Sutter Continues to Slash Services at St. Luke’s, New Plan to Close Half of General Medical Floors

Monday, November 12, 2007 : Nurses to Voice Protest at Critical San Francisco Health Commission Hearing Tuesday The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee today condemned the decision of Sutter Health to shut down one of its two general medical care hospital floors at St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco – the latest in a series of significant cuts that nurses say is intended to escalate the closure of the hospital.

St. Luke’s RNs will join community members in voicing their protests Tuesday in an important public hearing of the San Francisco Health Commission during which Sutter will present its master plan for San Francisco.

What: Health Commission Hears Testimony on St. Luke’s Closure
When: Tuesday, November 13, 3 p.m.
Where: San Francisco Health Commission, 101 Grove St., Rm. 300

Late Friday afternoon, St. Luke’s management informed CNA/NNOC of its intent to close a medical/surgical floor at the hospital as of December 5. The decision follows Sutter’s announcement last month of its plans to eliminate in-patient pediatric and neo-natal intensive care at St. Luke’s.

In both cases, patients would be forced to go to other Sutter hospitals in wealthier parts of the city, what CNA/NNOC has termed the “medical redlining” of patient care by Sutter in San Francisco. Latino and African-American patients are especially affected.

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