History behind Sutter take-over of Marin General Hospital:

By Esther Blau, R.N.

In 1952 MGH opened its doors - profitable and high quality patient care - to 1985 when privatized & care started slipping - through 1995 when merged with Sutter and care deteriorated drastically - to today...

• 1952 to 1985 - Hospital operates successfully with 5 elected Directors overseeing operations, district funding and public input on policy.

• 1985 - The public and the Board are persuaded that privatizing the hospital is the only path to ensuring a viable future. The district's CEO and attorney who benefited from the final transaction led this movement... a conflict of interest. . .

• 1985 to 1995 - Hospital services deteriorate. The District Board is controlled by members sympathetic to the private corporation and not to the public interest. • 1995 - The hospital corporation merges with Sutter and its affiliates.

• 1995 - Healthcare District Board is still under the control of corporate sympathizers. A vote is taken to allow Marin General Hospital to pledge its revenues to guarantee payment of Sutter's debt (now over $1 billion) and to allow Sutter to take control of all hospital cash and use the money as it sees fit. The Board votes 2-0 in favor of Sutter with 3 abstentions to allow this to occur.

• 1996 - The voters change the make-up of the District Board. Two corporate sympathizers are replaced with two members unaffiliated with the corporation. This changes the composition of the Board to a 3 to 2 majority supporting the public interest.

• 1996 to 1997 - The district tries to mediate differences with Sutter. Sutter continues to draw revenues from Marin General Hospital to pay debt for other non-performing hospitals in its organization.

• 1998 - The voters elect a fourth member who supports the public interest. Based upon the conflict of interst in 1985, a lawsuit is filed to break the lease and return control of the hospital to the District. (Several other district hospitals have also done this.)

• 1998 - 1999 - Sutter continues stalling tactics in court.

• 1995 to 2000 - There is a serious and continuous deterioration in services due to:

• reduced nurse-to-patient ratios, and use of unlicensed personnel

• restructuring and down-sizing to maximize revenue generation for corporate headquarters

• poor ratings by hospital accreditation board (JCAHO)

• violations in patient care and services (California Department of Health Services)

• unavailability of a full service trauma program

• Healthcare District Board has limited power to address these issues; private Sutter hospital board is allowed to have private meetings without public input

• June, 2000 - In a similar case, Court of Appeals in Southern California holds in favor of the public and the Healthcare District

• Aug. 2000 - MGH logo is replaced by Sutter logo on signage

• Oct. 2000 - Marin General Hospital is on the verge of being returned to public control. The Northern California Appeals Court decision is anticipated soon - but not until after this election. It is important that the Healthcare District Board keep a majority of members who have the public interest as the priority. If Sutter supporters are the majority, they can vote to drop the lawsuit even in its final hours.

A vote for Esther Blau, RN , Dr. Diana Parnell (incumbent), and Dr. John Severinghaus (incumbent) will ensure that the public interest is maintained. Quality health care, safe health care, fiscal responsibility, and public access and input will be regained.