Accreditation loss hurts community

I was sorry to read of Anaheim General Hospital’s loss of accreditation by the Joint Commission (“Drastic setback for O.C. hospital,” Dec. 6.)

Having been chief of staff at Garden Grove Hospital for a number of years, I am very familiar with the accreditation process.

Usually loss of accreditation dooms a hospital because Medicare, Medicaid (Medi-Cal) and some private insurers will no longer pay for care at a non-accredited facility. Is this what we want?

The Joint Commission is really doing the community a disservice. Instead of helping the hospital become accredited, it puts it out of business. Now we will have no care.

Elliott Brender

Villa Park