How the GO Bond Will Affect Health Care in East County

In 1955, The Grossmont Healthcare District, on behalf of San Diego’s East County community, opened Grossmont Hospital, which has become the health care hub of East County. Grossmont Hospital remains community-owned to this day. In the 50 years since the hospital opened, population in San Diego’s East County has exploded from just 50,000 in 1955 to over 500,000 today. 

On June 6, 2006, East County voters approved Proposition G. More than 77% voted in favor of Grossmont Healthcare District’s $247 million bond measure to address the community’s growing needs for emergency care and other medical services.

What is the purpose of Proposition G?
The purpose of Proposition G is to improve life-saving medical care in East County, reduce wait times at Grossmont Hospital’s Emergency Department, ensure acute care, and ensure emergency services in the event of a major earthquake, wildfire or other disaster. The money raised from the bond will be overseen by an independent citizen group, will not be used for administrative salaries, and will be used solely for improving medical care in East County.

What will Proposition G revenues be used for?
The money raised from the bond will help:

• Complete the Emergency and Critical Care Center
• Construct New Multipurpose Operating Rooms
• Repair and Replace Aging Life-Safety Systems and Infrastructure

Finishing the Emergency and Critical Care Center

Interior of one of the upper floors of the Emergency and Critical Care Center — still unfinished in 2006.

The Grossmont HealthCare District pursued a GO Bond to allow Grossmont Hospital to finish the Emergency and Critical Care Tower. The bottom two floors housing the emergency department and intensive care unit are already exceeding capacity every day, and while the building is quickly becoming an East County landmark, it is far from finished. The three top floors remain just empty shells. The money from Proposition G would complete the top three floors, which will:

• Provide three nursing floors with a total of 90 additional beds
• Reduce hospital and ER overcrowding and ER wait time
• Equipped to provide emergency care in aftermath of disaster

New Multipurpose Operating Rooms

Multipurpose operating room

New cardiac catheterization labs and endovascular rooms will be capable of handling both surgical and interventional procedures. Constructing these multipurpose rooms will:

• Relocate critical services support services of the laboratory and pharmacy departments to seismically compliant space.
• Expand the hospital’s surgical capacity for rapid cardiac care response and continued growth
• Provide the ability to benefit from emerging technology for patient diagnosis, treatment and recovery

Repair and Replace Aging Infrastructure

East Patient Care Tower

Some of hospital’s buildings and systems are almost 50 years old and have reached their end of life. To make sure the hospital is a safe place in the event of an earthquake or other disaster, aging systems need to be upgraded or replaced. Funds from Proposition G will help renovate the East Patient Tower, which is 30 years old and in need of upgrades. In addition, funds will help:

• Upgrade or replace aged plumbing for function, health and safety
• Replace outdated wiring systems to meet current and future safety code requirements and to increase capacity to handle new technology
• Replace end-of life elevators with larger, more efficient ones
• Repair and/or replace heating, air conditioning, and air ventilation systems for health and safety of patients and to meet new safety codes