Healthcare In Crisis: Coastside Family Medical Center shuts doors permanently

Monday, March 16, 2009

Coastside Family Medical Center shuts doors permanently

The Coastside Family Medical Center closed its doors Friday, shutting down the only medical facility of its kind for Half Moon Bay and its outlying communities. The medical center at Shoreline Station announced that it had to immediately close due to longstanding problems of declining revenues and a lack of financial support. The recent swell of economic troubles reportedly made it impossible for the medical center to continue.

The medical facility was an important source of health care for the Coastside, particularly for the uninsured, who have represented about 40 percent of its patients. Its closure means that most former patients will have to travel over to the Bayside to get most medical treatments.

The closure reportedly came as a surprise to the center's employees, who were told about the severe funding problem in a meeting today. Physicians working at the facility had reportedly scheduled Friday appointments with patients that had to be quickly cancelled.

The medical center is expected to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to CFMC directors. If bankruptcy proceedings are followed, directors of the medical center say they will appoint a trustee to handle giving medical files back to patients.

Officials strongly recommend that patients quickly contact them to obtain their medical records by mailing them at 225 S. Cabrillo Highway, St. 100A, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019, ATTN: "Medical Records," or by faxing to (650) 726-9317.

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Statistics Collection

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