Palomar Trauma Center Must Not Close, Union-Tribune Says

Although a "lot of ... trauma officials [in California] are spending more time these days staunching the flow of red ink instead of blood," the financial situation of Palomar Medical Center's trauma unit is "critical," according to a San Diego Union-Tribune editorial. The possible closure of Palomar's trauma center would reduce the number of trauma units in San Diego County to four, leaving "huge chunks of real estate without ... critical medical coverage," the editorial says. The Palomar center is plagued with "financial problems" -- it lost $1.4 million last year and is expected to lose an additional $1.7 million this year, the editorial states. While some lawmakers, such as Assembly member Helen Thomson (D-Davis), have proposed legislation to help the state's "patchwork" trauma system, the editorial says that San Diego County "needs to help, too." The Palomar district "must not be forced into bankruptcy," the editorial maintains, because the medical center's closure would "further drain" the trauma centers at Sharp, Scripps La Jolla, Scripps Mercy and UCSD Medical Center. Urging the government to increase trauma care funding, the editorial concludes, "Something has to give. If not, people will die unnecessarily" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 1/28).