California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of December 13, 2013
Chula Vista Medical Plaza
About 6,000 patients visited the new 46,000 square-foot Chula Vista Medical Plaza in October, the first full month it was open, U-T San Diego reports.
The $23 million facility -- which provides medical, dental and behavioral health services -- opened to patients on Sept. 30 (Sampite-Montecalvo, U-T San Diego, 12/5).
Dignity Health
The California Nurses Association and Dignity Health have agreed to meet to discuss proposed changes to the health system's pension plan, the Sacramento Bee reports. The agreement delayed plans by the nurses' union to protest the change at several hospitals across the state.
CNA said nurses received a letter from the health system suggesting "a unilateral 30 % reduction in monthly pension benefits for Dignity [registered nurses] retirees through a change in the formula used to determine the amount of monthly benefit" (Glover, Sacramento Bee, 12/12).
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/12/5996428/dignity-health-nurses-agree-to.html#storylink=cpy
Dignity officials argue that the proposed changes are identical to changes made by the health system in 2012, saying, "Representatives from the California Nurses Association did not raise any concerns at the time of notification [in April] or during subsequent contract negotiations during which the pension was discussed in detail" (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 12/10).
Greater El Monte Community Hospital
During the early morning on Tuesday, a small roof fire at the Greater El Monte Community Hospital forced the evacuation of at least 60 people, including five patients in the intensive care unit, AP/KPCC's "KPCC News" reports.
Officials did not report any injuries related to the fire ("KPCC News," AP/KPCC, 12/10).
Kindred Hospital Westminster
Last week, more than 180 health care workers at Kindred Hospital Westminster became part of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, according to an NUHW release.
The workers decided to join the union in order to address problems with inadequate staffing levels at the 109-bed acute care facility, according to the release (NUHW release, 12/5).
Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton
On Monday, a pharmacy opened in the new 500,000 square-foot Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, which opened in October, U-T San Diego reports.
An emergency department and labor/delivery department are expected to open at the $456 million facility on Saturday (McIntosh, U-T San Diego, 12/10).
Signature Healthcare Services
On Dec. 10, the Sacramento City council unanimously voted to approve Signature Healthcare Services' development of a 120-bed psychiatric hospital, the Sacramento Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 12/11). The 70,860 square-foot facility will have a 24-hour intake counter and outpatient space.
The development plan was approved amid complaints filed by residents of the neighboring area, who questioned the need for the hospital and voiced concerns about potential safety issues. In response, Signature Healthcare offered to pay for 24-hour security on the hospital site, as well as for off-site patrols of nearby areas (Lillis, Sacramento Bee, 12/11).
However, a neighborhood association is expected to file a lawsuit blocking construction, according to Capital Public Radio’s "KXJZ News" (Milne/Orr, "KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 12/11).
Torrance Memorial Medical Center
On Dec. 6, Torrance Memorial Medical Center announced that it had received a $50 million donation, its largest donation ever, according to a TMMC release.
The donation -- made by Melanie and Richard Lundquist -- will be used to complete a new main patient tower in the summer of 2014 (TMMC release, 12/9).
UCLA
Three UCLA medical facilities have received the acute care Stage 7 award from HIMSS Analytics for electronic health record adoption, according to a HIMSS release.
The award was granted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA in Los Angeles and the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica (HIMSS release, 12/10).
Whitney Ranch Assisted Living & Memory Care Facility, Rocklin
Last week, the Rocklin planning commission approved the construction of a 93,000 square-foot assisted living center, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
The Whitney Ranch Assisted Living & Memory Care Facility will have 111 units (van der Meer, Sacramento Business Journal, 12/5).
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