Mission Hospital

The Laguna Beach Fire Department and Orange County Fire Authority rescued an injured hiker via helicopter at 10:22 a.m. Saturday in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, according to a news release. The 51-year-old man, who was just off of the Laguna Ridge Trail on the north side of Laguna Canyon Road, was deemed a trauma case due to his medical needs and injuries sustained. After Laguna Beach firefighters made their way in about a half-mile to locate and treat the man, they determined he couldn't be hand-carried out, so he had to be transported by helicopter to Mission Hospital Trauma Center in Mission Viejo.

Meeting the evolving healthcare needs of our community requires both flexibility and investment. In the tradition of our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, Mission Hospital - Laguna Beach is committed to ensuring everyone in our communities has access to advanced, compassionate healthcare. When South Coast Medical Center faltered over three years ago, Mission Hospital readily made the $35 million commitment to the people of Laguna Beach so they would continue to have access to complete, compassionate healthcare in their local setting.

Mission Hospital officials presented a strategic plan this week they said will meet state requirements for seismic standards up to 2030 and include services tailored to the needs of the community. The plan includes retrofitting, the introduction of new and improved services, cosmetic and efficiency renovations within a sustainable budget and without a reduction in the bed count, officials said. It is related to and dependent on revisions to the Mission Viejo strategy, begun before the Laguna Beach campus was acquired about 18 months ago, which changed the game plan.

South Coast Medical Center will have a new owner on June 30. Adventist Health and Mission Hospital have both agreed to conditions placed on transfer of the hospital to Mission, Adventist announced in a press release Friday. The state Attorney General’s office announced on June 9 its approval of the acquisition of South Coast Medical Center by St. Joseph Health System’s Mission Hospital from Adventist Health, but Mission and Adventist had not until today accepted the terms imposed by the state.

At least one outpatient program offered at South Coast Medical Center will be eliminated under Mission Hospital, the Coastline Pilot has learned. The hospital is in the process of transferring ownership from Adventist Health Systems to Mission Hospital, part of St. Joseph Health System. The state attorney general’s office is expected to issue a decision June 12 on the fate of the hospital. The hospital’s cardiac outpatient program will no longer be available at the Laguna Beach hospital and those patients will have to go to Mission Hospital for treatment, Mission spokeswoman Kelsey Martinez said.

Among the many viewing pleasures of the fabulous holiday weekend was the extraordinary array of watersports gracing our pristine waters. Kayaking, swimming, diving, boating, and that most pandemic of water sports — stand-up paddleboarding. There was a panoply of healthy, eco-friendly, noiseless activities that reminded us of the amazing bluebelt playground we call home. And all of it was enhanced by warm, clean, clear water and our ubiquitous, resplendent golden kelp beds. Monet couldn't have painted it better.

A man was killed late Monday while crossing South Coast Highway at Eagle Rock Way in a marked and lighted crosswalk, police said. It is the second crosswalk fatality in 12 months. Jaime Ramirez, 20, of Mexico, was transported to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he died of injuries. Jaime Ramirez's cousin, Marcos Ramirez,19, was also injured in the accident. He's in serious condition at Mission Hospital. The two men were hit in the marked crosswalk, illuminated by flashing lights, by a 49-year-old Tustin man driving a Toyota Sequoia.

At midnight Tuesday, Adventist Health transferred to Mission Hospital ownership of what was known as South Coast Medical Center, the community hospital we?ve been privileged to operate for the past decade. During that time dedicated physicians, employees and volunteers provided quality, compassionate care to the community we have all come to know and love. The decision to sell the hospital was difficult and painful, but necessary if the hospital were to continue to play its essential role in the health of the community.

Applicants sought for two city committees The City Council is now accepting applications for both the Heritage Committee and the TechComm Committee, according to a news release from the city. There are five seats open for two-year terms on the Heritage Committee, which advises the council on historical preservation matters in the city. There are two seats open for two-year terms on the TechComm Committee, which advises the council on telecommunications issues like cable TV, public access television, Internet and telephone service.

South Coast Medical Center will have a new owner Tuesday and a new name Wednesday. Adventist Health and Mission Hospital have both agreed to conditions placed on transfer of the hospital to Mission, Adventist announced in a news release Friday. The state Attorney General’s office announced June 9 its approval of the acquisition of South Coast Medical Center by St. Joseph Health System’s Mission Hospital from Adventist Health, but Mission and Adventist took time to review and accept the terms imposed by the state.

