Healdsburg Hospital now under the Providence St. Joseph Health umbrella

NorCal HealthConnect, a secular affiliate of Providence St. Joseph Health, has assumed ownership and management of the Healdsburg District Hospital, which will now be known as Healdsburg Hospital, hospital officials said Tuesday.

NorCal HealthConnect took control of the hospital on Jan. 1, following the voter-approved sale of the Healdsburg hospital in the November election. Voters also approved the sale of Petaluma Valley Hospital to NorCal HealthConnect.

The transition to new ownership occurred immediately after voters approved the sale. Under the sale agreement, NorCal HealthConnect paid $5 million in cash and agreed to invest $10 million in potential property upgrades and community health services over the next decade.

Hospital officials said the past two weeks have been spent with new management becoming more familiar with hospital operations and employees in an effort to identify where improvements can be made.

Under new ownership, the Healdsburg Hospital will continue to operate as a Medicare-designated critical access hospital for at least the next 30 years. It’s emergency department will continue functioning 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In addition to Petaluma Valley and Healdsburg suburban medical centers, Providence St. Joseph Health also owns and operates Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the county’s largest hospital.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.