Moving Laguna Hospital Would Be a Bitter Pill

Re “Hospital May Be Forced to Move,” Aug. 10:

At first blush it may seem that the threat to move South Coast Medical Center out of Laguna Beach is a ploy to gain regulatory relief locally and in Sacramento from onerous new construction and earthquake code requirements. However, this increasingly appears to be a very real -- if arrogant and naive -- plan to which many associated with the hospital subscribe.

In competing to acquire the former community hospital, Adventist Health knew full well there would always be difficulty filling its beds because no potential for population growth existed on the coast. Moving this fine hospital would be a breach of trust with those who built and paid for it. Not only would it eliminate the easily accessible institution for South Coast residents, it would also cause many doctors to move their offices inland.

Moving the hospital would cost far more than retrofitting. Projected area growth is mainly in Rancho Mission Viejo. But the hospital’s ability to fill all its beds would by no means be assured even with an inland location. Mission Hospital already has plans for a new hospital on land that has been donated in that new South County development.

Tristan Krogius

Dana Point