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Marin District names ‘transitional committee’ members

GREENBRAE, Sept. 24, 2008 – The Marin Healthcare District Tuesday nominated nine experts to a “transitional committee” that will advise the hospital in its shift back to district control.

The group is comprised of experts in health care, insurance, communications, business and marketing and will advise hospital CEO Lee Domanico for the next year or two while Sutter Health relinquishes managing control of the hospital.

Board Chairwoman Sharon Jackson also said during the Tuesday meeting that the board had hoped to finalize county-supervised negotiations with Sutter Health in time to announce the results during the special meeting but were not able. They plan to complete the talks by the next regular meeting on Oct. 14.

Before the meeting, the district hosted the second of three educational sessions on a proposed governing board that would oversee the day-to-day operations of the hospital and take the place of the transitional committee after the transfer.

Kurt Salmon Associates Vice President Jeffrey Hoffmann gave a timeline for the possible development of the group that would be subordinate to the district board. Mr. Hoffman said the board will determine the qualifications for the subsidiary group’s members but suggested that they use a variety of expertise similar to the transitional committee.

The current board will begin discussion of bylaws for the subsidiary board during the next meeting and for the next year. The rules would determine what decisions it would make, dispute resolution procedures, conflict of interest policies, board reserved powers and other details of exactly how the group would work.

Members of the public expressed mixed feelings during the question portion of the educational session, expressing concern about transparency. The audience had a similar response to the announcement of the transitional committee, though several commended Mr. Domanico for his choices.

“At long last things are moving forward,” said audience member Margaret Jones during public comment. “Things are happening, and there are real issues on the table.”

The implementation of the managing board and its bylaws will not be determined until the transition is complete and hinges on who is elected to the board in November. A third educational meeting will be scheduled in October.

Also during the meeting, members approved a seven-year, $55 million contract for the hospital’s new technology system that will need to be implemented once Sutter leaves the hospital. The system will handle all information, including an electronic medical records system.

Current transitional committee members are:

Harvey Bichkoff, chief executive officer of California Cancer Care Inc., master of public health for the University of California at Berkeley

David Hill, former chairman of KQED, founder of Saatchi Corporate Communications Co., author

Ann Kao, cardiologist, American Board of Internal Medicine certified, fellow of American College of Cardiology

David Joyner, senior vice president of Blue Shield of California, master’s degree in business administration, former manager of Bain and Company

Derek Parker, former principal and chairman of Ansen & Allen Architects

Robert Pierce, president of Warm Springs Holdings, former chairman and chief executive officer of Ocadian Hospitals and Care centers

Mara Perez, founder of Mara Perez Ph.D. Development and Planning Services, doctorate in sociology form the University of Chicago

Steve Schroeder, director of Smoking Cessation Leadership Center and distinguished professor of health and health care at UCSF, graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School

Tim Sowerby, gastroenterologist, American Board of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology