St. 's closure expected to impact ERs, delivery wards

[Guest guest]

July 6, 2007

St. 's closure expected to impact ERs, delivery wards

http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2007/0706/Front_page/002.html

Mold fumigation will close hospital for at least 10 days

By Wolowicz camarillo@...

The expected 10-day closure of St. 's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard in

August to fumigate for mold has area hospitals making plans to handle an

increase in patients from one of Ventura County's largest hospitals and busiest

emergency rooms.

St. 's officials allege the mold growth throughout the 265-bed hospital was

caused by poorly installed windows and showers by general contractor Centex

Rodgers when the hospital was built in 1992.

" It's not a patient care issue, " said Murray, St. 's president. " The

hospital is safe. We have no visible mold in the hospital. Any mold we have is

entombed behind wallpaper. "

The mold problem was first recognized soon after the hospital opened. In 1996,

Catholic Healthcare West, the San Francisco-based company which manages both St.

's in Oxnard and St. 's Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, sued the

Nashville-based healthcare construction company.

When repairs were once more unsuccessful, Catholic Healthcare West again sued

Centex and a number of its subcontractors in 2003. Murray, president of

St. 's, said litigation is ongoing but would not comment further.

Over nearly six years, the hospital has replaced sections of drywall in an

attempt to remove the mold. Although effective, the piecemeal work was projected

to take another five years to complete, St. 's officials said.

To clear out the mold faster, St. 's hired Sabre Technical Services, a New

Yorkbased company which specializes in fumigating with chlorine dioxide, to tent

and decontaminate the hospital.

" We're a hospital; we need to take care of (the mold) for the long term so we

don't have a continuing issue with it, " Murray said.

According to Sabre's website, chlorine dioxide is a water-soluble gas

disinfectant used to help purify drinking water and to sanitize food processing

plants. It's effective in killing mold and has also been used to fumigate

against anthrax.

Between July 30 and Aug. 13, St. 's will gradually stop admitting patients.

By Aug. 14, St. 's will move all remaining patients to other hospitals and

empty the hospital of pharmaceuticals, sterilized equipment, food and other

supplies.

Murray said he expects to move about 10 to 20 patients to neighboring hospitals.

Following 14 hours of fumigation and the removal of the tent, Murray said St.

's expects the California Department of Health Services to approve the

hospital's reopening by Aug. 24.

State officials would not comment on whether the closure would only be required

for 10 days.

Following the fumigation, St. 's will repaint the interior walls and

complete additional work to the hospital's roof.

Because St. 's emergency room treats 100 patients a day--it's one of the

busiest in the county--neighboring hospital administrators are bracing for an

influx of ER patients.

" The department impacted the most will be our emergency room, " said Jim Sherman,

president/CEO of Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks.

Sherman said Los Robles is pushing forward to open its new 25-bed wing by Aug.

12. He said Los Robles will wait to remodel an older wing of the Thousand Oaks

hospital to keep beds available during the St. 's closure.

Los Robles will add another doctor to its emergency room staff to help ease wait

times in the ER.

Mike Ellingson, a vice president for Community Memorial Health System, said

administrators at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura also have begun

discussing how to manage additional ER patients.

" I think our main focus is the emergency department, " Ellingson said.

To help mitigate the influx of patients to other emergency rooms, Murray said

St. 's has been in contact with local police and fire departments and the

county's ambulance companies.

Murray said St. 's administrators and officials at Ventura County Medical

Center have also been meeting regularly over the past few months to discuss how

the closure will affect patients moved to the county facility.

Ober, vice president of Gold Coast Ambulance, which serves Oxnard and

Port Hueneme, said that during St. 's closure Gold Coast will add two

ambulances to the four it typically runs per shift.

He said his ambulance crews will deliver patients to Community Memorial,

Pleasant Valley or Ventura County Medical Center depending on the location and

type of emergency.

Ober said he doesn't predict much disruption to ambulance service during the

closure.

" Because they are going to be closed for a relatively short time, I don't think

it's going to be a big inconvenience, " Ober said.

Murray said the new 14-bed emergency room at Pleasant Valley hospital will also

help absorb patients during St. 's closure. Pleasant Valley, a 180-bed

facility, recently opened the new $16 million wing, which doubles the size of

the Camarillo hospital's emergency room.

Pleasant Valley's former ER will be used as an expanded intensive care unit,

according to Murray.

Ellingson said he hopes to see more patients use Community Memorial Health

System's Centers for Family Health- a group of nine urgent care facilities

throughout the county.

" Folks who really would be accessing emergency rooms for basic colds, basic

medical needs, we'd certainly love to see them utilizing the urgent care

facilities in the area before coming to an emergency room, " Ellingson said.

Because doctors cannot accurately predict how many women will go into labor at

any given time, hospital administrators said they won't know how the closure

will impact their labor and delivery departments until it occurs.

To deliver a baby at a hospital, a doctor must have privileges at that

particular facility. That may become an issue for pregnant women being treated

by St. 's obstetricians who do not have privileges at another local

hospital.

Rita O'Connor, a spokesperson for St. 's, said the medical center is working

with neighboring hospitals to help St. 's doctors acquire privileges at

other facilities.

" In the cases where physicians are requesting temporary privileges at another

facility, St. 's is working with other hospitals in the county to expedite

the credentialing process, " O'Connor said.

She said St. 's doctors do have privileges at Pleasant Valley hospital.

It takes about two months for a doctor to receive privileges at Los Robles,

according to Los Robles officials.

St. 's delivers about 170 babies per month, Los Robles about 200, Community

Memorial Hospital delivers around 250.

Ventura County Medical Center, the largest labor and delivery department in the

county, delivers about 290 babies per month.

[Guest guest]

Lourdes,

Thank you for keeping up on this story. What is very puzzling is this

statement by Murray, St. 's president. " The hospital is

safe. We have no visible mold in the hospital. Any mold we have is

entombed behind wallpaper. "

If " entombed " behind wallpaper fumigation with Chlorine Dioxide will

do nothing because it won't get behind the wallpaper. If truly

" entombed " then it can't get out so this source of mold is probably

not what they should be concentrating on.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> July 6, 2007

>

> St. 's closure expected to impact ERs, delivery wards

>

> http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2007/0706/Front_page/002.html

>

>

> Mold fumigation will close hospital for at least 10 days

> By Wolowicz camarillo@...

>

>

> The expected 10-day closure of St. 's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard in

August to fumigate for mold has area hospitals making plans to handle an

increase in patients from one of Ventura County's largest hospitals and busiest

emergency rooms.

>

> St. 's officials allege the mold growth throughout the 265-bed hospital

was caused by poorly installed windows and showers by general contractor Centex

Rodgers when the hospital was built in 1992.

>

> " It's not a patient care issue, " said Murray, St. 's president.

" The hospital is safe. We have no visible mold in the hospital. Any mold we have

is entombed behind wallpaper. "

>

> The mold problem was first recognized soon after the hospital opened. In 1996,

Catholic Healthcare West, the San Francisco-based company which manages both St.

's in Oxnard and St. 's Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, sued the

Nashville-based healthcare construction company.

>

> When repairs were once more unsuccessful, Catholic Healthcare West again sued

Centex and a number of its subcontractors in 2003. Murray, president of

St. 's, said litigation is ongoing but would not comment further.

>

> Over nearly six years, the hospital has replaced sections of drywall in an

attempt to remove the mold. Although effective, the piecemeal work was projected

to take another five years to complete, St. 's officials said.

>

> To clear out the mold faster, St. 's hired Sabre Technical Services, a New

Yorkbased company which specializes in fumigating with chlorine dioxide, to tent

and decontaminate the hospital.

>

> " We're a hospital; we need to take care of (the mold) for the long term so we

don't have a continuing issue with it, " Murray said.

>

> According to Sabre's website, chlorine dioxide is a water-soluble gas

disinfectant used to help purify drinking water and to sanitize food processing

plants. It's effective in killing mold and has also been used to fumigate

against anthrax.

>

> Between July 30 and Aug. 13, St. 's will gradually stop admitting

patients. By Aug. 14, St. 's will move all remaining patients to other

hospitals and empty the hospital of pharmaceuticals, sterilized equipment, food

and other supplies.

>

> Murray said he expects to move about 10 to 20 patients to neighboring

hospitals.

>

> Following 14 hours of fumigation and the removal of the tent, Murray said St.

's expects the California Department of Health Services to approve the

hospital's reopening by Aug. 24.

>

> State officials would not comment on whether the closure would only be

required for 10 days.

>

> Following the fumigation, St. 's will repaint the interior walls and

complete additional work to the hospital's roof.

>

> Because St. 's emergency room treats 100 patients a day--it's one of the

busiest in the county--neighboring hospital administrators are bracing for an

influx of ER patients.

>

> " The department impacted the most will be our emergency room, " said Jim

Sherman, president/CEO of Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks.

>

> Sherman said Los Robles is pushing forward to open its new 25-bed wing by Aug.

12. He said Los Robles will wait to remodel an older wing of the Thousand Oaks

hospital to keep beds available during the St. 's closure.

