health care

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In less than 90 days life has changed in South Lake Tahoe, California and the United States. The West caught up quickly to the novel coronavirus pandemic that was first contracted by a human in China on November 17, 2019.

Scientists and doctors pled for the public to stay home to keep the virus from spreading, and that plea worked better in some areas than others.

RENO, Nev. – Peter Lucas, 35, of Reno, was arrested yesterday and appeared in court today for allegedly stealing hundreds of surgical masks from a supply cart at the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center (VA Medical Center) in Reno.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Those living in the Lake Tahoe Basin have experienced a large number of visitors and non-fulltime residents coming into the area, and today the El Dorado County Public Health Officer issued a no-travel order.

Dr. Nancy Williams issued the order to start immediately and will remain in place until April 30, 2020, unless extended or modified.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Ever since Governor Newsom issued a 'Stay at Home' order on March 19, 2020, there has been confusion on what businesses are essential and what the public can and cannot do. The order was created to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and to establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The El Dorado County Public Health Department has announced there are now nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, March 26. The County is not identifying the communities where these cases are.

This brings the total number of positive cases in the State of California to 4,040. There have been 82 deaths in the state.

Of those 3,666, 886 are community-acquired cases; 2,120 were acquired through person-to-person transmission, travel (including cruise ship passengers), repatriation, or under investigation. This includes 42 health care workers.

The following is a press release from Barton Health, Carson Tahoe Health, Marshall Medical Center and Tahoe Forest Health System:

With the continuing spread of COVID-19 within the U.S., the healthcare providers of the greater Lake Tahoe/El Dorado Region are working closely with each other and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as California and Nevada health authorities, to care for affected individuals. We are also jointly taking steps to limit person-to-person spread within our communities.

Information about COVID-19

During a Tuesday evening press conference, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak ordered a statewide closure of all nonessential businesses in the state, including casinos.

The Stateline, Nevada casinos not already closed will close March 17 at midnight. The nonessential businesses in the state must close by noon on Wednesday, March 18.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) sent out a letter to all students and staff concerning the district's Pandemic Preparedness Plan in regards to travel and self-quarantine.

Effective Monday, March 9, 2020, all students and staff returning from travel out-of-the-country or from COVID-19 infected areas in California or other areas of the United States are strongly recommended to self-quarantine in their home for 14 consecutive days beginning the date of their return to South Lake Tahoe.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Over 34 million Americans have caught the flu this year with over 20,000 deaths recorded, but its the coronavirus COVID-19 that is getting all the headlines.

There are no current reported cases of COVID-19 in South Lake Tahoe/El Dorado County, Alpine County or Douglas County, but local agencies want to be prepared, just in case people come down with the virus.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Soroptimist International Club of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) invites the community to their weekly meeting on Thursday, February 27 when they feature Barton Health's Neurology Specialist, Rituparna Das, MD. The doctor will share insights on brain function and brain health.

The meeting will be from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Coffee will be served and both men and women are invited.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It took almost a full week of the new year to welcome in the first baby born at Barton Memorial Hospital. Everett James Haen came into the world at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7.

Everett was born at the hospital's Family Birthing Center to Robert Haen and Shaina Willen, MD. He weighed six pounds 15 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there is currently a shortage of physicians in the United States – a shortfall that can be as high as 104,000 doctors by 2030. This issue, as well as an aging population, is changing health care and the need to increase providers to meet the demand of patients and expand access.

Barton is committed to providing our community with the care they need when they need it. We are expanding access to care by adding new experts throughout our healthcare system to work alongside Barton doctors.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Memorial Hospital received an ‘A’ grade for patient safety, recognizing Barton’s system-wide measures in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

October is National SIDS, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and is meant to honor all babies lost too soon; from early pregnancy loss to infant death.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. “For anyone who has lost a friend or loved one to suicide, this month can be especially hard,” said Jamie Samboceti, Deputy Director of the El Dorado County Behavioral Health Division. “We hope that by supporting one another and working together to raise awareness about suicide, we can ultimately save lives.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Chris Kiser has been announced as the new executive director for the Barton Foundation. He will be overseeing fundraising efforts to improve healthcare for the Lake Tahoe community through philanthropy.

There will be a community meet and greet for Kiser at Lake Tahoe Aleworx on Tuesday, August 27 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Over 3,000 bicycle enthusiasts will be riding the 72 miles around Lake Tahoe on Sunday, June 2 as they participate in the 28th annual America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Health has expanded the area's access to care and treatment of neurological issues and opened a neurology office in South Lake Tahoe. To staff the new office they have brought on neurology specialist, Rituparna Das, MD to see patients 18 years and older.

Dr. Das is board-certified and experienced in rural health care systems. She was most recently practicing at Adventist Health Feather River Hospital in Paradise, Calif.

You may have heard something lately about “preventive health care.” What does that mean?

At its most basic, preventive health care means living a healthy lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet. Exercise regularly. Maintain a healthy weight. And stop smoking.

Like anyone else, people with Medicare can benefit from healthy living habits. But Medicare covers a wide variety of shots to help you stay healthy. It also covers numerous tests to help detect diseases early, when they’re in their most treatable stages.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first baby of the new year has arrived in South Lake Tahoe at Barton Health's Family Birthing Center. On January 2, 2019 at 5:38 p.m., a baby boy weighing in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. and 21" long was born to local residents Mordey and Shaina Richler.

This is the fourth child for the Richlers, who run Chabad Jewish Center. As customary with his parent's faith, Baby Richler will be named when he is eight days old.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The new city council had to tackle the big issue of a cannabis ordinance during their first meeting together on Tuesday, an issue that had been before the previous council numerous times. Two versions of an ordinance were presented but neither passed muster in the eyes of the council and they hope to have one that addresses their issues come before them at their January 15, 2019 meeting.

Local public safety employees hosted the eighth and final South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates' forum on October 25 at Lake Tahoe Community College.

It was a full house at the event which was hosted by the South Lake Tahoe Police Officers, the California Nurses and the South Lake Tahoe Firefighters associations and gave everyone a chance to hear from the nine candidates about their views before the November 6 election. Each association gave them two questions a piece, plus a couple asked by audience members during the two-hour long forum.

Signing up for a health insurance plan can be daunting and time consuming. As a Certified Enrollment Counselor, my job is to make it easier for South Lake Tahoe families and individuals to navigate Covered California and enroll in a health care plan.

With all the talk the about health care, I have heard rumblings and rumors about what is happening with the Affordable Care Act and what is changing with insurance. Get informed! Make a free one-on-one appointment with me or one my fellow enrollment counselors, have your questions answered, and get enrolled for 2019.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and a good time to familiarize yourself with the tools, resources and steps you can take in addressing suicide.

Suicide can be prevented if the signs are detected and the right actions are taken. Healthy coping skills are critical for dealing with incidents of trauma throughout life. Unfortunately, some people find that life stressors are too difficult and some choose negative ways to cope.

The most critical warning signs of suicide are:
- Talking about wanting to die or about suicide