Focus: Disaster Resilience

Earthquake vulnerability leads to California hospital's imminent closure

Long Beach MemorialCare will close Community Hospital soon


Long Beach MemorialCare's Community Hospital will be closing soon because of the facility's earthquake vulnerability and the decreased need for acute care hospitals, according to an article on the Grunion website.

A new seismic study found a much larger active earthquake fault below the hospital than previously thought. Community sits on top of a hill at Termino Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.

New state earthquake-proofing standards go into effect on June 30, 2019. MemorialCare officials say there is no way for Community to meet those standards.

While the in-depth seismic studies were being done, MemorialCare also commissioned an assessment of healthcare in and around Long Beach. That study found that there were seven acute care hospitals within a short distance of Community, and that those hospitals averaged 800 available beds.

Read the article.

 

 



November 14, 2017


Topic Area: Regulations, Codes & Standards


Recent Posts

Grounding Healthcare Spaces in Hospitality Principles

Thoughtful design can establish the calm of a spa and the restorative feeling of a resort in healthcare spaces, bringing benefits for patients and care providers.


UC Davis Health Selects Rudolph and Sletten for Central Utility Plant Expansion

Work is already underway with substantial completion anticipated in the fall of 2027.


Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Upper 2 Floors of Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion

The first two floors opened for patients in May 2025 and house the Davenport-Mugar Cancer Center.


Building Sustainable Healthcare for an Aging Population

Traditional responses — building more primary and secondary care facilities — are no longer sustainable.


Froedtert ThedaCare Announces Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh

The organization broke ground on the health campus in March 2024.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.