>

> Los Robles will add another doctor to its emergency room staff to help ease

wait times in the ER.

>

> Mike Ellingson, a vice president for Community Memorial Health System, said

administrators at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura also have begun

discussing how to manage additional ER patients.

>

> " I think our main focus is the emergency department, " Ellingson said.

>

> To help mitigate the influx of patients to other emergency rooms, Murray said

St. 's has been in contact with local police and fire departments and the

county's ambulance companies.

>

> Murray said St. 's administrators and officials at Ventura County Medical

Center have also been meeting regularly over the past few months to discuss how

the closure will affect patients moved to the county facility.

>

> Ober, vice president of Gold Coast Ambulance, which serves Oxnard and

Port Hueneme, said that during St. 's closure Gold Coast will add two

ambulances to the four it typically runs per shift.

>

> He said his ambulance crews will deliver patients to Community Memorial,

Pleasant Valley or Ventura County Medical Center depending on the location and

type of emergency.

>

> Ober said he doesn't predict much disruption to ambulance service during the

closure.

>

> " Because they are going to be closed for a relatively short time, I don't

think it's going to be a big inconvenience, " Ober said.

>

> Murray said the new 14-bed emergency room at Pleasant Valley hospital will

also help absorb patients during St. 's closure. Pleasant Valley, a 180-bed

facility, recently opened the new $16 million wing, which doubles the size of

the Camarillo hospital's emergency room.

>

> Pleasant Valley's former ER will be used as an expanded intensive care unit,

according to Murray.

>

> Ellingson said he hopes to see more patients use Community Memorial Health

System's Centers for Family Health- a group of nine urgent care facilities

throughout the county.

>

> " Folks who really would be accessing emergency rooms for basic colds, basic

medical needs, we'd certainly love to see them utilizing the urgent care

facilities in the area before coming to an emergency room, " Ellingson said.

>

> Because doctors cannot accurately predict how many women will go into labor at

any given time, hospital administrators said they won't know how the closure

will impact their labor and delivery departments until it occurs.

>

> To deliver a baby at a hospital, a doctor must have privileges at that

particular facility. That may become an issue for pregnant women being treated

by St. 's obstetricians who do not have privileges at another local

hospital.

>

> Rita O'Connor, a spokesperson for St. 's, said the medical center is

working with neighboring hospitals to help St. 's doctors acquire privileges

at other facilities.

>

> " In the cases where physicians are requesting temporary privileges at another

facility, St. 's is working with other hospitals in the county to expedite

the credentialing process, " O'Connor said.

>

> She said St. 's doctors do have privileges at Pleasant Valley hospital.

>

> It takes about two months for a doctor to receive privileges at Los Robles,

according to Los Robles officials.

>

> St. 's delivers about 170 babies per month, Los Robles about 200,

Community Memorial Hospital delivers around 250.

>

> Ventura County Medical Center, the largest labor and delivery department in

the county, delivers about 290 babies per month.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

wouldn't even vinal walpaper be porus?

>

> Lourdes,

>

> Thank you for keeping up on this story. What is very puzzling is

this

> statement by Murray, St. 's president. " The hospital is

> safe. We have no visible mold in the hospital. Any mold we have is

> entombed behind wallpaper. "

>

> If " entombed " behind wallpaper fumigation with Chlorine Dioxide

will

> do nothing because it won't get behind the wallpaper. If truly

> " entombed " then it can't get out so this source of mold is probably

> not what they should be concentrating on.

>

> Carl Grimes

> Healthy Habitats LLC

>

> -----

> > July 6, 2007

> >

> > St. 's closure expected to impact ERs, delivery wards

> >

> >

http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2007/0706/Front_page/002.html

> >

> >

> > Mold fumigation will close hospital for at least 10 days

> > By Wolowicz camarillo@...

> >

> >

> > The expected 10-day closure of St. 's Regional Medical Center

in Oxnard in August to fumigate for mold has area hospitals making

plans to handle an increase in patients from one of Ventura County's

largest hospitals and busiest emergency rooms.

> >

> > St. 's officials allege the mold growth throughout the 265-

bed hospital was caused by poorly installed windows and showers by

general contractor Centex Rodgers when the hospital was built in

1992.

> >

> > " It's not a patient care issue, " said Murray, St. 's

president. " The hospital is safe. We have no visible mold in the

hospital. Any mold we have is entombed behind wallpaper. "

> >

> > The mold problem was first recognized soon after the hospital

opened. In 1996, Catholic Healthcare West, the San Francisco-based

company which manages both St. 's in Oxnard and St. 's

Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, sued the Nashville-based

healthcare construction company.

