Hospital moves last patients to allow fumigation

St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard completed the transfer of all its patients this week as it prepares for a long-planned mold fumigation.

The hospital’s last 17 patients were transferred or discharged Monday evening, officials said. It closed its emergency room Aug. 8.

Nine patients were placed at other area hospitals, with about half going to St. John’s sister facility in Camarillo.

“Everything has gone very smoothly,” said Rita O’Connor, the hospital spokeswoman.

About 90% of the hospital’s 1,200 employees have been temporarily transferred to other medical facilities, O’Connor said. Remaining personnel arranged to take vacation time during the closure, she said.

Administrators plan to keep the hospital closed through Aug. 24. But that depends on whether the 265-bed facility receives state approval this week to proceed with its fumigation.

The hospital, which has been plagued by mold problems for most of its 15 years, wants to use chlorine dioxide gas, which would require tenting the facility. The gas is not commonly used in such big projects.

Opponents of the plan have protested to the state Department of Pesticide Regulation. Critics question whether a hospital is an appropriate site for the use of chlorine dioxide and warn about its potentially harmful effects.

Consultant Kevin Riley, president of Environmental Testing Associates Inc., had his lawyer file a formal letter of complaint with the state, asking regulators to deny approval of the hospital’s fumigation method until it can be proven that it is safe. The letter calls for another public hearing on the matter.

“Whatever they do is going to keep our hospital closed for three weeks, and the first time it rains” the mold is “going to come back,” Riley said. “Everybody in this industry knows what they’re doing is wrong.”

The pesticide agency will accept comments through the end of the day on the hospital’s emergency application to use chlorine dioxide.

Comments should reference “St. John’s Hospital” and can be sent via e-mail to rkubiak@cdpr.ca.gov or faxed to (916) 324-5872, attention Rachel Kubiak.

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greg.griggs@latimes.com