July 2, 2012, Mountain View, CA. The El Camino Hospital District Board of Directors ratified the Fiscal Year 2013 budget of the hospital and its affiliates during its open public meeting on June 19. The budget was previously approved by the hospital Board during its open public meeting on June 13. The 2013 budget calls for a 7 percent operating margin and operating income of $42.4 million and includes re-investing $70.5 million in capital spending on facilities and equipment, including health information technology and other strategic projects.
"Our goal continues to be to differentiate El Camino Hospital as a locally controlled provider of excellent patient care and services in order to remain a competitive and thriving healthcare center," said John Zoglin, chairman of the District Board of Directors. "This year our focus will be on partnering with our physicians and care providers, and with businesses and other organizations to improve the health of our community by integrating care coordination and delivery strategies focused on quality, service and affordability."
The El Camino Hospital District Board also approved the FY2013 District Community Benefit Plan, allocating $6 million to health improvement programs that provide essential resources to individuals in our community who have limited access to health care. This represents the maximum amount of tax funds received by the District that can be reinvested in Community Benefit Programs. In 2008, the District Board passed a resolution to invest each year a specified portion of the District’s annual tax receipts to these services, and these funds are administered by the El Camino Hospital. Additional funds are contributed by the El Camino Hospital for Community Benefit Programs outside of the District, and those funds are separately approved by the El Camino Hospital Board.
The District has received recognition from various constituents for its successful partnership with community organizations to improve residents' health. Most recently, the District Board was presented with a resolution from the Sunnyvale School District recognizing the District's ongoing commitment to addressing persistent unmet health needs for students in the District. In May, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors commended the District with an official Resolution acknowledging the successful partnership between the District and Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center in providing medical and dental services for underserved families at Valley Health Center Sunnyvale.
The FY2013 District Community Benefit Plan aligns with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, supporting prevention and improved access to primary care by allocating investments to enhance capacity in community clinics. The plan expands the scope and reach of prevention and care services through meaningful partnerships with local health centers, school districts, mental health organizations, and senior-focused resource groups.
"We are investing in the health of our community's residents with the Community Benefit Plan," continued Zoglin. "The partnerships and services supported by the plan help residents improve their health, for example by reducing their risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease."
The El Camino Hospital District was established by voter approval in 1956 in accordance with California Local Hospital District Law. The purpose of the District is to establish, maintain and operate or provide assistance in the operation of health facilities and other health care services provider, groups and organizations that are necessary for the maintenance of good physical and mental health in the communities served by the District. The District, now known as El Camino Healthcare District, encompasses most of Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills; a large portion of Sunnyvale, and small sections of Cupertino, Santa Clara, and Palo Alto. The publicly elected El Camino Healthcare District Board of Directors approves tax dollar expenditures, including expenditures for the award winning Community Benefit program. Community Benefit funds are granted each year to local nonprofits, schools and government programs that provide critical health services to the underserved. All District Board meetings are publically noticed, open to the public, and available for viewing on the District website.