The Regional Medical Center Hopes To Increase Percentage Of Insured Patients
By Associated Press - August 25, 2004DOWNEY, Calif. (AP) _ The private Regional Medical Center may limit emergency room access and alter ambulance service to halt $2 million a year in emergency treatment losses.
The proposed changes are probably years away and there are no details so far.
The nonprofit hospital hopes to increase its percentage of insured patients by establishing agreements with doctor's offices and nursing homes, whereby patients often on Medicare or with health insurance would be automatically sent to the Downey emergency room.
Uninsured patients, required seismic retrofitting, state-mandated nursing-to-patient ratios and the recent closure of six Los Angeles County emergency rooms is straining emergency services at county hospitals, officials said.
"There is a crisis in L.A. that could collapse the entire emergency medicine system if it's not addressed," said Rob Fuller, the hospital's executive vice president.
The hospital's $57 million reserve budget is absorbing the $2 million deficit, but that reserve fund is quickly dwindling.
"We're certainly ready and willing to do our fair share," Fuller said. "We do provide a lot of charity care, but it's getting out of hand. We're getting more uninsured patients and they're sicker."
The hospital draws roughly 100,000 patients per year, about 30 percent from Downey and 70 percent from surrounding cities. In 2003, 51,000 patients were treated in the emergency room. Of these, about 50 percent lacked health insurance. | 
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