El Centro, Ca. – May 17, 2024 – In a show of unified commitment, the City of El Centro (City) Council and the El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) Board, in separate meetings recently, approved entering into a Joint Powers Authority agreement with the University of California on behalf of UC San Diego Health (UCSD Health). This agreement is a testament to our shared responsibility and dedication to continue improving and expanding healthcare services at ECRMC.
The City, ECRMC, and UCSD Health extended a Letter of Intent on February 27, 2023, to operate ECRMC with UCSD Health’s temporary assistance and more permanently through a JPA agreement. Since the LOI and the addition of the current CEO, Pablo Velez, and CFO, David Momberg, the hospital’s revenues have and continue to improve. The parties in the JPA believe that the affiliation will increase access to more specialized healthcare for residents in Imperial County, improve access to healthcare for vulnerable populations, and provide additional support for the long-term stability of ECRMC’s financial position.
“This is a significant leap forward in ensuring that our City and, more importantly, the residents of Imperial Valley continue to benefit from expanded healthcare,” said City of El Centro Mayor Sylvia Marroquin. “First-rate healthcare for our residents means improved quality of life.” The City owns the property and state license for operating ECRMC. However, ECRMC manages the hospital’s finances through a separate Board of Trustees and operations through its affiliation with UCSD Health.
“UCSD Health and ECRMC leadership staff have taken essential steps to ensure that the financial situation at ECRMC has improved,” said El Centro Regional Medical Center Board President Tomas Oliva. “This new JPA now provides access to more services, and resources, and seeks to provide further financial stability; leading to a higher level of healthcare.”
UCSD Health, the region’s only academic health system, has been consistently ranked the top healthcare provider in San Diego for six years by U.S. News & World Report. Its specialty care for complex conditions – including cancer, heart disease, neurosurgery, pulmonology, and more – is rated among the nation’s best. This, coupled with ECRMC’s continuous efforts to upgrade its facilities and earn accreditations, instills confidence in the quality of healthcare services we provide.
As an example of the continued commitment, ECRMC upgraded its second cutting-edge surgical robot earlier this year in an innovative move toward advanced healthcare. ECRMC is the only dedicated robotic center in Imperial County.
In August 2023, ECRMC was again accredited by The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. Earlier in 2023, ECRMC was awarded the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Level 3 by the American College of Emergency Physicians. This reaccreditation demonstrates that ECRMC continues to provide the highest level of emergency care for the unique needs of our older adults living in the Imperial Valley.