> >

> > When repairs were once more unsuccessful, Catholic Healthcare

West again sued Centex and a number of its subcontractors in 2003.

Murray, president of St. 's, said litigation is ongoing

but would not comment further.

> >

> > Over nearly six years, the hospital has replaced sections of

drywall in an attempt to remove the mold. Although effective, the

piecemeal work was projected to take another five years to complete,

St. 's officials said.

> >

> > To clear out the mold faster, St. 's hired Sabre Technical

Services, a New Yorkbased company which specializes in fumigating

with chlorine dioxide, to tent and decontaminate the hospital.

> >

> > " We're a hospital; we need to take care of (the mold) for the

long term so we don't have a continuing issue with it, " Murray said.

> >

> > According to Sabre's website, chlorine dioxide is a water-soluble

gas disinfectant used to help purify drinking water and to sanitize

food processing plants. It's effective in killing mold and has also

been used to fumigate against anthrax.

> >

> > Between July 30 and Aug. 13, St. 's will gradually stop

admitting patients. By Aug. 14, St. 's will move all remaining

patients to other hospitals and empty the hospital of

pharmaceuticals, sterilized equipment, food and other supplies.

> >

> > Murray said he expects to move about 10 to 20 patients to

neighboring hospitals.

> >

> > Following 14 hours of fumigation and the removal of the tent,

Murray said St. 's expects the California Department of Health

Services to approve the hospital's reopening by Aug. 24.

> >

> > State officials would not comment on whether the closure would

only be required for 10 days.

> >

> > Following the fumigation, St. 's will repaint the interior

walls and complete additional work to the hospital's roof.

> >

> > Because St. 's emergency room treats 100 patients a day--it's

one of the busiest in the county--neighboring hospital administrators

are bracing for an influx of ER patients.

> >

> > " The department impacted the most will be our emergency room, "

said Jim Sherman, president/CEO of Los Robles Hospital & Medical

Center in Thousand Oaks.

> >

> > Sherman said Los Robles is pushing forward to open its new 25-bed

wing by Aug. 12. He said Los Robles will wait to remodel an older

wing of the Thousand Oaks hospital to keep beds available during the

St. 's closure.

> >

> > Los Robles will add another doctor to its emergency room staff to

help ease wait times in the ER.

> >

> > Mike Ellingson, a vice president for Community Memorial Health

System, said administrators at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura

also have begun discussing how to manage additional ER patients.

> >

> > " I think our main focus is the emergency department, " Ellingson

said.

> >

> > To help mitigate the influx of patients to other emergency rooms,

Murray said St. 's has been in contact with local police and fire

departments and the county's ambulance companies.

> >

> > Murray said St. 's administrators and officials at Ventura

County Medical Center have also been meeting regularly over the past

few months to discuss how the closure will affect patients moved to

the county facility.

> >

> > Ober, vice president of Gold Coast Ambulance, which

serves Oxnard and Port Hueneme, said that during St. 's closure

Gold Coast will add two ambulances to the four it typically runs per

shift.

> >

> > He said his ambulance crews will deliver patients to Community

Memorial, Pleasant Valley or Ventura County Medical Center depending

on the location and type of emergency.

> >

> > Ober said he doesn't predict much disruption to ambulance service

during the closure.

> >

> > " Because they are going to be closed for a relatively short time,

I don't think it's going to be a big inconvenience, " Ober said.

> >

> > Murray said the new 14-bed emergency room at Pleasant Valley

hospital will also help absorb patients during St. 's closure.

Pleasant Valley, a 180-bed facility, recently opened the new $16

million wing, which doubles the size of the Camarillo hospital's

emergency room.

> >

> > Pleasant Valley's former ER will be used as an expanded intensive

care unit, according to Murray.

> >

> > Ellingson said he hopes to see more patients use Community

Memorial Health System's Centers for Family Health- a group of nine

urgent care facilities throughout the county.

> >

> > " Folks who really would be accessing emergency rooms for basic

colds, basic medical needs, we'd certainly love to see them utilizing

the urgent care facilities in the area before coming to an emergency

room, " Ellingson said.

> >

> > Because doctors cannot accurately predict how many women will go

into labor at any given time, hospital administrators said they won't

know how the closure will impact their labor and delivery departments

until it occurs.

> >

> > To deliver a baby at a hospital, a doctor must have privileges at

that particular facility. That may become an issue for pregnant women

being treated by St. 's obstetricians who do not have privileges

at another local hospital.

