Press Room and News Center

Media Release
Public Service Announcement

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238 or dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (March 31, 2010) San Juan Regional Medical Center will dedicate a Centennial Mission Bell on Tuesday, April 6 at 2 pm. The mission bell, located in front of the hospital near the entrance to the emergency room, commemorates the hospital's 100th anniversary in 2010. The mission bell structure was erected this spring near the site of the original hospital building, a four-bedroom house converted to a hospital in 1910 by pioneer doctors A.M. Smith and G.W. Sammons. The dedication ceremony will include a flag-raising ceremony and other events.

R.M. Bell Architects of Durango, Colorado designed the structure, which is an adobe and stonework arch in a traditional southwestern mission style, and it was erected by Okland Construction of Farmington. R. M. Bell Architects, Okland Construction, Nichols Electric and Houghton Plaster donated the cost of design and construction.

Media Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238 or email dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (March 26, 2010) San Juan Regional Medical Center is sponsoring a low-cost blood chemistry screening at San Juan College on Tuesday, April 20. The screenings will be available in the Health and Human Performance Center, room 55002, from 6am to 9am. No appointment is necessary as the screenings will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Tests available will be comprehensive metabolic panel for $15, a lipid profile for $10, a thyroid profile for $10, or a PSA for $10. Credit cards will not be accepted, so please pay with cash or check. Also, please fast for 12 hours before the test, but drink plenty of water. Test results will be mailed to the person receiving the test within two weeks. All testing will be done by San Juan Regional Medical Center as a public service.

Media Release
Public Service Announcement
For Immediate Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238 or dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (February 24, 2010) San Juan Regional Medical Center requests your help during this busy season. The hospital emergency room has been seeing many patients, both children and adults, with respiratory infections. As spring approaches, the hospital expects this trend to continue. By working together, we can help decrease the spread of infections. Our goal is to get you in to see a physician as soon as possible, but please be aware that wait times may be longer than usual.

San Juan Regional Medical Center urges everyone to use the same preventive measures we used during the H1N1 flu season. If you come to the emergency room with a cough and fever, please use the hand-sanitizing gel, masks and tissues available at the entrance. Also, please limit the number of people you bring with you. Family is important, but the fewer people exposed, the better. These simple things will help us to slow down the spread of respiratory infections. Thank you for helping.

Media Release
Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238 or email dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (February 22, 2010) San Juan Regional Medical Center has received the Ascent Healthy Hospital Award for "outstanding performance in reducing environmental harm and improving overall hospital quality through medical device remanufacturing and reprocessing." Every year, Ascent Healthcare Solutions recognizes hospitals and hospital networks that achieve outstanding results from their reprocessing and remanufacturing programs. San Juan Regional Medical Center is one of only two hospitals in New Mexico to receive the award for 2009.

The award underscores the importance of looking at how hospital resources are used. San Juan Regional Medical Center was awarded the 2009 Healthy Hospital Award based on exceptional results from their remanufacturing and reprocessing program. In 2009, participation in this program reduced hospital supply costs by $270,831. At the same time, using remanufactured and reprocessed devices has reduced medical waste by 5,052 lbs.

Reprocessing and remanufacturing single-use devices stands out as an environmental practice that not only significantly reduces the amount of medical waste, but also reduces costs for the hospital – and these results are achieved immediately and with no capital investment. In the healthcare industry, reprocessing and remanufacturing have been hailed as breakthrough programs that uniquely realize the simultaneous demands for better resource utilization and more green practices.

Betty Holmes, manager of the hospital's central sterile processing and distribution department, said, "We reprocess single-use devices in most of our surgical services areas. We started reprocessing because it is a prudent use of resources and good for the environment." Representatives of Ascent Healthcare Solutions presented the award to the hospital's perioperative services department on February 22, 2010.

Media Release
Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238.

FARMINGTON, NM (February 24, 2010) Rebecca Cochran, director of medical staff services at San Juan Regional Medical Center, has just been named vice chair of the New Mexico Medical Board (NMMB). Cochran was first appointed to the NMMB by Governor Richardson in April 2005, and she was reappointed to another three-year term by Governor Richardson on June 29, 2009. She is one of two public members of the board, and her term will expire December 31, 2012.

Cochran was elected unanimously by the board to serve as vice chair on February 19, 2010. Along with her general duties as a member of the board, Cochran will serve on the executive committee of the board along with Board Chair Dr. Steven Weiner and the executive director, Lynn Hart. The executive committee works closely with staff to ensure that the board fulfills their mission, which is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

Lynne S. Hart, Executive Director of NMMB said of Cochran's appointment, “Since becoming executive director of the New Mexico Medical Board in March 2006, I have been extremely impressed with all the Medical Board Members, but none any more so than Becky Cochran. The role of the two public members of the board is critical to the mission of the board which is to protect the public…Ms. Cochran’s expertise, integrity and professionalism continues to serve the citizens of San Juan County and fortunately for us all, the public of the entire state of New Mexico. We are all fortunate to have her.”

