Roundtable discusses future of Imperial Valley healthcare

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The last few months have seen department closures, resignations, and countless unfulfilled questions about the state of health care in the Imperial Valley.

Now the county has stepped in to provide clarity to the situation.

Imperial County healthcare leaders and professionals say they want to help bring better transparency to the public on the changing landscape of both El Centro Regional Medical Center and Pioneers Memorial Hospital.

Community leaders and healthcare professionals all throughout Imperial County met on Saturday to discuss the future of their changing healthcare district.

The meeting took place at Imperial Valley College.

County Supervisors Ryan Kelley and Luis Plancarte moderated the discussion.

The roundtable featured representatives from El Centro Regional Medical Center, Pioneers and Heffernan Memorial, Public Health and Emergency Service officials, and medical professionals.

“There’s not a lot of communication," said Sylvia Bernal, representing Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District during the roundtable. "We don’t know what’s going on but whatever the problem is you know it’s here, and we have to deal with it. We have to continue to work together so that this will not happen again.”

Katy Alcantara-Santillan, President of the Pioneers Memorial Hospital District said that her board has voted to expand their healthcare district countywide and suggested that the district form under their umbrella.

“The public is getting informed and they’re getting involved," said Alcantara-Santillan. "So out of this, I think greatness is going to come on what path we’re going to choose to move on the community.”

Supervisor Kelley hopes discussions like these will show better transparency between decision-makers and the public.

“Well, we’ve come to the realization that one system serves our community in a better fashion," said Kelley during the discussion. "I know there have been multiple attempts in the past, and we would want to talk about what we can do to move in that direction.”

Representatives from ECRMC, Pioneers, and Heffernan Memorial all agreed after the roundtable to have a private meeting with each other to discuss the next steps of each healthcare district.