Over the years, the NorthBay Wine, Brew & Food Jubilee has faced blistering heat, high winds, rainstorms and even numerous venue changes, but overcoming a global pandemic was something organizers just couldn’t surmount. The event, originally scheduled for May 16, 2020, has been rescheduled for June 2021, due to COVID-19 uncertainties. “The decision to postpone…
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Author: pagedesign
Nine New DAISYs Bloom
Nine NorthBay Healthcare nurses have received the coveted DAISY award this past year, presented to honor their outstanding patient outreach. Isabelle Johnson, R.N., a nurse at VacaValley Hospital’s 1-2 West, was singled out for the compassionate care she shares not only with her patients, but with her coworkers. MacKenzie Anderson, R.N., a nurse in NorthBay…
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Welcome New Doctors
Majid Kianmajd, D.O. NorthBay Healthcare welcomed general surgeon/robotic surgery specialist Majid Kianmajd, D.O., in September. Dr. Kianmajd earned his medical degree at Touro University in Henderson, Nevada, and had minimally invasive/bariatric fellowship training at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. He completed his general surgery residency at Rowan University SOM, Stratford, New Jersey. Dr. Kianmajd said…
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Community Cares with Donations, Celebrations
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread through Solano County, the community stepped up to share food, resources, personal protective equipment and good will.ABOVE: Roger Merrill, president of the Green Valley Landowners Association, spearheaded an effort to provide food to frontline health care workers.There were car parades with honks of encouragement, a military flyover, orchids for health…
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Seven Months That Changed the World
Remember what daily life was like before late February? It feels as if a decade of change has occurred in the past seven months.ABOVE: Intensive Care Unit Nurse Sherryl Oliva, R.N., wears an N-95 mask and face shield on the COVID-19 unit. Patients preparing for surgery are tested for COVID-19 at drive-through test sites (below)…
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Western Health Advantage and NorthBay
In the mid-1990s, NorthBay Healthcare executives wanted to gain control of costs and provide better quality health care. They met with leaders at Woodland Memorial, who later brought the University of California, Davis, Health System to the table. The result was a new health insurance plan. Western Health Advantage was created to serve local employers…
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Looking for the Right Insurance & Doctor? Ask Kelly!
Choosing the right insurance plan and doctors is a little like shopping for a new car. You want the one that is reliable and fits your lifestyle best. That’s where Kelly Rhoads-Poston can help. Prior to joining NorthBay Healthcare 20 years ago as a marketing representative and health plan specialist, she worked in the insurance…
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Specialists Abound for Easy Access
NorthBay Healthcare offers a rich slate of specialty care physicians with offices in Fairfield, Vacaville and Napa. In addition to those highlighted throughout this magazine, you’ll also find: NorthBay Cancer Center A team of physicians whose specialties include oncology, hematology and radiology, all located in the NorthBay Cancer Center in Vacaville. The same location offers…
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Seizing Control: Implant Helps Epileptic Patient
Katherine Bergey was just 11 years old when she had her first epileptic seizure. It was a classic grand mal seizure with violent muscle contractions. Her family says she didn’t have any more seizures like that one. Instead, over time, she experienced smaller events that would happen while she slept involving strange motions and sounds….
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Gut Instinct: Specialists have High-Tech Tools
If you have ever undergone a colonoscopy, fought heartburn, or suffered from an ulcer, you’ve likely been introduced to gastroenterology — the study of the function and diseases of the digestive system.ABOVE: The team of experts at NorthBay Gastroenterology includes (seated, left to right) Michael Krier, M.D.; Nazia Hasan, M.D.; Mounzer Al Samman, M.D.; and (standing) Farhat…
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Sudden Silence Needs Urgent Action
A ringing in the ear, a feeling of fullness or sudden silence — these issues are not to be ignored, as Barbara Battenburg discovered.ABOVE: Regular hearing checks by Wendy Schreuder (right) help keep Barbara Battenburg hearing well.The Vacaville resident was in a car with her husband in 2011 when she lost hearing in her left ear. “All…
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Diabetic Team in Your Corner
Darin Moore, 46, of Fairfield, knew he had diabetes for 20 years and did all he could to control it but when several low blood sugar incidents left him feeling out of control, he made the decision to get more help.ABOVE: Darin Moore (right) looks over his latest blood sugar reports with diabetologists (left to…
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Broken Ankle? Time for O.U.C.H.
