Ambulances have resumed transporting patients to Anaheim Global Medical Center after Orange County health officials lifted the emergency medical services suspension on the hospital.
Anaheim Global’s designation as an emergency receiving center was suspended by the county Health Care Agency in May, although a reason was not disclosed. Hospital officials said the suspension was because a state fee to operate laboratory services had been paid late.
On Friday, July 10, the health agency notified county 911 crews that Anaheim Global had been reinstated and could service patients via ambulance. While it was suspended, the hospital remained open and accepted walk-in patients.
At least three other hospitals in the area were available to accept the patients that would have been brought to Anaheim Global.
The Anaheim facility is part of a network of “Global” brand hospitals owned by KPC Health. Headquartered in Corona, KPC Health also owns Chapman Global in Orange, South Coast Global and Orange County Global in Santa Ana, Hemet Global, Menifee Global and Victor Valley Global medical centers.
“As a critical access point to high-quality care, we are pleased that Anaheim Global Medical Center’s emergency receiving designation is back on line, allowing the facility to resume receiving 911 transports immediately,” said Daniel Knell, regional CEO of KPC Health.
Meanwhile, a county ban on transporting 911 stroke patients to Orange County Global Medical Center remains in effect.
In November, the county revoked Orange County Global’s designation as one of nine stroke neurology receiving centers in the region amid concerns of poor medical care. Those receiving centers are the first to receive stroke patients transported by ambulance. The action came four months after the county placed a temporary ban on ambulances taking stroke patients to Orange County Global. The hospital continues to treat stroke patients on a walk-in basis.
KPC Health is continuing to negotiate with the county to reinstate Orange County Global as a stroke neurology receiving center. Knell noted that, for the second straight year, the hospital recently received the American Heart Association’s Stroke Gold Plus award for its stroke program.