Richard Isaacs MD: Business Journal names "Healthiest Employers" winners
Attendees at the Healthiest Employers 2011 awards luncheon walk around the exhibitors area before the awards.
Five Sacramento-area companies won top honors at a luncheon Friday for theie employee health and wellness efforts. Rood & Dax Advanced Insurance Services Inc. of Sacramento won in the micro category (10 – 50 employees).
Dr. Richards Isaacs accepts a Healtiest Employers award on behalf of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Kaiser won in the mega category (10, 000-plus employees). The health care nonprofit, which has made healthy living a central message in its advertising years, has had a wellness program since 2002.
Dr. Richard Isaacs and Kaiser promotes healthy babies
Kaiser pushes for greater breast-feeding success among moms
The healthiest thing any child will ever consume is his or her mother’s breast milk. Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento wants to make certain new mothers learn how to breastfeed their babies before they leave the hospital to increase the future good health for babies.
Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento was recently designated a “Baby Friendly” hospital in accordance with the World Health Organization’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.
The staff had a small celebration on Aug. 14.
Max Villalobos, senior vice president for Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento said, “This is an international recognition.”
He said a special thanks to Barb Hansen, assistant manager of health education, and Cheryl Cox, manager of the perinatal services unit.
“Sometimes we overuse words, but this is prestigious,” he said.
Currently, Kaiser South Sacramento is one of 83 hospitals nationwide to fulfill the program’s 10-step process to become baby friendly.
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was launched in 1991 with help from UNICEF. Kaiser staff received a certificate of intent to work towards being admitted to the Baby Friendly program in 1993.
Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Richard S. Isaacs thanked the staff for their commitment. Isaacs, an ear, nose and throat doctor, said he learned that breast-feeding a baby causes fewer ear infections as they grow.
“It gives the child the best start,” he said. “It gives them natural immunity, it helps prevent infection, and it gives them tremendous nutrition. But more importantly it’s an emotional bond between the mother and the child.”
Debra Payne, program planner for First 5 Sacramento was at the Aug. 14 ceremony to congratulate the staff. First 5 Sacramento was involved with this program at Kaiser too.
Joni Wuthrich, director of prenatal services, said the staff have undergone training courses, learning the importance of encouraging breast-feeding over formula and allowing new mothers to “room in,” or stay with their baby the entire hour after delivery to breastfeed.
“I’ve been a nurse for 34 years and every single year more research comes out about how good breast-feeding is for babies,” she said.
Dessiree Whitehurst gave birth to her first child, a girl, on Aug. 13 at Kaiser in South Sacramento. The fact that Kaiser South Sacramento is in the Baby Friendly program and promotes breast-feeding amongst new mothers was reassuring to her as a new mom, she said.
“I’ve heard so many things like ‘It’s hard to breastfeed,’” she said. “Knowing that there is so much help- it’s really good for me.”
Whitehurst had already started breast-feeding her baby by the next day.
As part of the Baby Friendly Initiative, Kaiser will not accept free formula from vendors.
“We separated our relationship with formula vendors and that is a part of baby friendly too,” Wuthrich said.
Formula is prescribed when it is medically recommended for babies, rather than being a substitute for milk.
Wuthrich said baby formula is healthy, but human milk is better.
Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs: The Doctor is Out -- to Serve You!
Most professionals have worked inside a box for so long. By that, we mean it has taken so long for people to take the ways of the innovative world to benefit majority of people, especially in the medical profession. But doctors have learned to come out of their traditional comfort-zones in order to expand their horizon and serve more people in a more dynamic and effective way. Meet one of those physicians who is out there to serve your needs: Dr. Richard Isaacs.
Dr. Isaacs’ qualifications, as posted in his web homepage, were not meant to impress but to inform and convince people of what he is capable of providing. Rich is not only a specialist in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery but is also an experienced physician who has dealt with various cancer cases (facial skin cancer, jaw tumor. laryngeal cancer, paranasal sinus cancer and thyroid cancer and others). He has also worked in developing innovative medical procedures using robotics and computer-aided medical systems.
