John Muir Health, Concord Medical Center

We’re honored that our Walnut Creek Medical Center has been again recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's best maternity hospitals. We greatly appreciate our talented and compassionate birth center team for making this recognition possible!

2024 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care Compare hospital ratings for Maternity and Perinatal Care. Find hospitals that provide high-quality labor & delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies.

There were lots of smiles, great costumes and fun times at our recent reunion event for past pediatric patients at our Walnut Creek Medical Center’s Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units. We’re proud to partner with Stanford Medicine Children's Health to deliver exceptional care for our community’s littlest heroes, conveniently close to home in the East Bay.

We are very excited that our Walnut Creek Medical Center has achieved their fourth Magnet Recognition® for excellence in nursing!

Magnet Recognition® is a significant accomplishment that has been attained by just 10% of hospitals nationwide. Both our Concord and Walnut Creek medical centers are Magnet-recognized.

We are so proud of our team. We all share in this distinguished honor – the highest and most prestigious distinction that a health care organization can achieve for nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes.

We welcome you to join us on Saturday, October 28, at our Walnut Creek Medical Center for a discussion on wellness and cancer screening. Our speakers and educational booths will discuss nutrition, fitness, genetic counseling, and screening options for colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. We are honored to host the following speakers at this event:

Dr. Piyush Aggarwal, Colon & Re**al Surgery, John Muir Health
Dr. Cheryl Ewing, Breast Cancer Surgery, UCSF Health
Dr. Caleb Jeon, Dermatology, Golden State Dermatology
Dr. Yelena Krupitskaya, Hematology/Medical Oncology, John Muir Health
Dr. Samuel Washington III, UCSF Health

Please RSVP in advance: https://bit.ly/48Xpciq

Free Community Event: Cancer Screening and Wellness
Saturday, October 28, 2023, 10am - 1pm
John Muir Health Walnut Creek Medical Center
Ball Auditorium
1601 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Walnut Creek 94598

Meet Quinn, one of our community’s toughest little warriors, who arrived in our Emergency Department this spring with acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia.

Thanks to our partnership with Stanford Medicine Children's Health, we’re fortunate to have a state-of-the-art pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)—staffed 24/7 with an interdisciplinary, expert team of pediatric critical care intensivists, hospitalists, registered nurses, respiratory therapists and more.

Quinn’s mom felt an overwhelming sense of calm when arriving at our PICU, knowing that her son would get the exceptional care he needed—right here, just 10 minutes from their family’s home. In her own words, “you simply can’t put a price” on having this level of pediatric care available to us within our own community.

Through our partnership with Operation Access, we are able to provide medical services for people who may otherwise lack access and be unable to afford much-needed medical care. Operation Access recently celebrated the generous volunteer contributions of local surgeons and specialists. To everyone on our John Muir Health team who contributes to these efforts, thank you for all that you do!

For more information on our collaboration with Operation Access: https://bit.ly/3Phc2Vu

We were proud to be a sponsor of this year’s East Bay Heart Walk at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. Thank you to all of our employees, their families, friends and fur-babies who walked with us to show our support for the American Heart Association!

We are pleased to announce an extraordinary $20 million donation from the Behring Global Educational Foundation to John Muir Health’s Campaign to Conquer Cancer. The Behring Pavilion will be home to the UCSF-John Muir Health Cancer Center located on the Walnut Creek Medical Center campus, opening in February 2024.

We were proud to host Rep. Mark DeSaulnier's Youth Mental Health Town Hall this week, with many of our own pediatric and mental health professionals sharing their experiences and knowledge with the community. We express a deep sense of gratitude to Christopher, LMFT from our Outpatient Behavioral Health Center, for sharing his story of being in foster care as a youth to finding his calling as a therapist. We thank all of our panelists, Dr. Nelson and Anna S, LCSW, from John Muir Health, NAMI Contra Costa , Common Sense Media, and Contra Costa County Office of Education for an honest conversation with Congressman DeSaulnier on youth mental health, whole person care, and the importance of inclusion and equity.

Congratulations to our latest cohort of nurse residency program graduates! Our 12-month residency program helps nurses start their professional careers and successfully make the transition from student to registered nurse. These nurse residents have the support and mentorship of our staff at Concord and Walnut Creek Medical Centers -- both awarded Magnet status, the highest distinction for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. We also had our very first cohort of RN residents to work at our Behavioral Health Center this year!