Sprained your ankle? Broke your wrist? It’s time for O.U.C.H.! It’s better than it sounds. O.U.C.H. stands for Orthopedic Urgent Care at Hilborn.ABOVE: Physician Assistant Joe Mashinchi (right) takes a look at Dominick Baker during an orthopedic visit. Joe is the primary provider for the O.U.C.H. program, providing patients with connections to the right orthopedic…
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Pandemic Pause is Over for Elective Cases
When NorthBay Medical Center opened eight state-of-the-art surgical suites in its newly built North Wing last fall, it began providing patients with access to technology, talent and surgical equipment found nowhere else in Solano County. The suites are specially equipped to handle trauma, neurological and cardiovascular cases, but now they offer more. NorthBay expanded into…
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Parental Insight Pays Off
They’ve been there, and done that. NorthBay Healthcare’s obstetrics and gynecology team can speak with authority when it comes to all things relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and the challenges of juggling work and family time, as they are all parents. For some, the childbirth experience is fresh, as several have had their children within the…
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Mental Wellness is a Team Effort
Caring and collaboration are key components for tending to a patient’s physical condition at NorthBay Healthcare and it’s no different when it comes to a patient’s emotional well-being. NorthBay’s mental health team has been working to develop an integrated behavioral health program that provides “whole-person” primary medical care since 2011, explained Corinna Press, PsyD, a…
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Stressed? Psychologist, Team Offer Coping Tools
Even before COVID-19 changed the world, licensed clinical psychologist Corinna Press, PsyD, was focused on people struggling with depression, anxiety and other disorders. The global pandemic has only made her more determined to share her message: “You are not alone. There is hope, and it lives right here in Solano County.”ABOVE: Psychologist Corinna Press, PsyD,…
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Second Urgent Care Opens in Nick of Time
NorthBay Healthcare’s second Urgent Care Center was set to open in early March, with plans for a grand opening celebration. Then the COVID-19 crisis broke and those plans were shelved.ABOVE: J. Paz Rodriguez and sons Moises and J. Paz, Jr. check in for care at NorthBay Urgent Care Center in Fairfield.“Patients needed to be seen,”…
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Flu Shots More Important Than Ever
In 2020, getting your flu shot will be more important than ever, and NorthBay Healthcare has a unique plan to serve patients without increasing fears of exposure to COVID-19. Flu vaccines will be offered by appointment only, at various locations in Vacaville and Fairfield. Options include: Getting your vaccine during your normal visit with your…
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Don’t Get Lax on Childhood Vaccinations
Even after Solano County issued a shelter-at-home order in March, pediatricians at NorthBay Center for Primary Care facilities continued to report for duty. The only problem was that many of their young patients and parents stopped coming in for appointments. It’s understandable that at the beginning of the pandemic, families were afraid to get out…
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Primary Care: Your Safe Home Base
Every health care journey should start with the basics. At NorthBay Healthcare, that means picking out your primary care team of professionals who are there to serve you and your family with everything from annual evaluations and flu shots to blood pressure checks and immunizations.ABOVE: Kevin Xunan, D.O., is comfortable offering video visits to his…
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It’s Time to Get Back to Healthy Living
No doubt, 2020 has been marked by tremendous challenges. From the peril of COVID-19, to the stress of constant disinfecting and wearing a mask, the seemingly endless days of sheltering at home, school closures, lost vacations and proms and job insecurity. When civil unrest, looting and nationwide turmoil erupted in June, NorthBay Healthcare’s CEO and…
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NorthBay Has All Bases Covered
Service directory 1. NorthBay Urgent Care 1679 E. Monte Vista Ave., Suite 104, Vacaville Services include: NorthBay Urgent Care, NorthBay Occupational Health and testing, COVID-19 testing and X-ray services. 2. NorthBay VacaValley Hospital 1000 Nut Tree Road, Vacaville Services include: 24-hour emergency services, 44 medical-surgical beds, six critical care unit beds, two surgery suites, full-service…
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Good Time to Choose NorthBay
Our community-based, independent health system has prevailed over many crises in its 60-year history, but nothing compares to the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19. Families, schools, businesses — and humanity in general — can say the same about agonizing personal experiences in the pandemic that came to Solano County seven months ago. There’s more uncertainty ahead. But I can tell…
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New Moniker Adds NorthBay, Brew to the Mix
It started out as just a wine and cheese tasting event at a local church 33 years ago, but NorthBay Healthcare Foundation’s most popular fundraising event has evolved into so much more through the years. So, Jubilee organizers say now is the time to call it what it is: A NorthBay event with even more….
