California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of November 21, 2008
Catholic Healthcare West, Elk Grove
Last week, Catholic Healthcare West completed its purchase of 30 acres in Elk Grove for a medical campus that will include a medical office building, an outpatient surgery center and an acute-care hospital, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
In 2007, the company agreed to purchase the land for about $25 million (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 11/18).
Fremont-Rideout Health Group
Officials for Fremont-Rideout Health Group and the California Nurses Association labor union are disputing whether a majority of nurses at Fremont-Rideout's hospitals in Marysville and Yuba City have signed a petition asking that CNA not represent them in contract negotiations, the Marysville Appeal-Democrat reports.
Fremont-Rideout nurses voted to join CNA in 2006 and have been in salary negotiations for the past two years (Koskey, Marysville Appeal-Democrat, 11/18).
Lodi Memorial Hospital, Stockton
This week, Lodi Memorial Hospital laid off 44 employees, the Stockton Record reports.
A hospital official attributed the layoffs to a drop in patients seeking care at the hospital and financial pressures as the hospital works to fund construction of a new wing.
To prevent further layoffs in 2009, the hospital is increasing its charges per patient by 8% (Thigpen [1], Stockton Record, 11/19).
In addition, the hospital's long-term care unit for disabled patients is still open after the California Department of Public Health earlier this year rejected the hospital's petition to evict patients and use the unit for other types of care.
DPH spokesperson Ken August said the hospital's proposal "did not meet the criteria ... under federal law" (Thigpen [2], Stockton Record, 11/19).
Natividad Medical Center, Salinas
This week, Monterey County Supervisors Simon Salinas and Fernando Armenta are meeting with the Natividad Medical Center board in an effort to reach a consensus on whether to proceed with a merger of the hospital and the county health department, the Monterey County Herald reports.
Natividad officials want the merger to occur as soon as possible, but county health department leaders have requested more information about the proposal (Johnson, Monterey County Herald, 11/17).
St. Rose Hospital, Hayward
The Washington Township Health Care District's board of directors has approved a $1.5 million "intergovernmental grant" to Alameda County to help St. Rose Hospital fund construction projects to meet state seismic safety requirements, the San Francisco Business Times reports.
Washington Township Health Care District operates Washington Hospital in Fremont (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 11/18).
San Joaquin General Hospital, Stockton
San Joaquin County officials said that San Joaquin General Hospital has reduced its losses below projections for the first quarter of the fiscal year but cautioned that the hospital's finances could be affected by efforts to address the state budget deficit, the Record reports.
For the quarter, the hospital reported a loss of $1.7 million, less than the projected loss of $3.2 million (Johnson, Stockton Record, 11/19).
Sutter Health, Elk Grove
Sutter Health is seeking city approval to build a community hospital on a medical campus that already has two medical office buildings, the Sacramento Bee reports.
The city planning commission will review the proposal on Dec. 4 (Kalb, Sacramento Bee, 11/19).
Sutter Health, Livermore
On Tuesday, Sutter Health spokesperson Bill Gleeson announced that the health system acquired 45.3 acres of vacant land in Livermore for $39.5 million last month, the Business Times reports.
The company has not stated what it plans to do with the site, but it could be used for a hospital, an outpatient surgery facility or medical offices (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 11/18).
Sutter Health, Roseville
On Wednesday, Sutter Roseville Medical Center will have its grand opening for its physical rehabilitation center, the Bee reports.
The center will cater to patients who have had strokes, trauma, brain and spinal injuries, and other conditions (Coronado, Sacramento Bee, 11/18). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.