Germs are everywhere. As children head back to school, make sure they're keeping up with good hand hygiene! Hand washing with soap and water is one of the best ways to remove germs and prevent illness. It's a good time to remind kids to wash their hands before snacks and meals, and again when they get home from school and activities. Encourage them to scrub thoroughly for 20 seconds! 👍

We're proud of what our teams do every day to compassionately care for our community. A special congratulations to our teams for once again making U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best Hospitals!

Our Walnut Creek and Concord Medical Centers rank 2 and 3 in the San Francisco Metro Area and among the top 20 in California out of 400 hospitals.

We're also privileged to have specialties ranked in the top 50 nationally in Diabetes & Endocrinology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3YobccI

As we face rising temperatures this week, please take extra precautions for yourself and others when there's excessive heat. Don’t have an air-conditioned space? Check out local cooling stations in your area.

Alameda County: https://bit.ly/3D7qyZj
Contra Costa County: https://bit.ly/3DcjGtG
Solano County: https://bit.ly/3NNAAnm

Welcome to our Young Healers!

Yesterday, our Summer John Muir Health Interns had their orientation and today is their first official day as part of the Young Healers program. Over the next few weeks, they will be working with mentors to learn about various careers in healthcare, while also gaining work readiness skills.

These juniors and seniors are from various schools in Contra Costa County.

Our Multi-Disciplinary Breast Cancer Program recently surpassed five years in operation. In 2018, Mary was one of the first patients in the program. She had gone for a follow-up radiology appointment. She remembers feeling numb, frightened, and alone when she was told by a radiologist that she had a very aggressive mass in her left breast. Her primary care physician quickly scheduled a follow up through the Multi-Disciplinary Breast Cancer Program.

“Meeting with Dr. Monica Eigelberger (surgeon), Dr. Christine Chung (radiation oncologist) and Dr. Tiffany Svahn (medical oncologist) was so comforting,” said Mary. “They all came into the room, and I’ll never forget, before anything else they said, ‘it’s stage 3, it hasn’t spread and you’re going to be fine.’ Dr. Svahn hugged me and then they went on to tell me the next steps. The plan they set up for me was thorough and organized down to the letter."

Through this program, patients receive multiple medical opinions from a group of specialists, helping them feel confident all options have been explored. Research shows that a multi-disciplinary approach leads to better outcomes with improved quality of life and improved survival rates for patients with breast cancer.

“I have now crossed the magic five-year mark and I feel great," Mary recently told us while reflecting on her experience. "All the doctors and the support team always made me feel seen and heard. I really believe their medical care and kind bedside manner in equal parts saved my life. Cancer is a very scary diagnosis. Patients need a lot of support, and my team was always there for me."

In celebration of 🌈 Pride Month, our LGBTQ+ Task Force organized a team to march in the Clayton Pride Parade.

Anthony, one of our team members said, "Being able to walk in the Clayton Pride Parade was amazing! It was exciting to see our community come together and celebrate with each other. I am thrilled to be working with an organization that supports and fosters its LGBTQIA+ employees. Happy Pride!"

Nevin, another of our participants, mentioned it was his first time walking in a Pride event. "I didn’t expect to feel so proud as I walked along the route, with the enthusiastic cheers of the onlookers."

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

Our extremely talented re**al cancer team has recently been re-accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Re**al Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This prestigious accreditation is granted only to health systems that not only treat a high volume of re**al cancer patients using the latest clinical research and technology, but that also demonstrate commitment to providing the best possible multi-disciplinary care. As the first and longest continuously accredited program in the nation to receive this honor, we salute our entire re**al cancer team for this tremendous accomplishment!

Learn more at https://bit.ly/3NfX4yr

Exciting news! Dr. Terence Chen, a neuro and spine surgeon at John Muir Health, recently performed the first awake spine surgery at our Walnut Creek Medical Center using a robotic spine surgery system.

Roberto suffered from back issues caused by degenerative discs. He had a successful previous spine surgery performed by Dr. Chen in 1995. When he learned that he was a good candidate for awake spine surgery to address his current problems, he enthusiastically chose that option.

