County Hospitals Have Not Begun Seismic Retrofit
Most hospitals in Ventura County have not yet started major construction for seismic safety upgrades, the Ventura County Star reports.
Hospitals that have not started retrofits include:
- Ventura County Medical Center, which must upgrade two buildings;
- Community Memorial Hospital, which must upgrade four buildings; and
- Ojai Valley Community Hospital, which must upgrade one building.
All of the hospitals in the county have applied to the state and received extensions on construction deadlines. Pending legislation could further extend the deadline to 2020.
Hospitals across the state are pressing lawmakers to extend the deadline, citing rising construction costs. The Service Employees International Union and California State Council have requested that funding for hospital retrofits be included in a state infrastructure bond package (Hoops, Ventura County Star, 6/19). 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.