> >

> > Rita O'Connor, a spokesperson for St. 's, said the medical

center is working with neighboring hospitals to help St. 's

doctors acquire privileges at other facilities.

> >

> > " In the cases where physicians are requesting temporary

privileges at another facility, St. 's is working with other

hospitals in the county to expedite the credentialing process, "

O'Connor said.

> >

> > She said St. 's doctors do have privileges at Pleasant Valley

hospital.

> >

> > It takes about two months for a doctor to receive privileges at

Los Robles, according to Los Robles officials.

> >

> > St. 's delivers about 170 babies per month, Los Robles about

200, Community Memorial Hospital delivers around 250.

> >

> > Ventura County Medical Center, the largest labor and delivery

department in the county, delivers about 290 babies per month.

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Vinyl wallpaper is not very porous. What happens is warm moisture

from outside migrates through the building materials toward the

cooler, dryer inside of a building (if air conditioned) but is

blocked by the vinyl wallpaper. It then condenses on the cool

wallpaper providing sufficient moisture for mold spores that are

already there to begin growing.

Even if the wallpaper is not vinyl, the chlorine needs to move

through the " paper " and get behind it to kill the mold. How much for

how long would depend on many factors. I don't know if that has been

accounted for in this " experiment. "

In my opinion, the wallpaper should be removed then the mold removed.

Then kill the mold. Why? Because the primary concern in a hospital is

not the same as ours. They aren't focused on allergies, mycotoxins

etc but rather infections. So it is important to kill the mold so if

it gets inside the body of an immune compromised person it cannot

begin growing (infection).

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> wouldn't even vinal walpaper be porus?

> >

> > Lourdes,

> >

> > Thank you for keeping up on this story. What is very puzzling is

> this

> > statement by Murray, St. 's president. " The hospital is

> > safe. We have no visible mold in the hospital. Any mold we have is

> > entombed behind wallpaper. "

> >

> > If " entombed " behind wallpaper fumigation with Chlorine Dioxide

> will

> > do nothing because it won't get behind the wallpaper. If truly

> > " entombed " then it can't get out so this source of mold is probably

> > not what they should be concentrating on.

> >

> > Carl Grimes

> > Healthy Habitats LLC

> >

> > -----

> > > July 6, 2007

> > >

> > > St. 's closure expected to impact ERs, delivery wards

> > >

> > >

> http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2007/0706/Front_page/002.html

> > >

> > >

> > > Mold fumigation will close hospital for at least 10 days

> > > By Wolowicz camarillo@...

> > >

> > >

> > > The expected 10-day closure of St. 's Regional Medical Center

> in Oxnard in August to fumigate for mold has area hospitals making

> plans to handle an increase in patients from one of Ventura County's

> largest hospitals and busiest emergency rooms.

> > >

> > > St. 's officials allege the mold growth throughout the 265-

> bed hospital was caused by poorly installed windows and showers by

> general contractor Centex Rodgers when the hospital was built in

> 1992.

> > >

> > > " It's not a patient care issue, " said Murray, St. 's

> president. " The hospital is safe. We have no visible mold in the

> hospital. Any mold we have is entombed behind wallpaper. "

> > >

> > > The mold problem was first recognized soon after the hospital

> opened. In 1996, Catholic Healthcare West, the San Francisco-based

> company which manages both St. 's in Oxnard and St. 's

> Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, sued the Nashville-based

> healthcare construction company.

> > >

> > > When repairs were once more unsuccessful, Catholic Healthcare

> West again sued Centex and a number of its subcontractors in 2003.

> Murray, president of St. 's, said litigation is ongoing

> but would not comment further.

> > >

> > > Over nearly six years, the hospital has replaced sections of

> drywall in an attempt to remove the mold. Although effective, the

> piecemeal work was projected to take another five years to complete,

> St. 's officials said.

> > >

> > > To clear out the mold faster, St. 's hired Sabre Technical

> Services, a New Yorkbased company which specializes in fumigating

> with chlorine dioxide, to tent and decontaminate the hospital.

> > >

> > > " We're a hospital; we need to take care of (the mold) for the

> long term so we don't have a continuing issue with it, " Murray said.

> > >

> > > According to Sabre's website, chlorine dioxide is a water-soluble

> gas disinfectant used to help purify drinking water and to sanitize

> food processing plants. It's effective in killing mold and has also

> been used to fumigate against anthrax.

> > >

> > > Between July 30 and Aug. 13, St. 's will gradually stop

> admitting patients. By Aug. 14, St. 's will move all remaining

> patients to other hospitals and empty the hospital of

> pharmaceuticals, sterilized equipment, food and other supplies.

