Hospital’s Emergency Department Opens

Community Hospital Long Beach (CHLB) celebrated the reopening of the hospital’s emergency department – signaling the first time in nearly three years that residents can walk-in to the hospital and receive emergency care services.

“We are happy and honored that the long-awaited ER is reopened and that our community can count on our employees and physicians to provide quality, compassionate care 24/7,” said Virg Narbutas, CEO of CHLB.

The Emergency Department reopens with 20 beds and includes new medical equipment, a refurbished exterior facade, a redesigned lobby, new furniture, and a new electronic patient tracking system.

Renovations on the hospital began in fall of 2018, under the management of MWN Community Hospital, LLC. CHLB was officially licensed to reopen on January 4, 2021 as an acute care facility with 11 ICU and 40 medical-surgical beds. Since then, the hospital has continued to expand services including the opening of the behavioral health unit.

“We, along with countless residents and first responders, are thrilled for this reopening,” said John Molina, founder partner of Pacific6 and the operator of Community Hospital Long Beach. “Three years was far too long for East Long Beach to go without these necessary, vital, life-saving services and our team couldn’t be prouder to serve our community once again.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said: “Community Hospital is a Long Beach institution, and we were so happy to have it reopen earlier this year. It’s services like their emergency department that our community needs easy access to, and I’m thankful for the entire team that worked to make this reopening happen.”

Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw, whose district includes the hospital, said, “The opening of the emergency department represents a huge milestone for Community Hospital. Area residents will now have the 24/7 medical services that have been so critically needed.

The Emergency Department began serving walk-in and transfer patients as of noon on May 12. 9-1-1 ambulatory and paramedic services will begin to utilize the hospital’s emergency department later this month after final approval from Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services.

“The Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation Board and donors are proud to be part of the effort to reopen this historic hospital,” said Ray Burton, chairman of the CHLB Foundation. “Reopening this hospital improves emergency medical access and treatment for the community and includes plans to offer additional essential services.”