KGLP Podcasts

SCOTUS repeal of Roe V Wade = NM reproductive health orgs and State legislators respond

After the June 24, 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision (reversing Roe v Wade), removed the constitutional protections of reproductive rights, leaving laws on such rights to each state, New Mexico Reproductive Health and Justice Organizations and Legislators responded to the SCOTUS decision.

A coalition of New Mexico reproductive health and justice organizations that advocated for passage of the Respect New Mexico Women and Families Act (also known as SB10, the abortion ban repeal) hosted a press conference regarding the SCOTUS decision on Dobbs v. Jackson, and gave context to how this ruling will affect the New Mexico landscape. They were joined by reproductive healthcare champions in the New Mexico House and Senate.

Participating organizations included:

ACLU New Mexico
Bold Futures
Indigenous Life Ways (Executive Director Krystal Curley, Diné)
Forward Together
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains
ProgressNow New Mexico
Tewa Women United
Reproductive health champions in the NM House and Senate

Related:

Biden responds to 6/24/22 SCOTUS reversal on abortion rights, urges voting

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-urges-public-to-vote-after-supreme-courts-abortion-decision/ar-AAYPYx7?li=BBnb7Kz

 

 

 

May 8, 2022 presentation of solutions for RMCH hospital crisis by CHAG

Here is audio from the May 8, 2022 town hall at which the Community Health Action Group, CHAG, a Gallup area community health group, proposed solutions to the RMCH hospital crisis

The hospital may be facing bankruptcy, with less than a week’s cash reserves, following a year of alleged mis-management, including reports of the forced exodus of a dis-proportionate number of health care providers and staff from the organization, and more recently, of grossly in-adequate supplies and unpaid bills.

For more information, you may email:

RMCHisOurHospital@gmail.com 

or you may visit the Community Health Action Group (CHAG) at:

RMCHisOurHospital.org

An hour of audio recorded at the April 25 business healthcare forum that was held at Angela's Cafe, in Gallup, NM, to discuss the ramifications of RMCH turmoil for local entrepreneurs, may now be heard at:

https://kglp.podbean.com/e/gallup-business-owners-healthcare-forum/ (Note that less than one day later, the CFO of RMCH, who spoke in this April 25 meeting, was fired by RMCH - see the editorial, below...)

Letter to the Editor of the Gallup Independent, from CHAG:
 
It is less than a month into the tenure of a “new” chief executive at Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services, and it is clear, with our hospital on the brink of bankruptcy, that CHC (the hospital’s management company) is pushing forward an agenda of destructive, deceitful and hostile leadership, total disregard of patient and community concerns, and crisis profiteering.
In fact, since Mr. Whitaker assumed the title of CHC CEO, communication, transparency and honesty have been even more curtailed:
 
> A report on the financial status of the hospital was not provided to the public during the Board of Trustees meeting on 4/20. 
> The Community Health Action Group has received dozens of urgent, specific first-hand reports of serious supply shortages (e.g., “Not only have we been reusing disposable adult small blood pressure cuffs we now have no Sp02 probes”). Hospital employees are purchasing their own toilet paper, gloves, and medical equipmentand have the receipts to prove it. RMCHCS labeled these reports “misinformation” (4/27 Facebook post). Community members organized to donate 1,200 rolls of toilet paper, 75 pounds of food, 11 reams of paper, eight boxes of nitrile gloves and more desperately needed supplies. Mr. Whitaker’s response? “Donations are not needed as we have all needed supplies” (4/28 Facebook post). 
> At the 4/26 County Commission meeting, CHC and RMCHCS told the County Commission that former CHC CFO Chantelle Venter, a turnover specialist with clearly communicated plans to bring the hospital into solvency, resigned a week prior. The truth is obvious and undeniable: she was fired the day of the Commission meeting and a day after speaking at a community meeting. As seen on video in a 4/27 KOB4 news report, she was escorted from the hospital by security on 4/26. A further clear sign that her departure was sudden and unexpected is that she was scheduled to provide reports during a medical staff meeting on 4/28.
Our community demands a stop to the lies. Our community demands transparency. Our community demands accountability. 
Because we believe these things, the Community Health Action Group is developing a plan for a Management Services Organization to replace CHC, restore the community’s faith in our hospital, and bring the focus back to patient care and community needs.

Our community demands better. 

