Hospital Closure

Once again the Chicken Little/Dorothy and Toto mentality attempt to tell us that the sky is falling and that we are not in Kansas anymore with its latest findings not only determined but confirmed that our 85-year-old Long Beach Community Hospital cannot meet seismic compliance regulation due June 30, 2019. It passed every time before!

This comes with some frightening thoughts such as where will the 3,000 patients Community Hospital sees annually now be seen for emergency care? Never fear there are seven other acute hospitals nearby. Funny, I can only think of St. Mary, Long Beach Memorial and Los Alamitos which are generally so full that they describe themselves as being saturated and cannot take any additional emergency room admits when that moment arrives. Who were the other four? There is also a considerable transportation time added to consider by diverting to one of these other hospitals instead of Community.

There is this big fear about earthquakes by Chicken Little/Dorothy and Toto who likely moved here from Kansas to get away from hurricanes, tornadoes and other drastic weather in the first place. They have yet to learn that California’s natural disasters are really only famous for brush fires fueled by the media frenzy that alerts pyromaniacs and illegal fireworks users that the “Santa Ana Winds” are upon us and red flag conditions exist.

Maybe this dangerous fault line mentality should be re-examined and reported to us by experts who have suitable alternative suggestions in mind before they dangle closing the third largest hospital within Long Beach because it could put many people living near Community Hospital into a state apprehension and anxiety wondering where in fact they will have to go should it come to needing immediate emergency or psychiatric care such as are presently available at the Long Beach Community Hospital.

Ward Johnson

Earlier this year, I had shingles and went to Memorial for pain relief. I got there at 10 a.m. and was signed in. I waited for nine hours in the lobby/waiting room before I couldn’t stand the pain anymore. Asked staff for “something,” finally got in to see a doctor at 9:30 p.m. who checked me, finally received pain pills at 10:30 p.m. and released at 11 p.m. Loved the hospital, but the wait was outrageous.

Later this year, I went to Community for muscle weakness and nearly falling. I checked in and was logged in within 30 minutes and saw the emergency doctor, Dr. Bush, within 25 minutes. He set me up for testing and an MRI, within 40 minutes I was having it done. He got the results and was back in about one hour. He told me that I apparently had a “transient heart attack” but it seemed to be over with no lasting effects. He asked if I wanted to stay in the hospital overnight or go home and monitor myself. I went home and called my doctor the next day, who recommended further heart testing. 

My point is that it took 13 hours to get pills at Memorial while only taking 3 hours for heart complications at Community. I had to go back into the hospital for kidney failure and simultaneous heart failure later. I went back to Community, which has excellent immediate care.

Richard Lindemann

Please do not close the Long Beach Community Hospital. It has served our community very well for many, many years. It is close to the east side for emergencies and to save lives.

How can we help save our hospital?

Cora L. Myers