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Community Health Education Classes
Healthier Living • A six-week class offered several times during the year, taught in conjunction with Solano Public Health and the Area Agency on Aging. Classes are free but space is limited. Call (707) 646-5469. Caregivers’ Support Group • For anyone involved in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or a dementia-related illness….
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Three New DAISYs Bloom
Three NorthBay Healthcare nurses are the proud recipients of the coveted DAISY award, presented to honor their outstanding patient outreach. Tiffany Song, Nora Maligaya and Christine Aye all received their awards at separate presentations in front of their nursing colleagues this year. Tiffany, a nurse in NorthBay Medical Center’s ICU, was singled out by the…
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A Season of Awards
Accolades from Across the Nation Pour in for Local Healthcare System ABOVE: Teams celebrate on hearing the news that NorthBay earns redesignation as a Baby-Friendly (top) and Magnet organization (bottom). NorthBay Earns Magnet Status — Again! With scores of NorthBay Healthcare employees across campuses and medical offices in Vacaville and Fairfield listening in, an August conference call…
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‘NorthBay Way Wall’ Shines Light on History, Commitment
Installed just weeks before the opening of the North Wing, a new art project featured prominently in NorthBay Medical Center’s main corridor showcases the history, milestones and medical advancements of NorthBay Healthcare. Called “The NorthBay Way Wall,” it is composed of nine panels, hundreds of photographs and “Our Story,” of a hospital system borne from…
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Welcome New Docs
NorthBay Healthcare has seen the addition of several new physicians in recent months including specialists in diabetes and cardiology as well as family medicine and otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat). Here is a look at some of the doctors: Sumera Ahmed, M.D. NorthBay Healthcare Diabetes & Endocrinology Center recently welcomed diabetologists Sumera Ahmed, M.D. to…
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Building more than Character
NorthBay’s Biggest Accomplishment Exceeds Expectations In 17 years at NorthBay Healthcare, Assistant Vice President Real Estate & Facilities Development Joelyn Gropp has led the design of eight new buildings and scores of remodels and tenant improvements. But, without a doubt, the $200 million North Wing takes the crown. It was easily the largest project, both…
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What’s Cooking for Visitors, Staff?
With the opening of the new North Wing at NorthBay Medical Center comes The Shaw Family Kitchen, which opened for use Oct. 1. ABOVE: Staff and visitors can enjoy respite in a bright and spacious dining area. Photo credit: Photographs © 2019 Sasha Moravec The new nutrition services area includes a 6,000-square foot kitchen and…
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Shaw Family Kitchen
Not one for the spotlight, local philanthropists Al and Patt Shaw prefer to support their favorite causes without fanfare. But that changed when the Green Valley couple realized they had the means to make a significant impact on NorthBay Healthcare’s future and to serve as an inspiration to others in the process. ABOVE: NorthBay’s mission…
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All at Your Fingertips
Just steps away from the Welcome Pavillion at NorthBay Medical Center is a brand-new visual and interactive tribute to NorthBay Healthcare’s most loyal supporters: the donors who have, through the decades, shared the vision and determination to build and sustain a healthcare system that would provide top-flight healthcare for our friends, neighbors and family members…
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Art as Healing
New, freshly painted walls of the North Wing provided an empty canvas for NorthBay Healthcare leaders to fill with vibrant, unique art selections, and touched off a decision to upgrade art throughout the hospital. “We know that art has healing qualities,” explained NorthBay Healthcare Group President Aimee Brewer. “So we teamed up with ACS (Art…
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An Investment in Imaging
The North Wing at NorthBay Medical Center features advanced imaging services with the most up-to-date equipment. ABOVE: Radiologic Technologist Melanie Adams positions the Diagnostic Imaging Department’s new fluoroscopic imaging equipment (above), which displays continuous X-rays on a monitor. Photo credit: Fred Greaves The inpatient Diagnostic Imaging Department on the first floor of the new wing…
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Ultra Clean Behind the Scenes
One department you’ll never see on a hospital tour of NorthBay Medical Center is Central Sterile. That’s because everything inside — all the tools used for surgeries and procedures — must be kept pristine and infection-free to ensure the safety of patients. If you could enter those hallowed halls, located on the first floor of the new North Wing,…
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Best Care, Coming and Going
PACU is the Place for Patient Transitions Patients awaiting surgery or recovering from post-surgical anesthesia will spend some time in a post-anesthesia care unit, or PACU, under the watchful eyes of nurses whose main tasks are to manage airways and alleviate pain. ABOVE: Patients recover in bright, spacious areas in the new post-anesthesia care unit….
