UCI Medical Center plans to reduce pediatric care
The hospital aims to close 25 pediatric beds and transfer in-patient services to Children's Hospital of Orange County. UC regents are set to vote on the plan Nov. 19.
UCI Medical Center plans to close its 25 pediatric beds and transfer in-patient services to the Children's Hospital of Orange County, a proposal that is drawing criticism from area politicians and hospital nurses, some of whom plan to protest at noon today at the facility in Orange.
The UC Board of Regents is scheduled to vote on the plan Nov. 19, at a meeting in San Francisco. If approved, the hospital's pediatric beds will be converted to adult beds to help handle high demand for those services. The eight-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit will be absorbed into its regular Intensive Care services.
"The idea of just closing down seems totally irresponsible," said Vicky Bermudez of the California Nurses Assn. "We're trying to figure out exactly how they're planning on maintaining services in Orange County with the loss of these beds."
UCI officials say this is part of a long-term plan that won't affect access to care. Children's Hospital has opened 30 new patient beds since October 2007 and will add another six beds by March 2009. In addition, UCI plans to add 15 new neonatal intensive-care beds.
Neither UCI nor CHOC officials could be reached for comment Wednesday morning but said in an earlier joint statement: "Both organizations and their highly trained experts are dedicated to providing continuous, safe and compassionate care to all pediatric patients. . . . There is more than adequate capacity to meet the pediatric needs of Orange County and surrounding communities."
Yoshino is a Times staff writer.
kimi.yoshino@latimes.com
