Stanford Partners with Alameda Health System to Expand Care at St. Rose Hospital

The new collaboration will bring specialized medical services and financial stability to the community hospital.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:12pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up X-ray photograph revealing the internal structure of a hospital bed frame and medical equipment as glowing, ghostly lines against a dark background, conceptually representing the expansion of specialized care at a community hospital.A Stanford-Alameda partnership aims to reinforce the health care safety net by expanding specialized services at a community hospital.Hayward Today

Stanford University and Alameda Health System have announced a new partnership to expand specialized medical care and bolster the financial stability of St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, California. The agreement will allow the hospital to develop a new inpatient psychiatric unit, allocate nursing beds for Stanford Health Care referrals, and let some Stanford surgeons use its operating rooms. Leaders say the collaboration will bring long-term sustainability to the hospital, which serves 400,000 residents of central and south Alameda County.

Why it matters

The partnership is considered a major milestone for St. Rose Hospital, which had faced the threat of closure as recently as 2024 due to declining patient volume and a high number of uninsured patients. By leveraging St. Rose's skilled nursing facility and Stanford Health Care's clinical expertise, the collaboration will help stabilize the regional health care safety net in an era when many community hospitals are shuttering or being absorbed into larger systems.

The details

Under the new agreement, St. Rose Hospital will develop a new inpatient psychiatric unit, allocate nursing beds for Stanford Health Care referrals, and allow some Stanford surgeons to use its operating rooms. Leaders say these efforts will bring long-term sustainability to the hospital, which had been losing $2 million per month at the height of its financial crisis and nearly closed its doors in 2024.

  • In November 2024, St. Rose and Alameda Health System entered an agreement to keep the hospital open as an affiliate.
  • The new Stanford partnership was announced on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Alameda Health System

The regional health care system that operates St. Rose Hospital and entered an agreement in 2024 to keep the hospital open.

Stanford University

The prestigious university that is partnering with Alameda Health System to expand specialized medical care at St. Rose Hospital.

St. Rose Hospital

The community hospital in Hayward, California that serves 400,000 residents of central and south Alameda County and was facing the threat of closure before the new partnership.

James Jackson

The CEO of Alameda Health System.

Rick Shumway

The Chief Operating Officer of Stanford Health Care.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This collaboration with Stanford Health Care will advance a markedly different paradigm. Rather than retreating in the face of adversity, the Alameda Health System has chosen to advance, reinforcing the health care safety net and reaffirming our long-term commitment to community-centered care.”

— James Jackson, CEO, Alameda Health System

“For our patients to be successful, the communities have to be successful. Patients here in this community can access Stanford-level care, Stanford-level faculty right here at home. And that's really what we are all about.”

— Rick Shumway, Chief Operating Officer, Stanford Health Care

What’s next

The new partnership is expected to bring long-term financial stability and expanded medical services to St. Rose Hospital, helping to secure the future of this critical community health care provider.

The takeaway

This collaboration between Stanford University and Alameda Health System serves as a model for how prestigious academic medical centers can partner with community hospitals to strengthen the regional health care safety net, even in the face of economic and political forces that are shuttering hospitals across the country.