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Patient Rooms Have Posh Feel
They may look like they belong in a posh hotel, but patient rooms on the second floor in the North Wing are fully equipped to handle a patient’s urgent needs at a moment’s notice. ABOVE: Former NorthBay Healthcare President and CEO Gary Passama and wife Judy (left) were among the first to take a tour…
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The Robot Advantage
The pièce de résistance in Surgical Suite No. 7 arrived in November and promises to help NorthBay surgeons deliver the most advanced techniques for patients in the years to come. It’s the da Vinci Surgical System, which offers surgeons an advanced set of instruments to use in performing robotic-assisted, minimally invasive surgery, via a console…
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Such Suite Success
Rare is the time you’d want to be wheeled into a surgical suite, but if fate happens to bring you to one of the eight operating rooms in NorthBay Medical Center’s new North Wing, know that they are all filled with the latest equipment, technology and talent found nowhere else in Solano County. ABOVE: J….
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Beyond the North Wing…
Although the newly opened North Wing may seem like it’s the center of NorthBay Healthcare’s universe, it’s actually only one of a number of projects that have come to fruition in the past three years. The North Wing was actually the final piece of a three-phase project at the NorthBay Medical Center campus in Fairfield….
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Finding True North
If finding True North is synonymous with finding life’s purpose, then NorthBay Medical’s Center’s newly opened North Wing is aptly named. For a hospital, it delivers on all fronts: There are 22 sleekly designed patient rooms with high-tech features at every turn. Eight new surgical suites with the latest and greatest tools that technology can…
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Right Idea, Right Time
When the pioneers of NorthBay Healthcare saw a need more than 60 years ago, they united to raise funds and create the community’s first hospital. It’s that same spirit of commitment, that same dedication to advanced medicine that produced our latest and greatest feat — the addition of the North Wing at NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield….
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Specialties Abound at NorthBay
NorthBay offers an array of specialty care services, with experts on everything from cancer and diabetes to gastroenterology and rheumatology. Otolaryngology (Ear Nose Throat) For the first time this fall, NorthBay Healthcare will be able to offer ear, nose, throat and voice specialists —all under one roof. Moving into a third-floor suite in the Gateway Medical…
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Our Primary Care Experts
Center for Primary Care in Green Valley 4520 Business Center Drive, Fairfield Gilbert Chang, M.D. Pediatrics Ehsan Ghods, D.O. Family Medicine Alina Hongsakaphadana, M.D. Family Medicine Darshan Patel, M.D. Internal Medicine Center for Primary Care in Fairfield 2458 Hilborn Road, Fairfield Amanda Adkins, M.D. Internal Medicine Angela Brennan, D.O. Family Medicine Douglas Freeman, M.D. Family…
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New Wing Readies for Patients
After three years, construction on NorthBay Medical Center’s new North Wing was deemed officially complete when the California Office of Statewide Health & Development (OSHPD) completed final inspections on July 17. Immediately after that, move-in plans ramped up.ABOVE: NorthBay Medical Center’s new North Wing is home to 22 patient rooms, a large and brightly decorated…
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Welcome New Physicians
NorthBay Healthcare recently welcomed a new obstetrician/gynecologist to the Center for Women’s Health. Stella Huang, D.O., earned her medical degree at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo and holds a master’s degree in epidemiology from Stanford University School of Medicine. In her new role at NorthBay she is the Inpatient Women’s Health Services…
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On the Road Again
Physicians Team Up to Get Officer Back on his Bike Tony Blencowe, 46, was doing the job he loves when he felt a pinch in his neck. The California Highway Patrol officer was on his motorcycle taking a quick glance over his left shoulder when he felt something snap. It was a motion he’d made…
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Your Best Choice
Everyone wants to be healthy, but no one enjoys mulling over health plans and insurance models. PPO? HMO? It’s an alphabet headache! Yet the decisions you make will impact you and your family for years to come. When you choose a health plan, it’s just the first step on your path to good health. Make…
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