SUPES CHIEF OF STAFF: ‘WE NEED TO GET SUTTER OUT OF THE WAY’
Sutter Health can begin making definitive plans known to the community about embattled San Leandro Hospital as early as next Wednesday. Their year-long window starting July 1 may not last long, though.

The chief of staff for Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker said he would not be surprised to hear Sutter make an early announcement on the matter as early as next week–a sentiment also heard from other San Leandro city officials.

The “key to success” for the county and the rescue of the hospital rest with taking Sutter out of the equation, said Lai-Bitker’s Chief of Staff Shawn Wilson who added, “We need to get Sutter out of the way.”

At a contentious hearing June 15, residents believed the Eden Township Board of Directors would vote on the fate of the hospital only to have the issue removed from the agenda. During the same hearing, Lai-Bitker announced to thunderous applause her intention to pursue a motion to the Board of Supervisors rescinding the county’s offer to move acute rehabilitation services from the seismically insufficient Fairmont Hospital to San Leandro, but no action has taken place. Wilson says the supervisor’s office is looking at every angle before moving forward.

“We are taking due diligence on this issue,” said Wilson, “The residents of San Leandro want, at the very least, an ER. Our goal, however, because of a lot intricacies in this situation is to take time and figure out the best way to get that.”

According to Wilson, the supervisor may interject during the July 14 session whether the board has jurisdiction over the hospital’s dilemma as time begins to run out on, at the very least, staving off disruption of the hospital’s services.

A certain amount of leeway before a possible Sept. 30 closure of the ER is likely needed if any sort of resolution is achieved. Wilson believes answers will be needed by the end of July at the latest to allow for alternatives.

One alternative could be Southern California health care provider Prime Healthcare who have indicated they could quickly obtain a license to run the hospital. Another could be leasing the emergency room services to another vendor, but neither possible solution has received any official consideration.