Affiliate search continues for Rideout
With the search for an affiliate underway and the recent announcement of cuts to services and staffing, there are many unknowns as to what is in store for Rideout Health, but local officials and community members think the future looks bright.
Earlier this month, Rideout Health officials announced the organization was in search of a larger hospital to partner with in hopes of expanding the services it provides to the community.
Janice Nall, chairperson on Rideout Health’s board, said searching for an affiliate takes a long time, but she is hopeful a new partner will be announced sometime this spring.
“Both the potential partners and Rideout continue to do our due diligence in the process, meaning we are looking at each other in depth, not only from a legal, operational and community standpoint, but also in some of the areas that are a priority to us,” Nall said. “We are trying to ensure that we get a very good look at one another and make sure we fit.”
Due to confidentiality agreements between the organization and the potential partners, Nall said she cannot say who the candidates are or how many there are in total. She said the organization is still looking at multiple entities and hasn’t eliminated any of the affiliates that were chosen to participate in the process.
“We are still evaluating all of the poten- tial partners we have,” Nall said. “I can say that they are very strong potential partners that will do some great things for our community.”
Since the organization announced it was searching for an affiliate, people from around the community have been expressing their thoughts and hopes for what a partnership might bring to local residents.
Ron Giovannetti, a top donor for Rideout Health Foundation, said he and his wife, Norma, have been working with the organization for at least a decade.
Giovannetti said Rideout Health is moving in the right direction and thinks an affiliation is what needs to be done.
“To be honest, I don’t think this town can afford to have a stand-alone (hospital) like it does now for very much longer,” Giovannetti said. “I think they are going to need an affiliate. I hope its UC Davis in Sacramento. I think Gino (Patrizio, CEO of Rideout Health) and company are doing a heck of a job.”
Bill Cornelius, former Foundation board member, spent more than five years with the fundraising wing of the organization before stepping away. During his time on the board, he said he has seen a positive change in the direction the organization’s leadership is taking.
“In terms of the search for a partner, I’m open to it,” Cornelius said. “We’d always like to keep our hospital as just our own, but it doesn’t really make sense financially, plus it would benefit the community with additional services that could be provided because of it.”
Cornelius said since Patrizio took over as hospital CEO, he has done a good job in looking at the overall operations of the organization and making the necessary changes. He said he’s seen firsthand how difficult it is for hospitals like Rideout Memorial to make a profit while providing services and care for anyone, regardless of whether they have insurance.
“I’m not privy to exactly who is or has shown interest, but my hope is that they are local and service-oriented,” he said. “Rideout has been a good asset to the community. Should they ever partner up with another business, I hope they are also a strong community member.”
Sarbjit Johl, a top donor for the organization, said due to the rapidly changing health care industry, it’s easy to understand why it’s becoming difficult to be a stand-alone hospital.
Johl said he got involved in donating to the hospital because the services it provides to the community are crucial. He doesn’t know who the potential affiliates might be, but said he hopes it helps the organization expand what it already does for the community.
“The only thing I’d like to see happen is to improve our health care system and for it to not compromise the services provided in any way,” Johl said. “I hope, whatever it is or whoever it’s with, I hope it gets done soon. For a community to thrive, it has to have a decent health care system.”
Darin Gale, economic growth and public affairs official for Yuba City, had a similar sentiment to Johl, in that the city’s hope is that an affiliation increases the amount of services that are provided to the area.
“As it relates to the economic prosperity of the community, when a business is looking to come here or if it’s determining whether to stay, quality health care is a huge factor,” Gale said.
Gale said keeping Rideout Health operating and retaining the community hospital is of great important to Yuba City and its residents.
“The city will be doing whatever we can to help in the process and support them in that effort,” Gale said.
Rideout Health officials announced the organization would be cutting 106 employees. Along with the positions being eliminated, the organization announced it would be cutting three services it provides – home health, hospice and medical equipment services – and separating from four of its clinics in Nevada County.
In total, the cuts are expected to save the organization more than $3 million annually, an official said.
“I had a chance to touch base with nurse leaders at the hospital and hear some of their concerns,” Joe Henry, labor representative for the California Nurses Association, said. “While none of our members were affected by the layoffs, they live and work in the community and worry about the overall health for the community.”
Henry said nurses expressed their concerns about the layoffs, combined with the fact that some of Rideout Health’s services will be cut. He said they have concerns that the reductions announced by the organization will pose a risk to the community’s safety.
“It’s really sad for the health of the community as a whole and its selection of services, because health and home hospice plays a huge role in the community,” Henry said. “So we are concerned. The loss of that many jobs in a community that size if pretty tragic.”
Henry said he and the nurses union have recently entered into contract negotiations with Rideout Health.