California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of March 27, 2009
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
On March 31, the new Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center will open its doors, the Los Angeles Business Journal reports.
Donald Marcus, the hospital's medical director, said the facility will have the same number of licensed beds, 396, but it will be focused more on intensive and critical care.
The rebuilding was required in order to meet more stringent state earthquake standards (Crowe, Los Angeles Business Journal, 3/23).
Kaweah Delta Medical Center, Visalia
Kaweah Delta Medical Center on March 24 opened its new emergency department, the Fresno Bee reports.
The facility includes four trauma bays, four critical care beds and eight treatment rooms. A new ambulance entrance also opened (Fresno Bee, 3/24).
Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento
Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento will lay off 53 employees and reduce hours for 11 employees in an effort to cut costs, the Sacramento Bee reports (Calvan, Sacramento Bee, 3/24).
The affected workers include ED technicians, case managers, patient-activity aides to nurses and food service workers (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 3/23).
In a memo to employees, Sutter CEO Tom Gagen wrote, "We are seeing fewer patients scheduling elective procedures, and more patients who are uninsured or underinsured" (Sacramento Bee, 3/24).
Temecula Regional Hospital, Rancho Springs Medical Center, Murrieta
On March 24, Temecula's City Council asked residents to write state regulators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) requesting that they allow construction to begin on the city's first hospital and for a hospital expansion in Murrieta to be allowed to open, the Riverside Press Enterprise reports.
The state must grant final approval for the planned construction of Temecula Regional Hospital before ground can be broken.
Officials will not permit the completed expansion at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta to open until the hospital resolves some regulatory issues (Horseman, Riverside Press Enterprise, 3/24).
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