Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust to buy Watsonville Community Hospital

The Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust decided to exercise its right of first refusal and buy Watsonville Community Hospital, according to the California Nurses Association.

The association said registered nurses, doctors, community activists and residents support the decision.

“This is truly a wonderful day for the people of Watsonville and Pajaro Valley. We are incredibly grateful that the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust voted to buy the hospital and restore it to a nonprofit community hospital that is committed to serving the residents of Watsonville and not the interests of outside investors,” said Amy Grooters, RN.

The Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust voted to buy the hospital after a town hall meeting on Sunday organized by the nurses. At that meeting, many shared concerns about selling the hospital to another for-profit company.

The hospital was initially nonprofit but was sold to the for-profit hospital operator Community Health Systems in 1998. As a result of the sale, the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust was created and given the right of first refusal to buy the hospital before the seller negotiated other offers. Quorum took over the hospital in 2016, but because it was a spin-off of Community Health Systems, it did not go up for sale. This is the first time Watsonville Community Hospital has been for sale since 1998.