Sutter Closes Birthing Services at Novato Community Hospital
In 1998, Sutter closed the maternity ward at Novato Community Hospital despite community opposition and the hospital's 10% profit margin. Expectant mothers needing birthing services must now travel for as long as one hour to the nearest hospital, Marin General Hospital, which is also controlled by Sutter.
Sutter Eliminates Pain Clinic for the Chronically Ill
In 2002, Sutter eliminated a pain clinic at Summit Medical Center in Oakland that provided critical health services for chronically ill patients. Local community members, government officials and advocacy groups tried to work with Sutter to keep the clinic open, but Sutter refused. In a letter to the CEO of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Senator Don Perata stated, "This is yet another example of Sutter's lack of consideration for the community and patients you serve…There is never any prior consideration given to your patients nor elected officials."
Only two years earlier, Sutter had taken over Summit Medical Center after promising to preserve and expand services for local residents. Patients must now travel as far as Vallejo to receive their weekly pain medication. Executives from Alta Bates Summit Medical Center claimed that the hospital's ongoing financial losses made it impossible to provide the $50,000 to $250,000 that was needed to keep the clinic open. However, according to 2002 financial reports, the hospital was just 4 months away from recording a year-end profit of $3.6 million.
Sutter Breaks Promise to Maintain Services at Davies Medical Center
In San Francisco, Sutter promised the San Francisco Health Commission that it would preserve hospital services after buying Davies Medical Center. Several months after signing the deal, Sutter broke its promise by eliminating 32 hospital beds.
Sutter Sued for Breaking Contracts With Community Health District
The publicly elected board of the Marin Healthcare District sued Sutter alleging that the company broke its contract with the district by failing to ensure adequate emergency medical services at the hospital and by committing conflict-of-interest violations. Jennifer Childs, a 23-year-old auto accident victim, died from head injuries following a 3-hour delay in care after Sutter's Marin General Hospital failed to provide full-time emergency neurosurgical services. George Stratigos, the Vice Mayor of Sausalito at the time, criticized the hospital in a newspaper op-ed for "cost cutting measures that have allowed inadequate staffing levels to become the norm rather than the exception."