GREENBRAE, CA — In front of a “standing room only” audience at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, The Marin Healthcare District unanimously passed a new set of bylaws for the Hospital Board that oversees operations at Marin General Hospital beginning June 30 when the District regains control of the hospital as Sutter Health departs. The new bylaws are expected to provide some separation from the elected Marin Healthcare District board, who owns the hospital building and land, and the Marin General Hospital Corporation that holds the lease and operates the hospital. All of this is in preparation for the departure of Sutter Health, who has managed the hospital over the past decade.

With Sutter’s departure the District will regain control of “the Hospital Board” and it hopes to fill the Hospital Board with 9-13 leaders of the community with skill sets that will enhance Marin General Hospital operations. The hope is that by having a skills based Hospital Board in place, which is not impacted by what some have seen as the politics of the elected board, that Marin General Hospital will be in the best possible position to succeed.

District CEO Lee Domanico said ” this was a historic vote to see the level of support it has received by the vast majority of the people here.”

Some 25-30 doctors and medical staff attended the meeting, all in favor of the new bylaws. Chief of Medical Staff, Carrie Davidson MD, spoke out strongly in support of the bylaws as did several other physicians who felt it critical to Marin General Hospital’s future and its ability to recruit bright new doctors. Charles Auerbach, Ann Otter, and Trish Gibbons, citizens that have been monitoring the District and hospital meetings for years both spoke out in full support of the new bylaws. A loud round of applause rang out upon the unanimous approval of the new bylaws.