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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

AV Hospital Bond Vote

Community members could determine the fate of the Antelope Valley Hospital this November when they have the chance to vote on a newly approved $350 million bond measure that would give the Lancaster hospital the funds it needs for renovations or to build a new facility. Trustees on the board of Antelope Valley Hospital Inc., a nonprofit benefit corporation established to increase community input on the hospital’s affairs, voted unanimously July 30 to place the bond measure on the Nov. 6 ballot. The money – which would be repaid through property taxes estimated at $25 per $100,000 of assessed property value – would be used to build a facility that includes a larger emergency room. The current emergency department has been criticized for its long wait times, a consequence of overcrowding. Though the hospital is in the process of attempting to ameliorate the issue through the addition of an “express admission unit,” designated areas for psychiatric evaluations and discharged patients and beds for patients who are being monitored without admission, an expanded emergency room is still needed to accommodate demand, the hospital said. One of the primary reasons for the ballot measure is the cost of coming into compliance with California’s seismic building codes, which have a deadline in 2030. Retrofitting current facilities to meet the state’s earthquake requirements would cost more than $420 million, according to the hospital. If that route is taken, it will likely be forced to close. “California’s earthquake safety requirements could force us to shut down a large portion of our patient care areas if we don’t upgrade our facilities,” Antelope Valley Healthcare District Board Chair Kristina Hong said in a statement. “We must take steps now to improve upon what we have or build a brand new hospital, which will ensure we are here for the community for decades to come.” Antelope Valley Hospital is in the process of implementing a financial recovery plan. Details were disclosed in a series of videos posted to YouTube as well as through forums with employees and staff. The district hospital – the only full-service, acute-care medical center in the Antelope Valley – filed on June 12 a notice with the state Employment Development Department that it was laying off 137 employees effective Aug. 16. If the ballot measure were to pass and the funds were put toward building a new facility, it would downsize the number of beds from 420 to between 215 and 230, according to documents provided by the hospital. Combined with the existing pavilion for maternal and child health, the new Antelope Valley Hospital would have up to 326 beds. The smaller size would be based on patient data and population growth projections, the hospital said. It is also in keeping with a greater industry trend that has seen services move out of acute care centers and into outpatient facilities. “At the current average cost-per-bed of $3.4 million for new construction, a 215- to 230-bed hospital is what the community can afford at this time,” hospital documents said. “There’s also room for growth in the future if it is needed.” Amgen Retirements Amgen Inc. in Thousand Oaks announced July 26 the retirement and succession of two key executives. Dr. Sean Harper, executive vice president of research and development, retired from the post in July. Harper joined the company in 2002 from Merck & Co. subsidiary Merck Research Laboratories. He started his tenure at Amgen as vice president of development and has served in a number of leadership roles. He plans to pursue other opportunities in early-stage biotechnology in his retirement, according to Amgen. Harper is succeeded by Dr. David Reese, who assumed the position effective July 26. He was most recently Amgen’s senior vice president of translational sciences and oncology. Vice President of Global Commercial Operations Anthony Hooper will retire from Amgen in September, though he will remain with the firm for a time to oversee the transfer of his responsibilities to successor Murdo Gordon. Hooper has held the post since 2011, and is credited with establishing the company’s biosimilars business. Gordon joins Amgen from pharmaceutical industry giant Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., where he was chief commercial officer. He will begin his position at Amgen on Sept. 3. In other Amgen developments, the company announced July 31 that it has broken ground on its new biomanufacturing plant in Greenwich, R.I., a $200 million investment that the company described as being the first of its kind in the U.S. The 120,000-square-foot plant will include portable manufacturing equipment with disposable components that will allow the firm to speed up production. It also will consume less energy and water, the company said. Staff Reporter Helen Floersh can be reached at 818-316-3121 or [email protected].

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