Community Health Action Group (CHAG)

Dr. Connie Liu 
Rose Eason 
Brett Hartline 
Jaylyn Hinkley 
Sandra Geary 
Dr. Caleb Lauber 
Dr. Kathy Mezoff 
Jean Philips 
Sara Pikaart 
Pam Yardley 
Gwen Wilson

Gallup Business Owners Healthcare Forum

The latest healthcare forum from CHAG, the Community Health Action Group. Recorded at Angela's Cafe in downtown Gallup on Monday, April 25th. Community members discuss how the health of the hospital impacts their business. 

Red Rock String Ensemble’s Farewell Concert

Recording of the Red Rock String Ensemble's Farewell Concert, recorded at the First United Methodist Church on Sunday, April 24, 2022.

Bill Krzymowski Reflects on his 17 years with the Red Rock String Ensemble

KGLP's Emma Farley interviews Bill Krzymowski, director of Gallup's Red Rock String Ensemble. They've been performing in Gallup for 17 years. Their final concert is coming up on Sunday, April 24th at 4 pm, at Gallup's First United Methodist Church. 

Willy and Lester discuss The Summer of Soul documentary that won Questlove an Oscar

On the "Don't Worry Be Happy" hour, Yolanda speaks for 10 minutes with ventriloquist Willy and his cohort Lester, about appearing in Questlove's Oscar-winning documentary, "Summer of Soul (...or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), based on long archived film footage shot during the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which featured a variety of renowned performances from legends such as Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Staples Singers, Ray Barretto, The Temptations' former frontman David Ruffin, The 5th Dimension, and more.

NPR story:  https://www.npr.org/2021/07/01/1010306918/summer-of-soul-questlove-movie-review-harlem-cultural-festival

Questlove gets the Academy Award for best documentary:

https://djmag.com/news/questlove-wins-best-original-documentary-oscar-summer-soul

 

Hear from the 5 Candidates Running for Gallup-McKinley County Sheriff

On April 5, 2022, the McKinley County Democrats and the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored this community forum with all 5 candidates running for sheriff. The candidates answered a variety of questions about their initiatives, goals and policies. 

 

The primary election is June 7, 2022. 

Irelands Old and New: The Faeries Among Us

Dr. Andrew McFeaters delivers this special presentation at the UNM-Gallup Zollinger Library on March 23, 2022. He explores the political and cultural traditions of Ireland in the past and present. 

A video of the talk, with slides, can be found on the Zollinger Library Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ZollingerLibrary/videos/4954148967997042

March 12, 2022 Community Health Town Hall discussing RMCH hospital concerns

Audio of the March 18, 2022 Community Town Hall discussing concerns about the administration of the RMCH hospital in Gallup, NM.

The ZOOM recording will be available at www.rmchisourhospital.org.

Community Health Action Group (CHAG) statement:  Dr. Val Wangler, New Mexico Society of Hospital Medicine’s 2021 Physician of the Year, founder and director for RMCHCS’s Family Medicine Residency, and the hospital’s former Chief Medical Officer, was terminated without cause from Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital by the management team of Community Hospital Corporation.  This caps 1.5 years of management by the Community Health Corporation which has been notable for an estimated >25% staff turnover, including the departure of over 60% of nurses - several times the national average (CHAG estimates).  At the March 12th Town Hall, CHAG presented the results of an RMCH employee survey of current and former hospital employees that suggest a “toxic” work environment and “hostile” management is the root cause of this crisis of staffing.  The results directly counter statements made by CHC management, including claims that exit interviews are performed, that nurses reported leaving for higher pay, and that local expertise is not available for hire.

"We have a very narrow window to make changes to save the hospital, and bring dedicated staff back," said Dr. Connie Liu, a local physician and a survey administrator.  "We are calling on the RMCH Board of Trustees and our County Commissioners to act.  We believe our evidence compels action, including termination of the contract with CHC.”

The hospital is a major service point for patients who live in nearby Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo (70% of the patient population at RMCH is Native American), and it is the only hospital where IHS non-beneficiaries can seek care.  CHC management reported that RMCH experienced a 2021 cash loss of $9.4 million at the February Board Meeting.  In the past month, community members mobilized weekly patient and community protests related to inaccessible clinic phone lines and ongoing, unaddressed reports of patient safety issues.  This includes a dysfunctional call light system and inoperable code button system on the Med/Surg/Peds floor, both of which put patients unnecessarily at risk.

To view the CHAG White Paper: Employee Survey Results and Recommendations, please visit the CHAG webpage.
www.rmchisourhospital.org 

New Mexico Department of Health Covid-19 Update (March 2, 2022)

The New Mexico Department of Health provides a COVID-19 webinar update, and takes questions from the media. Recorded on March 2, 2022.