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

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Health Care: Windsor center opens doors to patients

ALSO: LOANS SOUGHT FOR MEDI-CAL DELAYS; PALM DRIVE TO SHOW OFF

On its official grand opening June 2, Alliance Medical Center of Healdsburg’s satellite office in Windsor saw about 20 patients and officials have already begun plans to add more doctors and possibly a larger space.

For about two years, city, clinic and school district leaders have discussed the possibility of a Windsor site as an estimated 22 percent of patients live in the neighboring city. Then, earlier this year St. Joseph Health System-Sonoma County offered to provide the space to Alliance at no cost until the lease expires in December next year.

The 900-square-foot site is located at 8465 Old Redwood Highway and offers obstetrics, family planning and pediatrics.

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In response to an estimated $619 million in Medi-Cal payment delays expected later this summer, five state officials have asked the UnitedHealth Group to lend community clinics about $50 million to cover their expenses until they receive reimbursements later this year.

In cooperation with the California Primary Care Association and NCB Capital Impact, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi; Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara; Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, D-Compton; Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica; and Assemblywoman Patty Berg, D-Eureka sent a letter asking the health care company to provide short-term bridge loans to clinics to prevent services from being cut or reduced.

For many health care clinics, Medi-Cal makes up about 40 or 50 percent of their income. In past delays, many clinics applied for lines of credit, but those required interest payments that were not paid for by the state.

Recently, Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth acquired Cypress-based subsidiary PacifiCare, simultaneously creating a $200 million investment fund to be used on health care infrastructure in California over the next five years.

This month, the group awarded 12 nonprofits $6.2 million in grants ranging from about $100,000 to $2.5 million and earlier this year they gave $6 million to 15 other health organizations.

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The Sonoma County branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will soon expand its outreach classes to Healdsburg, Windsor, Petaluma and the Indian Health Project in Santa Rosa, as well as provide classes in Spanish.

The nonprofit started in 1981 was run completely by volunteers and without any funding up until last year when the county provided about $75,000 for three paid positions. Organizers provide resources for clients to find the services they need in the county as well as offer support groups, community education, law enforcement collaboration and art and other classes.

The outreach groups run in nine-week cycles of 12 meetings in either the family-to-family format for loved ones of people living with mental illness or peer-to-peer classes for clients.

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Marin Community Clinic officials announced the location of their new Novato office this month. Located at 6100 Redwood Blvd., the space will have 15 exam rooms, three dental chairs and procedure and counseling rooms.

The group will also host a grand opening this week for a third location that will allow the nonprofit to add about 6,000 more patients. The event celebrating the San Rafael-based Dian R. Grais Health Center and Cahill Family Medical Clinic will begin with a ribbon-cutting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The 13,600-square-foot building at 3110 Kerner Blvd. houses 18 exam rooms, two treatment rooms, six dental chairs, a lab, dispensary and meeting space.

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Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit Grants Program awarded close to $400,000 to North Bay groups this month, including 20 in Sonoma County and 16 in Marin.

Following a local needs assessment, the funds were delegated to 39 community nonprofits of 100 that sent in requests. The grants ranged between $5,000 and $20,000 and were awarded to groups including the Jewish Community Free Clinic in Rohnert Park, Marin Abused Women’s Services, Petaluma City Schools and 4-H Sonoma County.

Projects had to address one of several focus areas including: obesity and healthy eating, care for the uninsured, increasing access to care, promoting prevention, health care work force development and breast health.

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Palm Drive Hospital will host an open house Thursday to showcase the facility’s recent renovations, including new floors, curtains, beds, lighting, offices, helipad, parking lot and state-of-the-art equipment.

Since declaring bankruptcy last year, the hospital has managed to pull its finances together and increase its patient census to record numbers. The organization has since renegotiated all its insurer contracts for higher rates and opened a new medical group next door to the hospital.

The event begins at 4 p.m. at 501 Petaluma Ave. in Sebastopol and new CEO James Russell will attend.

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Petaluma Health Center promoted three physicians to new leadership positions.

Dr. Nurit Licht, who has worked in the community clinic since 2005 and was co-medical director with Dr. Kelly Pfeifer, stepped up as the sole medical director.

Dr. Pfeifer will still practice in the clinic, but is taking on a stronger leadership role with the Sonoma Health Access Coalition. Dr. Licht received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and her medical degree from Colombia University.

Drs. Jonathan Choe and Danielle Oryn have also accepted positions as associate medical directors responsible for provider schedules, off-site services and health information technology. Both have worked in the clinic for three years.

Family physician Dr. Lisa Pearson joined the group for the first time in November and extended her position to full-time status in April. She received her medical degree from the New York Medical College and finished her residency at Sutter Medical Center in Santa Rosa.

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Submit items for this column to D. Ashley Verrill at 707-579-2900 ext. 215, averrill@busjrnl.com or fax 707-579-8475.

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