EndocrinologyEast Bay Patients And Nurses Demand Alameda Supervisors Save San Leandro Hospital-Tuesday
Fate of 27,000 ER Patients Per Year Hangs in Balance as Supervisors Consider Withdrawing County"s Authority to Convert Acute-Care Hospital into a Rehab Center
A community coalition dedicated to saving San Leandro Hospital will attend this Tuesday"s meeting of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to demand the county withdraw its offer to take control-and close down the acute-care services-of the hospital.
WHAT: Patients, Nurses Demand Alameda County Help Save San Leandro Hospital
WHEN: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 - 11AM
WHERE: 1221 Oak, County Administration Building, Oakland
Alameda County Board President Alice Lai-Bitker and Supervisor Nate Miley have urged the county to withdraw its proposal authorizing Alameda County Medical Center to turn San Leandro into a 50-bed rehab facility. While the future of the 122-bed San Leandro Hospital is still unclear, the board called on Sutter Health to make its plans public and make a decision on whether they will terminate or renew its lease. It remains unclear whether the vote on withdrawing the county"s offer will occur on July 14th or July 28th.
Tuesday"s action will follow a series of town halls, district boards, and community presentations that have been filled with hundreds of angry patients, neighbors, nurses, and doctors demanding that San Leandro Hospital stay open and continue serving their community.
The current ER at San Leandro serves some 27,000 patients a year, many of them from under-served communities, leading healthcare advocates to charge Sutter with "medical redlining," or denying treatment to patients based on their race and socio-economic status.
The nurses are supportive of any offer made to the Eden Township Healthcare District board to keep the hospital and emergency department open. Prime Healthcare Services made such an offer, to lease and run San Leandro Hospital as an acute-care facility. If Sutter chooses to abandon the facility, or if another hospital operator does not step forward, the RNs want the hospital to remain a community asset.
Prime has also committed to make at least $20 million in capital improvements to the facility in the first year of the lease. Prime Healthcare Services currently owns and operates 13 acute-care hospitals in California, and in open forums has indicated a willingness to partner with the county on a hybrid facility including rehabilitation beds.
California Nurses Association