> > >

> > > Murray said he expects to move about 10 to 20 patients to

> neighboring hospitals.

> > >

> > > Following 14 hours of fumigation and the removal of the tent,

> Murray said St. 's expects the California Department of Health

> Services to approve the hospital's reopening by Aug. 24.

> > >

> > > State officials would not comment on whether the closure would

> only be required for 10 days.

> > >

> > > Following the fumigation, St. 's will repaint the interior

> walls and complete additional work to the hospital's roof.

> > >

> > > Because St. 's emergency room treats 100 patients a day--it's

> one of the busiest in the county--neighboring hospital administrators

> are bracing for an influx of ER patients.

> > >

> > > " The department impacted the most will be our emergency room, "

> said Jim Sherman, president/CEO of Los Robles Hospital & Medical

> Center in Thousand Oaks.

> > >

> > > Sherman said Los Robles is pushing forward to open its new 25-bed

> wing by Aug. 12. He said Los Robles will wait to remodel an older

> wing of the Thousand Oaks hospital to keep beds available during the

> St. 's closure.

> > >

> > > Los Robles will add another doctor to its emergency room staff to

> help ease wait times in the ER.

> > >

> > > Mike Ellingson, a vice president for Community Memorial Health

> System, said administrators at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura

> also have begun discussing how to manage additional ER patients.

> > >

> > > " I think our main focus is the emergency department, " Ellingson

> said.

> > >

> > > To help mitigate the influx of patients to other emergency rooms,

> Murray said St. 's has been in contact with local police and fire

> departments and the county's ambulance companies.

> > >

> > > Murray said St. 's administrators and officials at Ventura

> County Medical Center have also been meeting regularly over the past

> few months to discuss how the closure will affect patients moved to

> the county facility.

> > >

> > > Ober, vice president of Gold Coast Ambulance, which

> serves Oxnard and Port Hueneme, said that during St. 's closure

> Gold Coast will add two ambulances to the four it typically runs per

> shift.

> > >

> > > He said his ambulance crews will deliver patients to Community

> Memorial, Pleasant Valley or Ventura County Medical Center depending

> on the location and type of emergency.

> > >

> > > Ober said he doesn't predict much disruption to ambulance service

> during the closure.

> > >

> > > " Because they are going to be closed for a relatively short time,

> I don't think it's going to be a big inconvenience, " Ober said.

> > >

> > > Murray said the new 14-bed emergency room at Pleasant Valley

> hospital will also help absorb patients during St. 's closure.

> Pleasant Valley, a 180-bed facility, recently opened the new $16

> million wing, which doubles the size of the Camarillo hospital's

> emergency room.

> > >

> > > Pleasant Valley's former ER will be used as an expanded intensive

> care unit, according to Murray.

> > >

> > > Ellingson said he hopes to see more patients use Community

> Memorial Health System's Centers for Family Health- a group of nine

> urgent care facilities throughout the county.

> > >

> > > " Folks who really would be accessing emergency rooms for basic

> colds, basic medical needs, we'd certainly love to see them utilizing

> the urgent care facilities in the area before coming to an emergency

> room, " Ellingson said.

> > >

> > > Because doctors cannot accurately predict how many women will go

> into labor at any given time, hospital administrators said they won't

> know how the closure will impact their labor and delivery departments

> until it occurs.

> > >

> > > To deliver a baby at a hospital, a doctor must have privileges at

> that particular facility. That may become an issue for pregnant women

> being treated by St. 's obstetricians who do not have privileges

> at another local hospital.

> > >

> > > Rita O'Connor, a spokesperson for St. 's, said the medical

> center is working with neighboring hospitals to help St. 's

> doctors acquire privileges at other facilities.

> > >

> > > " In the cases where physicians are requesting temporary

> privileges at another facility, St. 's is working with other

> hospitals in the county to expedite the credentialing process, "

> O'Connor said.

> > >

> > > She said St. 's doctors do have privileges at Pleasant Valley

> hospital.

> > >

> > > It takes about two months for a doctor to receive privileges at

> Los Robles, according to Los Robles officials.

> > >

> > > St. 's delivers about 170 babies per month, Los Robles about

> 200, Community Memorial Hospital delivers around 250.

> > >

> > > Ventura County Medical Center, the largest labor and delivery

> department in the county, delivers about 290 babies per month.

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

If they are going to be closing the hospital anyway, perhaps they

should just devote the extra time to finding and cleaning out the mold

reservoirs. Otherwise, the building will still have those toxins in

it, and probably some, IMO quite possibly many viable spores as well.

