North Bay Business Journal

Redwood Regional Medical Group: Health care professionals do as they say

It may seem obvious that a group of 40-plus physicians and the staff — totaling some 300 nurse practitioners, oncology nurses, technologists and support staff — would practice the healthy lifestyle they encourage for their patients. Now its an official program.

Corporate wellness taking center stage

NORTH BAY — As wellness emerges as a key business strategy in containing health care costs, questions often arise on what, exactly, the term means — what works for one company or one industry won’t necessarily work for another, and how do you define wellness to employees? More importantly, how do you get a staff to fully buy-in to the concept?

Business Journal names Healthiest Companies award winners

NORTH BAY — The Business Journal selected recipients for its inaugural Healthiest Companies Recognition Awards with winners to be honored at the North Bay Business Journal’s 2011 Health Care Conference.

Profiles of the winners will appear in a special publication supplementing the Nov. 28 issue, and winners will be honored at the Business Journal’s annual Health Care Conference on Nov. 30 at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa.

Redwood Regional adds Dr. Amy Shaw to oncology staff

SANTA ROSA – Redwood Regional Medical Group has added Dr. Amy Shaw, a long time family physician in Sonoma County, to head the practice’s new Primary Care Oncology and Survivorship Program.

Health Care: New CFO for RRMG; Marin cancer institute gains designation

Redwood Regional Medical Group announced that it has hired David Hutchinson as its new chief financial officer.

Redwood Regional Medical Group expands offerings

SANTA ROSA — Redwood Regional Medical Group added two orthopedic surgeons to its practice at 121 Sotoyome St. in Santa Rosa.

Medical group gets state-of-the-art CT scanner

SANTA ROSA – Redwood Regional Medical Group has purchased a new 128-slice, low-dose CT scanner, the first of its kind in the North Bay.

Health care Q&A: Leaders in the North Bay

The BUSINESS JOURNAL will present its 2010 Health Care Conference from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 18 at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa. In advance, we asked for comments from health care leaders and panelists Kevin Klockenga of St. Joseph Health System – Sonoma County; Martin Brotman, M.D., Sutter Health West Bay Region; Nancy Oswald, Redwood Community Health Clinics; Kirk Pappas, M.D., Kaiser Permanente; Wayne Fairchild, Redwood Regional Medical Group, and Mike Purvis of Sutter Health in Sonoma County.

Health Care Conference registration closes Friday

NORTH BAY — Registration for the Business Journal’s Health Care Conference will close Friday. The event will feature the top California official for the National Federation of Independent Business to discuss the impact of health care reform on small business in the keynote address on Nov. 18. To register, contact Linda Perkins at 707-521-5264 or events@busjrnl.com by Friday, Nov. 12, or go to www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com.

Top small business expert to address health care conference

NORTH BAY — The top California official for the National Federation of Independent Business will discuss the impact of health care reform on small business in the keynote address for the Business Journal’s annual health care conference Nov. 18.
Following John Kabateck, executive director of NFIB/California, a panel of top North Bay hospital executives will discuss the impacts of reform along with hundreds of millions of dollars in hospital and other projects.
To register, contact Linda Perkins at 707-521-5264 or events@busjrnl.com by Friday, Nov. 12, or go to www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com.

Health Care Conference registration closes Nov. 12

2010 Health Care Conference: What health care reform will mean to you and your business, as hospitals invest hundreds of millions in new facilities, programs
Thursday, November 18, 2010, Registration 7:30 a.m., program 8-11:30 a.m., Hyatt Vineyard Creek, Santa Rosa
To register or for more information, visit www.northbaybusinessjournal.com.

Fast Growing Companies in 2010

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.

Hospitals, health centers planning new facilities, expansions

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.

Redwood Regional joins nationwide network of oncologists

SANTA ROSA — The Redwood Regional Medical Group has joined the United Network of Texas-based US Oncology with the aim of sharing expertise and research and improving patient care.

RRMG surgeon selected

SANTA ROSA — The National accreditation Program for Breast Centers asked Dr. Charles Elboim, breast surgeon and medical director of the Redwood Regional Breast Center at Redwood Regional Medical Group to serve as surveyor of breast care practices throughout the county.

Spotlight: Health Care Leaders

Listed alphabetically in Sonoma and Marin counties and Napa County

Amplifications and corrections: Week of Jan. 18, 2010

The Business Journal takes accuracy of its coverage seriously.

Redwood Regional gets new breast cancer technology

SANTA ROSA — Redwood Regional Medical Group has a new tool to fight early-stage breast cancer, a device that’s been shown to minimize the time and amount of radiation necessary to follow tumor removal.

Behavior, transparency said keys to reducing health costs

SANTA ROSA, NORTH BAY –Employers occupy a vital role in transforming the U.S. health care system, not only as a payer but also with its influence, attendees were told Wednesday at the Business Journal’s annual health care conference.

Curbing costs at heart of health care event; registration closes Friday

NORTH BAY – With, without or despite reform, businesses are finding ways to become more than helpless bystanders to climbing health care costs.

During the Business Journal’s Health Care Solutions that Work event next week, attendees will learn about one such nationally commended strategy – that is more than a wellness program – and hear a comprehensive panel featuring a current assessment of the reform bills, implications for small business and how access to care has and will change.

Deadline to register is Friday, Nov. 6.