Health-care industry plans to pour millions into future Solano County expansion projects

Article Last Updated: Friday, Apr 22, 2005 - 10:49:59 pm PDT

Solano health care to receive funding injection

By Sarah Arnquist

FAIRFIELD - Anticipating that Solano County's population growth will continue, the health-care industry plans to pour millions into future expansion projects here, industry leaders said Friday.

Top executives from Kaiser Permanente, NorthBay Healthcare System and Sutter Health affiliates discussed multimillion dollar expansion projects at a breakfast sponsored by the Solano Economic Development Corp., delighting local government and business representatives.

These investments mean quality improvement for Solano County residents, said Michael Ammann, Solano EDC president."Long term, it gives us a better health-care system within our county for the folks who live here as well as those who will be coming here," Ammann said.

Solano County is the fastest growing county in the Bay Area, projected to increase one-third by 2025. All the local hospitals have recently expanded their emergency departments or have immediate plans to do so to meet the growing need.
The health-care industry is one of the largest employment sectors in Solano County, employing about 12,000 people, according to the Solano EDC.Kaiser expects to bring hundreds of trade jobs to Vacaville while constructing a new hospital and medical office center, and add 1,000 permanent jobs to staff the new facility in 2009, said Deborah Romer, Napa and Solano area manager for Kaiser.

Solano County's greatest need is critical care services, said Gary Passama, NorthBay chief executive officer. NorthBay plans to bring more advanced specialty care to Solano County and someday upgrade its trauma services, he said.The health companies are gambling that Solano's population will continue growing to support the million-dollar capital investments. Based on trends, they agreed the situation looks positive.Kaiser has more construction plans for Solano County than any area in Northern California, Romer said.

"The growth of Solano is unique," Romer said. "We know people are coming here."The health-care providers face some challenges as they grow such as recruiting enough skilled physicians and nurses and managing the growing number of uninsured patients, Passama said.

The average age for doctors and nurses in California is over 50, and the state's high concentration of managed care and high cost of living makes it difficult to recruit younger physicians, said John Ray, chief executive officer of Sutter Regional Medical Foundation.

NorthBay affiliated medical groups have found smaller offices, with fewer physicians close to people's neighborhoods to be the most effective way to grow, Passama said.Sutter has similar expansions planned for Benicia and Rio Vista, Ray said."It's important for us to be where the people live," Passama said.

Reach Sarah Arnquist at 427-6953 or sarnquist@dailyrepublic.net.

Health providers reveal future plans for investment in Solano County Medical Facilities

Article Published: Saturday, April 23, 2005

Providers reveal plans for investment in county health

By SARAH ROHRS, Times-Herald staff writer

FAIRFIELD - Solano County's three major health care providers will invest millions, and generate thousands of new jobs as they build more clinics, emergency rooms, hospitals and medical centers to meet the demands of a growing population.

Sutter Solano Medical Center, NorthBay Healthcare System, and Kaiser Permanente executives elaborated on plans Friday at a Solano Economic Development Corporation Member-Investor Breakfast.

The "Future of Healthcare in Solano County" presentation, sponsored by the Times-Herald and The Reporter, drew about 150 corporate, business and public leaders to Rancho Solano Clubhouse.

Solano's health care providers are also incorporating the latest in imaging, radiology and surgical services. Eventually, patients may be able to view medical records online.
The largest private Solano County employer, Kaiser Permanente, has launched major new construction in Vallejo and Vacaville.

The $350 million Vallejo medical center, plus the $300 million Vacaville facility will generate between 300 to 1,000 construction jobs daily, said Deborah Romer, Kaiser senior vice president and area manager.

Some 1,000 new jobs could be generated at the two new facilities, she said.
The Vallejo hospital tower is slated to open in mid-2008. The Vacaville hospital and medical center is scheduled to open in early 2009.

Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo, meanwhile, is building a new $24 million facility that will hold a cancer center plus medical offices occupied by Sutter Regional Medical Foundation. The 60,000-square foot facility should be completed in November, said Terry Glubka, Sutter Solano's chief executive officer.

Sutter Solano, an affiliate of the Sutter Health care system, began work on a new
$5 million emergency department last summer, Glubka said. Emergency room visits are increasing dramatically, she added. In addition, a $9 million renovation of the imaging department should be complete in November, Glubka said.

Sutter Foundation, another Sutter Health system component, is also investing tens of millions to meet area health needs, said John Ray, foundation chief executive officer. It invested $4 million in charity care last year, he said.

The medical foundation recently opened a $35 million outpatient and medical office facility in Fairfield. The organization is pursing plans to replace a clinic in Fairfield, and is also exploring new facilities in Benicia, Vacaville and Rio Vista.

NorthBay Healthcare System is also expanding. Gary Passama, president and chief executive officer, said new projects will primarily meet Fairfield and Vacaville's growth demands. NorthBay services draw a smaller number of American Canyon and Hiddenbrooke residents, he said.

NorthBay has begun a $2.5 million expansion of its North Bay Medical Center hospital, a third primary care center in Fairfield, and a $10.8 million expansion of VacaValley Hospital's emergency department. It recently bought a 20-acre site in Green Valley for more facilities.
Both NorthBay and Sutter Solano executives said the new facilities will generate more jobs, but they could not say how many.

-- E-mail Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6832.