December Board Chair Report

December 14, 2023

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Dear Members of the Community,

At our Board Meeting on December 7th, we enjoyed seeing the active participation of our community members, both in person and via Zoom. As the Board Chair, I have the privilege of being approached by community members regularly with questions and comments. This engagement is a clear testament to how significant Sonoma Valley Hospital is to our community. We deeply value and appreciate your active involvement, and we want you to know just how much this means to us, both at our meetings and in our ongoing operations.

Join Our Board and Make a Difference

We invite you to consider joining our Board, an opportunity that is personally rewarding and essential to our community. As Board members we represent our diverse community voices and perspectives. Please consider bringing yours to the table. If you’re interested, attending our meetings is a great way to experience the process firsthand, and you can reach out to any of our board members for more information.

Valley of the Moon Post Acute and Community Care

Ryan Goldbarg, Executive Director of Valley of the Moon Post Acute presented to the Board, a regular occurrence throughout the year. Valley of the Moon Post Acute functions as our hospital’s Skilled Nursing Facility, offering specialized care to patients who have moved beyond the need for acute care services but are not yet ready to return to independent living. Seventy five percent of their patients originate from Sonoma Valley Hospital, underscoring our commitment to local residents’ well-being through effective case management and discharge planning. They prioritize SVH patients, ensuring that local patients can recover in the comfort of their own community, not far from home. Mr. Goldbarg also highlighted their Certified Nursing Assistant staffing program, resulting in minimal turnover and the retention of valuable staff.

Insurance Contracts and Community Impact

As part of the CEO Report, John Hennelly provided an update on our efforts to review and renegotiate our insurance contracts, particularly focusing on Anthem Blue Cross. This contract, which hasn’t undergone a complete overhaul in nearly a decade, was originally set to expire on 12/1/23 but has been extended to 2/1/24. We remain committed to keeping our community informed about these negotiations and their potential impact through regular updates. To learn more, please visit our webpage.

Enhancing Physical Therapy Access

John Hennelly also sought the Board’s approval for the Physical Therapy Expansion funding. This initiative aims to bolster access to Physical Therapy within our community, aligning with our goal to deliver care that addresses our community’s specific needs and demographics. The project holds significant importance as the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation’s primary focus for the year, and we urge public involvement in supporting this endeavor. Detailed information is available on the Foundation’s website for those interested in supporting the PT expansion.

Transition in Orthopedics and Age-Friendly Health System

In the CMO Report, Dr. Sankaran shared the news that Dr. Michael Brown, a highly valued Orthopedist with a long history at SVH, will be departing this spring to be closer to his family in Oregon. We deeply appreciate his contributions to our community, and we are actively in the process of finding a suitable replacement. Our commitment to having our staff as integral parts of our community remains unwavering, a characteristic exemplified by Dr. Brown. Our overarching goal is to continue delivering specialized care that aligns seamlessly with the unique needs of our community and orthopedics is a focus area.

Additionally, Dr. Sankaran reported that Sonoma Valley Hospital has received recognition as an Age-Friendly Health System – Participant. This designation underscores our dedication to enhancing the health and healthcare of older adults within our community. Our patient care approach prioritizes the 4 M’s: what Matters, Medications, Mobility, and Mentation when caring for older adults.

Financial Update

CFO Ben Armfield provided a financial report for October, which showed mixed results, primarily driven by lower surgical volumes, and increased operating costs related to projects. While October’s performance was below budget, we exceeded last year’s performance significantly.

As we approach the winter holidays and the new year, we want to express our gratitude for your participation and support. We value your involvement and look forward to continuing our journey together in 2024.

Thank you for your commitment to Sonoma Valley Hospital.

Sincerely,

Judy

Judith Bjorndal, MD

Board Chair Sonoma Valley Health Care District