The facilities are already in existence, said Strople, and “in terms of longevity it depends on need; obviously there is a financial” consideration and if the clinics are “not used or utilized,” they will not be continued. “. . .these four doctors, obviously their time is valuable,” and they will be at the forefront of determining if patient load and payments warrant continuation.“I know the demographics of the community and know there will be more than one” urgent care clinic, he added.Aguirre asked for an outline of the services and outreach to the community.Strople said additional square footage now used for storage at the Santa Paula facility will be utilized and “we’ll put some business signs in the street, do a direct mail to the community to highlight the fact that we are there. We’ll offer physician office services,” that if the doctor was called after 6 p.m. the patient would be instructed to meet the physician at the hospital.“If someone is having chest pain or a heart attack, obviously call 911,” as the urgent care clinics will not be handling such emergencies, noted Strople.“I want to thank the physicians for stepping up and taking the welfare of the community to heart,” said Aguirre. “And I want to thank you (Strople) and your organization in coming this way and taking care of us in our hour of need.”Debt-ridden SPMH, which offered the only emergency room for the river valley’s 50,000 residents, closed Dec. 19th and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection three days later.
Urgent care opens, ER still needed for heart attack and trauma cases
January 21, 2004
Santa Paula City Council
While the County Board of Supervisors considers reopening negotiations with Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, the announcement that a group of SPMH ER physicians are opening an urgent care in conjunction with Community Memorial Hospital has not eased the community’s rising concern that a fully functional emergency room be created.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesWhile the County Board of Supervisors considers reopening negotiations with Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, the announcement that a group of SPMH ER physicians are opening an urgent care in conjunction with Community Memorial Hospital has not eased the community’s rising concern that a fully functional emergency room be created.Interim CEO Ken Strople told the City Council at the Jan. 12th meeting that the CMH medical clinics in Santa Paula and Fillmore will offer urgent care hours and beef up equipment.Several of the physicians staffing the CMH urgent care centers are SPMH doctors.Strople told the council clinic services will be limited to “secondary or more limited services. . .any other services for emergencies, heart attack or trauma, really needs to go to a hospital.”“It’s just a doctor’s office with expanded hours and some additional equipment, an ER band-aid,” said Flo Zakrajshek. “I hope that the negotiations with the county go through, that’s the best deal for the river valley. But, the longer it remains closed the harder it is to open up again.”Strople told the council that CMH “thinks the community will benefit greatly; where we go from here is up to the community and its needs.”Mayor Gabino Aguirre asked, “how tentative or permanent is this effort?”
