MemorialCare Moves To Buy San Clemente Hospital
MemorialCare, which owns Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, is taking steps to purchase San Clemente Hospital and Medical Center, officials from both hospitals announced Monday, the Orange County Register reports. MemorialCare has signed a letter of intent for the acquisition, San Clemente CEO Pat Wolfram said. The agreement, which is expected to be made final in the next few months, calls for the 73-bed San Clemente facility to operate under 252-bed Saddleback's license.
Neither hospital expects layoffs or major changes to result from the purchase. Both hospitals declined to disclose San Clemente's purchase price or whether San Clemente will continue to operate under that name.
Wolfram said that the hospital had "looked at several opportunities" for a possible merger and Saddleback's offer "was the perfect fit."
Saddleback CEO Steve Geidt said that both hospitals expect the merger to improve access to care in south Orange County (Saar, Orange County Register, 8/17).