The newsroom includes access to Council Connect, our twice-monthly newsletter on Hospital Council’s work. Key articles and issues of interest, along with the President’s Message, are included below.
Newsroom
Regional Medical Center in San Jose to be Acquired by Santa Clara County
Who Santa Clara County Regional Medical Center What Santa Clara County and Regional Medical Center in San Jose (an HCA Healthcare facility) have reached a tentative agreement for the county to acquire the hospital, with transition targeted for early 2025. Santa Clara County currently operates O’Connor Hospital, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and St. Louise […]
Upcoming Board Meeting to Highlight Key Issues
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.
PG&E to Host Wildfire Safety Webinar for Critical Facility Customers
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) will host a webinar on Aug. 15 at 10 a.m. (PT) for public safety partners that operate critical facilities to discuss how they are reducing wildfire risk and making their system safer.
Donations Needed as US Faces Emergency Blood Shortage
Following a precipitous decline in blood and platelet inventory, multiple organizations are asking for hospitals’ and health systems’ help in encouraging community members to donate blood or platelets. Among these organizations is Hospital Council’s Endorsed Business Partner American Red Cross, as well as America’s Blood Centers and the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies, who all separately issued statements urging public donation.
Collaborating to Improve Behavioral Health
Who Shasta County hospital CEOs and leadership staff Shasta County behavioral health director and leadership staff What On July 9, Hospital Council hosted a meeting in Shasta County of hospital and county behavioral health leaders. Kirsten Barlow, California Hospital Association vice president, policy, informed the group about significant and process-changing laws and programs coming to […]
Sacramento County Rethinks Blue Zones Initiative
Who Sacramento County Public Health, health plans, health systems, community health organization What Sacramento County will not proceed with a multi-year Blue Zones initiative, which aims to build a dementia-friendly community and overall healthier environment. After launching the effort last fall and contracting Blue Zones to perform an intensive six-month analysis through data review and […]
Hospitals Meet with Candidates for Open East Bay Seats
Who Alameda and Contra Costa county hospital and government relations leaders Candidates for the open District 5 supervisor seats Candidate for the open 12th Congressional District seat What Hospital Council convened meetings with hospital government relations leaders and candidates for the open seats on the Alameda and Contra Costa county boards of supervisors. A meeting […]
Proposed Berkeley Fossil Fuel Tax Would Impact Hospitals and Health Systems
Who Hospitals and health systems with large buildings in the city of Berkeley Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Berkeley Business Association What A local environmental group in Berkeley has gathered the required signatures to qualify its so-called “Large Buildings Fossil Fuel Emissions Tax” for the November ballot. The proposed tax on natural gas usage […]
Critical Deadline Approaches on Ambulance Patient Offload Times
On Sept. 1, hospitals must submit an ambulance patient offload time (APOT) reduction protocol under Assembly Bill 40. This bill requires hospitals to include mechanisms that will improve internal operations and reduce APOT. The standard is 30 minutes, 90% of the time for general acute care hospitals with emergency departments.
Kern Behavioral Health Workgroup Engages on SB 43
Who Kern County hospitals Kern County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (Kern BHRS) What Hospital Council has continued to facilitate regular meetings between Kern BHRS and Kern County hospitals. Recently, the meeting cadence has increased to monthly to work through details and needs stemming from Senate Bill (SB) 43. One of the items discussed was the […]
