Founded in 1946 as Sunnyside Community Hospital, Astria Sunnyside Hospital became an affiliate of Astria Health in September 2017. It is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital and the flagship facility of the Astria Health system, serving the Lower Yakima Valley from its main campus at 1016 Tacoma Ave, Sunnyside, WA 98944. The hospital is a tax-exempt, voluntary nonprofit governed by an unpaid board of trustees. No patient is denied services based on inability to pay, and sliding-scale financial assistance is available.
Astria Health navigated a Chapter 11 reorganization in 2019 and 2020, driven primarily by revenue cycle disruptions during an IT system transition as the organization expanded. The system emerged from Chapter 11 with a reorganization plan in January 2021. Since then, Astria Health has operated with financial stability, consistently reinvesting in clinical technology, service line expansion, and facility improvements. The organization has developed a strong collaborative relationship with MultiCare (Yakima Memorial), its primary regional partner for patient transfers and specialty referrals.
| Facility Name | Astria Sunnyside Hospital |
|---|---|
| Former Name | Sunnyside Community Hospital & Clinics |
| Address | 1016 Tacoma Ave, Sunnyside, WA 98944 |
| Phone | 509.837.1500 |
| Website | astria.health |
| Facility Type | Critical Access Hospital |
| Ownership | Voluntary Nonprofit |
| Year Founded | 1946 |
| Licensed Beds | 36 |
| Staffed Beds | 25 |
| Employees | 276 |
| Facility Size | 99,533 sq ft |
| Geographic Classification | Rural |
| Region | WA - Yakima |
| Inpatient EHR | Oracle Cerner |
| Network | Astria Health (Astria Regional Health) |
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Length of Stay | 3.46 days |
| Bed Utilization Rate | 58.58% |
| Case Mix Index | 1.82 |
| Annual Discharges | 1,265 |
| ER Visits (Est.) | 9,271 |
| Total Acute Days | 5,754 |
| OR Cases (Monthly) | 160 to 185 |
| OB Deliveries (Monthly) | ~22 |
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Net Patient Revenue | $123,985,128 |
| Total Operating Expenses | $117,064,503 |
| Net Operating Profit Margin | 7.07% |
| Total Assets | $78,177,944 |
| Cash on Hand | $6,693,322 |
Astria Sunnyside Hospital operates a full-service inpatient and outpatient model. Key service lines include:
Cardiology is not available on site. Cardiac patients are transferred to partner facilities, primarily MultiCare Yakima Memorial (approximately 32 miles) or Tri-Cities facilities.
Astria Sunnyside Hospital is the primary acute care facility within the Astria Health system. The system also includes Astria Toppenish Hospital (approximately 20 miles away), a community hospital with a growing behavioral health inpatient unit. Collectively, Astria Health operates 20 outpatient locations spanning the Lower Yakima Valley, including clinic sites in Grandview, Prosser, Sunnyside, Toppenish, Union Gap, and Zillah. The system employs approximately 214 primary providers and 283 providers in total.
Astria Health does not require patients to carry an Astria primary care provider to access specialty services, making the wound care program accessible to patients referred from FQHCs, community health centers, and independent providers throughout the region.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Inpatient EHR | Oracle Cerner |
| Technology Breadth | Strong |
| IT Capital Budget (Est.) | $487,324 |
| ACO Participation | No |
| Telehealth | Available (Infectious Disease available via telehealth for wound care support) |
| Participation in Innovative Programs | Yes |
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| All-Cause Readmission Rate | 15.40% |
| Patient Survey Overall Rating | 82 out of 100 (Hospital Compare) |
The patient population at Astria Sunnyside Hospital is predominantly Medicaid and uninsured, reflecting the socioeconomic profile of the Lower Yakima Valley. The primary insurer by patient volume is Community Health Plan of Washington, followed by UnitedHealthcare and Molina Healthcare of Washington. Medicare represents a smaller share of the payor mix compared to most comparable facilities, consistent with the region's younger agricultural workforce.
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Chief Financial Officer | Darryl Kosmicki |
| Chief Medical Officer | Rafael Gonzalez |
| Chief Nursing Officer | Eugene Baumann |
Astria Health's operating philosophy centers on bringing specialty care to underserved rural communities rather than requiring patients to travel for services. The organization has built out neurosurgery, orthopedics, oncology, dental, and wound care precisely because these services are absent or limited in the Lower Yakima Valley. Leadership views the wound care and HBO program as a core part of that mission and is actively investing in its growth.
The organization was featured in a segment of the PBS series "All Access with Andy Garcia" as part of its Small Town, Big Care series on rural healthcare, reflecting the broader recognition of its community-centered approach.
