Local hospital reflects on two decades of providing accessible, high-quality healthcare to residents of Marin County
NOVATO, Calif. – Novato Community Hospital (NCH) is delighted to celebrate its 20th anniversary on May 21. To commemorate the milestone, staff unveiled a new public artwork. “The Healer’s Touch” statue, given in memory of a former patient, is flanked by two heritage olive trees.
“Novato Community Hospital is dedicated to being the most trusted healthcare provider in Marin,” said Shannon Thomas, RN, MSN, chief administrator and chief nursing executive at NCH. “We have a legacy of compassionately caring for our family, friends and neighbors, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to advancing healthcare that’s accessible, affordable and equitable.”
Shannon Thomas, RN, MSN, Chief Administrator and Chief Nursing Executive at Novato Community Hospital in Marin County, Calif.
Healthcare close to home
Novato Community Hospital provides care for an average of 92,000 patients each year.
“For 20 years we have built a reputation of providing exceptional care that North Bay residents have come to know and trust,” said Lowell Smith, NCH’s retired hospital vice president and chief administrator, who lives locally. “When people need to access high-quality healthcare, they know they can find it here, in their own backyard.”
“Hippest” place to get a hip replacement
NCH is Marin’s destination for orthopedic surgery and total joint replacement, including hips, knees, shoulders and spine. The hospital, which has earned the Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement—houses three surgery suites and a procedure room.
“NCH specializes in a unique approach to joint replacement that includes working extensively with patients pre- and post-surgery to ensure a successful return to an active, pain-free life,” said Thomas.
Navigating Ebola, wildfires and a pandemic
Emergency preparedness is embedded in NCH’s DNA. Whether preparing in 2016 to care for someone infected with the Ebola virus, responding to the recent deadly wildfires and smoke, or the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital has acted swiftly to meet the healthcare needs of patients and other area hospitals.
NCH played a key role during the 2017 Tubbs Fire, taking in patients and serving as a command post for Sutter’s response throughout the North Bay. The hospital also took in patients from evacuated healthcare facilities during the 2019 Kincade Fire. In 2020, the hospital bravely battled the novel COVID-19 virus by continuing to provide high-quality care, securing personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff and patients, and implementing new safety and infection control measures.
Novato Community Hospital staff helped care for the community during the global COVID-19 pandemic | May 2020
Emphasis on equitable care
While Marin County is largely an affluent and relatively healthy county, there are areas of concentrated poverty. Marin is also an aging county, presenting challenges for the health of residents. NCH, as an affiliate of Sutter Health, embodies the health system’s not-for-profit mission of reaching beyond hospitals walls to support the health needs of the broader community.
As recently as 2019, Novato-Sutter Health gave more than $190,000 to subsidized health services in Marin County, more than $1 Million in charity care, including more than $7 Million in unreimbursed Medi-Cal costs, and some $57,000 for other local public programs. For more information, visit Sutter Health’s Bay Area 2019 Community Health Report.
Award-winning, patient-centered care
Novato Community Hospital is a 47-bed acute care facility and part of the Sutter Health not-for-profit integrated network of care. NCH provides a 24-hour emergency department, intensive care, state-of-the-art surgery center, joint replacement & sports surgery program, and outpatient digital imaging and lab services.
The hospital has been recognized by the American Heart Association with a Stroke Gold Plus Award and a Heart Failure Silver Award. In 2018, NCH earned The Joint Commission’s Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification, the highest distinction from the nationally recognized accrediting body.
For more information about Novato Community Hospital, visit sutterhealth.org/novato.
For more information about the hospital’s 20th anniversary campaign, visit sutterhealth.org/NCH20thanniversary.
