Hospital Licensure Progresses

MWN, LLC, the owner/operator of Community Hospital Long Beach (CHLB), announced details of its progress toward the reopening of Community Hospital later this year. In addition to receiving a necessary state license, the hospital is now hiring its management team, efforts have begun to restore the hospital’s historic exterior, and seismic retrofit plans are under development for the future expansion of the hospital.

“Though this has, at times, been a difficult and complicated process, we’ve made excellent progress on a very urgent time line,” said John Molina, partner at MWN, LLC. “For nearly 100 years, this hospital has been part of the fabric of our city –it’s worth every bit of effort.”

In late February, after undergoing an on-site inspection, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) licensed CHLB’s clinical laboratory. This is one of two individual, specialized licenses the hospital must hold prior to a final site survey and license to operate and direct medical services. The application for the other specialized license needed to operate CHLB’s pharmacy is currently in process.

CHLB’s historic façade and exterior are also undergoing extensive restoration and clean-up to prepare the grounds for reopening. A renewed landscape design, floral elements and fresh paint will welcome visitors to the hospital.

Concurrently, efforts are underway to onboard the hospital’s management team and department heads, who will join CHLB and prepare for the final site survey and reopening. Through a targeted recruitment effort with the City’s Workforce Innovation Network, Pacific Gateway, a majority of CHLB’s former senior management are expected to return to their prior positions.

Anyone interested in joining CHLB’s staff should complete an employment interest form online. Applications for physicians will be available next month.

Working with the City of Long Beach and the Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation, MWN, LLC has also contracted with HKS Architects, an international award-winning design firm, to develop plans for the seismic retrofit of the original hospital building. This will result in a future, state-of-the-art, micro acute care hospital.

Pending approval of all state licensures, CHLB plans to start accepting patients later this year.