With his extensive experience and expertise, it is not surprising that Rich, who attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as an undergraduate, excelled in academics and garnered honors a graduate. He was born and raised in Detroit and finished his medical degree at the Wayne State University School of Medicine there, also finishing with honors.
Dr. Isaacs joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and he holds Advanced Certification in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. His specializes in such cases as orbital, nasal, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as thyroid and parathyroid surgical procedures. Moreover, Rich has undergone training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and is likewise an expert in post-tumor facial reanimation and facial reconstruction surgery. Rich is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as well as of the American College of Surgeons. He has written several articles in different medical and other related publications.
In his heart, Rich is a natural teacher and is engaged in training medical students, residents and fellows from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia), and Northstate University School of Medicine (Elk Grove) where he serves as a Professor of Otolaryngology. With his passion for teaching, Rich obviously finds personal satisfaction in achieving one of the noblest occupations any person can have in life. Expertise and knowhow thrive through continuing study and research, as well as through bequeathing them on to others who will likewise apply and pass them on through their own practice.
Being a Physician-In-Chief, Rich has shown good leadership abilities as well as proven his integrity as a trustworthy professional. In April of 2005, he was appointed to the Physician-In-Chief position for the South Sacramento and Elk Grove Medical Facilities. He heads 450 physicians and over 3,000 nurses and staff who serve 210,000 Kaiser Permanente members in the South Sacramento and Elk Grove locality. Rich also works as the Medical Director of operations, as well as all inpatient and outpatient sections. He likewise holds the position of Chief Medical Officer for the 290-bed Acute Care Hospital and ACS Level II Trauma Center.
Physicians are some of the most workaholic workers we know; however, they strive to spend meaningful time in other endeavors, such as in sports. And for a doctor with his credentials, Rich chose to become a skier and an Alpine Member at the National Ski Patrol, providing complete care to injured skiers at the Tahoe Donner Ski Resort. Not only is that inspiring; it is quite commendable – spending time out of the clinic and in the great outdoors while seeing to the medical needs of other sports-enthusiasts.
Here then is a physician you would want and who is totally prepared to meet your needs: Dr. Richard “Rich” Isaacs – now out there to catch you when you fall and falter.
Meir Ezra: How to Use Statistics to Boost Your Income
True or False?
- My income controls me more than I control it.
- My success is largely determined by luck.
- My boss determines my income.
- I'll never be more successful than my parents.
- My business rises and falls based on the economy.
Of course, all these statements are false.
One way to control your destiny is with statistics.
L. Ron Hubbard has discovered many uses of statistics. Statistics can predict your future. They can show you who is pulling their weight and who is loafing. They can accurately tell you if you are succeeding or failing.
All important functions in your business, career or job can be measured by statistics. For example, a well-managed restaurant tracks several statistics: How much money was collected each day, how many meals were served, the average amount paid per customer and so on.
You take command of your income by discovering which of your statistics are causing the income to go up.
"In any set of statistics of several kinds or activities, you can always find one or more that are not 'by luck' but can be directly caused by the organization or a part of it." -- L. Ron Hubbard
Leo's Café
Leo owns a small restaurant called Leo's Café. He makes around $5,000 per month in pay, but needs at least $15,000 per month to reach his financial goals.
To take home $15,000 per month, his café needs to bring in $150,000 per month, but it only collects $50,000 per month. Leo decides to use statistics to take control of the income.
He makes dozens of statistical graphs for the past three months. He figures out the numbers on everything he can: income, number of meals served, number of customers, average charge per customer, payroll amount paid, time spent cooking, time spent with customers, time spent promoting and so on.
He notices that the daily income jumped to $5,000 on seven separate days last month. It never did this during any other month. Why?
He looks through the customer's orders for those days and discovers there was a special event on each of those days. A big family reunion, a bachelorette party, a Lions' Club meeting, a birthday party, a business meeting and another family reunion.
