As Hospital Council looks to the year ahead, our commitment to ensuring all Californians have access to reliable, quality health care remains the same. Our previous message focused on adapting to change, and while we cannot fully predict everything that will happen in the future, preparing for the new year is a good way to start.
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As we head into a new year, we want to take a moment to reflect on everything our hospital members have accomplished this past year. 2024 has shown us the importance of adapting to change, and one major unplanned challenge was an unprecedented fire season in the Hospital Council service area: Wildfires saw a nearly 240% increase from last year to this year (308,761 to 1,049,398 acres), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a holiday that serves as a reminder to express gratitude and spend time with loved ones. On behalf of our Hospital Council team, we want to take this time to honor our hospitals and all health care workers for their hard work and dedication. Their deep commitment to serving those in need is truly inspiring, and it echoes our mission of ensuring access to health care for all Californians.
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One of Hospital Council’s priority issues at the beginning of this year remains a priority as 2024 draws to a close: rural health. The third Thursday of November (Nov. 21) marks National Rural Health Day, which is all about celebrating and highlighting the efforts of rural hospitals and addressing rural health care needs. This observance reminds us how vital rural health is for all of California, not just rural areas.
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The 2024 Hospital Quality Institute and Hospital Council Annual Conference in Lake Tahoe has come to a close. On Oct. 20-21, hospital and health care system leaders gathered to learn about a variety of topics — including how open and transparent communication is valued and actively encouraged, and how to effectively engage executives and board members in working toward zero harm. Also discussed were the not-yet-finalized California Hospital Association (CHA) regulatory and legislative agenda, which Hospital Council fully supports, and two significant issues worth emphasizing: artificial intelligence (AI) and ambulance patient offload times (APOTs).
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In August, mold contamination in the air ducts at Sonoma County’s crisis stabilization unit (CSU) forced the CSU’s closure, as mentioned previously, and the necessary repairs could take several months, extending into the new year. This valuable facility’s closure is not only significantly impacting patients who need immediate mental health care, but also placing strain on local emergency departments.
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Hospitals in California are facing multiple challenges that impact patients’ ability to access quality care. One of the most significant is a shortage of health care workers, with 22% of Californians living in areas without enough primary care providers. Shortages are particularly prevalent in rural areas, where patients struggle to access care because there aren’t enough nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and other health care workers to keep up with demand.
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Hospital Council works to support the advocacy agenda of the California Hospital Association (CHA), and one of the top advocacy priorities for both our organizations is rural health care. About 2 million people live in and visit California’s rural communities, and the lifesaving and life-changing hospital care they rely on is at risk of being lost due to financial instability. California has roughly five dozen rural and critical access hospitals (CAHs), but many of these hospitals are on the financial brink, reducing services just to stay open or facing the possibility of closure.
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This fire season — especially last month — has been exceptionally challenging for our hospitals and the communities they support. From July 2023 to July 2024, Cal Fire’s number of reported fires spanning more than 20 acres increased from 38 to 174. In many Hospital Council sections, particularly in rural areas impacted by previous fires, the numbers have been even more dramatic as fires continue to grow. The Park Fire alone has spread to more than 429,000 acres, affecting Butte, Tehama, Shasta, and Plumas counties. Combined with other fires in the Hospital Council region — such as the Borel Fire, the Blue Fire, and the Crozier Fire — the number of acres affected in a short time frame is inconceivable.
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The California Legislature is back in Sacramento working to wrap up the 2024 session by the end of August. Lawmakers are considering several bills of significance to hospitals, including ones related to 2030 seismic requirements and financial sustainability for rural hospitals. In addition to state legislative items, several local ballot initiatives and issues impact Hospital Council members. These will be discussed at the Hospital Council Board of Directors meeting next week.
