2022

• The City released a video that educates residents on the history of City’s efforts and encourages community members to get involved in the next steps.

• The City will hold Town Halls  regarding health care in San Clemente to receive feedback from residents on what the next steps will be to meet the community’s health care needs. 

2021

• The City distributed a survey to determine the community's attitudes about current, locally available health care options.

  • Survey Results Presentation

  • Presentation Video

  • Health Care and Hospital Survey Questions

2020

• The City published a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a contractor to partner with the City to redevelop and operate an acute care facility at the former hospital site. The City received a couple letters of interest, but not a single proposal due to financial and operational concerns. After tours of the former hospital site, both parties that submitted a letter of interest determined that rehabilitating the facility was infeasible, and operators would not take on costs of new construction. 

• The City met with other California public hospital districts to research the process for building and operating a local hospital with public funds and within the parameters of a California public hospital district.

2019

• Reached a settlement of all litigation in June 2019.

• San Clemente evaluated the financial feasibility of costs associated with remodeling or rebuilding the existing hospital on the Memorial Care property, as well as the annual costs to operate the hospital. 

2016 

• The community rallied together to fight against the close of San Clemente hospital, citing the local need for an emergency room. 

  • San Clemente’s Hospital Closure Spurs Calls for New Ownership

  • Save San Clemente Hospital Facebook Page

• The City changed the land use of the hospital site and established a regional hospital zone to encourage the maintenance of the hospital, consequently resulting in a costly lawsuit with MemorialCare. 

  • Staff Report

  • News Article

• San Clemente’s local hospital closed on May 31, 2016. 

2015 

• San Clemente City Council appointed representatives to serve on the Saddleback Memorial San Clemente Hospital Advisory Committee to conduct further research and educate the community on MemorialCare’s intentions.

  • City of San Clemente – Chris Hamm, Mayor Pro Tem

  • Public Safety – OCSD, John Coppock

  • Public Safety – OCFA, Kirk Wells

  • Saddleback Memorial Medical Center – Tony Struthers

  • City of San Clemente Staff – Jim Holloway, Community Development Director

  • Saddleback Memorial Foundation – Dr. Myron Wacholder

  • Hospital Association of California – Julie Puentes

  • Community Members at Large – Susan Ritschel, Dr. Gus Gialamas, Mike Clark

  • EMS Subject Matter Expert, Vicki Sweet

• The San Clemente Hospital Advisory Committee scheduled three meetings open to the public.

  • Press Release

• San Clemente’s state legislators, Senator Pat Bates and Assemblyman Bill Brough, introduced Senate Bill 787 and Assembly Bill 911 to allow for a free-standing emergency room in California. These bills did not pass. Senate Bill 687 (2017-2018) prohibits operating a free-standing emergency room in the State of California.

2014 

• At the October 7, 2014 City Council meeting, City Council received a Special Presentation from City staff, Orange County Fire Authority, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, County of Orange Emergency Medical Services, Saddleback Memorial Medical Center - San Clemente and the Doctors’ of San Clemente Hospital. The purpose of this Special Presentation was to bring forward information as it relates to the potential closure of the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center - San Clemente.  

  • Saddleback Memorial Presentation

  • City Staff Presentation and Hospital Map

• MemorialCare Health Systems began a feasibility study to transition their San Clemente hospital at 654 Camino de Los Mares into an Ambulatory Health Care campus refocused on outpatient health and wellness services. 

April 9, 2022 “Meet the Experts” Virtual Panel Discussion Video

Health Care and Hospital Survey Results Presentation

Presentation Video

Health Care and Hospital Survey Questions

Settlement Agreement

06-21-2019 - Joint News Release City of San Clemente and MemorialCare

Settlement Agreement Memorial Health Services & City of San Clemente