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Administrator says Echlin Medical Center emergency room likely to close after loss of critical-access status
Summary
Hospital administrator Lauren Still told the Willows City Council the local emergency room faces imminent closure after the facility lost its critical-access designation; staff said outpatient clinics may continue but ancillary services look unlikely to remain.
Lauren Still, administrator of Echlin Medical Center, told the Willows City Council during public comment on Aug. 26 that the hospital’s emergency department is likely to close after the facility lost its critical-access designation. She said the emergency room has been “about six weeks out” from being safely staffed and that state review could force closure once diversion reaches 48 hours.
The administrator said outpatient primary care and some specialty clinics could remain at the hospital’s 1133 West Sycamore site, but ancillary services such as lab, radiology and physical therapy “are not looking promising.” She said the hospital has submitted appeals and more than 2,000 supporting letters to federal review agencies but had been told the decision appears final.
Why it matters: Willows’ emergency room serves residents who lack easy transportation to larger hospitals. Still warned that closure would worsen patient outcomes for residents without reliable transport and would place additional burden on ambulances, fire departments and neighboring hospitals.
Council members and county officials responded with a mix of sympathy and questions about next steps. Supervisor Jim Yoder and other county officials said they are arranging countywide discussions about maintaining 24/7 advanced life support ambulance services and exploring coordinated responses with neighboring cities and fire agencies. Still described immediate workforce supports the hospital is arranging for staff — job fairs, resume workshops and warm referrals to nearby providers — but said the hospital cannot guarantee positions for all affected employees.
Council members thanked Still and hospital staff for their efforts. City and county leaders said they are coordinating next steps, including appeals and community-level contingency planning for emergency response and ambulance deployment.
What remains unresolved: Still said the federal decision appears final and that reversing it could require action by Congress. The transcript contains no council motion or formal action on the hospital’s operational status; instead council members said they would continue coordination with county leaders and emergency responders.
Ending: Council members and county supervisors said they would continue to discuss operational responses and begin work on contingency plans; no new council ordinance or funding allocation was adopted at the Aug. 26 meeting.
