UCSF: Mount Zion ED to Close Tomorrow

      University of California at San Francisco officials announced Friday that they will shut down Mount Zion Hospital's ED tomorrow -- a month earlier than expected -- after a last-minute attempt by politicians to bail out the hospital fell short. Administrators said it would be unsafe to keep the ED open past Tuesday at midnight, when the contracts of the hospital's ED doctors expire. Although the hospital had found substitute physicians to cover the last month of operations, UCSF officials appeared to be concerned that using doctors unfamiliar with the hospital's operations could jeopardize patient care. Officials also noted that several ED nurse departures influenced the decision. The decision surprised Mount Zion staff members, who were told only last week that the ER would likely remain open until Dec. 23 (Russell, San Francisco Chronicle, 11/20).