July 12, 2002

Letter Sent to Following Officials

U.S. Senator Debra Bowen

U.S. Representative Jane Harmon

Assemblyman George Nakano

Mayor James Hahn

Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke

Supervisor Don Knabe

Honorable Cindy Miscikowski

Dear _____________________:

As you are aware, Tenet Healthcare Corporation is taking steps to close the Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital on July 22, 2002. Community Health Councils, Inc. Consumers Union, SEIU, AGENDA, Westside Metropolitan Alliance, Save Our Marina Hospital Coalition, National Health Law Program, California Women’s Law Center, and Villa Marina Council, Inc are currently working together to ensure that the residents of this community continue to have access to health care as well as protect the community assets should a closure or sale take place.

We are writing to you at this time to request your support in protecting healthcare access and this valuable community asset by:

1. Voicing your opposition to the closure at the upcoming July 17^th EMS hearing taking place at 6p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club of Venice, located at 2232 Lincoln Blvd, (near NE corner, Lincoln & Venice Blvds);

2. Advising the Attorney General of your support for his recent decision and encourage him to continue to enforce the conditions of the sale agreement; and

3. Working with the community and other key officials to identify and develop alternatives to keep the hospital open.

As you know, Tenet submitted the required 90-day notice to the L.A. County Emergency Medical Services Commission to close the ER on August 29, 2002. Subsequent to this notice, Tenet immediately began the process of dismantling facility operations and terminating services. By taking this action, Tenet has undermined the viability of the on-going operation of the hospital. As a result of Tenet’s actions, the census of the hospital has declined, staff and physicians coverage has been lost, and now Tenet has announced that it is necessary to close the hospital on July 22^nd. In affect, Tenet has bypassed the 90-day notice and limited any opportunity to develop an alternative plan for the hospital and community.

On July 8, 2002 the Attorney General ruled that Tenet “ cannot close either Marina or the emergency room because it has not complied with Conditions IX and XV in the consent to the sale”. Condition IX of the consents required Tenet to conduct a comprehensive planning process and Condition XV required that if Tenet ceases to operate the Marina as an acute care hospital with 24 hour basic emergency services it will either establish an urgent care or ambulatory care facility within 2 miles of the Marina site or provide free transportation. In spite of this ruling, Tenet has not reversed its notice to its employees, physicians, or the community nor has it taken the necessary steps to meet the basic service requirements under Title 22 thus continuing on the course of closure for July 22nd.

We invite you to join us in our effort to:

q Ensure that Tenet complies with both the intent and the terms and conditions of the December 7, 2001 asset sale agreement;

q Maintain the hospital and emergency room for the community; and

q Preserve the historical charitable assets for the community by ensuring that Tenet does not unjustly profit from the transaction.

We have therefore set forth a series of recommendations to the Attorney General as outlined in the attached letter dated July 12, 2002. We ask for your support for these recommendations. We value your leadership in this critical matter. We look forward to hearing from you as we plan for the upcoming EMS hearing. Should you have any question or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me or Caroline Rivas at (323) 295-9372.

Sincerely,

Lark Galloway-Gilliam

Executive Director

Community Health Councils

Cc: Tricia Wynne

Virginia Hastings, EMS

Maura Kealey, SEIU

Leslie Bennett, Consumers Union

Karla Zombro, AGENDA

Patrick Burns, W. LA Metro Alliance

Julie Inouye, SAVE OUR MARINA Coalition

Bethany Leal, California Womens Law Center

Lourdes Rivera, National Health Law Program

Terry Conner, Villa Marina Council, Inc.

Susan Burke-Fogel, Esq.