CLEARLAKE— At the Judge’s Breakfast in Clearlake on Thursday Adventist Health President Colleen Assavapisitkul spoke, giving updates on the health care entity’s current operations in Lake County. Assavapisitkul highlighted their recent partnering with the Hope Center as well as their two new Rapid Care facilities and equipment upgrades.
In total, Adventist Health operates 14 locations in the county, employing over 90 providers and 25 specialists, employing 900 people in total with 650 of those being Lake County residents. Assavapisitkul noted, “Each clinic has clinics within it.” These 14 locations include two Rapid Care Centers, one located at 15230 Lakeshore Drive Suite 101in Clearlake which operates Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and another center in Lakeport located at 487 S. Main Street in Lakeport operating Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. which was opened only four months ago in July.
Assavapisitkul shared that these centers serve as a step between a doctor and the emergency room where anyone can get care according to their schedule and need. These centers have been rather successful thus far. Assavapisitkul said, “We have seen over 8,000 patients here at Clearlake through this Rapid Care Center and over 2,000 at Lakeport.” She added Adventist can also provide health and dental service all across the county with their mobile clinics. The health clinic will be on the road and functioning in January. This adds to their already operating shower trailer which is on track to have provided 5,000 showers this year.
Assavapisitkul also shared some recent awards the hospital received from the U.S. News and World Report: Best Hospitals of 2023-2024 which were both high performing hospital awards for caring for pneumonia as well as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Another accomplishment that Assavapisitkul discussed was the purchasing of new equipment including an Aspen Laser, brain scope, and GE infant monitor, and also the development of solar electricity at facilities. One of the larger accomplishments is that of the partnering with Pacific Union College to add an additional 18 nursing school seats for Northern California, four of those specifically for Lake County students. Assavapisitkul said, “We know PUC is a private college and therefore expensive, so we are assisting with tuition and other things that help our community get educated.”
Lastly, Assavapisitkul discussed Adventist Health’s partnering and recent takeover of the management at the Hope Center Homeless Shelter located at 3400 Emerson Street in Clearlake. Assavapisitkul explained that the Hope Center is one of three parts, with the others being Hope Rising and the Hope House which according to Assavapisitkul “Is actually a home in Lower Lake that we rent and then we have residents who are participating in one of these two programs who are learning how to live on their own and rent bedrooms, share the kitchen, share the living rooms, but they rent the bedrooms learning how to budget their funds and pay rent on time.” These community collaborative efforts have helped house several unhoused individuals and continue to be vital in the progress of our community as Clearlake Resident Jeffry Dryden shared, “It seems to me that the quality of care has improved drastically.” To which Assavapisitkul responded, “I have been here 12 years, so the journey has been to really increase the quality of care and provide the absolute best care we can, we don’t use the excuse that we are small here in Lake County as an excuse that we don’t have to give good care.”
The Judge’s Breakfast is held at the Masonic Lodge in Clearlake every Thursday morning at 7 a.m. and is open to the public. Next week’s guest speaker is Faith Hornby, Manager, Philanthropy AHCL, Every Beat Counts, and Don Smith, Director, Associate & Community Well-Being AHCL, Well-Being: Mission & Vision.
