North Bay Business Journal

SEBASTOPOL — The Palm Drive Healthcare District unanimously approved the transition of medical clinic operations across from the 37-bed hospital to the Prima Medical Foundation, a move that could help bolster finances for the cash-strapped hospital.

SEBASTOPOL — The Palm Drive Healthcare District on Monday will decide if it should transfer operations of its medical clinic to the Prima Medical Foundation, a move that, if approved, could help the 37-bed hospital bolster its finances while perhaps recruiting new physicians and adding new services.

The Palm Drive Healthcare District’s recent vote to begin exclusive negotiations for affiliating with Marin General Hospital has the potential to help the long-struggling Sebastopol hospital stabilize, while creating an expansive network of alliances between numerous district hospitals across the North Bay that might otherwise struggle for survival.

MARIN COUNTY — Prima Medical Group will provide trauma and elective surgeries for Marin General Hospital, marking the first time that all local physicians will deliver such services to the level III trauma center and its patients.

GREENBRAE — A partnership between Marin General Hospital, Novato-based Prima Medical Foundation, Marin Community Clinics and the county of Marin will help maintain full obstetrics and gynecology services for the uninsured and underinsured, who were increasingly at risk from diminishing public funds.

SONOMA — The Sonoma Valley Healthcare District Board of Directors voted to join the Prima Medical Foundation, a nonprofit that provides management services to physicians. The foundation was formed earlier this year by Marin General Hospital, Marin IPA and Prima Medical Group to help attract physicians and maintain hospital competitiveness.

Three of Sonoma County’s newest tech companies — Raydiance, Enphase Energy and Métier — have widely diverse products: ultra-short pulse lasers, microinverters for the solar industry and project portfolio management software.

BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, the Buck Institute for Age Research and TriVascular are expanding research, products and staff.

Nearly every sector within health care in the North Bay is undergoing rapid expansion, reflecting a nationwide trend that shows little sign of a respite. This is just a sampling of the quickly growing health care companies and providers across the North Bay, from corporate giants to rural clinics.

La Tavola, ProSight, Central Payment add space, markets; Frank-Lin, Kiewit to move to the North Bay: From linen rentals to financial transaction processing to insurance underwriting to alcoholic beverage production to heavy construction, several companies in various industries have relocated or expanded in the North Bay this year.

Nearly every sector within health care in the North Bay is undergoing rapid expansion, reflecting a nationwide trend that shows little sign of a respite. Hospitals are expanding or being rebuilt entirely. Outpatient facilities continue to crop up as a broader patient base is sought by some providers. Physicians groups are racing to recruit more doctors to their ranks to ensure purchasing power while maintaining a competitive advantage. And federally qualified health centers, with a significant increase in federal funding and a clearer role in light of health care reform, are consistently doubling in size in an effort to treat an influx of patients. The following is just a sampling of the quickly growing health care companies and providers across the North Bay, from corporate giants to rural clinics.

MARIN AND SONOMA — Marin General Hospital, along with the Prima Medical Group and Marin IPA, announced the formation of a foundation that aims to attract top-notch physicians to the region as well as help the hospital maintain competitiveness now that it has transferred operations away from Sutter Health.