San Bernardino County, Needles Officials Debate Hospital Takeover Plan
On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors declined to assume control of the Colorado River Medical Center in Needles under a proposal that would require the county to maintain the facility's inpatient services and emergency department, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
County officials in January offered to take over the facility but said that the ED would have to be converted to an urgent care center and that inpatient services would be replaced with a family clinic.
Supervisors said the facility does not have adequate patient numbers to support itself.
Needles officials said they want the county's help but also want to preserve the level of services at the facility. City leaders also said the facility should be given a chance for one year to prove that it can be self-sustaining.
The Needles City Council has until Thursday to respond to the county's January proposal (Minaya, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 3/11).