California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of October 10, 2014

California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles

Last month, California Hospital Medical Center opened its hospital-based Subacute Unit, which provides subacute care services for adult patients transferred from hospitals throughout the Los Angeles area, according to a CHMC release.

The 19-bed center is open 24 hours a day and specializes in nursing care for seriously disabled, medically stable patients (CHMC release, 10/7).

Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo

On Tuesday, Richmond City Council members considered whether to redirect $20 million from a $90 million investment package with Chevron to Doctors Medical Center to help the hospital stay open, the Contra Costa Times/Oakland News reports.

According to the Times/Oakland News, the measure would redirect the $20 million that was earmarked for a solar farm project and a green transportation programs. However, if the proposal is approved, it is not clear if the money would be available immediately or spread across the 10-year span of the investment package (Baires, Contra Costa Times/Oakland News, 10/6).

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has received the 2014 Women's Choice Award for being voted as one of America's Best Hospitals for Patient Experience by women, according to a HMHP release.

The award considered several measures of female patients' hospital satisfaction, including physician communication, responsiveness of medical staff and overall cleanliness. According to the release, Women's Choice Award also recognized the hospital as one of the country's Best Hospitals in Heart Care and Best Hospitals for Obstetrics (HMHP release, 10/7).

Kaiser Permanente, Anaheim

On Sept. 15, Kaiser Permanente began demolishing its closed Lakeview Avenue Hospital in Anaheim, the Orange County Register reports.

Kaiser Permanente spokesperson Scott Kelly said the demolition would be completed in two phases, with demolition expected to be completed in July 2015 (McRea, Orange County Register, 10/2).

San Juan Community Health Center, Citrus Heights

This week, WellSpace Health opened its San Juan Community Health Center, which includes a primary care clinic and pharmacy to treat patients of all ages, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.

According to the Business Journal, the center is one of three funded in part by Dignity Health. The center has 15 examination rooms and an on-site laboratory (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 10/7).

UC-San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital, Oakland

A group of physicians at UC-San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital are expressing concern that the hospital and its new affiliate, UCSF-East Bay, are not adequately supporting staff members at Oakland or investing in patient care on the same levels, the East Bay Express reports.

During contract negotiations, the physician group -- which is part of the Service Employees International Union -- lobbied for cost-of-living pay increases for resident physicians and a "patient care fund" financed by the hospital to improve uninsured patients' access to care. However, negotiations stalled last month after hospital officials said they made their best and final offer to the union, East Bay Express reports (Levin, East Bay Express, 10/8).