ESCONDIDO— The Palomar Health board of directors is considering closing the downtown location on East Valley Parkway and moving services to the Palomar Medical Center on Citracado Parkway.
The board will decide at a meeting June 24.
“We believe everyone in our service area deserves access to the best facilities and care available,” said Linda Greer, Palomar Health board of director chairwoman.
“As we consider this recommendation, we also want to make an informed and appropriate decision so Palomar Health can continue to put patient needs first by providing the highest-quality clinical care to the communities it serves, now and for generations to come,” she continued.
Some of the reasons for the possible closure are rising health care costs, declining reimbursements and new legislation.
Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital in Poway are both not seeing ideal capacity.
Officials expect to save $20 million a year by closing the downtown campus.
“Palomar Health has shown a strong commitment to the community for over 60 years, and this decision would ensure we are placing the right resources in the right places at the right time to serve our district now and into the future,” said Robert Hemker, president and CEO of Palomar Health. “I am confident this decision will fulfill those responsibilities.”
Inpatient rehabilitation and delivery services would be moved to the Palomar Medical Center in Escondido and service will be expanded at the Poway location.
The downtown campus has been open since 1950 and serves 22,000 patients a year.
The community is invited to information sessions before the board vote:
- Monday, June 22, 6 – 7:30 p.m. California Center for the Arts, Salon 5 340
North Escondido Blvd. Escondido, CA 92025
- Tuesday, June 23, 6 – 7:30 p.m. Pomerado Hospital Conference Room C/D, Third Floor 15615 Pomerado Road Poway, CA 92064
2 comments
ITS WRONG FOR THEM TO TAKE OUR HOSPITAL AWAY THE NEW ONE IS TO FAR ITS NOT RIGHT
The problem is that the hospital I 65 years old. The normal useful life of a hospital is 45 years. It has already been used 150% of the normal situation. They have an immediate need to fix about $120 million work of maintenance aging and changing compliance. I am sure they would be happy to accept your donation if you wanted to cover that expense. Its just getting tougher for hospitals financially and the downtown hospital doesn’t make enough to pay for its existence. Just a fact of life. Spending money on an old building would require them to take money away from medical services. So it is in the best interest of the community to eliminate that losing piece of real estate.
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