Thank You Sonoma Valley!

November 10, 2021

November 2021 Board Chair Report

This month I’m stepping in for Joshua Rymer to report on the November board meeting. It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the board and the hospital to express our gratitude to the community for approving Measure F last week which allows continuation of the parcel tax for ten years. That the measure passed with such strong support – nearly 80 percent – is especially meaningful because it demonstrates the high regard the community has for its hospital. Because of your support for Measure F, our Valley will continue to enjoy local access to high quality healthcare for many years.

The board also wishes to acknowledge those who supported the campaign to get out the vote as members of the committee assembled by Steve Page and co-chair Bill Boerum, or as volunteers. While there are too many individuals to acknowledge here, we have identified many in a resolution of appreciation the board passed at the meeting. A copy of the resolution can be found at the end of this report. We thank you all for your excellent efforts!

Covid Update

The board heard updates on the community’s Covid response at the meeting, with a focus on preparations to vaccinate children, ages 5 to 11, now that the CDC has authorized a vaccine for this age group. Chief Medical Office Sabrina Kidd, MD, reported she had spoken to the community in the past month to inform parents of school-age children about the pediatric vaccinations through webinars held in partnership with Sonoma Valley Unified School District and Sonoma Valley Community Health Center. The meetings were conducted in both English and Spanish, and videos of the webinars are available on the hospital website. 

CEO John Hennelly said the hospital is supporting the Health Center and the School District in planning vaccination clinics at the schools, which will occur soon. He also reported that vaccine requirements for hospital employees took effect October 1, and 97 percent of employees and 99 percent of medical staff have chosen to be vaccinated, with ten individuals claiming a medical or religious exemption. Only four staff members chose to leave due to the requirement.

2021 Financials

The board received and approved the 2021 fiscal year audit at the meeting. Each year the board, through its Audit Committee, works with an outside auditor to ensure the financial statement accurately presents the District’s financial position and cash flows for the fiscal year.

Because we believe the hospital should be as transparent as possible to our community, we make a copy of the full audit available on our website. The current version can be found here along with a copy of the presentation by our auditor, Armanino LLP.

You will find that the Health Care District section of the website is an excellent resource for learning more about District and hospital operations, as well as obtaining copies of board agenda packages and committee reports.

Next Board Meeting

The next regular District Board meeting will be held on Thursday, December 2, at 6 pm. For safety reasons, Board meetings will continue to be held via video conferencing. The public is encouraged to participate, and video conferencing details are available on the Hospital website. Public comment is always welcome.

Sincerely,

Judy

Judith Bjorndal, M.D.

Secretary, SVHCD Board of Directors