Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital’s future remains uncertain
The future of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital remains on life support. At a special meeting Wednesday night, a consultant for the hospital told county and city leaders that the hospital, on its current path, will run out of money in April and at that point would begin the process of closing its doors.“I was told from that consultant last night (Wednesday) that they don’t have a business plan outside of we’re trying to sell the hospital, and to me, that’s just not enough,” said Kollin Kosmicki, a San Benito County supervisor and chair of the intergovernmental committee that held Wednesday’s meeting.The consultant told committee members the hospital can not survive alone; it needs a partner or an outright buyer. Seven groups have signed non-disclosure agreements and are now in the process of touring the facility.A spokesman for the hospital would not comment on what groups or entities have signed up. But one of them is not Kaiser Permanente which some believed would use the hospital to make inroads into healthcare delivery in San Benito County. “Kaiser Permanente is not one of the interested parties,” read a statement from Kaiser Permanente.But Kosmicki said the hospital has to come up with a plan B in case a sale falls through. For starters, Kosmicki urges the hospital to develop a strategic business plan that lays out opportunities to generate revenue and make much-needed cuts.“There have to be severe cuts,” Kosmicki said. “There are going to be painful job losses. There is no other way around this and until we face that reality, we’re just going to keep kind of going in circles on this I believe.”The hospital is considering selling off some hospital properties to raise money and it continues to seek funding from outside sources, including the county, which previously rejected a $10 million loan.“It’s a risk versus reward,” said Angela Curro, a San Benito County supervisor and intergovernmental committee board member. “We are being asked to give money and we have no idea if that money will come back to us or if that money will be gone and the hospital will still close”But with time and money running out for the hospital, jobs and health care are in jeopardy. Hazel Hawkins is a 25-bed facility with roughly 800 employees and doctors.
HOLLISTER, Calif. —
The future of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital remains on life support. At a special meeting Wednesday night, a consultant for the hospital told county and city leaders that the hospital, on its current path, will run out of money in April and at that point would begin the process of closing its doors.
“I was told from that consultant last night (Wednesday) that they don’t have a business plan outside of we’re trying to sell the hospital, and to me, that’s just not enough,” said Kollin Kosmicki, a San Benito County supervisor and chair of the intergovernmental committee that held Wednesday’s meeting.
The consultant told committee members the hospital can not survive alone; it needs a partner or an outright buyer. Seven groups have signed non-disclosure agreements and are now in the process of touring the facility.
A spokesman for the hospital would not comment on what groups or entities have signed up. But one of them is not Kaiser Permanente which some believed would use the hospital to make inroads into healthcare delivery in San Benito County.
“Kaiser Permanente is not one of the interested parties,” read a statement from Kaiser Permanente.
But Kosmicki said the hospital has to come up with a plan B in case a sale falls through. For starters, Kosmicki urges the hospital to develop a strategic business plan that lays out opportunities to generate revenue and make much-needed cuts.
“There have to be severe cuts,” Kosmicki said. “There are going to be painful job losses. There is no other way around this and until we face that reality, we’re just going to keep kind of going in circles on this I believe.”
The hospital is considering selling off some hospital properties to raise money and it continues to seek funding from outside sources, including the county, which previously rejected a $10 million loan.
“It’s a risk versus reward,” said Angela Curro, a San Benito County supervisor and intergovernmental committee board member. “We are being asked to give money and we have no idea if that money will come back to us or if that money will be gone and the hospital will still close”
But with time and money running out for the hospital, jobs and health care are in jeopardy. Hazel Hawkins is a 25-bed facility with roughly 800 employees and doctors.
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