The partnership between Sharp Healthcare and Tri-City Medical Center became official Wednesday with a ceremony unveiling the new name, Sharp Tri-City Medical Center.
Tri-City serves Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista and the surrounding areas. The struggling hospital has been looking for a partner for years. First, a deal with UC San Diego Health fell through two years ago.
Then, last year, Tri-City inked the deal with Sharp, but because it is a public healthcare district, Tri-City needed voters’ approval.
Last month, voters overwhelmingly approved Measure H, allowing the partnership to move forward. That allows Tri-City to continue to operate after years of financial struggles.
The hospital closed its labor and delivery unit three years ago because of those struggles.
“First and foremost, we're working on plans to reintroduce labor and delivery services, which we are well underway with,” Sharp president and CEO Chris Howard said. “But we'll also be working with the local medical staff and our physicians to help continue to build upon services in cardiovascular, neurosciences and oncology.”
Sharp will invest more than $100 million in the medical center for structural improvements, equipment and technology, as well as programs and services
“The goal is to deliver our first baby at Tri-City Mary Burch this calendar year,” said Dr. Gene Ma, CEO of Tri-City Healthcare District.
Mary Burch is Sharp's brand for its maternity and newborn hospitals. Tri-City suspended its labor and delivery services in 2023 because of financial struggles.
Ma has been working on this deal for more than a year.
“I can’t believe it’s actually happening,” Ma said. “This is something the community needed and wanted.”
Oceanside Councilmember Jimmy Figueroa said, beyond labor and delivery returning, the partnership will also benefit the local economy. Tri-City is located within his district.
Figueroa, however, is most excited about having Sharp’s nationally renowned maternity care at Tri-City.
“As someone that was born here at Tri-City hospital back in the ’80s,” he said. “To have delivery back in our community — not just delivery, but the Sharp Mary Burch brand — to have it here locally in our region, it's just super exciting for our entire community.”
With labor and delivery returning, an icon of the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, will also grace the top of Tri-City Medical Center.
“The stork, I’m told, will be part of the hospital,” Ma said.
“I can’t wait for that stork to be here,” Figueroa said.
