In-patient hospital serving children set to close in 2014

HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- An in-patient hospital which serves 1,000 East Bay children a year will close in 2014.

On Saturday, dozens of people protested that.

They marched outside the Hayward Medical Center on Hesperian Boulevard.

The protestors say once it shuts down, families in Hayward, Newark, and Fremont will have to drive a long way for in-patient child care services.

"She had to spend the night here in intensive care. We're deeply appreciative the care was here, it was local. And the thought of families like ourselves having to go to Roseville, two hours away, for care. It's just mind boggling we would have to pay thousands of miles away for our Kaiser membership when there's care right here," protester John Green said.

Kaiser says the families will still receive out-patient child care in those communities.

As for in-patient care, Kaiser is building a new facility in Oakland that will provide services for children.

They say the convenience and services available at the new facility outweigh the burden of driving further for in-patient care.

"In 2014, the pediatric service in-patient, just the in-patient, remember serving just four patients a day, will be located at a new state of the art children's medical center at the oakland site," Kaiser Permanente representative Colleen McKeown said.

Kaiser says the nurses working at the Hayward Medical Center will be moved to new positions within the Kaiser network.

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