California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of May 16, 2014

Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo

On May 10, Doctors Medical Center employees and area residents met to discuss how they could prevent the hospital from closing, the Contra Costa Times reports (Rogers, Contra Costa Times, 5/10). 

Earlier this month, DMC began preparing for closure after local residents voted against a parcel tax that hospital administrators said was necessary to keep the hospital in operation (California Healthline, 5/9).

Hospital supporters attended the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors' meeting on Tuesday to urge the board to provide some financial support to the hospital, a move that supporters believe will help the hospital find additional sources of funding (CBS SF, 5/13) 

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Last week, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center CEO Connie Martinez said the hospital plans to consolidate its women's and children's health services into a 30,000-square-foot space in its main hospital building, the Silicon Valley Business Journal reports.

According to the Business Journal, the plan still must be approved by the hospital's board (Lynch, Silicon Valley Business Journal, 5/8).

Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla

Axial Exchange and Becker's Hospital Review ranked Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla as one of the top 50 provider organizations in the nation in their inaugural National Patient Engagement Ranking, Becker's Hospital Review reports. The ranking evaluated patient engagement across the nation's 3,077 hospitals using measures of patient satisfaction and readmissions.

Scripps Green Hospital earned a score of 79.3 out of a possible 100, making it the only California-based hospital to be featured in the top 50 (Becker's Hospital Review, 5/13).

Sutter Health

Last week, Fitch Ratings gave Sutter Health an "AA-" rating on its bond debt despite the hospital system's $22 million operating loss in 2013, the Sacramento Business Journal  reports. According to the Business Journal, the hospital system has $3.7 billion in outstanding debt.

Fitch in the ratings report said that the hospital system's one-time costs to bolster a health plan, consolidate back-office administrative functions and expand care management hurt its profitability in the short term but will improve revenue in the long term (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 5/12).

Tri-City Medical Center, Oceanside

Last week, Tim Moran was hired as the new CEO of Tri-City Medical Center, effective June 23, U-T San Diego reports.

Moran previously was CEO of Valley Hospital in Washington (Figueroa, U-T San Diego, 5/8).