Three California hospitals that declared bankruptcy earlier this year are hashing out deals that could bring back or save much-needed health care services for their communities.
Defunct Madera Community Hospital in the San Joaquin Valley, cash-strapped Beverly Community Hospital east of Los Angeles and Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in rural San Benito County are trying to clinch lifelines in deals with health chains that have a reputation for revitalizing distressed hospitals.
The proposals are far from the finish line, but they present a glimpse of hope for residents who face longer journeys to emergency rooms and increased risk when local medical centers close. Two of the three — Madera Community and Hazel Hawkins — are the only hospitals in their counties.
“This is really great news. There will be a number of stages, and the first stage is for (partnering chains) to indicate their interest,” said state Sen. Anna Caballero, a Democrat whose district includes Madera and San Benito counties. “Now there’s a lot of work that has to happen in a very quick period of time.”
Madera Community, which shut down at the start of the year, is trying to secure a management agreement with Adventist Health, the seventh largest health system in the state. As proposed, Adventist would take over operations of the closed hospital and its affiliated rural clinics. If all goes according to plan, Madera Community could reopen in six to nine months.
Adventist Health is also a candidate to buy Beverly Community Hospital in the city of Montebello outside of L.A. That hospital has to secure a deal ahead of a key bankruptcy court deadline this week.
Meanwhile, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister recently announced a proposed “lease to…
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