Laguna Beach council approves hospital action plan, seeks community advisory input amid concerns over Mission Hospital future

Laguna Beach’s City Council voted unanimously to approve a staff-recommended hospital action plan and to develop a process for appointing community advisory members to guide the city’s response to anticipated changes at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach.

The plan, presented by city staff, directs the city to compile consistent data across police, fire, dispatch and the hospital on patient transports and diversions, form internal and community advisory groups, and seek legal and real-estate expertise to preserve emergency services as the site’s operator considers changes. "We want to make sure we agree upon that data," the city manager said during the presentation.

Public commenters urged an aggressive stance. John Thomas, a resident, said the community should start by asking what residents want at the hospital site and “not immediately limit the conversation with constraints like cost or regulatory barriers.” Physician Christine Park emphasized clinical limits of urgent-care models, saying they "allow patient selection by insurance" and may not reproduce emergency-department capabilities such as immediate CT or MRI for serious events.

Other speakers recounted local history of community fundraising and warned against losing hospital capacity. "There's nothing else that should go before protecting this hospital," a resident said, urging renewed community engagement and fundraising.

Council members emphasized a data-driven approach. One council member said the city, as the land-use authority rather than the hospital operator, must identify leverage points the city can exercise and collect objective metrics about ER volume and ambulance handoff times. The council agreed staff and the ad hoc committee would return with a recommended appointment process for community members and a timeline for consultant assistance.

The motion to approve the recommended action and direct the city manager and ad hoc committee to draft the appointment process passed unanimously. The council directed staff to return later in the year with progress updates and to consider funding a consultant to assist on legal and real estate issues related to the site.

Next steps: staff will develop the advisory selection process and an RFP timeline for consultant support; the council directed the ad hoc committee to work with the city clerk on timing for interviews and appointments.