Dignity Health’s St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach on Monday, April 29, announced it will close its pediatric unit by July 1.
Officials said they would work to transition patients and their families to nearby MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital.
Eight employees will be affected by the change. They will be offered the chance to transfer to other departments within the hospital, said hospital spokesperson Christina Zicklin. If they choose not to stay, officials vowed to help them transition to jobs at other hospitals.
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The hospital’s decision comes after evaluating patient volumes and community needs for pediatric services, officials said.
“At St. Mary Medical Center, prioritizing safe, exceptional care guides every decision we make,” said Carolyn Caldwell, president and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center. “With this in mind, we have made the difficult decision to close our pediatric unit.”
To ease the transition for affected patients and families, St. Mary officials announced they will team up with MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital of Long Beach – located 2 miles away.
Employees directly impacted by the closure have been notified. “We are working closely with the eight employees impacted during this transition,” said Zicklin.
Over the years, officials said the 100-year-old hospital has observed a significant shift in the landscape of pediatric health care, with more families seeking specialized children’s hospitals or urgent care centers for their children’s medical needs.
Despite efforts, the main challenge that the hospital faced was maintaining adequate patient volumes and staffing levels for the pediatric unit, according to a statement.
“Our commitment to providing exceptional pediatric care remains steadfast, and we are dedicated to ensuring a seamless experience for patients and families transitioning from St. Mary Medical Center,” Blair Kent, CEO of Miller’s Children’s Hospital and Long Beach Medical Center, said in a statement.
While the pediatric unit will close, officials said St. Mary will continue to provide care to children in its Emergency Department, which was recently re-designated as an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics.
The hospital will continue to provide women’s services, including labor and delivery and its Level III NICU.
St. Mary officials said the closure would allow it to improve other units’ operations such as its stroke center and CARE Center, an LGBTQ health care facility, with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS treatment.
