Tag Archives: Providence St. Joseph Medical Center

Residents Encouraged to Join ‘Rose Run’ October 4

On Sunday, October 4th, a local 5k run/walk will take place inside Griffith Park with all of the proceeds from the event going directly to The DFCC at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

The Disney Family Cancer Center here in Burbank is a state of the art facility dedicated to the treatment of cancer patients in and around our community. What they’re really known for is using integrative medicine in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments.

The Rose Run was started in 2009 when Burbank resident, Jessica Cribbs, lost her mother, Rose, to breast cancer at the age of 54.

“Cancer affects all of us, in one way or another.” Jessica says. “My mother was so amazing, I couldn’t not do something to help other families interrupted by cancer. She has inspired all of this.”

She started a small run in her hometown of Petersburg, Michigan but also hosted a community run with A Runner’s Circle here in Los Angeles. This year, The Rose Run is getting a face-lift…it will be a chip timed run with sponsors backing the philanthropic efforts. Sponsors such as North Hollywood Toyota, Walgreens, Del Real Foods and many more!

To date, The Rose Run has raised over $75,000 for breast cancer research and other cancer patient services.

The proceeds from the run on October 4th will go to the “Thrivorship Program” at the Disney Family Cancer Center, a program dedicated to helping cancer patients thrive after their treatment is complete.

Both Cheerleading squads from Burbank and Burroughs High School’s are volunteering their time to cheer these walkers and runners on. As is local Burbank Girl Scout Troop 46, a local DJ and run clubs around the Valley.

To register for the 5k run/walk or the Kids’ 1k fun run, you can visit the website at TheRoseRun.com. It’s not too late to volunteer or sponsor this event either.

“What I love about living in Burbank is the community,” Cribbs says. “Although I’ve been here for 13 years, I’ve never felt far away from my small town roots…because it’s still right here where I’m raising my kids. It makes me proud to live here.”

The Rose Run 5k Run/Walk & Kids’ 1k Fun Run
Sunday, October 4th 7:30am
Griffith Park
For more information and to register, visit TheRoseRun.com

Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Earns Top Honors from Healthgrades

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Providence Southern California earned top state honors today as the first health system in California to win Healthgrades’ Distinguished Hospital Award for all four of its hospitals eligible to be evaluated for this honor..

Healthgrades, a top consumer ratings company, awarded this distinction to hospitals that rank among the top 5 percent in the nation for performance on 27 of the most common diagnoses and procedures. The results mean better outcomes for seriously ill patients.

Providence Holy Cross, Providence Saint Joseph and Providence Tarzana medical centers in the San Fernando Valley and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance were among the 262 medical centers in the U.S. recognized with the Distinguished Hospitals Award for Clinical Excellence.

“Every Providence caregiver stands on the shoulders of our founding sisters, whose 157-year tradition of excellence and compassion lives today in all our ministries,” said Michael Hunn, senior vice president and chief executive, Providence Health & Services, Southern California. “We are proud to be recognized by Healthgrades for our successes in providing the best care for our patients.

Distinguished Hospitals, as a group, have a 30.9 percent lower risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rate across 18 conditions and procedures as compared to all other U.S. hospitals evaluated. Healthgrades estimates that, if all other U.S. hospitals performed at this high level from 2009 through 2011, 164,414 deaths nationwide potentially could have been prevented.

“Healthgrades is committed to providing consumers with information to help them make more informed decisions across the continuum of care – including selecting a physician and an affiliated hospital,” said Roger Holstein, CEO, Healthgrades. “This report gives consumers the power to differentiate the likelihood of a better health outcome on the basis of the hospital’s objective quality measures.”

For hospitals to be eligible for this award, they were evaluated in at least 19 of 27 conditions and procedures studied by Healthgrades. Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro, the fifth Providence medical center in the Southern California Region, was not eligible to compete for this award.

According to American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, released in October, there are significant variations in hospital quality across conditions and procedures, demonstrating that certain hospitals perform better in specific specialties than others. Distinguished Hospital Award recipients are unique, however, because they exhibit high-quality care across a broad range of clinical specialties.

“Consumers should know before they go,” said Archelle Georgiou, M.D., a strategic advisor to Healthgrades. “We have shown that all hospitals are NOT created equal, and selecting the right physician or hospital can mean the difference between having a complication-free surgery or hospitalization. It can even be a matter of life or death.”

Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center Gas Leak Shuts Down Buena Vista

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A Propane gas leak from a 10,000 lb. storage tank at Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center prompted the Burbank Fire and Police Departments to shut down part of Buena Vista St. and the neighboring Providence High School gymnasium yesterday, January 14. After a sensor alerted the hospital Facilities Department to a small leak in one of the two 10,000 lb. Propane/Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tanks, the Burbank Fire Department responded to the site at 1:00 p.m. to investigate and monitor the situation, according to Medical Center spokesperson Patrician Aidem.

Burbank Fire Fighters & Burbank Police stand by as propane is burned off. at the entrance to the Emergency Dept.( Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Burbank Firefighters & Burbank Police stand by as propane is burned off at the entrance to the emergency room at Providence St. Joseph’c Medical Center. ( Photo by Ross A. Benson)

AmeriGas was called in by the hospital to provide technical support and responded with an initial plan to pump out all of the liquid fuel from the affected tank. However, the valve on the storage tank was a bit corroded and fell off, according to Capt. Peter Hendrickson, BFD Public Information Officer. The Fire Department’s Hazardous Material Team put on full protective gear and had to enter a small hole-like space, about four to four-and-one-half feet in height, to beat the valve and turn it to the right position. AmeriGas was then able to pump out all of the liquid Propane in the tank to a waiting tanker truck.

However, a small amount of gaseous Propane remained in the tank, and at approximately 1:00 a.m. this morning, January 15, AmeriGas flamed out the remaining gas, sending plumes of fire 25 to 30 feet into the nighttime sky. The burn off process took about three hours to complete, and the BFD cleared the scene at 4:15 a.m. and reopened Buena Vista St. to auto and foot traffic.

The storage tanks are located near Providence St. Joseph’s emergency room driveway entrance at 501 S. Buena Vista Street. Providence High School’s gym is also located nearby and was evacuated during school hours on Tuesday, just as a precaution. The emergency room remained open while ambulances and cars were diverted to the S. Naomi St. entrance side.

“We train all the time for these types of situations and disasters,” commented Aidem. “We were assured by the Fire Department the patients were never in danger, so we kept the emergency room open.”

Burbank Engine 15 and 3 Firefighters stand by as propane is burned off. ( Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Three fire engines stood by with hoses laid out, to monitor the situation and be at the ready. Burbank Police Department kept the 500 block of S. Buena Vista closed throughout the long process. The hospital’s two 10,000 lb. LPG tanks are an emergency supply to fuel the facility’s boilers which in turn runs the heating and cooling systems. Typically, the hospital uses natural gas, but if that supply is interrupted, the LPG tanks are switched on.

“There was a leak in the same tank twenty years ago after the Northridge earthquake,” commented Capt. Hendrickson. “And, the same driver [service tech] for the same gas company truck who responded to [fix] that leak was there for this leak.”

Buena Vista St. has been reopened and activities at the high school and hospital have returned to usual today, while AmeriGas continues its work on site, repairing the tank’s valve and fixing the leak.

Burbank Firefighters stand by as propane is burned off following a day long Hazmat situation at Saint Joseph Medical Center. ( Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Burbank Firefighters stand by as propane is burned off following a day long Hazmat situation at Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center. ( Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Teen Punched, Knocked Unconscious At Memorial Field

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An apparent attempt to break up a fight between two other teens landed a 16 year-old boy in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, with a head injury.

The incident began Saturday, August 4, as the John Burroughs Football team was ending their practice on Memorial Field at the school. George Tyler Heffley, a sophomore who is on the football team, attempted to break up a fight near the basketball courts next to the field. The fight started as an argument between another member of the football team and a former student. According to police, the victim was punched in the face by the former student when he stepped between the two boys, then fell backwards and struck his head on the concrete He was knocked unconscious.

The Burbank Police Department was called at 7:25 p.m. for a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at John Burroughs High School. Officers responding “Code 3” were directed to the visitor entrance to Memorial Field in the 200 block of N. Parish Place, where they found the victim lying on the sidewalk, conscious but disoriented. The 15 year-old suspect was being detained by the football coaches. He was wearing black tape used in boxing n his right hand, and had just come from a gym where he works out.

Burbank Fire Department Paramedics responded and treated the victim at the scene. He was observed talking to the paramedics before they transported him by rescue ambulance to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. According to police, who cannot release the victim’s name because he is a juvenile, he was admitted to the ICU. Rumors spread quickly through the community, that the victim was on life-support and in a coma. However, a police spokesman confirmed that the teen’s condition was improving and he was not on life-support. His condition is listed as serious but stable.

The suspect was arrested under section 243 (d) of the California Penal Code, battery causing great bodily injury. The crime is a felony. Because he is a juvenile, his name is not being released. He was booked into the Burbank Jail, then released to his parents. He is scheduled to appear in Pasadena Juvenile Court on October 3.

