Does Catalina Island Have a Hospital?

Catalina Island offers many tourist activities any travel enthusiast dreams of. But what if there’s a medical emergency? The question arises: is there a hospital or dispensary on Catalina Island?

Let’s find out.

Catalina Island has a fully equipped hospital, Catalina Island Medical Center (CIMC), which also runs a medical clinic, a pharmacy, and emergency services. If you have a unique condition, you can see a visiting specialist on Saturdays or book a virtual appointment. The hospital is the only medical facility on the island.

The medical center continues to evolve and has initiated various programs such as expanding the fitness center, purchasing the island’s only pharmacy, affiliation to the University of California (UCI) Health, and planning to build a new center for better service delivery.

Is there a Dispensary on Catalina Island?

The ONLY dispensaries on Catalina Island are medical marijuana dispensaries. They exist so you don’t suffer from pain and other conditions on the island.

Overview of Catalina Island Medical Center

Catalina Island Medical Center is an affiliate of UCI Health and the Island’s only hospital. The hospital is committed to providing high-quality services to the over 4,000 residents and one million visitors exploring the island annually.

The medical center recently rebranded to Catalina Island Health after the affiliation, a name that better represents its broader mission. Being the only hospital on the island, CI Health acts as a community pillar, providing more than checkups and hospital care. It offers preventative care, acute care, and fitness, among many other services, and this informed the rebranding to reflect the bigger picture.

The Island Medical Center has been in its current location for nearly 60 years and plans to relocate to provide better care.

Services Provided by Catalina Island Medical Center

Catalina Island Medical Centre offers a wide range of services, leaving little room for residents and visitors to move to the mainland for medical services.

The hospital section offers various services, including acute care, rehabilitation, long-term care, social services, home health care, and diagnostics, and an emergency services department that handles over 2,500 cases annually. 

The acute care section has inpatient beds for patients with acute conditions such as pneumonia, congestive heart failure, gastroenteritis, and diverticulitis. They also treat infections and wounds requiring intravenous antibiotics and post-op care after surgery. The long-term care facility, on the other hand, assists patients with medical conditions that require long-term or ongoing care and support.

The social services department helps patients adjust to various health issues and navigate the health care system. The department handles case management for seniors, home care referrals, financial aid applications, and community members’ referrals to various programs on the island and mainland. They also offer health education and nutritional counseling to prenatal patients, telepsychiatry program appointments, and information on skilled nursing facility admissions.

CIMC has fully equipped lab or radiology departments. The lab is staffed by a clinical lab scientist professional and operates 24/7. The radiology department offers a wide range of services, including CT scans, x-rays, and ultrasounds, and was recently equipped with a state-of-the-art radiology camera to improve diagnostic capabilities and patient experiences.

The hospital’s rehabilitation center is staffed with a friendly team of nurses, providers, and therapists who help patients transition from hospital care until they are healthy enough to return home. This includes helping patients regain the level of independence they had before injury, surgery, or illness.

The hospital also offers clinical services with the support of the hospital resources. The clinic offers various services, including physical and occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, primary care, and wellness checks.

Related: Do you need a passport to go to Catalina Island?

The medical center also owns a pharmacy that offers various drugs, making it easier for patients to receive help without going to the mainland to look for medication. CIMC purchased Leo Catalina Drugstore, known to the locals as the uncommon corner drug store, in 2017 to continue offering outstanding services to the community and visitors. The pharmacy runs independently with minimal changes, which have not affected its operations, including its relationship with the insurance industry.

CIMC has a foundation, the Catalina Medical Centre Foundation, whose mission is to support quality health care for residents and visitors who come to the island. The Center Foundation is a non-profit organization supporting various projects run by the hospital. The foundation accepts donations from well-wishers, so feel free to donate any amount for better service delivery.

Catalina Island Medical Center also owns a state-of-the-art public fitness center, Catalina Island Fitness Center, which it recently expanded to improve wellness and health on the island. The center is conveniently located at the Atwater Arcade.

Catalina Island Medical Center Physician Availability

Catalina Island Medical Center boasts a team of providers offering emergency, inpatient, and outpatient services to the community. This includes board-certified physicians, nurses, lab technicians, speech therapists, dieticians, and medical social workers. Other providers include physical, occupational, and speech therapists. The providers see patients for routine medical care during regular office hours.

Patients at the medical center do not have to go to the mainland whenever they need specialty care. The hospital has a team of visiting specialist providers who regularly provide special services. You can see a visiting specialist at the medical facility on Saturday or make a virtual appointment. Visiting specialists include cardiologists, urologists, podiatrists, and ophthalmologists, among other medical specialties. The hospital’s website lists upcoming specialists and the visit date.

CIMC collaborates with the University of California’s Irvine School of Medicine to run the emergency department. The emergency room is staffed 24/ 7 by a certified physician from the school with support from the medical center’s diagnostic imaging and laboratory departments.

Conclusion

Santa Catalina Island has a hospital, a clinic managed by the medical center, a pharmacy, and an emergency services department run by the same institution at your disposal. The island also boasts several medical marijuana dispensaries if you already have a recommendation from your physician and a medical marijuana card for identification.