Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo closes

SAN PABLO, Calif. (KGO) -- The only emergency room in San Pablo is now closed. Doctors Medical Center says it was forced to close because the emergency room was losing several million dollars a year.

A sign is posted outside the hospital, announced that it is now closed.

The wound clinic, however, is still open, and people showed up for appointments on Tuesday. Employees are busy clearing out their spaces and shutting the place down. But essential services are no longer available.

Health care providers say this will create a medical desert for the area. They worry it will cost people their lives. A new urgent care facility has opened up across the street, but it can't handle surgeries or heart attacks.

The DMC Closure Aversion Committee is not ready to give up quite yet. The group says it has investors interested in getting Doctors Medical Center back up and running and they have doctors who also want to see that happen, with a new administration and a new board.

"And we're hoping in a period of four to six months, to start revving up services," said registered nurse Maria Sahagun. "And actually, even providing better services for the community. So we understand that this building needs earthquake retrofit. During the time that we continue to provide services, we will continue going to the federal government and the legislature, looking for money.

Doctor's Medical had money problems because 90 percent of patients used either MediCal, MediCare, or were uninsured. To close that gap, the committee would like improve its service and also attract 60,000 new patients from West County.

The plan has a ways to go, but the optimism is high.

But keep in mind that, for now, the ER and Doctors Medical Center is closed.