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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.
GroupOne Background Screening, a nationally recognized leader in health care background screening, is now a Hospital Council Corporate Associate Member.
GroupOne brings a wealth of expertise in pre- and post-employment screening solutions, including criminal background checks, drug testing, employment verification, education verifications, professional licensure verifications, and ongoing sanctions screening.
Earlier this week, the state Senate passed a resolution recognizing May 10-16, 2026, as National Hospital Week in California, honoring hospitals for their commitment to the health and well-being of Californians.
Central Valley: Hospital Council continues working with hospitals to address the findings of this year’s community health heeds assessment, with planning for the first roundtable on food insecurity now underway. Input from key community organizations including local food banks and homeless missions — will inform hospitals’ collective efforts.
The Hospital Council Board of Directors held its first in-person meeting of the year last week, setting the stage for the coming months of critically important advocacy efforts.
Elisabeth Lucien’s diagnosis with Hodgkin’s lymphoma led to a lifesaving bone marrow transplant at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center — one made possible by her sister, Rebekah Fenton. Her sister’s generosity not only helped bring Lucien into remission, but also inspired Fenton’s career in adolescent medicine at UC Davis Health.
