Earlier this year, Providence Mission Hospital shared its decision to evolve the Laguna Beach campus into an outpatient-focused medical center. Providence based its decision on several factors, including changes in how healthcare is delivered, utilization of healthcare services in Laguna Beach today and financial and operating pressures facing hospitals across California, including seismic safety deadlines. The site has included a hospital since 1959.
In March, the Laguna Beach City Council adopted a Hospital Action Plan in response to the Providence decision to transition the campus to an outpatient focused model in advance of the state’s 2030 seismic deadline. The action plan included forming a Hospital Task Force. The 16-member Task Force has met twice, including hearing a presentation from Providence on August 20th.
Providence is continuing their planning and community engagement in parallel, and the City and Providence have been in ongoing discussions as that process moves forward.
Representatives of the City and Providence met on August 24 and agreed to provide this update to the community following a collaborative discussion.
During that discussion with Providence, the City shared its belief that the most critical feature for the hospital site is that it include 24/7 emergency medical services that can accept patients by ambulance. To the City, the surest way of achieving this outcome is a smaller scale hospital, which includes an emergency department and some minimal number of acute care beds.
Providence has committed to an internal, fact-based evaluation of a smaller-scale hospital model. The goal is to develop a shared fact base of what preserving emergency services through a smaller scale hospital would require. This analysis does not commit Providence to pursuing this option.
The City appreciates Providence’s willingness to proceed with this additional evaluation.
Another potential option to provide emergency medical services at the site is through a standalone Emergency Department (ED), which is not currently allowed under state law. To that end, the City and Providence have jointly agreed to sponsor legislation in 2027 that would permit a stand-alone ED in Laguna Beach.
While this pathway has been previously explored in other parts of the state, a new administration and significant economic and seismic pressures across California’s hospital system may provide a stronger basis for positive consideration. We are not alone in seeking alternatives like a stand-alone ED.
The City and Providence recognize the value of engaging with the Orange County Emergency Medical Services (“OCEMS” - a division of the Orange County Health Care Agency) in a study of the local and regional impacts associated with changes to acute care and emergency services at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach.
The City and Providence have committed to participating fully in any OCEMS study, with data and expertise from both entities (including the Laguna Beach Fire Department’s EMS transport data), and will initiate discussions about beginning that study as soon as possible so the findings can inform a collaborative planning process for both the City and Providence.
In these early days of planning, both parties will work together to ensure that the healthcare needs of the Laguna Beach community remain at the center of these conversations.
Seth Teigen, Providence Mission Hospital Chief Executive noted: “We are continuing to evaluate how we can best serve Laguna Beach in a way that reflects how care is delivered today, responds to the community’s priorities and is sustainable for the future. We appreciate the City’s partnership and right now our commitment is to continue listening, sharing information and taking the necessary steps to make an informed decision about the future.”
Laguna Beach Council Member Bob Whalen, one of two Council members on the Hospital Ad Hoc Committee, said: "The City is focused on an outcome where our residents have access to a fully equipped emergency care facility in the city that can receive patients transported by ambulance. We appreciate Providence’s willingness to study a smaller-scale hospital model, and we’re committed to working through this analysis together in the months ahead."
Laguna Beach Council Member Alex Rounaghi, one of two Council members on the Hospital Ad Hoc Committee, said: “In 2016, the Attorney General’s own reviewers found it critical that Laguna Beach keep its emergency services, and the State required Providence to keep them for a decade. With 14,827 ER visits last year, and six of ten of our ambulance transports going there, I’m concerned about the loss of the ER. I appreciate Providence agreeing to study a smaller hospital that would keep emergency care here. Whatever that study concludes, the City will keep pursuing every tool it has to protect the health and safety of our residents.
