Come home to Santa Paula Hospital
August 02, 2006
Columnist
By Supervisor Kathy Long
The doors are open! Your Santa Paula Hospital opened the doors to full service, quality health care on Thursday, July 13th. The emergency room is now open to respond rapidly to your needs, no longer that long drive to Ventura. Babies can now call Santa Paula Hospital their birth home, with mom and dad and siblings all close at hand. Our seniors will now get that quick and personal attention they need when their Doctor ask for one more test to determine the next step to recovery. The wide range of available services at the hospital include emergency, maternity, surgery, critical care, radiology and laboratory --all supporting the 49 beds and the workforce of 145 full-time employees at full capacity.None of the above would have been possible without the due diligence and determination of the leadership and community of the Santa Clara Valley. Just before the hospital closed its doors in December 2003, then Councilmembers MaryAnn Krause of Santa Paula and Cecilia Cuevas of Fillmore chaired a valley wide task force to determine what happened to spiral the hospital into such financial debt and what was needed to re-position the hospital. Through their leadership, we were able to compile the information critical to determining the steps that brought the hospital out of bankruptcy. Councilmember Krause was instrumental in bringing the united position of the Santa Paula City Council into the negotiations involving the future role of the County of Ventura and the Ventura County Medical Center. As the facility entered bankruptcy court, Councilmember Krause again carried the commitment of the valley leadership into the hearing room, and stood vigilant to make the deal work that finally brought the hospital out of the courtroom and back to the community. Thank you to Councilmembers Krause and Cuevas, along with the entire City Councils of Santa Paula and Fillmore.I appreciate so very much all of the community members who stepped forward, wrote letters, spoke publicly and advocated for the re-opening of your hospital. Now, to make your time and effort continue to be so worthwhile --you must call the hospital your medical home and use the facilities. When you need blood work, x-rays, lab tests, surgery, baby delivery, and orthopedics --tell your doctor you want to go to Santa Paula Hospital. The services offered are those of first class medical professionals, supported by the strength of our regional medical center campus and system. What we have accomplished together in re-opening your hospital is remarkable. To ensure that investment stays healthy --you need to COME HOME to Santa Paula Hospital. The doors are open!