all corners,” she said.

    She warned that without action, Inland Empire residents could face setbacks in healthcare access at a time when many families are already struggling financially.

    “It’s clear from the data that the people who live in the IE cannot afford to see a steep slide backwards in health care,” Decker said.

The post New Report Highlights Healthcare Challenges Facing Inland Empire Residents appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Each year they find themselves fighting against cold weather, illness, school closures and travel plans that affect blood donations, officials said.

So, as usual, blood banks serving the Inland Empire and Southern California — including the American Red Cross, LifeStream Blood Bank and the San Diego Blood Bank that includes southwest Riverside County — are encouraging people to donate to help those in need and avoid a significant drop in supply.

“December is a challenging time with our regular donors who have plans for the holidays,” said Christine Welch, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross Southern California Region. “But blood is perishable and has a shelf life, so we need to replenish it.”

The American Red Cross opened a donation center last year at 6235 River Crest Drive, Suite A., in Riverside.

The national blood bank needs about 12,500 blood and nearly 3,000 platelet donations to meet the needs of patients at around 2,500 hospitals and other facilities nationwide, Welch said. Those needing blood include accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and cancer patients, she said. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.

Types O positive, O negative and B negative blood donors are especially needed, Welch said. Type O blood, which depending on the type can be universal, is most needed by hospitals but often in short supply.

At the American Red Cross, donors will receive a long-sleeve shirt while supplies last. As a special thank you to those who give during the critical post-holiday time, donors between Thursday, Jan. 1, and Sunday, Jan. 25, will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX in the Bay Area.

A list of ways to donate, and upcoming local blood drives, is available by calling 1-800­-RED CROSS (1-800­-733-2767) or visiting redcrossblood.org.

At the LifeStream Blood Bank — which has 10 donor centers across the Inland Empire, the High Desert and Orange County, and runs hundreds of mobile blood drives — officials are also seeing an overall “downward trend” in collections over the past five years.

“Overall, we are nearly 10,000 donations behind where we were in 2020,” spokesperson Michael Shepherd said. “When one donation of blood can save three lives, that shortfall translates to 30,000 patients. That number may not mean much to some — but, if you have a family member, friend or loved one awaiting a transfusion necessary for surgery, having sufficient quantities of blood for the medical team can mean life or death, depending on the procedure required.”

The blood bank is in “critical” need of donors with O-negative, A negative, and B-negative blood, which as of Tuesday, Dec. 23 were sitting at less than three days worth of supply on hand, Shepherd said.

“Ideally, we want to be somewhere between three and eight days.”

With people caught up in holiday plans and amid the hustle and bustle, Shepherd said, donating blood “isn’t necessarily top of mind.”

So the blood bank has several campaigns, promotions and giveaways and an exclusive donor store to reward those who give.

A new “Red Zone” promotion will give donors the equivalent of a $70 gift card in points for donating platelets. The clotting agents in platelets are a “highly valued” donation in the operating room, especially in care for cancer patients, Shepherd said.

To make an appointment to donate at a center, or for a list of upcoming mobile drives, call 800-879-4484 or visit LifeStream’s website, lstream.org.

Claudine Van Gonka, a spokesperson from the San Diego Blood Bank, said that the colder winter months bring about a “significant drop in donations” due to schools being on hiatus and not hosting regular blood drives, as well as seasonal illnesses, holiday travel and general busyness.

The blood bank hosts blood drives in southwest Riverside County and throughout the San Diego area. It welcomes walk-ins.

Van Gonka said that it needs more than 350 units of blood each day for patients battling life-threatening blood disorders and cancers, suffering from traumas such as burns or serious accidents, or childbirth complications.

All blood types are needed, especially O negative, O positive, B negative and A negative.

Van Gonka also encouraged people to donate over the holiday weekends. The blood bank’s website, www.sandiegobloodbank.org, includes a list of donor centers to schedule an appointment. Those interested also can call 619-400-8251 or email donorservices@sdbb.org.

The post Inland Empire blood banks seek donations during slow holiday season appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Last Thursday’s statewide “Stay-at-Home” order issued by Governor Gavin Newsom drives home just how important our actions are during this unprecedented time. The decisions we make as a healthcare organization and community can make a difference.

Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is taking actions to support its Team Members, Members, Providers and Community to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19. “The safety and well-being of our Members and Community at large is a priority and our decisions as an organization are guided by that,” said Jarrod McNaughton, chief executive officer, IEHP.

To ensure the health and safety of its Team Members and their families, IEHP instituted a work from home policy and activated its business continuity plan to ensure no disruption in service and care as one of the region’s essential services.

To help its Members with ease of access to services while at home, IEHP is expanding its telehealth policies, encouraging Members to request a 90-day supply of medications, and asking Members to use its mail order delivery service for new prescriptions or refills.

“We are making every effort to protect the health of our Members by following the Governor’s order and keeping them safe in their homes while still enabling them to get the care they need,” said Karen Hansberger, MD, chief medical officer, IEHP. “Governor Newsom’s order supports social distancing, which can slow the spread of the disease and keep health systems from being overwhelmed.”

IEHP is encouraging its Members and Community to adhere to the “order” and follow closely all social distancing advice, such as only accessing services which have been identified as essential, keeping six feet away from others whenever possible, washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available.

“We all must do our part to reduce our risk of exposure and slow the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Hansberger. “That starts with taking care of ourselves and each other.”

For more information on IEHP’s response to COVID-19, please visit iehp.org.

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