Mission Hospital

A Sig-Alert was called around 3 p.m. Monday on Coast Highway in South Laguna after a suspected drunken driver allegedly hit three parked cars near West Street, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz said. At 4:30 p.m. traffic was reported backed up all the way to Diamond Street. The driver, who was injured, allegedly fled the scene but was taken into custody and transported to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Kravetz said. “We received many calls of a white Porsche with Florida license plates which hit three parked cars in South Laguna.

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.

New temporary signs are up at the former South Coast Medical Center, which became Mission Hospital Laguna Beach as of midnight Tuesday. The temporary banners will be up until Sept. 9, when hospital officials hope to have permanent signs installed. In accordance with California Department of Public Health regulations, the facility name is required to change with the transfer of ownership. Because the hospital is operating under Mission Hospital’s license, Mission Hospital had to be in the name and it had to be the first name listed, spokeswoman Kelsey Martinez said.

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.

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.

The state Attorney General has conditionally approved the sale of South Coast Medical Center to Mission Regional Hospital Medical Center. “On Tuesday, June 9, we received notice that the California State Attorney General conditionally approved the transaction to purchase South Coast Medical Center,” said Mission spokeswoman Kelsey Martinez. “We are currently reviewing the conditions and remain optimistic about completing the transaction.” Deputy Attorney General Wendi Horwitz sent a letter to Latham & Watkins, attorneys representing Mission Hospital, detailing conditions of the sale.

The state Attorney General has conditionally approved the sale of South Coast Medical Center to Mission Regional Hospital Medical Center. “On Tuesday, June 9, we received notice that the California State Attorney General conditionally approved the transaction to purchase South Coast Medical Center,” said Mission spokeswoman Kelsey Martinez. “We are currently reviewing the conditions and remain optimistic about completing the transaction.” Deputy Attorney General Wendi Horwitz sent a letter to Latham & Watkins, attorneys representing Mission Hospital, detailing conditions of the sale.

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.

The purchase of South Coast Medical Center by the Mission Hospital group will not only mean a new hospital operator. The hospital will also have a new name. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange are asking the community to vote by May 22 on a new name for South Coast Medical Center, in anticipation of the South Laguna hospital becoming part of Mission Hospital. Postcards have been sent to residents in the coastal areas served by South Coast Medical Center, including Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, said Colleeen Reinhart, director of marketing and communications for Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.

Local folks will finally get a chance to make their feelings known about the sale of South Coast Medical Center and its value to the community. The California attorney general’s office will conduct a public meeting at 5 p.m. April 29 at Top of the World Elementary School, 21601 Tree Top Lane, to hear comments on the proposed sale of the hospital and to consider a report on the impact of the sale on health care. “I want as many people there as possible and I want to hear all the viewpoints,” said Deputy Atty.