Hospital strategies discussed

City officials are scheduled to meet today behind closed doors for the second time this week to talk about their strategy with Adventist Health, which has put South Coast Medical Center on the block again.

The City Council met in closed session for more than two hours Tuesday to determine whether to initiate litigation. Mayor Jane Egly and Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Kinsman are scheduled to meet with Adventist officials Tuesday, pending the outcome of today’s closed session.

“We are fortunate to be included in the process, and are working collaboratively and well with the board of Adventist Health in the transfer of the hospital to a new owner,” Kinsman said.

The inclusion of the city came only after Adventist was contacted Aug. 12 by fax and overnight mail about the exclusion of city representatives in the process. The letter cited actions taken by the city as proof of its commitment to the hospital in the past four years, which included the previous decision by Adventist to sell South Coast Medical Center and subsequent decision not to sell.

“Moving forward without involving the community seems contrary to the mission of a nonprofit organization formed to serve the people,” the city’s letter said.

The letter was made public Sept. 19. Council members and city staff have been closed-mouthed about the closed sessions, which began in August. Litigation and property sales are cloaked by the Brown Act, which otherwise requires public business to be conducted in public. However, actions taken, such as a decision to sue, must be reported.

In response to questions about the ownership of the land on which the medical center stands, originally donated by the Irvine Foundation, City Atty. Philip Kohn said he had found no evidence that the city or the public had ever held title to the property.

The city has hired attorney David Klatsky with the legal firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and consultant Steve Valentine of The Camden Group to assist in dealings with Adventist.

Klatsky declined Wednesday to comment on possible strategies the city might pursue.

“There only a very few attorneys who specialize in the hospital business and in the state Attorney General’s participation in the sale of a not-for-profit hospital,” Kinsman said. “Valentine is the same consultant the city hired four years ago, and he was very helpful with the polls we conducted jointly with the hospital.”

Kinsman reiterated that there have been no changes in the hospital’s operation since Adventist’s decision to sell.

“We are looking forward to the same kind of hospital services that we have now, regardless of who buys the hospital,” Kinsman said.

BARBARA DIAMOND can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or coastlinepilot@latimes.com.