Using advanced 3D imaging and robotics in this minimally invasive procedure reduces the patient's surgical time, and the patient benefits from having a shorter-acting spinal anesthesia rather than general anesthesia. Not having to undergo general anesthesia allows for quicker recovery. This overall approach can also reduce the extent of surgical openings, tissue trauma, and radiation exposure.

“Being awake gave me more peace of mind,” said Roberto. “I felt a lot better following the procedure than I ever have with general anesthesia. It was a night and day difference. I was able to get up and move around quickly and I didn’t feel groggy.”

Roberto started his physical therapy two hours after leaving the operating room. At home, he used acetaminophen to control his pain and appreciated that he avoided a long hospital stay. “I feel great and am not having any pain,” he said, and he's already back to his normal tasks, like mowing the lawn.

“There are many patient benefits to awake spine surgery, including the recovery time, managing the use of narcotics for the surgery and pain, and being able to recover at home,” said Dr. Chen. “We want to make awake spine surgery a standard for eligible patients at John Muir Health.”

This Memorial Day, we solemnly remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. We are filled with gratitude for our fallen heroes.

Additionally, on a holiday weekend where many have time off to gather with family and friends, we also extend appreciation to our healthcare workers who collectively care for our community around the clock with inspiring dedication. 💙

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we want to remind everyone that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Mental health conditions are more common than you might think, affecting at least one in five adults in the United States. Yet, many people still feel ashamed or afraid to talk about their mental health struggles.

If you or someone you love is struggling with a mental health condition, know that there are resources available to you. Your primary care provider can be a great place to start. They can help you with things like managing stress and anxiety, coping with depression, and connecting you with other mental health professionals as needed.

Let's work together to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and make it easier for everyone to seek out the care they need.

A occurs when blood supply is blocked to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Timing becomes critical. Recognize the signs for the greatest chance for recovery. Remember the acronym: BE FAST.

B = Balance. Sudden loss of balance, difficulty walking, or dizziness.
E = Eyes. Sudden blurred, doubled, or loss of vision in one or both eyes.

F = Face. Does one side of the face sag, droop or feel numb? Ask the person to smile.
A = Arms. Is one arm weak or numb?
S = Speech. Sudden slurred speech or having difficulty putting words together? Ask the person to say a simple phrase, “The sky is blue.”
T = Time. Time to call 911.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you suspect a stroke.

Someone suffers a every 40 seconds. Assess your risk with our Stroke Risk Scorecard https://bit.ly/3lgr1zf.

We wish all those who celebrate a very happy Mother's Day this weekend. As a health care team, we get the privilege of witnessing the full span of motherhood -- the joys, the challenges, the milestones, and everything in between.

We also hold space for those in our community who may have more complicated feelings on days like this.

May is AAPI Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the contributions and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our community. As a health care system, we recognize the importance of belonging and equity for our AAPI providers, staff and patients, and we particularly want to take a moment to honor our John Muir Health AAPI Caucus for their ongoing efforts to lead the way.

Christine N. is a Creative Arts Therapist at our Behavioral Health Center and Co-Lead of our AAPI Caucus. She says her identity as an AAPI and as a Filipina-American influences her practice as a clinician. "I have so much respect for my Filipino community, and see us as highly musical, artistic, and creative, as well as hard working, caring and empathic. When I began my career as a music therapist, there was not a lot of visibility from my own community, simply because I was one of the few Filipinos taking up space in my profession as a Creative Arts Therapist."

She adds how grateful she is for the sacrifice her immigrant family made to leave behind their village and community in the Phillipines. "Through them, I am following my calling, working with patients to improve their mental health through modalities of music and art."

Along with other members of the AAPI Caucus and the Office of Belonging & Equity, Christine and her colleagues are working to create safe spaces for our AAPI-identifying employees to not only be included but to be celebrated.

We salute our incredible team of nurses this week for the compassionate care they provide to our patients every day. The last 3 years especially have demonstrated how much our nurses impact the community and their commitment to our patients and each other. They continue to be our , inspiring us every day with the amazing care they provide. We appreciate them today and every day.

Congratulations to Jennifer, a Stroke Program Coordinator and Nurse Practitioner at John Muir Health, for her recognition as Junior Achievement of Northern California's 2023 Volunteer of the Year! 🎉 Jennifer has served as a mentor to high school students in our Young Healers Program since its launch in 2018.

