Yuma Regional Medical Center’s Post

During YRMC Innovation Week in the fall of 2023, Carol Smith, R.N., a dedicated nurse, and Alexis Liggett, a former Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) parent, presented a heartwarming proposal named "Tiny Moments that Matter" at YRMC's annual Shark Tank event. They advocated for a welcoming and supportive space for NICU families. Their pitch struck a chord with the judges, and thanks to the generous donors of the foundation of YRMC, this project has now become a reality. The NICU Family Room provides a quiet sanctuary for parents to gather strength, receive private updates from doctors, and even learn crucial skills needed to care for their newborns at home. Thank you to the Foundation of YRMC for supporting this initiative, a shining example of YRMC's commitment to family-centered care, offering a beacon of hope and comfort during a challenging time.

Thanks to 13 YRMC nurse preceptors and funding from the Arizona Transition to Practice Program, several new YRMC nurses are getting crucial training. This 12-month program provides new nurses with structure and additional support, beyond their clinical immersion, for transitioning into their nursing practice. We express special thanks to our nurse preceptors: Maricarmen Salazar, RN Heather Chavez, RN Jennifer Hill, RN Janeth Sosa, RN Juliana Razo Lugo, RN Claudia Montes, RN Madison Frame, RN Diana Ortiz Sanchez, RN Nayeli Castro, RN Stephany Delgadillo, RN Azul Barcelo, RN Aileen Almazan, RN Angelica Garibay, RN We appreciate these nurses’ dedication to passing along their insight, wisdom and expertise to ensure our newest caregivers thrive.

On Saturday, June 22, Yuma Regional Medical Center graduated another successful class of Family & Community Medicine residents. We express congratulations to the residency Class of 2024: ⚬ Dr. Ludny Charles ⚬ Dr. Nicole Daniel ⚬ Dr. Sana Aman ⚬ Dr. Zainab Amin ⚬ Dr. Reina Ayala ⚬ Dr. Cullen Copeland ⚬ Dr. Pamela Cuebas Moreno ⚬ Dr. Veerauo Konkankit We are excited to share that Dr. Aman will join YRMC as an outpatient physician at our Foothills Medical Plaza and Dr. Konkankit will join the Family and Community Medicine residency program as a core faculty. We thank these physicians who have served our community and provided high-quality, compassionate care. Good luck on your next adventures!

On Saturday, June 22, Shawn Sunu, DO, graduated from his Sports Medicine Fellowship at Yuma Regional Medical Center. Dr. Sunu graduated from the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, NY. He completed the Geisinger Kistler Family Medicine Residency Program in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Thank you, Dr. Sunu, for serving the Yuma community and providing high-quality, compassionate care. Good luck with all of your future endeavors!

Today we join our employees, physicians, and community in honoring #Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates freedom, equality, and resilience. At YRMC we're committed to inclusivity and providing equitable care for all.

The newly wrapped Mobile Health Clinic made its debut Wednesday morning! The Foundation of YRMC is thanking our donors for their support of this special service, which helps us improve access to care and build a healthier tomorrow. YRMC family and community medical residents will begin using the Mobile Clinic in August, at the start of the school year, when it will park outside of Fourth Ave Junior High and Roosevelt Elementary School. Our doctors will treat students at these schools for wellness and sick visits as part of YRMC's School Healthcare Program. The Mobile Clinic will later be used at community outreach events attended by our medical residents, like the Territorial Marathon, and will be used to treat patients throughout the region. Special thanks to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community and Health Advancement, Epic Systems, Vizient, Inc and our own Foundation of YRMC for their generous donations and support of this wonderful program.

Yuma Regional Medical Center proudly sponsored the Relay For Life of Yuma County's Survivor & Caregiver Gala on National Cancer Survivors Day. This special event honored the courageous cancer survivors and the devoted caregivers who stood by their side every step of the way. The gala celebrated life's triumphs over adversity, providing a space for survivors and loved ones to unite and commemorate their journeys. YRMC wholeheartedly supports uplifting cancer survivors and their families, as we believe no one should face this battle alone. Our very own Dr. Arun Raajasekar shared his expertise as a speaker, while 8 dedicated members of YRMC's Cancer Center attended, demonstrating our steadfast commitment to the cause. We will continue raising awareness, offering support, and striving for a future free from cancer's grasp.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Ryan McKinnon, an Ophthalmologist who joined our YRMC Ophthalmology clinic. Dr. McKinnon completed his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign in Urbana, IL, and his ophthalmology residency at the University of Missouri, Mason Institute of Ophthalmology in Columbia, MO. Dr. McKinnon believes that listening is the most important part of patient care. To make an appointment with Dr. McKinnon, please call (928)336-2575.

YRMC Volunteer Services gives out five $2,000 scholarships each year to support educational opportunities for the next generation of medical participants. Funding is made possible through the generosity and fundraising efforts of Yuma Regional volunteers, proceeds from retail operations and donations from supporters of this program. Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2024 Volunteer Services Healthcare Scholarship: 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - Vanessa Barnett - Ivan Lee - Andrea Leon - Miguel Sandoval - Kayle Heidemann In remembrance of Gabriela Velazquez, Yuma Regional Medical Center Volunteer Services established a scholarship in her name, which is a tribute to her passion for community service, ensuring Gaby’s legacy of helping others by supporting high school students in achieving their goals. Congratulations to Sala Almuliki, the recipient of the 2024 Gabriela Velazquez Scholarship. If you are interested in the Volunteer Services Healthcare Scholarship, applications will open in February 2025. If you would like more information on how to donate, please email Foundation@yumaregional.org.

Yuma Regional Medical Center is proud to be featured in Strategic Health Care Marketing's Advertising Showcase for our transformative "We Believe" campaign! 🌟 At Yuma Regional Medical Center, we've been on an incredible quality journey, with our team engaged in over 400 quality improvement projects. But we realized that our employees and community didn't fully see the impact. That's when we launched "We Believe" - a campaign to bridge the gap between perception and reality. 💡 Our approach? Meet people where they are - Be inclusive - Celebrate wins - Recognize individuals and teams - Create purpose and belief - Enable everyone to contribute The results? A 21% increase in employees who believe we provide high-quality care and service. 📈 Our SVP of Marketing, Machele Headington, put it best: "We want people to believe in their work and to know that their contributions are making a difference." From internal moments to community-wide advertising, we're sharing stories of how our team impacts lives every day. Because at YRMC, quality isn't just a metric—it's our mission. Read more about our journey in the latest issue of Strategic Health Care Marketing. Link in comments!