“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” – David Bowie
Every December brings with it reflection — on the moments shared, the challenges overcome, and the opportunities that await in the coming year. This year is no different. From increased skilled-nursing capacity in the Northern Sierra Section, to a focus on reduced APOT times in Sacramento, to improvements in behavioral health care in Santa Rosa, hospitals have continued progress on delivering the highest quality of care for all Californians.
The year also brought challenges, including fallout from federal Medicaid cuts that are only just beginning to be understood by our elected officials and health care partners, and which will continue to be felt into 2026 and beyond. As hospitals strive to keep their doors open despite these cuts, your focus on providing the most efficient and effective, high-quality patient care remains consistent.
So, too, does Hospital Council’s commitment to its member hospitals. In the coming year, we will continue to work with our OneTeam colleagues at the California Hospital Association to meet local, regional, state, and federal challenges facing hospitals and the broader health care ecosystem. We will press for policies that strengthen hospitals and push back hard against those that undermine patient care and access. Having our hospitals work together on these critical issues is vital, as we all know that together we can achieve far more than any of us could on our own.
Please take time to rest, recharge, and ready yourselves for 2026. Our Hospital Council team is deeply grateful to you and your hospital teams for the great work you have done in 2025, and for the great work that we know will continue into 2026.
Cheers!