Inglewood ER to Close

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Investor-owned Centinela Freeman Health System is taking heat from community activists over its decision to close the emergency room at one of its Inglewood hospitals in an effort to make both facilities more profitable.


Centinela officials have confirmed that by Dec. 19 they plan to close the ER at its Memorial campus, formerly known as Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, and instead direct emergency cases to their Centinela campus less than two miles away. Memorial instead will open a new 24-hour urgent care clinic to treat the non-emergency cases that hospital officials contend now clog both emergency rooms.


“This is what happens when our healthcare is left in the hands of private investors,” said Lark Galloway-Gilliam, executive director of the non-profit Community Health Councils Inc. She noted the new ownership of the hospitals, where were bought from Tenet Healthcare Corp. in late 2004, include a large private equity firm.


The Business Journal first reported last month that ER closure discussions were underway. Officials at the three-hospital chain, which includes a small Marina Del Ray facility, have since been analyzing two commissioned studies on how most profitably utilize both Inglewood facilities, which have 628 total licensed beds, many of which are rarely used.


One hospital-commissioned study by the El Segundo-based Camden Group contends that two-thirds of emergency department patients at the Memorial and Centinela campuses were treated for non-emergency and non-life-threatening conditions.


“These changes are designed to meet the multiple long term needs of our employees and the community by stabilizing the Memorial campus, which has lost more than $85 million over the last five years, and offering more options for urgent and primary care,” Michael Rembis, the system’s chief executive, said in a statement. “To serve Inglewood best, we need to provide patients with the right care, in the right setting at the right time.”


The hospital system is required to file its intentions with the county’s emergency medical services department, but there is little that the county or state or community groups could do to block the closure aside from filing suit. Community activists plan to hold a rally in support of the Memorial ER 7 p.m. Thursday at Inglewood’s First Church of God.

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