California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of March 25, 2011

Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo

Contra Costa County officials are scheduled to consider advancing $10 million to Doctors Medical Center to help the hospital remain open, the Contra Costa Times reports.

Doctors Medical Center experienced significant financial losses during the beginning of 2011 and now is more than three months behind in paying some vendors and suppliers. The board of the hospital is slated to consider the cash infusion proposal during their meeting next Tuesday. County supervisors will examine the issue during a meeting on April 5 (Kleffman, Contra Costa Times, 3/24).

Good Samaritan Hospital, San Jose

On Thursday, Good Samaritan Hospital held a ceremony to mark the start of its $30 million expansion project, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

Leslie Kelsay, a spokesperson for the hospital, said construction will begin next week. Kelsay added that the expansion will include a specialized intensive care unit for neurosciences and a new floor of private rooms for medical and surgical patients. Overall, the project will create nearly 50 additional private patients rooms, Kelsay said (Goldston, San Jose Mercury News, 3/23).

Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta

The $211 million Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta is awaiting state approval to open to patients, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.

California's Department of Public Health soon is expected to announce whether the 106-bed medical center has passed its final inspection. Kathryn Stiles, spokesperson for the hospital, said the medical center would publicize its opening date after receiving permission to open. The five-story hospital has an emergency department, labor and delivery suites, and will offer cardiac, oncology and orthopedic care (Hill/Horseman, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 3/21).

Marin General Hospital, Greenbrae

Last week, Marin General Hospital announced that it has received a $2.89 million gift from the Shultz family that will help it expand and upgrade its emergency department, the San Francisco Business Times reports.

Ann Otter, chair of the Marin General Hospital Foundation Board, said the donation was one of the largest in the 59-year history of the 235-bed public district hospital. The first phase of construction will involve the installation of a handicap access ramp. The second phase will involve the construction of a family waiting area and a rapid evaluation area. The last phase, which is expected to start in early 2012, calls for scaling up imaging areas (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 3/17).

Seton Medical Center, Daly City

Last week, about 100 nurses at Seton Medical Center outlined their concerns about the hospital's plans to lay off employees and enact other cuts to the hospital's budget, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

Debra Amour of the California Nurses Association said nurses sought to inform Seton Medical Center President Lorraine Auerbach that the proposal would hurt employees and patients. Auerbach was not present at the time, but nurses voiced their views to other hospital administrators.

Beth Volz, a spokesperson for Seton Medical Center, said the hospital "is in discussions with unions regarding implementing staffing changes." She added that the medical center is "changing working conditions and adjusting staffing to align with current volume" (Gonzales, San Jose Mercury News, 3/17).

St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital, Camarillo

On Tuesday, officials at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital announced plans to temporarily close its long-term subacute care center at the end of the year, the Ventura County Star reports.

Hospital officials said the closure is triggered by state seismic safety requirements. To meet state standards, the hospital plans to undertake a $50 million project to retrofit the building that currently offers subacute care. After the completion of the project, the retrofitted unit would offer traditional hospital services and the current hospital building would be used for outpatient care. The 30 patients who currently receive treatment at the subacute care center would need to be relocated by the end of this year (Kisken, Ventura County Star, 3/22).

St. Mary's Medical Center, San Francisco

St. Mary's Medical Center has announced plans to open its new $22.75 million Catholic Healthcare West Cancer Center on Saturday, the San Francisco Business Times reports.

The 14,200 square-foot cancer center marks the first phase of a $26.25 million project that will include a new cardiac-vascular suite and new digital mammography equipment. The next phases of construction are expected to be completed late this year. Officials said St. Mary's Foundation has committed to raise $8.75 million for the project, and Catholic Healthcare West -- St. Mary's parent company -- will raise the remaining funds (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 3/17).

UC-San Diego Thornton Hospital, La Jolla

The new $227 million Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center at UC-San Diego's Thornton Hospital is expected to open on April 4, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The 128,000 square-foot facility will provide inpatient and outpatient care for heart, lung and vascular diseases. It will include 54 inpatient beds, 22 outpatient beds, 21 ED beds, four operating rooms and four catheterization labs (Lavelle, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/23).