CHUCK BILL Chuck Bill, CEO of the J C Fremont Healthcare District, updated the Mariposa Rotary Club this week. The district provides a wide range of services for the community with three clinics across the county. One clinic is in Mariposa adjacent to the hospital facility. In areas of the county farther from the hospital, clinics with physician assistants and nurse practitioners, both supervised by physicians, provide the bulk of primary care.

The district has a combination of on-site physicians and visiting specialists. Dr. Lopez provides pediatric care for patients at the clinics in Mariposa and Greeley Hill. Other specialists hold clinic hours in Mariposa. This arrangement means that the district provides a broader range of services than can be found in many rural communities.

The hospital provides a wide range of testing and laboratory facilities. In fact, emergency room physicians give the laboratory higher marks than comparable labs at other institutions.

Mariposa residents have the convenience of local testing and efficient reporting even when travel out of the community is required for certain procedures.

Notwithstanding day-today healthcare, the recent H1N1 threat has increased activity at the hospital. Readers may be aware that the specialty clinic (also known as "Clinic 2") serves as an isolation unit for H1N1 victims. Recently, the number of cases has decreased allowing Clinic 2 to become the specialty clinic once again. State auditors reviewed the emergency response efforts and indicated that no recommendations for change were required.

The district is evaluating several providers of technology for electronic medical records. Considerations include cost and funding mechanisms as well as system capabilities. The district is working to meet deadlines to qualify for stimulus funds.

Grants are being submitted to plan and develop a "health assessment" for the community. The aim is for a renewed emphasis on wellness, encouraging citizens of Mariposa to take responsibility for their own health and live healthier in the community.