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NorthBay Health announces partnership with California Forever to accelerate opening of six to ten clinics serving Solano County by five years, starting with Rio Vista

Mon Jun 24 2024

Access to high-quality medical care has long been a significant challenge in Solano County, but that’s about to change. On Friday, NorthBay Health announced its new Ambulatory Network Strategy, including plans to create six to ten neighborhood primary care clinics by 2030.

Today, NorthBay Health and California Forever are announcing a partnership that enables NorthBay Health to accelerate the clinic portion of its Ambulatory Network Strategy. Over the past few months, the companies have been working together to build a roadmap that expedites the build-out of six to ten new clinics over the next 2 years and ahead of the original 2030 target.

The partnership starts with the opening of a new clinic in Rio Vista. California Forever has already purchased the building and will now make a significant investment to outfit this historic property and transform it into a state-of-the-art medical facility. NorthBay Health will lease the facility under a long-term agreement. Renovations on the new clinic will begin immediately, with an anticipated opening in early 2025. 

California Forever and NorthBay are now looking to purchase, renovate, and outfit between five and nine additional buildings in other cities that will then be operationalized by NorthBay Health to deliver the utmost quality and patient-centric care. NorthBay Health and California Forever will be consulting with residents, community leaders, and elected officials to evaluate the unmet need for healthcare services and identify the optimal number and locations for additional clinics.

“We are thrilled to partner with California Forever in our shared vision of enhancing the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all residents across all of Solano County. Thanks to California Forever’s investment, we are bringing new clinics to the region 5 years earlier than would otherwise have been possible,” said Mark Behl, CEO of NorthBay Health. “This partnership aligns with our ambitious goals to increase access to medical services and enable a healthier community by creating additional clinics throughout Solano County.” 

Starting with a new facility in Rio Vista 

Solano County has long struggled with inadequate access to healthcare services, including accessible and convenient primary and outpatient medical care. This issue is particularly acute in Rio Vista, where the last healthcare clinic closed in 2013, leaving residents nearly a 30-minute drive away from the nearest medical facility. This, coupled with the fact that the average age of residents in Rio Vista is 64 years old, compared to an average age of 37 in Solano County, reflects a clear need in Rio Vista for accessible, high-quality, and compassionate care that is close to home. 

Supporting NorthBay and California Forever’s strategic vision to build new healthcare facilities close to schools, businesses, and other community services, the new clinic will be located at 327 Main Street in Rio Vista’s beautiful historic downtown. This full-time operation will provide comprehensive primary and urgent care services as well as immediate access to X-rays, lab draws, and pharmacy consultation services. NorthBay estimates the Rio Vista facility will provide 12,000-15,000 visits per year, corresponding to 5,000-7,000 individual patients. 

​​“Rio Vista has been without a healthcare clinic for far too long,” said Mayor Ronald Kott. “We have the oldest average age in Solano County, and yet we don’t have a clinic that addresses the health and wellness needs of our citizens. This is a tremendous new resource for all Rio Vista residents that will transform our community into a thriving place to live and work.”

Expanding healthcare access across Solano County 

This partnership marks the beginning of a new era for healthcare in Solano County by bringing accessible, high-quality medical services to more residents than ever before. Beyond just improving healthcare access, the program will create hundreds of new jobs for physicians, medical, and administrative staff.

“By opening multiple clinics across Solano County, we are making a long-term investment in the health and well-being of our communities,” said Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever. “This initiative will not only provide vital healthcare services, but also stimulate local economies, create jobs, and help bring vibrancy to Solano’s downtowns, ensuring a brighter future for everyone.” 

FAQ:

How did the partnership between NorthBay Health and California Forever begin?

  • NorthBay Health and California Forever connected over the acute need for more healthcare resources in Solano County in November 2023.

  • Of the many other healthcare organizations in the region, California Forever selected NorthBay Health to help expand health and wellness services and bring vitality to the region due to NorthBay’s longstanding legacy of quality, compassionate care, and connection to the Solano County communities.

  • Together, they developed a plan to open the Rio Vista clinic and six additional clinics in the coming years to meet the additional health and well-being needs of Solano County.  

When will the Rio Vista Clinic open?

  • Our goal is to open the Rio Vista Clinic in early 2025.

Why is NorthBay opening a clinic in Rio Vista vs. other places in Solano County?

  • NorthBay estimates that nearly 1 out of 4 Rio Vista Residents are underserved in terms of its healthcare needs. Rio Vista has not had a medical clinic of any kind since 2013. Presently, the closest Urgent Care and Primary Care locations are over 25 minutes away. Similarly, there is no convenient access to X-rays or a location to do lab draws in the immediate area.

  • These factors, coupled with the fact that the average age of Rio Vista is 64 years old, emphasize the need for the new clinic and make it a clear first stop in this phased investment in Solano County’s healthcare.