Ronan Longwedel-Donaldson was born at Sutter Memorial Hospital on Leap Day 2012 – not by chance, but by choice. That’s because Leap Day, Feb. 29, marked the 39th week in the pregnancy of Ronan’s mother, Andrea Longwedel, and Andrea and her husband, Scott Donaldson, knew how important it is for the health of their newborn to be full-term – at least 39 weeks in utero. For the past year, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento has embraced a March of Dimes initiative to not schedule inductions and C-sections before 39 weeks, unless medically necessary. Studies show that there are increased risks to babies born earlier than 39 weeks, including complications from breathing and feeding problems to b

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento became the first hospital in the greater region to open a Hybrid Surgical Suite – a cardiovascular catheterization lab with immediate surgical capabilities designed to enable cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons to work side by side – and the first to have a cardiology hospitalist program, providing in-hospital coverage by fully trained, board-certified cardiologists 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The goal of the new cardiology hospitalist program is to improve the quality of care in the cardiology division at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, assist with lowering the overall length of stay for patients and, overall, to maintain the cardiac prog