September Board Chair Report

September 16, 2024

Leer en español

Dear Sonoma Valley Community, 

Our September Board Meeting marked an energetic beginning to the fall, featuring a full agenda centered on advancing our hospital’s services. The discussions were rich and forward-looking, reflecting our commitment to addressing current needs while strategically planning for the future. 

Board Retreat and Leadership Dynamics 
We are preparing for an important Board Retreat scheduled for the end of this month, focusing on strategic initiatives and the potential expansion of services. This retreat will involve both longstanding and newly appointed Board members. Three of us current Board members are not returning at the end of this term, so we are preparing for a smooth transition.  Our new members are already actively involved in committee work and have been attending meetings independently. 

Chief of Staff Report – Dr. Ako Walther 

Dr. Ako Walther provided an update on the medical staff’s ongoing efforts to self-monitor and enhance their performance across key departments, including the Emergency Department, Inpatient Care, and Primary Care. She emphasized the structured approach they use to consistently strive for improvement and how they are meeting the objectives she set at the beginning of her term including fostering trust and unity among the medical staff leadership, building a strong partnerships with the new ER group for exceptional patient care, and strengthening connections with local primary care practitioners for smoother patient care transitions. Dr. Walther also acknowledged some Medical Staff concerns, including our current absence of (and search for) a Chief Medical Officer, and some ongoing challenges with EMS transport and the Electronic Health Record.   

Annual Report on Ancillary Services – Dawn Kuwahara 

Ancillary Services is a very large and critical department, with a staff of 116 employees.  It basically encompasses everything clinical that is not inpatient: Diagnostics, Lab, Rehab, Occupational Health, Wound Care, Patient Access (formerly called Admitting), and Physician Clinics. Dawn Kuwahara gave a comprehensive 2023 Annual Report which contained more detail than I can report here, but it included impressive service volumes, quality metrics, and patient satisfaction survey results. Under Dawn’s inclusive leadership, this department serves as the key point of interaction with our community, consistently earning praise for its positive contributions. 

Dawn emphasized the team’s dedication to professional development and their achievements in career advancement, despite facing challenges such as staff retention and aging equipment. She also highlighted their active participation in community engagement initiatives, such as the Back-to-School Health Fair, mammography spa day, and flu clinics. These efforts not only strengthen our community bonds but also significantly enhance the overall healthcare services the Hospital provides. 

Seismic Update from the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California 

Megan Hardin and Bryan Bucklew provided an update on seismic compliance.  There are currently two bills, which have been approved by the California Legislature and are awaiting the Governor’s signature, which would provide for an extension of the deadline for compliance to the new standards for five years, until 2035.  Bryan noted that of the 450 plus hospitals in California, about 250 still need significant work to meet the standards.  He also noted that hospitals in the State are essentially at capacity, so the closure of any of them would have significant impact on the availability of patient care.  This extension would allow Sonoma Valley Hospital to better stage our response to the requirements as we continue to remain in compliance.  Meanwhile, the Hospital Council of California will continue in its efforts for even more favorable legislation.  

CEO Update 
Our recent collaboration with the Community Mental Health Hub at Hanna marks a significant step towards enhancing mental health services, particularly in emergency situations. CEO John Hennelly highlighted this partnership along with the hospital’s strong financial performance and patient satisfaction.  

Mr. Hennelly also reported on two significant leadership transitions within our hospital’s executive team: 

• Chief Medical Officer: The recruitment process for a new Chief Medical Officer is ongoing, with the UCSF recruitment team actively screening candidates. We are grateful to Dr. Kidd for her service as Interim Chief Medical Officer and wish her well as she departs from the Valley. 
  
• Foundation Executive Director: David Pier, our beloved Executive Director of the Hospital Foundation, will be stepping down after ten years of dedicated service. While David will transition out of his official capacity, he will remain a vital part of our community, offering informal guidance as needed. We are profoundly grateful for his leadership, which has significantly strengthened our Foundation’s capacity to support the hospital. 
  

Financial Strategy – CFO Ben Armfield 
CFO Ben Armfield provided an update on our financial strategies, including securing a new seven-year banking relationship that strengthens our financial base and supports our future growth. July kicked off our fiscal year on a high note, with one of the strongest financial performances in recent months. Revenue boosts were primarily driven by increased emergency room and physical therapy volumes. 

As we look forward to sharing the outcomes from our upcoming board retreat, we invite all community members to remain actively engaged. Our next board meeting on October 3rd will be an excellent opportunity for further participation, either in person or via Zoom. 

For those interested in more details or unable to attend, a video recording of the September meeting is available here. 

Warm regards, 

Judy 
Judith Bjorndal, M.D. 
Board Chair, Sonoma Valley Health District