Hospital drops plan to reopen Palm Drive rehab center

[caption id="attachment_95368" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Sonoma Valley Hospital had worked out a deal to run Palm Drive Hospital's West County Hand and Physical Therapy Center, which had offered rehabilitation classes such as this one until the hospital closed April 28. (credit: Palm Drive Hospital)[/caption]

SEBASTOPOL -- Sonoma Valley Hospital on Monday said it has withdrawn its proposal to assume management of Palm Drive Hospital's West County Hand and Physical Therapy Center, which was closed in April along with the Sebastopol hospital.

Sonoma Valley Hospital was to reopen the rehabilitation therapy service this month and rehire previous staff members.

"It's an excellent facility in all respects, and we wanted to bring it back for the Sebastopol community," said Michelle Donaldson, chief revenue officer at Sonoma Valley Hospital. "But as we looked at it more closely during the contract-development phase, we found the initial investment costs to be significantly higher than anticipated, and we could not confidently ensure an acceptable return on investment for Sonoma Valley Hospital."

Palm Drive Health Care District Executive Director Daymon Doss couldn't be reached for comment.

In July, the district accepted the hospital's proposal to run the therapy center, and administrators on both sides lauded the agreement as an ideal match. The two hospitals had shared services in recent years. Plus, the Sonoma hospital already has a great degree of experience in rehabilitation and physical therapy through its own facility, which offers physical therapy, balance and fall-prevention programs; correction for posture, therapeutic exercise, occupational health and therapy, pain management and certified hand therapy.

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