Vote Delayed on Specialty Hospital

The Loma Linda City Council has postponed a vote on a specialty hospital after listening to nearly seven hours of testimony that continued until 2:30 Wednesday morning.

Council members will consider the proposed 28-bed, for-profit California Heart and Surgical Hospital at a Sept. 6 meeting. The hospital has drawn strong opposition from local general-care facilities, including Loma Linda University Medical Center, which fears it could siphon the area’s wealthy and well-insured patients.

The specialty hospital’s backers said their project would help alleviate a shortage of hospital beds in the region and elevate the level of patient care and medical innovation.

Three of the five council members have recused themselves from the decision because of ties to the Loma Linda University hospital. They drew straws to decide that Mayor Floyd Petersen, who teaches at the university, would cast the third vote.