San Gabriel Valley Medical Center Announces Plans to Begin Closure of Its Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) on January 23, 2024.

Posted on October 24, 2023 by San Gabriel Valley Medical Center

San Gabriel Valley Medical Center has had the privilege of delivering tens of thousands of babies to San Gabriel Valley families, and the decision to close our NICU program means we will redirect resources to where there is a greater community need. The demand for neonatal services at our hospital is not what it once was, and this resulted in our need to focus on growing other essential services based on community needs. Serving the healthcare needs of our patients today and into the future, remains our top priority. Our community depends on us and we will continue to invest in services that are most critically needed.

According to vital statistics obtained from the Public Policy Institute of California, California’s birth rate is at its lowest level in roughly 100 years. The number of births has fallen from a peak in 1992 of 613,000 to 420,000 in 2021 with a continued decline in 2022 and 2023. San Gabriel Valley Medical Center has experienced this downward trend over recent years and is currently averaging less than two births per day in its seven-bed unit, with the 12 bed Intensive Care Newborn Nursery rarely utilized.

A comprehensive transition plan is underway to ensure that expectant mothers who may be high-risk have support for their delivery care plans and are connected to nearby hospitals. There are three hospitals within a 12-mile radius of San Gabriel Valley Medical Center that provide Neonatal Intensive Care services. Garfield Medical Center is located 3 miles away, USC Arcadia Methodist is located 6 miles away, and White Memorial Medical Center is located 9 miles from San Gabriel Valley Medical Center.

“Thank you to our committed neonatology team for their hard work and devotion to patients, families, and San Gabriel Valley Community Hospital, helping thousands of families experience the journey of bringing new life into this world” said Anthony Nguyen, CEO of San Gabriel Valley Medical Center.

Approximately 29 employees will be impacted by this transition. These dedicated staff members will be offered positions in other departments of the hospital or atoth er AHMC facilities.

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About San Gabriel Valley Medical Center

San Gabriel Valley Medical Center opened its doors in 1960 as a 146-bed facility called the Community Hospital of San Gabriel. In the mid 1980s, the hospital's name was changed to San Gabriel Valley Medical Center (SGVMC) to reflect a significant expansion in bed capacity and breadth of services offered. Over the years, the hospital has continued to expand its services to meet the needs of the residents of the San Gabriel Valley and beyond. Today, our now 273-bed hospital is considered one of the premier healthcare facilities in the San Gabriel Valley. SGVMC is a proud affiliate of AHMC Healthcare Inc. Our approach to care is simple: We treat our patients in the way we want our loved ones to be treated – with compassion and respect.