Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa (SMCSR) has reached an agreement with the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts (LBC) to purchase a 25-acre parcel located adjacent to Highway 101 and Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa on the LBC campus.
SMCSR intends to submit a business plan to the County of Sonoma that features the construction of a state of the art acute care hospital, ambulatory care center, and medical office building on the parcel.
"The demand for inpatient hospital services is changing dramatically as baby boomers age and new technology affects how medical services are provided. We are excited about the possibility of constructing a new medical center designed to provide accessible, high-quality medical services to this community while building on the highly successful Sutter Health model of integrating hospital and physician services," said Mike Cohill, CEO of SMCSR, Sutter Warrack Hospital and Sutter Medical Foundation - North Bay. "However, the building project is subject to a lengthy planning and approval process. Given the limited availability of land parcels potentially suited to the building of a hospital we felt it necessary to secure the land at this time."
"SMCSR, as a community based not for profit organization, is governed by a volunteer board comprised of community leaders and health care professionals. Our local governance structure means critical decisions such as this one are made by experts in our community who can respond to local health and community needs. We keep the ability to make our own decisions and at the same time, we have access to financial and planning support from Sutter Health," explained SMCSR Board of Trustees Chairman Ross Stromberg.
The purchase of the LBC parcel is the culmination of a carefully executed, multi-year search by SMCSR and the not-for-profit Sutter Health network, which plans to invest approximately $5.7 billion over the next 10 years to improve or replace dozens of community-based hospitals and outpatient facilities and to expand physician services throughout Northern California.
"The need to construct a new hospital facility arises as we prepare to meet state seismic mandates (SB 1953), said Cohill. "We have studied other options such as retrofitting the existing facility, or rebuilding on the current site, but have determined that they are not viable."
Cohill noted that the LBC site has many benefits, including outstanding access from Highway 101 that allows for ease-of-entry and exit for patients, visitors, and emergency vehicles; a prominent, visible location; and importantly, a unique and exciting opportunity to collaborate and to share resources with the performing arts center.
According to LBC Executive Director David Fischer, the LBC will continue to grow and expand its services according to a recently completed, 15-year Master Plan that calls for a significant increase in services and facilities.
Officials from SMCSR and the LBC expressed a commitment to share resources and listen to community feedback regarding the possible future of the shared campus.
"We are a good neighbor and citizen in this community," Cohill said. "I believe that a new facility, and the campus development work with the LBC, will be a valued asset to Sonoma County but we need community support, including increased philanthropic backing, to make that possible. We also need to consider the environmental impact on the site and seek solutions to mitigate or alleviate any concerns that may arise."
|
