Marin Healthcare District
Q: What is the relationship between Marin General and the Marin Healthcare District?
A: The Marin Healthcare District signed a 30-year lease with Marin General Hospital, which was reorganized to operate as a non-profit corporation, on Dec. 1, 1985. Under the agreement, MGH oversees all hospital operations, including patient care, finances and administration. The District owns the buildings and grounds.
Q: When was Marin Healthcare District created?
A: The Marin County Hospital District (later renamed the Marin Healthcare District) was formed on Dec. 9, 1946, when the county Board of Supervisors appointed the original five members - one from each of the five supervisorial districts.
The supervisors took the action after a majority of voters, concerned with the general inadequacy of medical care in the county, approved the District's formation in the November elections.
Q: What is a district hospital?
A: District hospitals were established under the Local Hospital District Act of 1945, a law intended to support the development of acute care hospitals in rural and post war suburban areas of California.
Under the law, a District Board owns the facility and controls both the hospital's management and administration. The principal advantage of a District Hospital was its ability to levy taxes without a vote of the people. That changed when voters approved Prop. 13 in 1978.
Q: How many district hospitals are there in California?
A: There are 73 Health Care Districts in California and they operate 52 District Hospitals - 14 are larger urban and suburban hospitals while 38 are considered smaller rural hospitals. There were as many as 66 District Hospitals in the early 1980s.
Generally speaking, District Hospitals that have affiliated with large health care systems are located in urban areas. They sought affiliation because of the competitive environment brought about by managed care. As a matter of fact, almost every District Hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area is part of a regional or national health care system.