"I’ve been able to talk with students about the challenges and life-lessons I’ve gotten that have helped me find the path to a sustainable, rewarding, and fulfilling career," Jennifer said of her volunteer work. "It’s been a wonderful experience and a lot of fun to see how inquisitive these kids are and to see the drive they have to excel."

Through our Young Healers program and our collaboration with Junior Achievement of Northern California, we are able to cultivate unique experiences in health care for young people interested in becoming our next generation of health care professionals.

John Muir Health is proud to be part of efforts focused on advancing health equity, reducing disparities, and incorporating the needs of Black women and birthing people throughout the continuum of care.

Through collaboration with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Contra Costa County Health Services, as well as the implementation of Implicit Bias Training for all perinatal providers through Diversity Science, John Muir Health is working to address disparities in birth outcomes for Black Communities and their Children.

In addition, John Muir Health is honored to be part of PINC AI™ Perinatal Improvement Collaborative, joining hospitals across the nation in efforts to lower maternal and infant mortality.

At John Muir Health, our volunteers are an integral part of who we are. We’re grateful for the support they provide to our patients, staff and community. Since the pandemic, we’ve been re-building our volunteer program, across our various campuses and in a wide variety of functions. Apply now to join our team of volunteers and make a difference in our community! https://bit.ly/3nQiGqr

Thank you to our doctors for the exceptional care you provide to your patients! We appreciate your skills, expertise and commitment to teamwork not just today, but every day. We are grateful to have you practicing in our community. Happy Doctors' Day!

Adriana's brother-in-law Arturo passed away from re**al cancer nine years ago at age 56, and the first thing she felt was guilt. Adriana currently works on staff in our Surgery division, and as a healthcare worker, she struggled to understand how this could happen to her family.

She learned that Arturo never shared the symptoms he was experiencing, and she fears it may have been because of shame. This experience prompted her to become an evangelist, educating everyone around her on the importance of colore**al cancer screening and prevention.

The same year her family lost Arturo, Adriana saved her husband by encouraging him to get a colonoscopy, where the doctor removed two polyps. She knows of at least ten others in her personal circle who have had life-saving screenings for colore**al cancer, and she says, "his memory will be kept alive by educating people about how easily colon and re**al diseases can be prevented."

We are thankful for staff members like Adriana who do so much in both their personal and professional lives to care for others. If you are age 45 or older, please talk to your doctor about your colore**al cancer screening options. As Adriana can attest, this preventive care could save your life. **alCancerAwarenessMonth

Nowruz (pronounced no-rooz), which is Farsi for New Day, is the national New Year festivity celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and throughout Central Asia. It is a springtime celebration whose activities symbolize rebirth and the link between humans and nature.

Our Middle Eastern Caucus and Office of Belonging & Equity sponsored a "Haft Seen" table at our Walnut Creek Medical Center. In every home, the haft seen table is decorated with seven items since seven is considered a lucky number. Each item begins with the letter sin (s) in Farsi, and each item is a symbol of spring and renewal.

Nowruz Mobarak!

This week we celebrate to recognize the unwavering, compassionate care that our nurses provide to our patients every day. We deeply appreciate their advanced knowledge, dedication, and commitment to patient safety. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Colore**al cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States, and it is on the rise in young adults, according to the American Cancer Society.

To educate community members on how to keep their digestive system healthy, our gastroenterology team hosted an interactive exhibit where participants were able to learn about colore**al health by walking through a giant inflatable colon.

If you're age 45 or older, remember to talk to your doctor about your options for colon cancer screening.

**alCancerAwarenessMonth

Coming soon! We've been making progress on construction of our new Outpatient Specialty Center, next to our hospital in Walnut Creek. Once the new state-of-the-art facility is completed in early 2024, it will be home to the UCSF-John Muir Health Cancer Center, and will serve as a central hub of the UCSF-John Muir Health Cancer Network.

We were proud to join the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce and Stanford Medicine Children's Health in presenting this year's East Bay Women's Conference. It was an inspiring day of fantastic speakers. We are particularly thankful to our own experts, Dr. Rosie Monardo and Dr. Tiffany Svahn, for being part of a panel discussion about important issues in women's health.