A California hospital that closed in 2023 is now aiming to reopen in early 2025.
Madera (Calif.) Community Hospital, a 106-bed acute care hospital, closed in January 2023 and filed for Chapter 11 protection in March 2023. American Advanced Management took over operations of the shuttered hospital in April.
Madera Community Hospital CEO Steve Stark said in October that they were aiming to reopen the hospital by Mid-December, but that timeline has since been pushed back.
"We've had to push back our opening date a couple of times," Mr. Stark said in a Dec. 20 video posted on the hospital's Facebook page. "As we started getting in and having to recertify the building and get it ready for patients, more and more things were uncovered. Unfortunately a building that sits empty for two years seems to age much quicker than [in use]."
Mr. Stark said they are "probably in the high-90% completion with all the construction" and are asking the California Department of Public Health to schedule a Jan. 27 survey date.
"With luck, if they can meet that date for us, we will be ready and we would open just as soon as they leave with a clean survey."
Madera was originally scheduled to have the survey conducted on Jan. 6, but pushed it back. Mr. Stark said one of the reasons for the delay was IV fluid shortages stemming from Hurricane Helene.
"We are being told that the plant is back online and is fulfilling orders, but right now orders are based off allocation, which means that the IVs that you've ordered in the past are how you receive your allocation for the present and future and because the hospital hasn't ordered IVs in the last couple of years, we are working with local and state stakeholders to help us track down and be stocked and ready for IV solutions."
Mr. Stark said that he doesn't foresee any other delays or challenges to reopening the hospital at this point, "but again, we are somewhat at the mercy of the conditions of the supply chain."