The ramping down of services offered at the old Palomar Hospital in downtown Escondido is scheduled to continue Monday with the shutdown of its standby emergency room, according to Palomar Health.
Even though the healthcare organization opened a new hospital with an Emergency Department and Trauma Center a few miles to the west, it has kept the standby ER operating over the last three years, mostly handling patients with less-critical needs.
Hospital officials said they've been working with community health centers to continue providing convenient access to care in the downtown area. The centers are able to provide treatment for the conditions typically treated at the standby emergency room, and have increased staff and hours, according to Palomar Health.
"This transition is a positive milestone as we make progress towards the final closure of the downtown campus," said Frank Beirne, executive vice president of operations at Palomar Health.
"The community should rest assured that we have done extensive due diligence and research to be sure we understand the needs of our patients so that we can provide access to the care they need at other facilities in the area," Beirne said. "This will ensure our community can continue to obtain full coverage and receive the right care at the right time and place."
He said an emergency transport team will be available around-the-clock at the downtown location to transfer current patients, if needed.
The downtown site will continue to offer a birth center, rehabilitation facility and behavioral health services until further notice.
