With last week’s primary election in the rearview mirror, focus now turns to Nov. 3. While the question remains as to who will be California’s next governor, perhaps just as significant for California hospitals will be the outcomes of two key ballot initiatives. With five months to go until Election Day, we are asking all member hospitals to join two campaign coalitions today to help ensure success in November.
Warrior Centric Health (WCH) recently highlighted a growing gap in how hospitals and health systems identify and care for veterans, reservists, National Guard members, and their families. The veteran community represents a significant patient population with unique health risks tied to military service, which is now increasingly recognized as a social determinant of health (SDOH)....
California’s wildfire season is once again underway, bringing renewed focus to hospital preparedness and operational continuity during public safety power shut-off (PSPS) events.
On June 10 at 9 a.m. (PT), Medical Solutions — a Hospital Council corporate associate member — will host a members-only webinar to share how flexible staffing models, float pool strategies, and emerging technologies are helping hospitals improve agility, strengthen workforce stability, and support sustainable care delivery.
On May 15, the state submitted the payment policies for the next iteration of the Hospital Fee Program (Program 9) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This is the final piece needed for CMS to review the full application.
Central Valley: Hospital Council participated in the Central Valley Community Foundation’s Legislative Roundtable, a quarterly meeting that briefs legislators and their staffs about the state of health care in the valley. Hospital Council also joined a panel discussion in Fresno to discuss the Central Valley Health Care Landscape Analysis.
Last week, the Hospital Council board approved the appointment of Rachael McKinney, Sutter Health’s President, Greater Sacramento Division, as board chair. McKinney will assume leadership from Murali Naidu, MD, who has taken on a new opportunity outside of the hospital field. McKinney brings deep leadership experience, a strong commitment to California hospitals and communities, and a collaborative approach that reflects the values of the Hospital...
Gunner’s Mate, Petty Officer Second Class Jay Pena landed in Southern California exhausted but determined, grateful he’d made it home the night before his mother’s surgery. Ana Radjevic had been diagnosed in 2023 with Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer, and doctors warned her that her chances of living beyond five years were slim. So Pena quickly secured emergency leave from his deployment in Djibouti, intent on making sure his mother wouldn’t face the fight of her life alone. What neither of them could have imagined was that just 54 days later, Pena would be sitting in a doctor’s office himself, hearing devastating news of his own.
Richard Mendelsohn and his wife, Barbara, built a life rooted in love, adventure, and community. That life changed dramatically when Barbara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and Richard became her full-time caregiver. Through caregiver support groups at Sutter Health’s Ray Dolby Brain Health Center in San Francisco, Richard found connection and understanding during an isolating journey. Today, he is paying that support forward by helping expand the caregiver group in the Sacramento area — so no one has to face Alzheimer’s alone.
For senior patients, particularly those living alone or with another elderly spouse, discharge from a hospital can cause anxiety; the same is true for hospital care teams concerned about the patient’s ability to recover effectively without support. Comfort Keepers, a new Hospital Council associate member, offers patients a way to balance independence and support.