Dear Friend --

We want to provide an update on current hospital capacity as we enter these critical weeks ahead. We are closely monitoring our hospital bed capacity and doing everything we can to expand it. We are fortunate to have robust partnerships with several Long Beach area hospitals that have quickly adapted to this public health emergency.

As of today, the Long Beach healthcare community partners, including College Medical Center, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center, Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center can staff more than 1,500 beds, which includes surge capacity of more than 400 beds. The new field hospital at the Long Beach Arena provides an additional 100 beds, should they be needed. This represents an increase of more than 500 hospital beds from pre-COVID-19 levels. These numbers are based on currently available staffing and may change over time depending on the progression of the health crisis.

Additionally, Long Beach is taking the following steps to support frontline healthcare workers battling COVID-19:

• All seven local hospitals have been connected to the City’s Emergency Operations Center for logistical support;
• Creating a daily hospital capacity dashboard that monitors how each of the local hospitals is doing and allowing the Emergency Operations Center to support them in the event of patient overflow needs;
• Supporting the reopening of 158-bed Community Hospital through an agreement with the operator, Molina, Wu, Network LLC (MWN). The hospital is expected to open soon and has hired more than 125 personnel, many of whom are former Community Hospital nurses, respiratory therapists, technicians and other employees. Some have left other positions to join this effort
• Additionally, the local supply of ventilators is sufficient for current demand, but the City is monitoring the situation closely and is working with the State to be completely prepared.

Medical providers who need additional personal protective equipment (PPE) may request supplies via the City’s longbeach.gov/COVID19 website, under “Resources for Healthcare Providers.”

The City of Long Beach also continues to work with MWN and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to re-open Community Hospital. All local requirements have been satisfied and MWN is awaiting licensing and certification from CDPH.

For the past two weeks, Community Hospital staff, at Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request, has worked with the City and the State to prepare the hospital to provide additional beds and resources in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. The hospital has worked in partnership with the California Department of Public Health to prepare the hospital for licensure. The CDPH last visited on April 4 and hospital officials are expecting the contract and license will be approved within the next few days. Once these are approved, Community Hospital will join other area hospitals on the frontline of caring for residents and the community.