Sonoma West Medical Center open for business

Sonoma West Medical Center is at long last open. Formerly known as Palm Drive Hospital, the hospital and emergency room was open to admit patients on Oct. 30.

The 25-bed capacity hospital features a two-bay, 24-hour, no-wait emergency room and 50,000 square feet of space. The facility will utilize new technology and the latest equipment including use of iRobot for Skype video patient/doctor consultations, CAT scan and other high end systems on site.

“This stellar team of healthcare and administrative professionals has accomplished something to be very proud of – the opening of our hospital in West Sonoma County. We have worked very hard for this day. We want our community to know we plan to be here for the long term to provide the public access to some of the highest quality healthcare services in the North Bay Area,” said Raymond Hino, the facility’s CEO.

Along with traditional treatments including cardiopulmonary, endoscopy, intensive care, medical imaging, SWMC is offering family and individual therapy, nutrition counseling, massage, acupuncture, and on-going wellness treatment and classes.

“We are truly offering integrative health practices here at SWMC,” said Jane Rogan, director of communications. “This is not just about mind-body integration, but about the integration of East-West healing practices as well.” SWMC is offering Family and Individual Therapy, nutrition counseling, massage, acupuncture, and on-going wellness treatment and classes.

Patients can also order off a menu 24/7, including wine.

The facility had been sitting empty after Palm Drive Hospital closed its doors April 28, 2014, amidst two bankruptcies filed in the last seven years, declines in overnight patients, reduced payments from insurance companies and competition from nearby hospitals. Santa Rosa, Sebastopol’s neighboring city eight miles to the east, is home to three major medical centers.

The facility was originally slated for an April 6 opening, which was pushed back several times, because of unexpected developments in retrofitting the building, and an extended permitting process.

To finance the re-opening of the hospital, Dan Smith, a long-time supporter of the hospital and chairman of the board of Sonoma West Medical Center Inc., and his wife donated $6 million from two charitable remainder trusts held at the Community Foundation Sonoma County. Startup funds included a donation of $1 million from the Monastery Project, a nonprofit Buddhist organization in Sebastopol for which Smith is a board member.

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