Theres some good info on fungal transport through a building's wall

systems here...

http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2003/isbn9512267756/

especially:

Airaksinen M., Kurnitski J., Pasanen P. and Seppänen O., Fungal spore

transport through a building structure. Indoor Air, accepted for

publication. © 2003 by authors and © 2003 Blackwell Publishing. By

permission.

http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2003/isbn9512267756/article6.pdf

[Guest guest]

Excellent find! I didn't know about this one.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> If they are going to be closing the hospital anyway, perhaps they

> should just devote the extra time to finding and cleaning out the mold

> reservoirs. Otherwise, the building will still have those toxins in

> it, and probably some, IMO quite possibly many viable spores as well.

>

> Theres some good info on fungal transport through a building's wall

> systems here...

>

> http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2003/isbn9512267756/

>

> especially:

>

> Airaksinen M., Kurnitski J., Pasanen P. and Seppänen O., Fungal spore

> transport through a building structure. Indoor Air, accepted for

> publication. © 2003 by authors and © 2003 Blackwell Publishing. By

> permission.

>

> http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2003/isbn9512267756/article6.pdf

>

[Guest guest]

Carl, I guess I'm immune compermized brcause this is a factor this is

a factor for me as everytime I try to get medical help, weather its a

specialest clinic inside a hospital or a doctors office waiting room,

I end up with re-accureing infections.

> > >

> > > Lourdes,

> > >

> > > Thank you for keeping up on this story. What is very puzzling

is

> > this

> > > statement by Murray, St. 's president. " The

hospital is

> > > safe. We have no visible mold in the hospital. Any mold we have

is

> > > entombed behind wallpaper. "

> > >

> > > If " entombed " behind wallpaper fumigation with Chlorine Dioxide

> > will

> > > do nothing because it won't get behind the wallpaper. If truly

> > > " entombed " then it can't get out so this source of mold is

probably

> > > not what they should be concentrating on.

> > >

> > > Carl Grimes

> > > Healthy Habitats LLC

> > >

> > > -----

> > > > July 6, 2007

> > > >

> > > > St. 's closure expected to impact ERs, delivery wards

> > > >

> > > >

> >

http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2007/0706/Front_page/002.html

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Mold fumigation will close hospital for at least 10 days

> > > > By Wolowicz camarillo@

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > The expected 10-day closure of St. 's Regional Medical

Center

> > in Oxnard in August to fumigate for mold has area hospitals

making

> > plans to handle an increase in patients from one of Ventura

County's

> > largest hospitals and busiest emergency rooms.

> > > >

> > > > St. 's officials allege the mold growth throughout the

265-

> > bed hospital was caused by poorly installed windows and showers

by

> > general contractor Centex Rodgers when the hospital was built in

> > 1992.

> > > >

> > > > " It's not a patient care issue, " said Murray, St.

's

> > president. " The hospital is safe. We have no visible mold in the

> > hospital. Any mold we have is entombed behind wallpaper. "

> > > >

> > > > The mold problem was first recognized soon after the hospital

> > opened. In 1996, Catholic Healthcare West, the San Francisco-

based

> > company which manages both St. 's in Oxnard and St. 's

> > Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, sued the Nashville-based

> > healthcare construction company.

> > > >

> > > > When repairs were once more unsuccessful, Catholic Healthcare

> > West again sued Centex and a number of its subcontractors in

2003.

> > Murray, president of St. 's, said litigation is

ongoing

> > but would not comment further.

> > > >

> > > > Over nearly six years, the hospital has replaced sections of

> > drywall in an attempt to remove the mold. Although effective, the

> > piecemeal work was projected to take another five years to

complete,

> > St. 's officials said.

> > > >

> > > > To clear out the mold faster, St. 's hired Sabre

Technical

> > Services, a New Yorkbased company which specializes in fumigating

> > with chlorine dioxide, to tent and decontaminate the hospital.

> > > >

> > > > " We're a hospital; we need to take care of (the mold) for the

> > long term so we don't have a continuing issue with it, " Murray

said.

> > > >

> > > > According to Sabre's website, chlorine dioxide is a water-

soluble

> > gas disinfectant used to help purify drinking water and to

sanitize

> > food processing plants. It's effective in killing mold and has

also

> > been used to fumigate against anthrax.

> > > >

> > > > Between July 30 and Aug. 13, St. 's will gradually stop

> > admitting patients. By Aug. 14, St. 's will move all

remaining

> > patients to other hospitals and empty the hospital of

> > pharmaceuticals, sterilized equipment, food and other supplies.

> > > >

> > > > Murray said he expects to move about 10 to 20 patients to

> > neighboring hospitals.

