Sequoia Hospital

Infobox Hospital
Name = Sequoia Hospital
Org/Group = Catholic Healthcare West


Caption =

Location =
Region = Redwood City
State = California
Country = US
HealthCare = Private
Type = Community
Speciality =
Standards =
Emergency = Basic Emergency Services
Affiliation= None
Beds = 330
Founded = 1950
Closed =
Website = http://www.sequoiahospital.org
Wiki-Links = |

Sequoia Hospital is a hospital in Redwood City,
California, USA. It is operated by Catholic Healthcare West.

History

Founding

In 1938, a group of nine women led by Mrs. Henry Beeger appealed to the city council in Redwood City for a hospital to serve the communities of southern San Mateo County. The city council authorized a study that confirmed the lack of hospital facilities locally. [ [http://www.sequoiahospital.org/Who_We_Are/History/index.htm Hospital History] ] But construction was delayed first by decisions to issue bonds to build a city hall and to build a library, and then by World War II. In 1946, voters approved the creation of the Sequoia Hospital District. Construction of the hospital began in 1949 as one of the the first district hospitals in California. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1999/03/19/PENINSUL2985.dtl "Peninsula Heritage", "San Francisco Examiner"] 19 Mar 1999] The 106-bed hospital was dedicated on October 15, 1950 and the first patient admitted on October 25, 1950.

Merger

In 1995, the hospital was struggling with losses that resulted in layoffs. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1995/10/20/PENINSUL6614.dtl "Sequoia Hospital seeking proposals", "San Francisco Examiner"] 20 October 1995] It lost $1.9 million in 1994 and $7.8 million in 1995. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1996/03/14/MNR4BA10.DTL "Sequoia Hospital Board Postpones Merger Vote", "San Francisco Chronicle"] 14 March 1996] The hospital board sought partners for an affiliation or merger and received proposals from Adventist Health System/West Inc., Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. and Catholic Healthcare West. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1995/12/06/MN36696.DTL "Sequoia Hospital Gets Third Bidder", "San Francisco Chronicle"] 6 December 1995] On March 20, 1996, the hospital board voted 4-1 to affiliate with the non-profit Catholic Healthcare West (rather than the for-profit Columbia/HCA). [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1996/03/21/MN54829.DTL "Redwood City Hospital Picks Merger Partner", "San Francisco Chronicle"] 21 March 1996] Ballot Measure H was put to Sequoia Hospital District voters, who approved the merger. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1996/08/07/MN35172.DTL "Sequoia Hospital Gets Partner", "San Francisco Chronicle"] 7 August 1996] The agreement called for the creation of a governing board for the hospital, with equal representation from Catholic Healthcare West and the Sequoia Hospital District and for CHW to pay $30 million to the district. [ [http://www.sequoiahealthcaredistrict.com/history.html Sequoia Healthcare District ] ]

Rebuilding

After several hospitals were damaged or closed as a result of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the state passed Senate Bill 1953, which required hospitals to meet new seismic standards. [ [http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/FDD/SB1953/index.html Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development - Facility Development Division (FDD) SB1953 ] ] As a result, Sequoia Hospital explored the possibility of building a new hospital, possibly at a new location in Redwood City. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/01/29/BA165690.DTL "Redwood City hospital to relocate, cut beds", "San Francisco Chronicle"] 29 January 2003]

However, in 2007, the hospital decided to construct the new building on its existing campus. On November 30, 2007, the Sequoia Healthcare District approved a funding plan for the new hospital in which Sequoia Hospital, Sequoia Healthcare District and CHW would each contribute $75 million toward the cost, with an additional $15 million to be raised by Sequoia Hospital Foundation. The plan called for CHW to take full ownership of the hospital, with half of the earnings over forty years to go to Sequoia Hospital District. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/01/BAP9TM6I4.DTL "Sequoia Hospital board OKs privatization deal, seismic upgrade plan", "San Francisco Chronicle"] 1 December 2007]

The building plan includes a new hospital with 167 beds, an expanded emergency room, a new medical office building with outpatient surgery facilities and a four-story parking garage. Construction of the garage began in February 2008 and is expected to be complete by the middle of 2009. The new medical office building is expected to be complete by the third quarter of 2009, while the new hospital building and all seismic upgrades are expected to be complete by the end of 2012.

Medical Services

The hospital is certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center Program. The cardiac care department is highly ranked by Healthgrades, including:
* Best in California for Coronary Interventional Procedures
* HealthGrades 2008 Cardiac Care Excellence Award recipient
* HealthGrades 2008 Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award recipient
* Top 5% in the Nation for Overall Cardiac Services, Cardiology Services, and Coronary Interventional Procedures

External links

* [http://www.sequoiahospital.org Official Hospital Website]
* [http://www.sequoiahealthcaredistrict.com Sequoia Healthcare District]
* [http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3016808 Primary Stroke Center Program]

References

ee also

*List of hospitals in California