By Cassandra Phelps Clark, Project Communications Director

Hello. My name is Cassandra Phelps Clark, and I have been a part of the Eden Medical Center family for 19 years now. Most people in the community recognize me as the communications director and spokesperson for the hospital. But for the past year, I have had the incredible opportunity to work as part of the project team to build a new hospital in Castro Valley. After being part of the hospital’s leadership team and working toward this goal for the past ten years, it is very exciting to be a part of this project and to focus my energy toward something so vital to our community.

A new medical center means far more than just the construction of new buildings and roadways. It means we will continue to have the best medical care, right in our own community. It means that thousands of people who provide care and support will have a great place to work. It means we can attract the most talented physicians from across the country to practice medicine here. It means our children, our parents, all of us, will have access to a safe, comfortable place of healing. I believe in this project, and I know that every member of our team is committed to our mission and purpose.

You’ll see from the plans for the new hospital that it isn’t just a replacement hospital. If we merely replicate the old Eden Medical Center, we will just get another old medical center, with the same inherent problems of an inefficient and outdated building. No, the world is far different than it was when Eden opened in 1954. And so is medicine. And so, for that matter, is building design. (Photo: Eden Medical Center. The current hospital will not be functional as an acute care hospital after January 1, 2013.)

The innovative design of this building introduces new concepts to make it the best experience for the patient and staff. The Universal Care Center, for example, allows greater flexibility and efficiency for observing patients without strain on the acute care units or the emergency room.

All of the rooms are private, a far cry from the existing two and four-bed wards that exist today. Registration areas are designed for the patients, so that services come to the patients rather than patients traveling throughout the hospital for services. We’ll have more detail on all of these areas as we hear from our bloggers about the latest innovations in design, technology, construction, sustainability and many other features that will make the new campus a beacon of pride and inspiration in our community.

Today, as we move forward with our plans and seek approvals from regulatory agencies, we are constantly aware of the state’s deadline for SB 1953, the seismic safety standards for all hospitals. The state legislature established these standards to ensure that vital medical services are available to the community in times ofeven during a disaster. Yet this is an unfunded requirement so enormous that it dwarfs the ability of even the most financially sound hospitals to pay for it. Many hospitals, including several in this region, are relying on public funding or taxes, and others are seeking relief through legislation that extends the deadline.

But I see any delays as dangerous. These earthquake standards exist for a reason. Just as we saw with the levees that failed in Louisiana or the bridge that collapsed in Minnesota, delays in making our structures safe—whether it’s because of money or bureaucracy—leave everyone vulnerable. We now have a fully-funded and comprehensive plan to build a new hospital and trauma center in Castro Valley. Sutter Health, and all of us involved in this project are committed to moving ahead and building an amazing medical center, a source of pride and a safe, healing environment.

I encourage you to take the time to review the plans now and throughout this project; and interact with us, ask questions, provide suggestions. I look forward to our conversations!

Cassandra Phelps
Project Communications Director
Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley