In 2005, Community Memorial Health System was formed when Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura merged with Ojai Valley Community Hospital. This merger reflects the commitment of the Board of Trustees to providing the full continuum of healthcare services to all members of our communities. The new hospital in Ventura and modernization of the Ojai hospital is an extension of that commitment – both hospitals are required to meet new seismic mandates from the State, both hospitals were built more than 50 years ago, and both communities will benefit from enhanced services.

The current hospital was built in 1960. Although there have been expansions and enhancements to the facility, the limitations of the current building impacts services, the way patients move through the hospital, and the efficiency with which they can be treated. We are currently practicing modern medicine in a facility that was designed for the healthcare demands and treatments of yesterday. The new hospital will be much more efficient in meeting the needs of patients and their families, enhancing our medical services and technology, and will be fully compliant with new state seismic requirements.

Although Ojai residents enjoy access to larger hospitals outside the Ojai Valley, the need for healthcare services close to home is paramount to quality of life issues. When possible, patients and their families prefer being close to their home during times of illness. In times of natural disasters when access is denied to outside communities, having a full-service hospital in Ojai is of critical importance.

Planning for the new hospital in Ventura and modernization of the Ojai hospital has been a collaborative process involving hospital administrators, board members, physicians, and staff in both communities. Additionally, a public charrette in Ventura allowed CMHS to get vital feedback from area residents, city planners and elected officials. Local architects, Rasmussen Associates, and the renowned national hospital development firm, Hospital Building & Equipment (HBE) of St. Louis, Missouri helped guide the design process, as well as healthcare consultants who assisted with forecasting the medical needs into the future.

Yes. In keeping with our commitment to care for the environment while caring for our patients, the latest and most energy efficient technology available in the healthcare industry will be utilized in the new hospital in Ventura and in the modernization of the Ojai hospital.

The new building in Ventura was designed with the future in mind. The new surgical suites and critical care areas will have the flexibility to accommodate new developing technologies and to meet the anticipated increase in demand from an aging population. We have also incorporated open shell space to provide options for expansion, future technology and changes in healthcare delivery.

The project at the Ventura campus commenced with the approval of the financial package in 2011, after a new Cancer Center was built in Ventura to make way for construction of the new hospital. Groundbreaking for the hospital is scheduled for September 14, 2011. The hospital will be completed in 2015. The Ojai modernization and expansion completed its first phase with the opening of a new Emergency Department in 2009. The remaining projects will begin following approval of the master plan in 2011.

Early in the planning process, city administrators were invited to participate in the planning process of the new hospital in Ventura. Their positive endorsement is echoed in the comment of Rick Cole, City Manager of Ventura, who stated succinctly, “Failure is not an option.” The City of Ventura appreciates the importance of this project, not only for the healthcare needs of its residents, but as a catalyst for the redevelopment of the midtown area. In Ojai, city leaders recognize that the modernization of the Ojai hospital ensures hospital services into the future for its residents, and provides a much needed economic engine for its community’s continued health.

Administrative and medical offices as well as ancillary services such as laboratories and physical therapy will be housed in the current hospital building. Remaining space will be allocated for programs and services that support the mission of Community Memorial Health System.