Tulare (Calif.) Regional Medical Center last week closed its doors and gave up its operating license after filing for bankruptcy earlier this fall.
The 112-bed hospital and affiliated clinics and outpatient centers shut down Sunday after transferring 23 inpatients to other local facilities.
The local health district in central California filed a motion in bankruptcy court looking to oust the hospital's management company, HealthCare Conglomerate Associates. The court granted that request but the company said it did not have enough money to continue its facilities.
"HCCA is faced with faltering financial conditions and is forced to temporarily suspend all its operations at TRMC until additional funding or other arrangements can be secured," states a notice sent to the hospitals' employees last week.
A total of 524 employees would be laid off if Tulare fails to find a new management company. A statement sent to the hospital's employees said the district was planning to reorganize and reopen the hospital once management was transferred to a new company.
