February Board Chair Report

February 11, 2025

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As we enter February, we are reminded of the essential role partnerships play in enabling us to provide high-quality and convenient access to care for our community. Our recent collaborations have highlighted the profound impact these partnerships have on our ability to serve those who rely on us.

At our February Board meeting, chaired by Denise Kalos, we were fortunate to hear about one such impactful partnership. On February 4th, we welcomed California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Deputy Treasurer Khaim Morton, and California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) Executive Director Carolyn Aboubechara to Sonoma Valley Hospital. Their visit underscored the importance of these connections. Treasurer Ma and her team’s steadfast support exemplifies how meaningful partnerships drive lasting, positive change for both our hospital and the community we serve.

Hanna Center Partnership
Cameron Safarloo from Hanna Center provided an insightful presentation on the future of their organization and the expanding reach of their services within Sonoma Valley. He shared several opportunities and thoughts on how to integrate essential mental health services into our hospital emergency room, benefiting both patients and staff through the Mental Health Hub currently operating at Hanna Center. This collaboration will enhance the well-being of our community by offering services for our staff through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), making mental health care more accessible to everyone.

UCSF Community Update
John Hennelly provided an update on our ongoing affiliation with UCSF, particularly regarding our continued work towards connecting our medical records. Such a connection ensures more timely and improved outcomes for our patients. We are also excited about exploring broader opportunities with UCSF, such as offering cancer infusion services locally. The ability to provide community-based infusions through UCSF will bridge an important gap in care here in the valley and offer patients easier access to the treatments they need.

CEO Update
CEO John Hennelly highlighted that Sonoma Valley Hospital was recognized by the Lown Institute for our performance across various facets of outcomes, value, and equity. The hospital ranked 2nd in the state out of 258 hospitals and 10th nationally out of 2,758 acute care hospitals. These rankings are a testament to our ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality care with a focus on equity for all our patients.

CFO Update – Ben Armfield
CFO Ben Armfield provided an update on the financial performance for December. He reported a positive financial turnaround in December, following a dip in November. December exceeded budget by nearly 10%, driven by strong performances in key outpatient areas such as imaging, physical therapy, and the emergency room. Emergency room volumes were especially strong, with 972 visits—an average of over 31 visits per day—making it the second busiest month of the fiscal year. Additionally, both physical therapy and MRI volumes saw substantial increases, contributing to our overall financial success. These three service lines—Emergency Room, Outpatient Physical Therapy, and MRI—continue to be the cornerstone of our hospital’s operational growth.

Committee Updates
As we continue to focus on our future, we’ve refocused our committees to better align with our strategic growth. As reported by Board Member, Ed Case (Treasurer), the Finance Committee are looking at streamlining financial reporting on past month’s performance, allowing more time to discuss the future and strategies.  Board Member Dennis Bloch (Secretary) provided an update on the Affiliate Offsite Committee, which held its first meeting of the year last week. This committee is committed to maximizing the value of our ongoing partnership with UCSF, and we look forward to engaging with them quarterly to continue building on this important collaboration.

Looking Forward
As we move through 2025, we are excited to deepen our partnership with UCSF and all our community partners. Together, we can continue to build on our successes, ensuring that Sonoma Valley Hospital remains a vibrant and accessible healthcare resource for everyone in our community.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Together, we are building a healthier future for Sonoma Valley.

Warm regards,

Wendy Lee Myatt
Board Chair, Sonoma Valley Health Care District

Denise Kalos,
Vice Chair, Sonoma Valley Health Care District