Adventist Health and Frank R. Howard Foundation Partner to Provide Care to Communit

Adventist Health and The Frank R. Howard Foundation have signed a long-term contract committing to a partnership that will provide ongoing health care to the Willits, California community.

Under the terms of the agreement between the health system and foundation, Adventist Health will continue to lease the existing hospital from the foundation while funding the construction of a new 25-bed hospital for the community on a parcel of land at East Hill Road. Once the new facility is built, the Howard Foundation will work to fund and develop the rest of the proposed, future medical campus.

"I’m very pleased that we have partnered with Adventist Health to continue to provide high-quality health care to our community. This contract will enable us not only to continue with plans for a new hospital but also starts to fulfill our vision for a master campus plan," states Margie Handley who chairs the foundation's nine-member board.

"Adventist Health is proud of its 24-year history of providing care in Willits and pleased to partner with the foundation in this new undertaking. Adventist Health is budgeting $61.2 million for the new Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital and is looking forward to working with the foundation to provide an amazing patient care experience for the residents of, and visitors to, Northern Mendocino County,” says Adventist Health Senior Vice President Scott Reiner, who chairs the hospital board.

The development of architectural plans for the new hospital is expected to begin shortly. The parties have established a design review committee to discuss and recommend the design of the new hospital. It’s anticipated that the proposed floor plan will be completed and submitted to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) prior to the end of 2010. Construction is slated to begin as soon as these plans receive final approval.