Ventura County is trying to figure out what to do about health care in the Santa Clara River Valley.
Santa Paula Hospital opened in 1963, and it won’t meet state seismic safety requirements that take effect in 2030. County officials say trying to bring the existing facility up to state standards is financially impractical
Consultants have suggested three options. But dozens of people who spoke at a Ventura County Board of Supervisors hearing about it say anything short of a new hospital without an ER is unacceptable.
"Medical emergencies don't wait," said attendee Pedro Chavez. "When they happen, families depend on accessible emergency care close to home. The decision before you could take that access from thousands of residents."
Money is at the heart of the crisis. Ventura County could lose up to $400 million in federal healthcare funding in the next five years. The county is also obligated to spend millions of dollars providing medical care for people who lack any health insurance
With the existing hospital’s closure on the horizon, the county hired a consulting firm, Health Management Associates, to devise options.
"Option one is a micro-hospital, which is a scaled-down hospital with an emergency department and observation beds. It would provide a 24/7 operation," explained John Friedman with HMA. "Option two is an expanded access care center, with on-site imaging and lab and pharmacy services. Option three is an outpatient clinic offering extended daytime and evening care."
A new micro-hospital could cost more than $100 million to build. Projections show that over five years, it would have to be subsidized by as much as $70 million. He noted that the current 49-bed hospital is underutilized, with many of its beds sitting empty.
Option two is recommended, It would include a new medical office and expanded access care center.
Financial projections show it has a much better chance of being viable, and if it loses money, it would be much less than the miro-hospital.
But the recommended option doesn’t include an ER.
Many people who testified at the public hearing on the issue noted a new hospital is essential because the next closest option for an emergency room is Ventura.
"The people of the Santa Clara River Valley, Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru have spoken," said Santa Paula City Council member Christina Villaseñor. "They want a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week emergency room. The need is here...in fact it may be even growing."
"It's something members of our community feel is very much a life-and-death issue," said Jenny Crosswhite. "They want to know if they wake up at 2:30 in the morning, and they think they need to go to the ER, they don't have to drive 15, 20, 30, 40 minutes."
HMA's Friedman said that people with major injuries or medical issues in the Santa Clara River Valley are already transported to the Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura.
Supervisors voted 4 to 0 to pursue the second option. They directed staff to provide details on costs, what services would be provided, and a potential timeline.
But the county is still far from making a final decision on a plan.
County officials said they are also open to possible collaborations with other healthcare provider groups. They say they have a meeting scheduled with a provider, but haven't identified the health care organization.
