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Hospital Board Members call on Sacramento

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Sonoma Valley Sun

Bill Boerum & Peter HohorstTwo members of the Sonoma Valley Health Care District Board attended the annual “Legislative Days” meeting held in Sacramento recently, which provided an opportunity to discuss health care issues with state legislators.

Board members Bill Boerum and Peter Hohorst are shown with Kelly Burns, legislative aide to State Senator Mike Maguire. They discussed amending the state’s Title 22 code (under which hospitals such as SVH operate) to ease the amendment process.

“We learned that you need to develop and maintain a relationship with your legislators so they understand the challenges community hospitals face,” Boerum told The Sun. “Healthcare as it pertains to hospitals is currently not a top priority for either the legislature or the administration, but marginal changes can be made in the state’s health code if you work on it with persistence and find common ground with ad hoc partners.”

During the visit, Boerum said, “We were received courteously and with an open mind by legislators and staff who work hard in very cramped quarters.

Boerum said he was also fortunate to have a separate meeting, introductory in nature with Diana Dooley, Secretary of Health and Human Services. “(She) encouraged us to go deeper in her department to press our interests.”

The annual “Legislative Days” is arranged by the Association of California Healthcare Districts for its member districts and hospitals.




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