St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles closed in January. On April 13, it will reopen as a COVID-19 treatment center.
El Segundo, Calif.-based Verity Health, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018, owns St. Vincent and agreed in late March to lease the hospital to the state of California. The state is reopening the facility, now called the Los Angeles Surge Hospital, through a partnership with Los Angeles County, Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and San Francisco-based Dignity Health.
"The Los Angeles Surge Hospital will be a transfer-only facility, accepting only patients who test positive for the virus from other regional public and private hospitals, to increase the county's surge capacity should the need arise," Christina Ghaly, MD, director for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services said.
The hospital will increase capacity in phases, with a maximum of 266 beds. Dignity Health and Kaiser Permanente will manage the site for the state.
"California continues to prepare our healthcare delivery system for a potential surge in COVID-19 patients," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "I am grateful that the County of Los Angeles, Dignity Health and Kaiser Permanente have joined us in this effort."
A family foundation run by Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, recently placed a $135 million bid to acquire the hospital from Verity. Dr. Soon-Shiong's foundation said it would take over the state's lease obligations at St. Vincent if the deal is approved by the bankruptcy court.
More articles on patient flow:
20 states to face ICU bed shortages when COVID-19 peaks, analysis finds
Washington hospital to reopen for COVID-19 response
When will COVID-19 peak? A state-by-state analysis