Oakland, Calif.-based Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, part of Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, could close by 2030.
"This closure would strain healthcare access in Berkely and send shockwaves across the region," Jesse Arreguin, mayor of Berkeley, Calif., said in a Feb. 27 news release shared with Becker's. "The impacts to EMS response times and service cuts for our most voluerable communities are simply unaccebtable."
Amid the fear of closure, a spokesperson for Sutter Health told Becker's in a statement that the health system is developing a comprehensive plan to meet the needs of the community.
"This includes thoroughly evaluating how our patients use our services, including outpatient clinics, specialty care, hospital care, and emergency services, with a focus on identifying and addressing unmet community needs," the spokesperson said. "It's a major undertaking that has taken longer than anticipated; however, it's important to emphasize that no final decisions have been made."
The Berkeley City Council voted on Feb. 27 to allocate $300,000 from the Berkeley General Fund to help explore current or potential opportunities to secure future healthcare and hospital access for the community.
"We cannot underestimate the repercussions of losing such a critical healthcare resource," Sophie Hahn, a Berkeley City Council member, said in the release. "Beyond undermining our healthcare system, this closure would result in a profound loss of local jobs and impacts to our economy."