Dear Friend,

The best news about our community hospital is that no later than July 2010, Marin General Hospital will be back under local control. Five elected Marin Healthcare District Directors will be responsible for hiring an administrator who will operate the hospital solely for the public interest. Now MGH operates behind closed doors as a revenue source for Sacramento-based Sutter Health Corp. In 2007, over 38 million patient revenue dollars were siphoned to Sacramento. That $38 million was sorely needed for patient care in Marin.

This November, two of five Directors will be elected for a four-year term. Director Jennifer Rienks, elected in 2006, will need two Directors equally qualified, strong and caring to join her. Fortunately, they will be on the November ballot: Dr. Frank Parnell and Dr. Archimedes (“Archie”) Ramirez.

A stellar choice is Dr. Frank Parnell, who has impressive credentials. Besides extensive experience as a head and neck surgeon and Deputy Commander of a 1,000-bed hospital, he was a Presidential appointee to the World Health Organization. He has served the community with distinction in many capacities including as a trustee on the College of Marin Board and the Ross School Board.

A second stellar candidate is someone already on the board and he deserves re-election: Dr. Ramirez. He served as Chief of Neurosurgery at MGH for 22 years, and provided care for Kaiser trauma patients. As a practicing neurosurgeon, he is very much aware of what hospital improvements are needed, and has worked consistently to improve trauma and stroke care.

The 40% of Marin residents who are Kaiser members will need access to MGH for services not available at Marin Kaiser, especially trauma care, cancer radiation, labor and delivery, and inpatient mental health care. Sutter has gouged Kaiser for care rendered to Kaiser patients. This unfair practice will come to an end with the election of Dr. Parnell, re-election of Dr. Ramirez, and departure of Sutter.

The alternatives to our candidates are unacceptable. The one asking to be re-elected is a Sutter supporter. She paired herself with a retired doctor, and they are being financed by the Alliance to Save our Hospital, a group with an agenda of selling, leasing, or giving away our hospital to a private entity with no public accountability.

We need our hospital to be a center of excellence upon which we can all rely. We need your votes and support. During the next two years, Marin General will be returned to the community that built and financed it. Your donation is urgently needed to help us elect Drs. Parnell and Ramirez. These doctors will work to give you the excellent hospital that you deserve.

Thank you,

Annette Thorn, MD                    Norman Carrigg, MD                      Norman Solomon
Co-Chair                                  Co-Chair                                       Co-Chair