The Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation has announced a capital campaign to fund a new state-of-the-art Outpatient Diagnostic Center within Sonoma Valley Hospital.
The plan calls for repurposing the vacant space left by the old ER and Surgery Department, along with adjacent space, to create a 20,000-square-foot diagnostic hub that supports state-of-the-art imaging within the hospital’s current footprint. Plans include a new 128-slice CT scanner and a new MRI, along with updated ultrasound and X-ray equipment, and updated space and equipment for cardiology and laboratory services.
According to Foundation Executive Director Dave Pier, the project will modernize and expand medical imaging and help SVH to stay relevant in the current healthcare environment while reducing costs and supporting revenue growth in the years ahead.
“This new initiative, much like the philanthropy that helped create the new Emergency Department and Surgery Center, is being funded entirely through the generosity of donors. No hospital operating funds are being used,” Pier said.
Simon Blattner serves as the Campaign Chair and leads a dedicated group of volunteers who are committed to the success of this campaign. The honorary co-chairs for the campaign are Gary and Marcia Nelson, longtime supporters of the hospital.
Blattner reports the campaign is off to a strong start and has already received financial commitments from a number of private donors and foundations, totaling $14 million toward the campaign goal of at least $20 million. The Foundation is now asking the broader community for their support.
Hospital CEO Kelly Mather said the planned Diagnostic Center is the critical next step in the master plan initiated with the renovation of the hospital’s Emergency Department and Surgery Center completed in 2014. “We are now moving ahead with the next phase of the plan, a diagnostic hub that will support every aspect of hospital care, from emergency to surgery and outpatient services,” she said.
“This is a critical project for the hospital that creates operational efficiencies, increases revenue, and strengthens the position of SVH as a viable independent hospital able to meet the needs of our community for years to come,” Mather said. She reported that UCSF is very supportive of the plan and will use the new facility as its diagnostic service center in the North Bay, which will create new revenue for the hospital.
According to Mather, current projections for the new Diagnostic Center show increased net revenue of $1.5 million annually, in part as a result of physicians no longer having to refer patients outside of Sonoma Valley for advanced diagnostic care.
Information about the campaign is available online at sonomacares.svhfoundation.com, or by calling the Foundation at 707.935.5070.