Association News

State of the Hospitals Explores Ventura County Health Care

On Friday, Oct. 18, the County of Ventura and HASC hosted the first State of the Hospitals event in Camarillo. Geared toward industry and community leaders, the forum highlighted the challenges local hospitals and health care delivery systems are facing, along with their innovations and successes.

The free event at the Ventura County Office of Education featured executives from the county’s six acute care hospitals: Adventist Health, Community Memorial Hospital, Dignity Health – St. John’s Hospital, Ventura County Medical Center, Vista Del Mar and Los Robles Health System.

“Our hospitals are facing what seem like significant headwinds as the health care landscape is ever changing,” said Dr. Theresa Cho, director of the Ventura County Health Care Agency. “However, our hospitals across the county share a commitment to providing the highest-quality, life-saving care for our patients and their families.

“This inaugural event provided the unique opportunity to capitalize on the collective innovation from across our systems and build a collaborative solution to delivering even better care in our communities,” Dr. Cho said.

Attendees learned about hospital and health systems’ vital economic and community impact, the crucial service lines they offer and their joint efforts to advance better health in the county.

“This event provided an essential platform to accurately convey the critical role hospitals play, not only as pillars of health and well-being, but also as key drivers of economic sustainability in our communities,” said George Greene, president and CEO of HASC.

“Through this gathering, we were able to highlight the vast contributions of Ventura County hospitals in delivering care, fostering innovation, and supporting the local economy. Events like this help ensure our communities understand the value of our hospitals and the collaborative efforts needed to sustain their vital services,” he said.

University of California, Santa Barbara economist Peter Rupert, PhD, shared an economic analysis of the current and future status of area hospitals. Kathryn Austin Scott, senior vice president, state relations and advocacy for the California Hospital Association, discussed state policies impacting, and that will continue to impact, health care delivery.

HASC plans to host State of the Hospital forums in its other counties to further this discussion and foster relationships that promote access to quality hospital care.