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Marin General Hospital about to make the switch

Most of us won't notice anything different about Marin General Hospital if we find ourselves in the unfortunate situation of being there tomorrow.

However, much will be different.

Officially, tonight at midnight, Marin General will separate from Sutter Health who've been in charge of Marin's main hospital for the past fifteen years, and become part of the Marin Healthcare District. Board members will change, hospital computing systems will change and the every day management of the hospital will change. However, in a huge vote of support for the new management, most of the hospital's medical staff--physicians and nurses-- stayed on.

The relationship between Sutter Health and MGH has been rocky, at best. Sutter, a huge health conglomerate, had been busy snapping up properties and diverting funds from MGH for its other hospitals, for years.

Here's the full story of the transfer in the Marin IJ.

Shark attack victim to appear at booksigning in Greenbrae

On August 26, 1998, young Jonathan Kathrein was nearly killed by a great white shark as he surfed the waters off Stinson Beach.

The shark managed to severe Jonathan's quadriceps on his right leg just above the kneecap. After seven hours of surgery and hundreds of stitches, Jonathan began his journey back to physical and mental recovery.

Marin teens help U.S. junior girls rowing team win gold in France

Two star rowers out of Marin Rowing Association's junior program, just won a gold medal in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France for the 2009 FISA World Rowing Junior Championships which took place over the weekend.

Kristy Wentzel and coxswain Chelsea Lucas (respectively in photo above), contributed to the winning effort in the U.S. junior girls 8-plus boat.  The Marin IJ has a description of the race here.

Lucas will be joining the women's Cal rowing team this fall, while Wentzel rows one more year for MRA as a senior.

Way to go girls!  (photo courtesy of Marin IJ and J. Wentzel)

Marin youth rowers heading to France for World competition

Great news out of the Marin Rowing Association (MRA) boathouse!

MRA Varsity women, Kristy Wentzel and Chelsea Lucas, have earned a spot on the U.S. team heading to Brive-la-Gaillarde, France in August for the 2009 FISA World Rowing Junior Championships.

Kristy and Chelsea were part of the Varsity Junior Women's 8+ boat representing MRA, that took the gold in the National Championships last month.  Chelsea was also coxswain in the winning boat last year in Linz, Austria at the Jr. World Championships. 

Chelsea is planning to row for Cal Berkeley next year and Kristy will continue to row for MRA as a high school senior.

Good luck ladies!

(photo to the left is Chelsea; Kristy is to the right.  Both photos courtesy of MRA)

How Did Marin County Hospitals Rate In National Death Rate Study?

The first ever nationwide hospital death rate comparison study has just been released by USA Today.  Death rates from heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia have been a closely guarded secret until this week.

Read on to find out how the three major Marin County hospitals stack up against the national average.