FORT BRAGG, CA., 10/29/24 — The Mendocino Coast Health Care District and Adventist Health continue to negotiate a “restructuring” of the existing lease of Adventist Health’s Fort Bragg hospital facility while trying to reassure an anxious public that the hospital will not close.
In a third joint statement issued on October 24, both entities said that “there is NO consideration to close the Mendocino Coast Hospital. Both organizations remain committed to continue their collaborative efforts to provide high-quality healthcare on the Coast.”
Later that evening district chairman Paul Garza opened the district’s board of directors meeting with a preliminary statement to the same effect: “The hospital is not going to close. Let me say that again, the hospital is not going to close and…. Adventist Health is not going to depart.” In his chair’s report Garza described the changes requested by Adventist to the existing agreement as “minor.”
Adventist administrator Judy Leach also spoke to the district board, reiterating that “both entities are working together and will be able to get to the restructure pretty quickly.” Leach then walked through a slideshow update on Adventist operations, showing growth in various hospital departments and services.
Neither Leach nor Garza provided any specifics on the restructuring issues under discussion.
Public comments at the board meeting ranged from complaints about hospital services to requests for more transparency as the negotiations continue.
The board spent much of its time discussing a proposal by the Chartis Center for Rural Health to implement an assessment of the hospital’s financial performance, costs and charges, the local population’s health dynamics, patient outmigration to other providers, and other data metrics to help the board make decisions about the hospital going forward. The board approved the Chartis proposal, which will cost $18,500, by a 5-0 vote, provided that the data include information from both Medicare and Medi-Cal patients.
The full court press to reduce public concern continued Sunday at a gathering convened by the GrassRoots Institute at the Mendocino Community Center in Mendocino. Garza alluded to what he called “irresponsible” media coverage as creating a need to get out in the community with the message that there is “no discussion of the hospital closing” and “no discussion of the hospital leaving” the area.
Under the lease restructuring provision, negotiators have until Nov. 29 to complete the process. Garza said that he was “confident” that the restructuring would be “done or mostly done” within that time frame.
Garza also sought to quash a rumor that the hospital’s oncology department was closing, assuring one questioner that infusion services would not be cancelled.
Why doesn’t Adventist work on getting an 800 number because of all of the referrals we get to Adventist facilities out of town? And the wording on their statement was inflammatory, now we are learning that wording was evidently not necessary?
I’m concerned by the response from Mr Garza about the oncology department’s rumored closure. The department treats cancer patients and provides infusion serves for non cancerous health conditions. I’m still waiting to hear that oncology is not at risk of closure.