Featured

Dialysis Patients Rally to Improve Patient Care

Published

7 years ago

September 16, 2017

Dialysis is a life-saving treatment for 66,000 Californians with kidney failure. However patient care is declining.

Last Wednesday, 75 dialysis patients and allies rallied at DaVita Alameda County Dialysis in Oakland to highlight clinic deficiencies and urge state lawmakers to support SB 349, The Dialysis Patient Act. Introduced by State Senator Ricardo Lara, SB 349 seeks to improve patient care, safety and staffing at 570 dialysis clinics in California

“Passing this bill is a matter of life or death for dialysis patients,” said Banbury Holmes, a dialysis patient from Oakland. Holmes, who stopped going to dialysis clinics for treatment after he suffered severe bleeding, now does dialysis at home. “Even with home dialysis, I’m not 100 percent safe, but I would rather be in control than be at the mercy of a corporation that doesn’t care about me.”

“When caregivers have too many patients and not enough time, our safety is on the line,” he added.

DaVita Alameda County Dialysis recorded 26 deficiencies during its 2017 inspection, according to the California Department of Public Health. The infractions included: failure to ensure the clinic was clean and sanitary for 114 patients; failure to ensure the clinic was maintained to ensure the safety of the patients and staff; failure to maintain fully equipped, well- maintained emergency carts and evacuation kits; failure to conduct audits that ensure medications were securely stored and unavailable to unauthorized people; and, failure to ensure patients’ eyes were visible to staff throughout dialysis treatments.

In May, SB 349 passed through the Senate and awaits a Sept. 15th floor vote in the California Assembly. If passed, the bill would mandate safer staffing levels, require annual inspections of clinics, whereas they are now inspected an average of every five to six years. It would also allow more time for patients to recover after treatment and increase equipment sanitation responsibilities for staff.

DaVita and Fresenius, the two largest dialysis corporations, made a combined $3.9 billion in profits from their dialysis in the United States in 2016 and are fiercely opposing the legislation, claiming the bill would increase staffing costs and reduce dialysis patients’ access to care.

For more information, visit SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) website at www.seiu-uhw.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.