MEDICAL

Yet another small county hospital revising its business strategy is College Hospital Costa Mesa, which was known as Costa Mesa Medical Center Hospital before it was acquired by a group of investors in August.

Ken Dortch, executive vice president of College Health Enterprises, which operates the Costa Mesa hospital and another hospital in Cerritos, said the Costa Mesa facility “was virtually empty” when it was acquired. “The place was running at about 30% occupancy,” he said.

To revive the hospital, Dortch said, his organization is adding new services, starting with a 21-bed adolescent psychiatric unit. Dortch said the hospital’s goal is to have all new programs that will achieve at least 50% occupancy.

The single-story, 99-bed hospital is undergoing major renovations. In recent months, it has been featured, along with its sister Cerritos facility, in radio and TV ads.

Last week the Costa Mesa hospital got a new administrator, Tami Parrott, formerly vice president of operations at nearby Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach. She replaces Kent Dunlap, who will administer an acute-care hospital being built in Laguna Hills by Santa Ana-based Community Psychiatric Centers.