North Bay Business Journal

Palm Drive affiliates with Marin General

SEBASTOPOL — The Palm Drive Healthcare District on Monday night unanimously approved an affiliation agreement with Marin General Hospital, a move that district officials hope will help Palm Drive Hospital achieve long-term financial stability.

Palm Drive leans toward Marin General affiliation

SEBASTOPOL — The Palm Drive Healthcare District last night chose to advance affiliation talks with Marin General Hospital over four other proposals, a move that came earlier than expected.

Marin-Sonoma IPA, Health Net offer Medicare Plan for Sonoma County residents

SONOMA COUNTY — Marin-Sonoma IPA has joined with Health Net to provide Medicare plans for Sonoma County seniors in the wake of a coverage agreement between Sutter Health and UnitedHealthcare.

Center honors health efforts; grant for residency program; St. Helena joint program noted

The Northern California Center for Well Being last week held its annual benefit, Celebration of Dreams, where Sonoma County health care professionals and officials were honored for their efforts in health and wellness.

Sonoma hospital sets $38 million renovation

SONOMA — The Sonoma Valley Healthcare District has settled on a $38.1 million plan for refurbishing the 83-bed hospital to make it seismically safe before the state-mandated deadline of March 2013.

Regional Access Plan in early talks on HMO for businesses

SONOMA COUNTY — Members of a regional effort to create a strong network of physicians across the North Bay are in early talks with a Sacramento-based health maintenance organization about forming an insurance product around the nearly 500-member physician network, with the possible goal of offering a commercial health plan to employers.

Marin General, Sonoma Valley set affiliation

GREENBRAE AND SONOMA – Marin General Hospital and Sonoma Valley Hospital have finalized a management services and affiliation agreement, a move both administrations say will help reduce costs while keeping two independent health care districts viable in a land of corporate giants.

Large regional physician network planned

NORTH BAY — A leading Marin County doctors’ association is heading an effort to create a potentially powerful network of hundreds of North Bay physicians that, if successful, would significantly alter the region’s health care landscape.

Sonoma Valley Hospital joins Prima Medical Foundation

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.

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.

Sonoma Valley, Napa State hospitals reach acute care deal

SONOMA and NAPA — Sonoma Valley Hospital and Napa State Hospital have agreed on terms of a contract that would provide acute care for patients from the state-run psychiatric care facility in Napa, boosting patient volume up by 5 percent to 10 percent at the 83-bed hospital in Sonoma.

Health Care: Petaluma Health Center breaks ground on $15.5 million facility

The Petaluma Health Center last week broke ground on an expansion that will double its patient volume and significantly increase services offered at the federally qualified health center.

Sonoma Valley explores contract with Napa State Hospital

SONOMA AND NAPA — Sonoma Valley Hospital is in negotiations with Napa State Hospital to take on acute-care patients from the psychiatric facility that could increase patient volume by as much as 10 percent and add a significant source of revenue.

Prima, Marin IPA, hospital form physician foundation

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.

Napa State Hospital, Sonoma Valley explore collaboration

SONOMA AND NAPA — Sonoma Valley Hospital is in negotiations with Napa State Hospital to take on acute-care patients from the psychiatric hospital that could increase patient volume by as much as 10 percent and add a significant source of revenue.

Sonoma hospital gets new financial plan, CEO

SONOMA – Sonoma Valley Hospital has a new top executive and plans for further shoring up the organization’s finances while modernizing facilities and increasing services.

Sonoma Valley Hospital board names new administrator

SONOMA — Sonoma Valley Health Care District named former hospital administrator and “healing model” advocate Kelly Mather as president and chief executive officer of Sonoma Valley Hospital, replacing outgoing Carl Gerlach as of July 19.

Ms. Mather, 43, comes to the 83-bed hospital as the district board last week unanimously approved a five-year plan for $83 million in capital improvements.

$23 million ‘design-build’ contract for Sonoma Valley Hospital

SONOMA — Sonoma Valley Hospital officials signed off on a $23 million design-build contract for seismic upgrades at the 83-bed acute care hospital, making it the first public health care district in the state to utilize a process more commonly employed by private health facilities.

Sonoma, Marin hospitals eye partnership

MARIN AND SONOMA – A partnership between Sonoma Valley Hospital and the Marin Healthcare District is being explored by both parties as each seeks to maintain competitive advantage amid anticipated changes at the once-struggling hospitals.