> > > >

> > > > Following 14 hours of fumigation and the removal of the tent,

> > Murray said St. 's expects the California Department of

Health

> > Services to approve the hospital's reopening by Aug. 24.

> > > >

> > > > State officials would not comment on whether the closure

would

> > only be required for 10 days.

> > > >

> > > > Following the fumigation, St. 's will repaint the

interior

> > walls and complete additional work to the hospital's roof.

> > > >

> > > > Because St. 's emergency room treats 100 patients a day--

it's

> > one of the busiest in the county--neighboring hospital

administrators

> > are bracing for an influx of ER patients.

> > > >

> > > > " The department impacted the most will be our emergency

room, "

> > said Jim Sherman, president/CEO of Los Robles Hospital & Medical

> > Center in Thousand Oaks.

> > > >

> > > > Sherman said Los Robles is pushing forward to open its new 25-

bed

> > wing by Aug. 12. He said Los Robles will wait to remodel an older

> > wing of the Thousand Oaks hospital to keep beds available during

the

> > St. 's closure.

> > > >

> > > > Los Robles will add another doctor to its emergency room

staff to

> > help ease wait times in the ER.

> > > >

> > > > Mike Ellingson, a vice president for Community Memorial

Health

> > System, said administrators at Community Memorial Hospital in

Ventura

> > also have begun discussing how to manage additional ER patients.

> > > >

> > > > " I think our main focus is the emergency department, "

Ellingson

> > said.

> > > >

> > > > To help mitigate the influx of patients to other emergency

rooms,

> > Murray said St. 's has been in contact with local police and

fire

> > departments and the county's ambulance companies.

> > > >

> > > > Murray said St. 's administrators and officials at

Ventura

> > County Medical Center have also been meeting regularly over the

past

> > few months to discuss how the closure will affect patients moved

to

> > the county facility.

> > > >

> > > > Ober, vice president of Gold Coast Ambulance, which

> > serves Oxnard and Port Hueneme, said that during St. 's

closure

> > Gold Coast will add two ambulances to the four it typically runs

per

> > shift.

> > > >

> > > > He said his ambulance crews will deliver patients to

Community

> > Memorial, Pleasant Valley or Ventura County Medical Center

depending

> > on the location and type of emergency.

> > > >

> > > > Ober said he doesn't predict much disruption to ambulance

service

> > during the closure.

> > > >

> > > > " Because they are going to be closed for a relatively short

time,

> > I don't think it's going to be a big inconvenience, " Ober said.

> > > >

> > > > Murray said the new 14-bed emergency room at Pleasant Valley

> > hospital will also help absorb patients during St. 's

closure.

> > Pleasant Valley, a 180-bed facility, recently opened the new $16

> > million wing, which doubles the size of the Camarillo hospital's

> > emergency room.

> > > >

> > > > Pleasant Valley's former ER will be used as an expanded

intensive

> > care unit, according to Murray.

> > > >

> > > > Ellingson said he hopes to see more patients use Community

> > Memorial Health System's Centers for Family Health- a group of

nine

> > urgent care facilities throughout the county.

> > > >

> > > > " Folks who really would be accessing emergency rooms for

basic

> > colds, basic medical needs, we'd certainly love to see them

utilizing

> > the urgent care facilities in the area before coming to an

emergency

> > room, " Ellingson said.

> > > >

> > > > Because doctors cannot accurately predict how many women will

go

> > into labor at any given time, hospital administrators said they

won't

> > know how the closure will impact their labor and delivery

departments

> > until it occurs.

> > > >

> > > > To deliver a baby at a hospital, a doctor must have

privileges at

> > that particular facility. That may become an issue for pregnant

women

> > being treated by St. 's obstetricians who do not have

privileges

> > at another local hospital.

> > > >

> > > > Rita O'Connor, a spokesperson for St. 's, said the

medical

> > center is working with neighboring hospitals to help St. 's

> > doctors acquire privileges at other facilities.

> > > >

> > > > " In the cases where physicians are requesting temporary

> > privileges at another facility, St. 's is working with other

> > hospitals in the county to expedite the credentialing process, "

> > O'Connor said.

> > > >

> > > > She said St. 's doctors do have privileges at Pleasant

Valley

> > hospital.

> > > >

> > > > It takes about two months for a doctor to receive privileges

at

> > Los Robles, according to Los Robles officials.

> > > >

> > > > St. 's delivers about 170 babies per month, Los Robles

about

> > 200, Community Memorial Hospital delivers around 250.

> > > >

> > > > Ventura County Medical Center, the largest labor and delivery

> > department in the county, delivers about 290 babies per month.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >