BOARD CHAIR REPORT – October 2025

October 15, 2025

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BOARD LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY – OCTOBER 2025

Dear Sonoma Valley Community,

As the fall season begins, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on how your Sonoma Valley Hospital continues to care for our community, both within and beyond our hospital walls. This month’s theme is all about extending care outward: through community partnerships, educational programs, and expanded services that support wellness across Sonoma Valley.

In September, which marked Healthy Aging Month, SVH hosted four Active Aging & Wellness sessions at Vintage House, open to all community members. These well-attended sessions featured local experts discussing topics such as emotional resilience, fitness, and whole-person wellness. This coming weekend, on October 11, SVH will participate in the Golden Harvest Senior Resource & Wellness Fair at the Sonoma Community Center. And on October 16, the Foundation will host a donor appreciation celebration for the new Physical Therapy Center expansion, a project designed to serve more patients close to home. Each of these programs underscores how our hospital continues to reach beyond its walls to promote health, vitality, and connection throughout our Valley.

Community Outreach & Marketing Annual Report
Dawn Castelli, Community Outreach & Marketing Manager, shared a comprehensive annual report highlighting SVH’s branding, marketing, and community engagement activity. At Vintage House, the Active Aging & Wellness Series welcomed 310 neighbors across four sessions. At the Back-to-School Fair, 15 SVH volunteers helped send 60 backpacks home with local students. Dawn also reported that we are seeing outreach translate into access. The hospital’s 3T MRI campaign has contributed to a significant increase in MRI scans, rising from 1,679 in FY24 to 2,324 in FY25. These results reflect both the effectiveness of our outreach and our growing role in bringing advanced care to Sonoma and our neighboring communities. 

Administrative Resolution Approved
The Board formally approved a resolution which designates administrative responsibility and bank signature authority to Interim CEO Benjamin Armfield and Board Chair Wendy Lee Myatt. This resolution ensures that the hospital can efficiently execute or accept licensing citations, grant applications, and other official documents in connection with Sonoma Valley Hospital.

Chief Executive Officer’s Report
CFO and Interim CEO Ben Armfield began his report by welcoming Dr. Patrick Okolo, who officially joined SVH on October 6 as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Okolo comes to us from Rochester Regional Health in New York, where he served as Executive Medical Director and System Chief of Gastroenterology. We are thrilled to welcome him to Sonoma. Ben also shared that the American Heart Association has recognized SVH with the 2025 Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke Award, a national honor highlighting our team’s excellence and consistency in stroke care.

He also reported that clinical quality across departments continues to be strong, with quality metrics meeting or exceeding nearly all targets through August. Several capital projects are also progressing well. The Outpatient Diagnostic Center is in its final phase, pursuing permanent occupancy of the MRI trailer. The Physical Therapy Expansion Project has been completed and is awaiting final CDPH approval, with the new space expected to go live in November and a Grand Opening scheduled for October 16 at 5:00PM. Meanwhile, the ICU Refresh Project was completed in August, and all six ICU rooms are now fully operational.

CFO Report
Ben Armfield reported that August sustained July’s momentum. Gross charges reached $31.7 million, ahead of budget, reflecting strong outpatient, surgical, and emergency activity. Operating gain was $542,000, supported by robust volumes and operational discipline. The Emergency Departmentaveraged 34 visits per day, about 30% above last year, while surgical and imaging volumes remained high. Expenses were on budget and 5% lower than July, even with staffing aligned to demand. The month closed with 17 days cash on hand, a seasonal position following a scheduled Medi-Cal program payment that will yield future benefit.

With Gratitude & What’s Ahead
Each and every board meeting, I’m reminded that it takes a village to bring high-quality healthcare to our community. I am deeply grateful to my fellow Board members, our physicians, hospital staff, and volunteers for their time and expertise. I would also like to extend special thanks to Dr. Seric Cusick for serving as Interim CMO over the past year as we searched for Dr. Okolo. His leadership and dedication have been invaluable during this transition.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. I hope you’ll join us at the Golden Harvest Wellness Fair on October 11.

Warm regards,

Wendy Lee Myatt
Chair, Sonoma Valley Health Care District Board