St. John's to close for fumigation

St. John's Regional Medical Center is scheduled to be closed for all services through Aug. 23 as part of a longplanned initiative to remove mold that has affected areas of the hospital. All patients at St. John's Regional Medical Center have been transferred from the facility.

The center has been working with physicians, other local hospitals, government agencies, health plans and Ventura County emergency medical service agencies to plan for the process.

The hospital is scheduled to reopen Fri., Aug. 24, following approval from the Department of Health Services.

St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo has added capacity, including a new emergency department. During the treatment period, all other acute care hospitals in Ventura County will be open and have prepared for the possibility of an increase in the number of patients.

The Ventura County Emergency Medical Services has adjusted its ambulance coverage boundaries. The EMS agency will conduct daily conference calls with personnel from each hospital and EMS teams during the service suspension.

St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard suspended operations at its emergency department on Aug. 8 and obstetrics department services Aug. 10 for the mold treatment process. Other regional hospitals are handling emergency services normally offered at St. John's.

Those experiencing medical emergencies should still dial 911.

For more information, call (805) 983-8392.