We are already seeing subtle signs of improvement in only two busy months at Palm Drive Hospital. With our new minimally invasive hip replacement surgery table, orthopedic surgeons from Sebastopol Orthopedics are helping patients walk up stairs in only two days after surgery. It's truly a miraculous innovation for those folks in need of a hip replacement, and we are fortunate to have the only minimally invasive hip surgery technology in the North Bay.

On Tuesday, June 5, the Palm Drive Health Care District Board signed a Joint Powers Authority with Healdsburg District Hospital and Sonoma Valley Hospital. This development allows public entities like hospital districts to negotiate as a group for health insurance rates, purchasing supplies, and sharing managerial staff. This is a key first step in giving the small district hospitals the authority to plan together for the anticipated closure of Sutter in 2008. Ongoing meetings with county officials, clinic directors and medical staff are indicating there is hope for a coordinated Sonoma County health care strategy in our future.

Sebastopol resident Nancy Dobbs was appointed to the Palm Drive Health Care District Board to replace the vacancy created when Naomi Fuchs resigned. Ms. Dobbs is CEO of KRCB Radio and TV, as well as an experienced volunteer in Sonoma County health care strategic planning. A second vacant Board seat will be filled at the next District Board meeting on June 13, 2007. Thank you to all the dedicated district residents who applied for the Board positions, and a special thank you to the panel of community volunteers who interviewed the six candidates.

A series of Community Outreach meetings were held during April, May and early June in Bodega Bay, Guerneville, Occidental, Forestville, and Burbank Heights (senior apartments) in Sebastopol. Palm Drive CEO Jim Sato had informal conversations with the attendees, focusing on hospital strategy for increasing revenue and cutting expenses. Key to the strategy is the reopening of the Intensive Care Unit scheduled for early July 2007.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will be enhanced by the acquisition of robot technology that allows specialist physicians to diagnose and review patient status remotely. Under the direction of well-known pulmonologist Dr. James Gude, Palm Drive's critical care patients will receive top quality care by an on-site physician and critical care nurses as well as any specialists that are required. For more information on this exciting development for our local hospital, please contact me or PDH Director of Nursing Lori Austin, CCRN at 823-8511. Palm Drive Hospital welcomes public participation and encourages community residents to attend the regular District Board meetings usually held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. There are also public meetings of the Finance Committee held twice a month. The hospital's web site is being redesigned to provide more current information; all public meetings will be posted on the site at www.palmdrivehospital.com.