March: Health Note

As the calendar pages of 2025 seem to be rapidly turning, I find myself reflecting on an incredible 2024 filled with significant milestones and achievements. I couldn't be prouder of our more than 5,000 Kaweah Health caregivers. Their hard work and dedication have been instrumental to our ability to bring high-quality, compassionate care to our community. Our team of physicians, leaders, caregivers, and staff continues to exemplify what it means to be better together.

I am pleased to share several exciting developments that will strengthen healthcare access in our community. We recently secured $48 million in COVID-relief funding from FEMA, representing reimbursement for extraordinary expenses Kaweah Health incurred during the pandemic. This funding bolsters our financial position and validates the exceptional work of our finance team, who provided detailed documentation down to the individual patient level. We're grateful to Congressmen Vince Fong and Jim Costa for their invaluable support in securing these funds.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, we're expanding our physical presence to better serve our community. Kaweah Health will lease additional space in the former Cigna building, near Akers Street and Tulare Avenue, for general outpatient services, with an expected opening in the first half of the year. This expansion builds upon our successful recruitment of 16 new physicians in 2024 and will provide crucial space for our graduating physician residents, new doctors joining our community, and local physicians seeking partnership opportunities.

I'm also thrilled to announce that Dr. Shelly Bansal, an accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon, will join our team in March at the Kaweah Health Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinic. Dr. Bansal brings extensive expertise in complex cardiac procedures, including heart valve repair, bypass surgery, and minimally invasive techniques such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). Her addition further strengthens our commitment to providing advanced cardiac care locally.

As we look further into 2025 and beyond, we remain focused on our mission to deliver exceptional health care to our community. The support of partners like the Visalia Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in our growth, and we're grateful for their continued collaboration. I wish you all a successful and prosperous new year, and I look forward to sharing more achievements as we continue to advance health care in our region.