Palm Drive Hospital Poised for Reopening

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July 18

by Martin Espinoza

Former Palm Drive Hospital poised to reopen as Sonoma West Medical Center
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/home/4211561-181/former-palm-drive-hospital-poised

In a newly remodeled patient waiting room, about a dozen nurses, doctors and other medical staff listen attentively as MaryAnn Mahoney details new processes and procedures for treating patients at Sonoma West Medical Center, which is expected to open in early August.

Using “flow mapping” techniques, the emergency department nurse guides the team through procedures for nursing registration, laboratory policies, language interpretation, radiology and other services.

“We’re a whole new animal,” Mahoney said.

Elsewhere in the hospital, staff are testing medical equipment and conducting numerous patient drills and mock hospital scenarios. It’s a major cram session aimed at getting every aspect of the facility in order, including the new electronic medical records system, the healthier food menu, personnel staffing and admissions procedures.

“We need to get it right, obviously, because the No. 1 priority is safe patient care,” said Raymond Hino, CEO of the Sonoma West Medical Center. “It has to be safe patient care from the very first patient that walks in the door.”

Construction projects at the medical center, formerly known as Palm Drive Hospital, were approved and certified by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development on July 6. That approval allowed the hospital to schedule a final survey by staff at the state Department of Public Health.

Public Health staff are scheduled to visit the hospital on July 27 and 28, so the hospital has until then to prepare.

Hino said state officials are likely to find some things wrong, but nothing major. Major deficiencies, he said, would include not having adequate staff, or major equipment not being operational or present in the facility.

“I’m not anticipating there will be any deficiencies that will prevent us from reopening the hospital,” Hino said.

The retooling of Palm Drive was spearheaded by the Sonoma West Medical Foundation, previously called the Palm Drive Health Care Foundation. The new facility is expected to be a 25-bed acute care hospital with a bevy of specialty medical institutes that would help cover the cost of inpatient services and a new emergency room.

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