The NMMB is the state agency responsible for the regulation and licensing of medical doctors (physicians), physician assistants, anesthesiologist assistants, genetic counselors and polysomnographic technologists. The Medical Practice Act (Chapter 61, Article 6 NMSA 1978) defines the primary duties and obligations of the board as follows: “issue licenses to qualified physicians, physician assistants and anesthesiologist assistants, to discipline incompetent or unprofessional physicians, physician assistants or anesthesiologist assistants and to aid in the rehabilitation of impaired physicians, physician assistants and anesthesiologist assistants for the purpose of protecting the public.”

The NMMB consists of nine members: six physician members, one physician assistant member and two members represented the public. All members are appointed by the Governor.

Media Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238 or email dmathis@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (Feb 9, 2010) Charlene Scott, PHR, chief human resources officer for San Juan County and Charles Hoffman, MD, a hospitalist at San Juan Regional Medical Center, have been elected to the San Juan Regional Medical Center board. The two new board members were elected to the 2010 board of directors at the SJRMC corporation meeting on January 27.

Mike Jakino, a partner in the Solga and Jakino, PA accounting firm, was appointed as the 2010 board chair, replacing Sara Kaynor who had served in the position for the last two years. Other board members are Sandy Williams, 1st vice chair; Norman Tucker, 2nd vice chair; Ronald Calcotte, MD, secretary; James Shaheen, treasurer; Dwayne Gibbs, MD, chief of staff; Charles Hoffman, MD, vice chief of staff; Richard Menning, auxiliary representative; Sara Kaynor, immediate past chair; and members Joseph Rasor, Jeff Bowman, Paul Deshayes and Charlene Scott.

Scott has served as head of the San Juan County human resources department for eight years and has been in human resources for 17 years. She is a native of San Juan County, and she was born at San Juan Regional Medical Center. She said, "I decided to take the leap and serve on the hospital board because the hospital is so important to the community. I know I'll have a lot to learn, but I'm looking forward to the experience." Hoffman, who is part of a group of hospitalist physicians at San Juan Regional, will serve on the board as vice chief of staff.

Jakino has served on the hospital board for four years. He has been in partnership with Tom Solga at Solga and Jakino, PA since 1986. He is a native of Durango, Colorado, graduated from Ft. Lewis College with a B.A. in accounting, and moved to Farmington in 1976. "I enjoy working with the hospital administrators, and I'm looking forward to working with the new C.E.O., Rick Wallace. Sara did a wonderful job as board chair for two years, and she guided us through the C.E.O. selection process as well as many other changes," Jakino said. "She's a hard act to follow. I'm fortunate to have such a strong board to help me out, and I anticipate a successful 2010."

The elected Board members serve for a term of three years and may serve up to two consecutive terms.

Media Release

Contact: Catherine Zaharko, Vice President, Marketing and Communications San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-215-2382 or email czaharko@sjrmc.net

FARMINGTON, NM (January 22, 2010) San Juan Regional Medical Center has named Rick Wallace as the hospital's new president and chief executive officer. Wallace replaces Steve Altmiller who resigned his position in July 2009 to take a similar position at a larger hospital in Mississippi. Sara Kaynor, the hospital's board chair, said in the announcement of Wallace’s selection, "We conducted an exhaustive, nationwide search for a CEO who would be the best fit for San Juan Regional Medical Center and for San Juan County. Mr. Wallace rose to the top of a list of exceptional candidates for the position."

Wallace is the CEO of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Enid, Oklahoma. A statement released by Wallace said, "I am pleased to be joining a progressive, community hospital like San Juan Regional Medical Center. It is a true community hospital with a regional focus, and I look forward to being part of an institution so dedicated to excellent patient care." During the interview process, Wallace met with board members, physicians and the hospital's top management. "Everybody I met emphasized both commitment to quality and the importance of community. I liked that."

Kaynor, who coordinated the search process for the new CEO said that it was hard. "We looked at some fine candidates with exceptional qualifications. Our process was thorough, and I think it shows in Mr. Wallace’s selection. I know he'll do great here."

Mr. Wallace is slated to begin his tenure on March 8, 2010.

San Juan Regional Medical Center is San Juan County's largest employer with over 1600 employees.

Media Release
Public Service Announcement
For Immediate Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-609-2238

FARMINGTON, NM (January 11, 2010) San Juan Regional Medical Center will sponsor the second annual A Fair of the Heart on February 13, 2010. This free event will offer heart health information and activities as part of National Heart Month in February and as part of the hospital's centennial celebration in 2010. Blood pressure screenings, cardiac health screenings (including baseline EKG), nutrition and diet information, a coupon for a free cholesterol screening, and more will be available to the public from 11am-2pm at the San Juan Health Partners Cardiology clinic located at 407 S. Schwartz, two blocks north of the hospital.

The second annual Goosebump Walk/Run will also be part of the event. Those who are beginning exercisers can participate in a one-mile walk while more experienced runners can participate in a three-mile run. Entry in either event is free, and both events begin at 11am with check-in at 10am. Call 505-327-2271 to register for the walk/run by February 5 to receive a free t-shirt.

San Juan Regional Medical Center is also offering a lipid panel (a simple blood test that measures your cholesterol numbers) for $15 during the entire month of February. No appointment is necessary. Interested parties may go to registration at the hospital, or to the Outpatient Diagnostic Center to request the test during their open hours. Please fast for 12 hours prior to testing, but drink plenty of water. Payment may be made by cash or check.