Meeting the evolving healthcare needs of our community requires both flexibility and investment. In the tradition of our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, Mission Hospital - Laguna Beach is committed to ensuring everyone in our communities has access to advanced, compassionate healthcare. When South Coast Medical Center faltered over three years ago, Mission Hospital readily made the $35 million commitment to the people of Laguna Beach so they would continue to have access to complete, compassionate healthcare in their local setting.

A woman was hospitalized after being hit by a car while crossing South Coast Highway around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Laguna Beach police said. Three 911 callers reported a traffic collision at 9:32 p.m. in the 1900 block of South Coast Highway near Center Street, Capt. Jason Kravetz wrote in an email. A 58-year-old female Dana Point resident attempted to legally cross where there is no electronic walk sign, police said. Police said the woman sustained multiple injuries, though none is life-threatening.

Mission Hospital Laguna Beach has another three years to come up with a permanent home for diagnostic equipment now housed in a temporary trailer parked in a lot on hospital property. The Planning Commission unanimously approved at its Oct. 24 meeting a request by the hospital for a temporary use permit to continue the use of MRI equipment and a chiller adjacent to the trailer. Noise from equipment will continue to be buffered by two concrete-block walls in the parking lot between the hospital and an office building on the 11.8-acre campus in South Laguna.

The Laguna Beach Fire Department and Orange County Fire Authority rescued an injured hiker via helicopter at 10:22 a.m. Saturday in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, according to a news release. The 51-year-old man, who was just off of the Laguna Ridge Trail on the north side of Laguna Canyon Road, was deemed a trauma case due to his medical needs and injuries sustained. After Laguna Beach firefighters made their way in about a half-mile to locate and treat the man, they determined he couldn't be hand-carried out, so he had to be transported by helicopter to Mission Hospital Trauma Center in Mission Viejo.

Applicants sought for two city committees The City Council is now accepting applications for both the Heritage Committee and the TechComm Committee, according to a news release from the city. There are five seats open for two-year terms on the Heritage Committee, which advises the council on historical preservation matters in the city. There are two seats open for two-year terms on the TechComm Committee, which advises the council on telecommunications issues like cable TV, public access television, Internet and telephone service.

Esther Adler, author of "Breaking the Chains to Freedom," will speak at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 16. Adler's book details the abuse she says she suffered from a young child to a victim of domestic abuse as a wife, and how she overcame the self-defeating patterns in her life to become psychologically strong. Adler said she became a caregiver for her mother, a stroke victim, at the age of eight. While she says she resented losing her childhood to care for her mother, she now believes the experience enriched her. In adulthood, Adler says she ended up in an abusive marriage after leaving a fanatical religious society.

Among the many viewing pleasures of the fabulous holiday weekend was the extraordinary array of watersports gracing our pristine waters. Kayaking, swimming, diving, boating, and that most pandemic of water sports — stand-up paddleboarding. There was a panoply of healthy, eco-friendly, noiseless activities that reminded us of the amazing bluebelt playground we call home. And all of it was enhanced by warm, clean, clear water and our ubiquitous, resplendent golden kelp beds. Monet couldn't have painted it better.

A 37-year-old Mission Viejo man died after diving in Laguna Beach on Tuesday, according to Lt. Jason Kravetz. A woman who lives above Totuava Beach called police at 1:10 p.m. to report two distressed divers. She said they were attempting to get ashore but were getting tossed around in the waves. One diver made it to shore, got rid of his gear and jumped back into the water to rescue the other man, who was in full cardiac arrest when he was brought to shore. Lt. Kravetz confirmed that the two men were brothers.  Police, fire and lifeguards attempted to resuscitate him. He was transported by helicopter to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he was pronounced dead.

I just came from my annual token visit to the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach. I say "token" because I do it in honor of the artists and their effort, but usually do not find anything new and exciting there. This year, however, was different. This year, there were wonderful new yarn and fiber pieces hanging in the trees! What a surprise! And how fitting for the festival to honor some more local artists by displaying their works. It had me smiling all the way through the festival, watching for more pieces and looking at the other artists with a new, fresh eye. The weavers, clothing artists and, yes, even the painters and jewelers, seemed more appealing after seeing the wonderful way these "Twisted Stitchers" embellished things — trees, posts and bridges.