UNAC/UHCP Action Center
Protect Patients in Irvine

The residents of Irvine--and everyone who travels through the community, for that matter--are in danger of  losing access to emergency and cardiac medical care. Hoag Hospital is planning to take over the lease from Tenet's Irvine Regional Hospital and Medical Center and shut down the facility for renovations that could take up to a year and a half. When the hospital reopens, its anybody's guess what type of services will--or won't--be offered there. In the meantime, what will happen to the people in Irvine who get into car accidents, suffer heart attacks, fall off a ladder--in short, what will people do in an emergency?

Hoag and Tenet are making crucial decisions that will affect the health of everyone in Irvine--but these corporations are not asking any stakeholders what we think. Not the doctors, not the residents, not the community groups. And certainly not the nurses, members of UNAC/UHCP, who have a voice on the job and deserve to be heard.

Now's the time for us to call on the Irvine City Council to ask Hoag to keep the hospital open, to maintain the safety net for patients, and to support the middle-class jobs that make Irvine such a vibrant community. We also want Hoag to include doctors, nurses, employees and residents in their decision-making process, because their actions affect so many.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Protect Irvine's Patient Safety Net!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am a health care professional and a member of United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals. Like you, I care deeply about the health of all Irvine resisdents.

A new company, Hoag, will be taking over the lease and shutting down Irvine Regional Hospital soon for renovations that could take up to a year and a half. After that time, it's unclear what services will--and won't--be offered at the new hospital. Hoag and Tenet (which currently runs the hospital) are making their decisions behind closed doors, without including the concerns of any stakeholders. These corporations are endangering patients in the Irvine area by shutting down emergency and cardiac services. This is just not right.

As elected officials, you have the leverage to call on Hoag to keep the hospital open and to preserve the patient safety net. You can also demand that Hoag preserve the middle-class jobs at the hospital by honoring the union contracts for registered nurses and other employees there. These family-supportingjobs help keep Irvine a vibrant community.

Finally, I'm asking you to press Hoag and Tenet to include all stakeholders--doctors, nurses, employees, residents, seniors, and elected officials--in their decision making. The lives of our friends and neighbors depends on it.

I look foward to hearing back from you about your plans to meet with officials from Hoag and Tenet.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 24, 2008


Background Information

The residents of Irvine--and everyone who travels through the community, for that matter--are in danger of  losing access to emergency and cardiac medical care. Hoag Hospital is planning to take over the lease from Tenet's Irvine Regional Hospital and Medical Center and shut down the facility for renovations that could take up to a year and a half. When the hospital reopens, its anybody's guess what type of services will--or won't--be offered there. In the meantime, what will happen to the people in Irvine who get into car accidents, suffer heart attacks, fall off a ladder--in short, what will people do in an emergency?

Hoag and Tenet are making crucial decisions that will affect the health of everyone in Irvine--but these corporations are not asking any stakeholders what we think. Not the doctors, not the residents, not the community groups. And certainly not the nurses, members of UNAC/UHCP, who have a voice on the job and deserve to be heard.

Now's the time for us to call on the Irvine City Council to ask Hoag to keep the hospital open, to maintain the safety net for patients, and to support the middle-class jobs that make Irvine such a vibrant community. We also want Hoag to include doctors, nurses, employees and residents in their decision-making process, because their actions affect so many.