Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board positions are going to be available for the Watsonville Community Hospital and the voting is part of the election ballot for November.
There are two positions which need to be filled with new Board members. It is very important that, at least, one of them be with an individual with, not only previous history of working within the hospital, but a person that sees the hospital staff as an integral part of the process of achieving success in recovering from the effects of the previous corporate owners.
I am an advocate for: Dr. Joe Gallagher, longtime resident of Watsonville and a physician in the community since 1986. He was a regular physician associated with Watsonville Community Hospital for 34 years, retiring at the end of 2019. In that time, he acquired experience about the inner workings of the hospital as a previous board member for a total of eight years and Chief of Staff, on three occasions, for a total of six years.
I was a working Radiologic Technologist when Dr. Gallagher was on staff at the hospital. He always conducted himself with professionalism, yet was very easy to speak with and discuss the operations as viewed by the working staff at the for-profit hospital corporation.
Dr. Joe Gallagher has the background, experience and the character to make decisions based solidly on how and why particular plans will be instituted for the benefit of the hospital and staff. He understands that the hospital must be successful financially, but realizes that the decisions the Board makes must be transparent to the staff and public. The operation of the hospital needs to have the support of the staff and the community. He understands this and feels that all should be able to know the why’s and how’s of the decisions being made.
Dr. Joe Gallagher is exactly what the Hospital Board needs moving forward; someone with the wholehearted concern for the success of the hospital and at the same time with the consideration for the opinions and feelings for the hospital staff and community.
Vote for Dr. Joe Gallagher for the Hospital Board.
Fred L. Castillo
Watsonville
