BOARD CHAIR REPORT – September 2025

September 11, 2025

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Dear Sonoma Valley Community,

Although the Board took our customary August pause from a formal meeting, the health and wellness of our Valley remained front and center. I hope you were able to enjoy the last weeks of summer with family and friends—and found a few moments for your own wellbeing.

CEO Recruitment and UCSF Collaboration Renewal
In August we collaborated with our UCSF partners on two important items: the recruitment of our next CEO and the renewal of our UCSF–SVH Collaboration Agreement.

A joint CEO Search Committee—made up of representatives from UCSF, the SVCHD Board, SVH physician leaders, and SVH Foundation Board members—reviewed more than 100 applications, narrowed the pool to 12 candidates for panel interviews, and invited three finalists for two-day, in-person visits at both SVH and UCSF.

At the same time, a joint renewal team with members from UCSF and the SVCHD Board has begun work on the Collaboration Agreement, now in its seventh year. Input is being gathered from the community, our Board, hospital leadership, and the SVH Foundation Board to ensure the agreement reflects the needs of the years ahead.

Fiscal Stewardship
The Board approved Management’s recommendation to maintain the tax rate at $18.50 per $100,000 for FY2026. These funds continue to be directed exclusively toward repayment of the General Obligation Bond, reinforcing our commitment to careful financial stewardship.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Report
Prepared by Dr. Seric Cusick, Chief Medical Officer reported that the Sepsis Committee has been re-established and is fully operational. Stroke care metrics continue to demonstrate excellence, with focused work underway to drive even greater improvement. He also highlighted progress on new pathways to expedite transfers for patients requiring higher-level care at Marin Health, helping ensure timely access to specialized services.

In July, several physicians stepped into new Medical Executive Leadership roles: Dr. Amara (Chief of Staff), Dr. Rainow (Vice Chief of Staff), Dr. Walther (Chair of Medicine), Dr. Fenton (Vice Chair of Medicine), Dr. Alexandridis (Chair of Surgery), and Dr. Weiss (Vice Chair of Surgery).

CEO Update
Ben Armfield, Interim CEO and CFO, presented an operations update that reflected strong growth across nearly all service lines. Surgical volumes exceeded 150 procedures, up 15% from last year. CT volumes surpassed 500 exams for the first time, a 13% year-over-year increase. Ultrasound reached a record 297 exams, 35% above last year. MRI volumes also set new highs, boosted by referrals from Petaluma, Napa, St. Helena, UCSF, and Stanford. These numbers show that Sonoma Valley Hospital continues to serve not just our Valley, but our neighboring communities as well.

Ben also highlighted progress on capital projects at Sonoma Valley Hospital. Demolition of the Central Wing is complete, clearing the way for permanent installation of the 3T MRI in the Outpatient Diagnostic Center. Construction on the Physical Therapy expansion finished under budget and is awaiting final state approval. And the ICU remodel is virtually complete, with all newly renovated rooms already in use.

CFO Report
Ben Armfield reported that July—the first month of FY2026—was a record-setting month for the hospital. Gross charges topped $33 million, coming in 20% above budget and marking the highest monthly total in our history. While anticipated IGT funding contributed, the main driver was higher patient volumes in surgery, imaging, and emergency visits. For a hospital of our size, gross charges are a strong indicator of overall activity, and these results highlight the momentum we’re building.

Quality Committee Report
SVHCD Second Vice Chair Dan Kittleson presented the Quality Committee report for the second quarter of 2025. Inpatient and ambulatory HCAHPS scores dipped slightly across several domains but remain competitive with state and national benchmarks.

Stroke care continues to be a standout, with SVH meeting or exceeding all measures and earning the 2025 Get With the Guidelines – Silver Plus award from the American Heart Association. Length of stay rose slightly compared to the first quarter, yet the observed-over-expected ratio averaged 0.87, keeping results below the target of 1.0. Patient satisfaction, as reflected in text-based Q-Reviews, remained high across departments.

Community Engagement
This month the Hospital is offering the Active Aging & Wellness Series, four free Friday afternoon sessions featuring local experts and community partners. This is an excellent series and we are thankful to the team working behind the scenes to put this series on.

• Sept 5: Grief & Loss — Kristie Walthard, AMFT, APCC (Hanna Center)
• Sept 12: Age-Friendly Health System: What Matters — Rebecca Spear, DNP, AGNP-C, GS-C
• Sept 19: Sleep & Weight Management — Dr. Rafael Sepulveda (Sleep Fit Medical)
• Sept 26: Whole-Person Wellness: Aging with Strength, Grace & Connection — Danielly Rocha-Lanter (Danielly’s Fitness)

Each month, I am reminded that it truly takes a village—our hospital staff and physicians, UCSF partners, Foundation, community organizations, and the many volunteers who give their time and expertise—to keep high-quality care close to home in Sonoma Valley.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.

Warm regards,

Wendy Lee Myatt
Chair, Sonoma Valley Health Care District Board