Originally incorporated in 1902, Watsonville Community Hospital has been an indispensable part of life in the Pajaro Valley for more than a century. The Hospital evolved through several ownership structures over the years, including a non-profit hospital. After suffering substantial damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the Hospital moved into a new building at its current location on Airport Boulevard. With construction financed by federal and state grants made available through its non-profit status as well as robust community fund raising efforts, the move allowed the Hospital to continue to grow and meet the with the increasing needs of an evolving community.
In 1998, the Hospital was sold to a private entity and the proceeds placed into a Trust (Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley). This began two more than two decades of for-profit corporate operations, which included significant ownership and administrative turnover. In January 2022, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Watsonville Community Hospital filed for bankruptcy.
Local partners and community members support Watsonville Community Hospital and recognize the valuable role it plays in the supporting the health and vitality of the Pajaro Valley. The PVHCD Board assures that the Hospital is financially sustainable and meets the health care needs of the community. 
Community Health Needs Assessment
In 2022 Watsonville Community Hospital returned to its roots as a non-profit hospital, following more than 20 years of for-profit ownership. We are now a community-owned, district hospital governed by the Pajaro Valley Health Care District, whose geographic boundaries span from Aptos in the north to Las Lomas in the south.
As a non-profit, we have a clear focus on serving the community of the Pajaro Valley, meeting its healthcare needs, and working to improve health equity and wellness for all. One of the first steps is gaining a clear understanding of the health needs of our community. To that end, we have conducted a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). This assessment was completed in early December 2023 and formally adopted by the Pajaro Valley Health Care District Hospital Corporation board on December 27, 2023.
The CHNA is a data-driven approach to determining the health status, behaviors, and needs of residents of the Pajaro Valley. We are in the process of carefully evaluating the data and building an implementation plan to address our community’s needs. Once that plan is complete, we will continually evaluate its implementation, and conduct a CHNA every three years to track how we are doing and stay informed about our community’s changing health needs. Click on the button below to view the report. We welcome public comments on the report. If you would like to share your thoughts or request a paper copy of the CHNA 2023 Report, please email [email protected].
Our research partner. Our CHNA was conducted by Professional Research Consultants, Inc. (PRC) for Watsonville Community Hospital. They bring nearly 40 years of experience conducting research and providing analytics tools to thousands of healthcare organizations across the country to help support improved health outcomes.
