- Why are Petaluma Health Center and Coastal Health Alliance Merging?
Coastal Health Alliance’s decision to merge with Petaluma Health Center is one that reinforces our commitment to ensuring high quality care for medically vulnerable individuals. The merger naturally builds on the organizations’ longstanding partnership. Coastal Health Alliance and Petaluma Health Center have a shared history that stems in the foundation of both health centers. Our organizations have shared goals to improve the health status of the communities we serve. CHA and PHC have an overlapping service area, which includes West Marin, Southern and Central Sonoma County; and shared patients who we are both committed to serving in the best way possible. In addition, we believe that our teams complement each other’s strengths and will improve both access to and quality of care.
Petaluma Health Center and Coastal Health Alliance were both founded to serve a shared mission and vision by the same group of dedicated physicians in response to a growing unmet medical need in our communities. Through our joint participation in the Redwood Community Health Coalition, we have maintained a close collaborative relationship. We believe that the consolidation of our two corporations will allow us to expand access to high-quality, prevention-focused, patient-centered health care to all people in the communities we serve.
By merging our two organizations, we will increase our operational capabilities and enhance our organizational capacity to further advance our shared goals. Our shared rural service area is home to a growing geriatric population, including a vast majority of medically complex individuals who are afflicted with co-occurring chronic conditions. CHA possesses clinical expertise working with rural and geriatric populations. However, the complexity of these patient populations requires enhanced organizational and technological infrastructure that PHC has been able to successfully develop and sustain. PHC has also been able to recruit and retain a robust and award-winning health informatics team that provides continuous training for its clinical, operational, and even administrative staff. This merger will build on the expertise of both organizations to further refine a service delivery model that best suits the needs of the communities we serve.
PHC also has an expanded and specialized leadership, as well as a strong administrative and clinical infrastructure, that would help CHA better navigate the increasing complex health care environment. PHC has successfully undergone two scrutinous Joint Commission surveys to receive and renew accreditation in Ambulatory Care, Behavioral Health and Patient-Centered Medical Home. By leveraging PHC’s strengths, CHA is confident that it can improve its workflows and enhance its quality improvement efforts to ensure that its patients also obtain the best quality care. Integrating the two organization’s facilitate CHA’s succession planning and help ensure the sustainability of Coastal Health Alliance’s and Petaluma Health Center’s shared mission.
2. What is the mission of the expanded organization?
Our mission is to ensure that all people in the communities we serve have access to high-quality, prevention-focused, patient-centered health care.
3. What are the advantages for the affected communities?
Together, Petaluma Health Center and Coastal Health Alliance can:
(1) recruit and retain top-notch physicians and health care providers to our service area
(2) increase access to health care and improve the health of the communities we serve
(3) reduce disparities for medically-underserved populations, including agricultural workers and other essential workers
4. What is the size of the expanded Petaluma Health Center organization?
Combined, the initial size will include:
- 10 sites of care
- $56 million operating budget
- 487 employees
- 50,000 patients
- 243,000 annual patient visits
5. When will Coastal Health Alliance become part of Petaluma Health Center?
The merger will be effective as of July 1, 2020.
6. What will happen with Coastal Health Alliance patients, staff, and providers?
Our priority is for all of Coastal Health Alliance’s providers, services, and patients to remain in place without disruption in operations.
7. Do patients have to change care providers?
No. Continuity of care is a high priority for CHA patients so that they will be able to continue to receive care from their current CHA providers at their current CHA sites, and will have access to services offered at other PHC sites.
8. Will the Kaiser Permanente affiliation continue?
Yes, Kaiser Permanente members will be able to receive services at CHA sites.
9. Will there be any reduction in staff at the Costal Health Alliance?
There was no reduction in staff as a result of the merger.
10. What will be the surviving organization and board of directors?
The surviving organization and board of directors will be Petaluma Health Center’s Board of Directors. Up to 3 Coastal Health Alliance board members will be recruited to join the PHC Board of Directors. An English-Speaking Patient Advisory Committee and a Spanish-Speaking Advisory Committee are being established to provide input on how to optimize services.
11. Is this going to be a for-profit organization?
No, Petaluma Health Center’s corporate nonprofit public benefit 501(c)3 status will remain the same.
12. What health systems will benefit from the consolidation?
The enhanced primary care network provided by the consolidation supports the emergency rooms and follow-up care needs for our collaborating local health systems:
- Kaiser Permanente
- Petaluma Valley Hospital – St. Joseph Health
- Marin General Hospital
- Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital – St. Joseph Health System
- Novato Community Hospital, Sutter Health
13. What happens to my recent donations to Coastal Health Alliance?
We will respect donor contributions as restricted funding for the CHA site and services for which they were intended. Future donations for CHA will be restricted for use in West Marin.
14. What happens with the Coastal Health Alliance name?
Coastal Health Alliance’s clinical sites will continue to do business as Coastal Health Alliance and the respective clinic site names:
- Point Reyes Community Health Center
- Point Reyes Community Health Center Dental?
- Bolinas Community Health Center
15. Who will be the CEO once the transition takes place?
Ms. Kathryn Powell, MSHA, MA, will be CEO of Petaluma Health Center on July 1st. Mr. Steven Siegel will assume the role of West Marin Services Director and become a member of Petaluma Health Center’s leadership team on July 1st.
16. Where can I find out more information?
Please contact:
Mr. Pedro Toledo, Chief Administrative Officer
Petaluma Health Center
707-326-7551
