Plan to reopen Palm Drive focus of forum Monday night

The Palm Drive Health Care Foundation is scheduled to hold its sixth and final public forum Monday night promoting its plan to reopen Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol.

The 73-year-old hospital, subsidized by a tax district, was shuttered in April after years of financial difficulties and dramatic declines in patient overnight stays.

The foundation, a nonprofit group that raises money to help support the hospital, wants to create the Sonoma West Medical Center, a nonprofit facility that would feature an emergency department, acute care services and a litany of outpatient services.

Gail Thomas, president of the foundation, said many west county residents have repeatedly expressed their concern about the loss of the emergency department at Palm Drive. Emergency services, a priority under the foundation’s plan, would be financially supported by outpatient “specialty institutes” that would provide services as well as provide a research and educational outlet for local physicians, she said.

These institutes would include one for orthopedics and sports medicine; brain and spine; urology; endocrinology; rheumatology; wound care and possible others. The plan also proposes a possible alliance with Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for home nursing care and hospice services.

Any plan to reopen the old Palm Drive hospital would have to be considered by the Palm Drive Health Care District board of directors.

The foundation’s proposal will be presented by the proposed hospital’s CEO, Ray Hino, who recently resigned from his post as CEO of Bear Valley Community Healthcare District in Southern California.

Tonight’s meeting takes place at Community Church of Sebastopol, 1000 Gravenstein Highway N., at 6:30 p.m.