NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL EVENT

Impact Napa

Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 8-10:45 a.m., Napa Valley Marriott, Napa

Best Places to Work 2008 Awards Reception

September 25, 2008, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, Rohnert Park

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The News in Brief

St. Joe blood supplier decision still pending

SANTA ROSA – St. Joseph Health System-Sonoma County did not announce its decision on a blood bank provider last week, officials said.

Spokeswoman Katy Hillenmeyer said the decision is pending and will be made by the time its current contract expires July 29. Earlier reports said the decision could come last Monday.

In April, the group that operates Petaluma Valley Hospital and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital notified its longtime blood provider, Blood Bank of the Redwoods, that it would open up bidding to other blood banks. The group said it would prefer to sign a contract with the 60-year-old community blood bank, but continued increases in prices have forced it to consider alternatives as a way to decrease cost of care to patients.

Blood Bank of the Redwoods spokesman Kent Corley said the bank increases prices between 2 percent and 3 percent on average per year. The increases result from rising payroll and testing costs as well as yearly capital investment.

St. Joseph’s Sonoma County hospitals currently have the highest per patient blood prices in their system, including in Napa, Humboldt and Orange counties, Ms. Hillenmeyer said.

B.R. Cohn wins appeal

SANTA ROSA – B.R. Cohn Winery in Kenwood may not be getting a second two-day, 3,000-a-day music festival per year, but the Sonoma County board of supervisors on June 17 did agree to the winery’s requests for some larger private events and elimination of restrictions on allowed development of the property as well as making a profit on the music festival.

Winery owner Bruce Cohn appealed a January decision by the county board of zoning adjustments to deny his request for another music festival, keep the existing event charitable and allow some private events to have up to 250 people each. The board of supervisors went with a county planning staff recommendation to allow two one-day, 3,000-person events per year.

The zoning board also wanted him to obtain an open-space easement to prevent expansion of visitor-related facilities, such as retail venues for wine and oil as well as a relocation of the events area. [See “B.R. Cohn appeals open-

space easement, event restrictions,” June 16, p. 13.]

Sutter Foundation launches e-records

SONOMA COUNTY – Sutter Medical Foundation North Bay kicked off implementation of its electronic medical records system last week at the Mendocino Avenue Care Center.

The six-month process will eventually connect all 10 North Bay health care sites with the digital health records that will include medical history, medications, test results and other vital health information. The software also generates patient check-up notifications, sends test results and alerts patients to needed immunizations.

Clients can access their health record from any location using a secure patient portal on MySutterOnline.org.

Eventually the system will also connect to Sutter Health-owned hospitals.

CVNL releases Marin nonprofit study

SAN RAFAEL – The Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership released the first-ever Marin County Nonprofit Landscape Study, which provides an overview of the current status of nonprofits in Marin, including their economic impact and emerging issues and challenges.

The study indicated Marin County has the highest per capita of nonprofits in California with 1,730 nonprofits, and the nonprofit sector contributes approximately $950 million annually to Marin’s economy. To view the entire study, go to www.centerforleadershipmarin.org.

“After seeing 20 years of tremendous growth in the nonprofit sector and in response to a growing demand for information about this sector ... the center developed this study,” said CVNL

CEO Linda Davis. “It was designed to provide meaningful data so that all interested could make knowledgeable decisions and work together collaboratively to address community issues and plan for the future.”

LaFrance Associates and the University of San Francisco’s Institute for Nonprofit Organization Management conducted the study, and it was funded by Marin Community Foundation, the county of Marin, United Way of the Bay Area, Autodesk and Citibank.

City of Santa Rosa seeks Merit nominations

SANTA ROSA – The Santa Rosa City Council is seeking nominations for its annual City Merit Awards Program in the following categories: youth services, community services, neighborhood enrichment, community enrichment and cultural enrichment. Individuals, businesses and organizations may be nominated. Nomination forms are available online at www.santarosarec.com, and the deadline is Aug. 29.

Winners will be recognized at the 2008 Merit Awards at the City Hall on Nov. 10.

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