North Bay Business Journal

Sutter, nurses’ union agree on contract

SANTA ROSA — Registered nurses and Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa have reached a tentative agreement for a new collective bargaining contract for some 350 RNs represented by the California Nurses Association, the union announced today.

Former Marin General chairman Heller cleared in Sutter suit

GREENBRAE — The judge arbitrating a lawsuit to recover more than $120 million transferred out of Marin General Hospital into the Sutter Health system has dropped former Marin General Hospital Corp. board Chairman Robert Heller from the case.

Q&A: Mike Purvis, Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa

Mike Purvis is the chief administrative officer for Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa, which will soon be relocated from the aging Chanate facility, the former county-run Community Hospital, to a brand new, $284 million medical campus next to the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

Mr. Purvis will be a panelist at the Business Journal’s health care conference on Nov. 30, where he will discuss the new hospital and how it will impact Sonoma County.

Scott Setterlund: Getting to that 12-to-1 return on wellness

Scott Setterlund, employer relations specialist for Sutter Health, has been promoting wellness for over 20 years. In his current role, Mr. Setterlund is responsible for incorporating wellness and work site strategies for mid size to large employers, for all of Sutter’s network in San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties, a region that includes hospitals as well as the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation.

Marin-Sonoma IPA, Health Net offering Medicare Advantage plan

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

Sutter, UnitedHealthcare partner on Medicare plan

SANTA ROSA — Sutter Health and Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare have introduced a new Medicare Advantage plan from some 78,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Sonoma County, the two organizations announced this morning.

Palm Drive gets five proposals for affiliation

SEBASTOPOL — The Palm Drive Healthcare District has received proposals from five health care organizations for possible affiliation as the 37-bed hospital overseen by the district seeks a larger entity to assist in providing long-term financial stability.

Sutter, county reject settlement offer in lawsuit over new hospital

SANTA ROSA — Sutter Health and the county of Sonoma have rejected a proposed settlement of a lawsuit filed by the North Sonoma County Healthcare District opposing Sutter’s $284 million hospital project north of Santa Rosa.

NUHW, nurses unions strike at Kasier, Sutter facilities

NORTH BAY — Union employees at Kaiser Permanente facilities throughout the state were joined by the California Nurses Association in staging a strike to protest proposed cuts in benefits.

Cohill tapped to lead Sutter’s West Bay Region

SANTA ROSA — Sutter Health today announced that Mike Cohill, currently chief executive officer of Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, will be the new president of Sutter’s West Bay region, which stretches from San Francisco into Lake County.

Healdsburg, Sebastopol hospital districts to appeal Sutter ruling

SANTA ROSA — Two Sonoma County health care districts say they plan on appealing a recent court ruling that mostly sided with Sutter Health over objections to Sutter’s new $284 million hospital, now under construction just north of Santa Rosa.

Hospitals appeal Sutter project ruling

SANTA ROSA — Two Sonoma County health care districts announced this evening they appealed a recent court ruling that sided with Sutter Health over objections to Sutter’s new $284 million hospital, now under construction just north of Santa Rosa.

Palm Drive to ask for proposals from seven potential partners

SEBASTOPOL — Palm Drive Hospital’s board of directors is set to issue a “request for information” to a group of health care organizations the hospital said could be “potential strategic partners.”

Sutter’s Brotman takes on expanded role

NORTH BAY — Sutter Health today announced that Martin Brotman, currently the president of its West Bay Region, will assume the new role of senior vice president of education, research and philanthropy for the Sacramento-based health care organization.

Health Care: Groups collaborate on 20th HeartWorks Fitness Center

The Northern California Center for Well-Being, along with the Northern California Medical Associates, today celebrated the 20th anniversary of the HeartWorks Fitness Center, a cardiovascular rehabilitation program. The Center for Well-Being, which focuses on wellness and preventative care, and NCMA, a practice of cardiologists, have collaborated on the program made possible by ongoing support from [...]

Spotlight on Facilities Managers in the North Bay

Editor’s note: This is the Business Journal’s first Spotlight on Facilities Managers in the North Bay. According to the International Facility Management Association, professionals in this job usually are responsible for compliance with laws and regulations on real estate, efficient operations of buildings to limit waste in natural and human resources, safety for employees and environmental sustainability.

“People, place, process, technology,” is the association’s catchphrase for such a position. The following are facility managers identified from among the largest public and private North Bay employers.

Marin General’s Domanico: ‘We defied conventional wisdom’

GREENBRAE — One year removed from a protracted divorce with Sutter Health, officials at Marin General Hospital said the county’s largest health care facility is financially stable and poised to remain on the path of being a successful, independently run hospital.

A $284 million, job-creating hospital project wins in court

Suppose someone came to your region and agreed to build a $284 million, state-of-the art medical facility to replace one a few miles away that is aging and seismically unsafe. This new hospital facility, which underwent more than six years of regulatory and public review, would accept responsibility for treating residents in your community regardless of their ability to pay.
It would be the largest project of its kind in your community in more than 60 years and, as it happens, would come at a time when the overall economy is in its worst recession since the Great Depression. You would say, of course, sue them.

Judge sides with Sutter over new hospital

SANTA ROSA — A Sonoma County judge has sided with Sutter Health and the Board of Supervisors over opponents of Sutter’s forthcoming $284 million hospital north of Santa Rosa, determining that the environmental impact review was exhaustive and that the suing parties did not have legal standing.

Next residency class chosen: 12 from 540 applicants

SANTA ROSA — The Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency, which pairs recently-minted doctors with Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa in conjunction with the University of California, San Francisco, announced its incoming class for 2014.