16 Year-Old Teenager Dies After Sparring At Burbank Boxing Gym

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Police investigating unusual death, awaiting coroner’s report.

By Stan Lynch, Managing Editor
BurbankNBeyond

A teenaged boy is dead, and Burbank Police are investigating the unusual circumstances surrounding the young man’s death. He has been identified as Raul Alvarez, Jr., 16, of North Hollywood.

Forensic Specialist Nancy Robles removes evidence under the watchful eye of Police Officer Blaine Shifley. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Verdugo Fire Dispatch received a call for medical assistance, and dispatched Engine 12 and Rescue Ambulance 15 to Pullman’s Gym, 4320 W. Magnolia Blvd. at 5:55 p.m. Paramedics treated the 16 year-old boy at the scene and transported him to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center at 6:08 p.m.

Police officers were dispatched to the hospital and the gym at 6:45 p.m., when emergency room personnel alerted an officer at the hospital on an unrelated matter about the teen’s grave condition. Initial reports were that the boy had been sparring with someone at the gym, and had received a blow to the face. He died about an hour later at the hospital.

Forensic Specialist Nancy Robles removes evidence as Burbank Police Officer Blaine Shifley protects the scene. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

An investigation into Alvarez’s death is being conducted by the Burbank Police Department. They determined that he was wear head and body protective gear while sparring. He complained of pain after the sparring session, which prompted the call for paramedics. The cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

A sign on the front door of the gym

The gym, which is located in a store front in the Magnolia Park section of town, specializes in boxing. Sparring, which is commonly used in boxing training as well as other martial arts, is a type of practice fighting in which blows are held back or not delivered with full force.

On Pullman Gym’s website, pictures show it is primarily used for boxing with a ring, numerous body and speed bags mounted for use.

Pullman’s Gym was contacted, but has not yet returned our call for comments.

Burbank Police Officer Blaine Shifley watches as Forensic Specialist Nancy Robles collects evidence. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Burbank Fire Department Sidewalk CPR Day is Coming June 7

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As part of National CPR and AED Awareness Week (June 1-7), the Burbank Fire Department will be asking bystanders if they know what to do in an emergency. Community members visiting Burbank Town Center will be taught how to respond to sudden cardiac arrest as well as how to do effective, “hands-only” cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The Burbank Fire Department and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center will be supporting the American Heart Association and LA County EMS Agency’s drive for educating the community in the skill of CPR on “Sidewalk CPR Day”. The event will take place in front of the Burbank Town Center at 201 E. Magnolia Blvd., on Thursday June 7th from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. The Burbank Fire Department will have mannequins and firefighters to teach citizens how to properly perform CPR using only their hands in case of an emergency. The CPR training is not an official certification course, but is instead an awareness course.

More than 300,000 people will die from coronary heart disease this year before reaching the hospital. Victims that receive immediate CPR and a shock from an AED (Automated External Defibrilation) within three to five minutes have a 48 to 74 percent chance of survival. Currently, less than 8 percent of victims survive due to lack of CPR and AED use across the country.

“The more people we have in our community that know how to recognize an emergency and do CPR, the more lives we can save,” said Burbank Fire Captain Peter Hendrickson. “With 80 percent of sudden cardiac arrests occurring at the home, it is crucial that more people are prepared to respond. CPR is one way we will be able to increase the chances of survival for victims in our community”

For more information on “Sidewalk CPR Day” please call 818.238.FIRE.

Saint Finbar Honors Two at Harvest Ball

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St. Finbar Parish honored Kerry Carmody and Marge Murphy who are shown with event chairman Michael Hastings. (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

Members of the Saint Finbar Parish gathered Friday night for their ninth annual Harvest Ball held at the Calamigo’s Banquet Center at The Los Angeles Equestrian Center to honor Marge Murphy with the 2011 Harvester of Faith Award along with Kerry Carmody.

Murphy is owner of Zimmer’s Gifts since her mother ask her to take the business over in 1973, she is also a lifetime member of St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood were she resides.

Carmody who serves as Regional Chief Operating Officer of all Providence Southern California healthcare ministries. The event is one of Saint Finbar’s major fundraisers of the year.

Michael Hastings, former Mayor and member of The Saint Finbar Parish, was Chairmen for the event along with the assistance on the committee of: Mary Adney, Maria Alicia Brenes, Mary Greer, Stephanie Jonke, Allison Knowles, Erica Menke, Lucy Platner, and Katie Roth.