EXCLUSIVE: Officials getting Plan B together for hospital services

Leaders creating contingency plan in case of hospital closure

If the hospitals lose their license, they would no longer be able to operate. And county health officials have said that losing federal funding can be a financial death blow to a hospital, which could lead to reduced services or the hospital eventually closing its doors. Either situation would be devastating to the region, which already has a shortage of hospital beds.

While the national average is three hospital beds per every 1,000 residents, Riverside County offers only one bed per every 1,000 people.

Jeffries said the leaders tossed around various ideas of how to lessen the burden on Southwest Healthcare, including the possibility of state officials or even another health care provider running the hospitals until Loma Linda University Medical Center -- Murrieta opens. That hospital, now under construction in Murrieta, is expected to open in March.

Lake Elsinore Mayor Melissa Melendez said it's imperative that the hospitals be able to continue serving patients.

"What I know is we need emergency services locally," she said. "It's just a horrible thought, but what happens if they pull the license and they have to close? Who is going to serve the hundreds of thousands of people? Where are we going to go? It's scary."

If the hospitals have to close, representatives said, it will have large effects on hospitals throughout the region.

"The impact to northern San Diego County health care facilities, the impacts to Menifee and Riverside will become more evident as we start to look at patient load and emergency room diversions," Jeffries said, adding that those issues will be addressed in the contingency plan being developed.



