Dear Sonoma Valley Community,
This month’s Board meeting highlighted, in my mind, the importance of reaching out, interacting, and inclusion. As I’ve noted before, one of the four pillars of our Strategic Plan deals with just that, “bringing care into the community.” And the Board is renewing our commitment, not just to our Hospital, but to the entire District.
Sonoma City Manager David Guhin’s presentation leaned on those themes, as did John Hennelly’s CEO report, updating us on our Hospital’s marketing plan and Strategic Plan activities.
Insights from Sonoma City Manager David Guhin
In his presentation, Mr. Guhin shared insights on the City’s General Plan Update, the City Council’s Goals for 2024, and a potential revenue measure. His presentation deepened our understanding of City initiatives and should foster a stronger relationship between our two organizations. Such collaboration is crucial as we work towards a shared vision for a healthy and vibrant community.
Mr. Guhin outlined the City’s goals for 2024, focusing on:
- Housing: Enhancing the availability and affordability of housing.
- Economic Development / Revenue Stewardship: Driving economic growth and responsible financial management.
- Parks and Recreation / Community Services: Expanding and improving recreational and community services.
- Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: Addressing climate change through proactive measures and adaptation strategies.
This marks a significant update since 2006, reflecting changes in state law concerning flood and fire protection, climate change, and more. The City is in the early stages of planning, actively seeking community involvement to identify priorities, mirroring the Hospital’s approach to community outreach. For more information and to get involved, visit www.SonomaCity.GeneralPlan.org.
CEO Report: Momentum and Outreach in Our Strategic Plan
In a presentation that dovetailed with the meeting’s theme of collaboration, CEO John Hennelly reported on our Hospital’s ongoing marketing efforts, including such upcoming events as Mental Health Awareness Month, celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the milestone construction of our Emergency Department and operating suites, launching our new MRI service, and embarking on a website redesign to enhance user experience and accessibility.
Mr. Hennelly also reported on progress with the 2024 Strategic Plan.
- Campus Realignment: Efforts are ongoing to develop a Master Facility Plan
- Bringing Care to the Community: Our Physical Therapy program is growing, including the expansion of our site on Highway 12. We are exploring ways to increase infusion services.
- Financial Stability: The activation of our new MRI service marks a significant advancement in the Hospital’s diagnostic capabilities, and we anticipate a noticeable increase in patient volumes. Efforts to reach an agreement with Anthem Blue Cross are ongoing.
- Seismic: We are continuing to comply with the State’s requirements, which are potentially fluid, dependent on, for example, possible legislative action.
Financial Overview and Acknowledgments
CFO Ben Armfield provided a comprehensive financial report, highlighting that after a series of financial challenges, January marked a positive month for our hospital. All key performance indicators not only met but exceeded our monthly budget, making it the second most successful month of this fiscal year.
The Board expressed our gratitude to our Hospital’s Finance Committee for their excellent work. Their thorough discussion of issues ensures that their recommendations to us are completely reliable.
Join and Collaborate
It has come to my attention that many, perhaps most, of the people in our community are not aware of our mailing list, and have been missing out on many public events, such as the excellent Active Aging lecture series held last month at Vintage House. Obviously, this does not include those of you who are reading this letter. I am asking you to please reach out to friends and colleagues and encourage them to visit our website at sonomavalleyhospital.org/subscribe/, sign up for our mailing list, and participate in our community outreach efforts. Together, we can achieve remarkable things for the health and prosperity of our community.
Please save the date for our next board meeting on April 4, 6:00pm, in the Sonoma City Council Chambers, where we will share further updates and continue our collaborative discussions.
Warm regards,
Judy
Judith Bjorndal Board Chair, Sonoma Valley Health District