Mercury News editorial board: Why Northern California can't afford to lose 4 hospitals

After El Segundo, Calif.-based Verity Health announced last week it might sell all six of its hospitals, the editorial board of The Mercury News wrote an op-ed July 18 explaining why it is imperative interested parties keep the six hospitals open.

The futures of four Northern California hospitals were uncertain until a nonprofit organization made a deal to keep the hospitals afloat three years ago. However, the hospitals' current parent company, Verity Health, said those four hospitals, along with its two hospitals in Southern California, may be placed up for sale to ease financial pressures.

The move, The Mercury News explains, would be a "disaster" for Northern California residents in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County, as the hospitals provide substantial care to the areas' low-income patients.

Santa Clara County maintains roughly 1.7 hospital beds per 1,000 residents, which is well below the national average of 2.4 beds per 1,000 people. While purchasing two of the hospitals "wouldn't be cheap," the tentative cost "pales compared to the cost of adding more beds, given the region's high land and construction costs," the board writes. San Mateo County residents are at even greater risk, as the county, unlike Santa Clara, is not well positioned to purchase either facility.

The board notes that former California Attorney General Kamala Harris in 2015 required potential buyers in any hospital transaction to keep all but one of the hospitals operational for six years, maintain the institutions' Medi-Cal contracts and services for 10 years, and provide charity care. Current Attorney General Xavier Becerra "should hold any purchaser of the six hospitals to the same conditions," the board notes.

"Industry consolidation and the continued shift to outpatient care remains a major challenge for hospitals. California already has the fewest emergency room services per capita of any state in the nation. It's imperative that the region strive to keep [the four hospitals] open to meet residents' healthcare needs," the board concludes.

To access the op-ed, click here.

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