Hospital to deliver a plan

The South Coast Medical Center in South Laguna is in the process of planning a major overhaul of its services and facilities that will mean a new hospital building.

The hospital — which has struggled financially in the past — is looking for a way to update the hospital to meet California state mandated seismic codes as well as pay the hefty bill the retrofit means.

“The plan that is being developed is a plan that is comprehensive and it’s one that will serve the community for generations to come,” said Bruce Christian, hospital president and CEO.

At a meeting with community members Saturday, Christian said the hospital plans to gather community input as they try to finalize the hospital’s plans in the next six-to-nine months.

The hospital’s facilities must be updated by 2013.

City Councilwoman and head of the hospital’s foundation Elizabeth Schneider said cost estimates are about $65 million.

Schneider said the nearly 50-year-old main hospital tower would take massive amounts of work to make it fit state standards for acute care hospital facilities.

The hospital’s solution is to build new acute care facilities on the property.

The new building would have less acute care beds than the hospital has now.

Christian said that in modern medicine there is less need for overnight beds with more procedures becoming appropriate for outpatient care.

A new building would allow for producing an environmentally friendly facility as well, officials said.

Schneider said there is also a possibility that there would be underground parking for the hospital, but the hospital would ask residents in the surrounding neighborhood for input.

The hospital plans on holding open houses and community forums to try to tap into resident’s needs.

“We have to get the community’s input before we get the plans finalized,” Schneider said.

Christian said there are a few options being explored to help cover the $65 million renovation/construction project.

One option being explored is to add senior housing to the project. Schneider said partnering with a senior housing company would cover about $25 million of the hospital’s costs.

Schneider said the other $40 million would come from philanthropy and debt.

The existing tower is planned to be converted for other uses. Schneider said the tower can be used for non-acute care facilities.

She also said the top-notch drug and alcohol detoxification program that the tower houses could be expanded. This would help the hospital’s revenue over time.

Outstanding views of the ocean from the tower along with the superb care are main draws to the recovery program, Schneider said.

Schneider said people come from all over the Southwest to go through the program.