Southern Inyo Healthcare Dist

Description

The Southern Inyo Healthcare District encompasses a diverse and highly coveted tourist destination including the bottom of Death Valley Badwater 282 feet and the top of Mt Whitney 14497 feet In addition it comprises a large part of the source waters for the Los Angeles aqueduct which supplies up to 75 of the water for this growing city a major filming locations for movies commercials and other projects from around the globe and a large part of the Inyo National Forest Alabama Hills National Recreation Area and Death Valley National Park It is estimated that more than 40 of employment in the county is accounted for by transportation communication utilities and various other government agencies

Southern Inyo Hospital is located in the town of Lone Pine which sits at the foot of Mt Whitney and the world renowned Alabama Hills Lone Pine is a destination for hikers climbers mining and film history buffs hunters fishermen backcountry skiers hanggliders photographers and many others who enjoy astonishing natural beauty and a peaceful tightknit small town atmosphere With the recent rewatering of the lower Owens River opportunities for canoeing kayaking birdwatching and other water sports are also being developed For more information on the area please visit our Links page

History

The hospital district was founded July 5 1949 through the efforts of the Business and Professional Womens Club and the Lions Club and was first located on the corner of Bush and Main Streets directly south of the current location of Lone Pine Drug It was licensed for nineteen beds and four bassinets

On March 17th 1955 the hospital moved to its present location and was licensed for eighteen beds and four bassinets At this time there were twentyone full time employees A new wing was completed on May 18th 1964 and the hospital was accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals on June 5 1964 after the new wing allowed it to expand its capacity above the required minimum of twentyfive beds This expansion was accomplished through a 650000 bond project

Today Southern Inyo Hospital is a Critical Access Hospital a sole community provider and a frontier hospital It currently has four acute care beds and thirtythree skilled nursing beds for a total of thirtyseven licensed beds There are currently fiftytwo fully time seventeen parttime and twentyfour per diem for a total of sixtyseven full time equivalents The voters of the District recently passed a property tax measure which is allowing for the expansion of clinical and diagnostic services and further integration of health care into the community