Enhanced Access

By adding more physicians, care teams and sites, we're increasing our ability to care for more patients and making it easier for them to access our high-quality care.

A doctor discussing with a patient in a hospital room.

See what we achieved in 2023 below

A group of doctors smiling and posing for a photo outside a medical facility.

Featured

Our Growing Medical Residency Program Helps Us Help More People

Dwindling access to health care is a nationwide issue with a big impact on California. It's estimated that 8 million people in California live in an area with a shortage of primary care providers. To help address this critical issue and make it easier for patients to access care, we are expanding our Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs and other training to increase clinical talent pathways and meet future demand.

In 2023, we filled 100% of our medical residency programs, and in June we welcomed 86 new highly qualified resident physicians representing a broad range of backgrounds. We currently train nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians annually and plan to graduate approximately 1,000 residents and fellows by 2030.

Graduate Medical Education resident Jennifer Daza, M.D., was among those who committed to being a primary care physician for Sutter Health last year. She is an outstanding example of how Sutter is working to train and retain the next generation of caregivers who reflect the diversity of those we serve.

Group of people cutting blue ribbon at business grand opening.

Silicon Valley Center: Another Milestone in Our Ambulatory Care Expansion

We opened our new Sutter Health Ambulatory Care and Surgery Center in San Jose in July, bringing together three dozen physicians from 12 different medical specialties – along with lab, imaging and an ambulatory surgery center all under one roof. The new center is part of Sutter's commitment to increase access to coordinated, high-quality care by investing $800 million to build 25 ambulatory care centers across Northern California over the next four years. And we're investing $200 million in our existing hospital care facilities, like the expansion work and helipad addition we completed in October at Sutter Davis Hospital.

A diverse group of individuals posing in front of a building, holding colorful balloons.

Welcomed Sansum Clinic into Our Integrated Health System

In September we welcomed Sansum Clinic, serving California's Central Coast, as part of our integrated network of care. For more than a century, Sutter and Sansum have shared a strong commitment to not-for-profit healthcare and meeting diverse community needs. Both organizations have worked alongside strong medical groups to form the first medical foundations in California and have delivered healthcare using the same integrated care model for many decades. The partnership is another way Sutter Health is expanding access to care for more patients in more communities.

Eased the Way for More Patients To Receive Care

Patients are at the center of what we do. In 2023, we set out to give even more people easier access to our award-winning care by expanding our physical capacity, increasing our digital connections, hiring more physicians and advanced practice clinicians, and training more medical residents.

732

New physicians and advanced practice clinicians HIRED

16,000

More HOME Health Visits

5%

Increase in admissions

6.6%

Increase in total Patients

5.9%

More Outpatient Surgeries

Helped Develop Next Generation of Healthcare Professionals

In the fall of 2023, Sutter Medical Group (SMG) welcomed its second cohort of Cristo Rey High School Sacramento (CRHSS) students through the CRHSS Work Study Program, which offers underserved youth an opportunity to gain hands-on work experience while receiving a college preparatory education. For 10 months of each of the next two years, every student will spend one day a week in SMG offices learning about working in a clinical setting and developing mentoring relationships with staff and clinicians.

Partnered With Community-Based Groups To Expand Access

We've found that an effective way to enhance access to care for more people in the communities we serve is by moving beyond our walls and partnering with community-based, nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Centers. Our investment in access continued in 2023 with investments in new ways that help more people lead better lives. That included initiating a $1 million investment over three years in the Native American Health Center's new health facility and affordable housing development in Oakland's Fruitvale district, and a $3 million community health investment in Sacramento Native American Health Center's (SNAHC) second full-service location in South Sacramento (pictured). The center will provide medical, mental health, dental, traditional and supportive health services to 12,000 Native and non-Native patients annually.

What are the implications of the MCO tax for Sutter Health?

A Big Win at the State Capitol for Physicians & Patients

The largest Medi-Cal reimbursement rate increase in California history begins in 2024 through part of the state budget funded by the Managed Care Organization Tax. Historically low reimbursement rates that don't cover the cost of care can be a barrier to care access. In an “Ask the Leader” video from February, Sutter physician & California Medical Association President Donaldo Hernandez, M.D., explains the benefits for the state's patients and physicians—and Sutter Health.