Sonoma West Medical Center surgical unit closed due to mold

[luke32]

The Sonoma West Times and News lead story this week is headlined "Hospital struggles as mold closes surgical unit".

I don't believe it is proper to copy the story off the online edition of SWT&N, so you'll have to be a subscriber to learn the details

[Hotspring 44]

Here is the link:
https://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_we...8556fda66.html

The Sonoma West Times and News lead story this week is headlined "Hospital struggles as mold closes surgical unit"....

[Sieglinde]

This hospital has been a bone of contention all the short time I have lived in Sebastopol. I thought about using them for a mammogram and when I needed one they were not ready for Blue Cross. I am not impressed by the management or the elected board members. I want to "Brexit" from this district.

[jbox]

The River Corridor has already exited though we will be on the hook for past obligations. Unless a big local hospital comes in and makes Palm Drive a local outpost I think the best use of the facility is a homeless service center that will take some of the burden off Guerneville and the lower River area. We have about 4 times per capita the number of homeless along the River than does Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, or even San Francisco. The river and its banks are being degraded by the large encampments and the threat of catastrophic fire from these and other encampments in the hills this summer is a very real danger. Palm Drive is the perfect place to provide much needed services for those folks who have slipped through the cracks, assuming the hospital continues to founder, as seems likely.

[Sieglinde]

I think there would be a lot of push back on that but it is a good idea.

...I think the best use of the facility is a homeless service center that will take some of the burden off Guerneville and the lower River area. ...

[Sieglinde]

According to my sister who has lived here more than 40 years, more than 30 in Sebastopol said that they used the hospital a few times for emergencies but when the county raised the prices on Blue Cross, they switched to Kaiser. A lot of people switched to Kaiser. She thinks that is what helped kill the hospital. Now that Sutter is right off of River Road, the river people have a straight shot to the hospital so that took that population away.

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

The River residents are on the hook with us for past obligations. They are not on the hook for future obligations.

The River Corridor has already exited though we will be on the hook for past obligations. ...

[luke32]

An update to the mold situation.

Apparently the hospital performed surgeries after the mold was reported. Not clear is where the surgical tools were sterilized - as the hospital has only one sterilization sink.

The Sonoma West headline; "Hospital performs surgery after mold discovery in sterile area"

[Sieglinde]

The incompetence shown by the people running this hospital is not helping it restore its place in the community. I will continue to use Sutter.

[luke32]

If the signed​ comment at the end of this news clip is accurate, this is not good news for the hospital. ​https://www.ksro.com/2017/06/22/no-s...break-of-mold/

[tommy]

It's so weird, sad, confusing, and telling to see difficulties the hospital is having, with the detachment, management changes, and now the closing of the surgical unit... particularly after all the efforts and money spent in the last year to reopen it. I have always sensed there's not enough business here to support the hospital, especially with nearby alternatives such as Kaiser, Sutter & Memorial. Regardless, I honor those who have selflessly fought for the hospital.

If the signed​ comment at the end of this news clip is accurate, this is not good news for the hospital. ​https://www.ksro.com/2017/06/22/no-s...break-of-mold/

[Barry]

New manager brought into hospital
By Amie Windsor, Staff Writer, [email protected]
Jun 23, 2017

Proposed lab services to bring $2 million a month

A deal that district board members called the hospital’s “last hope” was approved yesterday during a joint meeting of the Sonoma West Medical Center governing board and Palm Drive Health Care District board.

Both boards approved a management services agreement and laboratory management services agreement between Sonoma West Medical Center and Durall Capital Holdings, a Florida-based investment firm with approximately a year experience in the hospital industry.

“Sonoma West Medical Center is entering into a lab and management agreement,” said Chief Nursing Officer Barbara Vogelsang. “This is an opportunity for Sonoma West Medical Center to embark upon new services lines that have helped other rural hospitals.”

Under the laboratory management services agreement, the hospital will perform initial toxicology testing sent by Durall from individuals in drug rehabilitation programs from throughout the country. Durall technicians will perform the tests on new equipment to be installed in the hospital. Durall will purchase the equipment, valued at approximately $100,000, and invoice SWMC for repayment after six months of performing toxicology testing.

Durall will manage the toxicology laboratory for $150,000 a month, a sum that seemed superfluous to some board members.

“What exactly is Durall doing for $150,000 a month?” Jim Horn, district board member asked.

According to district attorney Bill Arnone, Durall will be, “funneling business through their contacts.”

“I think developing the service line is huge,” added district executive director Alanna Brogan.

Aaron Durall, principal with Durall Capital Holdings, estimates the hospital will run between 10,000 and 15,000 tests per month. Durall believes payout from insurers for the drug testing will be $2.8 million a month. SWMC interim CEO John Peleuses said the hospital and Durall researched the reimbursement rates from the hospital’s current insurers and that the estimated revenue is realistic.

According to the estimates, SWMC would collect $923,000 per month after payment for cost of reagents, personnel and estimated overhead of $773,000 is paid to Durall. According to the summary of agreements, the monthly payout is still being worked out.

According to Vogelsang, the country’s opioid epidemic will bring a steady stream of testing into the laboratory. “Our lab will have the necessary equipment to rapidly process these tests,” she said.

Continues here

[Imagery]

Why doesn't Sonoma West Medical Center simply have a centralized billing department? I tore my calf muscle while at work on Wednesday night, November 22nd...was referred to the ER at Sonoma West Medical center the next day. It was May of this year before I received the last original bill for services rendered. Liberty Mutual (our WC insurance carrier) called back in December to get the ball rolling on the bills, but couldn't reach a billing department.
IMHO, not a way to get timely reimbursement.