In short, this is a thank you, and a request.
Much has transpired for our district in the last two years, as many of you know. We went from poor
management, to closure, to reopening under the highly respected non-profit, Adventist Health
banner.
It takes a village to make huge changes like this. For the district, positive change started with a few
people who said we must do something. The momentum of this early movement grew to over 40
people meeting weekly, and then to over 400 citizens making sometimes substantial donations to
cause change. Ultimately, it took the voters to move the district to its present course. There were six
ballot measures along the way to facilitate change, with approval rates starting at 62%, and ending
with the electorates’ endorsement of Adventist Health by over 88%.
All of you deserve credit for this remarkable story. We now have a professional hospital and an
emergency room that has treated over 35,000 individuals from our own community. The district has
settled all bankruptcy claims, balanced its budget, and refinanced bond debt at a savings to
taxpayers of over $54 million.
Adventist Health’s commitment to providing health care in our community has been remarkable and
truly a blessing. This organization loaned the district $10 million to reopen the hospital, and
continues to support the district’s financial needs for landlord required improvements. Adventist
Health’s investment in our community is conservatively estimated at over $40 million in just the last
year and a half alone, with continued signs that this organization is passionate about returning the
hospital to its status as a top facility and major provider of medical care across the Central Valley. In
just the short period of time it has been operating the hospital, Adventist Health has reopened the
much-needed emergency room, delivered over 80 babies, facilitated more than 1,000 surgeries, and
provided close to 200,000 discrete lab services. Adventist Health also has a state of the art health
clinic under construction on North Hillman Street, currently scheduled to open in October 2020.
While our hospital was closed, local doctors, healthcare workers and other hospital employees
provided services in our community and continue now with efforts to enhance and expand our
entire local healthcare system. Over 80 doctors and 125 nurses have returned to our hospital, and
services being provided out of district facilities are receiving rave reviews from patients.
Now that we have an open hospital and a quality partner in Adventist Health, our focus turns to the
future care of the people of Tulare. To ensure the success of our hospital for future generations, we
must continue to be united as a community and utilize the medical services provided locally, as is
appropriate for you and your family. Supporting your local hospital keeps your funds local, provides
employment opportunities for Tulare residents and assures the availability of quality local medical
services for decades to come.
Blessings to all who helped with this amazing victory, to our hospital, and to the greater Tulare
community!
Gratefully,
Xavier Avila, Board Member
Senovia Gutierrez, Board Secretary
Stephen Harrell, Board Treasurer
Mike Jamaica, Board Vice-President
Kevin Northcraft, Board President