Sutter Health and its Affiliates Receive Prestigious National Award for Collaborative Program Focused on Community Health Care

SACRAMENTO, Calif., August 22, 2002 - Sutter Health and its affiliated hospitals Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, California Pacific Medical Center, Marin General Hospital and Novato Community Hospital were honored by the American Hospital Association (AHA) with the prestigious Nova Award for participation in Operation Access, a public/private partnership that provides surgical services and specialist care to people who can't otherwise afford it.

Through Operation Access, participating Sutter Health hospitals provide full-range surgical services. All costs associated with hospital operating rooms, pharmaceuticals, surgical services and supplies, and anesthesia services are donated by the hospitals and medical professionals. Each outpatient surgery saves an uninsured patient out-of-pocket costs ranging from $500 to $10,000, and the volunteer program has saved the public health system an estimated $3 million since its inception in 1993.

"As not-for-profit health care providers, we're proud to play a vital role in meeting the needs of our state's most vulnerable health care consumers," said Sutter Health Chief Executive Officer Van R. Johnson. "Sutter Health has a rich tradition of service to the community. We're thrilled that AHA recognizes this commitment and innovative programs such as Operation Access," he said.

The AHA NOVA Award is co-sponsored by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. The winners were recommended by the AHA NOVA award advisory panel and committee on awards and approved by the AHA board of trustees.

"The efforts of these health care organizations show what can happen when a community works together for a great cause. We are recognizing outstanding programs for the wide range of quality services they offer their communities," noted AHA President Dick Davidson in recognizing this year's winners.

Collectively, Sutter Health hospitals and physician organizations invested more than $417 million in 2001 on services for the poor and underserved, and on benefits to the broader community. This represents nearly 11 percent of net patient revenues, and includes charity care, investment in medical research, community benefit programs like school-based clinics and AIDS programs, and the unpaid costs of participating in MediCal and Medicare programs.

Sutter Health is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit networks of community-based health care providers, delivering high-quality care in more than 100 Northern California communities. It is the regional leader in infant deliveries, neonatology, orthopedics, pediatrics and cancer care services. Sutter Health supports more than two dozen locally run acute care hospitals as well as physician organizations; medical research facilities; region-wide home health, hospice and occupational health networks; and long-term care centers.

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Contact
Karen Garner
Communications Manager
916-286-8297
garnerk@sutterhealth.org