Council Connect Articles

North Bay CEOs Gather at Section Meeting

Who

  • Santa Rosa Behavioral Health CEO Chad Hickerson 
  • Sutter Santa Rosa CEO Dan Peterson 
  • Providence Healdsburg & Petaluma Valley Hospitals CEO Darian Harris 
  • Sutter Lakeside Director of Ancillary Services Jack Buell 
  • Sonoma Valley CFO Ken Jensen 
  • Kaiser Santa Rosa CEO Tarek Salaway 
  • Queen of the Valley Medical Center CEO Terry Wooten 
  • Providence St. Joseph Santa Rosa CEO Tyler Hedden 
  • California Hospital Association CEO Carmela Coyle 
  • Hospital Council CEO Bryan Bucklew 
  • Hospital Council RVP Meghan Hardin 

What

Convening just days after the release of California’s COVID-19 testing order for unvaccinated/unverified vaccination status health care workers, much of the group discussion focused on COVID-19 and attendant challenges: the logistics and expenses of implementing a vaccination order; potential timeline for summer surge; finding staff to care for surge patients amidst fixed ratios, burnout, retirements and a dearth of individuals able to live in high-cost living areas; and the politics of orders/mandates against the greater California political backdrop. Coyle underscored that CHA’s focus on this issue is what is best for safety of patients and staff. Two non-COVID-19 issues the group discussed were emergency preparedness and upcoming labor negotiations.

Takeaway/Next Steps

CHA and Hospital Council continue to actively advocate on behalf of member hospitals, soliciting direct feedback from facilities as to how they can best be supported. The North Bay Section spans a broad swath of geography with individual facility needs unique by county.  

Contact

RVP Meghan Hardin at mhardin@hospitalcouncil.org