By Tracy Marcynzsyn
Perched atop a hill like a shepherd overlooking its flock, Santa Paula Hospital (SPH) attests to the strong community spirit living in this little town, located approximately 14 miles northeast of Ventura.
This hilltop gem is the crowning glory in a small town’s quest to have a hospital, and in fact, owes its very existence to the citizens of Santa Paula and the surrounding communities, who worked tirelessly to create and sustain it.
Since its roots in the 1950s when local farmers donated their land, and neighbors pooled their resources to raise funds for the proposed hospital, SPH has been supported and cared for by the residents it serves.
“The community was adamant we had to have a hospital and they made it happen,” remembered fifth generation Santa Paula resident Marsha Rea, who recalls going door to door with her mother in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, raising funds for the hospital.
Their dedicated efforts culminated in the opening of the Santa Paula Memorial Hospital (SPMH) in 1961, “totally built by the community” and having the distinction of being “one of only four hospitals in California built without federal assistance,” explained Dr. Sam Edwards, a Santa Paula native and retired physician who practiced at SPMH in its early days.
“It’s a marvel,” said Dr. Edwards, “There is a community spirit here that just is ‘can do.’”
That attitude of determination proved resilient even in the face of challenges as the fledgling hospital experienced financial troubles. Despite the fight to keep the hospital’s doors open, the weight of debt forced the hospital to close and file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December of 2003.
Spurred by the need to re-open the hospital, which housed the only emergency room between Ventura and Santa Clarita, community members banded together to find creative solutions to the hospital’s troubles. While its creditors formed a committee and worked with key players, including the hospital’s board members, the Santa Paula City Council, representatives from Ventura County, and from the Ventura County Health Care Agency to solve the crisis, several Santa Paula residents joined Cathy Barringer and her family in tending the hospital rose garden.
“Our family started it 31 years ago in honor of my mother, Catherine Emily Morris,” said Cathy Barringer. “Every Monday at 4 p.m., people just showed up to work on it; we never asked anyone,” she commented, adding her appreciation for the “eclectic group” of volunteers who kept the garden going even during the hospital’s closure.
Finally, after much negotiation, the city of Santa Paula agreed to sell half of the property surrounding the hospital to a housing developer in October, 2004, and the County of Ventura purchased SPMH for $2.75 million in September 2005. The deal settled the hospital debts and resulted in the state-of-the-art, fully refurbished and renovated (to the tune of $4.5 million) SPH, opening its doors to the community as a branch of the Ventura County Medical Center in July 2006.
With 49 beds and 19 private rooms, all with breathtaking views, two full operating rooms, and state-of-the-art radiology, surgery, maternity, and intensive care departments, along with a 24/7 emergency room and a full-functioning laboratory, SPH rivals the services offered at any larger hospital, but is set apart by the personal touch.
“The dedicated staff and smaller size make it a down-home place,” described Dr. Edwards. The staff agrees. “We’re like a family,” said Head OB Nurse Lisa McPheeters. “At lunch in the cafeteria we all sit together and eat and talk, from all different departments.”
And still today, in its refurbished, modernized state, under the wing of the Ventura County Health Care Agency and the Ventura County Medical Center, the hospital’s symbiotic relationship with the local residents continues.
Citizen’s artwork adorns the walls of the hospital, and any proceeds from pieces that sell directly benefit the hospital. Some 23 volunteers still give of their time, working in the gift shop and other departments, and Cathy Barringer et. al. keep maintaining the rose garden, which provides a beautiful place to relax and retreat and also serves as a sort of outdoor chapel for patients and their families.
SPH and its devoted staff provide care for the medical needs of the residents of Santa Paula and the surrounding communities of Ojai, Fillmore, Piru, Saticoy, and Ventura.
Offering big hospital services with individualized attention is a cherished hallmark of the hospital. The newly remodeled and expanded maternity and obstetrics unit is a case in point, featuring a 1-to-1 nurse-to-patient ratio and a relaxed, spa-like atmosphere.
The 2007, $60,000 OB unit renovation almost doubled its size by adding six new private rooms for a total of nine private labor and delivery rooms. Located behind security doors, the spacious, private, comfortable, and clean rooms have large windows framing sweeping mountain and city views. The calm, secure comfort of the maternity ward, coupled with the competent caring and attention of the professional staff make it a place where the women in the community want to give birth.
“We have about 30 births a month here,” said McPheeters. Expectant parents are welcome to attend the monthly tours of the OB unit, which also offers continuing support for parents once their baby is born. The hospital boasts being among a limited number of hospitals in the state designated as “baby-friendly.”
Community members are proud of the full array of services they can access at SPH, including inpatient and outpatient services and full-service departments for diagnostic procedure, treatment, aftercare, and ongoing care, including radiology, surgery, laboratory services, critical care, emergency services, dietetics, and physical therapy. Since it is associated with the UCLA Medical Center, patients also benefit from the latest research and clinical studies. While its small size allows for quick and efficient care and treatment, SPH meets high quality standards for patient safety and procedures and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
As SPH successfully fulfills its mission “to provide access to health care for citizens of Ventura County, especially those who are underserved,” the community’s commitment to the hospital holds firm.
Hospital-sponsored events like community education classes and its first annual baby fair are well-attended by community members, who know they are truly a part of their little hospital on the hill.
“It really is a jewel,” said Hospital Administrator Kirk Watson. “The support of the hospital in the community is great to see.”
The Santa Paula Hospital is located at 825 N. 10th Street in Santa Paula. To contact the hospital, please call 805-933-8600.
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