The First North County Project Access Surgery Saturday

Inspired by the successful partnership over the past three years between Project Access San Diego and Kaiser Permanente that provided seven surgery days, $2 million in donated services and more than 240 procedures to grateful uninsured adults in our community, Project Access teamed up with the professional staff at Carlsbad Surgery Center, the first outpatient facility in Carlsbad and a member of the Surgery One group. This was our first non-Kaiser Permanente event and was made possible by the generous participation of Adam Fierer, MD, general surgeon, and Mark Ransom, MD, anesthesiologist from Anesthesia Service Medical Group. Thanks to their leadership, five outpatient surgeries were smoothly completed: a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, an umbilical, two unilateral and one bilateral inguinal herniorhaphies.

The team they led was outstanding. Scott Leggatt is the executive director of Surgery One in all four locations: Carlsbad Surgery Center, Orthopaedic Surgery Center of La Jolla Facility, Coast Surgery Center Facility and Otay Lakes Surgery Center. The 30 volunteer professionals in the preop, postop and operating areas were led by Mandy Moore, RN, and David Douglas, administrator.

Two UCSD medical students shepherded the patients and their families through the day and provided translation when needed. Also volunteering to get a taste of healthcare were the teen daughters of Dr. Ransom, Scott Leggett and Rick Viela, PA. Every one of the Carlsbad volunteers was delighted to be helping such a worthy cause. They obviously love their work and welcomed our PASD staff warmly. BJ Bodwell, RN, missed her annual volunteer trips to Fiji and thanked us for bringing underserved patients to her. The medical students were very grateful for their first surgical experience and the opportunity to really help patients.

Best of all were the patients. All five were in a great deal of pain — some unable to work — and all were compromised in many aspects of life. One patient had been suffering with her hernia for 10 years. All mentioned the postop ability to enjoy family, pick up children, and provide for their family because of the ability to work full-time again. The preop fear of the unknown, although allayed by the gentle care of all, especially their guides, the medical students, was replaced post-op by bountiful happiness and gratitude. One patient said that angels do exist: all those who made this surgery possible. Another said he felt like he had won the lottery to be chosen for this surgery. Additionally everyone who made these surgeries possible felt truly rewarded, and as many of our PASD volunteer physicians have told us, this is why they became physicians.

In fall 2008 when Kaiser Permanente facilitated the first Super Saturday, which served as the kickoff to Project Access San Diego, KP leadership hoped their support would inspire others and lead to more patients served. Surgery One is working with PASD to implement quarterly Surgery Saturdays involving additional surgeons, adding to the capacity of the semi-annual KP days. The upcoming Oct. 15 KP Super Saturday will help 42 people gain improved health — our biggest surgery day ever! Other community hospitals and outpatient surgical centers provide unreimbursed care throughout the year by offering surgical suites and staffing to PASD volunteer physicians. Our partnership with ASMG and other anesthesiology groups as well as many other ancillary healthcare partners makes our work possible.

So the first Project Access-Surgery One Surgery Saturday was a resounding success thanks to the many caring professionals involved. It started with Adam Fierer, who advocated for Surgery One’s involvement after a Doctors Without Borders trip to Nicaragua; his colleague, Mark Ransom; the remarkable generosity of everyone at Carlsbad Surgery Center and Surgery One; and our own devoted staff — Barbara Mandel, Tanya Rovira, Elizabeth Terrazas, Rebecca Valenzuela, and Lauren Banfe — as usual working miracles.

To all our physician volunteers and other healthcare partners, thank you on behalf of the more than 900 patients whose health you have improved and whose lives you have changed.