<div>Sierra View Medical Center CEO Donna Hefner said the hospital is basically in as good as shape as possible to take on the financial headwinds that may be coming.Hefner gave her report on the hospital's finances during an overview of what's happening at the hospital during Tuesday's Rotary Club of Porterville meeting at Thai Kitchen.Hefner said the hospital went through trying times recovering from the COVID pandemic in 2023 and 2024, stating Sierra View realized the "worst losses I've seen in Sierra View history." But she added the hospital's financial situation has improved since then, also stated as of March 31 the hospital now has a surplus for its 2025-2026 fiscal budget year. "We're in a better position," Hefner said.But looming is the pending federal cuts from H.R. 1, the Big Beautiful Bill which calls for significant cuts in medicaid. Hefner said the ability for Sierra View to use state and local funds to make up for potential federal losses is limited.She said there's the option the hospital could go to the voters with a bond measure, but added such measures haven't been successful in Tulare County. And as far as the state's distressed hospital program. Last week Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 108 into law which provides $25 million for hospitals that have cash on hand for no more than 10 days. Hefner said Sierra View has enough cash on hand to operate for 350 days.She added while the hospital is in relatively good shape to deal with any pending federal cuts she also said Sierra View has to continue "to do a lot of analysis." In addition she said the situation remains fluid, describing it as being a great deal of "movement going on."She did say based on the hospitals current analysis it will have to begin dealing with federal cuts in 2028.As far as the potential wealth tax on billionaires to make up for the loss in medicaid funds that could be placed on the November 3 midterm election ballot, not surprisingly Hefner didn't take a position on the measure. She said she didn't know what kind of funding from the measure would be provided to hospitals or how it would impact Sierra View.In other matters discussed at Tuesday's Rotary meeting, Hefner covered the hospital's announcement Craig McDonald was no longer Sierra View's Chief Financial Officer. Hefner said it's a situation she's dealt with before, saying during her tenure at the hospital she has had to serve as CEO and CFO for more than 90 days.But she added she didn't expect that to be the case this time. She said the hospital is looking at hiring an interim CFO who has CFO experience. She said she hopes to have an update "In a matter of a couple of days."Wait times when patients come to the hospital were also discussed. Hefner said the hospital is nearing its goal of reducing the average wait time to 30 minutes as it's now down to 34 minutes. She also said in the last two months the hospital has had a 100 percent rate of taking a patient who has come in an ambulance from a gurney to being situated in the hospital within 20 minutes.But Hefner admitted the hospital still has a ways to go when it comes to wait times. "We need to work on our wait times," she said.</div>

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Sierra View Medical Center CEO Donna Hefner said the hospital is basically in as good as shape as possible to take on the financial headwinds that may be coming. Hefner gave her report on the hospital's finances during an overview of what's happening at the hospital during Tuesday's Rotary Club of Porterville meeting at Thai Kitchen.

Hefner: Sierra View in solid financial position

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Sierra View Medical Center CEO Donna Hefner said the hospital is basically in as good as shape as possible to take on the financial headwinds that may be c

Hefner: Sierra View in solid financial position

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