California Attorney General’s Hospital Sale Approval Puts Neediest Citizens at Serious Health Risk
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.—February 20, 2015—The County of Santa Clara issues the following statement in response to Attorney General Kamala Harris’ decision to approve the sale of the Daughters of Charity Health System to Prime Healthcare:
The County of Santa Clara is disappointed with the Attorney General’s decision. Regardless of the conditions placed upon Prime Healthcare, the County believes that the decision jeopardizes the health of the County’s neediest and most vulnerable residents by reducing their access to critical medical services, and by placing undue hardship on the County’s existing healthcare facilities and services to the poor and disadvantaged. Prime has a history of eliminating vital community services and was found in contempt on 14 of 15 counts yesterday by a Superior Court in San Bernardino for needlessly admitting emergency room patients into Prime’s Chino Valley Medical Center. The conditions imposed are unlikely to protect these vulnerable residents in the long run.
In order to protect its residents and serve the public interest, the County of Santa Clara will immediately take steps to determine whether to acquire one or more medical facilities in the County, including the possible use of the eminent domain process.
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Media Contact: Gwendolyn Mitchell, Office of Public Affairs, 408-299-5119;
Mark Veverka, Sitrick And Company, (415) 999-9634; Wendy Tanaka, Sitrick And Company, (415) 369-8447 office, (424) 255-0482 mobile
Posted: February 20, 2015