SONOMA VALLEY HOSPITAL

1. Top 10 Disparities

2. Equity Plan

After applying the CalHHS Data De-identification guideline, one disparity was identified:
Every calculation associated with all report fields has been evaluated for our hospital. While this AB 1204 Equity Report may appear sparsely populated and lacking values in some areas, this reflects the complexity of the reporting requirements—not a deficiency in the report itself. The report incorporates the required calculations, stratifications, and the state's strict data privacy rules (including suppression under the California DDG), ensuring that it meets legal standards and equity reporting regulations.
Many blank cells are the result of limited availability of certain stratification variables—particularly Disability Status, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity—which hospitals are not currently required by HCAI to collect. Our hospital remains committed to advancing equity reporting and looks forward to additional regulatory guidance on whether and how these data elements should be collected in the future.
Even when the final numbers are few, the work behind them is substantial—and necessary for accurate and compliant reporting.

SVH data show women have higher all-cause, unplanned 30-day hospital readmission rates than men (rate ratio >1.0). The data showed that 100% readmitted patient's race is white. Sonoma County's older median age and women's longer life expectancy increase frailty and multimorbidity risk—both linked to readmissions. Women also face clinical differences (cardiac, pulmonary, surgical courses), mental health burden, and social vulnerability (caregiving, lower income, transportation gaps), which impede recovery. Local Community Health Assessments confirm economic and access disparities affecting post-discharge success. If women disproportionately face gaps in these supports, their readmission share will rise. Public health and health-equity guidance stress addressing SDOH in readmission reduction. If discharge instructions, medication reconciliation, or follow-up scheduling don't account for literacy, language, work/caregiver schedules, or mobility limitations, women who disproportionately shoulder caregiving or have constrained schedules may be less able to meet post-discharge requirements. SVH already tracks readmissions and posts equity data — this is the right place to dig deeper. To address the disparity, Standardize teach-back, ensure medication reconciliation with a pharmacy call within 48—72 hours, schedule follow-up appointments before discharge (or provide nurse navigator outreach), and provide written + bilingual instructions. EHR-based interventions and post-discharge phone/visit programs have reduced readmissions in RCTs/meta-analyses; Implement a brief SDOH screening (transportation, food insecurity, caregiving, housing instability) and provide targeted referrals (transport vouchers, community health worker follow-up, home health); Deploy targeted transitional care for high-risk women through collaboration with home health workers, social services and insurer's case management and social work teams; and Add sex-stratified readmission KPIs to the Board quality dashboard (30-day readmit rate by sex, adjusted for age and diagnosis), and set reduction targets with PDSA cycles. SVH already publishes health equity materials — use those channels to report progress publicly.

3. Structural Measures

4. Web Address for Equity Report

https://www.sonomavalleyhospital.org/quality/

5. Download Equity Measures Report

Click on the link below to download the equity measures report.

6. Looking for Related Reports?

• Hospital Supplier Diversity Plan
• Hospital Profile
• Hospital Fair Billing Policies