Gilroy's Saint Louise Regional and two other Bay Area facilities in the Daughters of Charity hospital system are up for sale. The news has left some South Bay residents worried.
"I'm definitely concerned," said Eddie Ruiz, a Saint Louise patient. "I definitely want it to be here like a community hospital for the people."
Ruiz just moved to Gilroy and Saint Louise Regional is the hospital he goes to for his medical needs. He worries if a for-profit company takes over, it could shut the hospital down.
"It's very important cause I have children," Ruiz said. "You know it's definitely going to be a big huge inconvenience to have to drive all the way to San Jose to get emergency care, pediatrics or anything like that."
Gilroy Mayor Don Gage said Saint Louise is a crucial part of the community and doesn't see the hospital shutting down even with new owners. He said the hospital shutting down would not make any sense.
"If there's an emergency, any kind of emergency, whether it's having a baby or it's a disaster," Gage said. "If you have to travel 30 minutes to an hour to get to a hospital, it's not going to work."
The Daughters of Charity announced it put its hospitals on the market because it said financially it was becoming difficult to exist in the current modern health care system.
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"It is our hope that the buyer(s) share our vision to protect the legacy of care the Daughters of Charity have built, preserve jobs, and ensure that all members of the community have access to affordable, high-quality health care for years to come," Daughters of Charity said in a statement.
