Three Hospitals, One Mission The report you’re about to read details how 2018 went for the VMC Foundation, but I really need to talk about 2019 now. That’s because it brings perhaps the biggest change in Silicon Valley’s care delivery in 100 years…and marks a major opportunity for us. You heard, right? Santa Clara County purchased O’Connor Community Hospital, St. Louise Regional Hospital and the DePaul Health Center and began operating them in March. These vital medical centers would have surely closed had the County, the only bidder, not stepped in. The longer story can easily be found online, but the bottom line is this: Santa Clara Valley Medical Center just became a three-hospital system for the first time in its 142-year history! For the VMC Foundation, that brings major changes…all of which are not even known yet. We have already begun raising funds for immediate needs of the new acquisitions and have re-launched the gift shop at Gilroy’s St. Louise. Mergers are of course tricky things, and there’s a lot to consider. Our plan is to move cautiously but quickly to help in all the right ways.
Letter from the CEO of the Valley Medical Center Foundation
Are we taking our eye off the ball – the myriad of programs and projects you’ll read about in the following pages? No way. Never. From the East San Jose PEACE Partnership to the Farmers Market to the NICU Family Support Program, we’ll of course continue what you’ve come to trust: providing for and “cheerleading” for the Health System that makes Santa Clara County one of the healthiest regions in the nation.
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The work is never easy. Inequities and the colossal wealth gap, fueled by a system that is frankly just not fair for everyone, mean that our “Safety Net” has never been more important. With you standing with us, we can better meet the needs of our entire population. For that, you have my deep gratitude. Thoughts? Ideas? Call me any time: (408) 885-5299. In Service,
Chris Wilder, CEO Valley Medical Center Foundation
