CAMARILLO : Ruling Expected in Hospital Merger Bid

A Ventura County Superior Court judge is scheduled to decide Wednesday whether to delay the planned merger of a Camarillo hospital with an Oxnard medical center, a deal that is expected to close in two weeks.

In a hearing at 8:30 a.m. in Division 45, Judge Frederick Jones will consider the Camarillo Health Care District’s request to postpone Pleasant Valley Hospital’s consolidation with St. John’s Regional Medical Center.

The district has sued to block the merger, which is scheduled to close this month, arguing that it would cause irreparable harm to residents of Camarillo and surrounding communities.

The district’s suit points out that St. John’s would discontinue sterilization procedures at the Camarillo hospital, such as tubal ligations, if the merger goes through. St. John’s is owned by Catholic Healthcare West, which forbids sterilization procedures at its member hospitals for religious reasons.

In addition, district officials argue that St. John’s would eventually convert Pleasant Valley Hospital to a non-hospital use. St. John’s has committed to continue operating Pleasant Valley as a full-service hospital until at least Jan. 1, 1997.