Local News in Brief : Abortion Facility Reopens

An embattled Inglewood abortion hospital that was shut down by health officials last week is back in business as doctors’ offices.

The former Inglewood Women’s Hospital has been renamed West Coast Women’s Medical Group, and its eight physicians continue to do abortions there under their individual physician’s licenses, a spokesman said.

But according to state officials, the 28-bed facility will not be able to provide inpatient care and will lose the Medi-Cal reimbursements it had received as a hospital. Twenty-five employees have been laid off because of the temporary suspension Feb. 10 of its hospital license, the facility’s administrator said Thursday.

The facility officials have until Feb. 25 to contest the action and force an administrative hearing.

Health officials had repeatedly cited the state’s busiest abortion hospital for a variety of health code violations over the years, charging neglect and endangerment of patients. Hospital officials say that the violations have been corrected and that they are being persecuted because of pressure from anti-abortion groups.