(Santa Ana) – Orange County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) today revoked the Paramedic Receiving Center (PRC) designation for Tustin Hospital and Medical Center, effective immediately.

The action was taken in the interest of patient safety after the hospital’s administration reported they were unable to staff their Emergency Department with qualified staff. Under this action, 9-1-1 response patients will not be transported to Tustin Hospital and Medical Center by ambulance and will instead be taken to other area PRC’s. Orange County EMS is also recommending that private Basic Life Support ambulance patients also be transported to other area hospitals.

Tustin Hospital and Medical Center had previously notified the California Department of Public Health of their intent to close their Emergency Department on December 29, 2007. Orange County EMS is in the process of completing its impact analysis on the proposed closure of the Tustin Hospital Emergency Department, which will be submitted to the State. While not in final format, the preliminary Orange County EMS impact analysis indicates that closure of the Emergency Department will have minimal impact on the delivery of pre-hospital emergency medical care in the County.

Orange County EMS is notifying area hospitals, ambulance service providers, fire departments and area law enforcement agencies of this action to ensure that patients are transported to appropriate facilities.

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