Mountain View, CA - March 12, 2009 - El Camino Hospital, the hospital of Silicon Valley, today announced some of the services that will be available when the new Los Gatos location re-opens for service this summer. The Los Gatos site will offer acute care services, including emergency, medical, surgical, intensive care and labor and delivery services, as well as continuing the location's commitment to orthopedics/spine and urology. El Camino Hospital (ECH) is currently scheduled to take possession of the campus and buildings on June 1, or possibly sooner if an agreement is reached, and will need a minimum of 90 days to re-open the campus.
"We are very happy with the activation progress at this point and appreciate the great response we've received from the community" said Eric Pifer, M.D., chief medical officer, El Camino Hospital and incoming president of the Los Gatos site. "In addition to these services, we have determined our medical staff structure, and put a department structure into place for when the Los Gatos location re-opens. We will be continuing to hold medical staff meetings under El Camino Hospital's license during the closure period."
"During the coming closure period, we will be working closely with County Emergency Medical Services, Good Samaritan Hospital, and other health providers to make sure the community continues to have multiple care options available. We will also be expanding the services and availability at El Camino Hospital to minimize the impact the closure will have on the community."
Task Forces Assigned for Transitions
To help with the decision to offer labor and delivery services, the activation team met with obstetrics and gynecology physicians in the Los Gatos and Saratoga communities. A task force of physicians and clinicians is being formed to help with the transition and development of the future OB/GYN program. In addition, ECH announced that Community Hospital of Los Gatos' current orthopedics and spine department, which has received five-star ratings from HealthGrades, will also be among the services offered at the new Los Gatos campus.
El Camino Hospital to Participate in Los Gatos Job Fair
ECH representatives will be among the area hospitals participating at a job fair to be held at Community Hospital of Los Gatos on Tuesday, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tenet, the current hospital operator, is hosting the fair as part of its outplacement effort.
"We have received an overwhelming response from physicians interested in joining the ECH medical staff family – 400 and counting - and as we progress in determining all of the clinical services that will be offered, more positions will become available, so we encourage all interested health care professionals to either attend the job fair, visit us at our liaison office, or send us their resumes," said Dr. Pifer.
Those interested in future openings with El Camino Hospital's Mountain View or Los Gatos campus can send resumes to hr@elcaminohospital.org with "Los Gatos" in the subject line or visit El Camino Hospital's Job Finder at www.elcaminohospital.org to view current job opportunities. Physicians are encouraged to call the physician hotline at 650-988-7698.
Liaison Office Open to Public
Questions about the Los Gatos campus, including clinical service offerings, position openings, patient and emergency care questions and others are being addressed at the new liaison office located at 825 Pollard Road, in Los Gatos. The office is set up to serve as a community resource for South Bay physicians, potential ECH employees and members of the community who have questions about the activation plans for the hospital's new Los Gatos location. The office staff are available to answer questions and provide updated information during normal business hours.
